Reflecting on his return after his injuries, he hadn’t even noticed how distant his parents had been. While it was true they had helped immensely, covering the costs of getting his horse, his rig back from Oklahoma, he had hardly spoken to them since he’d gotten back. He continued his old pattern with them—kept them at arm’s distance and in the dark.
Now that he was headed home, he decided he would try to do one of two things on their account: repair the damage and try to win back their love, or cut the ties and let them disown him, like he deserved.
He turned off the highway and onto the dirt road that would take him back to his house. This route home also took him by the Tisdale place. He looked longingly at their house and thought of the past few weeks, when he had allowed himself to imagine a world where he could belong. Where he could put down roots, maybe have a family of his own someday.
Mallory’s face flashed in his mind and was immediately dismissed. That would never happen now.
Chapter 9
Wade reflected on how the physical therapy today seemed to go so much smoother than it had been. It was a sure sign that he would be back on a bull by next spring. He pulled into the Williamson ranch driveway and noticed two things immediately. One, there was an unfamiliar truck with Arkansas tags parked next to his mother’s car, and two, his former best friend was leaning against the door of his own truck watching him approach.
Wade got out of the car he was driving and pulled on his cowboy hat before turning toward Colton. He took a deep breath and marched forward, noting the scowl on Colton’s deeply tanned face.
Wade nodded to him and asked, “What’s up? Didn’t think I’d be seeing you anytime soon.”
Colton’s scowl deepened. “You tell me. My sister said to meet you over here.”
Wade was puzzled. “She did?”
Colton spat on the ground. “Look, man, if you and my sister want to still pursue whatever this is, that’s between you and her. But you don’t need to keep it from me. I said my peace and I have to trust you two to make the right decision.”
Wade frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t seen Mallory since that night. And I’m still planning on heading out in a couple of weeks. There’s nothing going on. I have no idea why Mallory asked you to come over here.”
Colton studied his face and shrugged. “Well, I don’t see her Explorer. Not sure why she wanted me to come over.”
Wade turned slightly and began walking toward the house. “Well maybe we’ll find out more inside. Come on in.”
Colton hesitated and then followed Wade into the house. His mother was walking out of the living room when they entered. She looked back over her shoulder. “Oh good, you’re here. They’re waiting for you in the living room.”
Wade looked at Colton who shrugged.
Mallory was sitting on the couch talking to an older gentleman. Colton and Wade removed their hats and stepped forward. The stranger stood up and extended his hand. Wade and Colton stared for a second before reaching out their own in turn. Ten years and tragedy had aged him but there was no mistaking Tommy’s blue eyes. Victor Greeley.
Perplexed, both young men sat on the couch perpendicular to the one where Mallory and Victor sat. Wade swallowed a lump that had risen and cleared his throat. “Um, Mr. Greeley. What brings you here? I mean, it’s good to see you, sir, but I wasn’t expecting I’d ever see you again in these parts.”
Victor smiled a sad smile and looked at Mallory but said to Wade, “I wasn’t expecting to ever be back here either. So much pain here for me, I’m sure you understand.”
Wade nodded. “How is Mrs. Greeley?”
Victor looked at Wade and his sad smile turned to a frown. “Passed away a couple of years ago, I’m sorry to say. I’d say she never got over her broken heart.”
“I’m so sorry,” both Wade and Colton said at the same time.
Victor nodded. “It hasn’t been easy but since we moved back to where we much of our family is, it’s been easier, I think. More support. We were just so alone here.” He turned back to Mallory. “Miss Tisdale, you wanna fill these boys in on why you called me?”
Colton looked at his sister. “You called Mr. Greeley? How…why?”
“I think you’ll understand once Mr. Greeley tells you his story. But you know me, I can’t let sleeping dogs lie. I had to find out more about Tommy and what happened that night.”
