A Texas Bond

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  A knock sounded at the store door and she checked her watch. The twins.

  She took several deep breaths. “Come on in.”

  Mason blasted through first as usual. “Guess what happened today?”

  “What?” Stacia had to fight to focus.

  “Our teacher threw up. All over her desk. It was so gross.” Mason grimaced.

  “Mrs. Jenkins is gonna have a baby.” Madison plopped her backpack in the desk chair. Stacia’s eyes stung. The news of their teacher becoming a mother on top of the impending arrival of the twins’ grandparents—it was all too much.

  Daddy strolled into the workshop. “What’s going on?”

  “Can you take care of the kids for a few minutes and then help Ross in the workshop tonight?” Stacia jerked her goggles, mask and smock off, flung them on the desk and scurried toward the back door.

  “I think Mason made her sick telling about our teacher throwing up,” Madison said.

  Out the door, Stacia bolted for the house, and up to her room. Tears streaming, she shut the door of her room and sank to the floor.

  One day. She had one day to prepare for what could turn into the fight of her life. If the Lyles sued her for custody, Stacia would win. Just as Daddy had beat Aunt Eleanor’s scheming tactics. And if some crazy judge ruled against her, she’d take the twins and run if she had to.

  * * *

  With a forecast full of storms and powerful wind gusts, the tension built to a boil as Ross completed the last coffee bar. With red-rimmed eyes and splotchy cheeks, Stacia hadn’t acknowledged him all day long. Only the sounds of her paint sprayer echoed through the workshop. Would this day never end?

  “Listen, my parents are coming, whether you like it or not. It won’t help anything if we’re not speaking or at each other’s throats. Did you tell Mason and Madison they’re coming?”

  “No.”

  “Don’t you think you should remedy that?” He bit back his irritation. “We’re running out of time.”

  “Daddy and I decided not to tell them, so it won’t seem like such a big deal.” It was the most she’d said all day.

  “Okay. However you want to play it.” He sank the last screw to secure the coffee bar and tested to make sure it was sturdy. “One hundred.”

  “I guess I owe you my gratitude,” she grudgingly admitted. “I couldn’t have completed the order without you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He removed his goggles and smock. “I’ll get the finished pieces loaded in the truck, then tend to the cattle early since the storm’s picking up.” He scanned the workshop. “You’ve just got the two tubs and one coffee bar left to paint. Right?”

  “Yes.”

  He wrapped five ready-to-go coffee bars in padded sheeting and loaded them into the truck, laying them down on their sides with cardboard batting between them and the bathtubs they’d already loaded. Then he wrapped three claw-foot tubs.

  “When will your dad’s salvage guy be here?”

  “He’s stuck in San Antonio due to the storm. Let me finish painting this last piece and I’ll help you.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. These things are cast iron. They weigh a ton.”

  “Trust me, I’ve loaded my share of claw-foot tubs over the years.” She sprayed the final edge of the last coffee bar, turned her sprayer off and strolled over to him. “I’ll get this end.”

  “You sure?”

  “I helped you load the ones we got from Maisy.” She rolled her eyes. “Just take care of your end and I’ll handle mine.”

  They lifted the tub, but he could tell it was a strain on her slight form. He backed his end into the trailer and they managed to set it down without mashing fingers or toes. Two more times, they repeated the process. By the time everything was loaded, she was winded.

  “You okay?”

  “Fine.”

  A knock sounded at the door and they both checked their watches. Time for school to be out already.

  “Come in.”

  Mason and Madison entered the workroom, both wearing yellow rain slickers and rubber boots. Adorable.

  “Anybody throw up today?” He ruffled Mason’s hair.

  “No. It was so boring.” Mason groaned.

  Ross chuckled, turned toward Stacia. “I’m going to round up the cattle, make sure they’re all in the barnyard, and put the mamas and babies in the stalls. Once I take care of the stock, these last few pieces should be dry. I’ll come back and help you wrap and get them loaded in the truck.” He darted out the door as eager to escape her as she was him.

