The Maverick's Summer Love (Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys)

by Christyne Butler

  “Oh, no, that’s not it at all,” Willa said.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Shelby, no one was hired.” Paige reached out and laid a hand on her arm. “There were three openings when the school year ended and we’ve lost two more teachers because the flooding has caused people to relocate. As of right now we’re combining some of the grades to make do because a hiring freeze was put in place thanks to the damage to the building.”

  Willa took a step closer, her voice low. “I caught a look at the new hires list and you were right at the top. But until the school gets a better idea of how much it’s going to cost to rebuild, they just aren’t hiring any new staff.”

  “We both thought you did a great job last month,” Paige added and Willa nodded in agreement. “The school should keep your name on the list of potential hires, but if they start again from scratch, we hope you’ll consider reapplying once we’re ready to fill the open slots.”

  Shelby didn’t know what to say. The letter she’d gotten had said nothing about a hiring freeze. She’d been so sure the rejection had been based on her personal history. After that awful encounter today at Crawford’s with Wanda, she’d gone straight home and applied for half a dozen open teaching positions, all far away from Rust Creek Falls.

  “Ah, I’m not sure,” she finally said to the questioning looks on the women’s faces. “I’m actually looking elsewhere in Montana for a teaching position.”

  “You’re leaving town?”

  The low and deeply masculine question carried a hint of disbelief as it came over her shoulder. Shelby whirled around. Dean stood behind her, looking impossibly handsome in faded jeans, a well-loved Stetson and a button-down shirt worn untucked and loose around his hips.

  Her eyes were immediately drawn to his stubble-covered jaw and the corded muscles of his throat, visible because the top three buttons of his shirt were undone thanks to her daughter, who he carried piggyback-style, her tiny hands fisted in the cotton material.

  “Hi, Mama! Look at me!” Caitlin peeked at her over one muscular shoulder. “Dean is giving me a piggyback ride!”

  Dumbfounded, Shelby didn’t know where to look. Her gaze darted from her daughter’s happy grin to Dean’s puzzled expression to Paige and Willa who managed to look surprised, amused and appreciative of the man’s magnificent shoulders.

  “Dean’s going to have ice cream with us, Mama,” her daughter continued. “He’s never been to Cherry Hill before, so I told him we would show him how to order and where to get the napkins and stuff.”

  “O-okay.” She finally found her voice. And her manners. “Paige and Willa, do you know Dean Pritchett?”

  “No, I don’t think we’ve met.” Paige smiled and held out her hand.

  Dean easily supported Caitlin with one arm while shaking hands with Paige first and then Willa. They chatted for a few minutes before the ladies excused themselves with promises to check in with Shelby again about the situation at the school.

  After they walked away, she couldn’t help but notice the three of them—her, Dean and Caitlin—were drawing quite a few stares.

  Of course they were. Everyone probably thought they were on a date, and for a moment, Shelby was consumed by a familiar need to run away.

  The last thing she wanted was to give anyone the impression they were together. Like a couple. Or worse, like a family.

  Why not? Who cares what they think?

  Shelby could almost hear Rosey’s voice as the words filled her head. She hadn’t had a chance yet to talk to her friend about Dean finding out about Caitlin, but she’d bet her boss would give her the same advice she’d gotten from her mother earlier today.

  So, he knows? So what? He seems like a nice guy. Have some fun.

  Oh, if it were only that easy.

  Then again, at times having fun in the small gossipy town was easy. Hadn’t she had a relaxing and incident-free night when she and Caitlin had attended the impromptu street party downtown the night the power had been finally restored after the flooding? Her mother had joined the two of them, along with the rest of the town, at Willa and Collin’s wedding reception and again, no snide remarks about the past.

  Of course, she hadn’t been on a date on either of those occasions.

  Not that she was on a date now.

  She wasn’t.

  Dean just happened to show up and, of course, her daughter had latched onto her new friend the moment she saw him.

