by D'Ann Lindun
“Where do you want to go?” Polly brought Lily’s attention back to their conversation.
Lily didn’t care. “Somewhere nice.”
“Where can we find cowboys?” Polly asked. “I want to meet a cowboy.”
“The Silver Spur?” Lily named a bar in the next town over. Sometimes they had a live country band.
“I’ve never been there, have you?”
Lily took the towel from her hair and walked into the bathroom for a wide-toothed comb. “Yeah. Once a long time ago with Jeff.”
“If it’s too painful to go there we don’t have to,” Polly said instantly.
“I’m fine,” Lily countered. “It’ll be fun.”
“See you Friday,” Polly said. “And we’ll wrangle us a cowboy.”
Lily hung up. She didn’t want to find a cowboy…she wanted the one in her barn.
CHAPTER NINE
The next couple of days passed in a blur. From daylight until dark Lily and Will plowed. After which they came home, ate a quick dinner and went to bed early. The kiss hadn’t been mentioned, nor repeated.
Lily wasn’t sure if that relieved or disappointed her.
When they met at the barn on Friday morning Lily told Will she wanted to knock off a little early.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m meeting my friend Polly for dinner and drinks.” She paused with the key halfway to the ignition. “You’ll be okay, right?”
He laughed. “I can handle it. I’m pretty used to taking care of myself.”
“I just hate to leave you on your own with nothing to do.” Guilt gripped her. Maybe she should ask him to tag along, but it was supposed to be girls’ night out.
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “I can find plenty to do. Shower. Sleep. Maybe I’ll go into town and eat at the Burger Shack again. Or even see if an old friend is still around.”
“Anyone I might know?” Lily’s heart tightened with a tiny tinge of jealousy even though he’d said nothing about a woman.
“I used to hang out with a guy named Boyd Blackstone. Know him?”
“Just the name.” Lily’s heart took another pinch. Although not acquainted with Boyd personally, she knew he had several sisters. Pretty girls sure to catch Will’s eye. All for the better she tried to tell herself.
“Don’t forget about the barbeque on Sunday,” she reminded him.
“I won’t forget,” he promised.
The warmth in his gaze made Lily’s skin tingle. “Okay. See you tonight.”
~*~
Lily didn’t see Will that evening when she parked the tractor in the barn. A little disappointed, she hurried to the house for a shower. Afterwards, she wrapped in a fluffy body towel and looked through her closet for something to wear. The Silver Spur wasn’t exactly a fancy place, so a dress seemed overkill. Same with linen pants.
Jeans it was.
Lily picked a clean pair of Levi’s and slipped into them. Rifling through her closet she couldn’t find a top that seemed right until she spotted a dark green shirt in the back corner. She pulled it out and looked at it with a critical eye. A ruffled, vee-necked number she’d bought on sale somewhere, but never worn. She debated. Too much? Too young?
The sun had really brought the dreaded freckles, not only on her face, but also her arms and shoulders.
Oh, well.
She was a redhead with freckles.
Last, she circled her waist with a wide belt with a rhinestone buckle and pulled on a pair of barely-worn fashion boots. An emerald necklace and earring set Jeff had given her completed her outfit.
The jewelry reminded Lily of her wedding rings. She twisted them. Should she take them off? Or leave them on? She hadn’t removed them off in seventeen years except a brief period to replace one of the smaller stones that had been lost.
She wasn’t married any more.
Jeff was gone.
With a little gasp, she pulled them off and placed them on the table next to her bed. Her bare finger felt naked. Exposed. She rubbed it, but the uncomfortable feeling stuck. Refusing to let her thoughts go to the day Jeff had placed the rings on her finger she turned to leave with her heart heavy.
~*~
At eight, Will pulled into the parking lot of the Silver Spur and parked. He’d called his old friend, Boyd and they’d agreed to meet at the bar for a beer. He glanced in the mirror and straightened his Stetson. The dip in the lake had taken the sting out of his sunburn. Enough he could wear a dark blue western shirt and pressed Wranglers.
