The Last Cowboy In Texas (14 page)

“Nonsense. That’s just gossip, probably started by one of the girls he didn’t try to despoil. And you of all people should know better than to publish gossip and call it fact.”

She couldn’t help her flaming face. Her mom was right and she knew it. “Okay. So what if it’s only a dozen or so?”

“Still gossip and rumor. Unless you actually know names, times, places, you shouldn’t touch this garbage with a ten-foot pole, dear. Now, please answer my question. Do you think
Troy
loves Missy?”

“No.”

“I agree. Does Missy love
Troy
?”

“I don’t think so. I know she had fantasies about him. She didn’t tell me but I knew. Then she went so head over heels for Tom, that’s what makes what she did so hard to take.”

“Not hard at all. Have you ever had dinner with someone you liked to talk to, without falling in love with them?”

 
“Yes. Everyone has.”
How do you say duh to your mom?

“So, why don’t you give your friends the benefit of the doubt? Maybe they were sitting there talking about you.”

“
Troy
said they were talking about relationships.”

“Right. Maybe yours with him? Or Missy’s with Tom?”

Oh my god.
She forced herself to look into Cil’s eyes, realizing she might have made a big mistake in judging her friends. “You could be right, I guess. But he makes me so angry. Sitting there with my best friend, in front of the whole world.”

“That was over a month ago.”

“I know, but it still hurts.”

“Men, as I said, sometimes do some strange things. Take your dad, for example. He-”

“I don’t want to hear about him, either.”

“Why? Because he usually has both feet in his mouth?”

“Yes. And because he’s always wanted me to be a boy.”

“What?” Cil batted her eyes. “Paige, you’re wrong about that. He loves you as you are.”

“He may love me but he wanted a son and you know it. Mom, I’ve tried so hard to be that son for him but he just treats me like dirt.”

Cil’s face paled as tears welled up in her eyes. “He does not. Honey, your father loves you so much, because you are a girl. You have no idea.”

“That’s right. I have no idea.”

Flashes of something she’d heard in college sparked her mind. “You know, I never seriously bought into the concept that men are an inferior gender, but now I have to wonder.”

“Oh, my goodness. This is more of a problem than I thought. Darling, before you come to conclusions in that regard, please sit down with me and talk it out. I think it’s time for that mother-daughter talk you and I never had.”

She allowed Cil to lead her into the house, numb from the scary thoughts she’d just had. But, if those people she’d listened to in college had been right and a woman didn’t really need a man, why did she feel so incomplete? She sat down across the table.

Cil said, “Now, sweetheart, before we go any further, I have to convince you of one thing, one very important thing. First, it’s true. Your father did want a son very much.

“Back in those days, there was no way to tell the sex of a baby before it was born. I have to confess, he had his mind set that he was going to have a son and I didn’t try to change it. But, and I want you to hear this very clearly, the hour you were born, he was so happy to have a daughter, he cried.”

“My father cried? I’ve never seen him do that, even when his own mother passed away.”

“I know. That’s the stoic side of him. But he cried for you. Happy tears.”

“What about my name? Wasn’t that a sarcastic statement of disappointment?”

“No.” Cil’s eyes went watery again. “That was actually my idea. I thought it was cute. You have to admit, if you do become a novelist, it’s a pretty handy pseudonym, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yeah. Really handy. Like nobody would believe it could possibly be my real name. Do you realize some publishers use my name in promotional blurbs for their writers?”

“No, I didn’t. At any rate, dear, your father has never wished you were a boy since you’ve been born.”

“I find that hard to believe. I mean, he treats me like a man most of the time.”

“Yes. In admiration for the way you handle yourself. You’ve held your own at the paper and he respects that, quite apart from your being his child.”

“So, all the stupid errands he has me run are in respect? Give me a break.”

“I don’t know where he sends you, but you have to believe he loved you as a girl, and he loves you now. As a person. Could it be you’ve never given him a chance in your own mind?”

Paige considered her mom’s words. For ever so long, she’d assumed her dad resented her for being a girl. She’d taken all those meaningless assignments as punishment for failing to live up to his standard of being a boy. Perhaps they were nothing more than mundane tasks that had to be performed by somebody. Anybody.

If that were the case, and her name had been chosen by her mom and not her dad, perhaps her attitude toward him had been wrong.
Great!
That meant her attitude toward men in general had probably been wrong as well. What about
Troy
?
Am I wrong about him, too?

* * *

Troy
’s social life had gone into the dumpster. He’d messed up royally and wanted nothing else to happen that could make it worse. The odd thing was that he didn’t resent his self-imposed celibacy. Besides, he had plenty to do to get his new project in motion before that ecologically challenged so-called professor could come back to derail him. Oddly, he hadn’t seen or heard from the man in weeks.

He’d spent a number of days in hurried trips between Flanders, Branson, and
Springfield
where most of his prime contractors were headquartered. By month’s end, he’d obligated himself to some huge contracts, but the whole deal was on schedule.

Several more top music stars had made calls, inquiring about the availability of building tracts. Three had already bought in and two more were pending. Things were running smoothly. On that front.

