Sapphires And Sagebrush (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots)

by Danni Lee Nicholls

  As the evening wore into night, Cressa’s mother began drifting off to sleep while sitting in her chair.

  Rising from her place, Cressa went to her side. “I think it’s time for bed,” Cressa said.

  Her mother sleepily agreed, and Cressa helped her parents down the hall, reminding them they would be sleeping in the guest bedroom.

  “I’ll mention it if she wakes in the night.” Her father closed the door to their room.

  As soon as her parents were settled, Cressa joined Spencer, who had switched off the television.

  “I’ll be here early, before you leave for work, so they can get used to the idea of me working in their bathroom. Andrew will be taking care of the livestock, so I’ll have breakfast with you and pass the baton to him when he gets in the house.”

  Cressa nodded, anxiety rising from deep within.

  “Don’t worry,” Spencer murmured as he pulled Cressa close.

  “Seems like anxiety is my go-to emotion these days,” Cressa replied. “It’s become so normal I hardly recognize it anymore, except in its absence, which rarely happens.”

  “Is it just because of your folks?” Spencer asked.

  “No. I think it’s always been there, but that I’m just starting to see it. I think it might be why working in the ER was so hard on me.”

  Spencer gave her a slight smile. “How would you like to feel something other than anxiety?”

  Cressa’s heart stilled as the warmth of Spencer’s arms offered an invitation. “Like what?” she whispered.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe we could do some exploring.” He cradled the back of her head in his palm and brought her mouth up to his.

  Cressa’s lips yielded to Spencer’s kiss and the taste of sugar. The dim memory of kissing Owen intruded on Cressa’s thoughts, but it was nothing more than a flicker before it was extinguished. Here, in the warm glimmer of Spencer, Owen paled like the rest of her colorless past. She pulled Spencer closer.

  “Now, what do you feel?” Spencer whispered in her ear.

  Cressa kept her eyes closed as Spencer’s five-o’clock shadow rubbed against her cheek. “I feel like kissing you some more,” she breathed.

  Spencer bent over her. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he murmured right before his mouth found her lips once again.

  This time his kiss held more urgency, and Cressa welcomed it. Slowly, the defenses guarding her bleak emotional terrain crumbled and surrendered to the light of passion and love Spencer offered.

  Nineteen

  Spencer stood on Lindsey’s front porch, holding a wrapped box of a variety of dinosaurs as a birthday gift for Lindsey’s son, Sam. He was looking forward to spending some extra time with Kimber. Even if it was taking place with Lyla’s family, he appreciated her reaching out with this invitation. He had explained everything to Cressa, and even though she was uncertain, she agreed that he needed to spend this extra time with Kimber.

  As he stood on Lindsey’s front porch, a sad ache radiated from his chest. He missed being a part of Kimber’s everyday life that involved birthday parties, school stories, and chicken dinosaurs.

  Ringing the bell, he heard the sound of small feet racing toward the entry. Lindsey opened the door and greeted him with a stiff kiss on the cheek. “Sam’s been looking forward to seeing you,” she said as she plucked the gift from Spencer’s arm, making room for Kimber, who launched herself at her father.

  “Daddy! It’s Sam’s birthday, and he’s five! When am I going to be five?”

  Spencer held Kimber close. “Let’s see. You’ll be five in … sixty days,” he said.

  She frowned. “Why do I have to wait? I want a birthday party now.”

  Lyla joined them. “She’s already had a little too much sugar, and we haven’t even had cake and ice cream yet.”

  Spencer gave his ex-wife a knowing look as the little girl clamored to get down.

  Sam took Kimber’s place in Spencer’s arms and began telling his uncle all their plans for the afternoon. It was enough to make Spencer’s head spin. First, there was going to be pony rides, and then there would be games. Then, Sam explained, he would open presents, and they would finish with ice cream and cake.

  “You know Lindsey,” Lyla side-whispered to Spencer. “It’s got to be the best birthday bash in town.”

  “Yeah. I know Lindsey,” Spencer replied in the same murmuring voice. He put Sam down and glanced at his sister-in-law, who was organizing the children in groups for the drive to the pony farm.

