Heart of Texas Series Volume 1: Lonesome CowboyTexas Two-StepCaroline's Child Read online

  “You should get married,” he said, and for the life of him, Grady didn’t know what had prompted him to suggest such a thing. Horrified, he stared down at his empty beer bottle.

  “Do you have anyone in mind?” Caroline asked.

  “Not me.” He wanted that understood.

  “Don’t worry, Grady, you aren’t in the running.”

  He’d asked for that, but he didn’t like hearing it. Then, thinking he should resolve this before things got out of hand, he decided to explain. “Maggie needs a father.”

  Caroline was on her feet so fast it made his head spin. “Don’t tell me what my daughter needs or doesn’t need, Grady.”

  “Fine, I won’t.”

  “Good,” she declared, and stomped away.

  Women! They had to have the last word. But after Caroline left, Grady regretted the conversation. Worse, he knew he was one hundred percent at fault. He should never have said the things he had. It wasn’t his place to suggest Maggie needed a father. It had made him sound judgmental or disapproving when that wasn’t his intent at all. He respected Caroline; he just thought her life as a working single mother was too hard. And he hated the way little Maggie seemed so susceptible to any man’s charm. Any con man’s charm. Well, nothing he could do about it now.

  The sun set and after a while someone lit the Chinese lanterns. The lights swayed in a soft breeze, casting shadows that danced about the yard. The band switched from lively melodies and line dances to slower, more mellow songs. Couples, wrapped in each other’s arms, slowly circled the floor.

  Families with young children packed up their youngsters and started home, prompted by thoughts of work and school in the morning. Playing the role of gracious host to a T, Richard escorted them to their cars, then stood in the driveway and waved them off.

  “Nice party,” Adam Braunfels said as Grady headed toward the house, around nine o’clock.

  “Not my party,” he was quick to tell the owner of Chili Pepper.

  “I hope everything was satisfactory,” Adam said next.

  Grady tucked his hands in his back pockets. “Great. I certainly didn’t hear any complaints.”

  “Good. I want you to know I was as fair as I could be with the tally.”

  Grady didn’t know what Adam was talking about or, rather, why Adam was telling him, but he nodded his head, which had started to pound. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and his mind continued to dwell on his disastrous conversation with Caroline.

  Adam pulled a slip of paper from his hip pocket and handed it to Grady. “I’d appreciate if you could write me a check now, Grady, before I go back to town.”

  “What?” He was sure there’d been some mistake.

  “For the barbecue,” Adam explained as if he were dense. Grady knew why he wanted to be paid; what he didn’t understand was why Adam expected him to do it.

  “I already said this wasn’t my party.”

  Adam’s mouth thinned. “I don’t care whose party it is, I need my money.”

  “And you expect me to pay?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is Richard’s business.” Grady was about to walk off when Richard raced to their side.

  “I need my money,” Adam repeated, looking from one brother to the other.

  Richard’s feet shifted nervously. “Would you mind paying him, Grady?” he asked. “I honestly thought my check would be here before now.” He looked down at his boots. “I...I feel horrible about this.”

  Arms folded, Adam stared at Grady, ignoring Richard completely.

  Grady felt as though the top of his head was about to explode. He had no choice but to pay up. His brother had done it to him again. Either he wrote Adam a check now or he came off looking like the bad guy.

  ***

  Laredo was elbow-deep in the kitchen sink when Frank Hennessey walked into the room. The sheriff nodded politely at Savannah, who sat with her feet propped up on a chair. It was the first time all day Laredo could get her to take a break. He knew she was exhausted. Hell, he was himself, and he hadn’t worked near as hard as she had.

  While he hadn’t been particularly fond of Richard before, Laredo actively disliked him now. He’d been around men like the younger Weston in his time. Fast talkers. Users. Selfish and thoughtless. Richard certainly knew which buttons to push when it came to his sister, Laredo had noticed. All he had to do was mention their mother, and Savannah crumbled. It infuriated him to watch the jerk take advantage of her that way.