Wade looked down. “There’s nothing more to know.” His face reddened. “At least, there’s nothing more for me to know.” He looked up at Victor and swallowed a second lump. “Mr. Greeley, I’m afraid Colton and I weren’t very honest with you.” Colton shifted, but Wade continued. “It wasn’t Colton’s choice, though. I asked him to lie for me.”
Mr. Greeley put his hand up and shook his head, interrupting him. “What happened to my boy was not your fault, Mr. Williamson.”
“But—”
Victor shook his head and again and leaned forward to put his hand on Wade’s arm. “I should have told you about this long ago. I know you blame yourself for Tommy’s death.” He looked at Colton. “Both of you. But I tell you, it’s not your fault. I know you were there with him when he died, and you have no idea how much that means to me, that he wasn’t alone.”
Wade opened his mouth to speak, but Victor cut him off again. “Tommy loved you two like brothers, and I was so proud that he had such good friends in you, but Tommy had a secret that he just couldn’t even tell the two young men who would have done anything for him. Because you would have stopped him, you see.”
Wade and Colton both frowned, confused.
“My boy was sick. And it was bad. He probably would never have seen autumn that year.”
Wade looked at Mallory, who nodded so slowly it was almost imperceptible. It was clear she was not taken her eyes off him since he had sat down.
Victor continued, “Brain cancer. The headaches.” Wade’s eyes widened. “Tommy had a tumor that the doctors couldn’t get. Tommy didn’t want to spend his last few months with his best friends sick from treatments that wouldn’t help. I think what Tommy appreciated most about you two was how you never looked at him in pity. His whole life other kids looked at him with either disdain or pity, and he couldn’t stand the thought of seeing that in your eyes. Tommy was going to die that night. And he wanted to do it with you two there, having the time of your lives. Of course, his mother and I didn’t know it at the time. We didn’t find it out until months later when we found a letter from him while we were packing. It had fallen behind between counters in the kitchen. Tommy planned his death. He wanted to die seeing pride in your eyes and feeling like he truly belonged.”
Wade and Colton looked at one another, still confused. Wade looked back at Victor as tears began to appear around his eyes. “I don’t understand, Mr. Greeley.…”
“Tommy planned to die in that arena on that bull. Do you see?”
“But how? How did he know the bull would get out?”
Victor sniffed. “I’m afraid that’s something I couldn’t tell you, but I’m sure my Tommy found a way. He was the smartest of all of us, you know.”
Wade sat back and looked up at the ceiling. Colton rubbed his face and leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. “He must have unlatched the gate while we were checking the ropes.” He sat back and looked at Wade.
Mr. Greeley picked up an envelope lying on the table next to him. “He left this for you boys. I have to admit that I was too angry to give it to you. I am sorry. I should have given this to you as soon as I found it. They were in the envelope he left for his mom and me, addressed to you. Wade, you had already left for the circuit when I found it. I’m ashamed to say that I wanted you two to feel guilty, like you could have done something to stop my boy. I needed someone to blame and it was too painful to blame the son I had lost. I’m sorry it took so long for me to give this to you. You can thank this bulldog lawyer for tracking me down. I let my shame keep me f
rom reaching out. I wanted to so many times, but I had convinced myself that you had moved on, that you had forgotten Tommy. Miss Tisdale here told me that wasn’t the case.”
Wade and Colton looked at Mallory as if seeing her for the first time. For the first time since they’d arrived, she spoke.
“I just couldn’t accept that you two would continue to blame yourselves and each other. I needed to find some way to make you believe it wasn’t your fault, some way to heal. I had no idea where this would take me.”
“But how did you find all this out? How did you know where to find Mr. Greeley?” Colton asked.
Mallory’s eyes focused on Colton’s. “I’m good at what I do. I shouldn’t have to keep telling you that. I, um, tricked Cindy into letting me see Tommy’s hospital records.” She glanced at Victor, who just smiled. “And I found information about his cancer. But that’s all I knew at that point. I wasn’t sure Tommy was even aware that he was dying. Then I contacted Mrs. McCall’s daughter who had contact info for the Greeleys right after they moved. It was just luck that Mr. Greeley here was still at that number.”
