by Hebby Roman
The front door to the restaurant opened and a young woman, looking a lot like Kiki, entered. Sofia did a double take. It was Kiki, but she’d cut off her long blonde hair. Now her hair fit her like a cap, curling around her face.
She’d mentioned getting her hair cut, but Sofia had thought she’d meant a simple trim. She half-rose and waved.
Kiki, who’d been scanning the tables, saw her and waved back. She walked over, wearing a simple A-line sheath, a change from her usual frilly cowgirl shirts and faded jeans.
She slid into the booth. “Hi! You must have gotten here early to get a booth.”
“Uh, yes, I did. What on earth did you do to your hair?”
Kiki grinned and fluffed her hair. “Do you like it? I love it. Course, I’m not sure what Cole will say.” She shrugged. “You know how men are, suckers for long hair.”
“Yes, I guess they are.”
Actually, Sofia had never thought much about it. In Argentina, few women cut their hair. She wondered how she’d look with short hair, and what Gar would think if she cut hers?
“It’s radical, Kiki. At first, I didn’t recognize you.”
“Yeah, but practical. I’m too busy to fool with long hair anymore.” She snagged a menu from the holder at the end of the booth. “Have you decided what you want?”
“I think so.”
“Has the server been by?”
“Yes, I ordered some iced tea, but I didn’t know what you’d want.” Not being much of a coffee drinker, Sofia had found it easy to fall into the Texan way of ordering iced tea for lunch, even during the winter.
“Probably the same. And I could go for some Tex-Mex, maybe a soft taco plate. Those are good, and if you get corn tortillas, not too fattening.”
The server appeared with Sofia’s tea, set it down, and offered them silverware, rolled in a paper napkin. She took Kiki’s order for tea, too.
Kiki studied the menu.
Sofia lifted a strand of her lack-luster hair and stared at the split ends with distaste. Since coming to Texas, she hadn’t been paying attention to her looks. She didn’t know if she was ready for short hair, like Kiki’s, but she certainly could use a trim and styling.
“May I ask, where do you go for your hair?”
“Oh, Marge Hollingsworth, she and I went to junior college together. She owns the ‘Cut and Curl Beauty Shop,’ at the other end of Main.”
“I wonder if she could get me in today?”
“Hmm, on a Tuesday, maybe. But hey, it’s just a local place. I’m sure you’re used to going to Vidal Sassoon or something.”
Sofia laughed. “I don’t think there’s a Sassoon franchise in New York. Though I do go to a place in Soho, which caters to models. But this isn’t New York City, and I’m looking a bit frayed around the edges.”
Kiki sat back, chewing her gum, and giving her the once over. “Yeah, you could use a tad more makeup, but that’s just me. And a hair trim never hurts, either.”
“Glad you approve.”
Kiki reached across the table and took both her hands. “Don’t play coy with me, girlfriend. You could walk onto the ranch with a bag over your head and Gar would drool.”
She flushed hot, realizing how obvious they’d been, even before her son had caught them kissing.
“That’s one of the reasons I haven’t been to the ranch, not since Sunday.”
“You sure caused some ripples around there. I have to admit.”
She managed a stilted laugh. “Yeah, that’s me, always causing trouble.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s all bad. The boys are talking, of course. But to give Aaron credit, he’s ignoring their taunts and appears to be doing fine. Gar, on the other hand, is like a sore-tailed bear. Seems you went off without—”
“I know. I couldn’t face him, not after my son reacted the way he did.” Hearing her son was doing okay was balm to her spirit. Maybe things weren’t as bad as she’d thought.
“Gar kissing you, in and of itself, is a miracle, girlfriend. You don’t know Gar like I do. Since his divorce, three years ago, he hasn’t even looked at another woman, much less kissed one.”
Kiki cocked her head. “And something tells me that wasn’t the first time he kissed you, either.” She shook her head. “Pretty brave of y’all, kissing in the kitchen, in front of the boys and everything.”
