Lucky Cowboy

by Heatherly Bell

  She smiled and made eye contact. “Hey, there.”

  “I suppose you didn’t hear the commotion outside?”

  “No, what happened?”

  “I’m still shaking.” Sadie gave Eve the details. “I feel a little overwhelmed right now.”

  “No wonder.” Eve quirked a brow. “I’m so glad you weren’t alone.”

  “Poor Jimmy Ray. All I can think about is how he must feel right now.”

  “It’s got to be so rough being pulled between your parents like that.”

  “If Derek were to get help, maybe he and Pamela Ann could get somewhere. But he seems oblivious.”

  “I know the type.” Eve frowned. “Drinking too much can certainly bring out an entirely different side of someone’s character.”

  “You want to go over to the Shady Grind? Lincoln and I are going over for dinner.”

  “It’s time to make it official?”

  Sadie shrugged. “Everyone already knows. Even Beau.”

  “And your parents?”

  “We’re having dinner on Saturday. My mom is in a bit of denial. She doesn’t think it’s a big deal to have Lincoln over for dinner even though I tried to tell her why. But Daddy is happy. He loves Lincoln and always has. Unfortunately, Mom is a little disappointed I won’t be marrying the doctor.”

  “Such is life.”

  “Eve.” Sadie swallowed the ball of emotion in her throat. “I’m so in love with Lincoln. I can’t help it.”

  “It’s no wonder. You’ve loved him for years from a distance.” Eve stood and coming around her desk put her arm around Sadie’s shoulders. “Hey, want to go and see the dogs who are stayin’ overnight?”

  When Eve first joined the clinic with Annabeth, Sadie would visit often and always wanted to see the pets. She didn’t have a dog or cat of her own at the cabin. Growing up, the family always owned dogs and one or two barn cats. Sadie enjoyed roaming the cages and cheering the forlorn doggies up. Separated from their families even for a night usually made their big brown eyes round with fear. This pulled at Sadie’s heart and both she and Eve often sang to them, danced, petted them, anything to make them feel more comfortable as they recovered from whatever procedure Annabeth performed on them.

  Tonight, the overnight room housed a small King Charles Cavalier, another small mixed dog that looked to be mostly Chihuahua, and a border collie, the most common dog for ranchers. The yips, whimpers, and barks began the moment they walked through the swinging doors.

  Sadie wandered down the aisle, checking names and the procedures done. “Want to know a secret? I think Judson might have shown up today just to see Pamela Ann. I can’t prove it, though. Unfortunately, he got to be a witness to it all.”

  “Wow. He certainly moved on fast after you.”

  “We had one date!” Sadie went hands on hips.

  Eve chuckled. “I love to see you this happy. You know that?”

  “Sometimes…it feels like a dream. Like any minute I’m going to wake up and Lincoln won’t remember who I am.”

  “That sounds like a nightmare.”

  “I don’t want to ruin this. I don’t want to believe that he will. It all happened so fast for him, just boom! One night we were forced to spend together and suddenly I’m irresistible to him. What if he changes his mind about me again? That could happen.”

  “Lincoln doesn’t easily change his mind about much, in my experience. But don’t let your insecurities get ahold of you.”

  “What if he’s just stringing me along because I lowered my commitment expectations?”

  The moment she uttered the words she realized they couldn’t be true. She’d told him she loved him. Were he really stringing her along, he’d have run for the hills right then.

  “Did you?” Eve quirked a brow, appearing to be more therapist than veterinarian.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do know.”

  Sadie squirmed. “Am I on trial here?”

  Eve laughed. “Answer the question.”

  She considered the question, one she’d been marinating on for a few days.

  “No. I didn’t. Because Lincoln is the man I’ve always wanted. I still want to get married and I want children, but that will come in time. Right? No rush. Therefore, I haven’t lowered my expectations. Yes! I have not. Right?”

  “So glad we had this talk.” Eve closed the door to the overnight room. “Hey, I could do this for a living if this veterinary thing doesn’t work out.”