  Laredo knew Grady was on to Richard, but he suspected Savannah wasn’t. Even if she did find out what kind of man her brother was, she was perfectly capable of overlooking it, and that worried Laredo.

  “If you don’t mind, Mr. Smith, I’ve got a few questions I’d like to ask you,” the sheriff said.

  A little confused, Laredo lifted his hands from the dishwater and reached for a towel. He didn’t like the idea of the sheriff singling him out, but he didn’t want to make a fuss in front of Savannah, either.

  “Is there a problem, Sheriff?” Savannah asked, looking concerned.

  “No, no.” Hennessey caught Laredo’s glance. “Perhaps you’d like to step outside, Mr. Smith.”

  “Sure.” Laredo dried his hands and squelched his growing sense of irritation. Grady had put the lawman up to this; he’d admitted it earlier himself. Not that Laredo had anything to hide, but he hated the way it made him look to Savannah.

  He waited until they were in the cool night air before he spoke. “I don’t have any kind of record.”

  “Wrong,” the lawman was quick to correct him. “You ran a red light back in 1995.”

  Stuffing his hands in his back hip pockets, Laredo glared at the sheriff. “I stand corrected.”

  Hennessey ignored the sarcasm. “I got a couple of questions for you.”

  “Fire away.” Laredo clamped his teeth together, anger simmering.

  “How long do you plan to stay in Promise?”

  “As long as I damn well please.” His tolerance for this kind of treatment was gone.

  “Listen, Smith, it won’t do you any good to get smart-mouthed with me. If you want trouble, you don’t need to look any farther than right here. I can make enough trouble to last you a lifetime. Now I suggest you check your attitude.” He gave him a moment to let the warning take hold, then repeated the question.

  “I plan on heading out as soon as I can pay for the repairs to my truck.” Laredo kept his voice a monotone and trained his gaze on the barn door.

  The lawman’s crisp voice mellowed when he next spoke. “Miss Savannah’s a mighty fine woman.”

  Laredo’s eyes clashed with the sheriff’s. “You think I don’t know that?”

  “No one wants to see her hurt.”

  “I don’t, either,” Laredo said. He didn’t understand why everyone assumed he’d purposely do anything to hurt Savannah.

  “For reasons I can’t quite grasp, she seems to have taken a liking to you. But if you’re leaving soon, I figure you’ll be gone before there’s any real damage done.”

  Laredo kept his mouth shut, knowing the lawman would use anything he said against him.

  “Look, I know I’m speaking out of turn here, Smith. It’s none of my affair when you come or go. All I’m saying is that a lot of folks around here think highly of Savannah. No one wants to see her used, especially by a drifter who’ll desert her without a second thought. You get what I’m saying?”

  Laredo pressed his lips tightly closed in order to hold his tongue.

  “Good. Like I said, Savannah’s the sweetest, gentlest soul in these parts, and if you or anyone else decides to take advantage of her, you’ll answer directly to me. You got that, boy?”

  Laredo’s shoulders ached because of the stiff way he held his back. It’d been a lot
of years since anyone had called him “boy.” Laredo hadn’t liked it then and liked it even less now.

  “You heard me?” Sheriff Hennessey asked, more forcefully this time.

  “Loud and clear.”

  The lawman nodded and slapped Laredo amiably on the shoulder. “I’m glad we had this little talk. Now you go back to whatever you were doing, and I’ll give Miss Dovie one last spin around the dance floor.”

  Laredo didn’t comment. He stood rigid and angry while the sheriff strolled away.

  “Laredo?” Savannah said his name softly as she joined him. “Is there a problem?” The distress in her voice melted away his anger. Hennessey was only speaking his mind, prompted, of course, by Grady. The long hours he’d spent working with Roanie hadn’t been enough to prove himself to Savannah’s brother. But Laredo didn’t imagine Grady was ever going to accept him, no matter what he did. Not that it was necessary, other than to ease Savannah’s mind. The situation weighed heavily on her, and for that reason alone, it bothered Laredo.