  “I’m going with Daddy!” Kimber yelled at the top of her lungs.

  Lyla glanced at him. “Can we press you into service?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Lyla replied.

  A small nub of irritation rubbed under Spencer’s skin, but he let it go. The chaos made it difficult to object, and there was no reason to make a big deal out of having Lyla in his truck for a short drive when her generosity was what allowed him to be here.

  When the door opened, the kids burst from the house like spray from a fire hose as Lindsey’s carefully planned groups fell into complete disarray. But soon, everyone was corralled, and Kimber was tucked in her car seat with Lyla sitting next to Spencer.

  Spencer waited for Lyla to bring up Cressa. He was sure Kimber had mentioned their time together at the park and their conversation about Cressa as Spencer’s girlfriend, but Lyla said nothing. Maybe she understood that it was time for him to move on.

  He relaxed a little as they reached the pony farm and each child was placed in a saddle with an adult to lead the horse. Kimber straddled a small and gentle piebald paint. Holding on to the small saddle horn, the little girl giggled and laughed while stroking the mane of her pony. It was such a joy to see her happy among her family and childhood friends, and Spencer’s appreciation for Lyla grew as his ex-wife laughed with their daughter and helped her get used to sitting on her pony. Once Kimber was settled, Lyla left her with Spencer in order to help Lindsey manage some of the other children.

  Spencer’s heart grew tender as Lyla managed a couple of children who were a little afraid. Through careful listening skills and common sense, she was able to get the kids in their saddles.

  After everyone was settled on their pony, Lyla came to Spencer. “We should take some pictures, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah. Good idea.” Each parent took a turn cozying up next to Kimber on her pony while the other snapped photos.

  Lindsey came by. “How are things going?” she asked. “Kimber doing okay?”

  “She’s great!” Lyla replied.

  “Hey, how about if I take some pictures of the three of you?” Lindsey suggested.

  “Sure!” Lyla replied as she sidled up to Spencer and Kimber. Standing next to Spencer, she placed her arms around his waist and cuddled up against his chest.

  The soft and familiar warmth of Lyla’s arms radiated through Spencer as he placed his free arm around Kimber, creating a sweet triangle of a family. Standing there, in the intimate affection of his ex-wife and daughter, the bittersweet awareness of everything that stood between them filled him. He missed the casual expectations of daily life. Still, this time it was different. Yes, he missed his family, but Cressa was offering a new start. A fresh and trusted beginning.

  He pulled his thoughts from Cressa as Lindsey took a couple of more photos.

  Lindsey handed him and Lyla their phones. “Make sure you send me a couple of those,” she told Lyla.

  Lyla nodded before turning back to Spencer. She ran her fingers up and down his spine, sending a shiver through his body that invited him to stay close even as he moved away.

  Toward the end of the afternoon, the kids were beginning to wear down, but Lindsey took one more family picture of the three of them. Kimber was dirty with a mix of horse and frosting. But Spencer felt the warmth of her grin as she peered at him with happy eyes and placed her small sticky hand in his.

  The sun was throwing long shadows over the land as
they were getting ready to leave. Spencer walked Lyla and Kimber to the Forerunner and helped place Kimber in her car seat.

  Straightening up, he looked over the hood of the car to see Lyla studying him. “What?” he asked.

  “Would you like to come home for dinner?”

  Spencer was silent for a minute as he mulled over the word “home.” He glanced into the back seat where Kimber sat waiting before turning his gaze back to Lyla. She was beautiful with her mussed blond hair that blew gently around her face, and her striking blue eyes looking at him with hopeful expectation. He smiled. “Thanks, but no,” he said. “I think I need a shower before I’d be fit to sit at anyone’s table.”

  “You can shower at home. Not that it matters. You’re always fit to sit at our table,” Lyla said softly, her eyes brimming with promise and hope.

  Spencer took in her graceful charm. Some part of him longed to go home, back to the day before Lyla cheated on him and he was in love with his wife and little family.

