A Cowboy to Remember

by Rebekah Weatherspoon

  Zach eased to the edge of the couch and started rubbing her upper arm. “Those are your parents,” he said quietly.

  She looked at the picture, not sure what to do or say. She knew their faces now, but if her memory didn’t come back, this picture, and any others like it, would be all she had.

  She closed her eyes and forced that thought away. There was no need to make this harder for herself.

  “You okay?” Zach asked.

  “Yeah. I just—I wish I remembered them. My mom was so pretty.”

  “I think we only met them once, but I do remember your mom being extremely kind.”

  “I’m sure Miss Leona can tell you more about her,” Lilah said.

  “I’ll ask her in the morning.”

  “Let’s keep this one handy,” she said as she passed the picture to Lilah. She looked at it too for a few moments.

  “I think my dad had a crush on her,” Lilah said. “Her name was Sandy, right? Sandra Buchanan.”

  Jesse nodded. “Yeah, that was it.”

  “Yeah, my dad had a crush on her before he met my mom, but she moved away.”

  “God, I don’t even know where we lived,” Evie realized.

  “Just up in LA. Your mom was a studio teacher for the Disney Channel and your dad was a camera guy, I think,” Zach said.

  “Yeah, that’s right,” Jesse added. “Your dad was . . . Jim?”

  “Yeah, Jim Wright. I remember Nana Buck telling us one time that women in your family don’t give up their maiden names for anything. Your great-grandma came up with the name herself.”

  Evie repeated their names in her mind. Jim and Sandra. Those were her parents and from here on out, she wouldn’t forget. The next picture in the box was her parents’ wedding portrait. She definitely could see the resemblance between her and her mom now. She was very beautiful, and on her wedding day, looked very happy and in love. And very eighties. The big hair and the lace headband and veil were a lot to take in. Her dad’s mustache dominated his half of the photo—it was almost funny. She picked up her phone off the coffee table and took a picture of the photo. It was getting late on the East Coast, but she started a new group text with Raquelle and Blaire. She attached the picture before hitting Send. My parents!

  The last few pictures were more of Evie, one of a man they believed was her grandfather and a massive black horse, and a professional portrait she’d taken with her mom and her grandmother. She had to be around three years old. Evie decided to hold on to that picture, her parents’ wedding photo, and the picture of her grandfather and the horse. Lilah suggested they clear off the window bench in the guest room, which would give Evie plenty of room to display the framed photos. She liked that idea. They carefully boxed up the rest of the photos to go back into storage, when Blaire responded.

  Blaire: Awww, babe. That’s awesome. Look at your mom’s hair!

  Raquelle: I was just about to text you! They look so great. Holy Freaking 80s. Unrelated, does the name Melanie Burns ring a bell?

  Raquelle sent a picture of an angry-looking White woman with long black hair standing in the middle of a kitchen. She was wearing a long-sleeved chef’s coat. She had tattoos on her hands and one creeping up the side of her neck. Evie wasn’t sure if she was a real chef or someone playing pretend. Either way she didn’t look familiar.

  She turned her head and looked at Zach and then she looked at Lilah. “Does the name Melanie Burns make any sense to any of you?

  There was a round of nopes, but then of course Lilah came through. “Yeah, she’s a chef. She was on your season of Supreme Chef. You beat her, of course.”

  Evie: Name and face don’t ring a bell, but Zach’s cousin says she’s a chef.

  Raquelle: Right. I didn’t know if her face would trigger anything.

  Evie: Why, what’s going on?

  Evie waited for a few minutes as the game came back on and the Lakers extended their lead, but after a while, when neither Raquelle or Blaire responded, she called Raquelle.

  “Oh hi, Evie.” Raquelle’s voice sounded strange.

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “Um, okay. It could be nothing, but I’ve been monitoring your InstaMessages, and she sent some kinda crazy stuff over the last few days. I didn’t notice it at first because so many people message you.”

  “What kind of stuff?” Evie asked. “Did I have some kind of relationship with Melanie before?”