Thinking of the lake led his thoughts to Lily.
He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since their kiss.
No matter how hard he tried to turn his thoughts away from her, they always strayed back to the lovely redhead.
For the first time since Amy’s death he’d allowed himself to consider dating another woman.
He nodded at a couple of women as they passed him in the door. One of them gave him a double take, but he only tipped his hat and kept moving. Inside the bar he paused a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Before he completely oriented himself a tall, thin man loped toward him, hand out.
“Will? Long time no see, man.”
Will pumped the other man’s hand. “Boyd? It’s good to see you.”
“Come on. We’re over here.” Boyd indicated a table across the bar where two young women sat. “We saved you a seat.”
A blind date? Boyd had set him up? Will fought irritation. He’d wanted to catch up with an old friend, not deal with a date. But he had little choice but to paste on a smile and act pleased. “Sounds good.”
“Guess who’s over there?” Boyd grinned like a clown. “Taylor, that’s who. When she heard you were in town she couldn’t wait to say hi.”
Taylor Larson.
The pretty blonde he’d dated the summer he’d spent with Gran and Gramps. They’d stayed in touch for a short time after he left town, then gone their separate ways with no hard feelings. He hadn’t thought of her in years.
He doubted she’d thought about him.
The band hadn’t started yet and as they made their way across the dance floor Will forced a smile.
Two pretty ladies sat in a corner booth. He recognized Taylor instantly. Slim, blonde with an engaging smile that was hard to resist. Her big blue eyes as pretty as Colorado columbines. She stood and hugged him. “Hi, Will. It’s been a long time.”
She smelled like green apples and summertime. Her soft hair tickled his nose. He should have been thrilled to see her again. All he could think of was a sexy redhead. He gently untangled Taylor’s arms from around his neck. “Taylor. How are you?”
“Great! Just great! It’s wonderful to see you!” She pulled him into the seat next to her. “Where’s the waitress? We need beer.”
Will smiled a little at her enthusiasm. He nodded at the cute brunette across from him. He should know her, but her name eluded him. When he’d stayed with his grandparents that summer she’d been part of the crowd he ran with.
She must have seen his confusion. “Lauren Kingston. Now Blackstone.”
“Of course.” He held out his hand and they shook. Yes. One of the kids he’d known ten years ago. “Great to see you again.”
“How’ve you been, Will?”
Boyd arrived with four longnecks. “This okay?”
“Perfect.” Will took one and drank, considering how to answer. Tell the truth, or gloss over it? The latter. “Been good. You?”
She wiggled her ring finger under his nose. A large diamond flashed in the light. “Boyd and I got married last month.”
Will smiled and tipped his beer toward them. “Congrats.”
Taylor eyed him over her beer. “How about you? Anyone special in your life?”
“Nope.” Lily flashed in his head. Damn. Why couldn’t he get the woman out of his brain?
For the next hour they caught up. Boyd and Lauren both worked on a small cattle ranch her father owned. Taylor ran a photogra
phy studio in town. Will told them he’d been in Iraq, but didn’t mention Amy.
“What are you doing back in town?” Taylor asked.
“Working for Lily Halderman, plowing fields.” He drew on his Coors. “It’s honest work.”
Boyd nodded. “Nothing like farming or ranching to make a man feel alive.”
Lauren nudged him. “And a woman.”
“Them, too.” Boyd chuckled.
“I like it,” Will said. “Long hours, but nothing like sitting on a sand pile looking out for someone wanting to kill you.”
“This is the first time we’ve been out since the wedding,” Boyd said. “Between calving and branding we’ve been swamped.” He bent to kiss his bride. “It’s going to stay busy until we move the cows to the mountains.”
“Hey!” Lauren bounced in her seat. “Why don’t you come with us to move the cows, Will? We can always use another hand, and if I remember right, you know you’re way around a horse.”