  A steady rain had started and the wind picked up as he made his way to the barn. Halfway there, the bottom of the sky fell out. In a matter of minutes, his hair and clothing plastered to him. Chilled, once he made it inside the barn he shook his hair away from his face, slinging water like a wet dog.

  In the supply stall, he grabbed a feed bucket, loaded it with grain and stuck a few range cubes in his pocket for the stubborn ones. He turned and ran into Stacia head on. The bucket slipped from his hand as he grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know you were there.”

  “I came to help.” Her hair clung to the sides of her face, making her appear younger, vulnerable. Scared.

  Despite the tension between them, despite her determination to never trust him, he had the almost overwhelming desire to comfort her fears. She just looked so...

  Kissable.

  “Go on back inside, I’m fine.” He let go of her, knelt to retrieve the bucket.

  “If I help, we can get finished quicker and get the truck loaded, so we can get inside where it’s warm and dry before your folks get here.”

  “Fair enough.” He retrieved what grain he could from the hay-strewn floor, then scooped more from the fifty gallon drum to make up for what he’d spilled.

  “I’ll get the horses.” She grabbed a second bucket, scooped horse feed into it and hurried out of the stall. While he poured grain into the trough down the middle of the barn galley, she filled the horses’ troughs in each stall. When she finished, she placed her finger and thumb in her mouth and produced an impressively loud whistle.

  Six horses straggled into the barn and he helped her secure each in their stalls.

  She peered out into the distance and repeated the whistle. “Where’s the sorrel and her foal?”

  “They’ll show up. I’ll go ahead and wrangle the cows, then if they don’t show, I’ll go look for them.” He banged on the metal bucket. Soon a trail of cattle meandered toward the barn. He counted as they entered the barn yard and when all were accounted for, he darted out into the rain and shut the gate. Scanning as far as he could see, there was no sign of the mare or her foal.

  He splashed his way back to the barn, soaked through and mud caked. “I don’t see them. You go on to the house, tend to the twins, and I’ll go look for them. When I get back, we’ll finish loading the truck.”

  “I shouldn’t have let them out this morning.” She hugged herself. “I knew this weather was coming.”

  “It’s not your fault. It hit a little sooner than the weatherman said it would. And I’m sure they’re fine. They probably sought shelter in the woods. I’ll find them.”

  “Be careful.”

  “I will.” He opened the stall where she’d just secured his horse, put the saddle and bit in place in record time, and rode out into the deluge.

  Was she worried about him? Nah, just the mare and the foal. Any worries she cast his way were for the twins’ sake. Stacia Keyes couldn’t wait to see his taillights. And he’d be happy to oblige her. As soon as the evacuation was over and the B and B shipment was safely on its way, he was out of there. With no looking back.

  Chapter Eleven

  With Wednesday night Bible study canceled due to the storm, the twins were alread
y fed and bathed. Daddy was upstairs readying them for bed while Stacia paced the kitchen floor. Ross should be back by now, with the mare and foal safely in the barn.

  His parents were due to roll up any minute. With severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches spawned from the hurricane, the wind howled outside and rain slammed against the window, and they still had to finish loading the truck.

  At least it was almost the twins’ bedtime. Maybe meeting their grandparents could be put off until tomorrow.

  Small feet scurried down the stairs. Mason jumped over the last three steps and landed at the bottom. Madison followed, but didn’t do any jumping.

  “Why aren’t y’all in bed?” She tapped Mason’s nose.

  “We’re worried about Uncle Ross and Stockings and Rust,” he whined.

  “A little rain won’t hurt him or the horses.”

  “But Rust is just a baby.” Madison yawned.

  Obviously two tired twins.

  “Let’s get y’all in bed and they’ll all be here in the morning when everybody wakes up.” Along with Ross’s parents.

  A knock sounded at the door. Please let it be Ross and not his folks.

