The Cowboy's Promise

by Teresa Southwick

  “Good night, Mama.” She watched the woman she loved so much walk away.

  Just then the back door opened and Malone walked in. This man with the craggy face and bushy mustache was no one’s idea of what a cook looked like. And he was the walking, talking explanation of why it wasn’t wise to judge a book by its cover. He had a way with food. And not just meat and potatoes. His sauces were to die for and he made biscuits from scratch that melted in your mouth.

  “Hi, Malone.” She settled her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her palm.

  “Hey, Erica. Missed you at dinner tonight.” It was dark outside, but the man still wore his tattered old hat and a bandanna tied around his neck. But the look worked with his old jeans, boots and faded plaid cotton shirt. “There’s leftover chicken if you’re hungry.”

  “I’m not.” A pumpkin scone had taken care of that. “Why are you here?”

  “Gonna get a head start on breakfast. Omelets tomorrow. If everything is cut up and ready I can whip them up in a jiffy.” He angled his head toward her obvious condition. “If there’s anything you’re craving, just let me know.”

  “I will.”

  “Once knew a pregnant lady who had to have her avocados.” He grinned. “And melons—cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon—didn’t matter which.”

  “Right now I can’t say I have any cravings.” At least nothing that food would fix.

  “You feelin’ all right? That baby giving you trouble?”

  Yes, but not the way he meant. “No, I’m fine.”

  “Don’t look like it,” he observed.

  “There’s still some tension between Mama and I.”

  He sat his six-foot frame into the chair her mother had recently vacated. This man was a talker and he was settling in. “It was awful hard on your mama and daddy when you went away.”

  “I know. But it’s my life. Shouldn’t I be able to live it my way?”

  “Yup. And they know that.” His eyes were piercing. “It may not be my place to say but look at the view from their front porch. You come home without telling them there’s gonna be a baby. Now here you are, and that little one is going to be here real soon. And their feelings were hurt. They might just need a minute or two to adjust.”

  She sighed. As much as she wanted to argue with him, she couldn’t. When she lived here Malone had more than once put in his two cents and she’d missed his plain-spoken wisdom. “You’re right. I should have said something right away. I just couldn’t face what I knew I’d hear in their voices and see in their eyes. I only ever want them to be proud of me.”

  “They are, honey. But what with you working and living somewhere else, they didn’t get much chance to fiddle with their feelings about you being all grown-up. It’s hard for parents to figure out how not to butt in and try to keep their kids from making mistakes.”

  “This baby isn’t a mistake. I’ve wanted to be a mother for a long time now.”

  He smiled and patted her hand. “And you’ll be a good one, too. Just like your mama.”

  “Thanks, Malone.” She smiled sadly. “For just a little while tonight Mama and I were having such a nice talk. Just like we used to. Then it went bad. They say you can’t go home again, and I probably shouldn’t have.”

  “Well, you did, though. And things have changed. My advice is remember the old while you’re making the now new. And it doesn’t happen overnight.”

  “That sounds like good advice.”

  “It is. But worth what you paid for it.” He grinned, then stood up. “Gotta get going on my chores. Breakfast comes awful early around here.”

  “Can I give you a hand?”

  “That’s okay, honey. You should get some rest. The baby needs it.”

  She stood, too, then went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for the talk. I’ll do my best to make the now new.”

  And until this baby was born, the new included Morgan. He was a new she could easily get used to.

  Chapter Seven

  Along with lawyer and doctor appointments and birthing class, Erica was busy sending out résumés. She was encouraged by quick responses to them asking for interviews. But after the second one without an offer of employment, she was forced to admit two things. Because she’d been hired at Barron Enterprises as a college intern, she didn’t realize what a challenge job hunting could be. The second thing was that being very pregnant didn’t make the search any easier.

  This was her third interview, one she’d actually scheduled before moving back. She was sitting across the desk from Sandra Allen, the Human Resources director of an energy company in downtown Bronco Heights. This was a face-to-face meeting for their accounting/marketing position, following a phone interview during which this same woman had seemed very enthusiastic. Probably Erica should have mentioned being pregnant, but she just wanted a foot in the door, an opportunity to display her personality and business knowledge. One look at Erica’s well-developed baby bump had cooled off any interest.

  She knew what the woman was thinking because she’d had to deal with personnel issues like this at her last job. She needed to get ahead of it, so to speak, then highlight the skills she could bring to the table in the long term.

  She smiled. “You probably noticed that I’m pregnant. My due date is next month and I already have child care arranged.” That was a lie but she would make it true. “If you decide to hire me, I’ll get to know the company, and when I return from maternity leave, I can hit the ground running.” She was going to throw everything at the wall and hope something stuck. “In my previous job, I was in charge of day-to-day operations. I oversaw Human Resources, accounting, marketing and IT.”

  Sandra folded her hands and rested them on her desk. “You have an impressive résumé, Erica.”

  “Thank you.” She was pretty sure she heard a “but” in the woman’s voice but hoped she was wrong.

