Her Unlikely Cowboy

by Debra Clopton

  “This old place needed new blood in it. So, what do you think?”

  Suzie had been destroying a large web in the upper corner of the ceiling when Mabel burst into the building. She smiled. “Minus all the spiders, let’s just say I’m counting on paint to make a whole new world in here. Paint and flowers.”

  “It is ancient.”

  “Yes, but serviceable, and that’s what counts. As long as I get some orders for flowers when I open the doors.”

  “You’ll get them. And you have such a handsome handyman outside. That has to be a plus.”

  “He’s not my handyman. He’s just—” What? Fixing your banister. Being your handyman. “It broke while we were going up to look upstairs. Mr. McDermott and Rowdy are going to come in a little while and help Tucker unload my moving truck and store my things up there for now. I think some of the boys are coming, too, and we didn’t want anyone getting hurt.”

  “I understand. Falling from those stairs wouldn’t be good. I saw you almost tumble off this morning. Thank goodness our fabulous sheriff was there. I almost screamed from the steps of the Inn when I realized what was happening. But then, just like that, you were in his arms and safe.” Mabel sighed as she finished and her eyes got dreamy—it was enough to make Suzie worry.

  And she felt the heat of a blush race over her as though she’d just been doused in warm cherry juice. “So, come over here and see what you think about the colors I’m going to paint the shop,” she said, changing the subject.

  She popped the top of the can of paint in a soft buttery-yellow that she’d picked up at the lumber store.

  “Oh, I like that,” Mabel gushed enthusiastically.

  Suzie was learning that everything Mabel did was with enthusiasm. It was kind of contagious.

  “I think it’s a happy color. It’ll make a perky background for the flowers.”

  “I most certainly agree, hon. I’ll go tell the girls and we’ll have a full-scale painting party. How does that sound? All you have to do is tell us where you want it, and we can slap it up there in no time. Matter of fact, have you had lunch?”

  Suzie looked at her watch and was startled to see that it was past noon. “No, but—”

  “Nope, no buts allowed. You’re coming with me. Seal up that can and let’s go. When were you planning on painting?”

  She found herself swept out of the shop and managed to squeeze in “I’ll be back” to Tucker—not that it was any of his business, but he was working on her stairs and he would be lugging her furniture up them before too much later. He nodded that he heard and went back to hammering. They headed down the street with Mabel talking nonstop.

  “That man sure looks good swinging a hammer,” Mabel sighed, elbowing her in the ribs before continuing to talk about paint. Before they made it to the café she’d learned that mission trips and fixing things up for folks in need were high priorities for Mabel. It hit Suzie that she’d just been added to the top of Mabel’s folks-in-need list.

  She’d become a mission project.

  Suzie wasn’t sure how to take that. She took care of herself, or had been trying to. But as they took their seats in the diner and were joined by Ms. Jo, the owner, who was Mabel’s buddy and also Nana’s, Suzie had the oddest sensation that she’d been embraced. Embraced by a town. Being helped just came with the deal.

  Gordon would be happy. The knowledge echoed through her heart and she had to fight off a sudden wave of emotion.

  Her being happy again would have been what he’d wanted. It felt good knowing that, here in Dew Drop, it was a possibility.

  Despite Tucker and her conflicting emotions.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, after an already full day, Tucker watched his dad back the moving truck up to the newly renovated stairs. Just as Randolph and Morgan climbed from the truck, Rowdy pulled in beside them with a truck full of the older boys, including Abe.

  “Hey, guys,” he said. “Thanks for coming to help.”

  “Sure thing,” Jake said. He was new at the ranch, having taken one of the vacant spots left when Joseph and Wes, two of the older boys, headed off to college. Jake didn’t speak much about what he’d been through before he came to them, but he’d had it rough, even lived on the streets for a while. The kid had taken to the ranch as if he’d been born a cowboy, always ready to mount up and herd cattle or pitch in where needed.

