by Debra Holt
“Thank you.” Her smile changed into a solemn regard of the tall man beside her. She slid off her perch to face him. His gaze met hers and there was a questioning lift of his brow. “Thank you doesn’t seem enough to say, but it comes with deep gratitude for all you did in helping to get us to this night. I don’t think too many other mayors would have gone above and beyond in time and effort as you have for three very grateful members of your community. And I know just how big a role you had in getting the historical plaque to be placed on this hall tonight. There aren’t words to tell you how very proud that would have made our father.”
Her hand was captured in one of his. The touch sent her pulses skittering. “Well, I’ll take your thanks. But I must own up to the fact that I didn’t do all of it as the mayor nor for the greater good of the community… not all of it. I have to…”
“Might have known there’d be a pretty lady involved if my little brother wasn’t out on the dance floor.” A tall man with familiar facial features and the same build of Ty stood on the other side of the bar, smiling at them. “Hope I’m forgiven for the interruption.”
“As usual, your sense of timing needs work. But it’s long past time for you to get your sorry carcass back home. Is this a ‘slow down and wave’ as you’re passing through or are you planning to stay a while?” Ty moved around the end of the bar, bringing Calla along in his wake as he still had possession of her hand. He only relinquished it when the two men met in a brief embrace followed by some back-slapping.
“I figure to stick around a while. Looks like my business needs some sorting out after being left in your care.” His gaze swept the room while his voice had a hint of tease in it.
“Calla Rose, this is my brother Jake. He’s been gone for a bit. Jake, this is…”
“The lady who put this place back on the map… the eldest of the three Rose sisters. Also, a fine legal mind. Pleased to meet you, Miss Rose.” Jake’s hand engulfed hers in a strong handshake and his smile seemed genuine enough. There was just something niggling in the corner of her mind… what it was, she had no idea. She returned his smile.
“Very nice to meet you, also. You must be glad to be home again.”
“I am. A little road-weary and a might hungry. Please tell me you have some of the barbecue left that I smelled as I drove in?”
“I think we can certainly find you a plate in the kitchen. I’ll check myself. Perhaps your brother can get you something cold to drink and find you an empty chair on the back patio while I raid the kitchen.”
Calla left the brothers and Ty took his drink order. A few minutes later, they were seated on the patio in a corner that was as quiet as they were likely to find in the throng of people.
“This place really looks good,” Jake noted before taking a swig of the cold long-neck. “Reminds me of the good ‘ol days.” That came out a little less jovial.
“You mean it when you say you’re here to stay? No more globe-trotting? Won’t you find McKenna Springs too quiet after so many exotic places and bright lights?”
“Bright lights aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. The funny thing about them? They turn off after a while. Then the place looks just like a hundred others in the dark.”
Silence stretched for a few long moments. Jake studied the label on the bottle and Ty debated the wisdom of making any mention of the reason his brother left in the first place… his broken engagement. He trusted his gut instinct and kept the topic on safer subjects.
“You’ll find your business is still in one piece and running just as you left it.”
“Well, not exactly as I left it. I did tell you that you were to bring in the deal on this piece of property. This was prime location for those tri-level condos the Baker brothers wanted to go in with us on. It could have made us a lot richer. Maybe if you had done more than hand-holding as I observed you doing earlier with the beautiful Miss Rose, you might have changed her mind on not selling and we’d be sitting pretty right now. You blew it, brother. How hard could it be to romance one stubborn female and get her to sign a bill of sale?”
“How hard indeed?” Calla wished she had turned back and not heard the conversation between the two men. But she had heard it and each word had speared through her heart. The look on Ty’s face confirmed it all. He stood from his chair, but she ignored him. She sat the plate of food on the table in front of Jake. Her smile had faded, and her words were far from being warm and welcoming.
“Sorry the charm and romance didn’t work out for you boys. Enjoy the food. It’s on the house. It’s the least I can do for ruining your business dealings.” She turned on her heel as Ty’s hand reached out to grab her elbow and forestall her leaving, but she was quicker, jerking away from his touch. She didn’t look at him but headed into the crowded hall. Thankfully, a couple came over to talk to her and she went into hostess mode. Ty did not follow her.
Remote control. That’s how Calla felt the rest of the evening. She smiled and laughed when needed. She even managed to stand on the same stage with Ty and receive the plaque from the Governor’s representative indicating the Yellow Rose as a true piece of historical Texas pride and the plaque would go on the building to so designate it. Her sisters gathered close for photos and more congratulations from the townspeople and those visiting for the first time… but not the last. She was thankful that Ty stayed on the fringes and did not push further confrontation on her. What could he say anyway? She had to hand it to him. He had certainly made her believe all his smooth lines… just like Barclay.
Just like Barclay. Those words had repeated often enough through her brain as she went through the motions during the evening. She had not learned one thing. She had trusted another man… a second time. And he had been no better than Barclay. But this was worse than Barclay. This pain was almost unbearable. She wanted to scream instead of smile… to cry instead of laugh. The night that was to be so joyous had turned into an endless nightmare.
