Cowboy at the Crossroads

by Linda Warren

  “Dr. Becca Talbert?”

  Becca recognized that voice. For the past year and at the oddest times, she’d seen his face and the sadness in his eyes. “Yes,” she answered readily.

  “This is Cord Prescott.”

  She already knew that. But why was he calling her after a whole year without a word? She hadn’t seen him since his wife’s funeral.

  “You may not remember me,” he said. “I’m Colton’s brother.”

  “Yes, I remember you, Cord, and your little girl. How are you?” Over the past year she’d often asked Colton about Cord and his daughter. He always said they were “trying to adjust.”

  “Not good,” he answered. “But I know you’re a pediatrician and I thought you might be able to help me with Nicki.” He paused and she could hear him drag in a deep breath. “I've taken her to several doctors, even a child psychologist, but she won’t talk to them. She insists on staying in her room, and she’s hardly eating. She’s lost so much weight I can’t stand it. She won’t talk about her mother. I think she’s making herself physically ill with grief. I’d really like to get your professional opinion.”

  “Of course. I’d be glad to help any way I can,” Becca said instantly, her heart heavy at the thought of what Cord was going through.

  There was another long pause. “Nicki doesn’t do well in an office setting. I was hoping I could persuade you to come out to the ranch and see her.”

  Dear Reader,

  Cowboy at the Crossroads is about Becca Talbert who first appeared in Emily’s Daughter. I’ve been asked so many times when Becca’s story is coming out. This is it. The wait is over.

  Plotting Becca’s life wasn’t easy. She has this marching-in-where-angels-fear-to-tread personality. So how would the trauma of finding out about her birth affect her? Would she continue to feel angry and resentful or would she accept her life and make the most of it? And—equally important—what type of man would steal her heart? Those questions took me some time to sort through, and Cowboy at the Crossroads will give you the answers. It may not be what you expect, but I hope you’ll enjoy this journey with Becca as she finds love and happiness—her way.

  Thanks for reading my books.

  Linda Warren

  P.S. Your mail is always welcome. You can reach me at P.O. Box 5182, Bryan, TX 77805 or e-mail at LW1508@aol.com.

  Books by Linda Warren

  HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE

  893—THE TRUTH ABOUT JANE DOE

  935—DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

  991—STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART

  1016—EMILY’S DAUGHTER

  1049—ON THE TEXAS BORDER

  Cowboy at the Crossroads

  Linda Warren

  To my sisters-in-law, Sondra Siegert, LaVal Siegert, Melinda Siegert, Sandra Lenz and Betty Patranella, who have supported me wholeheartedly from the start. Thanks, ladies.

  And thanks to Dr. Mark Fuller, DVM, and Randy Rychlik, paramedic, who shared their expert knowledge.

  Any errors are strictly mine.

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  PROLOGUE

  WHAT SHOULD SHE SAY TO HIM?

  Rebecca Talbert knew she had to say something, but when she looked at Cordell Prescott words eluded her. He sat on the sofa in a dark suit with his elbows on his knees and his hands clutching a glass of punch. That expression of loss and sadness twisted her stomach into a hard knot.

  She hated funerals, especially when the person was so young and had died so needlessly. Anette Prescott’s death from alcohol poisoning had left not only a grieving widower, but a motherless four-year-old girl. Becca had never met Anette; in fact, this was the first time she’d actually met Cord. She knew Clay and Colton, his brothers; they were business associates of her father. Her parents were in Europe and she’d attended the funeral in their place. But she would have come, anyway, because she and Colton were close friends. There’d been a time she’d thought their relationship would develop into more, but the passion just wasn’t there. And she wanted that passion, the kind of deep, lasting love her parents shared. Based on her relationships to date, she had a feeling she was going to grow old looking for it.

  Becca took a sip of her punch and glanced around. They were in the large family room of the Prescott ranch house, a room that was attractively rustic with wood beams on the ceiling, a stone fireplace and hardwood floors. Colton had told her the ranch-style two-story house had been built by his great-grandfather in the 1800s and there’d been Prescotts here ever since. Cord was the rancher in the family; he’d continued to run Triple Creek, while his brothers had opted for another way of life in the city.

  As the grandfather clock chimed, Becca realized she had to leave, and soon. She was on duty at the hospital in an hour, and it was a thirty-minute drive back to Houston. She set her glass on a table. It was now or never. She had to offer her condolences to Cord, then make her way out to where the cars were parked. A few family and friends had returned to the ranch after the funeral, and Colton had insisted she come, although Becca felt a bit out of place.

  She took a deep breath and walked over to the sofa. When she sat beside Cord, he didn’t move or acknowledge her presence.

  “I’m so sorry about your wife,” she said. It sounded lame even to her own ears. He’d probably heard those words a hundred times today.

  He still hadn’t responded, so she started to get up. She didn’t want to cause him any more stress than necessary.

  Then his voice came. “I just wish I understood. Why? Why did this happen? Anette never drank that much. I just don’t understand it. And Nicki…” As he said his daughter’s name, his voice cracked.