“Not all the boys saw us, only Aaron who was helping. And Lucas.”
“Lucas. Ugh. Nasty kid. I know Gar says he had a really bad time at home and all…” She stopped herself. “Can’t divulge, but I don’t like him, even if I sometimes feel sorry for him.
“But that’s not the point. The point is, Gar needs to get on with his life. You know?”
“I’m attracted to him, Kiki. I admit it. But I’ve never done a long-distance relationship before, and I don’t think we should see each other now, not while I’m trying to reach Aaron and—”
“I think you worry too much about your son. Mom needs to worry about herself for a change. Besides, Aaron got a glowing report yesterday from Dr. Tidwell. Seems since y’all went to the Riverwalk, your son has been opening up. They’re making great progress or so Gar says.” Kiki squeezed her hands and then released them. “Can’t divulge more. You’ll have to ask Gar.”
The server returned with Kiki’s iced tea and took their orders.
“That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you, Kiki. I appreciate it.”
Knowing her son was talking with his counselor was more than she’d expected and sooner, too. On the other hand, Mr. Tidwell had probably written his report before Sunday.
“I’m afraid what happened this weekend will change how Aaron feels about me.”
“Nah, Aaron is a sucker for Gar. Looks up to him like a father figure. That’s why I gave him one of Cole’s old shirts. He wants to dress like Gar.”
“My son is good at forgiving men’s, uh, flaws or missteps or… But as his mother, he’s always held me to a higher standard.”
“I think you’re wrong. He wants your approval, too, Sofia. He asked me to set up a calf roping contest this week. Do you know why?”
She remembered her son mentioning it on Saturday, after she’d stuck her foot in her mouth. At the time, she hadn’t asked herself why.
“Uh, no. But I did wonder why a calf roping contest.”
Kiki sat back in the booth with a self-satisfied grin on her face. “Because Gar says your kid has real talent. He can out rope all the boys on the ranch, right now. Even the seventeen-year-olds. If he wants the contest, it’s to show off for both you and Gar.”
“You really think so? Aaron still wants to go ahead with it.”
“Sure, as shooting. It’s set for day after tomorrow, Thursday afternoon. You’ve got to come. If you don’t show up, I don’t know if I can stand to work with Gar much longer. Yesterday, he was such a grouch, I almost told him off.”
“And you think that’s because of me?”
“What, or should I say, who else?”
Sofia managed a thin smile. “Okay, I’ll be there. Do you know what time?”
“Yeah, after three p.m. Classes will be over and if the weather holds, it should have warmed up by then.”
She nodded. “Thursday, that will give all of us some more time.”
The server returned with Kiki’s tacos and Sofia’s soup and salad.
They thanked her and Sofia took a spoonful of the tortilla soup. She’d been wanting to ask Kiki something for a long time but had refrained. Today seemed as good a time as any.
“Kiki, I’ve been thinking about Gar.” She could feel her neck heat, realizing how that sounded. Too late to turn back now. “I know he’s dedicated to the ranch because of what happened to his daughter, which makes sense. But you say he doesn’t date or look at other women. Do you know why?”
“Sure. His wife, Heather, wasn’t the nicest person you’d want to meet. Kind of stuck on herself. And I should know, I
went to high school with her.” She lowered the taco she’d been eating and wiped her mouth. “I’m not certain what Gar saw in her, except I think she angled for him to get her pregnant and then snagged him.”
“Why would she do such a thing?”
“Because he was steady, and the real love of her life, had walked out on her.”
“Oh, that’s… that’s…” She shook her head. “I’m not sure what to say.”
“Yeah, it’s a tough story. It was an awful thing to happen to Gar. He’s such a good, decent guy.” Kiki paused, took another bite and chewed slowly.
“I think, in some ways, he loved Heather, but she could be demanding. And Gar was dedicated to his work. He left most of Sybil’s upbringing to Heather.”
“Sybil, that’s an unusual name. Gar didn’t tell me his daughter’s name.”
