Cowboy Country (29 page)

“Ya, every one of us had a part in helping to raise Silver.” There was such a sense of pride on Pop’s face.

“I am such an idiot.”

“You’re not going to get an argument from us, boy.” Gramps guffawed.

“When I left for the Army, part of it was because I wanted to help keep the family safe from terrorists. Part of me was running to get away from the family chaos. Everybody’s was always buttin’ in.”

“You think we didn’t know that? That’s what family is about.”

Sterling was surprised and suddenly overwhelmed by his own stupidity. Could it really have been just an excuse all along? What had he really been running from or to?

“Ain’t it funny, you were so busy thinking you went off to save the world, only you were really just runnin’ away from yourself?”

“Huh?” Sterling didn’t understand. What was Gramps getting at?

“Son, think about it. If you were running away from us, you should have been running to Gigi. Instead, you ran off to play G.I. Joe like you always talked about.”

Sterling couldn’t find the words to reply. There were none.

“Then you got injured and what do you do? Again, you don’t run to Gigi, but home to your family. Now, we all know you love the girl and far as we’re all concerned you two have been married since you were kids. But you have some serious thinking to do. Because until you figure out why you ran from us, then to us, you and Gigi have bigger problems.”

He and Regina didn’t have problems. Did they? Well except for the fact that he was an idiot.

“Sure a man has to dream. Now what? You achieved your dream, where do you go from here?” Pop shrugged.

“What do you suggest I do?”

“It’s called baby steps. Monday through Thursday Gigi works at the Blue Moon Café. Friday, Saturday nights she works and the Stampede.” Gramps winked.

“Wait a cotton picking minute—she’s working at that bar?” Sterling bit his tongue, turned away, and leaned on the front porch rail.

“Boy, if I were you I wouldn’t talk to her about it with that tone of voice. She won’t stand for it and she won’t take handouts. She makes her own way, and won’t listen to anything from us. Believe me we’ve tried. One of your brothers usually tries to be there when she’s working to keep an eye on her and make sure no drunken cowboys bother her. Heck even your Ma and the Gram’s have been known to frequent it a few times too.”

He couldn’t believe it, his mother and grandmothers in a bar. He owed his family one huge debt.

Both men chuckled at his horrified expression.

“Gigi has the morning shift at the café. She takes Silver to work with her. About six-thirty one of us goes in and has breakfast and we bring her back to the ranch and watch her til her Ma gets off work. Then Gigi comes to pick her up. Only with you being home, no one wanted to cause any trouble so Dante and me have been taking turns babysitting, and while we don’t mind it a bit, we’re both a bit pooped. We ain’t as young as we used to be.” Gramps eyed him.

“Tomorrow is Monday, I think you need to go into town, get a bite to eat, and bring Silver back here to the ranch. It will give you a chance to have some time alone with her and break the ice with Gigi,” Pop suggested.

“Good idea. That will give me all night to figure out how to get my size twelve foot out of my mouth.”

“And you best start planning your apologies,” Gramps said.

“I know, I know. Virgil’s first on the list.”

“Now, let’s go see if Maeve and Fiona are done with the theatrics. I’m hungry.” Pop’s stomach growled.

“By the way Gramps, what’s all that crap about in there?” Sterling thumbed the house. “I’ve never heard them fight this bad before.”

“It’s all an act. Neither one of them can stand when the family quarrels, so when they see feathers getting ruffled, they go into the same old act. You have to admit, it was a doozy?

“Ya, this was the best one yet.”

“So they’re not really mad at each other?” Sterling scratched his ear then stuffed his hands in his back pockets.

“Heck no, they just do that to stop the rest of the family from bickering. You notice how the squabble stopped the second those two hens got into it. Like a clock, works every time!”

“So all these years those fights have been pretend?”

“Yup, well, except for the first time. Then they really did have a spat.” Pop blushed.

“Why? What happened?”

