Cowboy Rebel--Includes a bonus short story

by Carolyn Brown

  “Holy smoke!” Emily gasped. “Tag’s reputation is ruined for sure. He spent at least three nights with you and didn’t sweet-talk you into bed?”

  “Didn’t even try.” Nikki’s frown told them she was being honest.

  Retta wiped the brown spots from her paisley shirt. “Get out the brides’ magazines, Emily. We’ve got a friend on the way to the altar.”

  “Not just yet. Annie is chewing her fists. I think she may be hungry.” Nikki kissed the baby again and handed her to Retta. “Neither of us are ready for that step. He’s still getting over the death of his friend Duke, and I’ve got this thing with my father tonight. We both have to close the door to the past before we can open the one to the future.”

  Retta lifted her shirt and held the baby to her breast. “It’s hard to believe that less than a week ago, this little darlin’ wasn’t even born. She’s stolen my heart and got her big old cowboy daddy wrapped around her finger. Cade and I are living proof that sometimes the future slips up on you real fast, Nikki.”

  “I can believe it.” Emily nodded. “Your little angel has inspired Justin and me to have a baby of our own. I stopped taking the pill this morning.”

  “Hello, everyone. Is it my turn to hold the baby?” Claire made her way into the living room. “Did I hear right about you and Justin?”

  “It’s your turn when she finishes eating,” Retta said.

  “And yep, you heard right. When are you and Levi going to do the same?” Emily answered.

  “Already did. We’re announcing it at Sunday dinner this next week. I went to the doctor this morning and the due date is Christmas.”

  “Oh!!” Retta squealed. “Annie will have a playmate. How has Levi ever kept this a secret? You must be two months along.”

  “It hasn’t been easy,” Claire laughed. “I’ve had to figure out ways to dump mimosas and wine so y’all wouldn’t suspect. But we wanted to see the doctor and be certain before we told anyone. My jeans are already tight around the middle, so you would’ve figured it out soon anyway.”

  “The ranch is growing.” Emily shot a look at Nikki. “The Canyon Creek needs a baby too. You and Tag need to get that crap about his past settled and move on to the future.”

  “One step at a time,” Nikki said. “And baby steps for us. But I will admit that I’m bullfrog green with jealousy right now.”

  “Good!” Emily said. “You know I’d love to have you for a sister and an aunt to our kids.”

  “Oh, honey, I’ll be their aunt no matter what. It don’t take blood to make folks kin to each other, and sometimes blood don’t mean jack squat,” Nikki said. “I should be going. Tag is picking me up in an hour. I’m still torn about what to even wear, and after the last two nights, I can’t imagine what I’ll say to my father.”

  “Keep it simple,” Emily suggested.

  “That’s what Tag advised.”

  “That’s exactly what I’d tell you too,” Claire offered. “We’ll all be thinkin’ about you this evening.”

  “Thanks. That means more than you’ll ever know.”

  Nikki felt that the three women might never know the extent of her sincerity, but what she said came from her heart. It had taken her a while to understand that family didn’t always share DNA.

  When Nikki got back to her apartment, she changed clothes three times before she decided on a simple black and white sundress and a pair of sandals. She whipped her long, dark hair up into a ponytail, applied a little makeup, and was about to change her mind about her choice of clothes when she heard a vehicle. She picked up her purse, rushed outside, and hurried down the stairs.

  “I was hoping you’d have pity on a poor cripple and not make him climb those steps,” Tag joked as he held the truck door open for her.

  “Cripple, my butt,” she sassed as she got inside.

  “Your butt is much too pretty for anybody to cripple it, and if I may say so, darlin’, you look amazing tonight.”

  “Yes, you may say so and thank you. You clean up really nice yourself, for an old cowboy with only one boot,” she said.

  “Had to give the other guys a fightin’ chance. It wouldn’t be fair to them for me to have two boots,” he teased as he shut the door and crutched his way around the front of the truck.