  The twins bolted for it and Mason opened the door.

  It wasn’t Ross. An older couple and a man with way-too-long hair stood on the porch. Relatively dry, folding up two umbrellas. The younger man seemed familiar.

  “Well, hello,” the woman said. “I’m not sure we’re at the right place. We’re looking for Ross Lyles.”

  “This is the right place.” She forced the words, then offered her hand. “I’m Stacia Keyes.”

  The younger man gasped as his eyes widened.

  And Stacia figured out where she’d seen him.

  In court. Ronny Outrageous.

  “I just need to get these two to bed.” She nabbed each of the twins’ hands and practically dragged them toward the stairs. “Come on in. I’ll be right back.”

  “But we wanna see who they are,” Mason grumbled.

  “Just some friends of Ross’s. You can meet them in the morning.”

  “But why not now?”

  “Because it’s past your bedtime and you’re both cranky.”

  “Stop arguing, Mason. You’re gonna get us in trouble,” Madison said.

  Thankfully, the two fell into silence the rest of the way up the stairs. How could Ross do this to her? How long had he had it planned for his brother to ambush her? He must want the twins back. Why else would he be here? Yes, Calli had made her their legal guardian, but Stacia had seen too many children ripped away from loved ones in the headlines.

  Daddy met them on the landing. “Was that Ross I heard come in?”

  “No. His guests are here. Three of them.” She did a head nod toward the kids.

  But Daddy squinted, obviously not picking up on her meaning. “You get these two in bed and I’ll go tend to them.”

  Inside the twins’ room, she tucked them both in, but the cozy room with its horse decor failed to soothe her. Somehow, she managed to read them Where the Wild Things Are, though she was completely distracted and both kids were dozing before she reached the end.

  She quietly left the room and headed down the stairs. Voices. Ross and his mom.

  “It just worries me that you’re dating a woman with twins, sweetheart. That’s a lot to take on.”

  Huh? Stacia wasn’t one to eavesdrop, but avoiding the awkward conversation forced her to take a seat on the step.

  “You don’t understand, Mom. She’s not my girlfriend. But, I’ll admit, if things were different, she might be.”

  But Ross’s attempts to woo her would fail. He was still up to something. And his brother was obviously in on it. But why had he seemed shocked when she’d told them her name?

  “Listen, we need to talk, but it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Right now, I have a mare and her new foal I have to find. I just came back to make sure y’all made it in okay.”

  “I’ll help you, son,” his dad said. “Karen, you and Ron go on to the cabin in Bandera and Ross can bring me there after we find the horses.”

  Stacia should protest. She could go out and search with Ross. But the most important thing at the moment was to get Ron out of her house.

  “It’s a horse.” Ron snickered. “Y’all are going out in a deluge over a horse?”

  “A mare with a newborn foal,” Ross snapped. “With flash flood warnings. Yes I’m going after it. But you really don’t have to go, Dad.”

  “Nonsense, I grew up braving weather like this over livestock,” Ross’s dad said. “Maybe we should have raised you boys on a ranch, so Ron here would know what’s important.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “All right,” Ross’s mom cut in. “Ron’s crankier than Ross’s girl’s twins. Let’s go to the cabin.”

  “She’s not my girl,” Ross protested. “But I wish she could be.”

  Stacia rolled her eyes.

  “Can we just go already?” Ron moaned.

  “Come on.” Ross’s mom laughed. “It’s like having a toddler when he gets tired.”

  Ron apparently wanted to leave as badly as Stacia wanted him to. So what was going on? Had he changed his mind about wanting the twins, but he hadn’t realized Ross had been working for Stacia?

  “Here we are, three sweet teas.” Daddy had apparently come back into the room.

  “Oh Maverick.” Ross’s mom’s tone was apologetic. “I’m afraid we’ll have to take a rain check. Ron and I are headed to the cabin and Ross and Sam are going back out to look for the mare. We should have waited until morning and not bothered you so late.”