  “The thing is,” she continued, “you’re overqualified for the job we have. Upper management would be a better fit and we just don’t have an opening right now.”

  “You’re concerned that I’ll leave if something better comes along.” It was about more than that, but she was determined to leave it all on the table. “As you can see from my work history, I was hired during my college internship and stayed with the company for eight years. That shows a high degree of loyalty. If you give me a chance, I won’t let you down.”

  “I have no doubt.” The woman nodded. “But you should know that I have more people to interview. So, when that process is complete, I’ll make a decision. I will call you one way or the other. Thanks for coming in.”

  Erica knew that was a “don’t let the door hit you in the backside on the way out.” She stood and shook the other woman’s hand. “I appreciate your time.”

  She walked out of the office and left the building. It was hard not to be discouraged, even though she understood why hiring someone in her condition was a risk. On top of being discouraged, she was starving. And needing someone to listen to her bitch and moan. She knew just the place where both needs could be met and a short time later she walked into DJ’s Deluxe looking for Mel. The restaurant’s new manager directed her to a large office upstairs.

  She found it and stood in the doorway, taking in the cushy conversation area and large desk with a computer. Mel sat behind it and was so engrossed, she didn’t even know she had a visitor.

  “Knock, knock.”

  Mel looked up and it took two beats for her to register recognition. “Hey. Sorry. I was so focused. What are you doing here?”

  “I’m hungry. And I need a friendly face and sympathetic ear.”

  “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Am I wrong that you want privacy for this conversation?”

  “You are not wrong.”

  The other woman stood and walked around her desk. “I’ll get you some food.
Anything you’re craving? Cheesecake? Death by chocolate?”

  “Call me a peasant, but a burger and fries would be just about the best thing ever,” Erica said.

  “Coming right up.” She indicated one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”

  “Thanks.”

  Erica sat and closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in and out. Trying to relax the way Carla, the childbirth educator, had instructed. This scenario was not what she planned for her baby and the least she could do was try to neutralize her stress. She knew her family wouldn’t put her and the baby on the street, but the judgment would always be in their eyes.

  The one unexpected positive was Morgan. Literally without any questions asked, he was there for her and the baby. He calmed her when they were together. And she was happy around him. He was a friendly port in a storm of tension and hormones. A bright spot in an otherwise challenging chapter of her life. Once upon a time she’d naively believed she could pull off perfect for this baby, but now she knew better. The best she could do would have to be good enough and at least she had Morgan.

  It wasn’t long before Mel returned with a plate. She set it on the edge of the desk. “Dig in and feed that baby.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

  Erica ate a couple of the fries and closed her eyes in ecstasy. “Best thing I have ever tasted.”

  “That happens when you’re starving. Although DJ’s Deluxe sets a high bar in all its restaurants.”

  “I only care about this one. Right here, right now.” She cut the burger in half to make it manageable.

  For a few moments there was only silence in the room, if one excluded her appreciative moans. After the first half was gone, she took a break and sat back in her chair.

  Erica looked at the lovely woman who was going to marry her brother. “You’re a lifesaver. Almost literally. I thank you, and my unborn baby, your future nephew or niece, thanks you.”

  “Don’t mention it. Happy to help.” She was sitting behind the desk again, frowning at all the paperwork in front of her. “With great power comes great responsibility. I’m grateful to you for giving me an excuse to take a break.”

  “It’s the least I can do for family.”

  “That means a lot.” Mel’s smile was sweet and soft. “You know, before you came back home, I was a little nervous about meeting Gabe’s sister.”

  “Me? Why?” She wiped her hands on her napkin and crumpled it in her hand.

  “You’re important to him. And he’s important to me. I’m an only child and I lost my parents six years ago. So, I feel as if I’m not just getting the best guy in the world, but a family, too.”

  “Aww...” Erica felt an emotional lump in her throat. That happened a lot lately.

  “You and I have hit it off even better than I’d hoped. I’ve never had a sister and always wanted one.”

  “Me, too.” She reached a hand across the desk and Mel took it, squeezed affectionately. “You’re going to make me cry.”

  “I would take that as a compliment, except I’m guessing pregnancy hormones might make you emotional if I said the sky is blue.”

  Erica laughed. “You’re not completely wrong.”

  “Speaking of family...” Mel folded her hands and put them on top of her desk. “Have you seen Josiah since you’ve been home?”

  Erica knew the other woman wasn’t trying to make her feel guilty, but she did anyway. Gabe had told her Gramps was in Snowy Mountain, a facility north of Bronco Heights that offered a full range of services, from independent living to caring for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s. “Not yet. I’ve had a lot to deal with since I got home, and it hasn’t been that long. I had to see a lawyer. And had a doctor’s appointment. A couple of job interviews.”

