All Roads Lead to Texas

by Linda Warren

  “I think.”

  “Don’t get discouraged. It takes practice. Put your feet into the stirrups.”

  Brit looked down and moved her feet until she found the stirrups. “They’re just right,” she exclaimed.

  “Now, riding is about balance and it’s something you’ll learn as the horse moves. Use your legs to grip Fancy. Use your feet, too, try to keep your heels down. Fancy pretty much knows what to do. Are you ready?”

  Brit nodded, her hat bouncing on her head.

  “Let’s go for a walk in the corral,” Wade said, catching Fancy’s bridle and leading her into the pen. Once inside, he let go and Fancy walked along the pipe fence with Wade walking beside them. When Fancy came to a corner, she stopped.

  “How do you make her go left?” Wade asked.

  “Like this.” Brit pulled the reins left and Fancy continued walking until she reached another corner. Without Wade telling her, Brit pulled the reins again and Wade knew she was going to be fine. She liked horses and she wasn’t afraid. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to have a problem with balance either.

  Jock stormed into the pen. “Get that saddle off that horse,” he shouted.

  Wade turned to his father, reaching for Fancy’s bridle so she wouldn’t move. “Pop, Brit needs a smaller saddle so her legs will reach the stirrups.”

  “That’s Zach’s saddle. No one uses it.”

  Wade felt that old familiar knot in his stomach. “Zach would want other kids to use it.”

  “Take it off, Wade.”

  Wade stuck to his decision. “No, and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

  Jock hurried back into the barn, stumbled and almost fell, but he grabbed the barn door and went in.

  “Do you want me to get off?” Brit asked.

  Wade focused on her shining face and not the pain in his chest. “No, let’s keep walking so you can become familiar with the movement of the horse.”

  CALLIE WAS HOLDING HER BREATH and she released it with a whoosh. Since Wade didn’t take Brit off the horse, she didn’t insist that he do so either, figuring he knew what he was doing. She tightened her arm around Mary Beth and noticed that Adam wasn’t beside them. Jock had said that Adam was going riding today, but nothing had been mentioned about it so far. He was so excited and she didn’t want him disappointed. Taking Mary Beth’s hand, she moved to the barn door. Adam was sitting by Jock on a bale of hay and she could hear their voices clearly.

  “When my daddy died, I was angry, too,” Adam was saying.

  “Go away, kid,” Jock responded.

  “Where would you like me to go?”

  “Anywhere but in my face.”

  “I can’t because we don’t have anywhere to go.”

  Silence, then Adam said, “I’m sorry about your grandson.”

  “You know nothing about my grandson.”

  “I know what it’s like to lose someone you love more than anything. I promised my daddy I wouldn’t be sad, but I couldn’t keep that promise. I’m sad a lot.”

  Callie swallowed, realizing Adam needed a man to talk to. She wouldn’t have chosen Jock Montgomery, but Adam seemed drawn to him. Maybe because he was close to John’s age.

  “Do you hate everybody?” Jock asked in a hoarse voice.

  “Sometimes.”

  “Me, too.”

  There was silence again.

  “You said I was going to ride a horse today,” Adam reminded him. “Did you change your mind?”

  Jock didn’t get a chance to answer as Wade led Fancy and Brit into the barn.

  “Callie, did you see me?” Brit asked, getting off the horse. “I could turn her and everything.”

  “Yes, I saw you.” Callie gave her a hug.

  Jock lumbered toward Fancy. “You want to ride, boy. This is your chance.” He lengthened the stirrups. “Put your left foot here and swing up.”

  Adam did so effortlessly.

  “Do you remember what I told Brit?” Wade took over.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Listen to Wade,” Jock said. “I taught him everything he knows.”

  As Adam rode in the corral, even Callie could see he had a natural ability. He seemed to know what to do before Jock or Wade told him. And by the smile on his face, he was obviously enjoying himself.

  Wade stood by Callie. “This is good to see. Pop taking an interest in something.”

