by Linda Warren
“Mrs. Austin,” he said. “This is Howard and Melba Sue Harvey and their boys, Howie and Cliff.”
The woman was very thin and gaunt and Callie’s heart went out to her. “I’m so sorry for what my boys did to your house, but I made sure they were there, like the sheriff said, for them to help clean up the mess they made. June Bug worked them hard.”
“His name is Odell.”
“What?” Melba Sue looked confused.
“Please call him Odell. That’s his name.”
The man snickered and Callie glanced at Howard Harvey. With his sullen expression, small eyes and unkempt appearance, he reminded her of a cornered ferret. A cruel, foraging ferret with claws.
“Oh. Okay. I wasn’t aware he wanted to be called by his name.”
“He does, Mama,” Howie said. “He told us he don’t like to be called June Bug ’cause he don’t eat bugs no more.”
“We laughed and he got mad,” Cliff continued. “He’s got a real temper and he’s a little scary, but we don’t call him June Bug no more. He knows a lot of stuff about carpentry and he said when we got older, he might hire us.”
“Well now, ain’t that somethin’,” Howard snapped in an angry voice. “My boys ain’t working for June Bug Stromiski.”
“We’re getting off track,” Wade broke in. “Mrs. Austin, do you want to press charges against these boys?”
Callie looked at the boys. “Why would you destroy my place like that?”
They looked at their feet. Howie shifted restlessly. “Because Dad…”
“Shut up!” Howard shouted. “You’re not blaming this on me. Now I have to pay for the goddamn damages.”
With a father like that, Callie suspected the boys had more than their fair share of trouble. But Melba Sue’s expression was the deal breaker. It was obvious she loved her sons and the thought of them in jail was breaking her heart.
“Please do not destroy another person’s property out of spite.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Howie hung his head.
“We cleaned it up real good,” Cliff added.
“Yes, and I’m happy about that, and—” she glanced at Wade “—I can’t press charges.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Austin,” Melba Sue gushed. “Thank you. They’re good boys, just a little misguided at times.”
“Shut up, Melba Sue. Nobody wants to listen to your sniveling.” Howard pulled out his wallet. “What’s the damages?”
“Mostly Odell’s labor. He traveled to San Antonio for the glass and replaced it himself.” Wade pushed a piece of paper across the desk.
Howard pulled out four one-hundred-dollar bills. “That should cover the damages.”
That took Wade by surprise—how did Howard have that kind of money in his back pocket? Wade stood, his eyes on Howard. “Where’d you get the money?”
“Took a draw on my wages. That’s what you want, Sheriff, isn’t it? Me to pay my bills?”
“Yeah. I’d like for you to pay your bills, adjust your attitude and stop blaming everyone else for your problems.”
“Let’s go,” Howard said to his family.
“Boys, I’ll be keeping a close eye on you. So behave yourselves,” Wade said to Howie and Cliff.
“Yes, sir.” The family walked out of the office.
“Thank you,” Wade said as the door closed. “They didn’t need to go to juvenile detention.”
“I didn’t think so either. Their father is a fine piece of work and I feel so sorry for Melba Sue.”
“She’s had several chances to get out of that relationship, but she always chooses to stay. Typical pattern. It’s hard to break.” He came around the desk and handed her the money.
“This should help with the expense of the cleanup.”
With the money in her hand, she said, “I feel bad taking it. They need it more than I do.”
“Don’t go soft on me. Those boys broke the law and I’m hoping they’ve learned something.”
“Me, too.”
“And Odell worked nonstop, so he deserves overtime.”
Her fingers closed around the bills. “You can bet he’ll get it.” Odell had gone above and beyond what was expected of him and it was only right he received compensation. He probably wouldn’t want it, but she’d make sure he took it.
Wade leaned against the desk, watching her. “Where are the kids?”
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Jock stopped by this morning. That’s why I was late.”
An eyebrow rose. “My dad stopped by your house?”
“Yes. With steak and eggs in hand. Wanted me to cook his breakfast.”
“You’re joking.”
“No.”
“I saw the steak out when I left. Thought he was going to cook it himself.”
“There’s more. Jock told Adam that Lucky needed to be ridden and wanted him to come to the ranch. It put me in an awkward position because the girls wanted to go, too. So I promised to take them later this afternoon and I have so much work to do with getting the café ready to open.”
“So Adam’s with Pop?”
“Yes. That’s okay, isn’t it?”
“It’s wonderful. My dad hasn’t taken an interest in anything in years. And don’t worry about the girls. I’ll come by later and take them out to the ranch so they can ride and I’ll bring them back. That way you can get all the work done you need.” His eyes flickered with amusement. “Or you could just come with us.”
“Don’t tempt me.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to go. Ethel’s watching the girls.”
She stopped at the door and turned. “I saw those wanted posters out there and it made me realize the enormous risk you’re taking with your future.”
“It’s my choice.”
She saw that it was. She was so incredibly lucky to have found this man—this very good man. He would protect them—keep them safe.
But what did he gain in return?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE DAYS SETTLED into a routine. Every morning Jock showed up for breakfast, and now Wade came, too. They ate the meal like a normal family, but Callie had to keep reminding herself that they weren’t.
