The Last Cowboy

by Pat Dale

  Sally shook her head. “I don’t think Samantha would want you to get involved in her project. If she knew you and I were even reading this, she’d be upset. I can encourage her, I think. Give me the names of the places you’d send it and I’ll suggest them to her.”

  “That may be, but I don’t see how a little boost would upset her. Doesn’t she know you’ve been reading it?”

  Her face flamed again. “She does. But she’s very protective and private about this venture of hers.”

  “Hmm. Me interfering could set her off like a damn roman candle.”

  “You’re right. I’ll find a way to encourage her without upsetting the apple cart.”

  “I hope. She’s been strung pretty tight lately. I wish her and Troy could get past their differences.”

  “I do, too. Well, here’s your lunch. Let’s sit and eat so you can get back to the paper.”

  Her mind was working furiously, trying to come up with a way to get Samantha’s book noticed. She’d just thought of something and couldn’t wait for Ozzie to get back to the office so she could go into action.

  * * *

  Sally pulled out the half dozen writing magazines she’d picked up on her last trip to Branson. She’d gone through four of them without finding the article she knew she’d seen somewhere. The fifth held the key—a treatise on publishing historical fiction. Actually a how-to on prepping a manuscript for submission.

  Feeling rather guilty and sheepish, she had raided Sam’s room and made off with her journals. There were three of them, each containing a completed romance. To her delight, they appeared to be a cozy series with a company of characters who showed up in various roles in each one. The action was fast paced and the plot line tight. A fourth was also part of the series, but it wasn’t quite complete. If only she could get a publisher interested in the first book, she was sure they would option the rest and give Samantha’s career a huge boost.

  Sally ran out to the newspaper office and made photocopies of the first novel, being sure Sam was out of the office beforehand. She returned to the house and replaced the journals back in the drawer where she found them. Sam wouldn’t be the wiser. She paused for a moment, fighting the feelings of guilt and wondering if she was overstepping her bounds as a mother. Her actions did constitute an invasion of her daughter’s privacy to be sure. “But, I do have the best of intentions,” she assured herself and pushed the drawer shut with a satisfying snick.

  It took her the better part of three days to transcribe the manuscript into digital form on her own computer, following the formatting instructions on the publisher’s website carefully. She had the email of the publisher she’d selected based on Ozzie’s advice written on a pad by her elbow. A query letter was already composed and waiting in her documents file. Sally took a sip of her coffee and turned back to finish the transcription.

  She was still typing when Samantha’s car came in the drive. She logged out of the computer seconds before her daughter came in and plopped down in a chair opposite her.

  “Afternoon, Samantha.”

  “Hi, Mom. How’s your day?”

  “I’m just fine, dear. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Hadn’t noticed. It’s a day, like every other, I guess.”

  “Honey, you have to enjoy what you have, while you have it. This thing with Missy has really got you down, hasn’t it?”

  “I’m fine. Dad home yet?”

  “No. Wasn’t he at the paper when you left?”

  Samantha shook her head. “I didn’t notice. Might have been.”

  Sally shook her head. “C’mon, I could use a cup of tea. Let’s go eat some chocolate and have a good natter. You sound like you could use a lift today.

  “Sure, why not? Do we have any chocolate mint ice cream?

  * * *

  On Wednesday morning, after Ozzie and Samantha left for the paper office, Sally scrambled to get her computer up and running. She had the whole morning to finish transcribing Samantha’s manuscript onto the file. Once it was done, she’d send it off. As she worked, she wondered if it might be better to use her husband’s contacts in the publishing industry.

  On the other hand, could she count on Ozzie to keep a secret if she asked for his help? Better to do it herself and wait to see if she got results. In the end she sent the manuscript to a publisher her husband had known for years finding the contact information in his files. She hoped the man would at least look at Samantha’s story. By afternoon, she’d sent the files off and the deed was done, for better or worse. Of course, she’d neglected to mention that it wasn’t actually Samantha Turner who made the submission. Sally crossed her fingers for luck. After all, she had the best of intentions and if the response was positive, well wouldn’t Sam be happy with her mother’s actions?

  * * *

  Samantha had just picked up the phone to call her when Rose came into the paper office. In the short time that had passed, she felt they’d had a chance to get reacquainted.

  “Hi, Samantha. I’ve got great news.”

  “You told your parents about the wedding.”

  “Not that good.” The redhead’s countenance fell. “I’m not ready for that yet.”

  “Rose, the wedding is next week. You’re running out of time, don’t you think? They’re gonna hear about it.”

  “That may be, but every time I pick up the phone, I freeze. Dad is going to kill me.”

  “Because you’re marrying a cowboy?”

  “Not just that. Dad always expected that I would join the family business. You know, marry someone who would fit in and help out. That won’t happen now.”

  Samantha rose. “So, you’re ashamed of JT because he’s not good enough for your family? Maybe you’d better rethink things.”

  “No, damn it! I’m not ashamed of him, Samantha. I love him and I’m going to have his baby, remember? This is just hard.”

  “Life is hard but we don’t put off living. You should call them now and let them know. After all, your baby will be their grandchild. How ashamed can they be of that?”

