A Cowboy for Christmas

by Sara Richardson

  He expected a retaliation, but instead, Rhett turned his back and stomped through the snow. His brother climbed onto the working snowmobile and took off, leaving Ty there to fend for himself.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The show must go on. For the last ten years, Darla had lived by that philosophy. Somewhere along the way, the show had become her reality, but she didn’t know how much longer she could play a part. Not with a baby coming.

  A strange anticipatory sensation sent her heart seesawing again—soaring with a breathtaking exhilaration and then crashing back down into a space of raw cold fear.

  All around her, cowboys milled about, preparing for their moments up on the stage, but Darla felt like she’d been transported into her own world, someplace foreign and removed. Isolated. Separated by the secret she carried.

  She’d gathered everyone into the backroom of the banquet hall at the rodeo grounds, and she was supposed to be running things—getting everyone organized, giving out instructions—but she couldn’t seem to think clearly. Her hand rested on the low bulge of her abdomen. The one she’d blamed on too much chocolate. A baby. What would that look like? Her being a mom? Ty being a father? Their already tangled relationship?

  “You okay?” Everly placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing Darla back to the room, back to the show.

  “Of course.” She quickly dropped her arm to her side. “Just thinking through the details.” If only she could tell her friend the truth. But she couldn’t risk anyone finding out while Ty’s family was in town. She was supposed to break up with him tomorrow.

  “Where are Ty and Rhett?” Everly had offered to help keep things moving behind the scenes while Darla MC’d the event. Her friend glanced at her clipboard. “They’re the only two we’re missing.”

  “They should be here.” Though she had no idea how she would face Ty when she had to keep something like this from him. That was why she hadn’t exactly gone looking for him.

  “Well, the seats are getting full out there. We’ll have to get started in about twenty minutes,” Everly reminded her. “I saw them out at the Cortez place earlier this afternoon, and they said they’d be here.”

  “They have to be here somewhere.” Ty wouldn’t be late. He wouldn’t let Rhett be late. Darla shook off the worry building in her stomach. “Let me see if I can find out where they are.” She hurried to the main banquet hall where the crowd was filling in seats. Some of their friends had clustered in the back of the room near the doors. She headed right for them, determined to stay businesslike. “Have any of you seen Ty and Rhett?” she asked, trying not to sound frantic. This was a problem. Rhett was supposed to be their main attraction. Based on the number of young, decked-out females packing the room, he was the attraction.

  That was what had her hands shaking. Not the fact that Ty hadn’t called to tell her he’d be late. Not the fact that he was usually so reliable, almost always punctual. He’d always followed through on his promises.

  “I haven’t seen them recently, but I think they took the snowmobiles out a few hours ago,” Levi said.

  “A few hours ago?” Why would Ty decide to go snowmobiling right before a huge event like this? Had something happened to him? Every winter she saw plenty of news stories about snowmobilers who were killed in avalanches. “What were they thinking?”

  Levi shrugged like it was no big deal. “I ran into Rhett at the store. He asked if they could go for a ride this afternoon.”

  “And you told him yes?” Darla demanded. The sudden anxiety fueled an absurd anger. As if this was all Levi’s fault. But she couldn’t seem to rein in her emotions. “Knowing the auction was tonight?”

  He glanced around the room. “I figured they’d be back by now. They should be back by now. It’s not a good idea to be tearing around the backcountry on a snowmobile after dark.”

  This time the fear caught in her throat. Before anyone could notice the trembling in her hands, Darla whirled away from them. “If you see Ty or Rhett anywhere, tell them they’d better get their asses into that back room.” She marched to the door, trying to drown out the worst-case scenarios by focusing on the details. In twenty minutes she had to get up on that stage and somehow hold herself together. She didn’t have time to worry about Ty. To think about how he might’ve crashed somewhere on the mountain. No, no, no. She wandered back into the prep room feeling light-headed.

