by Joan Kilby
Rosita’s Mexican restaurant was sponsoring a beer garden in a tent. In front of the gazebo a makeshift stage had been set up and a dance floor laid over the grass. The evening’s entertainment hadn’t started yet but a youth with clipped brown hair sat on the edge of the stage strumming an acoustic guitar and singing an old John Denver song.
Cody stopped next to the stage and scanned the park for Kelly and Ricky. A fifty-something woman at the hospital auxiliary table spotted him and detached from her band of volunteer ladies to bear down on him like a battleship.
“Why, Cody, you’re just the person I wanted to see,” she said in a booming voice.
He frowned, trying to place her helmet-like burnished bob and magenta-framed half-glasses. “Hey, um…”
“Judy McReadie.” She tugged down the snug jacket of her blue pantsuit. “I served pancakes at the Sunday breakfast two years ago.”
“Of course,” he said not having the foggiest memory of meeting her. “Nice to see you again, ma’am.”
“I volunteer at the Marietta hospital and I was wondering if you would visit the children’s ward,” Judy said, getting straight to the point. “I read about your incredible generosity to that poor little Ricky Reid. There are so many kids in need.”
“I’m truly sorry, ma’am. I don’t have anything more to give.” He spread his empty hands as if turning out his pockets. And it was true. He was counting on winning at least one event this weekend just so he could pay his bills.
“Oh, but you’re wrong. The children don’t only need financial aid, they need cheering up.” Judy beamed at him. “Imagine how thrilled they’d be to meet a champion rodeo rider.”
“I…I wouldn’t know what to say to them.” Cody glanced around, hoping Kelly would arrive and save him. She was still nowhere in sight. “Anyway, I’m leaving right after the rodeo. Heading home.”
“Surely you could spare a few minutes Monday morning before you pull out?” Peering at him over her magenta glasses, Judy fixed him with a piercing stare.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said with a feeling of misgiving. For crying out loud, he had nothing to say to those poor kids, no words of inspiration or wisdom. What he’d done for Ricky was nothing, really, only money.
“I’ll give you the details later.” Judy beamed at him, taking his vague answer as a yes. “Good luck in the rodeo. We’ll all be cheering for you.” And off she sailed, back to her table, leaving him feeling like a fraud.
What was that saying? No good deed goes unpunished. He was an imposter. Kids, even sick ones, were perceptive. They would take one look and know he was nothing more than a badass cowboy who happened to make one impulsive gesture. It didn’t make him a good person.
Looking around again, he saw Kelly standing beneath a tree and he caught his breath. Her long, curling blonde hair shone in the glow of the fairy lights and fell around her bare shoulders. She wore capri pants and a dainty, fitted top that showed off her shapely figure. She was ultra feminine yet her height and statuesque build made her seem like a warrior princess.
Kelly was the true hero. She’d lived at the coalface, sacrificing her own ambitions—whatever they might be—and her personal life to support her son in every way possible—materially, physically and emotionally.
Ricky stood close by her side and Kelly held his hand in a protective gesture. A single mom raising a sickly child alone. They must have a tight bond. She would be on her guard against anything or anyone that would hurt her boy. Had other kids given Ricky a hard time before, when he couldn’t play like everyone else? Had he felt like an outsider?
Cody felt ashamed of his churlish behavior earlier. He would try to make it up to the boy. At the same time, he would try to make it clear to Kelly that she didn’t owe him anything. All he wanted was for the furor around his donation to die down and for him to be left alone to continue his wicked ways unhindered.
“Kelly,” he called and raised a hand. Seeing him, she smiled, her cheeks dimpling.
Captivated, he started toward her. Tonight he wanted to forget all about the media attention and the extra pressure that had put on him leading up to the rodeo and simply enjoy a picnic in a park with a lovely woman and a sweet little boy.
As he approached, her smile grew and he realized he was smiling, too. Close up, he noticed aspects of her appearance he hadn’t taken in earlier, being too preoccupied with the improvements in Ricky’s health. In Reno Kelly had been pretty enough but careworn and thin, her fair hair limp. Now her skin glowed, her blue eyes sparkled and those cute dimples appeared with appealing frequency. She had bloomed along with her son.
