Pumpkins, Cowboys & Guitars

by Patti Ann Colt

  Since Jess had taken a seat next to Amy Rose, Shane joined his mother on the love seat and took a small bite from the plate she’d made him. He didn’t know what to say. Seemed stupid now to admit he should have asked these questions himself. Instead he boxed himself in as Nick had said.

  “Can you accept that?” His dad sat with his arms crossed and a probing expression on his face – that same expression usually made Shane spill his guts.

  He searched for an honest answer. “I might have to think on it some.” He put a couple more bites in his mouth and found his hunger stirring.

  “What happened with Kendra?”

  He swallowed a mouthful of mac and cheese and hoped the food made the trip to his stomach without tossing back up. “Fight.”

  Jess snorted. “Understatement.”

  Shane dropped back to the sofa and closed his eyes. “Go away.”

  “Make me.” Jess’s voice was only half teasing. “Would love to pound on you.”

  Shane sat up, irritation spiking. His mother patted his hand. “Stop, boys.”

  “Don’t start something in front of the babies.” Amy Rose shifted her feet to the floor. “You want to be more specific about Kendra?”

  Shane dropped his fork back on his plate and gave her a tired grin. “Are you going to use baby excuses for everything now?”

  Amy Rose crossed her arms. “Yes. I’m entitled. Answer the question.”

  Jess grinned at him. “You might as well answer her. She’s going to nag until you do. If she doesn’t, I will and I can be mean.”

  “You can shut up now, Pop.” Shane raised a brow and waited for Jess’s answer.

  His dad snorted.

  Jess lifted Amy Rose’s feet back to his lap and started massaging. “My sons are not calling me Pop.”

  “Hey, y’all called me that a time or two when you were little.” His father reached for the remote and turned off the television.

  Amy Rose patted Jess’s arm. “Your daughters are calling you daddy and will have you wrapped around their itty bitty fingers.”

  “Eat, honey.” With his mother prodding him, Shane had to take another bite.

  Amy Rose shifted to give him a killer lawyer stare. “What happened with Kendra, fireman?”

  “She did all the talking. I had no good explanations.”

  “What did she do?” Amy Rose was a cat overdosed on catnip, springing and pouncing.

  He pointed his fork at her. “You really should have sat for the bar exam.”

  “Ship’s sailed. Trust me. What happened?”

  Shane poked his last bite. “Not sailed, but we’ll get back to that another time. She kicked me out. Says I didn’t trust her with the most basic parts of who I am.”

  Amy Rose nodded her head. “You didn’t.”

  “Thanks, sis. I needed you to kick me, too.” He pointed a finger at Jess. “Don’t say I told you so.”

  “I wouldn’t think of it. I made too many mistakes with Mrs. O’Hare here to yell at you for yours. What are you going to do?”

  “Give her a few days. Then try again. If she’ll even listen to me. Her father is Albert Dawson, the Houston entrepreneur who was just indicted. He lied to the whole family about what he was doing. Kendra had nothing to do with it, but is struggling with some serious fallout.”

  “Oh no, Shane.” His mother reached for his hand and he took it.

  “I’ve read about that. Messy stuff.” His father leaned forward in his chair. “Must have been hard for her to tell you.”

  “Yeah, it really was. But I don’t care about any of that. I care about her. Unfortunately, I was already in too deep with volumes of things I hadn’t shared with her when she told me. I knew how she was going to see what I left out.”

  His father stroked his chin. “Seems to me, you’re going to have to do the one thing you haven’t been doing to make it up to her.”

  “What’s that, Dad?”

  “Open up.” He grimaced. “It’s the only way if you want to keep her.”

  “I didn’t keep her, Dad. She says we’re done.” He took a few more bites.

  “Do you believe her?”

  He didn’t. Not really. He’d seen her eyes. She was hurt and humiliated and plain pissed at him, but there was still something in her eyes when she looked at him. He took the last bites off his plate.

  “You been sharing the easy parts, honey.” His mom took his plate and empty glass. “Pie now? More tea?”