  “Adam misses his father and for some reason he’s formed a connection to Jock.”

  A horse trotted to the corral and neighed. Wade’s face turned a pasty white. “Is that Zach’s horse?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Yeah.” The word came out broken. Wade swallowed. “Lucky probably thinks Zach is back. He and Adam are about the same size.”

  Callie placed her hand on his arm and felt his tense muscles. “Are you okay?”

  Wade didn’t answer for a moment, just kept his eyes on Lucky, who kept neighing and shaking her head.

  “Yes,” he finally said, and he looked into her eyes. “Has it been a rough day?”

  She shrugged. “Not too bad. Did you find out anything?” She’d been dying to ask that for the last hour.

  “Yeah, and I asked a friend to do some checking on your stepfather.”

  “And?”

  “We’ll talk later.”

  She didn’t know if she had enough patience to wait until later. But she didn’t have much of a choice.

  CHAPTER TEN

  HORSES WERE UNSADDLED and fed. After their gear was put away, Tex and Poncho went home. Wade saved Fancy for last so Brit and Adam would learn how to care for the horse. They unsaddled her, rubbed her down and fed her, then led her back to the pasture with the other horses.

  “Where does she sleep?” Brit asked.

  “In the pasture.”

  “Even in winter?” Adam was as curious as Brit.

  “Yep, even in winter,” Wade told them. “If it’s really cold, we leave the corral open so they can get in the barn, but they rarely do. They’re used to the outdoors, just like the cattle.”

  The kids waved bye to Fancy and as they walked back into the barn, Jock said to Callie, “What’s for supper?”

  “Pop!”

  Jock shrugged. “Well, since she fixed breakfast and dinner, I just assumed she’d be fixing supper—paying for her keep.”

  “Pop…”

  “It’s all right, Wade.” Callie put a hand on his arm. “I don’t mind fixing supper. I just don’t know what to cook.”

  “There’s a freezer full of Texas beef. Take your pick, but I’d like chicken fried steak.”

  “It will take time to thaw out,” Callie pointed out.

  “Then I’ll mosey to the house and get started on that.” Jock headed out of the barn.

  “I’ll go with you, Mr. Jock.” Adam fell into step beside him.

  “Me, too,” Brit shouted and dashed after them.

  “Wait for me,” Mary Beth called.

  Callie was on the verge of calling them back when Wade said, “They’ll be fine and we’ll be right behind them in the car.”

  GETTING INTO WADE’S CAR, Callie was greeted by the aroma of coffee. Wade loved coffee—one of the little things she was learning about him. Besides a police radio, a large mug, a pair of sunglasses, handcuffs, several pens and a notepad rested in the console. This was the first time she’d been in a police vehicle and she fervently hoped it would be her last…unless Wade was at the wheel.

  Callie turned to him. “Did you find out who trashed my house?”

  He told her about the Harvey boys.

  “They did it out of spite because they didn’t get a parcel of land?”

  “Yes. Their father is very bitter and kids soak up that kind of stuff.”

  “Why would he want to teach his kids to hate?” The whole thing appalled Callie.

  “As I told you, there are a lot of people here who are against the Home Free Program, but I didn’t realize their attitudes were being passed
down to their children. We all thought they would eventually come around. People like my dad, though, cling to the bitterness.”

  “And Senator Gallagher.”

  Wade stopped at the house and ran his hands over the steering wheel. “This all started long ago when the owner of the K Bar C died and the heirs ran the operation into bankruptcy. My dad, Zeb Ritter, Nate Cantrell, Jase Farley, Holden Kelley, Robert Bell and Nan Wright joined forces and bought the property at auction. They formed a consortium with Zeb as the foreman and Nate putting in a lot of hours to get the ranch into shape. It was a surefire thing. No one thought it would ever fail.”

  “What happened?”