  “Shelby, are you serious about getting a job outside of—”

  She turned back to Dean, her words coming out in a low whisper as she gestured at Caitlin, “Not now. Please.”

  He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded once and gave her daughter a boost to lift her back in place, bringing forth a squeal, then giggles. “Okay, ladies. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some ice cream and I think it’s our turn next.”

  Caitlin leaned to one side, her hair falling in a shiny curtain over one shoulder as she tried to look at his face. “What kind of ice cream are you gonna get?”

  Dean turned to her, looking very serious. “Hmm, spinach surprise?”

  Caitlin wrinkled up her tiny nose. “Oh, yuck!”

  “Okay, what about Brussels sprouts swirl?”

  Shelby tried to hide her smile at the look on her daughter’s face, who didn’t seem too impressed with Dean’s suggestions.

  “Mama.” Caitlin’s tone was solemn as she looked at her. “I think you better order for him.”

  Both Dean and Shelby burst out laughing, and Shelby decided at that moment, just for tonight, she was going to let go of her worries and...have fun.

  “How about a sundae we can split three ways?” She stepped up to the counter, suddenly conscious of the fact that she was wearing a homemade miniskirt from an old pair of jeans, The double row of eyelet ruffles she’d added brought the length down to midthigh, but still...

  She glanced back over her shoulder in time to catch Dean’s gaze snapping up to meet hers. Had he just been ogling her? “Ah, I should warn you that sundaes to Caitlin are pretty simple. Ice cream, lots of whipped topping, sprinkles and a couple of cherries on top.”

  He grinned and tugged the brim of his hat low over his eyes. “Sounds perfect.”

  Lost in the warmth of his smile, she jumped when something brushed against her hand. Looking down she found Dean had slipped a folded twenty-dollar bill into her palm.

  She wanted to argue that she could afford to pay for the ice cream on her own, but the girl was there asking for her order. Turning back around, she made their purchase, returned his change and the three of them sat at the end of one of the picnic tables enjoying scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

  Caitlin’s endless chatter didn’t allow for any conversation between her and Dean, but that was fine with Shelby as she relaxed and enjoyed his company.

  She still sneaked a few glances now and then at the crowd, and yes, there were some openly staring at them, but for the most part, people were involved with their own friends and families.

  After Dean went to get a handful of wet wipe packets, they cleaned up and tossed away their trash. A lot of the families were leaving and a younger crowd, mostly teenagers, started to show up.

  Not wanting to relive any old memories, Shelby looked at her watch and then at Dean. “I think I should get going. It’s almost b-e-d-t-i-m-e.”

  “But I’m not sleepy,” Caitlin protested, despite a big yawn.

  Dean laughed and stood, and Shelby did, too, quickly lifting her daughter into her arms before he had a chance to reach for Caitlin.

  He only motioned for her to go ahead of him toward the parking lot. They walked in silence to her car and Dean waited as she got Caitlin strapped into her car seat before he leaned in and spoke softly to the little girl for a moment.

  Did he just say thank you to her daughter? And what had Caitlin done in return that caused his low rumble of laughter?

  Then he moved o
ut of the way and Shelby closed the car door. Standing there, looking up at him, she realized they were in the same positions as they’d been yesterday afternoon at the day-care center.

  Dean must have realized it as well because he took a step back, a look of uncertainty on his face. “Thanks...for letting me tag along on your ice-cream outing. I had a good time.”

  “So did I.”

  The words came easily to her because they were true. She’d had a good time tonight and she didn’t want it to end. Pulling in a deep breath, she slowly released it while her gaze stayed glued to his.

  Could she do this? Could she just open her mouth and ask a simple question?

  “Would you like to follow me back to my place?”

  Chapter Eight

  Surprised by her invitation, Dean had entertained any number of possible scenarios during the drive to Shelby’s house—and being a red-blooded male, there were many. Still, he knew she lived with her mother, and obviously, her daughter, so he tried to keep the more lust-filled fantasies at a minimum.