  “Everything’s fine,” he told her.

  “You sure?”

  “Positive.” He took her hand and led her to the porch swing, then sat down beside her. After a few moments he slipped his arm around her shoulders and she rested her head against his chest. To hell with Grady Weston, Laredo decided. He was holding Savannah and he didn’t give a damn what her older brother thought.

  Despite his defiant attitude, Laredo had taken the sheriff at his word. Hennessey could easily make trouble for him. He wasn’t looking to cause problems, but he wasn’t going to run off with his tail dragging between his legs, either.

  Savannah was quiet, and after a moment he assumed she’d gone to sleep. Content to hold her, Laredo entertained himself by watching the party, which was still in progress, although the numbers had dwindled considerably. He figured things must be winding down.

  When the band took a break before their final set, Richard brought out his guitar. Taking advantage of the more or less captive audience, he started playing. A dozen people gathered around him. A few children, including Maggie, camped at his feet. A sing-along ensued, and Richard performed several of the songs he’d massacred a few nights earlier in the bunkhouse. Only this time he managed to do a respectable job of carrying a tune, and the words were recognizable.

  Twenty minutes later the band returned, and the lead singer encouraged all the men to bring their sweethearts onto the floor. Laredo watched as Richard chose Ellie Frasier—and even managed to steal a kiss when he thought no one was looking. He didn’t dance with Ellie long, though, changing partners and dancing with several elderly ladies and then with Maggie and a few of the other children still at the party. The little girls’ delight at having the guest of honor pay them such attention sounded in their excited shrieks. The guy was smooth, Laredo gave him that.

  “Is this the sweetheart dance?” Savannah asked him, lifting her head from his shoulder.

  “That’s what he said.”

  She sighed deeply. Laredo had never been much of a ladies’ man, but he knew what that sigh meant. Savannah wanted to dance the sweetheart dance with him, but she wouldn’t ask. He had to be the one to invite her.

  Damn, he wasn’t any good at this romance stuff, but he hated to disappoint Savannah. Nor was he good at dancing. It always made him feel awkward and uncomfortable. Especially in front of an audience. And especially when it was this slow music.

  Rather than disillusion her, though, Laredo stood and extended his hand in a courtly fashion. “May I have the honor of this dance?”

  Her responding smile was worth any embarrassment he might bring on himself, Laredo decided. Savannah’s beautiful blue eyes filled with happiness. “Does this mean I’m your sweetheart, Laredo Smith?” she asked softly.

  Hennessey’s words of warning echoed in his ears. But hell, the man could arrest him for all he cared just then. “It must.”

  Savannah placed her hand in his and stood.

  “Be warned, I might step on your foot,” he muttered under his breath as they approached the dance floor.

  “I suggest you watch your own feet. It’s been a long time since I did anything like this.”

  Laredo should have known Savannah would find a way to put him at ease. Being with her always made him feel...special. As though he alone, of all men, was worthy of this good and beautiful woman. Right this minute he could almost believe it....

  Several couples swayed to the romantic music, holding each other close. One couple was deeply involved in a kiss.

  Laredo drew her into his arms and concentrated on moving his feet in a box step, mentally counting to four. One step back, one step to the right, one step forward and then to the left.

  “Laredo,” she whispered in his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Relax, okay?”

  “But—”

  “All I really wanted was for you to hold me.”

  That was all he wanted, too. He shut his eyes and pulled her into the shadows. He kissed her ear, smiling when he felt her shiver.

  “Like that, do you?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  He rubbed her back.

  “I like that, too.”

  Laredo was just beginning to feel that he had the hang of this when she captured his earlobe between her lips and gently sucked on it. His eyes flew open and his blood went hot. He slowly let the breath drain from his lungs, then locked his hands at the small of her back. Soon she was flush against him. With her softness touching him like that, in the most intimate places, Laredo lost count of the steps. Not long afterward, he discontinued dancing altogether, other than to shuffle his feet a little.