  “They borrowed money to increase the herds, drilled more water wells, built new fences, new corrals and barns and hired more cowboys to work the cattle. Then the drought hit and they had to start buying hay and feed. The bank refused to extend their loan so they decided to start selling off the cattle, but mad cow disease was sweeping the country and the bottom fell out of the cattle prices, especially in foreign markets where they shipped a lot of cattle.”

  “So the KC consortium went under?”

  “Yeah, the county was getting ready to take the land for back taxes, then Miranda came up with her idea and basically sold it all over town. People thought she was crazy but Homestead was becoming a ghost town and I, for one, supported her. Our tax base was eroding as families and kids moved away. When she ran against Arlen Enfield for mayor, no one thought she’d win. It was a narrow margin, but she won and set her plan in motion as quickly as she could. Arlen’s always been in Clint’s pocket, but lately they’ve been on the outs.”

  He took a breath. “It had to be one of those quick deals because everyone knew Clint wanted that land. It would make him the biggest rancher around here. But he was busy in Austin and his boys, Trevor and Garrett, didn’t care about expanding the Four Aces and Ryan wasn’t here. When Clint returned, the city owned the K Bar C and he’s been steamed ever since.”

  “So much resentment and heartache,” she commented.

  His hands tightened on the wheel. “All this doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t know what it is because I know for certain the Harvey boys trashed your house. I’m just not clear about the motive.”

  “You think it was more than trying to impress their father?”

  “Maybe.”

  Silence filled the car. She could see how distressed he was over the whole vandalism ordeal and her heart went out to him. But something else was on her mind and she had to bring it up.

  “Has your friend found out anything?”

  “Not yet. It’s going to take some time, but if there’s any dirt on Nigel, Simon can find it.”

  She licked her lips and he watched the action. “So you’re not turning us in to the FBI?” He’d said that he’d needed answers, but she needed to know for sure what he was going to do.

  “No. I couldn’t live with myself if I did that.”

  “Oh, Wade.” She threw herself across the seat at him. “Thank you. Thank you.” She kissed the side of his face, his forehead, his nose and, in the process, knocked off his hat.

  He caught it before it fell into the back seat. “I thought we weren’t going to do this.”

  “I didn’t agree to that.” She smiled and touched his lips gently.

  He took her mouth with a fierce hunger and hers opened under his, giving herself up to this moment and Wade. Nothing was said for some time as they tasted and discovered each other.

  Finally Wade rested his forehead against hers, just feeling, not thinking and letting himself enjoy the touch and feel of her. It had been a long time since he’d felt like this and he wanted to hold on and never let her go. But first they had to get her life sorted out.

  “We better go in,” he whispered.

  “You really are a chef, hmm?” he asked, as they walked toward the back door.

  “Yes. I’m really a chef. I didn’t lie about that. Why else would I be opening a café?”

  “I heard around town you were planning to do that.”

  “I have to start earning an income. The house is taking so much money to repair.”

  He wondered if she even realized she was putting down roots, settling in and making Homestead her home. Or was he dreaming? Yep, probably was. He knew Callie’s situation, but it didn’t keep a man from hoping.

  “After graduating from college, I attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York,” she was saying. “When I got my degree, I worked in a large hotel then on a cruise ship. I was excited to land the executive chef job at a fine restaurant in New York, something I’d been working very hard to accomplish.”

  He opened the door, hearing the pride in her voice. “You gave it all up for the kids?”

  Her expression changed dramatically. “Yes. I just couldn’t bear the thought of them suffering, but I’ve wondered so many times if I’ve done the right thing. John wanted them in New York and I’ve taken them hundreds of miles away. I keep telling myself that soon I’ll be able to take them back to the life he’d planned for them.”

  “You loved John a great deal.”

  “Oh, yes, and I will keep my promise.”

  That promise meant that Callie and the kids would only stay in Homestead a short time, then they’d return to their lives. So much for hoping. He had to be happy about that. It might take some work, though.

  “You’ll let me know when you hear anything about Nigel?”

