Her Lone Cowboy

by Patricia Forsythe

  “Thank...thank you.” Laney felt some of her anger turn to pity as she looked at Monette.

  Juan returned to say the paramedics were on the way. He and Susan sat down to wait with Monette who was slumped in her chair.

  Laney left the room with the sound of Monette’s sobs ringing in her ears.

  * * *

  SUSAN MARTINEZ BROUGHT Sam home that afternoon. Laney, who had been pacing and checking out the window every few minutes, ran out to greet her son. While she kissed and hugged him, checking him over from head to toe, the other woman cleared her throat and said, “I must apologize again for the department’s failure in regard to you and your son. We made a terrible mistake.”

  Laney picked Sam up and held him close. “I’ll say!”

  “I feel I must explain,” Susan went on. “I owe you that.” She paused as Laney nodded and then lowered Sam to the floor with whispered instructions to go play with his toys for a few minutes. He trundled off toward his toy box.

  “Ms. Berkley was supposed to be closing out her cases,” Susan began, “and getting ready to go on vacation starting Monday because—”

  “She was having a psychotic breakdown,” Laney interjected.

  The other woman had the grace to blush. Her gaze darted away but at last she said, “No, exhaustion, we thought. We had no idea... Every bit of paperwork she showed me was strictly in compliance with the DCS regulations, however—”

  “It was fabricated,” Laney interjected again.

  Susan nodded and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Not entirely. Every incident actually happened, but more than twenty years ago and to her brother Sean, who died when he was trampled by a horse belonging to their neglectful mother’s boyfriend. Sean was four and Monette was ten. Apparently she’s buried the incident in her mind for years, but it all came back last April when another child, a little girl, died in a similar way.”

  “And since she was already fixated on Sam, she became obsessed, thinking I was going to let the same thing happen to him,” Laney said, her heart breaking for the two children who’d died so tragically.

  “Yes,” Susan said. “And again, I’m so sorry about what happened to you and your son.”

  Laney knew the apology was sincere. But there was more she wanted to know. “At lunchtime, Monette was in an accident, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes,” Susan confirmed. “She went into a ditch, wasn’t wearing her seat belt. I never should have let her leave the office at noon, especially not in her car. I didn’t realize what a bad state she was in.”

  “I think she must have been covering it up for a long time. Thank God it happened after she’d dropped Sam off and that there were no other cars involved,” Laney said.

  Sam had left his toys and come back to cling to her thigh. She stroked his silky hair, then shook the other woman’s hand. “I’m sorry about all of this, too. I know yours is a hard job and I know you do your best for children. It must have become too much for Monette. I’m glad she’ll get the help she needs.”

  The woman nodded and left.

  As soon as her car pulled away, she went into the house where Sam jumped up from playing with his toys and asked, “Can we go see Bertie and Mr. Ransom? They want me to tell ’em I’m home.”

  Laney stared at him in dismay, not sure how to respond. It was obvious that whatever Caleb had said to Monette had been blown out of proportion by the troubled woman. “Let’s have dinner first and you can tell me all about where you stayed last night.”

  “They had a dog. He wasn’t as smart as Bertie, but he let me hug him and the lady let him sleep with me.”

  Tears filled Laney’s eyes and she swept him into her arms again, despite his protests. She buried her face in his tousled hair and kissed him, grateful to the foster mother who had tried to make her son feel at home.

  After a quick meal of Sam’s favorite grilled-cheese sandwiches, they walked together to Caleb’s place. Laney tried to formulate an apology as they went, but words seemed to be inadequate to make up for the way she had lashed out at him.

  As they came up the drive, they saw Chet Bartlett coming out of the barn. No sign of Caleb’s truck.

  “Hey, Laney,” he called. “Everything all right?”

  “We’re looking for Caleb.”

  “And Bertie,” Sam added.

  “I can tell you where Bertie is, Sam. He’s at my house. Caleb dropped him off last night, asked us to take care of him for a few days because he had some business out of town.” Chet glanced around. “I only stopped by to check on things.”

  “Did he say where he was going?”

