Texas Strong (15 page)

“L
ook, Mom, there’s Big Theo!” Thad exclaimed. “I’m gonna take him a donut.”

“He’ll come inside like the rest, honey.”

“No,” said Jeanette from beside her. “He probably won’t.”

Sure enough, he got out of his Sheriff’s Dept. SUV and headed toward the fire station and the emerging clinic.

“Mom, can I go get him?”

“Probably better to leave him alone,” someone said.

No, it’s not. Can’t anyone see how lonely he is?
But she didn’t bother to argue. “We’ll all go find him. Becky, you and Thad pick out some rolls for him.”

“He likes peaches, he told me,” Thad suggested. “Remember how he liked your peach pie?”

She could feel the heads swiveling in her direction, but she didn’t let herself react. “I do. Grab one, plus an apple and a plain, too, just in case. I’ll get him coffee.” Once the supplies were gathered, she led her little band out the door.

Feeling the stares behind her.

Then Thad spotted Tank talking to a blond woman and twin girls. His sister, she realized, as they got closer.

“Big Theo!” Thad shouted. “We got you donuts!”

His sister looked startled, and Tank turned, his features tight. But his face brightened as Thad reached him, and he ruffled Thad’s hair.

Thad charged ahead. “What’s your name?” he asked one of the girls.

“I’m Abby. This is my sister Beth.”

“You’re twins. Wow. Another set of twins, Mom, look! They’re just alike.”

“I see that. Hello, girls. Hello,” she said to the woman.

“Uh, this is my sister Veronica Gallagher,” Tank finally spoke.

“We’ve been introduced at the café. We’re all thrilled you’re here helping out Ruby,” Veronica said to her.

“Thank you. This is my daughter Becky.”

“How old are you?” Abby asked.

“I’m eight.”

“We’re seven, but we’ll be eight soon, right, Mommy?”

Veronica smiled. “Well, in seven months.”

“Close enough,” Abby asserted. “I saw you at school with Samantha.” Soon the girls were chattering away.

“Here, Big Theo.” Thad gave Tank the donuts.

Chrissy handed him his coffee. She turned to his sister. “I’m sorry. We can get you some, too.”

“No, I’m fine. We had breakfast at the house before Jackson left to get things set up. But thank you.”

Chrissy felt Veronica’s intense scrutiny. She dodged by turning to Tank. “You haven’t already eaten, have you?”

He shook his head, clearly uneasy.

But his sister appeared delighted. Chrissy wondered if she might have found the only other person who viewed Tank differently than everyone else.

“You could come inside and sit while you eat,” she said to him.

“No. I need to get to work.”

“Can I come with you, Big Theo?”

Veronica smiled at the name.

Tank stilled. “Uh..I…” He looked at Chrissy.

“Will he be in the way?”

“Mom…” Thad groaned. “I’m a good helper. Big Theo said so.”

She left the decision to Tank, who replied, “It’s okay with me. I’m sure he can help.”

“See?” Thad pleaded.

“Only if you promise to mind Tank and be careful around all those tools.”

“I’m good with tools, right, Big Theo?”

“You are,” Tank said.

Thad beamed. “See you, Mom!” He grabbed hold of Tank’s belt loop and practically dragged him away. The big man followed, after one uneasy glance at her.

Veronica turned to her. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For treating him like a person.”

“He’s a good man.”

Veronica’s eyes widened. “He is, but no one wants to let go of the past. If they understood how he saved me—” Her lips pressed together.

Chrissy could tell there was a story there, but she didn’t want to pry. “He saved me, too.”

“Someone was hurting you?”

Oh, wow. “No, but my car died on the side of the road, and I didn’t have money to fix it. He loaded up all our things and brought us to town, then went back and got my car. He’s worked a lot of hours fixing it, and he won’t let me pay him. All I’ve been able to manage is two meals for him.”

“You’ve cooked for him?”

Chrissy nodded. “I’m not that great, but he says it’s good.”

Veronica shook her head in wonder. “I don’t know what to say.” She grabbed Chrissy’s hand. “Don’t give up on him. Please. He’s suffered so much.”

“He’s very lonely.”

“He is—oh thank heaven, someone else looks past his reputation.” She stepped back and drew her hand away. “I’m sorry. I don’t know anything about you or your relationship with my brother. I don’t have the right to presume, but—” Her eyes filled. “He sacrificed himself for me. I owe him so much, but he doesn’t let me in, not really.” She hesitated. “He won’t thank me for telling you this, but you need to know at least a little of it. Our father was a violent, abusive man. Tank learned to fight early because he could divert our father’s attention from my mother and me by making him angry.”

Veronica paused. “It’s not my story to tell, but I just want you to know that he became a hard man because he had to. He did it for me and our mother. He’s been hurt in terrible ways that have left him unable to trust anyone. So it’s a miracle that he will accept anything from you, much less that he and your boy…” She pressed her lips together. “I’ve prayed for this, for him to find someone who would look past the surface with him.”

“I’m not—he barely talks to me. I can’t promise you—”

“Oh, I know, believe me. And I’m sorry. It’s not fair for me to load that on your shoulders, even if he would thank me for telling you anything. He won’t. He wouldn’t want your pity. He’s a proud man. It’s just that—”

“You love him.”

“I do.”

“I wasn’t sure anyone did. I’m glad he has you.”

Veronica’s expression was sad. “But he won’t let me close. We share too much darkness in our past. I try, and I’m not giving up, but…well, anyway. I won’t ask you for a miracle. You may not want to get involved.”

I might already be involved
, Chrissy thought. But she wasn’t anyone’s salvation. Still, this woman deserved an answer. “I don’t know how much I can do for him—he resists me at every turn.”

