by Pat Dale
“Hi, Samantha. Here’s your menu. What would you like to drink?”
“You know who I am?”
“Yep. Met you the other day.”
“Oh, yes. You went riding with us, didn’t you?” Samantha recalled. “I’m surprised you remembered my name, though.”
The girl’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “Oh, I remember, all right. Girl as pretty as you ‘round my boys, I remember you, all right.”
“Your boys? You mean Curly and Burl?”
“Yep.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about me being competition for them.”
“I know. Now. You look at the menu yet?”
“No, but I already know what I want. Your fried chicken dinner, with iced tea. And no dessert. I love pie, but the Werners have fed me so well, I’m gaining weight.”
“You don’t wanta do that. ‘Specially now.”
What was it with this girl and the way she kept saying ‘now’? “I’m sorry but I can’t remember your name.”
“Josie Walker. Let me get your order in. Chicken goes fast on Sundays, ‘specially the breasts. You do like white meat, don’t you?”
“Yes. I like it all, Josie.”
As the waitress departed, her mind went to work on why she seemed to think in such familiar terms. Blessed with a creative imagination, Samantha found meaning where there was none. Still, she sensed this girl knew something more about her than what she could have learned on that short horseback ride.
* * *
By one o’clock, Troy had his cowboy paraphernalia in the trunk of the car, right down to the white Stetson he’d wanted. He was famished and headed for Josie’s café.
He pulled into the far corner of the crowded lot before he spied Samantha’s Volvo sitting two spaces over. Damn. She’s here. The thought occurred she might well be talking to the girl who could give his scheme away before he could pull it off. He pulled out and headed for a fast food place down the street a dozen blocks, his mood dampened by worry Josie would give him away.
He ordered at the drive-through and took his sandwich back to a parking space where he could see Samantha when she left the café. His patience was rewarded fifteen minutes later when she exited the café and drove off, apparently headed back to WWR. He pulled into the lot and went in.
The dinner rush was over and Josie was clearing tables. She and the other waitresses were still busy, with most of the tables laden with plates, cups, and glasses. He waited for his new friend to clear a table and sat down.
“You hungry, Troy? I think we’re outta chicken, but there’s other stuff.”
“No, I already ate. Bring me a piece of that good apple pie, if you have any left, and a cup of coffee. That’ll do me just fine.”
“You see your girlfriend? She was just here.”
“Really? You mean Samantha?”
“Yep. Don’t tell me she isn’t your only sweetie.”
“I won’t, because she is. Did my name come up when you waited on her?”
“What makes you think I’m the one waited her table?”
“Instinct. Instinct and fate. Fate seems to intervene whenever I try to do something right where Samantha is concerned. Did you?”
She nodded. “I didn’t say a word about you. I know how to keep my mouth shut when I need to.”
“Sorry if I sounded like a wounded bear just then. I was afraid she’d find out I’m here and disappear again.”
“Again? So, she’s runnin’ away from you?”
“Not really from me. From her past, and her folks. And me, too, I guess.”
Josie shook her head. “Sounds way too complicated fer me. I’ll get your pie.”
As she went behind the swinging doors, Troy gave a silent prayer that she’d not let the cat out of the bag. It would be tough enough to pull this little stunt off as it was. After he finished the pie, he went out into the sunny day. The rain was over and the afternoon promised to be a hot one. Hot and steamy.
He returned to the motel and took his new clothes inside. He hoped he wouldn’t look like a Hollywood urban cowboy. Clean-cut cowboy was what he was after. The outfit fit perfectly, right down to the pearl button shirt. When he put the Stetson on, he looked into the mirror. The image pleased him immensely, he looked ready for a parade. And a parade it would be when he rode that horse up to where Samantha was living.
This’ll do it. He dialed the number Marybeth gave him, hoping she would answer. She did, on the third ring. “Hello, Marybeth. This is Troy. Any chance you’ve talked to the guys about that horse?”
“I have. Just did. They’re ready.”
“Is Samantha where she can hear you?”
“Nope. I’m all alone in the house now. The others are all outside, enjoyin’ the fresh air. You find the clothes you were lookin’ for?”
“I did. That Tack Shop is amazing. What I’m hoping is we can do this today. I’m all dressed up and I want to be sure to show up when Samantha is there.”
“Well, she and some of the other writers are out on the lake at the moment. I’d say your plan’ ll work today as good as anytime. Might as well get it over and done with. You drive on by here to the next place down the road and park there. I’ll have Burl meet you with the horse. He’ll show you the trail between the two places. Then I guess it’s up to you. For what it’s worth, good luck.”
“Thanks for your help, Marybeth. I’m feeling really lucky, so today it is. I’ll be out there in about a half hour. You think she’ll be off the lake by then?”
“I’d say so. One of the girls sunburns pretty easy and she’ll wanta get back in the shade before then.”
“Okay. I’m on my way.” He hung up and stared at his image again. Is this going to work, or have I just put myself in position to do something truly stupid?