“As soon as she told me why she was calling, I knew the time had come to take the weight off my shoulders, to be able to move on.”
Everyone talked in the Williamson living room for another hour, sharing stories about Tommy with each other, sharing their grief. Finally, Mr. Greeley stood. “Well, I guess you two have some processing to do,” he said to Wade and Colton and then turned to Mallory. “Miss Tisdale, thank you for this. Now, do you need me to take you back to your home?”
Mallory looked questioningly at Wade, but Colton spoke, “Yes, please, Mr. Greeley. I think Wade and I here have a few things to talk about. I’ll see you at home, little sister.”
A few minutes later, Wade carried two beers to the porch, were Colton sat in a rocking chair, staring off into the distance. He handed him the beer and sat in a rocking chair next to him, taking a long swig. Neither man spoke for several minutes.
Finally, Colton’s voice interrupted the silence. “Nothing can heal a broken heart…or a broken friendship overnight, brother.”
Wade nodded. Both men continued to watch the setting sun.
“But they can be healed.”
Wade looked at Colton who turned to him.
“It may take some time before we’ve forgiven each other.”
“And ourselves,” said Wade.
Colton nodded. “And ourselves…but Tommy is worth that, don’t you think?”
Wade took another drink of his beer and answered, “Tommy is worth it all, Colton. I don’t know if I can go back to the way I was before that night…but I can’t go back to the Wade I’ve been these last ten years either.”
Both men drifted back into silence and turned back to the sun as it slid over the horizon, enjoying the quiet friendship between them.
* * *
Mallory was sitting on the porch when Colton returned home around a couple of hours later. Tommy leaned back against the railing and looked at his sister as if seeing her for the first time. “You just can’t keep your nose out of everyone else’s business, can you?”
Mallory frowned and Colton walked over to her, leaned down, and kissed her on her forehead. “Lucky for all of us.” Then he went inside the house, leaving Mallory in the dark.
* * *
Wade had not gone back inside since Colton had left. Both his mother and his father had spent a few minutes talking with him before heading into the den to watch some late-night television. Wade sat by himself until almost ten before he got up from his chair and walked over to the guest wing where he had been staying. He pulled out his phone to look at the time and started to put the phone down on his night stand but picked it back up and dialed.
“Hello?” Mallory answered on the first ring.
“I guess I at least owe you some thanks,” he said as he sat on the bed and turned on the lamp.
“You owe me more than that, Wade Williamson.”
He grinned. “That I do, Mallory Tisdale. How about dinner tomorrow night, eight o’clock? I’ll pick you up.”
“Make it seven,” she replied.
“Okay, seven then. And wear something pretty,” he added.
Mallory scoffed. “As if I had anything that wasn’t pretty.”
“True. I know for a fact, you can even make mud look pretty.”
“You bet your life, cowboy,” she laughed. “See you tomorrow night, seven o’clock. Don’t be late.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Chapter 10
Mallory fidgeted nervously in her cozy living room as she watched the clock, willing the hands to move faster and seven o’clock to come more quickly. She had been walking on air all day, thinking of nothing but kissing Wade Williamson again. Had it just been yesterday that she had feared they’d never share another kiss like that one a couple of weeks ago? Nothing had prepared her for the sheer delight, the hope, the rightness of Wade’s kiss. And she had a feeling she had only scratched the surface of what Wade’s kiss could do.
She had rushed through the day, trying to focus on finishing work so she could get ready for her date tonight. She laughed, remembering the look on old man Crantree’s face as she asked him to take the Trotter twins on their twilight ride; the oldest benefactor of the 4-H always had commented how nice it would be to take his granddaughters out for their usual trot along County Line Road, but since Mallory liked that ride, she usually waved him off, suggesting some other time. Guess tonight was definitely going to be “Some Other Time.”