  But even he had to admit this scenario never occurred to him.

  “Read this book first, please. It’s my favorite.” Caitlin stood in front of a crowded two-tiered bookshelf that lined one wall in her bedroom. Dressed in a pink nightgown that didn’t quite reach her ankles, she leaned over and pulled out two picture books. “Then this one. It’s my second favorite.”

  She raced to her bed and grabbed more books from the bottom shelf on a bedside table. “Oh, and this book! Mama got it for me for my birthday and we just bought this one yesterday at the store.”

  The pile in his hands steadily grew. Not that he minded. As Shelby stepped forward to corral her daughter from the corner, he stopped her with a quick wave of his hand. Her angelic smile and the slight shaking of her head hit him right in the gut.

  She silently mouthed “You’re in trouble now” over her daughter’s head before retreating back to the open doorway.

  In more ways than one, Dean feared.

  When he’d first spotted Shelby in line at the ice-cream stand in a body-hugging T-shirt and a short jean skirt that showed off her smooth, tanned legs, he’d nearly tripped over his size-eleven boots.

  In turn, he’d almost lost his grip on her daughter, who’d asked very politely if he’d give her a piggyback ride. He’d complied and then followed her directions to where her mother was waiting to place their order, arriving in time to hear Shelby say she was looking for a teaching job out of town.

  He hadn’t even known her degree was in education. Then again, he’d only learned she was a college graduate earlier today.

  Inviting him to stick around for ice cream had been her daughter’s idea, the little schemer she was, but Shelby could have found a way to get rid of him.

  All she had to do was make it clear he wasn’t wanted and Dean would have walked away, especially after picking up on what a novelty it seemed to everyone that the three of them were together.

  But they ate and chatted, mostly about whatever subject Caitlin jumped to from asking why grass was green to the new puppy a friend at day care got for her birthday. When Shelby said it was time for them to head home, he’d walked her and Caitlin to her car and thanked the little girl for telling him about Cherry Hill with a wink. That resulted in Caitlin squinting and blinking back at him a few times before he realized she was trying her best to return the gesture.

  His heart had crawled right up into his throat and he’d tried to laugh, hoping the action would dislodge it, but then Shelby’s invitation had kept it firmly in place.

  They’d arrived about twenty minutes ago and a front porch swing had been offered as a place to sit while Shelby got Caitlin ready for bed. He still hadn’t seen Shelby’s mother anywhere, but the pickup truck was here, so he’d guessed she was home. He’d been enjoying the streaks of red, yellow and pink that made up another spectacular Montana sunset when Caitlin had suddenly appeared at the screened door.

  And asked him to read her a bedtime story.

  Stunned, he hadn’t known what to say. He stood and walked to the door, leaving his Stetson behind on the swing, but didn’t reach for the handle. Then Shelby appeared behind her daughter and said he was welcome to come inside.

  “Okay, I think that’s enough,” Caitlin announced. She raced over to give her mom a quick kiss before crawling into her bed and scooting beneath the covers. She turned on her side to face him, a stuffed bear tucked in next to her and patted the edge of her bed. “You can sit here, Dean.”

  Realizing he had at least a dozen books in his hands, he took a step forward, then paused and looked back at Shelby. It was still light outside, but the room was dim thanks to the pulled curtains. Leaning against the door frame, her face was hidden in the shadows, but she folded her arms over her chest and gave him a quick nod of approval.

  He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled out the first book the little girl had given him and started to read. “‘Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a princess who loved the color pink...’”

  Caitlin listened with rapt attention, at times reciting the words along with him. It wasn’t until the third book that her eyelids started to flutter, and by the middle of the fourth, they were down for the count.

  Without turning around, Dean instinctively knew when Shelby left the doorway, but he kept on reading until he finished the last page, set the books on the nightstand and pushed to his feet. He looked down at the sleeping angel and couldn’t stop himself from tugging the light blanket up over her small shoulders.

