Rodeo Sheriff

by Mary Sullivan

  His big body set her heart zipping about with hummingbird wings. Crazy.

  She put distance between them.

  “Did you enjoy the slide?” she murmured in Madeline’s ear.

  The ghost of a smile tipped up the corners of the child’s mouth. “Again,” she whispered.

  Honey climbed the steps and sat with Madeline between her legs.

  Madeline gestured with her tiny fingers for Cole to come back to the bottom of the slide. “Catch.”

  Cole stood with his legs apart, the denim of his jeans stretching across strong thighs. Solid and dependable and so, so appealing with his arms open, he waited for them.

  Yes, Honey thought. Yes. Wait for us.

  Sunlight caught in his thatch of dirty-blond hair. The breeze mussed it.

  Honey had been alone a long time. She’d never minded her independence. She loved it.

  But those arms of Cole’s...

  Waiting for her and Madeline...

  He would catch them safely, and that was the problem. His arms felt too good.

  Madeline demanded, “Now,” and Honey pushed them forward. Again, Cole caught them and lifted them into the air, exaggerating the lift for Maddy’s sake.

  Her smile grew a little and she ordered, “Again.”

  Honey obliged, again and again, each time both eager for and horrified by Cole’s touch. Or rather, horrified by her reaction to it.

  She was drooling over the man, for Pete’s sake, and craving his touch.

  As the two of them stood in Cole’s embrace yet again, Madeline whispered, “Make wind again.”

  Cole’s eyes widened. Honey felt her own follow suit.

  “It wasn’t me,” he said.

  “I didn’t do anything,” she responded.

  Madeline patted her own cheeks. “Make wind happen on my face again.”

  Honey started to laugh. She sensed Cole shaking beside her, holding in his laughter. “Oh, that’s what you mean. You like the wind on your face when we go down the slide fast.”

  Madeline nodded.

  Biting the inside of his cheek, Cole turned aside, but his eyes sparkled.

  Honey liked that trace of happiness on his face, the alchemy of a child’s unwitting joke transmuting grief to fun.

  After a dozen or so times, Cole pretended that hefting them into the air was a chore. Honey knew it was an exaggeration because she could feel his strength and the relative ease with which he lifted them when they hit the bottom.

  He huffed and puffed. He moaned.

  Madeline laughed.

  Cole froze with his arms around both of them. Honey hung in his embrace with her feet off the ground. Cole’s stunned deep blue gaze met Honey’s. She frowned a question, what?

  “First time,” he whispered.

  “Since...?”

  “Since.” A flat statement, but she knew what he meant. First laughter since the death of her parents.

  Honey stared. She’d never been this close to Cole before. How could she never have noticed how expressive his eyes were? How deep blue they were?

  Birdsong, the breeze chattering through leaves in the trees, children’s laughter in the park... All faded away, her attention distilled to this one moment and this one man.

  He let her go slowly, she and Madeline sliding down until her feet hit the ground and she had to ease her head back to look up at him.

  He shook his head, one sharp gesture, and frowned. A second later, his expression flattened and he let her go as though nothing had happened.

  As though the earth hadn’t shifted on its axis.

  Using her best no-nonsense tone, Honey said, “Let’s go back to the bar and rustle up supper.”

  If Cole could pretend nothing had just happened between them, so could she.

  Honey and Cole headed back to the apartment with Evan and Madeline. Honey went downstairs to the bar to get out some burgers to feed everyone.

  A couple of lights were on. She found Chet sitting in one of the booths with a cup of coffee and an empty plate, reading the various national weekend papers he had delivered from Denver every Monday.

  “Don’t you spend enough time here?” Honey asked. “You should be reading at home with your feet up in your own living room.”

  “Quieter here.”

  Honey understood his point. His wife was a nonstop talker. She enjoyed the company of her friends and her phone conversations. He enjoyed the snatches of quiet time he found here when the bar was closed.

  “I’m just getting burgers together for dinner.”

  Chet stood. “Go on back upstairs. I’ll put on a bunch of sliders for the kids. How many burgers for you and Cole?”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “Want to.”

  “Will you join us for dinner?”

  “Just finished leftover ribs and fries. I’ll turn the deep fryer back on to make y’all fries.”

  “Thanks, Chet. You’re a gem.”

  “Aw, go on.” His gruff voice elicited a laugh from Honey. Chet liked to think he was a big tough guy, and he could be in the bar, but he was a softie at heart.

  “They sleeping upstairs again tonight?” he asked.

  Honey huffed out a frustrated laugh. She might love Rodeo, but sometimes living in town was like living in a fishbowl. “Does the whole town know?”

  “Yep.”

  “Yes, they’ll stay upstairs one more night, then they’ll go to Cole’s apartment.”

  “Bring the children down here for dinner. I like ’em.”

  “Okay.”

  Honey gathered everyone downstairs in the bar.

  “Maybe Cole can find music you’ll like.” She took a bunch of quarters out of the cash register and left them in the middle of the booth into which Cole settled the children.

  A few minutes later, Patsy Cline sang “Crazy” in the background.

  Honey opened a bag of chips and set it on the table, catching the words, “Tomorrow we have to sleep in my apartment.”