  His eyes centered on her troubled face. “Oh, yeah, you’ll be the first I tell.”

  “What if you can’t find anything on him? Will you…”

  He touched her cheek, unable to bear that sadness in her voice. “Let’s take one day at a time.” He would protect her and those kids with everything in him. No one was arresting Callie or taking the kids back to an abusive stepfather—not as long as he was the law in Loveless County.

  SUPPER WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR. Everyone helped but Jock. He stayed in the den watching television. Callie fried the steaks like she’d done the chicken earlier—by dipping them in flour then in milk and egg. She did more milk-gravy potatoes and there were green beans and biscuits left from lunch. While she sliced tomatoes, the kids ran to wash their hands.

  Seated at the table, Jock paused before reaching for the platter of steaks. “Who’s saying the prayer? I’m so hungry I could eat a saddle blanket.”

  “Me, too,” Adam said.

  Brit giggled, then replied, “I’m saying the prayer.” Everyone bowed their heads. “Thank you God for bringing us here to Wade and Mr. Jock. Please keep us safe and thank you for this food…and Callie. Amen.”

  Nothing was said as the food was passed around. “This is good—no, this is great.” Wade took a swallow of tea, realizing he hadn’t eaten a thing all day and the food was the best he’d ever put in his mouth.

  “Callie’s the best cook,” Adam told him.

  Wade knew that. Just watching her was a pleasure. She cut, diced and served with an expertise of someone who knew their craft.

  “Pretty damn good,” Jock agreed, pushing away from the table. “Now I’m going to watch my TV shows.”

  Wade leaned back. “You could offer to help with the dishes.”

  “Don’t think so, son.” Jock reached for his cane and limped into the den.

  Callie carried dishes to the sink. “He’s probably never washed a dish in his life.”

  “Oh, yes, he has. Yolanda refuses to come over here with a sink full of dirty dishes waiting for her. If dishes are in the sink, she goes back home and doesn’t cook. They had that tug of war for a long time, but Pop’s finally realized if he doesn’t put his dishes in the dishwasher, there’ll be no food the next day.”

  Wade handed her dishes as she loaded the dishwasher. “Yo’s a colorful character.” She paused in thought. “I’ve met a lot of colorful characters since I’ve been here.”

  “Yep. Homestead is down-home country folk.”

  They smiled at each other
and suddenly there was just the two of them, getting lost in each other.

  “Callie. Callie…”

  She realized someone was calling her name and she turned to Mary Beth. “What is it, sweetie?”

  “Look at my knees. They changed color.”

  Callie stared at her brown knees. Mary Beth had on shorts and had been kneeling in the dirt in the corral and Callie suspected it was more than dirt.

  “Time to get you in a bath.”

  “Go ahead,” Wade said. “I’ll finish the dishes.”

  “Are you sure? There’s pots to wash yet.”

  “I can wash pots,” he assured her.

  “I like a man who can wash pots.” Her eyes met the laughter in his, which suddenly changed to a simmering heat.

  She backed away, but still felt his warmth. “Ah…girls, bath time.”

  “I’ll watch TV with Mr. Jock until it’s my time,” Adam said.

  “Or you can use the bath in the utility room,” Wade offered.

  “No, thank you. I’ll just wait.”

  “Okay.” Wade put soap in the dishwasher, wondering how Jock was going to take someone watching TV with him. He had his sports, crime shows and westerns that he never missed and he insisted on complete quiet.

  Wade turned on the dishwasher and started to scrub a pot. Zach used to watch westerns with Jock. He was the only person who could tolerate TV with Jock longer than thirty minutes because Jock tended to scream loudly at the people on the screen.

  Peering around the corner, he saw Adam lying on the floor in front of the set watching a baseball game. Jock lay in his chair not saying a word, but that wouldn’t last.

  CALLIE QUICKLY HAD THE GIRLS bathed and in their night-clothes. Brit chatted nonstop as usual. “Adam and I rode real good, didn’t we, Callie?”