* * *
Samantha climbed out of the boat and sauntered up to the picnic table sitting under the overhang of the boat house. Ted was busy tying the boat to the dock and Peggy headed for her quarters on the run. She was already turning red and they’d only been on the lake for an hour. Of course, the girl was a redhead with fair complexion and Samantha’s darker skin tone tended to save her from over exposure to the sun.
They’d had a lot of fun in the row boat. Ted was an experienced boater and handled it like he’d spent his life on the water. She remembered her high school days and the times when she and Troy had spent Sunday afternoons on the lake at home. A twinge of home-sickness caused her to wince. Wonderful memories of her past, her parents, times when she’d been truly blessed, played like a kaleidoscope in her mind. And times with Troy haunted her. Would she ever experience anything like that again?
She sighed, forcing her concentration to her nearly finished rough draft. Tomorrow or the next day would see it done and she could turn to rewrites of the second and third books. Marybeth had wisely recommended that when she finished a draft, to let it sit for a week or two and turn to a different project. The woman was multi-published so she knew what she was talking about.
Today would be a day to relax and enjoy the warm breeze coming off the water. She was about to go up and change from her jeans into the new bikini she’d found while shopping when she heard a commotion behind her.
“Who in the world is that?”
She turned to see the others pointing down the trail to a lone rider coming toward them.
Whoever was coming was riding an unfamiliar white horse. His clothes matched the horse, the man was dressed in glowing white; white shirt, pearl buttons sparkling in the sun, and white pants, white boots, and white Stetson pulled low over his eyes. A tall man, sitting straight in the saddle and clearly in no hurry to get to the group that had fallen silent. Something about the man struck a chord with Samantha. The way he sat the horse, how he seemed so unhurried, it felt so familiar. A thought niggled at her, but that couldn’t be.
Could it? Now the horse was only thirty yards away, she could see the man’s hair under the hat. Very dark. He was about th
e same size as Troy, but because of the sunglasses, she couldn’t see his eyes. His getup was pretty fancy, though. The white horse was fitted out with a bunch of gleaming silver tack.
When he was twenty yards away and closing slowly, her thoughts ran wild with the notion she knew the man. Really knew him. But it couldn’t be Troy. He never wore western clothes, even when they went riding as kids. In fact, he’d always made fun of guys who tried to look like cowboys.
At ten yards, his saunter slowed to a walk, but he didn’t stop at the hitching post. She stood at the edge of the veranda until he’d pulled up ten feet away. He lifted the glasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket, and grinned at her.
Troy Roberts, sitting atop the beautiful white horse stared down at her. She couldn’t speak.
“Howdy, ma’am. You look kinda surprised to see me.” He grinned.
She opened her mouth, but no words emerged. He smiled. The damnable man just sat there and smiled at her. And she couldn’t even speak.
“I got a question for you, lady. Maybe two, depending on your answer to the first one. You once told me you wouldn’t marry me if I was the last cowboy in Texas. Well, I’m in Texas now. And I damn sure have got to be the very last cowboy you’d ever think of finding in this fine state. Does it still ring true that you won’t marry me?”
Words finally came to her. “Troy, uh, you know, uh, I, uh, didn’t really mean that.”
He dismounted and handed the reins to Burl, who’d followed along at a distance. Stepping to within a couple of feet from the porch, he dropped to one knee and looked up into her shocked face.
“In that case, I have another question for you. Samantha Turner, love of my life and centre of all my dreams, will you please marry this cowboy?”
Chills of joy shot through her body as tears overflowed her still-startled eyes. She cleared her throat. “Yes, cowboy, I’ll marry you. About the other—”
“The other can wait.” He got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. “This can’t.” He kissed her. In front of God and every one present who’d stood silent, watching the scene with rapt attention.
When he released her, a cheer went up from the gallery that had gathered.
“Now that’s what I call a real Texas cowboy proposal. ‘Bout time, too, I’d say. Congratulations, you two,” Marybeth called. Another cheer rent the air as the crowd began talking in excited tones while Troy kissed her like he’d never stop.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Marybeth standing there. Behind her, Samantha saw the girl from the café, Josie, and Curly approaching them, leading a saddled black horse. Burl was still holding the white one.
Marybeth said, “Ya’ll might wanta take a ride around the lake before you embarrass my students to tears. There’s plenty a spots on the trail for carrying on your conversation.”
Samantha snorted. “Marybeth, you’ve been a part of this cowboy’s little scheme all along, haven’t you?”
“Well, let’s just say, he showed up this morning, and I was compelled to help him do what had to be done to get you to see the light.”
“See the light, I guess.” She turned back to see Troy’s grinning face, the Stetson pushed back now. “I should be mad as hell at you, you know.”
“I know. You should be. You should be lots of things, and my wife is the main one of them. Now I’ve found you again, I’m planning to hogtie you and drag you to the altar. Kicking and screaming, if need be, I’ll never let you go. I’m yours, for better or worse, so long as we both shall live. I think it goes something like that.”
Samantha had fully recovered from the shock of the moment. “Something. Come here, you big ape.” She held out her arms.