  “Nervous?” he asked when he’d settled into the driver’s seat.

  “Yep.”

  “How much?”

  “More than I was when Billy Tom was in the backseat. Almost as much as I was when he had a gun pointed at you. And a little more than I was when I knocked on your cabin door that first night,” she answered.

  “Don’t be. If it goes well, you will have a father in your life. If it doesn’t, then you’ve still got your friends, the Fab Five, and me,” he reassured her.

  “That’s what I’ve been tellin’ myself all afternoon,” she sighed. “And I appreciate every one of you.” She stopped short of saying that she loved all of them, but she did. Maybe in different ways, but the love was there.

  He reached across the console and took her hand in his. “I miss the trucks that had a bench seat. Our old ranch work truck doesn’t have a console. Someday I’m going to get one like that so you can sit all snuggled up beside me.”

  She let go of his hand, flipped the console up and slid over to the narrow seat. “Like this?” she asked.

  “Exactly.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and drove with one hand. “You’ve got such a big personality that sometimes I forget how small you are.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She laid a hand on his thigh. “I used to envy the big, tall girls. Don’t tell Emily, but I’ve been jealous of her too. She’s curvy and looks so cute in her clothes, and now she’s so damned sugary happy that it makes my teeth ache.”

  Tag chuckled. “I have to admit that her honeymoon glow makes me jealous too.”

  “Is that what’s going on with us?” Nikki asked. “Are we caught up in their happiness, and we want what they’ve got?”

  “Maybe, but then it could be that what we see in them is waking us up to what we might have if we want to work at it. They didn’t just sit down on a quilt under a shade tree and fall in love. They had to jump through fire hoops and go through obstacle courses too,” he answered. “When she came home last spring after one of their arguments, we figured it was all over between them, but they got through it.”

  “What if six months down the road one of us decides we’re tired of all the work it takes? I’ve got a lot of baggage for you to contend with,” she said.

  He drew her even closer. “What you’ve got is nothing compared to the burdens I’m bringing into this relationship.”

  She looked up at him and raised a dark brow. “This is a relationship?”

  “I think it just might be.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I’ve never slept with the same woman two nights in a row, so it must be special.”

  A little streak of jealousy shot through Nikki when she thought of all those other one-night stands, but then she reminded herself that she had by no means been a virgin. And she realized that what each of them had done in the past shouldn’t affect the future they might have. What happened going forward was the important issue.

  Looking back from Emily’s wedding to now, she tried to figure out the exact time when their easy banter turned into something more than mild flirtation. It had happened gradually, she realized, and she couldn’t narrow it down to a date or an incident.

  They rode in comfortable silence for the first thirty minutes of their two-hour trip toward Dallas. But when Tag made a turn onto Highway 380 and headed east, butterflies started flitting around in her stomach. She wanted to tell him to turn around at the next exit and take her home, but after that comment about her being such a strong person, she couldn’t do it.

  “You’re fretting,” he said. “You’ve gone all tense.”

  “Walk a mile in my shoes right now,” she said.

  “Okay, but since my toes are hurt,
it’ll take me a little longer than normal. Let me just imagine I’m doing it. Give me ten minutes. I can usually do a mile quicker than that, though, just for the record,” he said.

  “Sounds fair to me,” she said.

  They passed an exit for Denton before he spoke again. “My feet hurt from walking in your shoes. Even at my worst, my mama would fight a forest fire for me. And even when my dad was dealin’ out the discipline, and that was often in my case, I knew it was because he loved me. So you have every right to fret. What can I do to help?”

  “I’m not sure anyone can actually help, but I appreciate the concern and the understanding. How much farther is it?” she asked.

  “Less than half an hour. Would you turn on the radio? I’ve only got two hands, and they’re both doing something pretty important.”

  She turned the dial and found a country music station in that area. Catching the middle of Blake Shelton’s song “I Lived It,” she hummed along with it. When that one ended, Miranda started singing “The House That Built Me.” The irony that those two songs played back-to-back didn’t escape either of them.