It dawned on him that he’d contributed to her well-being as well as Ricky’s. The blog article praising him he didn’t take seriously, nor did he place any credence in all the tweets and posts on Instagram. But Kelly and Ricky were a living, breathing, glowing testament to what his simple gesture had achieved.
His throat constricted as unexpected and unfamiliar feelings washed over him. Pride and a sense of self-esteem. He felt good about himself over something that wasn’t rodeo. He couldn’t recall the last time that had happened. Maybe that envelope of cash he’d handed her had changed not just their lives but his as well?
Along with the pride came another unfamiliar emotion—humility. What else might he have done for other folks in need if he’d only tried? If he hadn’t wasted time and money in bars and casinos?
Shaking his head he told himself not to get carried away. He hadn’t changed that much.
He bumped fists with Ricky, a maneuver that delighted the boy. It almost hurt that the kid was so easy to please. Guess that wasn’t hard when he’d spent so much time in and out of hospitals. The boy had a lot of fun to catch up on.
“You found the park all right.” Cody was stating the obvious but he felt suddenly awkward. He had some rudeness to make up for and he wanted to make them feel good. But how? He had no experience being on a date with a mother and her child. He was used to party girls and bars. “So, something to eat?”
Kelly sniffed the delicious aromas coming from the barbeques. “What do you recommend?”
“The Marietta Boosters do great hamburgers,” he suggested. He’d noticed Flynn working the grill and wouldn’t mind saying howdy. “Their chili dogs are pretty good, too.”
Ricky tugged on Kelly’s arm. “Can I have a chili dog?”
“Sure.” To Cody she said, “A hamburger sounds good to me.”
He handed her his backpack. “I’ve got a blanket in there. Why don’t you find a spot to sit down and I’ll get the food.”
“I’ll set up over there,” Kelly said, pointing to a spreading maple whose leaves sheltered a grassy slope between the footpath and the river and commanded a good view of the stage.
“Perfect.” He turned to Ricky. “Want to come and help me carry stuff?”
They headed over to the barbeques and placed their order with Flynn. “Didn’t get much chance to talk this afternoon what with Dean and his damn public broadcast,” Cody said to his friend. “Are you ready for the calf roping tomorrow?”
“As I’ll ever be.” Flynn piled chili on a hotdog and handed it to Ricky. “I’m guessing that’s for you, young cowboy. Have you signed up for the mutton bustin’ tomorrow?”
“My mom won’t let me,” Ricky said matter-of-factly. “She doesn’t like to see me get hurt.”
Cody’s eyebrows rose. Ricky’s reply spoke of the countless times he’d been hurt previously, not by falling off a sheep into sawdust but by being poked with needles and struggling for breath. “Have you asked her?”
Ricky shook his head.
Cody let it go for now but decided that come hell or high water this boy was going to be part of the rodeo.
They took the food back to where Kelly sat under the tree and tucked in hungrily. For a few minutes they ate in silence.
Kelly wiped her fingers on a paper napkin. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was. Except for a bit of chocolate, we misse
d lunch.”
Cody handed her a bottle of flavored mineral water. “Told you they were good.”
“This is a beautiful spot so close to the river.” She gazed at the small rapids in the center of the stream. “I love hearing the sound of the water. I grew up in the mountains in Wyoming. I miss this kind of country.”
Cody nodded at the snow-capped peak rising up in the distance across the river. “They used to mine copper up there in the 1800s, hence the name. There’s a steam train you can take up the mountain, even tour an old mine. If you have time while you’re here it’s worth taking in.”
“We’re only here for the rodeo.” She wiped a smear of chili off Ricky’s chin. “We’ll head back to Reno on Monday.”
Ricky swallowed his last mouthful of hot dog. “Can I go play by the river?”
“Don’t fall in,” Kelly cautioned. “And don’t go too far. Stay where I can see you.” She watched anxiously as the boy ran down to the water’s edge where some other boys were skipping stones.