  “Yeah, Mom. But I’ll get it. Sit.”

  She shifted back in her seat. “I think this is one time you’ll have to work this out on your own. All the advice we could give won’t mean a thing.”

  Jess snorted and then winked at Shane. “On your own equals she’ll still meddle.”

  “Seems like I’ve pretty much messed this up without having any help, so maybe I better go the other direction.”

  “We’ve always been here for you.” His father’s solemn words soothed churning emotions.

  Shane looked up at the ceiling and took a few short breaths. “I know I love her and I have to fix this.”

  His mother gave him a thumbs up. “Then fix it is what you’ll do.”

  Her confidence buoyed his spirits.

  ∞∞∞ ∞∞∞

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Kendra stirred the melting caramel and stared out the window into the darkness of early morning. Twenty-four hours had passed. She hadn’t slept. Wouldn’t go in the bedroom and sleep in her bed until she could wash her sheets, move her bed to another spot, and vacuum. She’d striped the bedding and dumped the sheets in a fit of temper. Whether the cleaning would purge her memories was probably a big no, but she’d try it anyway.

  She’d stood in the shower a long time and tried to purge her tears, too. That hadn’t worked so well. She had a headache from all the crying and with each sob, she’d magnified the hurt into every fiber of her being.

  How could he have done this? She hadn’t expected this of him. She’d believed what she saw in front of her. His actions matched what he said. She couldn’t reconcile all that he hadn’t told her with what she believed to be Shane’s true nature. He’d looked as devastated as her when he realized she knew, but that didn’t change that he’d lied to her.

  “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all,” she muttered into the silence. “I really thought he was the one.” She bent over holding her stomach as if that would work to make the pain go away.

  She forced herself to straighten and took the caramel off the burner. She drizzled it over the carrot cake, glad many of her cooking activities were automated in her brain, because she sure as hell wasn’t paying close attention to what she was doing. She hadn’t warned Sully she was bringing a new dessert, but tough. She had a few things to say to him, too.

  She finished covering the dessert and put the pan to the side of the sink. Her kitchen was a disaster. She hadn’t cleaned as she went along as usual, not really caring one way or another. A fact she was going to hate later when she had to clean up this mess.

  “Damn Shane anyway.” She tore another tissue from the box, blew her nose and then added it to an overflowing garbage can.

  Her cell phone rang. She picked it up to look at the readout, hoping for Shane, squashing that hope, then dying inside when it was her mother. Again.

  “Hello, Mom.”

  “You haven’t been answering your phone. I was so worried. What’s wrong?”

  My whole life has blown up in my face. Again.

  “Nothing, Mom. I work now. I can’t stop and talk to you all the time. I’m sorry.”

  “I know I shouldn’t have let your father call you on my phone. You’re mad about that, I know.”

  Actually, after the blow up with Shane, she’d pretty much forgotten her father existed.

  Her mother rushed on. “I was hoping you two could clear the air and you could find a way to support him.”

  Kendra collapsed at her desk and fingered the money from Sha
ne. “Oh, we cleared the air. Supporting him isn’t going to happen, Mom. I’m leaving that to you.”

  “I was afraid of that. I wish…”

  “Don’t, Mom. I wish this had never happened. I wish that my father was who I thought he was a year ago. He’s not. He belongs in jail and I’ve made peace with the fact that he’s lost to me.”

  Had she? Not really. But the lie sounded good.

  Which raised something that was nagging at her – Shane had lied to her, but she’d seen his eyes. They’d been drowning in soul-deep disgust at himself. She’d never seen that look in her father’s eyes. He was only sorry he got caught. Shane was obviously in some crisis and having been there herself, shouldn’t she cut him some slack? Try to understand? Try to work it out? But calm, rational Kendra didn’t want to make friends with angry, hurt Kendra. For either men.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. What did you say?”

  “I was hoping you would come home for Thanksgiving.”

  “No, Mom. The holidays are going to be my busiest time. I can’t.” Without a timeframe for her father’s trial and presumable sentencing, she wasn’t about to commit to a holiday three months away. “You could come here.”