“What gives?” Jaz caught up with her on the edge of the dance floor. “I haven’t seen you out on the floor once tonight. And you and Ty seemed determined to keep the dance floor between you guys.”
“Nothing gives, Jaz. We’re doing our best to meet and greet and take care of making the most of this final event of the weekend. Plus, I am about to crash on my feet… guess everything over these past four days is catching up with me.”
Jaz’s gaze narrowed on her and Calla had a feeling her sister bought less than half of what she was selling. But to her credit and Calla’s relief, she let it go. But it was probably going to be revisited once the evening was behind them. “Okay, if that’s the story we’re going with… for now. I’m going to find that cute Tremayne and get him out on the dance floor next.”
“The cute Tremayne? Which one would that be?”
“True… each one is hotter than the last. No fair… but it’s fun trying to figure it out.”
“Jaz, you’re too much at times. Have you danced with Reid yet?”
Jaz’s smile left at that point with a toss of her head. “That would be… no. I’m not on his dance card and that’s fine by me. He’s boring anyway. Time to find my dance partner. Loosen up and have some fun tonight!”
Loosen up… right. One more hour and then the doors closed. Another hour after that, and she could close the door and be alone in her room. She just had to survive two more hours. Deep breath… one forward step at a time.
“We need to talk.” The words came out of the darkest spot on the front porch of the quiet house. Calla surmised that both Jaz and Lily had already beaten her to their pillows. She had stayed to make certain all was locked up and everyone had left the dance hall… most importantly, that Ty Conners was no longer on the premises. Yet, here he was. The man couldn’t have the decency to get lost.
“I don’t think so. I can’t think of one thing you could say that would be of any interest to me from here until the world ends. But if you’re here expecting me to feel some sort of sorrow for you and y
our brother that your scheme to get my parents’ land from them for your real estate venture failed, then you are S-O-L. You know what that means. Now you can get off my porch.”
“Not until I set the record straight. I know you have it all fixed in that stubborn brain of yours that I’m suddenly the bad guy. But fact one, is that I have no real estate dealings… that’s my brother and his company. The company I watched over for him while he was on his sabbatical or whatever he chooses to call it the last nine months.
“Fact two, is that he made the offer to your dad eighteen months ago. Your dad turned him down. That was the sum total of what I knew about it. I did not know he was still corresponding with anyone in your family on the subject of buying this place while he was on the road. Fact three, and probably the most important one of all… there was never any half-baked idea for me romancing anyone… most importantly… you. Jake was way out of line to even suggest such a thing. I have never lied to you, Calla, and I never will. Don’t color me with the same brush you used on anyone in your past.”
He had stepped forward into the soft light of the porch and Calla felt the screen door at her back. Why hadn’t she been quicker and gotten it between the two of them? She needed to not meet his gaze. That would be her undoing and that was not going to happen. No man was going to make her feel so miserable and foolish again. “I’ve found that words mean very little, depending on the person doing the speaking of them.”
“You’ve placed me squarely in the wrong here based on circumstantial evidence. You’re the judge, jury, and executioner all in one. Just because you were done wrong by a man once before, you’ve now placed me in that same category and his guilt is now mine, too. That sum it all up, counselor?”
This time, she did meet his gaze with her own that was filled with pain and with hurt-induced anger. “You’ve got most of it right, Mr. Mayor. But you’re guilty all on your own and no one else’s. I did allow you to rebuild some trust and I did allow you to get too close when my better sense told me not to. But I’ll get over it. I’ve learned a valuable lesson, and I won’t be any man’s fool a third time. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t set foot on this porch again. Goodnight, Mr. Mayor.”
With the door closed securely behind her, she shut her eyes and bit on her lip, willing the tears not to fall and betray her exit. To his credit, he had stood and listened and not tried to stop her. And to her credit, she didn’t fumble with the door handle nor ignore the urge to slam it shut… waking up her sisters.
It was all quite civil in a way. The sound of his boots slowly moving from the porch and then down the steps outside reached her ears. Her fingers curled into tight fists lest they betray her and grab for the handle and she would be forced to rush outside and say that it was all false bravado and … STOP. No more making a fool of herself. No man was worth it. While her brain issued that statement, her heart was sending a different message. What if she had it wrong this time? She could have sworn he was different, he was sincere and…no way. It was done. Time to move on. Somehow.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Four weeks, two days.” The words came out in a statement of fact as Lily sat the plate of muffins on the dining table in the alcove of the kitchen. Morning sunshine was coming through the open windows along with a soft breeze and the hum of the sprinkler system finishing up on the lawn just outside the rear of the house. Jaz sat at the table, coffee mug in hand, sipping the warm liquid and watching her youngest sister flit around the kitchen appliances.
“You might as well stop it with the calendar updates. I’d say whatever they had is definitely gone.” Jaz reached for one of the fresh-from-the-oven blueberry muffins.
“You don’t know that.” Lily dropped into the chair across from her sister. “Maybe he’s been out of town. And you know Calla’s been working on notes and stuff for the hearing in San Antonio this week.”
