The Cowboy's Return (21 page)

One year later

“Jilly, you’re gonna get us in trouble again and I’m keeping a list, I want you to know.”

“Stop whining,” Jilly Daniels shouted back to her friend, Kerri.

“We’re not supposed to ride our bikes on the highway,” Kerri reminded her.

“This is important.” Jilly rolled to a stop, her sneakers sliding on the pavement by the Bramble population sign on the outskirts of town.

“Everything is so important to you.”

Jilly adjusted the kickstand and reached for the can of red spray paint in her basket. Button barked. “Shh,” Jilly told her.

Kerri saw the can in Jilly’s hand. “Oh, no, you’re going to write on the sign, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“That’s defacing public property. We’ll be, like, arrested.”

“They’re going to change the sign anyway so I don’t see a problem. This is the first thing I want my mama to see when her and Tripp bring the baby home. The one-thousandth citizen of Bramble—Walker Griffin Daniels. You can go home if you want, but I’m writing on the sign.”

Kerri got off her bike. “Horace is gonna put us in handcuffs. I just know it—that’s the first thing your mama will see—us in jail.”

“Kerri…” Jilly stopped as Bert drove up beside them.

“I told you,” Kerri breathed, moving closer to Jilly.

Bert rolled down his window. “What are you girls doing? You know your parents don’t allow you to ride on the highway.”

Jilly held the can behind her back. “I was just going to surprise my mama.”

Bert glanced at their guilty faces then at the sign. “Were you going to write on the sign, Jilly?”

Jilly bit her lip, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to get into trouble either.

“You know they’re putting up a new sign tomorrow. It’s all part of the big celebration.”

“Oh.” Jilly pondered this. “So is it okay if I write on this one so my mama and Tripp can see it?”

“Yeah. Go ahead. I just stopped to tell you that they’re erecting the marker for the new gym, just like Camila wanted—the Eunice Gimble Gymnasium in memory of Unie. Tripp wanted it dedicated to Camila for donating Unie’s money for the project. I hope Camila will be pleased.”

“She will.”

“Good.” Bert nodded. “You kids did a wonderful job raising money, too. Now we have a new gym instead of a renovated one.”

“Cameron and Dillon raised a lot of it.”

Bert nodded. “I’m very proud of them, but you’re the one who showed them the way. I’m proud of you, too.”

“Thank you, Mr. Boggs.”

“Everything is ready for the celebration. Thought you might want to tell Camila about the marker, but don’t mention the dedication. Tripp wants to surprise her.”

“That’s totally cool. Thank you, Mr. Boggs.”

“Earl, Vance and Wallis have a crew hanging the welcome-home banners across Main Street for the celebration.”

“Wow.”

“Stay on the shoulder when you pedal back,” Bert called, before he took off toward Bramble.

“Was that Uncle Bert?” Kerri asked, frowning.

“Yep. Unless he has a clone.”

Kerri giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. “Bramble’s a nice place to live now—all because of your mama.”

“My mama’s great.” They did a high five, bumped their butts together and did a happy dance.

Morris drove up in the black Cadillac and got out. “I’ve been looking all over town for you, young lady. Benita said you went bike riding with Kerri, but you’re not supposed to be out on the highway.”

“I know, Morris, but I have to change the sign so Mama and Tripp will see it when they come home from the hospital. Mr. Boggs said it was okay in case you’re going to tell me I can’t.”

“Well, come on, let’s get it done so I can get you to Leona and Grif. They’re at the community center finalizing plans for tomorrow and they’re not too pleased you spent the night with Benita.”

“They’re not good at sharing, but I’m working on them.” Jilly had wanted a part of her father and she now had that, but deep down she thought of Tripp as her father. She couldn’t explain it. She just did and when he’d adopted her, it had made it real. She now had a father.

Jilly stretched to reach the sign, but she wasn’t tall enough. She glanced at Morris.

“Lordy, lordy, girl, you gonna drive me to drinking.”

Jilly giggled and Morris held her high so she could reach the sign. She sprayed over the old number then wrote
1000
above it. She printed
Walker Griffin Daniels
in bold letters at the top, and Morris lowered her to the ground.

“What do you think?” she asked, staring at her handiwork.

“Totally cool, like, really good,” Kerri replied.

“Sometimes I don’t understand a word you girls say.” Morris shook his head. “I’ll tell you what it’s like. That’s about as good as it gets. Gooder than dewberry wine. Gooder than snuff. Gooder than springwater in the hill country on a hot summer day after working cattle in the heat and—”

“We get the picture,” Jilly interrupted, giggling.

“Then get your cabooses in the car,” Morris said without skipping a beat. “I’ll put your bikes in the trunk. Your grandparents are waiting for you then we’re going home to Lady Luck to await Master Walker’s arrival.”

“I love living at Lady Luck and you’re a cotton-pickin’ angel, Morris.” Jilly hugged him.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

As they drove away, Jilly had a secret smile. Mama and Tripp were going to love it. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind.

Mama was the greatest, and Tripp was, too.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-8200-5

THE COWBOY’S RETURN

Copyright © 2006 by Linda Warren.

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