He not only put his arms around her, he lifted her into the air and swung her wildly in a circle. His lips claimed hers in a crazy kiss that lasted until she was so dizzy she couldn’t stand when he put her down. She actually swooned, ala Regency England. Fortunately, his arms still held her and he laid her gently on the grass, dropping to his knees beside her.
“Samantha, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” She gazed up into his face. “Sorry you made me dizzy?”
“No. Sorry I was so stupid about your writing. About lots of other things, too. Since you’ve been gone, I’ve had lots of time to think of what I’d lost. Without you, I’m not worth a tinker’s damn.”
“Idiot, you don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry I ran off. Maybe I’m the one who should offer an apology.”
His beaming smile nearly broke her heart when she stared through her tears at the most handsome cowboy in Texas. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to make up for our mistakes. Starting now. Let’s take that horseback ride. I think I know just the place Marybeth hinted at, where you and I can begin to build some brand new memories. I’m ready if you are, cowboy.”
“Ye-haw.” His shout startled her.
When he picked her up and deposited her onto the black horse, she held her breath. He didn’t drop her. He didn’t waver. The cowboy was ready for the trail ride and all it promised. And so was she.
Chapter Eighteen
It was late afternoon when Samantha, looking windblown, and Troy, sporting grass stains on his white apparel, returned to WWR in his rented car. They’d left the horses with the boys and Josie. He’d explained he’d parked the Lexus at the rental agency in an effort to surprise her and she had to admit his plan worked to perfection.
During the hours of love, he’d taken the ring from his pocket and put it on her left hand. Where it belonged, he said, and where it would soon be joined by the solid band signifying their marriage. The crazy cowboy told her he’d gone to the jeweller who sold them the rings and had him add diamonds to the matching wedding ring.
“What if you hadn’t found me?”
“That was not going to happen, sweetness. No matter how long it took, I would have found you. I had to tell you what was in my heart, even if you rejected me forever.”
“Oh, darling, how could I ever do that? You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, but I think you know that.”
“I do. And you know you’re the only woman in the world for me.”
“Really?”
“My heart is yours, always has been.”
“Even after the nasty note I sent you?”
“Even then. Especially then. I knew you didn’t really mean it.”
She sighed. This day had become absolutely perfect in the blink of an eye, more perfect than she had a right to expect. “So, what now?”
“We get married. Here. Branson. Hell, I don’t care where, as long as we tie the knot.”
“Me, either. I guess we should tell our folks, though. They deserve to know what we’re up to, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, I do. Your mom and dad are going crazy with worry. My dad, too, though he’s been pretty calm about it. He hasn’t said much except he was sure things would work out when the time was right.”
“Well, cowboy, the time is right as far as I’m concerned. Let’s go in and call them so they can quit worrying. While we’re at it, why don’t we get them down here? Tom and Missy, too. I’d rather have a small intimate wedding, but it wouldn’t be right if we left our new Texas friends out in the cold. Now, would it?”
“No. I love this gang you found down here. In fact, I’ve been wondering how the real estate market is, you know, down here in Tyler.”
“You’re not thinking of moving here, are you?”
“Not necessarily. I could open an office here, though, promote Julie to manager up there, and we could live down here in the winter. Would you like that?”
“I would. About Julie, you do know you’re what she’s always wanted, don’t you?”
“I do, though I’m sure she knew it would never happen. But she’s a great girl.”
“Yes, she is.” A quick flash of jealousy surprised her. “Maybe we should look into the market down here. I hear there’s a few lots on the other side of the lake where we can build. Wi
ll tells me it’s a great fishing lake. And we already know the neighbours.”
He nodded. “That’s a real possibility. As long as I’m with you, that’s all that counts.”
She held her tongue as random remembrances slid in and out of her consciousness. The woman who’d decided to live alone with her books and her career, now ready to marry this man and raise his kids? Could she move away from the place where she’d grown up? Well, of course she could. She’d now have Troy and her career, and she could do that anywhere.”
“I’m ready to do whatever, wherever, as long as it’s with you.”
“Ye-haw!” There it was again. That damn cowboy yell he’d adopted.
“Damn it, Troy. You’re going to burst my ear drums if you keep that up.”
“Sorry, ma’am. I’m just so excited, I can’t help myself.”
They pulled up in front of the Werner’s to see what looked like a party going on inside. It looked like twenty or thirty people in there. She said, “I didn’t know anything like this was planned for tonight.”
“Let’s go see what’s up.” He took her arm and led her into the house.
Marybeth spied them immediately. ‘Hey, ya’ll, glad to see you survived the ride.”
The way she annunciated ride caused everybody to explode with laughter. Even Troy and Samantha, though his face was flushed and she knew hers matched his. “Okay, you guys. We survived all right. So, are we having a party?”
Will stuck his head in from the kitchen. “You gotta ask? Samantha, darlin’, this is your very own engagement party. We thought it proper that ya’ll have a real shindig to remember the day by. Anyhoo, this is the way we do it in Texas.”
She said, “Well, thank you, Will and Marybeth. The rest of you, too. You probably don’t know exactly why Troy showed up like this.”