  “Not really. You hated her and I’m pretty sure she hates you. Are you alone?”

  “No. I’m with Zach and Jesse and their cousins and my nurse.”

  “Oh, put Zach on.”

  “Will you tell me what’s going on?”

  “Yeah, but Zach can get to the messages faster than me walking you through it. Give him your phone.”

  “Okay.” She turned and handed Zach her phone. “It’s Raquelle.”

  He frowned but took the phone. “Hey, Raquelle . . . Yeah, sure, hold on.” Evie moved to the couch so she could sit beside him. He pressed a few buttons on her screen and opened up her Instagram messages. She had a few hundred unread, but at the top she could see Melanie Burns’s face in a small circle next to the name FeelTheBurn. “Here.” Zach opened the messages.

  “Whoa. Raquelle, we’ll call you right back,” Zach said before he ended the call. He let out a sigh and showed Evie her phone. Melanie had sent three messages over the last few days, each more aggressive than the last.

  I can’t stand you.

  Too high and mighty to fucking reply.

  I should have recorded the shit you said. I’d fucking ruin you and your pretty princess image.

  Evie blinked and adjusted her glasses. She couldn’t believe what she was reading. “I—I don’t—”

  “It’s okay if you don’t remember,” Zach said. It was exactly what she needed to hear. She didn’t realize it at first, but she was racking her brain, trying to figure out what she possibly could have done to make Melanie Burns say such horrible things to her. But the truth was that she didn’t remember, and it was pointless to try. She didn’t remember Melanie’s face, and the name was a mystery to her too.

  If Melanie was also a chef and they had been on the same show, there were plenty of opportunities for them to have crossed paths. Jesse had said that Evie was a nice person and her friends and her agent seemed to agree, but what if they were wrong? She’d seen how polite Tilde had been before she went instant asshole toward Miss Leona, after Miss Leona had welcomed her so warmly. Maybe Evie had only been good to her close friends and her coworkers.

  Evie was wondering when her luck was going to run out when it came to others and the kindness they extended to her. This, however, was not what she expected. Suddenly the room felt too small and her head started to throb. Zach’s hand started to move up and down her back. It was a soothing motion, but she didn’t like the way the room felt too still. She glanced up and everyone was quiet, looking at her, just waiting for her to react.

  Vega hopped up from the armchair she had curled up in. She came across the room and took Evie by the arm. “Come on, mama. Let’s go get some fresh air.”

  Evie didn’t argue. She took Vega’s arm and followed her outside.

  * * *

  Vega called it a panic attack. Evie’s mind was racing and she felt like her chest was going to collapse in on itself. The fresh air did help calm her breathing and her nerves, but it didn’t do a thing to ease her embarrassment. She thought the crushing, overwhelming feeling that had caught her off guard a few times in the hospital was a rare accident, but Vega explained that they were pretty common.

  “We’re just gonna go for a slow stroll. You take some deep breaths and enjoy this cool night air.” They walked the length of the cul-de-sac twice, with Euca tailing along, before Evie started to feel like herself again. Vega didn’t say anything, just walked arm in arm with Evie while she focused on the cool air and the sparkling stars in the sky. Every now and then Euca would bump into her leg, and she found a litt
le comfort in patting the large dog’s head. Evie felt like she could breathe again, but she was oddly drained. She didn’t want to go to bed, but she didn’t want to go back into Zach’s house to face him or Jesse or their cousins.

  “I think I might be done for the night,” Evie said.

  “Took the words right out of my mouth. I bet Miss Leona has a banging tea stash. Why don’t I make you some and you can unwind in your room. You’ve had a pretty full day. I’m sure this puppy here will tag along if we let him.”

  Evie looked down and almost laughed at the pleading look on Euca’s face. She felt bad for ditching everyone. Especially Zach. She liked spending time with him, and being near him helped ease all the complicated emotions about her parents that were swirling through her. The look on Evie’s face must have given her away.

  “Don’t worry about them. Or your photos. Jesse and Zach will bring them over.”