  “Oh, you’re funny.” Sadie cleared her throat. “Now, Dr. Iglesias, let’s talk about you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you! Because you haven’t dated anyone at all since you came back home. And you have your choice of men. Every eligible bachelor has their eye on you. Every Valentine’s Day you get more bouquets than any of us. Why won’t you go out with a single one of your admirers? The Henderson brothers sure are cute, every one of them, and I think Sean has a crush on you.”

  “I’m not ready for that.”

  “Excuse me, but weren’t you the one that said I can’t let my past define me or how I feel about men?”

  “That’s different.”

  Sadie immediately felt a deep pull of regret. She’d been cheated on and betrayed by a man she’d loved, but Eve lost the love of her life to the Nashville music scene. Then, she’d nearly lost her life to a man she’d dated only once.

  “But there are similarities. Both of us have to get over our past to move into our future.”

  “I know, I know. Please don’t worry about me. I’ll get there. Someday. Just…not now.” Eve met Sadie’s eyes. “I promise. Okay?”

  “All right, I can take a hint. Hey, what about tonight? You comin’?”

  “Nah, I have to get home to the kitten I’m fostering. He’s needy.”

  “Why do I think that means you’re going to be eating ice cream and binging on Netflix?”

  “Hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. I’m watching Hart of Dixie for the tenth time. I keep finding things that I missed the first nine times.”

  “If you want me to stop worrying about you, stop saying stuff like that.”

  “Can I help it if I like to escape into a southern rom-com?”

  “Maybe I should try more of that.”

  She laughed. “Why not? You’re living your own romantic comedy. Lincoln gives you a concussion, and you two wind up in love.”

  She could use the relaxation and escape right about now. The reminder that there were better men in the world than deadbeat dads who arrived drunk to pick up their kids from school. The hope that there could be a happily ever after even for couples who were having challenges. Even for those who would have to find it in their hearts to forgive.

  “Hey.”

  Sadie turned to the sound of the deep voice she’d recognize anywhere. Lincoln stood braced in the doorway.

  Chapter 16

  The man certainly cleaned up well. One would never guess he’d been pounding nails a short time ago.

  “Hi, Linc,” Eve said with a little wave. “Y’all have fun tonight.”

  “Eve’s not comin’,” Sadie said, moving toward Lincoln.

  He put his arm around Sadie’s waist but looked to Eve. “Yeah?”

  “I’ve got things to do.”

  “We’ll catch you next time,” Lincoln said.

  “Love you!” Sadie called out as she said goodbye and promised to catch up with Eve later. “How much of that conversation did you overhear?”

  He chuckled. “You mean the part about us living our own romantic comedy?”

  “You know Eve. She’s such a romantic. We were talkin’ about how she’s stuck on watching the same rom-com over and over again.”

  If that upset Lincoln, he didn’t say much. He took her hand, and they both walked the few storefronts down to the Shady Grind, where the dinner crowd was arriving. A bevy of pickup trucks, both old, dirty, and new, were parked in the empty dirt lot next to the bar.r />
  “The thing is, Eve’s still not over Jackson,” Sadie added, wanting to know Lincoln’s thoughts.

  The subject of Eve and Jackson was off-limits for years. But they should be able to casually talk about them now.

  He squeezed her hand. “Aw, damn. I was afraid of that. Jackson has moved on. She should, too.”

  “I know. I keep tellin’ her that.”

  “Keep trying. I hate to see her wind up alone forever because she’s waitin’ for something that will never happen.”

  “Me, too.”

  Of course, Sadie thought she’d been ready to move on and look what happened there. But their situations were so different. Jackson never came home anymore, and Eve would never leave Stone Ridge again.

  Lincoln shook hands with Riggs Henderson, who stood just outside the bar, nursing a beer. She walked inside, still holding hands with Lincoln. The jukebox played a song by Alan Jackson. The din of conversations was loud enough to match the sounds of his electric guitar. Tantalizing smells of fried chicken and burgers wafted from the kitchen.