  Becca did what she would have done with anyone who was in that much pain. She put her arms around him. He murmured something she didn’t hear, and to her surprise, his arms locked tightly around her. She knew he had had a drink and she didn’t know what he’d done with it. Nor did she care. She only wanted to comfort him.

  As his arms tightened, she became aware of his strength and the tangy masculine scent that filled her nostrils. He was different from his brothers—in appearance, in manner, in aspiration. Clay and Colton had blond curly hair and blue eyes. Cord’s hair was a darker blond with a slight curl and his eyes were brown. He also had a stylish mustache. Colton said that Cord took after their father with his love of the land. His brothers were businessmen and had never returned to the ranch after leaving for college, whereas Cord didn’t want any other life. His manner, too, revealed a directness, a simple honesty that was quite removed from his brothers’ more polished charm.

  Becca didn’t know how long they sat there with Cord holding on to her like a lifeline. She didn’t mind. He needed to hold someone and he probably wasn’t even aware of who she was. How could Anette Prescott do this to him? she found herself wondering. Cord seemed so family-oriented, and he obviously worshiped his little girl. From what Colton had told her, she knew Anette had been in a state of depression. She’d always wanted a child and had gone through several fertility procedures before she conceived Nicki. But once the baby was born, she sank into postpartum depression. Since it had continued for at least four years
, it had obviously turned into a psychiatric disorder, maybe hormonal in cause, maybe not. She apparently functioned reasonably well, so it wasn’t clinical, but she should have had some form of therapy. She could’ve gotten treatment, done something besides drink herself to death. Becca knew her opinion was tempered because of her medical training and because of the man trembling in her arms. But like Cord, she didn’t understand.

  “Mr. Prescott.” A woman’s voice interrupted them. “I can’t find Nicki. I’ve looked everywhere.”

  Cord drew away and got to his feet. He stood at least six foot two, much taller than his brothers. “Don’t worry, I’ll find her,” he said in a tired voice. “She’s been hiding a lot since her mother…” He stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

  Becca also stood, her heart aching for this man. “I’m sure she’ll feel better when she sees you,” she said softly.

  He blinked distractedly at her. “Thank you, Becca,” he murmured, walking away.

  He knows who I am. It was silly, but she couldn’t shake the warm feeling that gave her.

  She hurried over to Colton. “I’ve got to get back to Houston,” she told him.

  “I know, and I appreciate your coming.” Frowning, Colton ran one hand through his blond hair; until recently he’d worn it shoulder-length and she guessed he wasn’t used to this newly short style. “I saw you talking to Cord. Did he say anything?”

  “Just that he doesn’t understand why this happened.”

  “Yeah, none of us do.” He shrugged. “Cord keeps everything inside. Doesn’t let his feelings out. We’re worried about him.”

  “Cord will be fine.” Blanche, Colton’s mother, spoke up. Becca had never met Blanche before today. She’d heard Colton talk about her for years, and it was quite an experience meeting her in the flesh. In her sixties, she dressed as if she were much younger. She wore a tight-fitting black dress that ended four inches above her knees. The plunging neckline showed off her ample breasts and the diamonds around her neck. Her bleached blond hair was styled in a stiff pageboy, but no amount of artifice could hide the aging on her face.

  “Anette was never right for him, anyway,” Blanche was saying. “She hated the ranch and the cows and horses. I never figured she’d take the easy way out, though. I wonder who she thought was gonna take care of that kid upstairs. It certainly isn’t gonna be me.”

  As Blanche walked off, hips swaying, Colton remarked with raised eyebrows, “Charming, isn’t she?”

  Becca didn’t say anything. She could only stare after the woman in stunned silence. Blanche was crude and unbelievably hard-hearted. Still, Becca didn’t know why she was surprised; she knew the story of Blanche Duffy and Claybourne Prescott. Blanche had married Claybourne when she was eighteen. He’d been sixty. It wasn’t a love match—she’d wanted security and he’d wanted a son. His first wife and eldest daughter had died in a car accident. His second daughter, Edith, was still alive and in her seventies. She lived on the ranch, and Colton had mentioned that the relationship between Blanche and Edith was strained. Having met both ladies, Becca had no problem imagining the situation. Edith was a quiet, demure person, and Becca was sure that Blanche made her life a living hell. The Prescott family was an eccentric group, to say the least.

  She kissed Colton’s cheek. “Talk to you later.”

  “I’ll call when I get back to Houston,” he said.

  Becca wished again that there was a spark between them. But they were just friends. Not for the first time, she wondered how Colton felt about her—whether he hoped for more than the easy companionship they now shared. They never discussed their relationship, but since Colton had opened a branch office of his computer company in Houston, they spent a lot of evenings and weekends together. Colton was almost forty, and if he harbored feelings for her, they had to talk about it. Why was she thinking about this today? she asked herself as she went into the foyer to get her purse. She and Colton had a good friendship and they were both adult enough to accept that. She glanced at her watch—three-ten. She’d better get moving.

  Before she could reach the front door, she saw a small bare foot sticking out of a partially opened closet. It had to be Nicki. Becca opened the door and found a little blond girl sitting on the floor. Her curls were everywhere and her pink nightgown was wrinkled. She clung to a doll that was as big as she was.