  “Ty and Rhett went snowmobiling,” she informed Everly. A scowl pinched at her mouth, but it was only there to cover up the nauseating drum of her heart. They’d left a few hours ago. It had been dark for at least a half hour. Anything could’ve happened to them out there—they could’ve crashed. Or there could’ve been an avalanche…

  “I’m sure they’re okay,” Everly said as though she detected the concern Darla was trying so hard to hide. “They probably lost track of time.”

  “That’s my guess.” More like that was her hope. And yet the anxiety gained momentum, squeezing her heart. “Maybe we should tell Dev to send out a search party.” Just in case. In case Ty was hurt…

  “Let’s give it a few more minutes.” Everly checked her watch. “I’m sure they’ll be here any time now.”

  “Right. They’ll be here in a few minutes.” Tears welling in her eyes, Darla brushed past her. “I’m going to the bathroom to freshen up. Be right back.” She weaved through the assortment of cowboys without really seeing any of them. Finally, she escaped into the bathroom just as her face broke out into a sweat. Breathe. She inhaled deeply against the rising panic, but her stomach lurched, sending her to the toilet where she threw up.

  “I knew you weren’t okay.” Everly stepped into the stall, concern rounding her eyes. “You’re sick. You should go home and rest. We can take over.”

  Darla stood and leaned her back against the stall, her knees threatening to give. “I’m not sick.” Tears sliced through her vision. “I’m pregnant.”

  Everly gasped. “Pregnant?” Her eyes widened. “Oh god, I feel so selfish. Here I’ve just been talking about myself—my baby—and you’re pregnant too! We’re pregnant together!” She hugged her arms around Darla’s neck, but that only made Darla cry harder.

  “I just found out,” she blubbered. “I think I’m still in shock.”

  Everly led her out of the stall and they sat on the small bench by the door. “Ty’s the father, right?”

  “Yes, but he doesn’t know. And you can’t tell him. I can’t tell him. Not yet. Not until his parents leave.”

  “Why not?” Her friend squeezed her hands tight. “They’ll be ecstatic. So will Ty. I know he will. He loves kids. He’s always so good with them at the rodeos.”

  “But we’re not together. In fact, I told him last night that we should stage a breakup.” They had to. She couldn’t keep spending time with him. Especially knowing about the baby. How in the world would she be able to keep that from him?

  “How are you going to break up?” Everly looked almost as disappointed as Ty had.

  “His family is supposed to come to the bar tomorrow. That’s why I asked you to cater the lunch.” She hadn’t given much detail when she’d texted Everly the order. “We’re going to tell them then. We’ll say things aren’t working between us anymore.” Something told her the whole thing wouldn’t be nearly as simple as she made it sound. “I don’t want his parents to know about the baby until he and I have sorted everything out.” That could be a while. She didn’t even know where to start. “After they leave, I’ll tell him and we can decide what to do before we have to tell everyone else.” They could come up with a plan.

  “What do you want to do?” Everly asked carefully.

  Darla didn’t even hesitate. “I’m having the baby.” Saying it out loud was terrifying in the best possible way. “I never thought I’d have the chance, and there’s nothing I want more.” She might not have everything figured out, but she was already in love with this baby.

  Everly gave another excited squeal. “I know things are a
little complicated, but I’m so happy for you. You’ll be such a great mom, Darla. That is one lucky baby.”

  “Really?” She sniffled. At some point you’d think she’d run out of tears, but that didn’t seem to be happening yet. “You think so?”

  “Your heart is gold. Look at you. Everything you’re doing for us. Putting this event together, raising all of this money while you get nothing out of it. And you’ve overcome so much. That compassion and strength is all you need to raise a child.”

  Strength? Darla slumped against the wall. She obviously had Everly fooled. “I’m not strong.” The hoarse whisper ached in her throat. “It’s been ten years since Gray died, and I’m still scared.” She turned her face to Everly’s, letting her see all of it. “I’m so worried about Ty right now. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m sick with worry. That he’s hurt. Or…dead.” God, she hated hearing herself say those words. They were so weak. And yet she was helpless against the panic. It devoured her. She felt far more for him than was safe, and it was wrecking her.

