Heart of Texas Series Volume 1: Lonesome Cowboy\Texas Two-Step\Caroline's Child (46 page)

Glen checked his watch. “Do we have time for a quick bite to eat?”

“If you want.”

He growled. “I'm starving.”

“All right, cowboy, let's stop at the Chili Pepper for a quick sandwich.”

Only a few months ago Ellie's life had been empty enough to swallow her whole. Her father had died, and then her mother had unexpectedly sold the family home and moved to Chicago. For the first time in her life Ellie had been utterly alone. That was when she realized how much she'd come to rely on her best friend—and eventually know how much she loved him.

They walked to the restaurant and managed to get a booth. Both were familiar enough with the menu not to need one. Ellie ordered the barbecue sandwich and a side of potato salad, and Glen chose a slab of the baby back ribs. He also asked for a pitcher of ice-cold beer.

“Dovie took me to lunch this afternoon,” Ellie said when the beer arrived.

“Anything going on with her these days?”

“She wanted to know how the wedding plans were coming along, and…” Ellie hesitated.

“And?” he prodded, pouring them each a beer.

“Have you met Dr. Dickinson yet?”

“Doc Cummings's replacement? Not officially. Why?”

“Dovie asked if I'd, you know, take her under my wing.”

“The doctor?” Glen set his mug down on the table.

“Apparently she's not adjusting to life in Promise.”

Glen relaxed against the red vinyl upholstery. “How do you mean?”

“She doesn't fit in, and Dovie seems to think what she really needs is a friend, someone to introduce her to people, show her the ropes.”

“Do you have time for this?” Glen asked, zeroing in on Ellie's own concern.

“Not just now.”

“Don't think you're going to have a lot of spare time once we're married, either,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. “I plan on keeping you occupied myself.”

“Oh, really?” Although she enjoyed bantering with him, Ellie could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

“What that doctor really needs is something or someone to occupy her time.”

“I suppose you're going to suggest a man,” Ellie said.

“You got something against men?”

“Just a minute.” Ellie put down her mug too quickly, then used her napkin to wipe up the spilled beer. “You just might be on to something here.”

Glen frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Why don't we introduce the new doc to Cal?” An idea was beginning to take shape in her mind and fast gaining momentum.

“My brother?” Glen sounded incredulous.

“Yes, your brother!” She snorted. “Do you know any other Cal?”

Glen stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. “You're not serious, are you?”

“Yes, I am. They're perfect for each other.”

Glen slapped the side of his head, pretending there was something wrong with his hearing. “Let me get this straight. The woman I love, the very one who couldn't see the forest for the trees, is about to take on the role of matchmaker.”

“It only makes sense.”

“You haven't even
met
the woman.”

“I most certainly have,” Ellie protested.

“When?”

“The Cattlemen's Association Dance,” she informed him primly, neglecting to mention that it had been a ten-second conversation and they'd done nothing more than exchange first names.

“Okay, Ms. Romance Expert, explain to me why you think my brother should meet this Mary.”

“Her name is Jane.”

“Jane,” he corrected. “What's so special about her?”

“I don't know,” Ellie was forced to admit. “But I do know one thing….”

“What's that?”

“Cal needs someone.”

Their meal arrived and Glen reached for a blackened rib and dipped it in the pungent smoky barbecue sauce that was Adam Braunfels's speciality. “Does Cal know his life is lacking?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

“Are you going to tell him, or are you volunteering me for the job?”

Glen appeared to find her idea highly entertaining, but she ignored his unwarranted amusement. “Neither of us will need to tell him,” she said.

Glen made a show of wiping the sweat from his brow. “Boy, am I relieved.”

“Cal will discover this all on his own.”

“Listen, honey, I hate to burst your bubble, but Cal's a confirmed bachelor. I don't even remember the last time he went out on a date. He's sworn off women for good.”

“You sure about that?”

“Well, it's been more than two years now, and he still isn't over Jennifer.”

“Then it's about time he
got
over her.” She sounded more confident than she felt, but she wasn't going to let a little thing like male pride stand in her way. Cal needed someone in his life, but he was too stubborn to realize it. Like most of the male sex he simply needed a little help. She'd aim him in the right direction and leave matters to progress as they would.

Eventually Cal
would
see the light; he'd figure it out on his own. As soon as she and Glen were married, Cal would be in that ranch house all by himself. It wouldn't take him long to discover how large and lonely a house could be with just one person living there.

“You look thoughtful,” Glen said.

“It's going to be up to us.” She nodded firmly.

“Us?” He raised both hands. “Not me! Forget it. If you want to play matchmaker with my big brother, you go right ahead, but don't include me.”

A little respect for the validity of her idea—bringing two lonely people together—would have gone a long way, but Glen was having none of it.

“Good luck, sweetheart,” he said, reaching for a French fry. “I have to admire your spirit.”

“I don't believe in luck,” she told him with the confidence of one who knows. “I believe we shape our own destinies.”
And occasionally someone else's.

* * *

L
ATE
W
EDNESDAY AFTERNOON
Caroline drove into the yard of the Yellow Rose Ranch. She'd been looking forward to this all week.

As she parked, the screen door opened off the back porch and Grady stepped outside.