  The woman grimaced. “You’re right. I’ll do it.”

  “Anyway, you said you had great news. What’s up?”

  “I found the most darling wedding dress, in my size and everything. And they have some neat bridesmaid gowns too. Do you have time to go to Springfield with me to pick one out for you?”

  “Sure. Let me tell Dad and we can go now if you’d like.”

  “That would be wonderful. Oh, Samantha, I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have a friend like you.”

  From the look on Rose’s face, Samantha knew she needed a hug. One wouldn’t be bad for herself about right then, either. They exchanged a happy embrace and went to the outer office where Samantha conferred with her dad for a moment.

  * * *

  After they’d found just the right dress for Samantha, they stopped at a café for coffee. The more she learned about Rose, the more confused she became that she would have chosen JT to be her mate. Jason, successful career and all, was really a simple sort of man; a total opposite to the Rose Ingersoll’s environmental activist persona.

  “Rose, I know you’re in a family way and you think you love Jason. But really, have you thought this out beyond the birth of the baby?”

  “What do you mean, Samantha? I don’t think I love Jason. I do love him. Very much.”

  Samantha shrugged. “Man and wife until death do you part is a long time, Rose. The two of you are from different worlds. I’m not sure JT will ever feel comfortable mixing with high and mighty crowd that you and George cultivated for fundraising.”

  “I don’t plan to spend another day in that so-called society, Samantha. I did it to support George, and to help the environment. But honestly I was never comfortable with all that excessive showboating. Hell, half of them only donated to our foundation in order to one-up their neighbours. My parents are just as guilty of that as they are.”

  “Is that wh
y you haven’t called them to tell them your good news?”

  “Partly.” Rose rubbed her forehead. “I guess.” She met Samantha’s gaze. “I’m just as afraid of a social situation I don’t know how to control.”

  “Rose, we can’t control every moment of our lives. But we can avoid lots of problems by facing them head on. They usually aren’t as bad as we think.”

  “Well, this one just may be. I know I got myself into this by my own actions. And I suppose I’ll have to face it sooner or later.”

  Samantha laughed. “You have got that right. Better sooner, I say.”

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about that. Is it better for me to get married and then let my folks know what I did? Or should I call them now and invite them to my wedding?”

  “Make the call, Aggie. There’ll come a day you’ll be glad you did.”

  “They won’t come. My mom will assume I’m marrying JT because I’m pregnant. No way will she be able to face that kind of embarrassment.”

  Samantha shook her head. “It’s not her embarrassment. If anything, it would be yours, though I get the feeling you’re not the least embarrassed over this. Well, other than cold feet when it comes to ‘fessing up to your folks.”

  “Yeah.” Rose looked like she was ready to cry at any moment.

  An idea popped into Samantha’s head. “Hey! Why don’t you do like the government does? When they have bad news, they don’t go out on the dais and spill their guts. They use a staged release scheme. Give your folks part of the bad news now and withhold the rest of it for later.”

  “You mean, I should tell my parents I’m getting married but not that I’m about to make them grandparents?”

  “Bingo.”

  “Samantha! That’s almost like lying. I can’t do that. Besides, one look at me and Mom will know there’s more in my belly than went in through my face.”

  Samantha roared. “That’s funny, Rose! You have a great sense of humour for a woman who’s been thinking her life is ruined.”

  “I don’t think my life is ruined. Just the part of it with my family.”

  “Well I don’t agree with you on that. And you’re not showing yet. Not even close. With that gorgeous gown you selected, nobody will know if you don’t spill the beans.”

  “Unless I get sick in front of the preacher?”

  “That would be spilling the beans all right. If you do that, just tell them it’s new bride fever.”

  “New bride fever? What the hell is that?”

  “A bad case of nerves over the huge changes about to take place in your life.”

  “Oh.” Rose’s expression turned contemplative. “That would work, I guess.”

  “Damn right it would. Or you can turn from the preacher after he says, ‘man and wife’, and tell the whole assemblage that you’ve got yourself knocked up and that’s why you went along with this crazy marriage thing.”

  “Samantha! That would be dumb.”

  “Dumb or dumber. Which is it going to be, Rose?”

  “I’ll make the call. I already said I would.”

  “Your phone or mine?”

  “Damn it, Samantha, do you have to be so pushy?”

  “In this case, yes. You’re already weeks behind making the call. Pick up your phone and start dialing.”

  Rose grumbled under her breath while digging through her purse for her cell phone. When she had it in hand, she hit a key and put the device to her ear. “Hi, Mom. Rosemary. How are you and Dad? The court injunction? Oh, I had to call that off. Turned out to be a big misunderstanding…

  “When am I coming home? Mom, that’s why I called. I, uh, met a really fantastic guy down here so I’m going to stay here awhile…

  “No, he’s not another of those loser types I always end up with. Mom, just shut up and listen. I’m getting married.”

  Once the words were out, Rose gasped but, other than elevated breathing and eyes the size of silver dollars, kept her composure. Something her mom on the other end of the line was apparently not doing. She held the phone out so Samantha could hear the loud sobs and wails of anguish.