“Don’t worry, the river is shallow here,” Cody said, guessing correctly that she wouldn’t take her eyes off her son anyway. “Did you get another job after you got fired from the diner?”
“Yes, although I’m working casually now.” Kelly shrugged. “It suits me to be flexible at the moment. When Ricky starts school I plan to go back to college. Part time probably, maybe online at first, but I want to finish my degree.”
College. Whereas he’d never finished high school. Well, it wasn’t as if it mattered seeing as he didn’t go in for relationships. And clearly she had larger horizons to explore.
“What are you studying?” he asked.
“I want to be a nutritionist. I have two years to go.” Kelly craned her neck to keep Ricky in sight. “I’m considering relocating. Reno’s nice and I’ve got some good friends there but I feel like a change. Too many bad memories.”
“Where are you thinking of moving to?” He brushed crumbs off his hands.
She slanted him a mischievous smile that showed her dimples. “Sweetheart is an awfully pretty town. I hear there’s boating and fishing on the lake and hiking in the mountains.”
Was she serious? Cody sipped his mineral water and wished he had a beer.
“It’s a beautiful place,” he agreed, then added in a rush, “Personally, I don’t spend a lot of time in Sweetheart. I live out at the ranch where I work or else I’m on the road at rodeos. I do have an apartment at my parents’ house but I’m hardly ever there.”
“When we stopped in Sweetheart I noticed a help wanted sign at the Cherry Pit,” she went on, still smiling. “I understand there’s a state college in nearby Missoula.”
Was she actually thinking of moving to Sweetheart or was she just messing with him? He cleared his throat. “I should be up-front; I’m not in the market for a girlfriend.”
She burst out laughing. “I’m joking! I don’t know where I’ll go. But you should have seen your face when you thought I would invade your town.”
Relief swept over him. Cody flexed his fingers, suddenly aware he’d made a fist without realizing it. And at the same time, a feeling he couldn’t quite pinpoint, somewhere between annoyance and disappointment. Of course she wouldn’t choose a tiny town like Sweetheart, even if he thought it was the greatest place on Earth. Why would she? To be near him? Man, give him a little attention and suddenly he had a big head. Anyway, now that she was finding out what he was really like she would steer clear.
For the first time he hated that he had a reputation. He wished he was the man she thought he was. He shook his head. His reactions were all over the place and that was confusing as hell.
“How is your friend?” Kelly said, changing the subject. “The one who got hurt in Reno?”
“He damaged a couple of disks in his spine but it’s nothing permanent, luckily.” Cody’s mouth twisted. “He’ll be out of the circuit awhile, though, poor bastard.”
“That’s too bad,” Kelly said. “Have you ever been injured?”
Ricky came running back across the lawn, kicking at fallen leaves. His blond hair flew back in the breeze and his cheeks were flushed pink.
“Not seriously.” He felt a twinge in his bad shoulder and a shiver ran over him as he recalled his late grandmother saying a ghost had walked over her grave. Shaking it off, he added, “I don’t worry about that stuff.”
“What events are you entering?” Kelly said.
“Bareback riding as well as the bulls,” Cody replied.
Ricky flopped down onto the blanket. Overhearing this last comment, his jaw dropped comically. “Bull riding and bareback bronc riding! Oh, man, this is going to be so good!”
Cody laughed. The kid cracked him up. Then he looked to Kelly for her reaction. Women either loved the excitement of the rough events or they tsked and tutted about the danger and how he could get himself killed.
“I think you’re incredibly brave,” she said, her eyes shining. “I can’t wait to see you ride.”
Cody breathed a small sigh of relief that she wasn’t one of the doom and gloomers.
“How did you get into rodeoing?” Kelly went on. “Your family owns a cherry orchard. Weren’t you interested in that?”
“Not so much. Anyway, Will is the heir apparent for the orchard.”
“But rodeoing. Did you have horses as a kid?”
