The Renegade Cowboy Returns: The Renegade Cowboy ReturnsTexas Lullaby

by Tina Leonard

  Shinny shook his nearly bald head with a smile. “Zola went back to Tuscany yesterday,” he said. “Said she felt like Puff the Magic Dragon, waiting for her childhood to return. Tempest or Zola, it doesn’t matter, she’ll always be looking for that one thing she’s missing.”

  “What is that?” Chelsea asked.

  He grinned as he wiped the white counter. “Family. All her life Zola wanted a real family. She found it on Broadway, she found it in her fans, but deep down, she wants her very own family. She’d like a dozen little girls just like Cat, I imagine.”

  “I can understand that.” Chelsea sank into a booth, and Blanche seated herself across from her. The long, old-style fluorescent lights dimly lit the ice cream shop in the late afternoon, and as Chelsea looked around, she realized probably nothing about this place had changed very much from the time that Zola was a child. “Do you think she’ll ever come back to Tempest for good?” she asked, thinking that Shinny and Blanche had been pretty cool as stand-in parents.

  “We always hope so,” Blanche said, “and yet we realize that sometimes people keep looking when they have a hole in their heart that hasn’t yet been filled. Sometimes we know where our family is, yet we still need a little more time to make that journey of self-discovery, yes?”

  “I don’t know,” Chelsea murmured. Was that what life was all about then? The journey every person had to undertake for themselves? Zola had gone away to become the legendary Tempest. Chelsea had left Ireland to find health for her mother—and maybe something more for herself. Gage had left Hell’s Colony, even though he had wealth and family there. He would rather, as Cat succinctly put it, be a cowboy with just two nickels, as long as they were honest nickels.

  “It’s about being true to yourself,” Chelsea murmured. “The dream only works if you are.”

  Blanche nodded. “I think so. We all know what we want. It’s finding it and appreciating it that matters.”

  “So what happens now?” Chelsea asked.

  Shinny set a tall, frosty glass of chocolate froth in front of her—one of his own legendary specials—and scooted in next to Blanche, who gave him a fond squeeze on the arm. “You tell us. What happens now?”

  Chelsea spooned up some of the wonderful chocolate, closing her eyes briefly with pleasure. “This is better than any ice cream I’ve ever had.”

  He smiled. “You know, Blanche has been reading your last book to me, book two of the series. I like a good spine-tingler, I don’t mind admitting. And I like to hear Blanche’s voice, so she’s gracious enough to read to me at night. It’s comforting.”

  Blanche smiled, her eyes full of adoration for Shinny. Chelsea was misty watching how happy they were together.

  “What I noticed about Bronwyn is that she’s powerful because she’s true to herself. She knows she is fighting the battle for good, and home is where she always returns to recharge after she’s solved a case. But it’s the way she fights for others that makes her compelling. Her strength is her home, and her desire to serve the people.” Shinny sighed with satisfaction. “There’s no place like home. And until we know where that is, we keep searching. It’s our human frailty that blinds us. Oh, we all have our villains, don’t we? But they’re usually ones we’ve created ourselves.”

  Chelsea hesitated. Home. Where was hers? She had no permanent home. Didn’t have plans for one. Her mother traveled with her, but she suspected Moira preferred Rancho Diablo to any place they’d been. Ireland was a distant world away. It would always be in her heart—she’d thought one day she’d move back—but now…

  “Home is the journey,” Chelsea said. “It’s not the place, it’s the people.”

  “That’s what we think,” Blanche said. “And that’s what we think Zola will one day discover.”

  Chelsea had to go. “Thank you for the ice cream,” she said, jumping to her feet. She hugged both of them warmly. “I’m so glad I got to know you, and Zola. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Cat, and for me.” She gave them one last fond hug. “Don’t think I don’t know that you’re trying to help me, just like you helped Cat. And Zola, too.”

  “We don’t help anyone,” Shinny said modestly. “We’re just here to serve ice cream and talk. Mostly we like to talk to wonderful people who are kind enough to remember a couple of old folks from time to time.”

  “Goodbye,” Blanche said. “Let us hear from you again.”