  Tucker noticed Abe stood back from the group and didn’t look pleased to be here.

  “So, did you check out the apartment up there?” Randolph asked, striding over to stand beside him.

  Morgan nodded toward Tucker’s handyman project. “Hopefully, it’s more stable now.”

  “Yeah,” Rowdy said, grabbing the banister and tugging to test its sturdiness. “Did they teach you to be a carpenter in the marines? Because I don’t remember you ever building anything before now. You sure this thing will hold us?”

  “Oh, it’ll hold,” Tucker assured them, heading toward the moving van instead of thinking about that banister breaking and him pulling Suzie into his arms.

  As if on cue, Suzie stepped out of the office right at that moment, and she smiled—not at him but at everyone else.

  “Thank you all for coming,” she said, warmly. She’d been painting already, and there was a splotch of yellow paint on her jaw. He busied himself opening the cargo doors as the boys gathered around.

  “Abe, how was school today?” she asked.

  “All right, I guess,” Abe answered, his voice flat.

  “Well, good. I’m glad it was all right,” she said and Tucker liked that she was trying to be positive.

  “He’s gonna ride a horse when we get back to the ranch. Isn’t that right?” Jake prompted.

  Though he remained silent, Abe’s scowl was a definite “no.”

  “Come on,” Tony encouraged. “You said you would.”

  “Yeah, I heard you,” Caleb challenged.

  “Fine, whatever. I’ll ride,” Abe agreed, but he continued to frown.

  Jake grinned. “That’s what I’m talking about!”

  “Abe, that’s wonderful,” Suzie said. “I might try riding sometime, too.”

  Tucker knew she was putting on a front but was probably worried about the obvious mood Abe was in.

  “We’ve got extremely gentle horses for beginners,” Randolph told her. “So anytime you want to ride, you tell us or Walter Pepper, our horse foreman, and we’ll get you on one and make sure you have a good time.”

  Tucker opened the doors wide and noted that it wasn’t crammed full. “Suzie, if you’ll tell us how you want this done we’ll get it finished in no time. Won’t we, boys?”

  Within minutes it was settled and the unloading began. Tucker and Rowdy took control of getting the couch up the stairs, which proved tricky. The task of getting it through the door and across the small landing was precarious.

  “Don’t fall over the banister,” Suzie warned.

  Tucker’s position on the end tested his handyman skills to the limit as he had to bend backward over the banister while holding the couch, and then push it through the door. He hiked a brow at Suzie from his dangerous position.

  “Just testing my double-reinforced banister for you, ma’am,” he drawled, bringing a smile to her worried expression as he moved past her through the doorway.

  “So that was what all the hammering was about.” She laughed. “I have never in all my life heard that much hammering at one time.”

  “Yup, it’ll hold,” he grunted, pushing through and into the building as Rowdy pulled on the other end of the couch. He didn’t tell her that there were enough nails in that banister to reinforce Texas, if need be. And still, he hadn’t gotten rid of the frustrations that holding her in his arms had generated.

  They managed to te
st the banister a few more times bringing up a chest of drawers and her kitchen table. He figured if there had been a kitchen sink to haul up, that that might have done it in. But, fortunately, there wasn’t one. The boys were over in a corner trying on old hats they found in a box of Joyce and Lester’s leftover stuff. Everyone was watching them. Even Abe put on an old derby hat and almost smiled. Almost—it was a Kodak moment. If they’d had a camera, which they didn’t. Of course she did have her cell phone camera, but Abe would have been mortified if she’d asked to take his picture.

  “Hey up there, I brought y’all some pie.”

  Ms. Jo’s holler from downstairs had them all reacting. No one turned down her pie. The boys sounded like a cattle stampede tromping down the stairs.

  Tucker held back, watching the rush from the top of the landing. Tiny Ms. Jo, with her cap of dark gray hair, had set a tray on the empty floor of the moving van and smiled happily as she began dishing out the pie onto paper plates. From his vantage point, he could see the wonder on Suzie’s face as she watched Ms. Jo’s hospitality.