  “Hi,” Becca said.

  Nicki didn’t answer. She buried her face in the doll’s hair.

  “Your daddy’s looking for you.”

  At the mention of her father, Nicki raised her head. Her eyes were brown and filled with the same sadness Becca had seen in Cord’s.

  “I can’t find my mommy,” Nicki said in a tiny voice. “Daddy said she went to heaven, but I can’t find her.”

  Becca’s heart crumbled inside her, and she dropped to the floor and gathered the child into her arms, just as she’d done with her father. Nicki nestled against her.

  “My mommy tells me a story,” Nicki whimpered. “I can’t sleep until Mommy tells me a story.”

  “I can tell you a story,” Becca murmured, gently brushing blond curls away from Nicki’s face. “I have a brother who’s seven and I tell him stories. He likes the ones about monsters and dragons.”

  Nicki shook her head. “I don’t like monsters. They ’care me.”

  “What kind of stories do you like?”

  “The princess one” was her quick answer. “The princess with the fairy godmother.”

  Why did every little girl love that story? Just wait, little princess, life will change your mind. There are no fairy godmothers in this world. And as for princes, forget it. They’re all frogs. God, was that cynical or what? She didn’t actually feel that way, did she?

  She searched her mind, trying to remember the story. “Once upon a time there was a girl named Cinderella. She lived with her wicked stepmom and mean stepsisters. They made her scrub the floors and do the laundry, and they were very unkind to her.”

  “That was bad,” Nicki said.

  “Very bad,” Becca agreed. “Then one day her fairy godmother changed Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful dress, and a handsome prince came and saved her from the wicked stepmother. They rode off into the sunset on his big horse and lived happily ever after.” That was a drastically shortened version, but it seemed to satisfy Nicki.

  Nicki stared at her with wide eyes. “My daddy rides a horse. Is he the prince?”

  Before Becca could form a response, Cord appeared in the doorway. “Nicki, baby, I’ve been looking all over for you.” He reached down and drew Nicki out of Becca’s arms. As he did, his hand brushed against her breast, and a current of warmth shot through her whole body. This was crazy! His touch was innocent and unintentional and didn’t mean a thing. Her emotions were just highly charged.

  Nicki hid her face against Cord’s shoulder, still clutching the doll. Cord stretched out his hand to Becca. She placed her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. As soon as he released her, she straightened her black dress with as much dignity as she could and picked up her purse.

  “I can’t find Mommy,” Nicki whimpered.

  Cord winced, and Becca could see that he was trying to maintain his own composure. “I know, baby, I know,” he whispered, dropping a kiss on Nicki’s head.

  Becca had a hard time controlling her own emotions.

  “Thanks, Becca,” Cord said. “I’ve got to get this one to bed.” He kissed Nicki’s cheek and headed for the staircase.

  Becca stared after him with one thought on her mind. Yes, Cordell Prescott is a prince.

  CHAPTER ONE

  One year later

  “I WANT BABIES AND A HUSBAND, and preferably not in that order,” Rebecca said as she took a swallow of champagne.

  “You’ve had too much to drink,” her friend Ginger replied, studying the bubbles in her own glass. “Or maybe not enough,” she added reaching for the bottle on the coffee table. They were in Becca’s apartment after a big night of c
elebrating.

  “Why aren’t I happy, Gin?” Becca asked woefully. “I just finished my residency in pediatrics. I should be happy, ecstatic. All the hard work’s behind me and now I can treat children like I’ve always planned. I don’t understand why I’m not happier.”

  “Maybe you didn’t do it for yourself,” Ginger muttered. “Go to medical school, I mean.”

  Becca’s head jerked up. “What are you talking about?”

  “Maybe you did it for Emily and Jackson. Ever since you found out they’re your real parents, you’ve been trying to be the perfect daughter—doing everything to be the daughter they wanted. But hell, Bec, no one’s perfect. Not even you.”

  “You’re drunk,” Becca said, refusing to believe a word Gin was saying. At seventeen, she’d found out that Emily, the sister she adored, was really her mother and that Rose, her grandmother and the woman she’d believed to be her mother, was not. It had been a traumatic time, but she’d adjusted.

  “Maybe.” Gin hiccuped. “But the truth is a hard pill to swallow.”

  “I’ve wanted to be a doctor ever since I can remember,” Becca said defiantly. “Finding out about my birth had nothing to do with it.”

  “Yeah, you started saying that in first grade. I want to be a doctor like my sister. Then bam, you find out your sister’s really your mother and you have to be a doctor. There wasn’t any other choice for you.”

  Becca stared at Gin with a mutinous expression. They’d been best friends since kindergarten and they knew each other better than anyone. Gin always spoke her mind, and that sometimes got on Becca’s nerves—as it did now. She hadn’t gone to medical school to please her parents. Or had she? God, she needed more champagne. She grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass.

  “You’re wrong, Gin,” she murmured under her breath.

  “Let me ask you a question,” Gin said as she twisted her glass. “You have a month off before you join Dr. Arnold’s practice in July. What do you plan to do with that time?”