Especially when that dead man was their father.
Sidekick whimpered.
Logan reached out to tousle his ears.
And then they headed back to Stillwater Springs Ranch, where they belonged. Or did they?
Just then, Logan wasn’t sure where he belonged.
THE REST OF Briana’s day crawled by.
She made brief but regular visits to the coffee shop, to make sure the boys were still there, and Jim even offered to let her leave early. Since she was about to make a purchase she hadn’t budgeted for, getting docked on her pay didn’t seem like the best idea in the world. Besides, with every other child-support check bouncing to the ceiling, she was barely making it as it was.
At ten minutes after five, Briana collected her boys, now sheepish and cranky from cooling their jets in the coffee shop for several hours, got into the dented, primersplotched extended-cab pickup truck Dylan had left behind at the ranch, and started the engine while she waited for Alec and Josh to buckle themselves in. She could drive the old rig if she could get it running, Dylan had said, and she had, with most of her first paycheck from the casino and a lot of help from a mechanic in town, but after two years, keeping it running was the challenge.
Briana had been saving up to buy a decent used car, but it was three steps forward, two steps back. Every time she got a little ahead, some unexpected expense came up—medicine and veterinary bills when Wanda tore a ligament in one hind leg; the window Josh had broken out, playing baseball with Alec in the side yard; a donation at work when one of the other employees lost everything in a house fire.
It never stopped.
And now she had to get a cell phone. Josh and Alec would be able to call her directly, instead of going through the casino switchboard. They were good boys, and they probably would have contacted her before striking out for Logan’s place via the county road, where they could have been run over, kidnapped or attacked by a wild animal.
They probably would have contacted her.
“What you did today was not cool,” she said, speaking for the first time since they’d left the casino as she pulled into the parking lot at Wal-Mart. She shopped there a lot, but every visit brought back stinging memories of the night Vance had bailed on her and the kids and Wanda.
“We’re sorry, Mom,” Alec said.
“It was no big deal,” Josh argued.
She turned in the seat, looked back at them. “It was a big deal, Josh,” she said. “And, Alec, ‘sorry’ comes cheap. You guys are both grounded until further notice.”
“Like that’s going to change our lives,” Josh said. “We’re grounded all the time, because you make us stay in the house if you’re not with us. It’s like we’re babies or something.”
He had a point, but short of putting them in child care, which would not only finish off the car fund but also make them both severely unhappy, she didn’t know what else to do.
Alec eyed her, then agreed with his brother, a rare occurrence in itself. “Yeah,” he said. “We’re already grounded. When Dad gets here, I bet he takes us places.”
Vance. He would be in town Saturday, he’d said, and that was tomorrow. Briana’s mood, already low, plummeted.
“Wait in the car,” she said. “I won’t be long.”
“Mom, we’re always waiting,” Josh protested. “We just got through waiting all afternoon in the coffee shop!”
Briana sighed, and relented. “All right, but no wandering off. If I have to hunt all over the store for you guys, I’m not going to be a happy camper.”
“What else is new?” Josh asked, pushing open his door and jumping to the ground before she could change her mind. “You’re never a happy camper.”
“Yeah,” Alec agreed, though cautiously.
Briana rolled her eyes. “Let’s just do this, so we can go home and feed Wanda, all right?”
“All right,” Josh agreed, as though he had any say in the matter. “What is it we’re going to do, exactly?”
“I’m getting a cell phone,” Briana said. They were in the crosswalk now, the very spot where Vance had told her to get out of the car and take the kids and the damn dog with her because he had better things to do than listen to a nagging woman.
She’d wanted to stop and buy fried chicken in the deli, because it would be cheaper than going to a restaurant, and she and the boys were sick of drive-through hamburgers. Did that qualify as nagging?
Alec wrenched her back to the present moment with a yelp of delight. “We’re getting a cell phone?”
“I’m getting a cell phone,” Briana corrected. “And you two are going to call me on it and ask for permission before you go hiking off down the road.”
When they were younger, she would have held their hands until they were safely inside, but they both kept a manly distance now.
“All the kids at swimming lessons have their own cell phones,” Josh told her.
Briana swallowed her stock response—we can’t afford it—because she was tired to the bone of that answer, and so were the boys.
Inside the store, she headed straight back to the electronics department. Josh and Alec didn’t agitate to head off on their own, probably because they were fascinated by the array of flat-screen TVs, laptops, DVD players and the like.
All that stuff was out of Briana’s financial reach—she’d bought their computer from one of those lowmonthly-payment mail-order outfits, because it was necessary for the boys’ schooling, and it was a turkey—and today, being perennially poor got her down more than usual.
Alec and Josh lobbied for the newest phenomenon, with a camera, MP3 capability, video games and a touch screen.
Briana chose the supereconomical model—all it did was make and receive phone calls. No walking the dog. No wallpapering the living room. Just phone calls.
It did have one redeeming feature, though. It came with a free companion phone, and that mollified the boys a little. They promised to share, but she knew they’d probably come to blows over the thing before they pulled into the driveway at home.