  After some thought, Tag spoke. “Kind of poetic, ain’t it?”

  “How’s that?” she asked.

  “You’ve lived it. Maybe not like what Blake talks about. And your mama’s house built you. It taught you what you don’t want to be, and sometimes that’s as important as learning what you should be. I know because you’re teaching me that same thing. I don’t want to live like I’m dying anymore.”

  Alison Krauss started “When You Say Nothing at All.”

  “This is my song to you,” she said.

  “She’s right. I would catch you if you fall,” he said. “And thank you for the song, and for everything that it means.”

  She looked up to see a sign welcoming them to the city of McKinney. “I can do this,” she whispered.

  “Yes, you can,” he reassured her. “Plug the address into your phone and navigate for me.”

  They found the house on the south side of McKinney. She stared at the small brick home that was set back on a large lot. Two huge pecan trees shaded the wide lawn, and the front porch had a swing on one end and a rocking chair on the other. A sliver of light flowed out from between the drapes covering the living room window.

  The driveway was empty, but there were two black Lincolns parked across the street. Was one of them her father’s? She slid across the seat, took a deep breath, and wrapped her hand around the door handle, but she couldn’t force herself to open it.

  “You sure about this? We’ve made progress. We know where he lives,” Tag said. “If you’re not comfortable, we can go back home and meet him another day.”

  She shook her head. “We’ve made the trip. It won’t be a bit easier in a week or a month than it is right now.”

  “Okay, then.” He opened his door, got his crutches out of the backseat, and rounded the rear of the truck. When he opened the door for her, she leaned out and kissed him.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “You are very welcome.”

  They walked up the sidewalk side by side. She rang the doorbell and waited. The guy who opened the door was as tall as Tag, but he was slim built, rather than muscular. His dark hair needed to be cut even worse than Tag’s did, and his brown eyes reminded her of someone, but she couldn’t figure out who.

  “We’re looking for Don Grady,” she said. “Is this his address?”

  “It was, but he moved last week over to Alvord. I’m just here to give the new owners the keys,” he answered. “Can I ask you why you’re looking for him?”

  “I’m his daughter, Nikki Grady,” she answered.

  “I can believe that. You have his eyes. He’s out of town on business right now, but he’ll be home tomorrow evening if you’d like to stop by his place then.”

  “Yes, I would,” Nikki said. “Alvord is just south from where I live in Bowie.”

  “How about that? And you drove all the way here to find him. Should I tell him that you’ll be coming to see him tomorrow evening?”

  “Sure,” Tag answered for her. “How do you know him?”

  “It’s a long story and he’ll want to tell you himself. I’m Lucas, by the way, and I’m sure Don will be glad to see you.” He smiled.

  The hair on Nikki’s neck prickled. “Does my dad drive a Lincoln?”

  “No, ma’am. He’s got a Dodge Ram truck, kind of a chocolate brown color,” Lucas said. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Would you like to come inside? There’s nothing in here, and all I’ve got is a couple of bottles of water in the refrigerator, but you’re welcome.”

  “No, that’s all right,” Nikki said. “If you give me his address, we’ll be going.”

  “Sure thing.” Lucas rattled it off.

  She typed it into her phone. “Thank you.”

  “Well, those are the new owners coming up the sidewalk. I guess it’s time for me to give them the keys and be on my way,” Lucas said.

  “Thank you again,” Tag said.

  He nodded at the property’s new owners as they passed and said, “Good evening.”

  “Is this a sign for me to forget this?” Nikki asked when they were back in the truck.

  “Or is the fact that he lives close to you a sign that you need to at least ask him a few questions?” Tag asked. “You reckon Lucas is an employee of his? He sure didn’t want to answer questions, did he?”

  “Or maybe he’s a driving buddy of my dad’s. He was a trucker for years and might still be doing that,” Nikki said.

  “Guess we’ll find out tomorrow evening. What time do you want me to pick you up?”