  “Why?” Evan asked.

  “Because it will be noisy upstairs. This is a place where people come to listen to loud music, talk and have fun. You won’t be able to sleep.”

  When Evan’s attention drifted, Cole brought it back with a finger under his chin. “There’s another more important reason why we can’t stay. We’re inconveniencing Honey greatly. She’s used to having her place to herself. We don’t want to bother her.”

  Staring at the two little ones who were burrowing their way into her heart, Honey thought, Bother me! Please!

  “Do you understand?” Cole asked.

  Evan nodded. Clearly Madeline did not have a clue what Cole meant, even if she did take her cue from her older brother and nod when he did.

  She took one half of a broken chip between two small fingers and bit it. Evan took a handful and shoved them into his mouth, leaving as many crumbs on his T-shirt as he got in his mouth.

  Chet entered the bar with sliders and fries for the children.

  Just as he had earlier in the day, he fussed with tying bar towels around their necks as bibs. Like docile little lambs, they let him.

  Chet returned to the kitchen, came back with a tray of condiments and doctored their sliders according to their wishes.

  “Your burgers will be ready soon, Cole and Honey,” he said.

  * * *

  COLE FOLLOWED CHET into the kitchen. “Can I speak to you?”

  “What’s up?” Chet asked while he threw more fries in for the adults.

  “I know it’s a huge favor to ask, but can you come in tomorrow morning to babysit for a few minutes?”

  “Sure. It’s not a huge favor. I like the kids. They’re sweet. What’s up?”

  “I need to find a house for us, but I’m kinda lost. I want H
oney to come to the real estate office with me and look everything over.”

  “Good idea. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.”

  Not that Honey had any more experience than him, but he hoped she might catch something he might miss in what the children would need in a suitable home.

  Home. God, what did he know about setting up a home? His parents had given him everything he could ever need financially, but nurturing him? It had never happened.

  Now he had to nurture Maddy and Evan. Now he had to not only provide a home, he had to make one.

  “Cole.” Chet’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

  “Yeah?”

  “Relax. You’re in good hands with Honey.”

  The children were, at any rate.

  He returned to the bar.

  Patsy had finished singing and Honey helped Evan to choose another song from the old-fashioned tabletop jukebox.

  Madeline picked up a French fry and nibbled on it. Evan bit into his slider. Mustard oozed down his chin. Honey wiped it off with the towel around his neck.

  Yes, the children were in good hands.

  Back upstairs, the evening’s routine was the same as the night before, including Honey waking in the middle of the night to two children crying all over Cole in the living room.

  How on earth was he going to make life okay for those two?

  She made nests for them on the sofa with Cole, turned the music on low and the single light over the kitchen stove, and left the room after Cole’s heartfelt thanks.

  * * *

  THE NEXT MORNING, as they walked along Main Street in the glaring sunlight, Honey asked, “What was it you wanted to show me? Why did Chet have to come in so early to babysit?”

  “The real estate office. I need to find a place. Will you advise me?”

  “Sure. I’d be happy to.” Never in her life had Honey gone house hunting. She’d grown up in her apartment above the bar with her mother. Her parents had owned the building. After her father’s death, Honey’s mother had seen no reason to get rid of either and had run the bar alone until Honey was old enough to help. Honey had known no other home.

  Spending someone else’s money, and imagining what might work for those two children, she could totally do.

  “It’ll be fun,” she said.

  Cole’s look said, For you, maybe.

  At Julia Hanson’s office, they realized—as they should have, had they really thought about it—that there wasn’t much available. Rodeo might be a good-size town, but that didn’t mean there were a lot of houses for sale.

  Julia, a pretty woman with expensive taste in clothes and shoes, took them to one wall displaying photographs of the only sites available. “Cole, I understand your needs, of course,” Julia said. “Everyone in town knows about the children. Your apartment is thoroughly unsuitable.”

  Cole smiled down at her. “You’ve seen it,” he said wryly.

  Julia laughed. “A couple of times over the years for each new sheriff. There are only three apartments available in town right now. This one might work.”

  She pointed to one photo of a long narrow living room, which meant it had to be above a store.

  “I don’t like the look of it,” Cole said, indicating the photo. “It might be larger than my place with the extra bedroom, but it’s still dark and narrow. Those kids need...”

  He shrugged. “Light. Space. A home. I don’t know how to turn any place into a home for them.”

  Julia rested her fingers on his arm. “I can help you with that, Cole.”

  And I can break those fingers if you don’t let go of Cole. The thought came out of nowhere with a violence as ugly as the words, shocking Honey. She was neither vicious nor jealous.

  Come on. Cole was just a guy she was helping out. That was all.

  A surge of jealousy was not in the cards. Not in her nature. Totally unwarranted.

  “Thanks, Julia,” Cole said. “I appreciate it. I have Honey’s help. She’s been great.”

  Julia removed her fingers and smiled at Honey—maybe a tad falsely?

  Whatever. She was keeping her hands to herself, and that was all that mattered.

  “I’m thinking I’ll have to buy a place,” Cole said.