“No,” he said slowly. “It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I spent any time on a ranch. I quit school early.” He shrugged uneasily, aware he’d raised more questions than he’d answered. Kelly was waiting for more, her blue eyes alive with interest. “I got work as a hand on a bull-breeding ranch. Learned to ride the bulls, got to like it. Now I’m training them.”
“Did you get bucked off a lot at first?” Ricky asked.
“Why did you quit school?” Kelly said at the same time.
“I got bucked off the first fifty times I got on a bull,” he told Ricky, ignoring Kelly’s question. She would have to home in on the part he wanted to forget. No way was he going to get into his life story and what happened with Tegan. “Broke my arm and got a concussion before I entered my first rodeo.”
“Wow,” Ricky breathed. “I can’t wait until I can go rodeoing. Mom, can I go in mutton bustin’?”
“No,” she said automatically. “It’s too dangerous.”
Cody could have kicked himself for bragging about his injuries in front of the boy. “The kids wear a helmet and there are rodeo clowns ready to grab them as soon as they slide off,” he assured her. “I’ve never seen any child get more than a few bruises.”
“Please, Mom,” Ricky begged.
Kelly stifled a sigh. “I’ll think about it.”
Cody smothered a smile. He shouldn’t encourage the kid. If Kelly was going back to college after years away then education was important to her. Ricky was a lot healthier than a couple of months ago but he was still on the small side. And Kelly had likely done enough worrying for a lifetime. His own mom had tried to dissuade him from going into rodeo. Over time she’d accepted it but he knew that when he eventually hung up his spurs she would breathe a sigh of relief.
In some ways Cody regretted not finishing school but he couldn’t imagine not riding rodeo. He knew the day would come when he got too old and had to give it up but he didn’t like to think about that. His grandfather Nate had called him a grasshopper once, intending to goad him into doing better. Instead Cody had taken it as a compliment meaning he enjoyed life. But sometimes, on those long road trips between rodeos he wished he was home. His own home. That, like the ranch, was just a pipe dream. He wasn’t any more ready to settle down with a mortgage and a picket fence than he had been ten years ago. Besides, if he didn’t ride bulls, then who was he?
Ricky tugged on his mom’s arm. “Give Cody his present.”
“All right.” Kelly wiped her fingers carefully and moved the soiled food containers out of the way. Then she reached into her tote bag and took out a folded article of clothin
g wrapped in tissue paper. “I hope it fits. I had to guess at your size.”
“It’s a lucky vest for you to wear when you’re bull riding,” Ricky spilled the beans excitedly. “Mom made it to match your chaps, didn’t you, Mom?”
“Yes, but Ricky, you know he has to wear a protective padded vest when he’s riding, right?” She glanced at Cody. “Usually he’s telling me how rodeo works.”
“I forgot.” Ricky’s small shoulders slumped. “If you can’t wear it riding, it won’t bring you luck.”
“Just owning it will do that, little dude,” Cody said. He held up the tailored black leather vest. The western-style yoke was trimmed in black snakeskin and the front closing studded with buffalo- and Indian-head buttons. All hand stitched from the looks of it. He ran a hand over the soft leather. No one had ever made him anything like this before.
“Thank you,” he said, incredibly touched. “I don’t know what to say. This vest is so special I’ll save it to wear for good.”
“I know it doesn’t begin to repay—” Kelly began.
Finally they were getting to the crux of her visit. Cody was shaking his head before she finished the sentence. “That money was a gift, no strings, no expectations. Seeing Ricky looking so healthy is payment enough.”
Seeing her looking beautiful and carefree was a bonus.
“Well, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m not sure I said that at the time.” Her cheeks pink, she gestured to the vest. “Try it on.”
He pulled the vest on over his chambray shirt and buttoned it up. “It fits like a glove.”
“Perfect,” Kelly agreed happily. “I’m so glad.”
“Honestly, you didn’t have to.”
“Neither did you.” Her smile was so sweet it pierced his heart.
“I’m not looking for anything from you,” she told Cody sincerely. “Not money, not a relationship. Nothing.” Then her dimple winked. “Except maybe a good time. Well, as good as is possible considering I have a chaperone. Maybe some dancing?”
