The Cowboy's Belated Discovery

by Valerie Comer

  He’d kissed Tori then pushed her away. Was he trying to find out what it felt like to be the one in control of ending things? Sounded like he’d had little experience with that. Until tonight.

  Tori blinked as her eyes focused on the man leaning against a tree just beyond the lighted gazebo. Garret stood, arms crossed over his chest.

  His presence seemed to register with everyone else in the same moment as others turned in his direction.

  “Hey, Chantelle. Long time no see. What are you doing here?”

  Chapter Twenty

  Chantelle nestled closer to the big cowboy at her side even as her eyes widened. “Garret! Well, I’ll be. I never dreamed I’d see you here, so far from home.”

  “Saddle Springs is my home. These are my friends.” Garret pinned Adam Cavanagh with a stare. “Other than your new boyfriend, whom I’ve never met before tonight. You should know, Adam, that she uses men as stepping stones to get what she wants.”

  She straightened somewhat and let out a small laugh. “Bless your heart, Garret. You’re always so melodramatic.” She glanced around the group, probably to gauge the way others reacted. “Just because you didn’t get your way with me back then.”

  Garret stared at her. “You stole from me. You passed off my compositions as your own. You took the job you knew I wanted under false pretenses. Don’t make it sound like I was only after your body. I loved you. Trusted you.”

  He didn’t dare take the group’s measure. Didn’t dare see the disappointment on Tori’s face. It didn’t matter, anyway. He’d pushed her away again and again. Now she was learning the final piece to his sordid puzzle. His gullibility and patheticness was an open book for all to read.

  “I’ve got a successful music career now. Not because of you, sugar, but because of my own talent and hard work.”

  Garret gritted his teeth. “You are gifted. I’ll grant you that. But it wasn’t your talent that opened the first door. It was mine.” He probably sounded like a pouty little kid demanding his share of credit and attention.

  “I’m sorry you see it that way.” Chantelle rose, tugging Adam up with her. “Come on, cowboy. This isn’t the warm welcome I expected. Let’s go find somewhere else to hang out.”

  Adam looked uncertainly at his sisters, who stared between him and Chantelle with wide eyes. Then the other man’s gaze met Garret’s as though trying to read him. “Not tonight, babe.” He disengaged his arm. “I haven’t seen my sisters in weeks. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”

  Chantelle smiled at him, but Garret could see the set to her jaw. “Or not.” She flounced away from him, past Tori, and into the darkness beyond the reach of the deck lighting. A minute later a vehicle started then drove away.

  Garret tore his gaze away from Tori toward her brother. “I think I’ll call it a night, myself. If I may get my keys from inside.”

  James crossed his arms and widened his stance as he stared Garret down. “I don’t think you can just walk away from that explosion.”

  “Who knew you were hiding a firecracker like that one?” Sawyer chuckled. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Morrison.”

  Lauren rolled her eyes at Sawyer before turning back to Garret. “Why didn’t you say something that day we were talking about her Spokane concert?”

  “She’s in my past. I didn’t bring my past west with me.” Then why had he dumped everything on Tori just a bit ago? Everything but Chantelle. That woman had dumped herself here.

  “We don’t bring our pasts,” observed Cheri. “Our pasts helped make us who we are today. Trust me, mine has some ugly bits I wish I could pretend never happened.”

  Right. She’d run away from a wedding with Kade Delgado and become pregnant with Dillon Scarborough’s child. But there had eventually been repentance and a Christmas reunion.

  Kade slid his arm around his wife, rubbing her shoulder gently as she continued. “Whatever it is, God’s got it, Garret. We give it to Him and then we trust Him to use it to shape our lives. I ran for six years, living in fear Dillon would find Harmony and me. Running didn’t make the problem go away. In fact, it gave Dillon more power over me than he already had.”

  Kade nodded. “She’s right, Morrison. Now that Scarborough has access to his daughter, he rarely takes it. For him, it was all about control. Now that we’ve forgiven him and offered to work with him within specific parameters, it’s not worth his trouble.”