With her umpteenth sigh of the day, Briana wheeled a cart to the grocery section to buy a bag of kibble for Wanda and a gallon of milk—she’d forgotten both the day before, when she stopped after work to pick up the ingredients of Wild Man’s Spud Extravaganza—and after waiting in line to pay, they were on their way out.
Miraculously, they made it all the way home with no hostilities breaking out in the backseat. After carrying in the kibble and the milk, and letting Wanda out for a few minutes, Briana put the leftover casserole into the oven to warm up, Alec checked the answering machine and Josh settled down at the table with the new cell phones and accompanying instructions.
“We have to charge them first,” he said. “That will take hours.”
“We’ll survive,” Briana said, washing her hands at the sink.
“You said we could picnic in the cemetery tonight,” Alec reminded her. “Last night, when you were making the casserole, you said that.”
“I did not,” she retorted. “I said sometime.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“Sorry. That’s the way it is.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“That so isn’t fair. How come kids always have to do stuff because grown-ups say so?”
Briana laughed, starting to feel better now that they were home, doing normal things, like feeding Wanda and heating up leftovers. “Because most of us are bigger than you are,” she said.
“Someday,” Alec vowed, “I’ll be bigger than you are.”
“No doubt about it,” Briana agreed. “But by then you’ll be too much of a gentleman to argue with me.”
“Fat chance,” Josh contributed.
“Get ready for supper, both of you,” Briana said.
“I’m not hungry,” Alec retorted.
“You’re just mad because there weren’t any messages from Dad,” Josh told his brother.
“Hold i
t right there!” Briana interrupted, gliding between the boys like a referee in a hockey game. “If this argument goes any further, neither of you get to use the extra cell phone. Ever.”
“It would be more effective,” Josh remarked, looking up at her in solemn certainty, “if you could whistle like Logan does. That really shuts us up.”
“What are you talking about?” Briana asked, baffled.
“Today in the Mexican place at the casino,” Josh answered importantly, “me and Alec got into it, and Logan whistled. Through his front teeth. It was really loud.”
“And that’s good?”
“It worked,” Alec said, with a verbal shrug. “If I didn’t already have a dad, it would be cool to be Logan’s kid.”
Briana slumped into a chair, forestalled Josh’s inevitably sarcastic comment before he could get it out of his mouth with a pointed look.
“Do you think Logan has kids, Mom?”
She needed a few moments to recover. Why had
Alec’s words thrown her like that? If I didn’t already have a dad, it would be cool to be Logan’s kid.
“Huh?”
“Do you think Logan has kids?” Alec repeated patiently. He’d probably use that same tone when she was an old woman, forgetting things. She hoped she’d live long enough to be a problem.
“I have no idea,” Briana said.
“Next time he comes to supper, I’ll ask him,” Josh said.
“There might not be a next time,” Briana replied. “I only invited Logan over last night because it was the neighborly thing to do.”
Alec’s face clouded. “You’re mad at him because he brought us to town today. You should be mad at us, not him.”
That earned Alec an elbow jab from Josh.
“You’re right. I should be mad at you.” She kept a straight face. “But I’m not.”
“Really?” Alec looked astounded.
It wasn’t as if she lost her temper on a regular basis, Briana thought indignantly. If anything, she was overindulgent, letting them get away with too much. So what was with all the surprise?
“Really,” Briana said.
“Don’t push it, geek-face,” Josh counseled.
Briana skewered her elder son with another look.
“Sorry,” Josh said meekly.
The phone rang while they were having supper, and Alec knocked over his chair getting to the receiver.
His whole face shone when he said, “Dad! Hi!”
Briana waited uneasily, as did Josh. If past history was anything to go by, Vance was about to burst the bubble, make some excuse for not coming to visit. She’d be relieved, Alec would be devastated. The jury was still out on how Josh would react.
“You’re almost to Stillwater Springs right now?” Alec nearly shouted.
“Sure, sure, I’ll put her on—Mom! He wants directions!”
Briana rose slowly from her chair, crossed the room, took the telephone receiver and put it to her ear. She had to clear her throat once before she could say anything.
“So—you’re almost here.”
“We are,” Vance answered.
We?
“Tell me how to get to your place, Bree. I’m real anxious to see my boys.”
Alec was jumping around the kitchen.
Josh had probably ducked into his room. He’d have had to pass her to use the back door.
Calmly, Briana told her exhusband which turns to take on which roads.
She was numb when she hung up.
She went straight to the boys’ bedroom.
Sure enough, Josh was on his bed, a lump under the bump-chenille spread he hated because it had a teddy bear on it and that was babyish.
“Josh?” Briana sat down gingerly on the edge of the mattress, laid a tentative hand on her son’s back. “Wanna come out and talk to me for a minute?”
“No.” The word was muffled. “Can I go live with Logan until Dad leaves?”
“Honey, he is your father.”
Josh yanked the spread down and scowled at Briana, nose and forehead crinkled in disgust. “He’s a jerk! He left us at Wal-Mart, Mom!”
“We’ve done okay since then, haven’t we?” Briana asked, very softly.
“What if he stays?”
“I won’t let him stay, Josh. Your dad and I are divorced.”