  “No. Sorry, Laney. And he didn’t say when he’d be back.” With a wave, Chet climbed into his truck and drove off.

  Sam’s small hand crept into hers. “Do you think Mr. Ransom will come back?” he asked in a quivery voice.

  Regret was bitter in her mouth as she looked at the ranch through the gathering dusk. Even though she may have squandered the right to tell Caleb she loved him, she at least wanted to tell him she was sorry. “I hope so, Sammy. We’ll have to wait and see.”

  His bottom lip stuck out. “I don’t like wait and see.”

  “I don’t, either, honey, but at least we can probably go play with Bertie tomorrow.” That cheered Sam up and he gave a little hop of joy as they started back toward home.

  * * *

  TWO DAYS LATER Laney was standing in her kitchen, staring into the refrigerator and trying to decide what to make for dinner, when she heard a scuffling noise on the back porch.

  Sam, who’d been sitting at the table creating a structure out of his colored plastic building blocks, scooted from his chair.

  “Bertie!” he yelled and dashed for the screen door. Swinging it open, he flung his arms around the dog, who happily returned the love with a mighty swipe of his tongue to the boy’s cheek and ear. Sam fell back laughing and then jumped up to wrap himself around the leg of the tall man who loomed in the doorway.

  “Mr. Ransom, where’ve you been? Me and Bertie thought you was never coming home!”

  “I had some things to take care of, buddy.”

  Laney’s heart leaped into her throat and began pounding as she watched Caleb hunker down and scoop Sam up. He gave him a hug, then opened the screen and looked at her over the top of her son’s head.

  His face was in shadow, but when he stepped into the light of the kitchen and looked at her, his eyes were clear and steady. “Hi,” he said. “Okay if I come in?”

  “Yes, of course,” she answered around the lump in her throat.

  Sam started to wiggle and Caleb set him down. “Me and Bertie are gonna go play,” Sam announced. He and his best friend ran out into the yard, leaving the adults alone.

  “Caleb, I’m sorry for what I said and—”

  That was as far as she got because Caleb hauled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was long and warm and so right. Then he set her a little away from him and met her gaze.

  “I’m sorry, too,” he said. “You were right about not facing the past. I should have called you, but there was something I had to take care of before that could happen.”

  The seriousness in his voice had her searching his face in alarm. “What is it? Your leg?”

  “No.” Caleb gave a quick shake of his head. “No. I went to see my old commanding officer.” He paused.

  A shiver of apprehension ran up her spine, but she waited for him to go on.

  “To find out about that kid’s family in Afghanistan. I thought if there was any family left, I could send some money, help them out. Took a couple of days, but my CO got some information for me.”

  “And?”

  Caleb turned his head, cleared his throat, then met her eyes. “He’s alive.”

  “What? You
mean that little boy?”

  This time a grin broke over his face. “Yeah, turns out he was badly injured, and so was his mother, but they’re alive and they’re recovering. I sent some money through an aid organization. Maybe it’ll help.”

  Tears formed in Laney’s eyes. “I’m sure it will.”

  “Then I went to see Berman’s widow like I should have done long ago. She’s doing okay, some days better than others.” Another pause. “I met Berman’s little girl, Katie. She looks just like him.”

  He smiled ruefully and went on. “Turns out you were right. I had no business telling you that the past shouldn’t rule your life when I—”

  “I needed to hear it,” Laney admitted. And then she told him about what had happened with Monette. “Seeing her like that, haunted by what had happened to her when she was little, when her brother died... Well, it showed me that I did need to deal with the past, to know I’ll never put Sam in the kind of situation I was in with my birth mother.” She took a breath. “I feel...lighter.”

  He smiled. “You seem happier.”

  “So do you,” she answered, reaching over and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him, savoring the taste of him. At last she leaned back, smiled at him and said, “I’m so glad you’re home.”

  “Me, too.” With gentle fingers he smoothed her hair away from her face. “I’d almost forgotten how beautiful you are. Inside and out.” He kissed her. “I love you, Laney, and I love your son.”

  “And I love you. We love you. Well, Sam mostly loves Bertie, but I think he loves you, too.”