  Chelsea nodded, and as she left Tempest and Dark Diablo, she hoped there was still an open door waiting for her at the end of her journey.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chelsea pulled into Rancho Diablo, somewhat surprised to see the Fourth of July lights and decorations still strung over the ranch, giving it a special twinkle and sparkle. Fiona Callahan was famous for her love of decorations, and this night was no exception. “No wonder Mum loves it here so much,” Chelsea murmured, parking the van. “It feels like home should.”

  “Howdy,” Jonas said as she got out. “You must have sent the long-awaited installment of Bronwyn Sang’s adventures on to the eager editor. Did you find brilliance at Dark Diablo?”

  “I feel good about it, and I feel great that I made my deadline.” Chelsea smiled at him. “Why are you skulking around out here in the dark?”

  “I saw your van pulling up. Thought I’d come out to greet the long-lost scribe.” Jonas looked well satisfied with himself. “You can join us for pie and tea. Fiona, Moira and Cat have been baking up a storm.”

  “Yum.” Chelsea followed him to the porch.

  “I didn’t figure we’d seen you this soon,” Jonas said. “You’ve been quiet for the last week. If we didn’t hear from you by tomorrow, I think your mother was planning on giving up her sojourn and going back to Dark Diablo.”

  Chelsea could use the excuse that she’d been so quiet because of her deadline—and that was partially true. But she’d mostly been thinking—about Gage, about herself, and about if they’d ever fit together as a family. Not The Family, Inc., but a homespun, traditional one. “I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”

  “We weren’t worried. But I did start to wonder if I’d made a mistake by bringing you to America, Irish.”

  She stared at Jonas. “Why?”

  He waved her to the porch swing, and she sat, mystified.

  “Listen, Chelsea.” Jonas settled his gaze on her. “Remember when you agreed to be my fiancée, so I wouldn’t have to come home alone and face Sabrina being pregnant and married to someone else?”

  She laughed. “It was fun, Jonas. I enjoyed watching you turn yourself into an emotional pretzel once you realized she was pregnant with your child.”

  He smiled back at her. “But I always felt bad that once our charade was over, you had no one. I felt like I brought you here and then left you to fend for yourself.”

  “Jonas, I prefer fending for myself. Thanks. You gave me what I wanted, which was to travel with Mum, and then when I realized she seemed in better health, you gave me a job. Don’t feel bad for me. I’m in a good place these days, I really am.”

  “Where does that leave you and Gage?”

  “I don’t know if we’re anywhere.”

  “You’re in love with him.”

  She smiled. “Not too hard to figure out, even for you, Callahan.”

  “Yeah, but I have backup to help me figure things out. Sabrina clued me in, and then Cat mentioned her father had proposed. And that you’d left the ring.” He chuckled. “Cat heard Fiona and Moira discussing the magic wedding dress that all the Callahan women wore to their weddings, and she wanted to know whether, if you just tried it on, that might help you want to be a bride. She has a pretty agile mind.”

  “Magic wedding dress?” Chelsea shook her head. “I remember you didn’t think you’d ever get Sabrina in the fabled dress.”

  “But I did,” he said cheerfully, “and I tell myself with justifiable pride that Sabrina’s never looked back.”

  “I don’t believe much in fairy tales and fables,
” Chelsea stated.

  “You can’t live at Rancho Diablo and not believe in magic. That would be like saying the Diablo mustangs aren’t real. Some things just can’t be explained, you know. Anyway, you should always have room in your life for magic. Otherwise, what would we be? Just unfortunate humans slogging along on our unenlightened paths.”

  “I’ll let you know when the spirit has moved me, Jonas.”

  He laughed. “You do believe in miraculous phenomena. Isn’t Ireland the home of saints who send snakes running?” Jonas looked at her, his gaze bright with mischief. “Anyway, you have time to decompress from the storm of Shakespearean effort you’ve been weathering. Gage isn’t here.”

  Her heart sank a little. But if Cat was here, then Gage wouldn’t be far away for long. “You send him off on another wild-goose chase?”

  “I resent you referring to my beautiful peacocks as geese.” Jonas’s face was scrunched in pretend disgust. “When the sun comes out and I let my babies out for the day, you’ll be very surprised how much those peacocks seem like the beautiful greeters of Rancho Diablo.”