  “Seven, but don’t climb the stairs.”

  “You are goin’ home with me tonight, aren’t you?” he asked.

  “I should stop by the apartment to feed Goldie first, and maybe pack a bag.”

  “Pack for two days,” Tag urged. “After tomorrow night, you should stay with me, no matter which way the chips fall.” He glanced over at her. “Are you terribly disappointed?”

  “That I’m staying the night with you again or that I didn’t get to meet my dad?”

  “Both.” He started the engine.

  “Never on spending time in your arms. Yes on seeing my dad. Now my stomach will have to get tied in knots again, but I’m determined to do this. He needs to know that I never got his letters.”

  Tag traced her jawline with his forefinger. “It would be so easy to fall in love with you, Nikki.”

  “But you never take the easy way out of anything, do you?” She pulled his face to hers for a long, lingering hot kiss.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Nikki arrived at the café a few minutes before noon the next day and was waiting to be seated when Emily joined her. They were escorted to a booth and a waitress appeared immediately with menus.

  “What can I get y’all to drink?” she asked.

  “Sweet tea,” Emily said.

  “Same.” Nikki nodded.

  “Be right back with some chips and salsa and your drinks.” She started to walk away and then turned. “Lemon?”

  “Lime,” Emily and Nikki answered at the same time.

  “I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet your dad last night. Are you more nervous or less now that you know he’s not that far away?” Emily turned her focus back to Nikki.

  “Even worse than yesterday,” Nikki answered. “I’ve thought of a thousand questions I should have asked Lucas since last night.”

  The waitress returned with a tray bearing chips and drinks. Emily squeezed the slice of lime into her tea and took a drink. “Like what?”

  Nikki did the same thing with the lime. “Like how did he know my dad? Does he work for him? Is he kin to him? Daddy never mentioned that we might have cousins somewhere. Relatives never came to visit us, but lookin’ back I can understand why. If anyone came before I was born or when I was a toddler, Mama’s attitude would have sent them runnin’ for the hills. And ma
ybe Daddy didn’t tell us because he knew we’d want to get to know them.”

  “Well, you’ll find out tonight,” Emily said. “You ever worry that this can of worms you’re opening might be as bad as what your mama said last week?”

  “Yep, I have.” Nikki loaded a chip with salsa and popped it in her mouth.

  “I’m glad Tag is going with you. I can’t believe how much he’s settled down since he moved here and you two started seeing each other. I’ve thought that he and Hud would figure out real quick that being boss of their own place was tougher than they’d imagined. But they’ve surprised me.” Emily used a chip to dip deep into the salsa.

  “Me too. He’s so”—Nikki searched for the right word—“different from how he was at your wedding.”

  “It’s amazing. Mama and Daddy are over the moon with the way he’s taking on responsibilities now. Matthew says it won’t last if the guys make him keep doing the book work, but I think it just might,” Emily said. “But enough about Tag. We’re here to talk about your visit this evening. I have faith in you. If you don’t like where this journey takes you, you can slam the door on it. But good Lord, girl. Think about all those letters and cards and all that money. He didn’t forsake you even when he thought you’d turned your back on him.”

  “It would have been easier if he’d been in McKinney last night. Now that he’s less than thirty miles away, it’ll be harder on us both if things don’t go right,” Nikki said.

  The door opened and Nikki looked up to see Tag maneuvering his way inside on his crutches. She waved and he smiled as he made his way around tables and chairs. “Mind if I join y’all?”

  Nikki scooted over. “Not at all. We haven’t ordered yet.”

  “What are you doing in town?” Emily asked.

  “Had to make a run in to get some lumber and corrugated sheet metal for the guys. The barn roof is leaking and we’re planning to start cuttin’ hay next week. We’ll need a dry place to put it, so they’re working on that today.” Tag laid a hand on Nikki’s thigh. “Thought I’d get some lunch and some takeout for the guys before I go back home. What’s on your agenda for the rest of the afternoon?”