  He would have to give Ms. Jo a hug later for knowing the perfect way to end the day. Like his nana, she had a knack for making folks smile.

  The fact that it was Suzie’s smile he was seeing, as she savored the taste of Ms. Jo’s Triple Chocolate Wonder pie, made watching all the sweeter to him.

  Chapter Five

  It had been an eventful day, from beginning till evening, but Suzie’s spirits were humming with energy as she arrived back at the ranch. Maybe it was a sugar high from Ms. Jo’s amazing chocolate pie but Suzie knew that was just part of it. It had just been an amazing day—despite the shaky moment of being in Tucker’s arms, the rest had been wonderful.

  “Suzie, come up and join us.”

  She hadn’t even realized Nana was on the porch and she wasn’t alone. “Sure,” she called, heading that way. Jolie was there and so was another woman, a stunning blonde.

  It turned out to be Lucy, Rowdy’s fiancée, the talented artist. Suzie suddenly felt like a plain, ordinary female in the presence of these two accomplished women. After her mother had grown ill, Suzie had been unable to finish high school, much less move on to any kind of greatness. Her biggest claim to fame was Abe, and she’d managed to mess that up, too, by not holding it together after losing Gordon.

  “Sit down and let me pour you a glass of tea,” Nana said, after introducing Lucy.

  “Thank you,” Suzie said, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. She sank onto a brown wicker chair with red cushions and met the smiles of Jolie and Lucy with a forced one of her own. “It’s been a long day,” she explained. “How did Abe do at school?”

  “Fair,” Jolie said, honestly. “He was quiet, frowned a lot, but not disrespectful. He’s taking it all in right now, figuring out what he thinks about everything.”

  “Thank you for working with him.”

  Jolie’s Julia Roberts smile was wide and encouraging. “I love it. Working with these boys is a joy. Lucy teaches them art for me, and they love her, too.”

  “Yes, that’s what I hear. I saw some of the artwork yesterday when Tucker showed the school to me.”

  Lucy’s eyes twinkled. “I had no idea when I moved here that I was going to fall in love and get to work with these boys.”

  “I can see how it would be rewarding. And I loved the mural with the young cowboys.”

  “Me, too! I’ve always been partial to roads and landscapes but then I came here and now, all I want to paint are paintings that showcase the boys and Rowdy branding calves. She hiked a brow above her gorgeous eyes—everything about the pint-size artist was beautiful. “It’s been a wonderful blessing coming here, in more ways than one.”

  “I can’t wait to see more of your work. It sounds amazing.”

  Nana paused before sipping her tea. “We have a weekly art class at her place on Tuesday nights. You should come—although, that evening we’re working on decorations for Lucy and Rowdy’s wedding in two weeks.”

  “Um, I’ve never painted anything other than walls of a room. But I would love to help with the decorations.”

  “Sure, that would be great. We could use your help on the silk flowers. And no worries about the painting,” Jolie said, pointing at Lucy. “That woman there can make you feel like an artist even if you paint stick art. She has a gift.”

  “I’m so excited you’ll come help,” Lucy said. “But you have to promise that when I get back from our honeymoon you’ll come to art night. It’s our ladies’ night out. We’re a wild bunch.” They all laughed at that, and Suzie couldn’t help but look forward to being around them more.

  “I’ll come,” she said. “It sounds like too much fun to pass up.”

  “Wonderful.” Lucy nodded toward Rowdy in the arena with a horse and one of the boys. “I love watching that man work with a horse.”

  “He looks like a good instructor,” Suzie said, seeing his patience.

  “He loves it.” Lucy smiled as she watched her fiancé.