  That reality couldn’t be changed. Nor could the fact that Lyla’s actions had changed him. Her choices had left him bruised, scarred, and distrustful. It altered his feelings for Lyla, too. He might always love her, although he hoped not. But he didn’t respect her, and he had a sneaking suspicion that his earlier deep sense of devotion and regard was forever lost.

  “Thanks for the offer, Lyla. That’s very kind, but …” Spencer couldn’t come up with an excuse. “It’s better if I go on home.”

  Quietly, Lyla nodded and got into the Forerunner. Spencer was grateful that she didn’t press him. He stood next to his truck as Lyla pulled away, taking their daughter with her. A general ache settled in his chest, but he dismissed it as he climbed behind the wheel and started the engine and turned onto the road.

  Cressa offered him a new reality—that he was worthy of a good woman, and he could make her happy and, in the process, he could heal and find happiness himself. She was his future, even if he couldn’t quite put Lyla in his past.

  Twenty

  Cressa sat in the break room, eating her packed lunch and scrolling through her phone. This morning, her mother had been up early, helping her get ready for work. When Spencer and Andrew arrived, everyone discussed the events of the day. Cressa paid close attention to her mother as the early morning marched on and smiled when she called Spencer “Mr. Sagebrush.”

  “Where did that come from?” Cressa asked.

  “He’s from Las Vegas.” Her mother turned toward Spencer. “Isn’t that right?”

  Spencer grinned at Janean before settling his smile on Cressa. “That’s absolutely right.”

  Cressa beamed at her mother and gave her a hug before asking Andrew if he would walk her to her car. Even though Cressa knew her mother would never recover from dementia, it was hard to purposely kill such a hardy and heartfelt desire. The only real hope was that her mother’s deterioration would be slow. And with her care, Andrew’s attention, and Spencer’s efforts, her mother was holding steady. Arriving at her vehicle, she stopped and looked at Andrew. “I just want to thank you for looking after my folks,” she said. “It’s made all the difference. They’re both thriving under your care.”

  Andrew beamed under the praise. “I’m glad to do it,” he replied. “It’s paid off in ways I hadn’t anticipated.” He looked down for a moment before meeting Cressa’s eyes again. “Can I ask something of you?”

  “Sure.”

  “You know I’m going to trial late next month.”

  Cressa became wary as her earlier warm feelings toward Andrew began to dissipate. “I remember.”

  “I’m thinking about entering a guilty plea.”

  Cressa nodded while holding her breath.

  Andrew continued, “Would you be willing to testify to the work I’ve done here? It might help the judge look favorably during the sentencing phase. I’m hoping to avoid jail altogether and instead be required to participate in community service and probation.”

  Questions swirled around Cressa. Was Andrew completely trustworthy? Had he simply taken on this job in hopes of securing Cressa’s testimony? As a local physician, her opinion would carry a lot of weight. Was she willing to put her reputation on the line? What if she’d been somehow duped?

  Guilt overshadowed her questions like a rising storm cloud, but she couldn’t shake her concerns. She let the silence ride.

  Andrew became fidgety, and Cressa traced a thread of irritation in his expression.

  “Look, don’t worry about it,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have asked. It’s just that—”

  She shook her head as she placed her hand on Andrew’s arm. “Let me think about it,” she said. “You’ve been invaluable. There’s no doubt about that, but I don’t really know the nature of your case, and that puts me at a disadvantage.” As her words tumbled out, Cressa was shocked at how they sounded. The cloud of guilt grew. Maybe she didn’t need to know about Andrew’s recent past. He was her cousin, and he’d offered help without any promise of payment. He’d been flexible and willing to sacrifice something he wanted for the greater good of her parents. How could she turn him down for such a simple request? Still, she hung back. “Look, I’ve got to get to work, but let me think about it. I probably don’t need to know anything about your case,” she said.

  Andrew bobbed his head in her direction as he moved back toward the house. She folded herself into her car and turned the key in the ignition.

  Now, sitting at the table in the break room at work, she was looking up Andrew’s case. There was no doubt of his guilt. He and his brother were caught in the middle of the night in someone else’s pasture, attempting to push cows into the McPherson trailer.