  “Laredo,” she whispered. “I’m glad Grady asked you to stay. I’m glad for a lot of reasons.”

  “Me, too,” he whispered. “So glad...”

  The song continued and he closed his eyes again, wanting to savor these moments. His heart felt so full it actually hurt. Until now, with Savannah in his embrace, Laredo hadn’t thought such a possibility existed. But his heart ached. Not with grief or pain but with love.

  Of all the memories that could have come to him at a time like this, the one that did was of his father. The last memory he had of his father still alive.

  Laredo had been a young boy when his father left for Vietnam. He didn’t understand about war; all he knew was that the man he adored was going away. He’d hidden in the barn, thinking if no one could find him, maybe his father wouldn’t have to leave. Naturally his childish plan hadn’t worked, and he’d been found in short order.

  Then his dad had taken him on his lap and held him for a long time without saying a word. When he did speak, he’d promised Laredo that, no matter what happened while he was away, nothing—not distance, not time, not even death—would separate Laredo from his father’s love.

  Months later, when Laredo had stood in front of a cold casket and watched his father’s body lowered into the ground, he’d recalled those words. At the memorial service he’d stood proud and tall. His mother and grandparents had wept, overcome with grief, but Laredo’s eyes had remained dry.

  Emotion welled up inside him now and he understood, perhaps for the first time, the intensity of the love his parents had shared. The depth of it. With this revelation came the knowledge that he felt the same way about Savannah. His mother had never remarried, and Laredo finally understood why.

  A gruff voice broke into his thoughts and he lifted his head from Savannah’s to see her older brother standing by the side of the dance floor.

  “I don’t like the way you’re holding my sister.”

  Laredo released Savannah. Grady Weston’s face was flushed and angry.

  “Grady, please!” Savannah reluctantly moved away from Laredo. “You’re making a scene and embarrassing me.”

  “Leave us alone,” La
redo warned. Their eyes met, challenged, clashed. His willingness to make peace with Grady had vanished after that talk with the sheriff.

  Before he realized exactly how it had happened, he and Grady were facing off, their fists raised.

  “Grady, stop!” Savannah cried, and when it did no good, she turned to Laredo. “If you care for me, you won’t do this.”

  Laredo did care, so damn much it terrified him. But this was one fight he wasn’t walking away from.

  “Please,” Savannah said, stepping directly in front of him.

  Laredo felt himself weakening.

  Caroline Daniels arrived then and slid her arm through Grady’s. “It seems to me that what you need is a nice hot cup of coffee,” she announced, steering him toward the kitchen.

  Laredo watched the two of them walk toward the house.

  Savannah slipped her arms back around Laredo’s neck. “I believe this dance was mine,” she said, nestling close to him once more.

  A lot more than this dance belonged to Savannah Weston, Laredo realized. She also owned his heart.

  Seven

  The early-morning sun shone cheerfully on the Yellow Rose. Savannah had been much too tired the night before to worry about cleanup, but in the revealing light of day, the entire front yard was a disaster. The Chinese lanterns sagged. Paper plates and napkins littered the once-flawless grass amid a welter of abandoned tables and chairs. The straw from the dance area stretched like a spiderweb from one end of the lawn to the other.

  While the coffee brewed, Savannah dragged a garbage can into the yard. She’d only been working ten or fifteen minutes when Grady joined her. Wiley and Laredo followed, yawning. Savannah quickly distributed plastic garbage bags, since there was far too much trash for one container.

  “Where’s Richard?” Grady demanded.

  “Sleeping,” Wiley said with a chuckle. “What did you expect?” He began picking up litter and stuffing it into a bag.

  “Then drag his sorry ass out here. It was his party. The least he can do is clean up the mess he created.”