  A couple of the men frowned in their direction, especially the ones who’d brought her flowers after her fall. Another Stone Ridge woman off the market. She smiled, a little apologetically. Unfortunately, she’d always had a thing for the man who’d brought her gum and an ice pack instead of flowers. Romantic as a turnip. But she loved him anyway.

  Lincoln led her through the bar heading toward a table, still holding her hand, nodding and smiling to Priscilla.

  “Hey, you two!” She gave them a big grin and clasped a hand to her heart, pleased as punch, it would seem.

  Sadie smiled back, when out of nowhere, a red whirlwind came from the left. Jolette Marie flung her arms around Lincoln’s neck. “Hiya, big boy.”

  Conversation all around them dried up to a hush. Lincoln froze in place, but he didn’t hug Jolette Marie back. Didn’t touch her.

  “Hey.”

  He’d pulled Sadie flush to his side which meant suddenly she found herself extremely close to Jolette Marie. Close enough to see that her eyes were glassy, and she appeared to already be drunk.

  The song ended and another one didn’t seem to be queued up to take its place. More silence. Someone chuckled and someone else coughed.

  “Hey there, Sadie!” Jolette Marie winked at Sadie, but her hands were still on Lincoln. They’d lowered to his chest.

  “Someone put another damn song on.” This was from Riggs Henderson.

  A moment later, the sweet and sultry voice of Miranda Lambert sang out from someone’s phone.

  Crazy Ex-girlfriend.

  “For the love of God,” said Riggs. “You idiots.”

  “Excuse us,” said Lincoln. “We’re about to have some dinner.”

  “Sorry,” she said, sounding not the least bit sorry. She stepped back. “Didn’t mean to interrupt y’all.”

  Lincoln pushed through the opening, taking Sadie with him, seemingly unaffected by the exchange. But Sadie shook with anger. She wished she’d been the kind of woman who would haul off and slug someone like Jolette Marie.

  “What do you want?” Lincoln perused the menu. “I’ll go up to the bar and order for us.”

  “I want to leave,” Sadie said. “Let’s just go.”

  “No. I don’t want her to ruin our night. She has to understand.”

  “Is that why we came here tonight? I thought you talked to her.”

  He met her eyes, and she found warmth in his gaze. Concern. He took her hand under the table. “I did, baby. Tell me you noticed she’s drunk.”

  “Not too drunk to tackle you.”

  “What did you want me to do? Push her off me?”

  But that would be unthinkable. No Stone Ridge man would put their hands on a woman to hurt her in any way. It wasn’t Lincoln’s fault that Jolette Marie took liberties. Even if it did make her wonder why she felt that she could get away with it. Sadie probably shouldn’t say anything. Best not to make waves. She shouldn’t mention that she wondered what exactly he’d told Jolette Marie. Better to trust.

  Just excruciatingly difficult for someone with her history.

  “It looks like she still wants you,” Sadie blurted.

  “She never had me to begin with,” Lincoln said. “She just wants what she can’t have. Why do you think she’s been a runaway bride three times? Once she’s got herself a fiancé, she goes all the way to the altar before she realizes she doesn’t want him anymore. It’s a sickness.”

  “I hate how familiar she is with you. I hate it.”

  “I don’t like it, either.”

  “You’re the one that wanted me to tell Judson about us, when we went on one date. How would you feel if Judson threw his arms around me like that?”

  “I’d probably slug him for it.” He smiled and tugged on a lock of her hair.

  Sadie averted her eyes long enough to see Jolette Marie, looking no worse for the rejection, throwing her head back and laughing at something that Riggs Henderson said. Considering he didn’t look happy, Sadie wondered what could possibly be that funny.

  Or was she laughing at everything and everyone tonight?

  Maybe laughing at Sadie, finding her too trusting and stupid? Because she didn’t know that they were still carrying on behind her back? That sick feeling in the pit of her stomach made a reappearance tonight. Was she going to be the last one to know again? She’d promised herself never again to accept the delusion that people were basically good at heart. To believe that friends wouldn’t keep something important from her. Friends were supposed to prevent you from looking stupid and…naïve.