“Oh, guess it was the year you were born. My Fiona walked in while  I was fastening a necklace on Maeve and the two of them about came to blows. They’ve used that as the basis of their fights ever since. Although, their language is getting much more colorful, don’t you think?”

“I’ll be damned.” Sterling let out a belly laugh.

“You sure are, boy.” Gramps opened the screen door.

The three of them went inside to get some dinner.

He shook his head as he stood in the doorway. His family was a bunch of card carrying lunatics, but damn they were all his and he’d gladly claim each and every one of them, including his crazy grandmothers.

****

Regina added buttermilk and began mixing the pancake batter when Silver rushed into the kitchen of the Blue Moon Café and announced, “Daddy’s here.”

Regina almost dropped the bowl. She set it down before she dumped batter down the front of her apron then started to shake from the tips of her fingers to the toes of her well-worn red cowboy boots.

She wiped her hands on a dish rag while she slowly made her way into the dining room. Sure enough there was Sterling seated at the counter.

He had his head down. It must have cost him dearly to drive into town and chance running into people he knew. Lordy, but he was nowhere near ready to talk to the folks of the town about what all he’d been through overseas. Hell, he hadn’t been able to talk to her. After yesterday, who knew what was in their future.

She was still plenty angry with him, but at the same time, he was here, which was a huge step in the right direction. It was time to face the lion and see if she got bit.

“Hi,” she said, keeping it short and sweet. She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee then set it before him. She pulled a small pitcher of cream from the refrigerator and set it on the counter beside the coffee then pushed the sugar container closer.

“Hi yourself.” He nudged the brim of his cowboy hat up a bit.

Her heart started beating faster by the second. He still looked wonderful in his old straw hat, too damned good in her estimation. She didn’t know what to say so she handed him a menu.

“Can you recommend anything?”

“It’s all good.”

Regina looked around for Silver. The child had mysteriously disappeared, which seemed odd because she’d been so anxious to see her dad again.

“Silver?” she called out.

“Here, Mommy.”

Regina turned at the soft response to spy her daughter peeking at her from behind the kitchen door. “Come here sweetie.”

Silver slipped up behind her, the child holding her hips. Her daughter was hiding from her father. She could feel the child shaking. After their conversation last night Silver said she blamed herself for everyone being mad.

“Can you say hi to your Dad?”

“Hi Pumpkin.” Sterling forced a smile.

When Silver refused to come out, Regina didn’t miss the disappointment on Sterling’s face. No matter what her problems were with him, she couldn’t bear to see Silver slight her father.

“Honey, you’re being rude. Come out and say hi.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my fault, sorry I came in. I didn’t think this out clear enough, I guess.” He stood, shoved his hand into his pocket, pulled a five dollar bill out and slapped it on the counter then started for the front door.

“Sterling. Wait.” She didn’t miss the stares, the silence, nor the anticipation on the patrons faces.

He stopped, turned, and stood where he was holding the partially opened door.

He had taken the first step coming here. She’d take the next step and meet him in the middle. Besides, she worked here and folks were a might too nosy.

She made her way to him, took his hand and pulled him back to his seat.

“Look, I have to get back to the kitchen, I’m the cook. Stay. Have some breakfast then you can take Silver back to the ranch. I’ll come by after work and pick her up.”

“I’ll bring her to you if you tell me where you live.”

“No, I need to speak to Lena about something anyway. I’ll be there about three thirty this afternoon.” No way was he coming to her place. Not yet. Not until they cleared up a few things. For now she’d be satisfied going out to the ranch to pick up her daughter, that way if things got out of hand again, she could leave. She needed to have control in this instance. Only then could she ensure her daughter didn’t suffer. Not that she believed for a minute Sterling would do anything to harm them, but this was all new to him. He didn’t know a thing about kids. There was still so much to talk about. And worse yet, she suspected she didn’t know Sterling as well as she thought she did.

“Whatever you want,” he said. His head was down, staring into his coffee.

She’d never see him so—so sad.

“Silver, it’s time for your breakfast, what do you want? Also, Dad’s going to take you back to the ranch with him. Maybe he’ll let you help him with Luther. You know how much you’ve wanted that.”

