Texas Ranger Dad (12 page)

O
n Saturday morning Rose padded into the kitchen and found Max already up. His hair was sticking out all over the place and he looked as if he could have used another couple of hours' sleep.

It crossed her mind that before long she'd wake every morning to a still, quiet house. He'd finish school and move on with his life, leaving her to get on with her own. Alone. She could handle that. She could. Alone was better than being in a bad situation.

“Mornin', Mom, I loaded the jelly in the car for you,” he said, pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to her. “You're all ready to roll.”

She laughed watching him grab the milk from the icebox. “Aren't you a slave driver.”

“Hey, you gotta get out there and sell our product. I'm just doin' my job.” He poured himself a glass of milk and set it on the table beside an open jar of jelly and two pieces of toast waiting on his plate.

“What are you going to do this morning?”

Max slathered jelly on his toast. “I'm hanging out with Dad before I go help with the theater. He's gonna
park cars again.” His eyes sparked playfully. “You want me to tell him you said hello?”

“No. I certainly do not.”

“I'm going to. You know you want me to.”

“Max Vincent. You will do no such thing. And I mean it.”

He set his toast down. “Are you mad at him?”

She almost said no but that would have been a lie. “Yes. Max, you're old enough to understand…your dad and I both love you. But nothing will ever be between us.”

“Mom. Give him a chance, will you?”

“Max, stop. We've discussed this.” Frustrated beyond words, she carried her cup to the sink. How was she supposed to deal with this…this situation between her and Zane where Max was concerned? Did she just come out and tell Max how angry she was with Zane? “I need to go get dressed. I have a long day ahead of me.”

She hated seeing the frown on Max's face as she left the room. But it couldn't be helped. He had to learn there were some boundaries that even he couldn't cross. That it made her heartsick didn't matter. She was the parent and he was the child. And she had more to think about today, as she delivered orders and tried to drum up more business, than how much her son wanted her to fall in love with his dad.

“Mom,” he said, coming out of the house later, just before she pulled out of the driveway. “Are you still going to see Dottie tomorrow after church?”

“Yes, a bunch of us are going in Lacy's car. Do you want to go?” Max loved Lacy's 1958 pink convertible. It was a local fixture and all the kids begged her to give them rides.

“No. I was just, um, thinking it'd be good for you to get away with the girls. You know, girl time might help you relax.”

She had a sinking feeling that he thought girl time would fix the trouble between her and Zane.

Pulling out of the driveway, she watched Max shrinking in her rearview mirror as he watched her leave. She had a two-hundred-mile round-trip ahead of her and all she was going to think about was what was going on inside Max's head. Because she had the uneasy feeling that the wheels of his mind were turning in hyperdrive.

It was going to be a very long day.

 

“I'm trying to help them, Norma Sue,” Max said. He'd ridden his bike to the theater early so he'd have time to talk to the matchmakers. He glanced around to make sure no one was around the concession stand to overhear what he was talking about. He didn't want word getting back to his mom. That would ruin everything.

Norma Sue frowned. “I don't know, Max. It's one thing for us to do something and it's one thing for you to do something. But for us to
help
you do this…She might think we were teaching you the art of deception.”

“But, Norma—”

Norma Sue help up her hand. “No, son. Truth is I know for certain your mom wouldn't appreciate us encouraging you in this. I'm sorry.”

Max couldn't believe what he was hearing. “But I thought y'all said you'd help me.”

Esther Mae turned pink, but didn't say anything.

“Max,” Adela said, “Norma is right. We can't help this time.”

He stared from one to the other. “Look, I just need you to help me make them a romantic dinner.” They had to agree to help, or he was doomed. He didn't know the first thing about cooking
or
romance. But his pleading didn't faze them—they just looked at each other and then the floor.

“We can't,” Adela said, looking at him with gentle eyes. “Max, we
cannot
help you. Our hands are tied.”

He couldn't believe it. They'd helped everyone, but not him. It didn't make sense. “Thanks for nothin',” he said, and turned to go. He'd only taken a couple of steps when it hit him.
Our hands are tied.
That's what Adela had said. He twisted around and found them all teary-eyed. “My mom
told
you not to help me. That's it, isn't it?”

Esther Mae nodded, but Norma Sue rammed her with an elbow and she stopped.

“Why?” he asked.

Norma Sue heaved a big sigh. “Look, son, you're old enough to understand this. Your mom is afraid you'll get hurt. She's trying to protect you. The truth is we love you and because of that, we can't be responsible. And we gave our word to your mom.”

 

The sun had just disappeared over the horizon as the caddy made it back to Mule Hollow. Lacy dropped everyone else off first and then headed toward Rose's place. It had been a fun day—after everyone stopped teasing her about Zane—not only about her remark in front of everyone on Friday, but also because she'd avoided him at church. Everyone thought that was quite funny for some strange reason. They had no clue all the turmoil she was feeling.

It felt good seeing Dottie and finding out that she
was doing well. The doctors had decided that they were going to remove the baby by Cesarean on Thursday. It was two weeks earlier than planned, but they'd determined for safety this would be best. Everyone was excited, but the nurses were ecstatic because Brady was driving them nutty!

It was darling, really, with his constant stalking the halls and worrying with her every twinge. The nurses, however, no longer found anything about him cute. Dottie had lovingly informed him she was sending him back to work as soon as they came home from the hospital. Though she'd tried to get him to leave her for a few hours during the day, he'd refused to go any farther than the hotel next door for a shower and a few hours of sleep each night.