  “It doesn’t sound crazy.” Everly steadied Darla’s shaky hands. “I know how much you care about him. I sent Mateo out to find him, and everything’ll be okay.” Her friend pulled her into a hug and smoothed Darla’s hair the way a mother would for a child. “Everything’ll be okay,” she murmured over and over.

  Darla wanted so much to believe her, but she didn’t know how.

  * * *

  Oh boy. He was in for it. Ty watched Mateo’s truck speed straight for the corral fences at the Cortez Ranch. He’d finally finished up fixing the snowmobile and had left both of the sleds in the outbuilding as good as new. But he was late. Very late.

  His friend jumped out of the truck sporting a grim frown. “Dude, where have you been?”

  “It’s a long story.” Ty walked over to meet him. “And not a great one.” He’d rather not recount what had happened between him and his brother.

  “Did you forget about the auction?” his friend asked. “You were supposed to be there over an hour ago.”

  And he would have been there on time if Rhett hadn’t abandoned him out in the woods. “I didn’t forget. Levi’s snowmobile stalled way out at the base of Topaz Mountain and Rhett took off, so I had to walk back.”

  The explanation didn’t change Mateo’s cloudy expression. “Trust me. Darla is not happy you didn’t show.”

  “I figured Rhett would tell her what happened.” At first, he’d been worried his brother might skip town, but that wasn’t Rhett. He liked the attention too much, and he knew the spotlight would be on him tonight. He’d definitely make it a point to be at the auction. Or at least that was what Ty had assumed.

  “Rhett didn’t show either,” his friend informed him.

  “That’s great.” The heavy weight of guilt sunk his heart. His brother must’ve skipped the auction because of what Ty had said to him. He started to head to his truck, which was parked on the other side of the barn. “I’ll go find him.”

  “There’s no time,” Mateo called behind him. “The auction already started. Everly sent me out to find you. I just got a text from her and she said Darla is worried sick.”

  That stopped Ty in his tracks. “Like I said, I figured Rhett would tell her I was going to be late.” It was the least his brother could do after making him walk a good four miles back to the ranch.

  “Well since he didn’t show up, no one told her you were going to be late.”

  Ty swallowed another heaping tablespoon of guilt. Damn. He’d messed everything up. He glanced at his watch. If the auction was starting, they had plenty of other cowboys to sell off. “I should go home and clean up.” No one in their right mind would bid on him looking like this. “That’ll give me a chance to find Rhett too.”

  “Nope. I have strict instructions to bring you straight to the auction.” Mateo opened his truck’s passenger door. “You can text Rhett on the way over. Tell him he’d better get his ass over there if he knows what’s good for him. Darla will find a way to make him regret it if he doesn’t.”

  “Fine.” Ty was too exhausted and freezing to argue. He climbed into the truck, which was nice and toasty, and pushed the toes of his boots up against the floor heater. With any luck, his feet would thaw out before he had to walk on the stage so he could somehow make this up to Darla. And everyone else who’d been counting on him. He looked down at his wet jeans and his wrinkled coat. He’d have to get real creative in finding ways to bring in the bids…

  Mateo climbed in next to him, already on the phone. “Is she okay?” he asked, flicking the gear into reverse.

  Ty tuned in and tried to listen to the conversation, but there was a long pause. “Is who okay?” he finally asked. Were they talking about Darla?

  Mateo shushed him with a wave of his hand. “Right. Okay. Got it. I’ll have him there in ten minutes.”

  “What’s up?” Based on Mateo’s dark expression, it wasn’t anything good.

  “I guess Darla wasn’t feeling well. Everly said they’d been in the bathroom for the last thirty minutes, but now Darla’s up on the stage running the show.”

  “Not feeling well how?” He didn’t like how often Darla seemed to be sick lately. Something wasn’t right.

  “She threw up. That’s all I know.” His friend grimaced like he’d rather not know. “After losing her husband the way she did, I’d guess she worries a lot.”

  “Yeah.” He’d figured that out this morning when she’d told him she could never be with him because of what he did for a living. “I tried to call her but I couldn’t get service out there.” He’d make it up to her though. “I have to text Rhett.” Not only had he failed to put Darla’s mind at ease, he’d also run off his brother—the auction’s main draw—and Darla would be the one to take the heat if Rhett didn’t show.