  Forgive Chantelle? Was that what they were asking him to do? Garret shook his head, the verbal refusal on his lips. But what Chantelle had done to him had been nothing compared to what Dillon had done to Cheri and Cheri had done to Kade. Chantelle had only destroyed his career aspirations. The rest? He’d allowed the rest to happen in self-protection.

  Garret looked around the group. His friends, all ready to do battle with him and for him, even though he hadn’t shared everything with them. Then his gaze landed on the two young teens, eyes wide, mouths open. This wasn’t the moment to get into the depths. “Is there any food? I’m starving.”

  “Men.” That came from Denae. Just a comment, not an indictment.

  Trevor kissed her cheek. “Nailed it.”

  Tori shepherded her charges toward the lighted gazebo, completely avoiding Garret’s gaze.

  He deserved that. She’d pitied him for the things he’d told her, but this? His stupidity in falling for Chantelle and revealing too much to someone so conniving wasn’t pitiable. It was lousy judgment in the light of all the evidence he’d seen.

  Adam stopped beside Garret. “Tell me more?”

  Garret looked at the other man. “There’s nothing much else to say. I’d forgive her if she showed any remorse, but you saw how she was about it. Like it was no big deal.”

  “You were supposed to be the keyboardist for that band?”

  “All but signed.”

  “There are bigger things in store for you.”

  That was what the other guy got out of this? “Thanks.” Maybe. “At least now you know what you’re in for with her.”

  “We only met a few weeks ago when she sang the national anthem at the opening ceremony for one of the bigger rodeos. After I won the competition — beating out Sawyer Delgado, I might add — she approached me with those wide blue eyes of hers and told me how awesome I was.” Adam scratched the back of his neck. “What guy doesn’t like hearing that? I mean, you’ve got to admit it. She’s pretty hot.”

  “Hot enough to burn a guy.” Garret’s gaze drifted over to Tori. She reached for something on the table, her back to him. Tori didn’t have the Dolly Parton hair and curves Chantelle flaunted. She was beautiful in a more down-home way. Pretty. Sweet. Fun. A woman who’d tucked against him as perfectly as Jenna had done. Who kissed him as though she meant it.

  Garret’d kissed her back until he heard Chantelle’s unmistakable voice not fifty feet away. He’d recoiled in shock, and Tori had taken that as one more rejection. Of course, she had. If there was anything Garret was good at, it was blockading himself against Tori’s charms.

  She’d given him a dozen chances to redeem himself in the past few months. Either she’d give him one more, or he’d lost out forever. It would be his own fault if that happened.

  Tori stuck to her young charges like she was the superglue holding them together. What was she supposed to do with the knowledge that Garret Morrison had once dated someone as famous as Chantelle Devereaux? Before the artist had become a big name, sure, but Garret might have become that celebrity.

  She’d always thought of him as an all-around cowboy and talented small-town musician. She’d never once dreamed he composed music or could have played in a band she heard on the radio. Might have been the star in a band carrying his name.

  Here she’d been certain she was the answer to his dreams. They’d settle down in Saddle Springs, maybe taking over Canyon Crossing Stables from his sweet elderly parents. Have a few babies — cousins for Meg’s and James’s kids — and just live a normal, everyday life as regular Am
erican citizens.

  But Garret’s dreams had once been much bigger and, now that he was facing his past, those dreams would resurge and call him again. He might not have been writing music for the past five years — though how would she know? — but he’d kept his skills up playing for the worship team. Why had it never crossed her mind to wonder why an ordinary guy would have an actual music room housing a grand piano in his house? Even Delgados or Cavanaghs didn’t, though their houses were much larger.

  Tori was so embarrassed. In all the reasons she’d told herself why Garret kept away from her, she hadn’t considered that the big one was that she simply wasn’t... enough. He had his sights set elsewhere. When his parents passed on, he’d go back to the future he’d once all but had in his grasp.

  She forced her focus on Alexia beside her. “Enjoying the food?” To Tori, it all tasted like sawdust.