“I’m not surprised. He doesn’t like to talk about her.”
Kiki took another bite of her taco, and Sofia finished her bowl of soup. She hoped Kiki would keep talking.
Kiki wiped her mouth again and pushed her half-eaten plate to one side. “Now, where was I? Oh, explaining about Gar’s daughter. When Sybil was young, Heather home schooled the girl. Heather was an elementary school teacher, but when it was time for Sybil to enter junior high, Heather enrolled her in public school and went back to teaching. Sybil had been sheltered and was pretty naïve.
“Meanwhile, I think the real reason Heather resumed teaching was the love of her life had returned home, Lincoln Mason, to take a coaching position. They’d been an item in high school, but he’d gone off to college on a football scholarship without so much as a backward glance.”
“So, Gar’s wife was in love with another man?”
“Yep. Appears she’d never gotten over him. They started a hot affair. Everyone in town knew, but Gar worked long hours in San Antonio. Sybil was left to her own devices and that’s how she got to hanging with the wrong crowd and—”
“But Gar blames himself for what happened to his daughter. Maybe he should have worked less, but if the child’s mother was running around with another man…” She stopped herself.
Who was she to cast blame? She’d had a long-term affair with her so-called best friend’s husband. And Eric had had a daughter, too, while they were having their relationship. People who lived in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
“Gar blames himself,” Kiki agreed. “But it’s the kind of guy he is. If he could, he’d take the weight of the world on his shoulders.”
She reached across and touched Sofia’s arm. “That’s why I think you’re good for him. He needs to let go of the past and have a reason for living—other than his rehab center.”
* * *
Gar handed Sofia two stopwatches and said, “Calf roping is trickier than calf wrestling. Time wise, at least, or because we don’t have the proper equipment… then it falls to the time keeper.”
“Alright, tell me what you want me to do.”
Just looking at her twisted his guts. She’d run off Sunday morning and hadn’t come to the ranch for over three days. At first, he’d been afraid she’d flown home to New York. And it had been his fault, just like with his daughter.
He shouldn’t have kissed her in the kitchen—taken the risk her son might see them. He knew how fragile her bond was with Aaron, but being the selfish SOB that he was, he’d let his nether regions rule his brain.
On Monday, John Tidwell had given him a glowing report on the progress he’d been making with Aaron. He’d wanted to call Sofia and tell her, but instead, he’d waited, wanting to see if Sunday had ruined Aaron’s progress.
If she hadn’t shown up in a week’s time, he would have called her. Now, she’d returned, probably due to Kiki’s urging and, for some strange reason, he was angry with her. Or himself? Or both?
All he knew was he’d been living in a dream world, thinking Sofia was here to stay. When she’d left abruptly and he didn’t hear from her, he’d had to own the truth. This woman lived and worked in New York, and no matter how much he cared for her, ultimately, she would return to New York.
The realization hurt like hell.
He’d had enough hurt to last two lifetimes. From now on, Sofia was just another parent, a concerned parent, but nothing else.
He lifted his Stetson and ran his hand through his hair.
She was wearing a beat-up Stetson and a pearl-button, plaid cowboy shirt. Her brown hair was braided. He’d never seen her looking like a cowgirl, before.
And her beautiful, golden-brown doe eyes were wide open, waiting for his directions on how to time the calf roping.
“Did you do something to your hair?” The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.
She smiled and nodded. “I got rid of the blonde streaks and had my hair trimmed.” She touched her plaited hair. “Decided to braid it.”
“That’s it.” He lifted his hand to touch her braid, stopped himself, and drew his hand back. “Your hair is darker.”
“Yes, it is.”
Quite a conversation they had going, especially after how easy it had been to talk to her before. He shouldn’t be surprised. She hadn’t come to Texas to fall for a lonesome cowboy. She’d come to help her troubled son and reconnect with him.
