Heart of Texas Vol. 3 (11 page)

“This is Grady Weston.”

Grady Weston. Travis didn't think victims were normally contacted in advance of a tar and feathering.

“I've changed my mind,” the other man said gruffly.

“About what?”

“Taking you to Bitter End. Be ready by noon tomorrow.”

“Fine…Great!”

Travis replaced the receiver. Nell stood a few feet away, with arms crossed, her eyes worried.

“Grady's decided to help me find Bitter End, after all,” he said.

O
NLY ELEVEN-THIRTY
. T
RAVIS
glanced at his watch, pleased that Grady Weston had agreed to show him the way to Bitter End. He wasn't sure what to expect once they got there, especially considering people's reactions every time he mentioned it.

Killing time, he walked over to the paddock outside the barn where Jeremy's horse, Dot Com, ran free. Earlier, Jeremy had told him proudly that he'd come up with the name himself. Now Travis stood and watched the young animal racing back and forth, kicking up his hind legs, running for the sheer joy of it.

The air was clear and Travis inhaled deeply. Until now he hadn't spent much time in Texas other than book signing and media tours in cities like Dallas and Houston. He'd written several stories set at least partly in Texas, but his research had been limited to libraries. The greater his success, the tighter his schedule and the less time he had for personal investigations. A shopping center in San Antonio or an airport in Dallas hadn't prepared him for what he'd discovered here in the hill country. He found the vast openness awe-inspiring and the life so dissimilar from his existence in Manhattan that he felt as though he were visiting an alien planet.

The silence was perhaps the most profound difference. Without even realizing it, Travis had grown accustomed to city noise. Taxis honking, buses, shouting, street musicians, the clang and clatter of vendors. He'd lived in Manhattan for almost fifteen years now and hadn't realized how loud it could be. These few days in the country with Nell and her family had changed his whole perspective.

To his surprise he'd slept all night, every night. He never drafted his books while on the road, but the tranquility here had both relaxed and inspired him, and he was overwhelmed with ideas. He'd started to jot down a few thoughts on his laptop last night, and before he knew it four hours had passed. It'd felt like fifteen minutes.

His great-grandparents had been farmers, he remembered. He wondered if he'd inherited some of his ancestors' love of the land, though he'd never experienced country living. His parents had divorced when he was young, and he'd lived in New York state for most of his life.

He heard a sound behind him and glanced over his shoulder. Nell. A smile automatically came to his lips. He was convinced she didn't have a clue how beautiful she was. His attraction to her was as strong as anything he'd known; it still surprised him.

Ruth's probing questions of the day before hadn't helped, either. Thoughts of making love to Nell had begun to fill his dreams, and while the physical attraction was intense, he found Nell compelling in other ways. He loved her determination, her sense of family, her pride in the ranch and the sheer grit it'd demanded to keep Twin Canyons afloat.

“Do you have a few minutes?” she asked, coming to stand beside him.

“For you, always,” he said.

She rested one arm on the top rail of the paddock fence and studied Dot Com. She seemed to be composing her thoughts before she spoke.

“Problems?” he asked.

She shook her head, and the long braid swung back and forth.

One day he'd enjoy undoing that braid of hers, letting her hair slip unrestrained through his fingers. He imagined filling his hands with it and drawing her face to his and kissing her.

“I…I don't know if Jeremy and Emma know about Bitter End,” she said, her voice low. “Naturally there was some talk after Richard was found, but mostly everyone kept it as hush-hush as possible.”

“And you're afraid I'm going to tell them?”

“Yes.”

“I take it you'd rather I didn't?”

“Please…”

But as she spoke, Travis noticed the hesitation in her voice as if she wasn't sure this silence would be right for her children.

“You really feel it's right for them not to know?”

A small smile trembled at the edges of her mouth. “Am I that readable?”

“No.” He placed his boot on the bottom rail next to hers and, leaning forward, rested his arms on the top one. “I'm beginning to know you.”

She smiled. “You think so, do you?”

Her eyes went serious then, and Travis knew this matter of the ghost town and whether or not her children should know continued to bother her.

“They'll hear about Bitter End one way or another,” he said.

“The children and I have never discussed it,” Nell told him, “although I'm almost convinced they heard something about it after Richard's accident. But they didn't ask and I didn't volunteer any information. For all I know, Jeremy and Emma know everything there is to know about the town.”

“I won't say anything in their presence if that's what you think is best.” He wanted to reassure Nell that he was worthy of her trust, that her confidence in him was well placed.

“There's something else,” Nell said, her expression growing truly somber now. She turned and looked away as though she found Dot Com's antics of sudden interest.

“You can speak to me about anything you want, Nell.”

“I have no right to ask you this.”

“Ask me, anyway,” he insisted gently. He suspected she was wondering about his divorce. She glanced at him, and he saw the gratitude in her eyes.

“It's natural to be curious about me,” he encouraged. “I feel the same way about you. I like you, Nell, a great deal, and I'd welcome the opportunity to deepen our friendship.”

She hung her head, and he was sure he'd embarrassed her.

“Ask me,” he urged.

“Travis…please, don't go. That's what I'm asking.”

“You don't want me to go to Bitter End?” He couldn't fathom why, after everything that had been said.

“I've never told anyone this—not even Jake.” She faced him, meeting his eyes steadily. “Once, as a child, I heard my parents talking about the town. I was young and impressionable, and I've never forgotten it.”

“What did they say?”

She shook her head. “I don't recall exactly. All I can remember is they were worried that one day I'd ask questions about it and find it myself. They'd decided not to mention it until I came to them.”