  He fired off a quick text.

  Hey, sorry about what I said earlier. We still need you at the auction. You don’t have to come for me. Do it for Darla.

  Satisfied, he pulled off the stocking cap he’d been wearing for a good four hours and messed with his hair, trying to smooth it down. “Not sure who’s gonna bid on me looking like this.”

  “Ginny Eckles?” Mateo guessed.

  “That’d be fine by me. At least she’d know better than to get any fancy ideas about the two of us hooking up.”

  When they arrived at the rodeo grounds, Mateo parked the truck at the edge of the packed parking lot, and they both jogged to the entrance. Once inside, Ty peeled off his snowy coat and tossed it onto a nearby coatrack. He undid his belt and the button fly of his jeans so he could tuck in his shirt as they walked to the main banquet hall. Outside the doors he could hear Darla speaking into the microphone. He peered inside and saw his buddy Jake Phillips from Oklahoma parading around the stage all decked out in a suit and a Christmas tie like he was part of some pageant. Ty recognized the Santa hat Jake was wearing from his own calendar shoot.

  “She did a great job decking the place out.” Mateo nodded toward Darla, who stood off to the side of a few intricately decorated Christmas trees. White lights and glittery snowflakes hung down from the ceiling, giving the whole stage a surreal glow.

  “It looks amazing,” Ty murmured. She looked amazing.

  “So we’ve got Jake ‘Wild Man’ Phillips going for two thousand dollars,” Darla said, sweeping out her arm. “Going once…going twice…” She waited but no other bids came forward. “Sold to this fine young woman in the front row!”

  The mostly female crowd cheered and whooped. Jake, who was no stranger to attention, swaggered down the steps and gave the brunette who’d won him a flashy kiss.

  “Aww. It’s a match made in Heaven,” Darla purred into the microphone. She sure didn’t seem upset. She stood up there wearing that sexy smile of hers, her black hair shining under the lights. The sight of her legs in that soft tan suede skirt and those tall thigh-high boots nearly brought him to his knees.

  “Damn,” Mateo muttered beside him. “Jake w
ent for two thousand dollars? Wonder what I’d go for?”

  “You’re lucky you don’t have to find out,” Ty muttered back. He was dreading this. What if he stood up there and no one wanted to bid on him? Surely most of the women were waiting for Rhett to appear. They’d likely save all their pennies trying to win his brother. If Rhett decided to make an appearance, that was.

  Darla gave off a whistle to quiet the rowdy crowd noise. “We’re going to take a short intermission, and when we come back, we’ll have the remaining cowboys ready to auction. Trust me, ladies. You won’t want to miss them.” She teased the crowd with a wink.

  “Come on.” Mateo tugged on his shoulder. “We’d better get you back to the staging room.” They walked briskly down the hall and veered into a smaller room near the end.

  “There you are!” Everly came blitzing over from across the room. “Oh geez, Ty. Look at you. You’re a mess.”

  “Yeah. Sorry about that. I ran into some car trouble.” Snowmobile trouble. Brother trouble. Whatever you wanted to call it. This whole day had been trouble from start to finish. He had a feeling it wasn’t about to get better.

  “Well at least you’re not dead somewhere,” Everly whispered. “Poor Darla was so worried. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

  “Actually, I heard it from Mateo first.” And guilt had sat like a hunk of metal in his gut ever since.

  “Well you can’t say a word to her.” Everly’s narrowed eyes were likely supposed to look stern, but they sparkled too much for that. “Got it? As far as you know, she’s been great. No problems at all.”

  “Right.” Darla must’ve have asked Everly not to tell him how upset she was. Once again she wanted to shut him out.

  “Here she comes.” Everly shot a desperate look over Ty’s shoulder.

  “Good luck, bro,” Mateo said, and they both walked away.

  Ty watched Darla cross the room. She looked like a woman on a mission, but once her eyes landed on him, she stopped cold.