  Exiting Caitlin’s room, he figured Shelby was waiting for him in the hallway. He pulled up short when he found her mother standing there instead, looking at the framed photographs lining the wall.

  “It’s been a long time since we’ve heard a male voice reading fairy tales around here.”

  Not quite sure what Vivian meant by that or where Shelby had disappeared to, Dean remained silent. Was she talking about Caitlin’s father? He wondered how the man fit into the picture as neither Caitlin nor Shelby had mentioned him yet.

  “Caitlin’s grandfather, my Ricky, used to love to tell her stories when she was just a baby,” she continued, one hand tracing the outline of a framed image. “Either from books or whatever he made up himself.”

  Dean stepped forward to get a better look, realizing she was talking about her late husband. The man in the picture was 100 percent cowboy, from his hat to his worn boots. It wasn’t just the clothing, though. He stood tall next to a horse, his posture relaxed. A saddle sat braced against one leg, as if he’d just removed it from the animal’s back. His eyes were hidden beneath his Stetson, but there was a slight grin on his face, as if he’d been surprised to find a camera pointed at him.

  “He looks like a good man.”

  “He was. Swept me off my feet the first day we met, even though it took some time for me to believe his declaration of true love. Shelby arrived nine months from the day we were married.” Vivian turned to face him and sighed. “When Shelby told us she was pregnant, we supported her decision to keep the baby and were determined to be the kind of grandparents who let Shelby be the parent. But many times it was Ricky who heard Caitlin first during the wee hours of the morning, which was when he was usually heading off to work at the Triple T. He would change her, get her a bottle and talk to her until she fell back asleep.”

  Keeping his gaze forward, Dean heard the love and sorrow in the woman’s voice as he saw images of a young family during holiday and birthday celebrations, one of Shelby dressed in her cap and gown, holding Caitlin and flanked by her parents and another of Vivian, her hands on her husband’s shoulders as the man easily held a tiny newborn in his large hands.

  “You miss him very much.”

  “Sometimes more than you could ever know. He’s been gone three years now and there’s still a hole in my heart that just won’t heal. He always worked hard to provide for his family. He’d been the one who insisted on a hefty life insurance p
olicy. Goodness knows, I hated writing out those checks every month, but when he was taken so suddenly from us...”

  Dean looked at her when her voice trailed off.

  She pressed her lips tightly together for a long minute, then continued. “We were able to pay off the house, most of the bills and per Ricky’s wishes, Shelby, who’d just finished her freshman year in college, continued her education.”

  “She told me she got her degree this past spring.”

  “It’s been hard for her. Life has been nothing but studies, working at the bar and caring for that little girl in there. Taking all that on at such a young age...I don’t know how she does it. I am so proud of her.”

  “She had you to help her,” Dean said. “I think your husband would be very proud of his family.”

  “Thank you.” Vivian dropped her hand. “Please forgive my ramblings. I don’t know why I just spilled all that to you.”

  “That’s all right, ma’am. I enjoyed listening.”

  “Well, I’m going to head to my room to get caught up on my daytime dramas. You’ll probably find Shelby out on the front porch if she’s not wrestling with that darn leaky faucet in the kitchen again.”

  Dean headed back to the front of the house, but found the kitchen empty. He retraced his steps to the front porch. The sky was a dark purple now and the air had cooled a bit. He made sure the screen door closed softly behind him. The snick of the latch caused Shelby to look up at him from where she sat, one leg tucked at an angle beneath the other, her foot gently pushing the swing back and forth.

  She started to rise, but he quickly crossed the porch, grabbed his hat off the cushions and sank into the empty spot next to her. Planting his boots flat on the porch, he took over the swaying motion. They sat in silence, Dean kept his gaze straight ahead, mimicking Shelby’s as dusk took over. Darkness crept into the yard and onto the porch as the outside light next to the door stayed unlit.

  He figured he should say something, but it was nice just to be here next to her, the feel of her knee pressed into his hip and the air filled with a flowery scent he knew was hers.