  “I’m glad you’re pleased with them,” Chelsea said wryly.

  “Gage has gone to see Leslie,” Jonas said.

  “Cat’s mom?” Chelsea blinked. “Did something happen?”

  “He decided it was time to let her know that Cat would be staying here, with him.” Jonas smiled. “I really admire a man who takes on fathering duties with such enthusiasm.”

  “Yes,” Chelsea murmured. “It’s a very appealing thing about Gage.”

  “Among others. Like what a hard worker he is.”

  Chelsea nodded, hardly realizing she was.

  “And the ladies think he’s quite a looker,” Jonas continued.

  “That’s enough, Jonas,” Chelsea said. “You don’t have to sell him to me. I’m already sold.”

  “Good. When he and Sam get back—”

  “Sam?”

  Jonas shrugged. “Sam doesn’t specialize in family law, but it never hurts to have a legal beagle along. At least that’s what we told Gage. We really wanted to keep him from doing Larry mischief if the money issue were to arise again. We felt certain it might, and Sam is ever up for a troubleshoot, being that he’s a meathead. Helluva smart meathead, but you get my drift. Sam’s never said no to a little hand-to-hand discussion and arm-twisting.”

  “Oh,” Chelsea said. “I keep forgetting about the Larry-money angle.”

  “Forgetting about money? Never do that.” Jonas grinned. “You wouldn’t want to marry a poor man.”

  “I would,” Chelsea said with some heat. “I liked Gage just the way he was when I met him, when I thought he was broke and honest and the sexiest man I’d ever met.” She could tell she’d surprised Jonas with her admission, but every word she’d spoken was true. “I liked him just the way I thought he was.”

  “So that’s why you turned down his marriage proposal?”

  She nodded. “The whole Family, Inc., thing was hard for me to be comfortable with. They operate differently there, and it felt like when we were in Hell’s Colony, Gage began to change into something else. His family aren’t bad people, you know. They just have different priorities than what I’ve experienced.” She looked at Jonas. “I like Gage when he’s a working man, a father, a friend. Not a corporate suit.”

  Jonas laughed. “Come on. Let’s go inside. I hear the ladies calling that it’s time for dessert.”

  “When do you expect Gage back?” Chelsea asked.

  “Don’t ask me,” Jonas said, “I’m just the ever-ready listening ear around here.”

  “Poor thing,” Chelsea said. “And yet I remember when you wheezed like an old car engine because you couldn’t have the woman you loved.”

  He laughed, and held the door open for her. “Welcome home, Irish. Welcome home.”

  * * *

  THE THING ABOUT BEING at Rancho Diablo was that it felt like home. Chelsea sat by her mother and Cat and watched all the little children enjoy spinning sparklers outside. Stars twinkled overhead in the New Mexico sky, a warm breeze barely blew—just enough to cool them—and Chelsea breathed it all in, feeling as if she’d finally come home.

  Almost.

  “I’m nervous,” Chelsea told her mother, when Cat ran off to help oversee the older toddlers with the sparklers. “What if Gage can’t convince Leslie that Cat is better off with him?”

  Moira patted her on the arm. “Everything will work out for the best.”

  “I hope so.” She knew how much Cat loved it here. The “face jewelry” was gone, and so were the dark clothes. Moira and Fiona had taken Cat shopping for some late summer clothes that could be used for school. Cat’s hair was starting to take on the uneven look of growing-out-and-needs-to-be-shaped. She’d even mentioned maybe having it trimmed so it wouldn’t be lopsided when she started school. It seemed to Chelsea that Cat had relaxed, felt less of a need to make a statement. “I can’t imagine Gage without her.”

  Moira smiled. “I wish you could have seen them together the past few weeks. They were inseparable. Gage has got Cat riding a horse, says he’s going to teach her to rope. Remember when we took her to that rodeo, and she didn’t want to go?” Moira laughed. “Well, she’s all about rodeo now, and horses, especially now that she’s seen all the pictures of the Callahan brothers riding, and the buckles they won. Not to mention that since her father loves it, she does, too. Anything to be with her dad.”