After confirming he could do it, she was out of her office as fast as she could move. She’d gone straight home, had a long and luxurious bath, blown out her hair, applied her makeup, and carefully chosen her outfit for the night. She didn’t to be too over the top—this was Cherish after all—but this was going to be their last first date together, and she wanted to make an impression. Finally settling on a simple wraparound skirt with a soft green sweater that set off her eyes to their best advantage, she had sat down with a glass of wine to wait for her date.
While she waited, she began playing the evening over in her mind. Was she going to be the demure, hold-the-line woman that Colton, and probably half the town wanted, expected her to be? Or maybe she should stop over thinking and just go for it. On the one hand, most would agree she was too serious, she deserved a little light-hearted fun, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had anything close to hot, steamy, passionate sex. Something told her that was exactly what she would get with Wade Williamson if she ever took the plunge. It wouldn’t be her fault that seeing Wade had brought to mind all the vivid daydreams she’d been having about him over the last month. Visions of him caressing her skin, kissing trails down her body from her neck to her most intimate parts. How was she supposed to remain looking him in the eye while thinking all of that?
Is it seven o’clock yet?
She couldn’t deny that she was tempted by the idea—it was just the practicalities that worried her. She had only been intimate like this once before. She knew this was what she wanted, but somehow this felt rushed. She knew what she wanted, knew he was what she wanted, but still she wavered. The question now remained only how was she to stop herself from falling too deeply into this, into his arms? Quietly, she prayed for a miracle.
* * *
Wade hadn’t driven his own truck in more than a month, the big 5-speed turbo being just too tough to steer with the metal contraption. Now that it was gone, it might be time to take his faithful companion for a spin. He checked it; it had plenty of fuel. He had an hour to kill, so he headed back to the house and hit the showers.
An hour later, Wade was dressed to the nines. He had dragged out his jet-black Wranglers, the mamba Ariat boots (that probably wasn’t their name; he just thought of black snakeskin boots as being mambas, going all the way back to his GI Joe days), a classic cowboy bib shirt—crimson with the ivory piping—and the one truly rare hat he owned, an Ivory Stets
on. Not his usual color, but on a day like this, he was changing everything. He was taking it easy; there would be no craziness tonight, and he wasn’t even going to drink.
The only thought that consumed his mind was Mallory.
Memories of her taunts, back when she was just a kid. He thought of her as she went to ride the fences, take care of calves and cattle. A countrywoman, born and bred. Her love of the life that he had embraced caused his heart to yearn even more for this woman to be his.
The next thing he knew, he was in the big Hemi, cruising down the road toward destiny, “Settle for a Slowdown” rolling low on the stereo.
* * *
Colton came into the living room, stood in the doorway, gazing at his little sister. He held on to her memory, the little girl who was afraid of snakes, the dark, and clowns. She was looking out the window, watching the long drive to their house.
He realized how little life he had let Mallory live when she was younger. She never rode the Divide with other kids like he had done with Tommy and Wade. She had been too young when they did it, and when she was older, she was already trying to get her grades ready for a college life.
Even when she’d gone to college, she hadn’t really “spread her wings.” He called her every week, kept her apprised of what was going on with every horse deal he had working. He wouldn’t let her have a life…he had a busy enough life for the both of them.
He knew about the deal with James, how it was not working as planned, despite all the glowing reports Mallory had been giving to Mom and Dad. His eyes started to cloud up.
Now, finally, he could relax. Despite his best efforts, the miracle that he needed to make his life make sense was finally coming true. In that moment, his gaze toward his sister caught that magical moment when she saw Wade’s truck on the road. He would remember that look for the rest of his life, because that look was pure, unadulterated joy.
* * *
Wade pulled up and watched Mallory come out onto the porch. She took his breath away. She was a vision. He got out and met her at the steps, then he helped her into his truck and went back around to the driver’s side. When he climbed in, she had already scooted across the bench seat, despite the stick shift. She’d even buckled the middle seatbelt across her midsection.
Cherished Love (Cherished Cowboys 1) Page 10