  “I understand,” Mel said. Clearly she meant that. “It’s just that I’m so frustrated. We’ve hit a wall finding his daughter Beatrix and aren’t sure what to do next. More than anything I’d like to give Winona some peace about her child, the comfort of knowing she’s all right. Josiah has occasional lucid moments. Gabe and I are wondering if seeing you might just jolt him out of wherever he is and get him to give us something.”

  Erica sighed. “I feel so bad that I haven’t visited yet.”

  “I know. But try to see him soon if you can.” Mel nodded sympathetically. “And I’ll stop now. How’s the job search going?”

  “Not so good.”

  “Is that what you wanted to talk about?” the other woman asked.

  “Yes.” Now it was Erica’s turn to be frustrated. “I understand what’s going through their mind when they look at me so pregnant. I used to deal with this situation, but on the other side of the desk, so to speak. If hired, I would work my butt off for just a few weeks, then have a baby and leave them shorthanded again. I could be back to work in six weeks, if all goes as planned. But what if it doesn’t? If I was making the decision and had two equal candidates for one position, but one was very pregnant, the best business decision would be to hire the other one.”

  “I hear you.” Mel sighed. “For women, work and motherhood is always going to be a balancing act.”

  “That’s the best you’ve got?” Erica was only half kidding.

  “Yeah. So let’s talk about something more pleasant.”

  “I’m open to suggestions.”

  “You’ve met Amanda, but not our friend Brittany yet. She’s the one organizing the Denim and Diamonds fundraiser. Apparently it’s all coming together really well.”

  “Great.”

  “Are you planning to go? If the baby hasn’t come yet? I know you said Jordan Taylor’s father isn’t your favorite person.”

  “True. But I wouldn’t mind seeing Jordan. He and I managed to stay friends even after dating a short time.”

  Mel nodded. “I can see why your folks got their hopes up. His father and uncles own Taylor Beef. Not only is he good-looking, he’ll never have to worry about money.”

  “I should hope not. It’s a big company.” And suddenly flashes went off in her brain. There might be a job opening for her in that big company.

  “And his father is putting on this big charity shindig to raise money for programs to help lower income families in Bronco Valley. I’m going to need a shindig kind of dress,” Mel said.

  Erica looked ruefully at her belly. “I’m going to need a tent.”

  “Oh please. You hardly look pregnant and you’re beautiful.” Mel toyed with a pen. “At least Morgan thinks so.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I saw the way he looked at you that day at the animal sanctuary.”

  “You’re imagining things.”

  “Am I? Because right after I noticed that, he asked you for a date.”

  “No. It’s more like he offered to be my bodyguard.”

  Mel looked skeptical. “How do you explain him volunteering to be your labor coach?”

  “Mom told you.”

  “Yeah.” The other woman looked concerned. “And it makes one wonder why.”

  “Because he’s a really nice guy.”

  “Your family is nice, too.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. But they don’t approve of my decision to have this baby alone. I couldn’t ask my father. Which would be really weird anyway. My mother is concerned about me being a single mom so I guess I’m trying to prove I can handle the challenges that come up. And you’re engaged to Gabe, who thinks I’ve lost my mind. So I didn’t want you in the middle of it,” she explained. “Morgan is my good friend. I don’t feel like I fit in here anymore, and he feels as if he hasn’t been welcomed into the community with open arms.” She shrugged. “We get each other.”

  “Okay.”

  Erica could see the other woman still had something on her mind. “Go ahead. Sisters can tell each other things t
hat no one else could get away with. Spit it out.”

  “It’s just...” Mel sighed. “Things between you and Morgan seem to be moving pretty fast. I’m afraid you’re vulnerable and you’ll get hurt.”

  “He wouldn’t hurt me. You’d think a man that good-looking would be a jerk, but he’s not. I met his mom and can see why.” She thought for a moment. “And your friend Amanda is engaged to his brother. Do you approve of him?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “No buts.” Erica held up her hands. “Morgan won’t hurt me. It’s not like that between us. He doesn’t want me that way. I’m pregnant. In fact, no one wants me.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Feels true.”

  After Peter, she’d given up on dating, but being with Morgan gave her a glimpse of possibilities and she had to remember that none of the possibilities included forever with him. She was almost sorry that all of it would change when the baby was born and she wouldn’t have a reason to see him anymore.

  * * *

  When Morgan pulled his truck to a stop in front of the main house on the Ambling A, the front door opened immediately and Erica walked out. She must have been waiting for him. That could only mean tension with her family, quite possibly because of him, and she was trying to head it off. He was all in favor of steering clear of stress for her and the baby, but facing the Abernathys didn’t bother him.

  He’d been surprised but really stoked when she called and suggested going to the Bronco Harvest Festival, so here he was to pick her up. He got out of the truck and went around to the passenger door to open it for her.

  “Hi,” he said.

  She smiled up at him. “You’re very punctual.”

  “So are you.” He watched her put a foot on the running board, then handed her into the truck. When she was settled in the seat, her face was very close to his. Her breath was soft on his cheek and her slightly parted lips were a whisper away.