  “That is truly a happy ending, isn’t it?” Chelsea said. It felt so right, the way everything was turning out, like it had always been meant to be, the past softly segueing to the future in the best of ways.

  She hoped there was a happy ending for her, too. Had she given up her best chance for that happiness by turning Gage down? It had been her fears speaking, just as Blanche and Shinny had pointed out so gently.

  Of course, this was why she’d come to Rancho Diablo, to find her own happy ending. She’d do everything she could to show Gage how much she loved him, what a wonderful man she’d be so lucky to have—if he still wanted her.

  If only.

  The children squealed when sudden fireworks lit the dark velvet sky. Beautiful colors and bright white made magical patterns, and a diamond-white moon hung flat against the darkness. It was breathtakingly lovely, and Chelsea watched the fireworks with the same joy as the transfixed children. A small plane went overhead, not too far from the fireworks.

  “How unusual,” Moira said. “I only saw planes with banners attached to them when we went to Florida last summer, Chelsea.”

  It was a strange thing to see out here. Chelsea looked up, trying to read what the sign said. The Callahan women all watched the plane, but suddenly, settled their gazes on her with knowing smiles.

  Marry me, Chelsea. I love you were the red-printed words on the banner.

  “Oh,” Chelsea said, and her mother hugged her, and all the Callahan women laughed. And suddenly, she realized that everyone had been in on the “big moment.”

  “Dad was afraid he didn’t do the proposal right the first time,” Cat said, bounding over to sit next to her. “He thought he better do something a bit more spectacular to seal the deal.”

  Chelsea laughed, hugging Cat joyously. “This is certainly spectacular!”

  “Look,” Cat said, “Rafe’s flying over again, just in case you missed the sign the first time, I guess.”

  Chelsea smiled, tears in her eyes as she looked up. “I didn’t miss the sign. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

  “Good,” Gage said, sitting down next to them on the porch, “because I’d hate to send Rafe back up there.”

  Chelsea turned to face him, with Cat in between. She smiled, feeling as if the whole world melted away except for them. “I thought you were gone.”

  “I was. Sam and I were already on the road when Jonas called to let me know you were here.” Gage shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “We’d had this planned a while ago, but I wasn’t certain when th
e best time to do it was. Wasn’t sure how you felt about me. Then Jonas called and said I’d best strike while the iron was hot, because you’d about taken his head off when he mentioned that you wouldn’t want to marry a man with no money. Jonas figured that was a positive indicator, and that it was time to send up the proposal.”

  Gage pulled out her ring, the ring she’d wished she hadn’t had to leave behind, when she hadn’t known that she loved him too much to give him up, no matter what. Chelsea put her hand in his and he slipped the ring on her finger, where the three stunning oval diamonds seemed to sparkle with happiness.

  Chelsea couldn’t stop smiling. “Jonas is right. It’s a wonderful time to get a proposal. And the answer is definitely yes, Gage. I’ll marry you.” She hugged Cat and Gage to her, the three of them together as one, their own family.

  “This is awesome!” Cat exclaimed, jumping up. “You’re going to be my stepmother. I can’t wait to tell Nana Moira she’s going to be my grandma! Yay, Dad!” She ran off to share the good news, and Chelsea realized that the Callahan clan had melted away toward the corrals to give them some privacy.

  “I was worried you wouldn’t come,” Gage whispered against her hair. “I knew I had to wait for you to make up your mind, and it was the hardest thing I ever did.”

  She kissed him, her lips lingering against his. “You weren’t really worried.”

  “I was. Cat was after me every day,” he said, kissing her lightly. “She kept telling me I needed a better proposal. That every woman wants her proposal to be something out of a fairy tale.”

  “This is almost perfect.” Chelsea leaned against him, feeling his strength and his hard shoulders and chest, longing for him.

  “Tell me what would make it perfect,” Gage murmured against her temple.

  “That you worked things out, and Cat will be with us,” Chelsea said, squeezing her eyes closed.

  She felt him smile, and he turned her face to his. “The three of us are a family,” Gage said. “Wherever we are, we’re together.”