Adam continued to go to the ranch with Jock and was learning to work cattle. Brit wanted to go, too, but Callie didn’t think the ranch was the place for a small girl. Brit could go when either she or Wade could go.
Wade hadn’t received any more information on Nigel and, as the days passed, Callie was hoping that he wouldn’t. She knew that was the child in her wanting to have it all. Sooner or later they’d have to face Nigel—in court or in person.
The Fourth of July arrived and they spent it at the ranch. To the kids’ way of thinking, there was no other place to go. And she had to admit she was in total agreement. Tex and his family were having a big barbecue, but Callie and Wade decided that a picnic would be nice.
They were going to an old deer cabin on Spring Creek and they had to ride there on horseback. Callie hadn’t been on a horse in years, but she adjusted quickly. She’d packed a picnic basket of fried chicken, rolls, fruit, cheese and her double fudge walnut brownies for dessert.
Mary Beth rode with Wade and they trotted through green coastal pastures into the hills of brushy mesquite, cedars and scrub oaks. Whitetail deer and wild turkeys could occasionally be seen eating beneath oak and pecan trees. Squirrels and rabbits were plentiful, too. At times, the horses picked their way slowly over rocky crevices and cacti, then they rode down into a valley of tall grasses with a glistening creek meandering through it.
A small cabin was nestled on the bank under a sprawling live oak. They dismounted and Callie sucked in the fresh air, feeling the sunshine on her skin and experiencing a high of pure pleasure.
It was a magical afternoon. They fished in the creek and the kids squealed with delight when they actually caught a perch or catfish. They ate on a blanket under the live oak, except Jock, who sat on a chair Adam brought from the cabin. A tire was attached to a
rope and hung from the tree. The children took turns pushing each other, laughing and being kids again.
As the sun began to sink, they saddled up and headed back. When they reached the barn, they took care of the horses, then made their way to Tex’s for the fireworks display. The Mexicans were having a big party and relatives spilled out onto the yard and pasture. The girls sat in a group of other children. Jock took a seat on the porch steps, Adam beside him like a shadow. Callie and Wade sat on a tailgate.
Wade held her hand and neither spoke as fireworks lit up the sky. All too soon, it was time to return to town—and reality.
CALLIE WAS BUSY getting the café ready to open. The two bedrooms downstairs were big and she figured she could get four or five tables in each one. But she’d start out with four in each because she didn’t think business would be that brisk at first. She found a few tables at a local antique store and Wade knew the people who owned the old furniture store that had closed—a lot of furniture was still inside. She was able to buy the rest there. Then she ordered linens, All-Clad pots and pans and good knives from the Internet. Next she worked on a menu and tested recipes on Wade and her friends. She soon discovered that her gourmet ideas weren’t going to fly in Homestead. Her hollandaise and béarnaise sauces didn’t go over very well. Wade didn’t say anything, but Odell and Ethel said plenty.
“What’s that?” Ethel wanted to know.
“It’s a sauce.”
“Is it like gravy?” Odell asked.
“In a way,” she answered with a long sigh.
“Why not just make gravy?”
They didn’t think too much of her tarts and crepes either and she knew, for the café to be a success, she’d have to prepare meals the Southern way—like Mrs. Heinbacker had taught her. So she adjusted her menu to some down-home good food. Later, she would introduce some of her favorite recipes. Later—that one word pulled her up short. She was thinking like she was going to be here forever. But she wasn’t. She had to make the most of the time that she was here.
Her thoughts turned to her father. She still hadn’t asked anyone else about him and Wade hadn’t mentioned him either. She intended to bring up the subject again, but they never seemed to have any time alone. Once she opened the café, they’d have even less time. There had to be a way….
While Callie was in the kitchen washing some votive candleholders she’d found at Tanner’s, Ethel walked in with a box of napkins. “Here’s the napkins folded that fancy way.”
“Thanks, Ethel.”
“Why you’re using cloth napkins is beyond me. Nobody in this town knows how to use one. And who’s going to wash all these things?”
“I intend to hire a few more people.”
“That’s good. I do a lot of things, but washing and ironing are not my favorite chores.”
Callie set a candleholder on a towel to dry. She took a long breath. “Ethel, have you ever heard of a Dale Collins?”
“Sure. He died years ago. Drank himself to death. Why are you asking about…?”
Callie pulled the sink stopper and the soapy suds swirled down the drain with a swishing sound, blocking out Ethel’s voice.
Her father was dead—just like Glynis had said. For a second, she couldn’t breathe and she felt a pain in her chest. She hadn’t even known her father, so she didn’t understand why it hurt so bad. Maybe because she’d hoped for so long that one day she’d get the chance to meet him, to see his face. Maybe that’s why she’d waited to ask. It was better thinking he was alive. That way she could still hope. Now she knew for sure that she would never see him.
Dragging in a breath, she turned to ask Ethel where he was buried and saw a young girl standing in the doorway. In her twenties, she had bright red hair, freckles and thick glasses. She was about fifty pounds overweight and her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail made her face appear rounder.