  The girl licked her fingers, moaning. “We need to steal your chef. He’s amazing.”

  “Agreed,” added Emma. “This is far better than anything Maeve has ever made. My taste buds think they’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  That’s how Tori’s had felt while Garret returned her kiss. Intoxicated and alive like never before. How quickly things changed. More to the point, how quickly things slid back into their five-year rut.

  Now he stood talking to Adam, probably about Chantelle and the world he’d inhabited with her, without so much as a glance Tori’s direction. Not that she was staring at him. She’d only peeked a couple of times, so it was possible she’d missed it if he had. What an idiot she was.

  After the two men loaded their plates, they joined James and Kade across the circle. The twins went back for seconds, and Sawyer usurped Alexia’s spot.

  He nudged her with his elbow. “Hey.”

  Tori sighed. “Haven’t we said enough to each other?”

  “I don’t know. Have we? I didn’t think Adam would know anyone here, but look at him.”

  “You brought him so you wouldn’t feel weird around your big brothers.”

  “Well, yeah. I guess. You have to admit I’m not like them.”

  “They’ve grown up, and you haven’t bothered.”

  “Really, Tori? You live with your parents. You’re hardly one to talk.”

  She skewered him with a look. “There’s more than one way to grow up. Being a responsible human being works for me. And I don’t live with my parents. I have my own place.”

  “Do you think Garret and Chantelle will get back together?”

  Her gut froze. “How should I know? It didn’t sound like there was any love lost between them. Besides, isn’t she dating Adam?”

  Sawyer stretched his legs out in front of him. “I’m guessing he was supposed to hop up and leave with her when she wanted him to.”

  “Whatever. I don’t care. I want to know if you’re going to sneak your way into Anna’s good graces again.” She didn’t care about that, either, but it should serve to divert the subject. “Though heaven knows what she saw in you to begin with.”

  He placed his hand over his heart and gave her a pouty puppy-dog look.

  “Stuff it, Sawyer. You’re not half as hot as you think you are.”

  He laughed. “And that’s why I like you, Tori. You tell it like you see it.”

  “So long as you remember I’ll never like you romantically.”

  “Suits me fine.”

  Tori slugged his arm. “You know how to take a girl down a peg.”

  “You did the same to me.”

  She had, at that, and couldn’t stifle a laugh.

  The twins settled on the ground near their big brother. Garret glanced toward Tori, his gaze flicking between her and Sawyer. As usual, nothing showed on his face. How could a guy kiss like he’d kissed her and then blank his expression this completely just minutes later?

  Sawyer leaned closer. “Want a cupcake? I’ll get you one.”

  “I don’t think—”

  “You don’t need to watch your weight, you know.” He waved his hands in an hourglass. “A cupcake won’t hurt you any.”

  “That’s not why.” But did she really want to explain why her heart was heavy to Sawyer Delgado, of all people? Not a chance. “You know what? Thanks. I’d love one.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  “Stop it. You know there’s nothing between us. Never will be.”

  “You keep saying that.” He’d been halfway off the bench but now turned toward her. “But I’m curious why.”

  “Let’s start with Anna.”

  “Look, Anna and I went out a few times in June. She’s pretty hot, if you know what I mean.”

  “I don’t want to know what you mean.”

  “Go ahead. Keep your head in the sand. There were adult activities, if you must know. And now she’s not returning my texts.”

  “Are you planning on marrying her?”

  Sawyer shrugged. “Probably not. Why?”

  “Then maybe you should save the adult activities for your wife.”

  “Too late, Mom.”

  “Look, Sawyer, I care about you.” She set her hand on his arm and looked deeply in his eyes. “No clue why, but there you have it. And I don’t know why you’ve tossed aside the way your parents raised you. Why you’ve decided God’s not good enough for you, but He is. He’s faithful. He’s worthy. You think you’re God’s gift to women, some sort of macho cowboy, but we can see through that.” Although, did Anna see through him? Maybe that’s why she’d quit responding. “It’s an act, Sawyer. Somewhere inside you, the kid who led youth group rallies ten years ago still resides. Why not dig him out, brush him off, and see what happened to him? He was a good guy. He was real.”