  Honey touched one photograph. “The old Asher place is the only one for sale right now, I see. They’ve been gone for a year.”

  “It needs work. It isn’t move-in ready.”

  “What needs to be done on it?” Cole asked.

  “The structure is sound, but it would need to be cleaned from top to bottom.”

  “Can you afford cleaning services?” Honey asked Cole.

  He nodded. Humph. Again, chatty with Julia, but not with her. And yet, when he’d told Julia he had Honey’s help, he’d sounded glad of it, and proud.

  Such a confusing man.

  They set up a date for Cole to see the place.

  “Thanks for your time, Julia. I appreciate it.” Cole stepped outside and turned to Honey. “What are your thoughts?”

  “The Asher place looks like it could be brought up to date. I grew up in an apartment and was absolutely fine, but you need room for those two children.”

  They crossed Main and walked toward the bar. “I wasn’t traumatized like Evan and Maddy are. I was happy with my mom. You need a house with a yard and with as much hominess as you can pull off.”

  Cole shook his head like a bewildered little boy. “I don’t know how.”

  Some devil got into her and she placed her fingers on his arm. Startled, he stopped walking and looked down at her.

  Honey batted her eyelashes outrageously. “I can help you with that, Cole.” She nailed her impression of Julia perfectly.

  A slow smile spread across Cole’s face. “Catty, Honey.”

  “Great, huh?”

  He laughed and Honey thought the sun might just as well slink away behind the horizon early today, because it sure as hell couldn’t compete with the sunshine of Cole’s laughter.

  They entered the bar, and Cole sobered. Madeline sat on Chet’s lap, sobbing quietly. Chet lifted a helpless shoulder.

  “Been trying to calm her down since you left. I’m thinkin’ maybe you shouldn’t have both gone at the same time.”

  Madeline struggled down from Chet’s lap and all but threw herself at Cole. He caught her up in his arms and held her against his chest, murmuring soft, soothing words.

  Chet went to the kitchen to make a late breakfast for Cole and Honey. They’d opened the real estate office at nine. It was just shy of ten.

  Madeline wouldn’t let go of Cole and he couldn’t squeeze into the booth with her on his lap, so he sat at a table.

  Honey brought over her meal.

  From the kitchen, for all the world as though he could see around corners, Chet called, “I’m making her fresh. Don’t feed her that. It’s cold.”

  Honey’s cell rang. She answered then told Cole, “Rachel’s inviting you and the children out to the ranch for lunch and the afternoon. Okay?”

  Cole nodded, clearly not knowing what else to do with the children.

  Chet entered the room with more food and said, “You go, too, Honey.”

  “Chet, I have to work this afternoon.”

  “Come on, Honey. It’s Tuesday. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, but Madeline suddenly crawled into her lap and wrapped Honey’s hair around her shoulders.

  Message received. “Okay, I’ll come.”

  Madeline snuggled against her while she ate a boiled egg. Evan climbed onto Cole’s lap.

  “Take your time,” Chet ordered. “No rushing back here. Got it?”

  Honey nodded.

  Chapter Seven

  They drove out of town to Rachel and Travis’s place for the a
fternoon, taking Cole’s truck because he’d bought children’s car seats before driving from the airport to Rodeo.

  Ten minutes later, they arrived at the Victorian that Travis owned, an anomaly among the ranch houses of the Montana landscape. Travis had come to town last November and bought the big old house Abigail Montgomery had owned until she died.

  Rachel had always wanted the house and had been heartbroken that someone else had bought it.

  How appropriate that Travis and Rachel had fallen in love. Rachel now lived in her dream home with one of the nicest men Honey had ever met.

  Just as they pulled up in the driveway, Travis came out of the house with little Tori by his side. He held her shoulder until the vehicle came to a firm halt then let her come to greet everyone. She tried to open the back door on Madeline’s side but couldn’t reach.

  “Sheriff Cole, hep me. Please. Want to see Maddy.”

  He stepped out of the truck, his muscled weight moving the heavy vehicle about.

  “Why won’t you open it?” Tori asked.

  Cole laughed. “Because you’re standing right in front of the door. If I open it, I’ll knock you over like a bowling pin. Do you want that?”

  Tori giggled. “No, Sheriff.” A beat later, she asked, “What’s a bowling pin?”

  A rueful smile kicked up the corner of his mouth. “Never mind. Old-fashioned stuff.” He picked her up and set her out of the way. Then he opened the door and lifted Madeline from her car seat.

  “Times have changed,” Travis said. He’d come up on the other side of the truck to help Evan out of his seat. “Who would have thought a few months ago we’d both have children’s car seats and toys filling our pickups?”

  They entered Rachel’s house.

  “Lunch is minestrone, if that’s okay with everyone,” Rachel asked. “I’m all about easy preparation these days.”

  “I hear you. Thanks so much for inviting us on short notice.”

  In the background, Tori chatted away to a silent Madeline. She ran to get a book and shiny star and unicorn stickers. They snuggled next to each other on the sofa and filled pages with stickers.

  Throughout lunchtime, Cole and Travis kept up a running commentary about cattle and planting schedules, all of which Honey listened to with half an ear.