“Which is what you've planned to do with your own children.”

Apparently she hadn't made the connection because her eyes widened as she recognized the truth. “You don't understand, Travis, my father was a big man. Nothing intimidated him—but he was terrified of Bitter End.”

“He'd been there?” Travis asked.

Nell nodded. “Once, with a bunch of his friends. Whatever he saw or experienced disturbed him, and he was anxious to protect me.”

“Is that what you're trying to do for me, Nell?”

She nodded, then shrugged. “You're from New York City—what do you know about the Old West? There are dangers you wouldn't understand.”

“I'll be with Grady.”

“Yes, but…”

“Does this mean you care about me?” He wanted to hear her admit it.

“Of course I care about you,” she returned impatiently. “I care about everyone.”

“It'd do wonders for my ego if you'd admit you cared for me in a more…personal way,” he said, loving the way her cheeks instantly filled with color.

She frowned, dismissing his remark. “Call Grady and tell him you've changed your mind,” she pleaded urgently.

It hurt Travis to refuse Nell anything.

Her eyes held his and her fingers squeezed his arm.

“I have to go,” he told her with genuine regret. “I'd do almost anything for you, but what you ask is impossible.” Even as he spoke, he knew he'd disappointed her.

Another woman might have responded with anger. That had been Val's reaction when she didn't get her way. Not Nell's. Instead, she offered him a resigned smile. He could tell from the closed expression on her face that she'd retreated emotionally.

He was about to argue, explain himself, when the screen door opened and Ruth appeared, holding the cordless phone.

“For you, Travis,” she said. “It's Grady Weston.”

Travis took the phone and lifted it to his ear. “Hello,” he said crisply, damning the other man's timing.

“Problems,” Grady said, skipping the usual chitchat. “I've got a water pump down. Which means I'm not going to be able to take you out to Bitter End this afternoon.”

Damn, Travis thought. It wasn't Grady's fault, but his time here was limited; not only that, he felt he'd just fought—and won—a dreadful battle asserting his need and his right to go there, and now the opportunity had been snatched away.

“Savannah's been though,” Grady continued.

Travis was shocked. Surely Grady didn't expect a new mother to go traipsing all over the countryside!

“She could draw you a decent map,” Grady said, “and give you some directions. Then you could find it on your own.”

Travis's sagging spirits buoyed. “Good idea. I'll give Savannah a call.”

“I apologize if this puts you out any.”

“I'll find it on my own, don't worry.”

They ended the conversation in the same abrupt way they'd started it.

Ruth and Nell were both watching him when he finished. “Grady's got problems with a water pump.”

“But you're going, anyway,” Nell said, and her lovely face tightened.

“Yes, I'm going, anyway.”

Nell nodded sadly, then turned and walked away.

G
RADY WAS LATE GETTING BACK
to the ranch for dinner, and Caroline found herself glancing out the window every few minutes. Shortly after she'd arrived home from the post office, Savannah had phoned, explaining that a water pump had broken. Both Laredo and Grady were working on it, and neither man was likely to be home soon.

Caroline hadn't been a rancher's wife long, but she'd lived around cattlemen most of her life. Caring for the herd took priority over just about everything. The herd was the family's livelihood and their future.

Savannah had mentioned something else, too, and that was the reason Caroline awaited Grady's return so anxiously. Her sister-in-law had told her Nell's dude-ranch guest knew Richard.

Caroline was astonished by the apprehension those few words could bring her. She hadn't realized Richard held such power over her. It'd been months since they'd last heard news of him. Richard had been nothing but a source of heartache for the family—and for her.

The fact that Nell's would-be cowboy was an acquaintance of Richard's explained a great deal. Grady had been restless and short-tempered the night before, tossing and turning. Caroline had awakened around two and found him sitting on the porch in the very spot his father had once favored. He hugged her close, kissed her, then after a few minutes, sent her back to bed.

Caroline had known something was troubling him, but not what. He'd tell her, as he always did, when he was ready. That was how Grady operated. But now she had reason to suspect that his recent bout of restlessness was somehow connected to Richard.

At six Caroline ate dinner with Maggie and put a plate aside for Grady. Maggie was playing with her dolls in her bedroom when Grady and Wiley, their foreman, rode into the yard.

Caroline moved onto the porch and savored the sight of her husband, sitting his horse with natural ease. His dog, Bones, trotted along behind. Bones was the grandson of Grady's beloved old dog, Rocket, who'd died the previous year. He looked a great deal like his granddaddy. The minute he'd been born, Grady had picked him out of the litter and trained him personally.

Her heart swelled with pride and love as she watched her husband dismount and head into the barn.

“Welcome home,” she said when he returned a short time later. His steps were slow and heavy and she knew how tired he must be.

Grady's face revealed his pleasure at being home and finding her waiting for him. Caroline held her arms open. Grady didn't hesitate to walk into them and hold her tight.

“The pump's working?” she asked.

“Good as new,” he said as he released her.

“You hungry?”

“Starving,” he growled.

“Then wash up and I'll warm dinner for you.”

When he came back into the room he seemed revived. Wearing a lazy grin, he said, “Maggie's decided on a name for the baby.”

Months earlier Grady had allowed the child to name a newborn colt—which he'd subsequently given her for her sixth birthday—and she'd chosen Moonbeam. When they learned Caroline was pregnant, Maggie had assumed she'd be naming her little brother or sister, as well. No amount of explaining could convince her otherwise.

Caroline could just imagine the name her daughter had chosen. “I'm afraid to ask.”