  Maybe she was also wrong about Lincoln loving her. After all, he’d never said the words. She could be completely delusional. Sadie gnawed at her lower lip, pushing back tears with the pads of her fingers. A small part of her still wished everyone liked her. She’d always wanted to be everyone’s friend.

  “Sadie, are you alright?” This came from Judson, suddenly at their side.

  “She’s fine,” Lincoln answered for her between gritted teeth.

  “I’m good but thanks for asking.”

  Judson waved and walked to the bar.

  “What’s he doing here?” Lincoln said.

  “I invited him.”

  Lincoln quirked a brow.

  “He was very frightened by what happened today with Derek!”

  “Yeah.”

  “And he didn’t exactly grab me tonight or anything.”

  Of course, Lincoln would likely slug him, and Judson was a smart man.

  “Baby, please, let’s not do this.”

  Lincoln hadn’t done anything for her to doubt him. Then again, neither had her ex, and she’d been blind to the signs. And how would she know if she was doing the same thing all over again?

  “Okay.” Lincoln took her hand across the table. “Let’s go.”

  Intent on ignoring Jolette Marie, Sadie let Lincoln take her hand and lead her out of the bar. Without words, they quietly walked holding hands to his truck parked between the portable and old church.

  “Where to now?” he asked.

  “I want to go home.”

  “Okay.” He helped her into his truck.

  She wanted to be alone. Lincoln made it difficult to think straight. He made her feel, dozens of emotions like desire, lust, fear, pride, and overwhelming love. She needed to think. To figure out a few things because no one would ever make a fool out of her again. Ever.

  When they arrived, he walked her to the door as he always did. But as she unlocked it, she turned to him. “I…I think I want to be alone.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “I have a lot to think about.”

  “I get it, baby, you’re mad, but we have a lot to talk about.”

  “But I can’t think when you’re around.”

  “Then you need to start.” He pressed her body against his. “Talk to me.”

  “No. My feelings haven’t changed, it’s just that I…this i
s about me. I need a little time.”

  “Okay,” he said, releasing her and backing up. “Take all the time you need. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  Sadie let herself inside, shutting the door gently. Back against it, she slid to the ground and let the ugly tears fall. Wet, sloppy tears that ran down her cheeks and made her breathing uneven. She obviously hadn’t moved on. And though she’d been on lots of dates, most men didn’t have the patience for this type of jealousy and insecurity. They’d just moved on. And if she wasn’t careful, so would Lincoln.

  She’d make this a self-fulfilling prophecy. Self-sabotage.

  She didn’t want to let “Cheater” ruin the rest of her future life, but this was about more than an unfaithful boyfriend. This was about her, too. She’d been too sweet, too trusting, too gullible. She didn’t want to be that woman again. Instead, she wanted to be wise and sophisticated. A little bit more like Jolette Marie, who seemed to bounce back for the most part. She owned the kind of confidence that Sadie envied.

  Right now, though, Sadie wanted that woman out of her mind. She didn’t want to think about her and Lincoln together. There were two people in this relationship, not three.

  If they still had a relationship after tonight.

  Oh, my Lord, what had she done?

  Wiping away her tears with the backs of her hands, she stood. Maybe Lincoln was still here. He might be sitting in the truck since she hadn’t heard it drive away. She could explain that she’d been temporarily insane for about ten minutes. Sadie flung open the door to find him sitting on the porch, his back pushed up against a wall, his Stetson tipped so that it covered his eyes. His arms and long legs were crossed at the ankles, and he appeared to be settling in for the night. When he heard her, he re-positioned his hat to see her.

  So, the “I’m not going anywhere” remark was literal. “You didn’t go.” Relief flooded her.

  “Ready to talk already?” He winked. “I thought I’d at least get a catnap out here.”

  “Y-you were going to stay here all night, weren’t you?” A smile tightened her cheeks almost to the point of pain.