“I do.” Will opened his mouth to accept the invitation, but hesitated. He’d promised Lily to go to her friend’s barbeque. “When is the cattle drive?”
“Next Saturday,” Boyd said.
“I’ll see if I can get off. I’d sure like to tag along.” The prospect of working cattle made his heart speed up as a wave of homesickness wash over him.
“We’d sure like to have you,” Boyd said. “Bring Mrs. Halderman, too.”
“I’ll let you know,” Will assured him.
Boyd flagged the waitress and asked for another round. To his surprise, Will felt more relaxed with these people than he had with anyone else since he’d left Iraq.
Except Lily.
She was so easy to be with.
He realized how much he’d let the demons of Iraq slid off his back since he’d been working for her. Before he arrived at her farm he’d dreamed of Amy almost every night. Those images had begun to fade.
Some of those nightmares had been replaced by images of Lily wrapped in his arms. Riding him. Her long red hair falling over her breasts to tickle his belly.
Not happening.
When she found out about Amy she’d never look at him the same way again.
“Will?” He realized Taylor had her hand on his arm. “Would you like to dance?”
He took a long swallow of beer. “Sure.”
When she held out her hand he took it. Her fingers curled around his as she led him to the dance floor. The local band began with a rousing Uncle Kracker number and Will found he agreed with the song’s title—Nobody’s Sad on a Saturday Night. Or a Friday night.
The band played several fast songs before they slowed it down with When Love Finds You— an old Vince Gill tune.
Although he would have preferred to go back to the table, Will took Taylor in his arms when she moved close. They swayed to the music, silent. He should be enjoying this more. A gorgeous girl in his arms, pressed against him, obviously willing to go whichever direction he chose.
But he wasn’t into her.
Fun, seemingly sweet and very pretty. But not for him.
He wouldn’t let this go any further than a fun night out with Taylor. He wasn’t the kind of guy who led a girl on when he wasn’t interested. After the dance he motioned toward their table. “Let’s get a drink.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
They left Boyd and Lauren swaying to the music staring into one another’s eyes and made their way back to their booth. Will waited until Taylor slid into the leather seat before joining her on the same side.
He ordered fresh drinks from a passing waitress.
Taylor eyed him. “You having fun?”
“I am,” he told her truthfully.
Taylor laughed. “Do you remember that time Dobie Foster jumped off the dock out at the lake and cracked his head on the bottom? We thought he was dead for sure before he popped up, grinning like a fool? We were so relieved.”
Will laughed at the memory, too. That summer so long ago had been a good one. In ways he’d been happier here than he’d ever been back in Montana. He loved his parents and brothers, but he had never felt the same attachment to the family ranch his brothers had. The only place where he hadn’t felt restless was in this town.
At the time he’d chalked it up to being out from under his parents’ thumb and free from the way they wanted him to ride straight and narrow, but now he realized he’d always felt a kinship with this mountain town he never had on the high plains of Montana.
The kids he’d met here had been farm and ranch people, not so different than those back home. But the way they’d accepted him into their circle warmed his heart in a way that no one ever had before. In Montana he’d always been in the shadow of his brothers. Here he had simply been Will Wainwright. No one’s reputation to live up to in Lonesome Valley but his own.
His gut clenched in a familiar way.
They didn’t know what he’d done since then. Everything had changed in the ten years he’d been gone. No longer a happy-go-lucky kid with nothing more than beer and sex on his mind, his scars might not be visible. But he wore them and they’d changed him forever.
Before he could tread further down this memory lane full of quicksand, Boyd and Lauren joined them.
“This is great!” Lauren declared. “We should do this more often.”
“Dang, girl. You’re wearing out my boots in one night. I don’t know if I could take any more,” Boyd complained good naturedly.
Lauren elbowed him. “You’re fine.” She glanced around the table. “This is absolutely wonderful getting so much of the old gang back together. Don’t you all agree?”