“He should have just kept going. He wants something, Mom. That’s why he’s coming here.” Josh’s lower lip trembled. “What if he decides to take Alec and me away with him?”
“He’s not going to do that, Josh,” Briana said, as a piece of her heart quivered and then fell off. How long had Josh been worrying about this? “I have legal custody. That means you and Alec stay right here with me until you’re old enough to be on your own.”
Just then, Josh did something he hadn’t done since the night Vance deserted them. He threw both arms around her neck and clung for dear life.
Briana held him tight. Kissed the top of his head. His buzz cut felt prickly against her lips, and that made her smile, even though her eyes were full of tears.
“It was scary, getting left like that,” she said, after a long time. “I’m really sorry that happened. But we’re all right now, you and me and Alec and Wanda. We have a nice place to live, and I have a job and—”
Josh reared back. “Don’t let him take us away, Mom,” he begged. “He might get mad and leave us someplace, like he did before, only you wouldn’t be there to take care of us—”
Briana was near tears herself, but she didn’t dare let it show. She had to be strong for Josh, and Alec, too. She couldn’t afford to cry any more than she could afford a big-screen TV or fancy computer or a cell phone with all the latest bells and whistles. “I promise that won’t happen, Josh.”
He sniffled, wanting to believe her. Struggling to believe her.
“Swear?”
“Swear.”
“What do we do now?”
Briana smiled, risked a forehead kiss, was glad when Josh didn’t pull away to avoid it. “I go back to the kitchen and make coffee, and you go to the bathroom and wash your face.”
Josh nodded glumly.
Briana started a pot of coffee and found clean sheets, a blanket and pillows for the fold-out couch. Vance had said we, which probably meant he was bringing one of his rodeo-bum buddies along to run interference, keep the little ex-wife from getting on his case. Well, he could just share the thin couch mattress with his pal, because there was nowhere else to put him.
Vance rolled in in the same old van; Briana recognized the belching sound the muffler made.
“He’s here!” Alec whooped, flinging open the back door and darting out of the house with Wanda right behind him, barking her brains out.
Fickle dog.
“Yippee,” Josh murmured miserably, slumped in front of the computer.
Briana tossed him a sympathetic glance and made herself go to the door.
It was almost dark, but not so dark that she couldn’t see Vance climbing out of the van, stepping down with that patented grin on his face to scoop Alec up and swing him around once.
When the other door opened, though, Briana’s breath caught.
A woman—more of a girl, really—rounded the front of the van, smiling nervously. She was superskinny, wearing one of those clingy tops that don’t quite cover the territory, tight jeans and boots. A little silver hoop glinted from her naval, and her hair was bleached, yanked up into something resembling a ponytail, seeming to sprout from the top of her head.
Vance set Alec on his feet, looked up to meet Briana’s gaze. At the same time, he stretched out an arm in the girl’s direction, and she hurried to him, snuggled close against his side. Stared at Briana with enormous, frightened eyes.
“You look good, Bree,” Vance said.
She couldn’t speak. It didn’t bother her to know that Vance had a girlfriend—that was old news. It did make her want to bite through a nail that he’d brought the squeeze-du-jour to the house, that he obv
iously intended to sleep with her under the same roof with their sons.
“This is Heather,” Vance said. “Heather, my ex-wife, Briana. That’s my boy Alec.” He frowned, idly stooping to pet Wanda’s head. “Where’s Josh?”
“Inside,” Briana managed to say.
“Hi, Briana,” Heather chimed. She sounded so desperate to please that Briana felt sorry for her. The poor kid probably had no clue what she was in for with Vance.
“Come in,” Briana said.
They all went into the kitchen, and the next few moments were awkward in the extreme. Josh didn’t make a move to greet Vance, and both he and Alec gaped at Heather as though she were a curiosity on display at one of those roadside places where they sell dusty, dog-eared postcards and plastic paperweights with dead snakes coiled inside.
“This is Heather,” Vance said, for the second time.
Heather blushed, looking as though she wished the floor would open under her feet.
Briana’s sympathy deepened to pity. “Would you like some coffee, Heather?” Then, belatedly, added, “Sit down. Please. Sit down.”
In the light of the kitchen, she could see that Heather was older than she’d seemed outside. Over twenty-one, anyway, which was good, because Briana would have called the sheriff if she wasn’t.
“Thanks,” Heather said, sort of collapsing into a chair.
She patted her hair, and that was when Briana noticed the slim gold wedding band on her left hand.
Vance puffed up like a rooster. “Heather,” he announced to Alec and Josh, “is your new stepmother.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“AREN’T YOU EVEN going to say howdy to your old daddy, boy?” Vance asked, turning to Josh, who remained at the computer on the far side of the kitchen, looking stricken and furious.
“Howdy,” Josh said dully.
Alec, meanwhile, was sitting on Vance’s lap, but even he, the perpetual optimist, seemed a little thrown by the announcement that he now had a stepmother.
Vance sighed. Tossed Heather a knowing glance. “Guess I’ve got some fences to mend,” he said.
“Guess so,” Heather agreed readily. She probably agreed with everything Vance said, at this point. That, Briana knew, would change in time.
Montana Creeds: Logan Page 10