  After a few seconds, she put the phone to her ear. “Mom? Please don’t cry. I want you to be happy for me…What? No, I didn’t get drunk or hit my head on something. Damn it, Mom, I love JT with all my heart. He’s the dream man I’ve always looked for all over the world, and I found him down here…

  “He’s rich and famous, so you don’t have to worry about any damn wolf at my door… JT’s a famous country music singer. He’s famous, Mom. He has the number one hit in the whole damn country right now. And a big wall covered with gold and platinum records for his work. I think you’ll find him damned acceptable, financially. Even as we speak, JT is signing the papers to have a mansion built right here for me. For me, Mom. He’s building a huge home. For me. And, no damn it, I won’t stop swearing.”

  Again, she held the phone out. Her mom’s tone had changed in the blink of an eye. “Rosemary, honey, can you tell me how a professional person could have gotten trapped in the music industry, other than being a recording executive or some such?”

  “Mom, I love you but you’re being stupid. I won’t listen to this crap any longer. He’s a singer, not a paper-pusher. Now, shut up and listen to what I have to say. I’m getting married in Branson on Saturday. Yes, next weekend. I have my gown and a great friend down here,” she winked at Samantha, “who’ll be my maid of honour. I want you and Dad to come, if you will.”

  “Of course we want to participate in your wedding, young lady. Not that we’re happy you’ve been so impulsive about this—” Mrs Silcox snapped.

  “Mom! Stop it, will you?”

  “Don’t you talk to me with that tone, Rosemary. We’re you—”

  Rose snarled and glared at the phone before putting it back to her ear. “Since you won’t shut up, you may as well know the rest of it. I’m going to have a baby. JT’s baby. And, I’m not sorry for it. Proud, do you hear me? I’m proud! I finally found a wonderful man who worships me, who’ll spend every minute of every day finding ways to make me happy. And you know what; I’ll do the same for him. If that’s not true love, I’ll take it until the real thing comes along.

  “And no, I’m not showing yet. Nobody will be embarrassed at the ceremony. If you want to come, it’s at the Believers’ Worship Centre in the southwestern corner of Branson. If you don’t want to come, that’s up to you.”

  After a long pause, her mom asked, “What time is the ceremony?”

  “Two o’clock on Saturday. There’s a reception afterward where you can get acquainted with my friends. And I’d like for you to get to know the love of my life. Mom, I’m so happy I could just bust.”

  Samantha grinned at the redhead’s mimic of her lover and listened as she told her mom she loved her and said goodbye.

  “Wow. That was some conversation.”

  Rose smiled. “Yeah. You could say that.”

  “So much for controlled release of information. What did she say about you being preggers?”

  “Shocked at first. Then she began going through a list of all I’d need to think of before I’m a mom. I love her, Samantha, but really; I’m a grown woman. I can handle this.”

  It was Samantha’s turn to smile. “And so you just did. I’m proud of you, Rose.”

  “I have the strangest feeling right now. Like I just lost a hundred pounds or something. Is that the truth setting me free, or what?”

  “I think so. Well, it’s done and they’re invited. Now we’ll see if they show.”

  “They will. The loving tone in Mom’s voice is one I haven’t heard for more than a decade. Somehow, the wall that’s divided us as a family just came tumbling down. Right or wrong, my mom’s on my side now. I’m not worried about Dad. When he hears all this from her, he’ll be on my side too. Now if they’ll just accept JT as he is, we’ll be fine.”

  Samantha guffawed. “Now you’re really asking for a miracle. They’ll accept him as he is, my fri
end. A lovable man who worships their daughter. I think we’re ready now for a fantastic wedding.”

  Rose’s face went sombre. “I hope so.”

  Samantha stared. “Anything else stuck in that pretty head of yours?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have no idea. Are you hiding any more dark secrets that need to come out?”

  Rose looked away and cleared her throat. “I—don’t think so.”

  “Well, I hope not. You need to get your head clear so we can plan the wedding.”

  Her face lit up. “Right. Well, my head’s nice and clear now, so let’s have dinner on the way back and talk about the wedding.”

  * * *

  Sally was surprised when, days later, she got an email message from the publisher she’d sent Samantha’s novel to. The message was terse, only a few words. Manuscript received. Forwarded to an editor. Will respond with assessment. And then an enigmatic postscript. Looks like our kind of novel. And there was a smiley face.

  She smiled and put the post in a new file. She hugged herself in excitement. Sam would be so surprised and happy when she found out. But better to wait and see what the editor thought before saying anything.

  * * *

  They’d been able to organize a wedding rehearsal for Friday night, with a special supper for the wedding party to be held after the rehearsal. Samantha assumed the entire party would consist of JT, Rose, and JT’s best man, identity still unknown. She figured it had to be one of his musician buddies who’d been with him for years.

  She’d figured wrong. Shortly after meeting Rose in the foyer of the huge Believers Worship Centre, she heard a familiar voice. Troy Roberts walked up the aisle with JT.

  Spinning around, Samantha confronted Rose. “Is he going to be JT’s best man?”