His wayward thoughts haunted him. For years he’d tried to establish a reputation of being a lady’s man. Well, it had worked, maybe too well. While he was no novice at romance, he had nowhere near the experience local legend held it to be.

Try telling that to Paige. She’s convinced I’m the lover-boy of all time. And now, in her mind, I’m the rat of all time.

Julie interrupted his solitaire pity session with a call from Jason.

“Hi, JT. What’s cooking?”

“My goose, I think.
Troy
, I got me a problem.”

“Lay it on me, my man. One problem, more or less, will be no more of a burden to me than what I’m already under.”

“I gotta get hitched. Quick.”

“Whoa! Aggie’s angry father show up or something like that?”

“Somethin’. Seems me’n her’re gonna have a kid.”

“Oh...” Fleeting thoughts about how nice it could have been if he’d been able to handle things with Paige so easily. Then came the realization that JT and Aggie had only known each other a few weeks. How could the woman be pregnant so soon?

“You still there,
Troy
?”

“Yeah, JT, I’m still here. Just trying to figure out how you know already that you’re going to be a daddy.”

“She took one of them EPT tests. It come out positive.”

“You sure it’s your kid she’s carrying?”

“She says so and I s’pect she’s right. She made no bones ‘bout her love life with that professor feller. But he insisted they always used condoms, so she says. I gotta believe her.”

“No, you don’t gotta believe her but I understand why you want to. But, how does this have anything to do with me?”

“I need a best man. Fer our weddin’.”

“You weren’t kidding, then. You’re really getting hitched. When’s it going to be?”

“She wants to go off to
Arkansas
and get it over with quiet-like, but I said, no way, we’re gonna do it up right. We’re lookin’ at a couple, three weeks outside. I need to know, will you stand up fer me?”

“You bet. I’d be honored to be your best man. But what about the guys in your band? Surely at least one of them is a long time friend.”

“Yeah. All of ‘em. Only they cain’t stop kiddin’ and teasin’ me ‘bout knockin’ Aggie up. They done pissed me off ‘nuff, I need you to do it fer me.”

“Okay, JT. I’ll do it. Does Aggie have a maid of honor?”

“Not yet. Said she’s gonna ask Paige, since she’s kind of the only woman friend she has in these parts.”

Yikes! I’m going to be in a wedding and Paige and I will have to be arm in arm for it. Could anything be worse right now?

“I don’t think Paige will do it, especially if she knows I’m going to be involved in it.”

“Whasamatter? You two fightin’ again?”

“You could say that. But anyway, I’ll stand up for you one way or the other. Let me know when and where and I’ll be there. Oh yeah, it looks like we’re on track for getting your mansion built this fall.”

“Good. Sure as heck I’m gonna need it, sooner’n I thought. ‘Specially the nursery.”

Troy
guffawed. “You don’t have cold feet about marrying Aggie, do you? She can’t hold you to this, you know.”

“I know but I don’t care. Even if the kid turned out to be that egghead ‘o her’s, I want her to be my wife. So bad I can’t think of nothin’ else. I truly love that woman somethin’ crazy.”

“You got it bad, pal. I know how it feels, for all the good it’s done me. See you soon, JT.”

Troy
sat at his desk, wondering what this wedding would turn out to be. It could be a lot of fun. Or it could...

* * *

Aggie stuck her head inside the Herald office and Ozzie Turner greeted her. She said, “I’m looking for Paige.”

“She’s in there,” he replied, pointing to an office near the back of the room.

Paige was writing furiously, oblivious to the world, when Aggie stepped into the room. “Hi, Paige.”

She looked up, startled. “Aggie, hi! You surprised me. How are you?”

“Okay, I think. Maybe not so okay. Paige, I think I need your help.”

“No problem.” She closed the office door and took a closer look at the woman, whose face was peaked. “You don’t look so good, Aggie. You sick?”

“Not exactly. Kind of.”

“Huh?”

“I’m pregnant.”

The sails of Paige’s imagination went slack with a whomp. “You’re what?”

Aggie’s lopsided weak grin didn’t match the obvious pain in her eyes. “I’m going to have JT’s baby.”

“Oh God! I’m sorry. What can I do to help?”

“We’re going to get married, of course. I want you to be my maid of honor.”

“Hey, that’s pretty short notice for a life-changing decision like that. You sure that’s what you want to do?”

“Yes. I love that man like nothing I ever felt before. Will you do it for me?”

“Well sure, I’ll be glad to. When’s the wedding?”

“In three weeks, I think.”

“You don’t know?”

“No. I wanted to elope to
Arkansas
but JT wants a big wedding in front of God and everybody, so I guess we’re going to do it his way.”

“Sounds like you’ve done everything his way. This is a far cry from environmentalism, Aggie. Are you really sure you know what you’re doing?”

“About marrying JT, yes. About anything else, no. This all came up so suddenly, I’m not sure of anything except I love the guy like nobody I’ve ever known. He talks like a country yokel, but he’s very intelligent and kind. And he wants a family. With kids. Lots of kids.”