“Okay, here’s the rundown, and why timekeeping is essential. In a professional rodeo, when a calf enters the chute, the door is closed behind it and a lightweight rope, attached to a trip lever, is fastened around the calf’s neck. The lever also holds a taut cord across a box on the other side of the calf chute, where the horse and rider wait. The barrier is used to ensure the calf gets a head start, like with calf wrestling.”
“You’re right, that does sound complicated.”
“Yeah, well, we don’t have any fancy trip levers or barriers that are attached to the calf. We do have chutes, though. We use them, along with a timekeeper to simulate a calf roping event.”
“Okay, but you haven’t told me—”
“I’m getting there, Sofia, have some patience.” Even to his own ears, his voice sounded harsh. He’d have to do better. After all, he was a professional.
Sofia nodded and lowered her head, staring at what looked like a brand-new pair of very pricey Tecovas cowboy boots.
Yep, she’d gone country on him and he liked the look.
“Alright.” He huffed out a breath. “In a rodeo, when a roper is ready, he calls for the calf and the chute operator opens the chute.
“Kyle will be running the chutes for me today. When the calf lights out, it will usually run in a straight line and when it reaches the end of its rope, that trips the lever, the rope falls off the calf, and the barrier for the horse is released, which also starts the clock.
“Since Shady Oaks isn’t outfitted with the proper equipment, we will need to make do with you keeping time. Like the calf wrestling, I need for you to give the calf a ten second head start. Once the ten seconds are up, raise your arm, like you did for the wrestling, and the rider will start out. Jumping ahead of your signal will disqualify the contestant. Okay?”
“Sure, I think I follow you so far.”
“Next, you’ll need to start the other watch and reset the first one. The second watch will be timing how long it takes the rider to rope the calf, force it to the ground, and tie three of its legs together. Pros do it in around seven seconds. Of course, I’m not expecting that kind of time with these boys.
“When the rider throws his hands in the air to signal he’s done, stop the second watch. Then, the rider will remount and you need to restart the first watch. The calf has to stay on the ground for at least six seconds or the animal has not been securely tied. If the calf gets loose before six seconds, the tie-down is disqualified. The boys will be going three rounds. Best of the three wins.”
“That is a lot to remember and coordinate.” She bit her lip. “I wonder—”
“Want me to get Kiki to help you? That way, ea
ch one of you can be in charge of a stopwatch. Might be simpler. It’s a lot to coordinate.”
“No.” She thrust out her chin and stood straighter. “I want to give it a try.”
“Alright, but if you feel overwhelmed, just holler.”
“How many boys today?”
“Only ten out of the twenty-three. I allow all age groups, as this is definitely a sport that tests their skills, not their brawn. But very few teenaged boys, who weren’t raised on a ranch, can get a rope around a moving calf. We’ve been practicing, though, and some of the boys have gotten pretty good.”
“What about Aaron? He hasn’t been here that long. I’m surprised he wanted this contest.”
“Once you see him, you won’t be surprised.” He shook his head. “The boy’s a natural. First day we practiced on live animals, he roped one calf after another. I’ve never seen the like.”
“My father was like that,” she said, her voice quavering. “I wouldn’t have thought such a thing could be genetic.”
“Me, neither.” Despite his disappointment over their relationship, he couldn’t suppress his smile. “Aaron is awesome. You’ll see. If he doesn’t win, I’ll—”
“Take me out riding? The more I see the boys on their horses, the more I miss riding.” She sidled closer to him and said, “I’m sorry I ran off Sunday, but after talking with Aaron—”
“Hey, I understand, you have to do what is right for your son.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wondering what had brought that on. Before today, he’d been the one doing the pursuing, but now…
Then he knew. Kiki.
Sofia was here because his office manager had had lunch with her, and he suspected it was Kiki who’d convinced her to come after Sunday’s debacle. Knowing Kiki, she’d told Sofia about the glowing report he’d gotten from Tidwell on Monday.
Of course, the report had been written before Aaron had seen them kissing, though, he had to admit her son didn’t seem to be affected. He’d taken his detention like a man and returned to his normal activities without pouting or acting withdrawn.