Caroline climbed out of the car, and Maggie slipped her small hand into Caroline's as he approached.

“Will Grady yell at me?” Maggie whispered.

“Of course not,” Caroline assured her.

Grady smiled at them and it was difficult for Caroline to look away. His face was alight with such pleasure she had to catch her breath. They'd known each other for years, she and Grady; they had a history, most of it unpleasant. Both were opinionated, strong willed. But she'd always admired Grady, always thought him honorable and decent. She'd carefully guarded her heart for a lot of years, and he was the first man, the only man, to get close enough to make her dream again.

“Hi,” she said, feeling self-conscious.

“Hello.” His gaze left her and traveled to Maggie. He bent down on one knee to be eye to eye with Caroline's daughter. “How are you, princess?”

“Fine.” Maggie kicked at the dirt with the toe of her shoe and lowered her head to stare at the ground. “I'm sorry I went into the big horse's stall.”

“You were looking for the colt, weren't you?”

Maggie nodded and kept her head lowered. When she spoke, even Caroline had trouble understanding her. “I won't do it again.”

“Good for you,” Grady said. “It's a wise woman who learns from her mistakes.”

“And man,” Caroline added.

Grady threw back his head and laughed loudly. At the sound Maggie leaped two feet off the ground and flew into her mother's arms, her own small arms tight around Caroline's neck.

“What'd you say to her this time?” Richard asked as he sauntered out of the bunkhouse.

“Richard!” Maggie twisted around, her face wreathed in smiles.

“How's my cupcake?” Richard asked, holding out his arms to the youngster.

Maggie squirmed free of Caroline's embrace and hurried toward the other man. Richard cheerfully caught her, lifted her high above his head and swung her around. Maggie shouted with glee.

“What are you doing here?” Grady asked, frowning.

The smile on Richard's face faded. “This is my home.”

“Not anymore. Nothing here belongs to you.”

The message was clear. Grady was telling his younger brother to keep away from Caroline and Maggie.

Richard laughed as if to say the mere suggestion was ludicrous. “How can you bar me from something that was never yours?” he asked. He switched his attention to Maggie.

“Maggie, I think—” Caroline started, but was interrupted.

“I like Richard!” her daughter cried. “Not Grady,
Richard.
”

Richard tossed a triumphant gaze at Grady.

“Richard shows me magic tricks and dances with me.”

“Grady saved your life,” Caroline reminded Maggie. After looking forward to this time with Grady all week, she wasn't about to let Richard ruin it.

Maggie's head drooped against Richard's chin and her arms circled his neck. “I still like Richard best.”

“Of course you do,” Richard cooed. “All the women in this town do.”

“Except Ellie Frasier,” Grady said in low tones.

The air between the two men crackled. Richard raised his eyebrows. “Well, well, so my brother knows how to score a point.”

“Caroline and Maggie came here to visit me.”

“If that's the way you want it,” Richard said and slowly set Maggie down. “I didn't realize they were your exclusive property. It's a shame because Caroline and I might have renewed an old acquaintance. We used to be good friends, remember?”

“We were never friends, Richard,” she said, intensely disliking him.

“So that's the lay of the land, is it?” Richard said, with a half smile that implied her words had wounded him. As though his heart was capable of entertaining anything other than selfish pursuits, she thought in disgust.

He walked away then, and despite everything, Caroline experienced a twinge of sadness. She regretted the waste of his skills, his potential. She'd known him all her life, but she didn't really
know
him. She didn't think anyone was capable of fully understanding Richard.

Grady reached for her hand. “I'm sorry, Caroline.”

“It's fine. Don't worry about it.”

Maggie didn't share her opinion, but Caroline wasn't concerned.

“Would you like some lemonade?” Grady asked her daughter. “I made it specially for you.” He sounded downright pleased with himself.

“That sounds yummy, doesn't it?” Caroline said.

Maggie didn't answer.

“We'll take a glass,” Caroline responded for both of them.

Grady led the way to the kitchen and got out three glasses. “It dawned on me the other day that I'm going to be living the bachelor life in a few months. I never spent much time working in the kitchen, not with Mom around and then Savannah doing all the cooking.” A sadness came over him at the mention of his mother. Grady wasn't one to openly display his emotions, but Caroline knew that the death of his parents had forever marked him. He never talked about the accident—they'd drowned in a flash flood—or the horrible weeks that followed with the discovery of Richard's theft and disappearance.

“I suspect Wiley and I'll starve to death before the end of the first month,” he said, making a lighthearted shift of subject. Wiley had been foreman on the Yellow Rose for as long as Caroline could remember.

“I don't think Savannah will let that happen.”

“Can I play with Savannah's dolls?” Maggie asked, tugging at her mother's arm.

“Don't you want to go riding?” Grady asked, sounding disappointed.

Maggie shook her head; Caroline supposed she'd been scared off by the incident on Sunday. It might be a while before she was interested in horses again. In any event, dolls had always been her first choice.

“You be careful with Savannah's things, you hear?” Caroline warned.

“I will,” Maggie promised and skipped off, her lemonade untouched.

“She enjoys playing with dolls, doesn't she?” Grady said.

“More than anything.”

Grady carried their lemonade into the living room and set both glasses down on the coffee table.