“Wanda, what are you doing here?” Ethel asked sharply.
“I came to…to speak to Mrs. Austin.”
Callie wiped her hands on a dish towel. “I’m Mrs. Austin.”
“I…ah…Father Noah said you…you’re opening a café and…he…I mean…I thought you might need…some help.”
“Wanda, stop clucking like a nervous chicken about to be dinner. Mrs. Austin can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
Wanda was very shy and Ethel wasn’t helping. Callie took her arm and led her into the café area to sit at a table.
“Tell me about yourself,” Callie invited.
“I…I…”
The girl was visibly trembling and Callie reached out to touch her. “You don’t have to be nervous of me. Take a deep breath and tell me about yourself.”
“My name is Wanda Krauss and I’ve lived in Homestead all my life. My dad had a stroke and my mama had to take care of him, then she got cancer and became really ill. I had to drop out of school when I was sixteen to care for them. My sister and brother live in another state and there was only me. My mama passed away three months ago and my daddy’s been gone six weeks. People say I’m not too smart, but I can clean and cook and I need a job.”
Callie’s heart went out to this young girl who’d never had a life of her own. “I’ll need someone to bus tables, wash dishes and help with the laundry.”
“I can do that. I’ll do anything you ask.”
“Then you have a job.” Callie didn’t need any references. She could almost see into this girl’s heart and all she saw was good.
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Austin. Thank you. I’ll work real hard and I’ll always be on time and I’ll stay until you want me to leave.”
“Fine. And please call me Callie.”
Wanda left with a big smile and Callie felt she should be thanking her because she felt Wanda was going to be a great asset.
She sat at the table, not moving, just absorbing the knowledge that her father was dead. She wished Wade and the kids would come back from riding. It was too lonely without them and she needed to hold someone.
THE KIDS CAME BACK talking ninety miles an hour and it was some time before Callie could get them in bed.
“Pop says I’m getting better and better,” Adam said, hopping into bed.
She lifted an eyebrow. “Pop?”
“Well, I called him that and he didn’t tell me not to.”
She tucked him in. “I’ll have to talk to Jock about it.” She kissed his forehead, knowing what she had to say wouldn’t be easy. “You can’t be a replacement for Zach.”
“I know. Just like he can’t be a replacement for Daddy. We like each other—that’s all. And he’s teaching me a lot. I almost roped a calf today.” It was so uncanny to see her brother who was always glued to his computer or listening to music becoming almost a different person.
“And he almost fell off his horse, too,” Brit shouted from the other room.
“Girls don’t understand roping,” Adam whispered. Callie had a feeling that was one of Jock’s sayings.
She kissed him again. “Good night.”
In the other bedroom, she said, “I have to speak to Wade, so you girls go to sleep.”
“I want a story,” Mary Beth said.
Callie noticed that Miss Winnie wasn’t clutched in Mary Beth’s arms and hadn’t been lately. Nor did she talk much to Fred. She was changing, too.
“Brit can tell you a story.”
“Yeah. I’ll tell you one about the bestest cowgirl in Homestead.”
Mary Beth made a face. “I don’t want a cowgirl story. I want a princess one.”
“Okay.” Brit snuggled down. “Once upon a time there was a sheriff…”
Smiling, Callie took the stairs two at a time, thinking that suddenly there was a sheriff in all their stories.
And in their hearts.
WADE WASN’T IN THE KITCHEN so she went out to the front porch and found him lounging in one of the rockers. Slipping onto his lap, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Hey,
something wrong?” He stroked her hair.
“He’s dead.”
“Who’s dead?”
“My father. I finally asked Ethel about him and she said he died long ago. Drank himself to death just like my mother had told me. But I was still hoping….”
“Callie…”
“It’s okay. I can accept it now.” She raised her head. “He gave up all his rights to me and I don’t remember him, so that must mean he didn’t have much to do with me when I was small. Maybe he just didn’t want a child.”
“Callie…”
“No. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” She rested her head in the crook of his neck. “It’s nice out here just you and me. This is the first time we’ve been alone in days.”
“Mmm.” Wade was at a loss for words. He hadn’t had time to do anything about her father and now Ethel had beat him to it. It twisted his gut to see her hurting like this, but it wasn’t his secret to tell.
“Look at all those stars,” she said. “We could be anywhere in the world.”
He rubbed his head against hers. “I’d rather be right here.”
“Me, too.” Her hand slipped beneath the buttons on his shirt. “We need some time alone.”
“Are you sure?” He wanted her to be sure about the next step in their relationship, even though he wasn’t sure about it himself. Could he love Callie then watch her go back to New York? But how could he not love her and spend the rest of his life with what-ifs?
“Yes,” she breathed as her lips met his.
He kissed her briefly then said, “Let’s not get carried away. I’m on duty tonight. Let’s make a date. We have plenty of babysitters and you and I will go out for an evening before the café opens.”
“Are you asking me out, Wadeinhiemer?”
He grinned. “Yes. Now I have to get back to the office.”
She crawled out of his lap and he slowly got to his feet.
“When you line up a babysitter, maybe we’ll go to San Antonio and catch a movie…or whatever.”