“Lily, you are a hopeless romantic.” Jaz slowly shook her head as she threw an arched look across the table. “Facts are facts. Ty has not left town. Darcy said he’s keeping to his usual routine. Except he doesn’t volunteer anything about Calla. And Darcy has tried to pry it loose, believe me. Calla’s tighter than a clam on the subject with me and you said she’s done the same with you. They’ve moved on. Face it.”
“They were… still are… perfect for each other. It breaks my heart to see two people that are meant to be together and they’re just being stubborn mules for probably some stupid reason that makes no sense.”
“I’ve not heard you so vehement on a subject before, little sister. But I’m afraid it’s a lost cause.”
“Lost cause? What’s a lost cause?” Calla breezed into the room at that moment and headed for the coffee pot. Neither sister was quick to reply.
Calla filled her mug and turned to the pair, her eyes on them as she took a sip. Her hips settled against the cabinet. “What’s going on in here?”
Jaz tossed a look across at Lily. Lily smiled at her eldest sister. “The lost cause is my crusade to save those red climbing roses at the rear gate. Jaz keeps telling me to give up on it. I’m telling her that it’s not a lost cause. I’m still betting they can be saved.”
Calla smiled. “You and your eternal optimism. Share some of it with me today. And thanks again for arranging some time to cover for me here. Hopefully, my part will take a day, two at the most. You just never know. But I’m certain Barclay and his father will put on quite a legal show during the hearing.”
“Well, you’re dressed in your gray pin-stripe all-business take-no-prisoner power suit. And I like the blood-red blouse and Prada heels. I may need to borrow those shoes on my next date.” Jaz finished with an admiring gaze on Calla’s feet.
“You’re welcome to them. I can’t believe I used to live in shoes like these all day and now, after an hour, I’m ready to trade them in for flat sandals.”
“Or boots?” Lily chimed in. “You’ve grown to like boots, too. And all people who wear them.”
Jaz sent a certain look at her chatty sister. “If it wouldn’t be such a waste of a good muffin, I’d throw one at you right now.”
Calla shook her head and shot a look at Lily. “Nice try ladies. I was going to thank you both for respecting my privacy and not bringing up certain people who wear boots in the time you’ve been with me. You almost made it.”
“Forget this not being nosey stuff.” Lily fixed a straight look on Calla. “I like Ty and think you guys had something special going. What changed? And can you apologize and fix it?”
Jaz just gave chuckle and shook her head. “Nice going, little sis. Do try to get straight to the point next time.”
“I should apologize?” Calla pushed away from the cabinet and sat her empty mug inside the sink. Then she adjusted the sleeve of her jacket at her wrists. “Ty Conners and I are two different people… in more ways than one. It never would have worked over the long term. I’d appreciate both of you not bringing up this subject again. Now, I must get on the road. I’ll check in while I’m gone, and you can text me and I’ll check my phone during breaks.”
“Give ‘em hell, Calla Rose.” Jaz saluted her with a muffin in her hand. “See you when you get back.”
Lily jumped up from her seat and gave Calla a quick hug. “They don’t stand a chance against you. Are you sure you don’t want company on this trip?”
“Thanks, but I’m a big girl. A couple of days in the city won’t be too daunting.”
The skyline of the city with its distinctive Tower of the Americas left from the World’s Fair of decades ago, was shrouded in a fine haze of the morning light. From her days as a former resident, she knew that meant it would be one of those jacket-off days, crank the AC to full speed and keep something handy to fan yourself when not having to present a professional demeanor. And hope the minimal makeup you began the day with won’t be in ruins by the noon hour, she added after a quick glance in the rearview mirror.
The traffic was heavier, and she had to reduce speed and c
rawl along in spots. The gridlock commute was something she did not miss. She had been spoiled by McKenna Springs. Lots of things about McKenna Springs had spoiled her. Her heart sank and before she could put up a roadblock, a vision of Ty Conners appeared front and center in her mind. Damn. She slammed on her brakes when traffic slowed again, and her mind was hijacked by the man.
Calla was mad at herself. In the first few days, there had been tears and then anger and then she managed to pretend life was going on as planned… especially when near her sisters or friends who all looked at her as if they were in mourning commiseration. She hated being the center of that attention. It was his fault. And now that dismissive thought held no punch to it. In fact, when she pared the truth down, and the facts remained separated from feelings… she had the awful doubt that would not give up its space at the back of her mind that she might have overreacted. Maybe she had instantly allowed her debacle with Barclay to color what happened with Ty and his brother. Possibly.
Ty had seemed sincere when he had faced her. She hadn’t wanted to see it… feel it. Why? Because she wanted a reason not to care? A reason to hide and bemoan the fact that she had fallen in love with the man? When in fact, he had done nothing to warrant any of those feelings of distrust and her speaking to him in such a harsh manner. However, it wasn’t likely she would be apologizing to him. He hadn’t seen fit to darken her front porch again…not since the moment she warned him to not appear again.