At the mention of his horse, Sterling looked up.

She winked at him, giving him the key to get his daughter to sit down beside him.

Sterling pushed his hat back further, gave Silver the smile that never fail to melt Regina’s heart and said, “You like Luther.”

Silver peeked around her mother’s side and nodded.

“Why don’t you come over here and tell me what you think of him. Maybe we could even go for another ride?”

“Really?” Silver came out from behind her, but held onto the counter as she edged closer.

“Sure, then you could tell me all about yourself.”

Silver let go of the counter she’d been holding and scrambled on the seat next to her father.

“Glad you decided to join me,” he said.

Silver smiled at her father.

Regina knew the tumultuous moment had passed. They’d be fine for now.

****

Silver was so excited she almost made herself sick eating so many blueberry pancakes. Mommy made the best ones.

She was finally eating breakfast with her Daddy.

When he came into the restaurant, she hoped it meant he wasn’t mad at her anymore. She knew it was wrong to leave Uncle Virgil and go wandering off, but she just had to see the baby ducks.

The second she saw him come through the door she’d run for her mom. Maybe if Mommy and Daddy talked, they’d get over whatever was bothering them so they could be a family. That’s what she wanted more than anything else on earth, even more than a puppy.

CHAPTER 6

The ride from the Café where Regina worked was a good twenty-five miles from the entrance to the ranch. Sterling tried a number of times to draw Silver into conversation only to receive a nod or shake of the head. Guess she was still as mad at him as her mother. Maybe she’d loosen up once they got to the ranch and were around other family members.

His plan was to spend the day with his daughter. He wasn’t sure how it would go because there was so much work to do between the branding, inoculations on the small herd they’d moved, and the rest of the prep for the Spring Fling Rodeo.

The three-day event was similar a mini county fair. It began on Friday with a variety of contests, everything from baked goods, quilts, and usual 4-H events. There were also tons of events for the kids to participate in, three-legged races, sack races, and more. Saturday was the rodeo, with everything from Mutton Bustin’, the greased pig chase, the chicken catch for the kids; and for the adults, Bronco Bustin’, calf roping, bull riding, and barrel racing. Then rounding out the weekend’s festivities, Sunday there would be a huge town picnic. Since Easter fell on the same weekend, after church they’d kick off the picnic with a giant Easter egg hunt.

He expected to see the twins show up any time now, but doubted Blake wouldn’t make it, most likely tied up on a case. No way would Wyatt make it this year, Rodeo’s weren’t high priority for the Air Force. And, he still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Virgil since he tore off the day before. That was one apology he needed to make for all their sakes. And fast.

With his bum arm and only one eye, his plan was to keep the fires stoked for the branding irons, he wasn’t sure of his capabilities with the animals, roping and branding didn’t seem possible just yet. In fact, he was afraid he’d be in the way, but he was going to try regardless. He needed to feel useful.

He did his physical therapy exercises first thing that morning so his shoulder was as loose as it was going to get at the start his day. He needed to stretch his muscles, so long as he didn’t overdo. He felt for his pocket to make sure he had his pain pills. While his headaches had only marginally lessened in intensity, he found that when he was mentally stressed like now, they came on faster and with more punch.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Lookie there Pumpkin, your Uncle Clayton and Uncle Quinton made it home.”

“That’s nice daddy, but you owe me a dollar.” Then she giggled and held out her hand.

It was the break he’d hoped for. Swearing in front of his daughter wouldn’t get him the father of the year award, but right now, owing her another buck was worth it just to see that smile.

“Ah—you got me again.”

Silver was so proud of herself.

He’d barely stopped the truck when she unfastened her seat belt and hopped down from her booster seat. “Hurry Daddy, I wanna go see’em.”

There was so much pride on her face and excitement in her words. He stepped out of his truck, reached in and pulled her out then set her on the ground.

She was off like a shot yelling for her uncles.

As he strode over to his family they all turned, grinning.