  “Stacia and I are night owls,” Daddy said. “You go on with your family, Sam. I can go with Ross.”

  “Oh, no you don’t.” Ross’s tone left no room for argument. “You just got mobile again with that knee. Dad and I will find her.”

  “I appreciate it.” Thankfully, Daddy gave in.

  “I can at least mop up the puddle Ross made and help with the towels,” Ross’s mom offered.

  “It’s not a big deal, Karen. I’ll get it.”

  “We’ll see you tomorrow, Maverick,” Ross’s mom said, and the door shut behind them.

  Stacia’s breathing relaxed. Ron was gone. At least for now. It sounded as if Ross and his dad had left too. She stood, took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves and continued down the stairs.

  Daddy stood in the foyer, staring at the door, his shoulders slumped. A puddle and wadded towels lay on the tile.

  “Are we alone?” she asked.

  He whirled to face her. “For the time being. What did they bring him for?”

  “All I can figure is he’s changed his mind about the twins.”

  “Over my dead body.” Daddy stiffened.

  “Mine too.” She laid her head against Daddy’s shoulder.

  * * *

  Ross had found rain ponchos in the barn, and Mom had insisted he change clothes before he went out again. At least their upper bodies weren’t soaked through as they rode into the night.

  The beam of their flashlights cut through the downpour, but so far there was no sign of the mare or her foal. If only she were a pale palomino instead of a russet-colored sorrel. Maybe the white blaze on her face or socked feet would be detectable in the darkness.

  “Why didn’t you tell us all of this was about a girl?”

  “It’s not what you think, Dad. I’ll explain everything later.”

  “I don’t know why it wouldn’t be about the girl. She’s a looker. I didn’t get to talk to her, but if she’s half as nice as her dad, she must be something.”

  “Trust me Dad, this isn’t about Stacia.”

  “Your mom’s worried about you taking on twins, but I think you’re man enough for the job. The only thing is, you’ll
be taking on some other man’s kids. Is the father in the picture?”

  “Dad. Please. It’s not like that. Can we just concentrate on the horse for now?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m just chilled.” And bone-tired. “I need to find the mare and I’m worried about the foal, and then I still have to load the truck.”

  “What truck?”

  “Stacia and her dad have a repurposing business. There’s a coffee bar and a couple of claw-foot tubs in the barn that need to be secured in the delivery truck in case the barn gets damaged. Which is doubtful, but just in case.”

  “If it’s not about the girl, why are you so concerned about her business?”

  “I’ve been working here. Helping with a big order for a chain of bed-and-breakfasts.”

  “Why? Did you know Stacia before you came here?”

  “Later, Dad.” He caught a glimpse of something white in the beam of his flashlight. “I think I see her over by the pond.” Ross blew a shrill whistle.

  A whinny came from the darkness.

  “Hey girl, where’s your baby?” Ross used his soothing voice, but it was probably lost in the wind and downpour.

  As they neared, the beam of their flashlights revealed the nervous mare focused on the pond. Surely her foal hadn’t drowned.

  They pulled their horses up close to her and dismounted.

  “It’s me girl.” Ross patted her flank. “We’re here to help.” He shined his flashlight into the pond. The foal was in the edge of the pond, head far above water, but obviously cold and exhausted. “I think he’s stuck.”

  “Loop this around your waist, so you don’t get stuck too.” Dad threw him his rope and secured the other end to his saddle horn.

  Ross pulled the lasso down over his shoulders and tightened it around his waist. “Hey Rust. I’m coming to help you boy.”

  The mare shuffled her feet, whinnied.

  “It’s okay girl, we’ll get him home.” Ross’s boots sucked into the wet mud as he neared the pond. No wonder the foal got stuck. “Hey guy, let me help you out of there.”

  He stroked the foal’s face, then wrapped his arms around the shivering middle. With a good tug, he pulled the foal’s hooves free.