  “No, honey, not until we know.”

  “Well, maybe next year, Mom.”

  Her mom was silent for a long time. “I feel like I’ve lost everything.”

  Kendra’s eyes filled with tears. “Me too, Mom.”

  “Will you please call me later? I don’t want to lose you, too.”

  “Sure, Mom. I have to go now.”

  She hung up and grabbed another tissue to mop the tears. A perfect world was a fantasy. She knew that. But she’d sacrificed enough. She wanted her world back with Shane, the way it was before she’d walked into that damn barn. If she hadn’t followed him…

  She blew her nose and tossed the tissue in the trash. “A lie would still be a lie…whether you’d followed him or not, Kendra.”

  She prepped the remaining desserts to be transported. Exhausted, she went to the living room, lay down and pulled a blanket over her head. She wouldn’t sleep, but if she closed her eyes for a minute maybe this would all go away.

  ∞∞∞∞

  Amy Rose walked into the Low Down and looked for Sully. The restaurant had just opened, so there wasn’t a customer in the place.

  She’d spent forty-five heat miserable minutes on her blackened property with the insurance adjustor. Since the house was in her father’s name, she couldn’t get anything settled and that aggravated her no end. Jess shouldn’t have to pay for the replacement of all her stuff! That was what insurance was for. She’d visited the cell phone store, replaced her phone, and vowed she’d dog her father’s footsteps until she got some resolution.

  Tomorrow.

  Sully came through the kitchen door with a bunch of papers in his hand and went behind the bar.

  Amy Rose moved to a bar stool and sat. “Hey, what’s a girl have to do to get a drink?”

  Sully rose directly in front of her, frowning. “When did Jess let you out alone?”

  Amy Rose snorted. “Today and not willingly. He had a bunch to do and so do I. Regardless of his opinion, I am not an invalid. I don’t need to be wrapped in bubble wrap or sit with my feet up. I’m healthy and I’m pregnant. That’s all.”

  “Overachiever.”

  She laughed. “Really, Sully?”

  “Well, what else do you call being pregnant with triplets? You can’t do normal can you, girl?”

  “Normal is over-rated, although I’d take some about now. Can I get a tomato juice?”

  “Sure.” He opened the fridge and poured some juice in a glass. He set the drink in front of her with a napkin. “Anything else?”

  “Two Cowboy Clubs to go. I’ll take the fries now with ranch and chips with the sandwiches. Oh and an extra-large sweet tea. And don’t forget the pickle.”

  “Gee, let me get my order pad. This eating for three is going to be a challenge to keep up with.”

  “Cute. I want some of that dessert Kendra brings in here.”

  Sully frowned and glanced at the clock. “She isn’t here yet. Over an hour late. I’ve tried to call her, but no answer.”

  “She broke it off with Shane yesterday. She found him out.”

  “I heard. Aunt Ladonna called my mama late last night. She called me with all the details at the crack of light this morning. Had to suffer through a new inquisition about why I don’t have a girlfriend.” He went to the computer and put in her order. “As if I ever want one,” he muttered under his breath.

  Amy Rose chose to ignore that comment. “Shane spent the night at the ranch last night. Didn’t look too hot this morning. He went out with Jess to do some work. We have to talk to Kendra.”

  Sully held up his hands. “We? Nu-uh. I don’t want anything to do with this.”

  “Well, at least tell me where she lives.”

  Sully sighed. “This is a really bad idea. You should leave it to them to work out.”

  “I want to tell Kendra…”

  The door opened and they both looked. Nick walked into the restaurant sipping a soda.

  Sully gave him an evil look. “I do sell drinks here, ya know?”

  “What?” Nick gave him a confused look. “Oh, yeah. I know. That’s not what I’m here for. Have you seen Peyton?”

  Sully pulled back and frowned. “No. Haven’t seen him since last Friday’s poker game.”