  Cressa sighed. How responsible was Andrew for this crime? In her home, his behavior was respectful, thoughtful, and caring. Was Joshua the ringleader of all of this?

  Lindsey sat next to Cressa, breaking her train of thought. “How was your weekend?” Lindsey asked.

  Cressa shrugged, not wanting to share much with Lindsey. “Pretty good.”

  “You know, my son’s birthday was Saturday. We had a huge party. Would you like to see some pictures?”

  “Sure.” Cressa put her phone down, pushing all thoughts of Andrew far away as she focused on Lindsey. She was curious to see photos from the party Spencer attended with Kimber.

  Lindsey pulled out her phone and began scrolling through pictures of children with their parents. Cressa’s stomach clenched when she saw Spencer amid the rambunctious mob of little ones, standing next to his ex-wife, who was stunningly beautiful with a full head of shiny blonde hair and violet-blue eyes that laughed at the camera.

  Cressa sat up in her chair and peered at the images that Lindsey scrolled.

  “Oh! Here’s my sister with her ex and their daughter, Kimber.” Lindsey stopped scrolling, allowing the picture to stay on the screen. “Kimber was riding a pony. Gosh, she was happy.”

  Lindsey slowly scrolled to the next photo. Cressa stared unblinking at the image of Spencer, cheek to cheek with his ex-wife while Kimber grinned astride a pony. Spencer smiled widely as he and his ex-wife both had one arm around Kimber, his ex-wife’s hand linked through the crook of his arm.

  “You’ve not met my sister, have you?” Lindsey said. “Her name is Lyla. She’s older than me.”

  Cressa willed her stomach to give up the knot, but it held fast as she tried to pull in a deep breath. “She’s beautiful,” she murmured.

  “Yeah. She and Spencer made a wonderful couple. And when they had Kimber, they were such a cute little family.”

  Cressa bottled up all of her anxiety and gave Lindsey a look of mild interest. “What happened?”

  “She made a mistake. One small mistake, and he divorced her. She’d do anything to get back together with him. It’d be best for their little girl, don’t you think?”

  She continued to scroll through pictures and pointing out other events and people, but Cressa didn’t see any of it. Her mind was reeling fro
m the photos of Spencer so cozy with his beautiful ex-wife, and the happy grin Kimber threw at the camera from the safety of her parents’ arms. Cressa couldn’t deny Lindsey’s truth. If Kimber’s parents could reconcile, it would be best for her and maybe the whole family.

  She swallowed hard as Lindsey wrapped up the photo gallery with a laugh. “Lyla’s a great mom, but she’s more low-key with Kimber than I am with my kiddos. She and Kimber color together and watch movies. For her fourth birthday, Lyla, Spencer, my husband Jordan, and I took a bunch of littles fishing. If you don’t think that wasn’t a hoot, Spencer and Jordan had to bait all the hooks. We hadn’t quite thought that part out.” She laughed.

  Cressa managed a smile.

  Lindsey placed her phone back in her purse. “Well, I should let you finish your lunch so you can get back to work. Thanks for letting me show you my pictures. I’m so proud of my family.”

  “Well, they’re a cute bunch,” Cressa managed. “You should be proud.” She stood, stashing her phone in her purse before returning everything to her locker while confusion jumbled her thoughts.

  Cressa hadn’t seen or talked to Spencer much after the party, but when she texted him later that day, asking him how things went, he replied that it was head-spinning but Kimber had a great time. He hadn’t sent any pictures, and maybe Cressa knew why. It was obvious from the closeness Spencer and Lyla shared that their relationship went beyond co-parenting. If Cressa didn’t know better, she could easily believe that Spencer was still in love with his ex-wife.

  Twenty-One

  The rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur for Cressa, but by the time she climbed in her car to battle a spring snow squall, her decision was made. She would tell Spencer she couldn’t see him any longer. If he loved his ex-wife, she didn’t want to be the third point in a love triangle, and she wanted to spare Kimber the heartache of growing up in a divided home. She would just have to ice that part of her that had fallen in love with him.