  He grinned. “In that case, I was wondering if maybe you and Sam might like to make your home with me.”

  Heat washed into her face and her heart did a slow roll in her chest. “You mean...?”

  “Marry me, Delaney. I love you and I love Sam. I’d be a good dad for him and for our other kids, too.”

  “Other kids? You’ve been thinking about this.”

  “Not much else to do while I was traveling the past few days, and since you weren’t around to pester me.”

  She laughed. “That ends now. I intend to be around to pester you every day. Sam, too.”

  “So is that a yes?”

  “It’s absolutely a yes.” She leaned back and gazed at him. “Cowboy, do you realize we’re going to get married and we’ve never even been on a date? So how about you take me out to dinner?”

  Caleb swept her hair aside and kissed her neck. “I can do that and we can talk about the day my luck changed and I found your son in my pasture.”

  Laney turned her head and found his lips with hers as she thought maybe that was the day all their luck had changed.

  * * *

  “UM, LANEY?”

  Lifting the full white skirt of her wedding dress, Laney turned to look at her new husband, handsome in a navy blue suit and silver-gray tie. “Yes?”

  “Is this banana cake?” He indicated the small plate on which his new mother-in-law had placed a big slab of their wedding cake.

  Her eyes brimming with laughter, Laney nodded. “I’m afraid so. You were hoping for chocolate, maybe?”

  “Yeah. But I knew when we cut through the frosting that it wasn’t to be, then when I tasted it...”

  “Have you tried the punch my mom made?”

  “Do I dare?”

  She laughed. “It has frozen, crushed bananas in it.”

  “Of course it does.” Setting the plate aside, Caleb took his bride into his arms and began dancing with her to the tune the high school band was playing.

  Caleb was thrilled that his leg didn’t bother him. All the extra weeks of physical therapy that his doctor and Laney had insisted on had paid off. His leg was much better, probably as good as it was ever going to get. Good enough for him to dance with his wife.

  He glanced around the school gymnasium. Laney’s parents were dancing and his were sitting at a table with Sam, Shane and Logan. They all seemed to be enjoying the banana cake and punch. “My parents are thrilled about their ready-made grandson. I never actually thought I’d get married, much less have a wedding and reception where the whole town was invited.”

  “All my students past and present insisted they be invited. Since they offered to decorate, how could I say no?”

  He surveyed the shiny ribbons and sparkly decorations that hung from the ceiling and walls. It was winter now, and Christmas was approaching, so maybe that justified the over-the-top decorations, but he hadn’t known that much glitter even existed. “It’s a simple, two-letter word...”

  “And your favorite.”

  “Not anymore. I’ve found lots of things to say yes to lately.”

  She smiled at him. “I’m glad you invited Elysa Berman and Katie. Not so sure about your soldiers. Those guys’ only interest seems to be flirting with my fire team.”

  “Don’t worry. They won’t try anything. They know how to respect women who can handle a chainsaw and a fire ax.” Caleb paused and looked down at her. “I know I’ve said this before, but I think it was big of you to invite Monette.”

  Laney glanced over at the table where Monette sat with Susan Martinez and several members of the high school faculty. She wore a simple black dress, hair cut in a flattering style. Her expression was serene.

  “It’s time to heal and move on. I should have showed her more compassion, been more understanding, realized that there had to be a reason for her nosiness... I was so afraid of being thought a bad mother, I didn’t consider anything else. She’s supposed to go back to work soon, on a limited basis.”

  “So she won’t be letting her past rule her life, either.”

  “So it seems. We both know that the past isn’t a place to live, or even to visit for very long.”

  He pulled Laney closer. “I’m happy with the present.”

  * * * * *

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Heartwarming title.

  You’ve got to have heart... Harlequin Heartwarming celebrates wholesome, heartfelt relationships imbued with the traditional values so important to you: home, family, community and love.

  Enjoy four new stories from Harlequin Heartwarming every month!

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  ISBN-13: 9781460383322

  Her Lone Cowboy

  Copyright © 2015 by Patricia Knoll

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.

  www.Harlequin.com

  y