Rose was touched by the picture they made and in comparison to her own pregnancy it was like night and day. Oh, to be loved like that. It was an amazing love.

“You sure have been quiet on the ride home,” Lacy said as she drove toward Rose's place. “I've been told I'm a good listener if you need to talk.” She flashed a sincere smile.

“I was just thinking about Dottie and Brady. They were just so loving toward each other. He is so devoted to her. I'm sure Clint will be the same way with you. It's beautiful.”

“You can have it, too. So stop sounding like you've given up. I think if you were willing you would see that you already have someone who loves you. He's just waiting for you to give him the time of day.”

Rose sighed and watched the dark shapes of trees and cattle as the car passed them by. “I don't think so.”

“Yes, he is. And Max sure would love to have the two of you married.”

“I don't know what I'm going to do with him. Most kids would have grown bitter and angry about all of this, but instead he's just taken it in stride. It worries me in some ways and makes me proud of him in others. I mean, what if, deep down, he's more disturbed by all of this than he's letting on?”

“Well, there is no secret that he wants the two of you together. But maybe his easy acceptance comes with y'all moving so much. He just tends to be adaptable or maybe he just knows a good thing when he sees it. Maybe he sees the same thing I see in Zane's eyes when he looks at you. You're in denial is all and he's in love. That's what it is. And a smart kid like Max hasn't missed it.”

“I don't know where y'all are all getting that Zane loves me. The man is just now showing up in my life after fourteen years! And besides, I don't love him—”

“You loved him once. Love doesn't die.”

“Lacy, that's just wrong. It does die. And besides, it doesn't really matter.”

Lacy brought the car to a jolting halt in the center of the road. “You seemed like such a truthful person when we first met.” Her lips were twitching at the edges.

“I'm telling the
truth!
”

“Rose, you know a lot of people care about you.”

Rose might not have been clear on exactly why they were stopped in the middle of the road, but she knew she had friends in Mule Hollow who cared for her. “Yes, I know. But if you're worried about me, you don't have to be.”

Lacy did a rat-a-tat-tat on the steering wheel with her nails. “I'm not worried. I'm…hopeful. That's what I am. I'm hopeful for you finding love. And I'm hope
ful that whatever happens in the next little while that you'll keep an open mind. Do you promise me you will?”

Rose's internal antenna went up and she stared at Lacy with now wary eyes. “What does that mean?”

“Nope. I'm serious, Rose, promise me. It's for your own good…and maybe the lives of a few others,” she mumbled, which caused Rose more concern, especially as Lacy pinned her with serious, blue eyes. “Promise me you will keep an open mind.”

Lacy had done a lot for Rose and the shelter and there was no way Rose could refuse her something she seemed so agitated about. “Certainly I will. For you.”

Lacy shook her head. “No. For
you.
Promise you'll keep an open mind for you. And for Max's sake.”

Okay, this was odd. But then, Lacy did have her quirks. She was spontaneous, compulsive and completely undeniable. “I promise. Now, what is this all about?”

Lacy answered by stomping the gas! The car shot forward like a pink rocket, slamming Rose back into the seat as if they'd just made liftoff.

“Sorry,” Lacy hollered over the wind as her pale blond hair danced about her face. “But we're late.”

Rose suddenly had a bad feeling…and it was more than the uncomfortable feeling of her lunch being forced back up her esophagus!

And then, around the bend in the road, she saw Zane's truck at the entrance of her driveway.

Lacy slammed to a tire-screeching stop. “This is as far as I go.”

“What? Wait.”

Lacy placed a hand on her arm. “I can't wait and I can't explain. I can tell you that I'm fulfilling a favor
to that wonderful kid of yours. He specifically instructed me to make you ride up to the house with Zane. How he got Zane here for your arrival I don't have a clue.”

“Nothing is wrong with Max, is there?”

“No. He's fine. If you don't hurt him, he should make it through the night in one piece.” She happily pointed for her to look at Zane as he walked around the front of his truck. He looked ten feet tall in the beam of the headlights. When he opened her door, she could only look up at him in confusion.

“May I?” he asked, holding his hand out to her.

Rose glanced back to Lacy and found no support when she lifted a brow and smiled. “Go. Don't be mad and please remember they're all crazy about you. So don't kill them.”

“Them?” Rose asked. “The matchmakers?”

“Now hold on. Stop jumping to conclusions,” Lacy demanded. “Oh, and hey, there, Zane. Same goes for you. No arresting known culprits and throwing away the keys over the next few hours.” She blinked up at him then gently shoved Rose. “Now go. Your son has been
very
busy.”

Zane chuckled. “No jail time will be involved with tonight.”

Rose studied Zane's outstretched hand and met his gaze. She couldn't put a name on the emotion coiling around her chest.

Lacy gave her another nudge. “Go on, honey. Don't ruin this for Max.”

“For Max,” Rose said, finally finding her voice.

Zane gave up waiting for her to take his hand and took her by the shoulders and pulled her out of the car. “C'mon. Let's go. Max called and I came out only to
be told to wait here for you. And that when you got here, I was to bring you to the barn.”

Rose entire face crinkled in consternation. “What is he up to?”

Seemingly at ease with the entire situation, Zane lifted one broad shoulder. “Beats me. But I'm game to find out. How about you?”

Behind them Lacy laughed. “Y'all have fun!” she called and swung the giant car around in the road. Rose watched in dismay as she lifted an arm in the air and waved while roaring off…leaving Rose stranded in her own driveway with the last man on earth she wanted to be stranded with—and worse, absolutely no idea what waited for her up the lane!