  The cocky look had left his eyes as he searched hers. “You don’t understand.”

  “You’re right. I don’t, but I’m praying for you.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  How could she?

  Less than an hour ago she’d tracked Garret down and kissed him. Okay, this time he’d started it, but she’d come to him, and she’d definitely kissed him back. She’d set his blood on fire from head to toe.

  And now she was having a cozy one-on-one with Sawyer, laughing with him, touching him, pressing her arm against his, looking in his eyes. Look, Sawyer, I care about you.

  Garret had been passing by to grab another round of cupcakes for Adam and the twins when he’d overheard. He hadn’t hung around to hear the rest of her profession.

  Was this just how she was? A player? How had he not noticed? No. This wasn’t her.

  Plate full of cupcakes, he glanced over again. Heard Sawyer’s chuckle and saw Tori’s genuine smile, the one that dimpled her cheek, before Sawyer sprang to his feet and turned to the dessert table. Garret pivoted away just before the younger man caught him staring. Whew.

  Garret thrust the plate at Adam and turned to James. “Mind grabbing my keys? I think I’ll call it a night.”

  James’s gaze shifted past Garret. “It’s not what it looks like.” He pulled him off to one side, out of earshot of the Cavanaghs.

  “What’s not what?”

  “Don’t feign ignorance, Morrison. My sister isn’t interested in Delgado.”

  “I need to check on my mom. I hate leaving them alone for this long.”

  James’s face softened. “I’m sure it’s a big worry. I remember when we weren’t sure if my dad was going to make it or not. It was really tough.”

  “We know the outcome. We just don’t know when.”

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be insensitive.”

  Garret let out a long breath. “I know. There’s just been... a lot going on.” Did that cover the situation with Tori as well? It would have to. “Some days I’m not sure which direction is up.”

  “Where God is.”

  He blinked. “Pardon me?”

  “That’s the direction that’s up. Where God is. No matter what is happening, turn toward the light, and God will meet you.”

 
; “It’s not as simple as it sounds.”

  James searched him with a look of compassion. “I know.”

  “Today’s been a bit of a roller coaster what with Chantelle and all. And I need some space.”

  “If I hand over your keys, will you go fly fishing with me in the morning? I’d like to ride up the creek behind Canyon Crossing and get some trout. Also, I’d like you not to shut me out anymore. You can’t do it all alone, man. That’s what friends are for.”

  Like he was going to explain to his best friend that he was in love with his sister and she seemed to have moved on minutes after they’d kissed. He met James’s gaze. “We can go fishing, but I can’t promise to dump my load on you.”

  “You up for worship team? Because Lauren and I aren’t really good at it without the piano.”

  Garret closed his eyes for a second. “Not yet. Not this week.”

  “Okay.” Disappointment colored James’s voice. “We’ll keep praying for you and your folks.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And for you and my sister.”

  Garret took a step back as he stared at his friend.

  James held up both hands in defense. “It’s none of my business, but man, you need to get on the same page. You know why I’ve got the right to tell you that?”

  “I doubt I want to know.”

  “Because you interfered big time when Lauren and I were doing the big avoidance thing. Looking back, knowing what I know now, and then looking at you and Tori...? Well, it’s pretty obvious.”

  “And Sawyer?” As soon as the words escaped, Garret wished them back, but it was too late.

  The glow from the gazebo lights caught the twinkle in James’s eyes. “They’ve known each other since they were in diapers. They have an odd sort of relationship, but it’s definitely not love.”

  “You and Lauren had an odd sort of relationship, too,” Garret pointed out. “And you both denied it was love.”

  James chuckled. “You got me there, Morrison. But this is different. You guys said we were watching each other when we thought no one would notice. Definitely not the case with Sawyer and my sister.” He leaned closer. “You and Tori, though? Totally that.”