  “We were supposed to go to the ballgame Saturday night. He stood me up. I’ve been trying to call him since. He’s not answering. Went out to his house. He’s not there. His truck is gone and he’s not at the shop. It’s closed. He say anything to you?”

  “No. Haven’t heard from him. Check with Giff. He was going to work on his truck.”

  “Yeah, I forgot that.” Nick pushed his hands through his hair. “I’m going to beat him when I find him. Just saying…”

  Amy Rose shifted in her seat and touched Nick’s arm. “Why are you so worried?”

  “He’s been drinking a lot. Again. He could be in jail for all I know.”

  “Or the hospital?” Amy Rose dropped her hand and patted the stool next to her. “Sit. Let’s make some phone calls.”

  Nick sat and shoved his empty soda can to Sully. “Can you get me another one of those and a steak sandwich with fries to go?”

  “This stuff will harden your arteries. If I know you, this is your second or third one today.” Sully dumped the can in the recycling bin.

  “Nope, fourth.”

  “Geez, Nick. It ain’t even noon.”

  “I got up before the sun did. Have a saddle to finish. Besides, I have a mother, Sully.”

  “I know you do and I oughta tell her.”

  “Go ahead. I love discussing my health with her.” He made a noose hanging gesture and turned back to Amy Rose. “Let’s call. Where should we start?”

  “Denton County Jail, Denton Regional Medical Center, JPS in Fort Worth, Parkland in Dallas. Let’s see what we can find out.” She took out her cellphone and googled phone numbers before they split up to make the calls.

  Sully did a bottle inventory and went back to the kitchen.

  They ran out of places to call twenty minutes later. No luck.

  “I don’t know what else to do.” Nick tapped the bar. “I’ll call Giff, but what after that?”

  “You wait, I guess. I’ll ask Jess and Shane if they’ve heard from him. His father?”

  “No. He wouldn’t go see the old man.”

  “Where is he living now?”

  “Out south of Justin by the Speedway. I’m telling you, though, Peyton wouldn’t go there. Man!” Nick swiveled on his seat. “He’s been messed up since your wedding.”

  “How so?” Amy Rose fidgeted with her napkin.

  Nick sighed. “He and Diana had a thing right after high school. A hot, heavy thing. Then they split. They had words at your wedding. I saw them arguing.

  “I know.”


  Nick swiveled in his chair to stare at her. “You know?”

  “Diana told me a bit about it.” Amy Rose crossed her fingers against the fudge. Diana had talked to her in confidence about all of this and confided what they were arguing about. But having kept her own secret recently, she really didn’t feel she had room to share. “Secrets. Everywhere. Dammit.”

  “Tell me about it.” Nick took a swig of his soda.

  Sully came out from the kitchen efficiently handling sacks and a plate of fries. He set the plate in front of Amy Rose and plunked down the sacks.

  “Why are you tending bar? Where is Fancy?” Nick reached for one of the sacks.

  Sully slapped his hand. “That’s Amy Rose’s. This is yours.” He shoved the other sack Nick’s direction. “Fancy had a flat tire this morning. She’s at the tire place getting it fixed.”

  Amy Rose took a fry and dipped it in the ranch in the center of the plate. The flavor hit her lips. “Damn these are good.”

  Nick helped himself to a couple then threw a few bills on the counter. “I’ve got work to do. I’ll see you later.”

  Sully glared at Amy Rose. “You aren’t going to ask him to help you in this scheme you have to talk to Kendra?”

  Nick stopped in mid-motion. “Uh, that’s a really bad idea.”

  Amy Rose dipped ranch onto another fry. “Says who?”

  Nick gave her an exasperated sigh. “Dr. Phil, Oprah, Dear Abby, my minister and probably anyone else I would ask.”

  She gave them both a polite smile. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  ∞∞∞∞

  “Oh, God. I knew I shouldn’t have gotten so comfortable.” Kendra passed a car putting along ahead of her, then settled into the speed limit. Wrecking with all her desserts would not be a good thing.

  Her phone buzzed and she looked at the display. Sully had called her five times in the last two hours and left messages. The restaurant was already open.