A resigned nod. “I know. Me, too.”

“But I want to be his friend, Veronica.” That much she could promise.

Tank’s sister lifted her gaze to Chrissy’s. “Thank you for that. He needs a friend.”

“Not that he’d admit it.”

Veronica’s laughter was shaky. “Absolutely not.” She glanced at their daughters. “They seem to be enjoying themselves. Would it be okay if Becky came with us for a while? We’re going to be inventorying medical supplies, and Abby has a low threshold for boredom. I promise I’ll watch her, or you’re welcome to join us.”

Chrissy didn’t want Becky to miss out, but she wasn’t sure how much more deeply she wanted to get into things with Tank’s sister. “I’d better get back and see what Ruby needs. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. We’ll be at the clinic.”

Chrissy bid Becky goodbye, relieved to see her blithely depart, chattering away with the twins and barely taking a moment to look back and wave to her mother.

Chrissy and Brenda helped Spike deliver a boatload of desserts to the work site just before noon. Tables had been set up beneath a group of trees early that morning, and they were already groaning under the weight of casseroles and salads, pies and cakes. The scent of barbecue from the enormous grill Bridger’s men had going had noses twitching in anticipation. Chrissy scanned their surroundings. “Wow. This town is…amazing.”

Brenda smiled and Spike grinned. “Never been to anything like this, right?”

Chrissy shook her head. No, but oh, how she wanted exactly this for her children: a community, in the best sense of the word.

“Yeah, I get that,” Spike replied. “Blew me away the first time, too. I’ve lived in a lot of places, but nowhere is like Sweetgrass.”

“Look,” Brenda gasped. “Is that…”

Chrissy’s gaze followed where she’d pointed. Her brows flew high. “That can’t be…wow.”

“Liam Sullivan…” Even Spike sounded awed. “I guess he’s here with Josh?”

“Or Mackey?” Brenda suggested. “Mackey said he once stunt-doubled for Liam.”

The man in question, a little younger than Josh Marshall and his successor as
Sexiest Man Alive
, was breathtaking, to put it mildly.

“He’s cutting lumber as though it’s not his first rodeo. He’s just working like everyone else,” Chrissy marveled.

“That’s how we roll in Sweetgrass,” Spike said, drawing a surprised look from Brenda. Spike grinned. “Yeah, I said we, I know.” She shook her head. “The place gets to you.”

It sure did. Hollywood royalty, country music stars, former SEALs and ordinary ranchers all mixed and mingled as though nothing was unusual.

“I love this place,” Chrissy declared.

“So does your son,” Brenda said. “Check him out.”

Chrissy scanned the crowd until she found Thad perched on Tank’s shoulders, chattering away to the taciturn man and looking ten kinds of delighted. He was handing something to men on the roof of the clinic, his expression filled with pride. “He’s about to bust his buttons.” She was relieved to note that Tank had Thad’s legs gripped firmly in his big hands.

When they turned, Tank was actually smiling as he lifted Thad from his shoulders and settled him on the ground. When Thad pointed to Antonio, Tank took the other boy and easily lifted him to his shoulders while Thad stood by, beaming as if he were the one responsible.

He probably was. Her boy could charm the birds from the trees.

“He should have children,” she said without thinking.

Both women goggled at her. “Tank?” Spike asked. “Seriously?”

“He’s wonderful with mine—I mean, yes, he’s awkward, but in an endearing way. He’s very gentle.”

Even Brenda looked incredulous.

“Whatever you say,” Spike drawled.

“I mean it. People need to give him a chance.”

“He’s had chances,” Spike said.

“But he helped out when Eric would have been taken to the shelter after his mom was killed,” Brenda said. “I heard Mackey talk about it, how Tank delayed reporting to the Children’s Services people long enough for Mackey and Rissa to apply to be his foster family. They wound up adopting him, and he’s very happy with them.”

Spike was surprised, but Chrissy wasn’t. “This town is so warm and welcoming to others—why not Tank?”

“I’ve heard stories…”

“I’m going to change that,” Chrissy declared.

“Why? Are you…interested?”

Chrissy hesitated. He wouldn’t appreciate being discussed even this much. “I’m going to be his friend.” She looked at them. “He deserves more.”

Spike shrugged. “If you say so…”

Chrissy opened her mouth to argue, but her phone rang. She glanced at the display. “It’s my sister.” She tapped the phone to accept the call. “Laura, what’s up?”

“I changed my mind. I do want to come see you. Are you sure you have room?”

Even if she didn’t, she’d make room. “Of course. Come on. How far away are you?”

“About an hour. Are you at work?”

Chrissy grinned. “You won’t believe where I am. Or who’s here with me.”

“Not Jake. Please, not him.”

Wow. Never had she thought she’d hear Laura say Jake’s name with dread in her voice. “No, not Jake.”

“Who then?”

“Would you believe Josh Marshall and Liam Sullivan and Walker Roundtree?”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not kidding. And they only add to the hotness quotient of the guys who live here all the time.”

“No way.”

“Way. Better hurry up, big sis. Time’s a-wastin’.”

“You’d better not be pulling my leg.” But at last Laura sounded upbeat and not depressed.

“I guess you’d better get here and see for yourself. We’re downtown, about a block off the Square. The whole town is here, so you can’t miss it.”

“I’m on my way.” Laura paused. “Thank you, Chrissy. I just don’t know what to do.”

Chrissy heard the tears in her voice. This was the first time she’d ever been in a position to help her sister, rather than the other way around. “You don’t have to. Just come feast on eye candy and let us put you to work.”

“I’m ready. I love you, Cee Cee.”

“I love you, too, Big.”

Laura chuckled at the name Chrissy had called her since she’d first learned to talk, and she sounded almost like herself again.