  “All of them do,” Nana added. “My grandsons had as much love bestowed on them by my daughter-in-law as any kids could ever have. In the short time that Lydia got to be here with her boys, she lavished them with an abundance of love and nurturing. Never saw a woman with as big a heart as she had. So my grandsons know what these other boys are missing in their lives. Most of them were abandoned, either physically or emotionally, and never understood what a real family was like.” Nana smiled gently at her. “Unlike your son. Abe has obviously been very loved. Like my grandsons, his parent died, forcing his parent to leave. But the parents of the boys who come to the ranch—their parents willingly gave them up.”

  Suzie’s heart clutched in her chest as if someone had stomped hard on the brakes. She could only nod. A revelation spiked across her thoughts.

  “What I’m trying to say is that there is no better place for Abe to recover than here, with the leadership of these strong men Lydia’s sons have become.”

  “And we came together specifically this afternoon to let you know that we want to be here as a support group for you,” Jolie added. “None of us have walked in your shoes, but we are here for you. In any way you need us.”

  “That’s right,” Nana agreed. “Mabel called to tell us about the painting party tomorrow at your shop. How does that sound?”

  Shocked, Suzie took a shaky breath and looked about the group. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She teared up, looking at their smiling faces she could barely speak. “All of it does.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Nana said. “You just relax and this is all going to work out.”

  “That’s right. Abe will get through this,” Jolie continued. “All of these boys have lost both of their parents, whether through the courts or through death. When they come to us they are boys who will never be sent back to their birth parents, the majority anyway, and because of that, they need nurturing men and women involved in their lives. If you ever feel led to volunteer or just want to help out, we would love it. Just so you know.”

  The idea appealed to her, even though she had a business to get up and running. “After I get situated I’d love to get involved.”

  “You’ll be blessed by it, I can promise,” Lucy said, her eyes twinkling.

  “I’m sure I will.” Suzie nodded, following Lucy’s gaze as it went back to Rowdy and the little boy.

  “There’s a lot to learn from these boys,” Jolie added. “Their circumstances could have made them victims but they’re survivors. They didn’t have a choice about the lot they were given, but they do have a choice how they react to it.”

  Suzie agreed with her, but Nana’s words echoed through her mind. Like my grandsons, his parent died, forcing his parent to leave. But the parents of the boys who come to the ranch—their parents willingly gave them
up.

  Suddenly fighting back more tears, it hit Suzie and she knew Nana had been wrong. Abe’s dad had dived in front of Tucker McDermott of his own free will. He’d chosen to let Tucker live and his son grow up without a dad. That was the lot Abe had been given, and he wasn’t handling it well.

  Abe’s father had, in a way, willingly abandoned him, just as these other boys’ parents had done.

  And she believed that knowledge was at the root of Abe’s problems.

  It was certainly at the root of hers. Because Gordon had abandoned her, too...and she hadn’t handled it well.

  Had she allowed herself to be a victim?

  Stunned, Suzie hid her emotions and took a sip of her drink, pretending everything was fine.

  But the revelation was hard to take.

  * * *

  Tucker had peeked in the flower shop window every night for a week as he made his rounds and the inside had begun to look like a different place.

  He had been proud of the way Mabel, Ms. Jo, Nana, Jolie and Lucy had jumped in to help Suzie. The second day she’d shown up to open the shop they’d all come running—all but Jolie, who’d had to work. She’d joined them as soon as school was out and they’d had the shop painted in no time.

  He’d thought of every excuse in the book to come see the progress in the daytime and had to force himself not to do it. Suzie needed time to adjust without him trailing her about.

  But he’d been keeping up. At a distance.

  He needed to talk to her today, though. The door was open and he walked into the freshly painted room. The soft buttery tone was a far sight from the drab place he’d looked at the first of the week.

  “Suzie, are you here?” He could hear humming and headed that way. “Suzie,” he said again as he stepped through the archway into the back room. Suzie stood at the back wall, her back to him as she sang softly while she painted one of the cabinets deep red.

  “Suzie,” he said, louder, hoping not to startle her—failing when she screamed and spun around. Disaster happened quickly as her elbow caught the can of paint and sent it flying.