  “Yeah, okay. Tea and bed sound good.”

  Evie went straight to her room, Euca following after her. After she washed her face and changed into her pajamas, Vega brought her a large cup of tea. She had Evie’s phone too, but she didn’t hand it over right away.

  “Raquelle and Blaire texted a few times,” Vega said, showing Evie her locked phone screen. Sure enough, there were a whole bunch of alerts crowding the display. “Again, you’re an adult, and my business is your health. I’m not a therapist, but I feel like your mental health falls under my jurisdiction. If I were in your shoes, I’d at least give my phone a rest until the morning. Is it okay if I respond to them for you? Friends freak out when you don’t text back.”

  “Yeah, I’m seeing that. Please text them back.” Evie used her thumb to unlock her phone, then handed it back to Vega. She sent whatever texts she needed to send then plugged Evie’s phone back into its charger.

  After she helped Evie take down her hair and change her bandage, Vega offered to keep her company until she fell asleep.

  “I think I’m okay now. I’m pretty tired.”

  “Okay. I’m right next door. Come on over or tap on the wall if you don’t feel like getting up.”

  That made Evie smile. “I will.”

  “Come on, dog.” Vega waved Euca over from her command post on the floor. They said their goodnights and Evie was alone. She sat on the edge of the bed and finished her tea.

  Over an hour later she was no closer to sleep. She’d promised Vega she’d give her phone a break, but now she was just bored. TV would have to do. She found the Cooking Network and started a show called Knifed. Watching chefs try to do their best with secret ingredients from a basket was entertaining in a way, but not enough to distract her from the thoughts roaming around in her head. She wished she’d asked the guys to bring over the last box of pictures. At least sorting through the photos would give her something to do with her hands. She looked over at her phone and broke her promise. She pulled up Zach’s number and sent him a text. Sorry I didn’t get to kiss you goodnight.

  As soon as she set her phone down it chimed with his reply. You don’t owe me an apology. I’m sorry Melanie Burns is such a dick. You feeling okay?

  Evie: Much better. Vega put me to bed with some tea. Euca offered what comfort she could.

  Zach: Vega’s good people. Euca’s a good dog. You should get some sleep.

  Evie knew he was right, but she could see from the three little dots blinking on her screen that he wasn’t done texting her yet.

  Zach: We have a wedding this weekend up at the ranch so I’ll be tied up, hopefully I can come by and give you a 10 am kiss.

  Evie: I think that’ll work.

  Zach: Goodnight, beautiful.

  Evie: Goodnight.

  This time when she set down her phone another layer of stress melted away. Zach was still into her, in spite of her little meltdown. She hoped it wouldn’t happen again, but if it did, she had Vega here to help her through it, and she had Zach.

  Evie stood in the middle of the field, surrounded. The cardboard cutouts, still images of her parents, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Pleasant standing hand in hand without a care in the world, faces she didn’t recognize but she knew she should. And Zach. She whipped her head over her shoulder and there he was, over six feet of flat pressed paper and pulp, winking at her like she knew exactly what was happening.

  A crashing sound made her jump. She knew she was dreaming and so close to jolting awake, but the dream wouldn’t let her go.

  In the distance a hole opened in the grass, a gaping hole that seemed to be spreading before it suddenly stopped. A set of hands appeared at the hole’s grassy edge. A woman Evie didn’t recognize hoisted herself out from the hole. Evie couldn’t focus on her face for some reason. Her features were a slowly moving blur, but when she spoke, Evie instantly knew her voice.

  “You know the game. I don’t know why you’re just standing there.” Melanie produced a kitchen blowtorch from her pocket. Evie had used them plenty of times. She knew the perfect finishing touch they could add to a dish and the danger they were in clumsy hands.

  But Melanie’s hands weren’t clumsy. They were sure and focused. She stepped to the cardboard cutout of another woman in a chef’s coat. Something in the back of Evie’s memory knew the name that went with the flat grinning face, but she couldn’t bring it to the surface. As if that would do anything to save her.