“Super,” Taylor said.
“Yeah,” Will agreed. “It is.”
“Let’s dance,” Taylor urged him.
The band played a slow Sugarland song, Stay. On the dance floor Taylor moved into Will’s arms. Her fingers played with the ends of his hair and she pressed against him as if they’d been lovers last night, not ten years ago.
Maybe it was the music, or the moment, or just impulse, but when she raised her face to his he kissed her.
CHAPTER TEN
Lily led the way into the Silver Spur, Polly directly behind her. They’d lingered at dinner, laughing, chatting and enjoying themselves, and consequently the bar had already filled. At the doorway, Lily scanned the interior for a place to sit. The bouncer pointed to a small, two-person table along the wall. By some miracle it was empty.
Lily nodded and smiled at him. She grabbed Polly’s elbow and pulled her in that direction. Not sure what caught her eye, she glanced at the slow dancers on the floor. Like a nail to a magnet, her eye went to a couple on the edge of the group. Will. His arms wrapped around a tall blonde with his mouth locked on hers.
Lily stumbled to a stop and stared.
For a moment, she hoped her eyes might be deceiving her. No. Definitely Will. Kissing a girl.
Lily’s stomach tumbled toward her toes.
What the hell? Did he go around kissing everyone?
He’d laid one on her not three days ago at the lake. She’d been so stupid to think it might mean something. More than a casual lip lock anyway.
Behind her, Polly gave her a gentle push. Like a zombie Lily moved forward and slid onto the tall barstool. Polly gave her a funny look. “You okay? You look like you saw a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” Lily mumbled. The meal she’d just consumed threatened to come up and she desperately wished she could run to the bathroom and hide her burning face.
Polly stared hard at her. “Are you having a bad reaction to the fish?”
Lily waved her hand in what she hoped was a casual manner. “Not at all. It’s just hot in here.”
“You haven’t even danced yet,” Polly said.
“I know.”
Before Polly could quiz her further a waitress appeared. “What would you like to drink?”
“A coke.” Holding out her hand, Polly said, “Give me your keys.”
“Why?
” Lily pushed her key ring across the table. “You’re not drinking?”
“Nope. I’ll drive. By the way you look, you need a few drinks.”
“Thanks a lot.” Lily shrugged. “A blended margarita.”
The waitress smiled. “I’ll be right back.”
Lily glanced at the dance floor, but Will and the girl had vanished. They’d probably gone somewhere to make out. Her knotted stomach tightened a fraction. Why had she ordered alcohol? The way her stomach rolled around, she’d be lucky to hold down water.
The band fired up with an old Bob Seger tune that had the dance floor hopping. In spite of herself, Lily looked to see if she could spot Will and his date in the crowd, but they were nowhere in sight.
The waitress brought their drinks and Lily paid. She took a deep drink of her margarita and choked. The bartender had been generous with the tequila. Her eyes watered. “Damn.”
Polly eyed her. “Slow down, or I’m going to be carrying you home.”
“Would that be so bad?” Lily licked a bit of salt off her glass.
“If that’s what you want.” Polly looked around. “I prefer to dance.”
As if she’d conjured one up, a good looking man wearing a Stetson approached carrying two longnecks. “Evening, ladies. Would you like a beer?”
Lily held up her drink. “I’m good, thanks.”
“I’d love one, but I’m driving.” Polly smiled ruefully.
The cowboy shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to drink them myself.”
Polly smiled. “Or you could dance with me instead?”
“That sounds like a plan.” The cowboy placed the beers on the table and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you. Name’s Monte.”
She took his hand. “Polly.”
He turned to Lily. “Ma’am?”
“Lily.” She gave his hand a quick shake, then waved them away. “Go dance.”
After they left, Lily drained her salty margarita and ordered another. Polly and her new friend seemed to be completely into each other, still dancing. Although happy for Polly Lily felt uncomfortable sitting alone. She stood to go to the lady’s room.