  “I’m not ready!” Evie demanded, but for some reason her voice came out closer to a whisper. It felt like something was sitting on her chest and she didn’t have the breath to get her voice to its full volume.

  “Just pick one, you dumbass.” Melanie pushed the trigger on the torch and lit the grass at the cutout’s feet.

  Evie glanced around the circle, her eyes settling on the cutout of her parents in their wedding attire.

  Suddenly, Zach’s fingers wrapped around her wrist. “Here.”

  “What?” She looked down at the pair of tickets Zach pressed into her palm. She couldn’t make out the writing on the golden trimmed paper. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

  He looked down the front of his tux and smoothed out his tie, then flashed her a smile. “You ready?”

  “For what?! I have to save my parents!” she tried to tell him, but nothing came out. The grass was going up quickly, the flames closing in around them, but Zach seemed completely calm, completely unbothered.

  “You’ve got this, Buck,” he said. But she didn’t. She didn’t at all.

  Chapter 14

  Zach had a plan. Up at six. Take Steve out for a sunrise stroll. Swing back to his house. Shower. Check on Evie with his own two eyes, then kiss the hell out of her before he went over to the ranch to greet the first wave of the Getlier bridal party.

  Weddings at Big Rock ran about the cost of several major organs. He found that whoever was footing the bill appreciated it if the man in charge made an appearance and gave his personal assurance that the bride, groom, and all in tow received the full ranch experience, with all its special touches. This time around, the bride’s father was Sebastian Getlier, owner of the Rams. Zach wanted to make this man happy.

  At five fifteen the blaring ringer on his phone woke him up. He hit Accept before he really processed the name he saw on his screen. He answered anyway.

  “Zach Pleasant.”

  “Zach, it’s Nicole Pruitt.”

  “Morning, Nicole. How can I help you?” Zach groaned as he rolled over.

  “I’m calling about Evie.”

  Okay, that woke him up. He rubbed his face and sat up in bed. “Is she okay?”

  “As far as I know, yeah. Unless she had another head injury under your watch.”

  “Nope, she’s fit as a fiddle. What’s up? I figured Jesse would be your point man.”

  “Well, I tried your brother, but he didn’t answer.”

  “He’s probably still asleep. Talk to me.”

  “I just spoke to Raquelle and she was spiraling out over some messages Evie got on Instagram.”

  “Ye
ah, from Melanie Burns? She asked Evie if she knew her. I saw the messages. They were pretty fucked up.”

  Nicole sighed. “I told Raquelle to run everything by me first.”

  “Listen, I get it, but I think transparency with Evie might be best. I mean, she needs to know if she’s on the outs with someone. There’s protecting her and there’s keeping her in the dark.”

  “Yeah, I get that. I—I’m not certain, but I think Chef Burns was at the party. I think. There were a lot industry chefs there.”

  Okay, Zach was really awake now. He turned on his bedside lamp. “You think maybe she pushed Evie?”

  “It’s just a hunch. I asked if I could get a look at the guest list, but the person who has it is on vacation with her family and won’t be back until Tuesday. But if Melanie was there—”

  “No, I hear ya. Those messages were pretty out of control. Even if she wasn’t there, she clearly hates Evie enough to threaten her. Does anyone else in your circle know Evie is in California?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m sure some people think she’s still in the hospital.”

  “Okay, so we put Melanie Burns’s wanted poster all over Charming, and if she pops up here we’ll take care of it.”

  “Slow down there, Tex. We don’t need to do all of that yet, but I just wanted you and Jesse to know.”

  “We need to tell Evie.”

  “Give me a few days. I’m keeping my eye on Melanie either way, and I’m reaching out to her team. There are plenty of people that don’t like Evie, but Melanie isn’t some rando on the internet. They are colleagues.”

  “Has she gotten messages like this before, like from strangers?”

  “Uh, yes. She’s a successful Black female chef. Her nickname is Princess. Just think about how many people would hate that?”