“That’s right, no stopping me. I’m gonna be the best there ever was.”
Annie laughed at that despite the tension he could see in every fiber of her body. “That I have no doubt about.” She snatched his cowboy hat from his head and ruffled his hair affectionately. “You’re just stubborn enough to do it.”
“And to be great it will take every ounce of stubbornness to pull it off.”
“Are you stubborn?” Leo asked, leaning his hip against Colt’s knee and resting his hand on Colt’s leg.
Colt felt a contentment he’d never felt before looking at the relaxed way Leo had around him. God had blessed him with this child. The realization thundered through Colt. “I’m stubborn. When I know what I want, I go after it. You’ll be the same.”
Leo grinned. “You betcha.”
“Leo, do you want to go to the concession stand with us?” Norma Sue called from the aisle. Adela was beside her, a sweet smile lighting her brilliant blue eyes—eyes Colt thought probably looked brighter because her short white hair was such a contrast. Just as her being so dainty and gentle contrasted with Norma Sue, and her robust figure and even larger personality. How those two were such close friends had always baffled Colt growing up, and even more so now. But they were. And it worked. Add Esther Mae into the mix and it was like adding fizz to a root beer float.
“Can I, Annie Aunt? Can I?” Leo spun toward Annie and asked.
“Sure you can.” Annie smiled. “Thanks for asking him,” she called down the row to the ladies. They were grinning.
“I might take him up to the announcer’s booth, if you don’t mind. My Roy Don would enjoy showing him the show from up there.”
“Sure,” Annie said as Leo whooped and started toward the posse.
Colt watched Leo scoot through the crowd toward the ladies and realized that he and Annie were alone. They were in a crowd, but suddenly with no buffer. “Do you want me to get you something from the concession stand?” he offered.
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
They sat like that for a few minutes, feeling like strangers. Colt’s leg burned where her jeans-clad leg touched his. Colt struggled to figure out what to talk to her about. “You’re sure, because I can go.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “And mess up Leo’s independence? I don’t think so. We’ll just sit here and chill.”
“Okay,” he grunted, feeling awkward. “He’s a great kid, Annie.”
“Yes, he is,” she answered, and then silence landed between them again. “Is this driving you crazy—not being out there?” she asked at last.
“Yeah, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t.” He shrugged a shoulder. “But it’s not the same anymore.” He looked at the bull riders beginning to mill around behind the gates. “So much has happened in the last month that it feels like years.”
“Word on the street is you’re thinking about not competing in the finals.” She gave a shy smile. “And yes, I listened to the talk about you. I have to admit to being curious about Leo’s...” Her voice trailed off and she glanced around. “Well, you know,” she finished.
The spark of interest that she would listen died when he realized it was because she was curious about him only as Leo’s daddy. It was just as well. He knew she was interested; he could see it in her eyes. But since she didn’t like him, and was basically only tolerating him because of the situation, what had he expected?
“Yeah, I know. Look, I’ve got a lot on my mind. A lot to figure out.”
“I know that. I’m trying to be patient like we discussed. Are you willing to talk?”
He studied her, considering her offer. “It’s not that easy.”
“I’m sure it isn’t. You’ve been through a lot. I understand that.” She looked away toward the first bull rider lowering himself onto the bull’s back. “I just thought if you needed someone to talk to... But I know you have your brothers. Your family. Having a family is nice.”
The crowd around them went wild as they watched the five seconds it took for the rider to be thrown to the ground. The bull fighters raced out and distracted the hulking bull as the unhurt cowboy jogged to the fence.
“There are some things no one can fix.” He hesitated and then, looking into the compassion of her eyes, he continued. “A family gone can’t be brought back. The hole their absence makes in the lives of their loved ones and friends can’t be fixed.”
Around them the stands erupted as Roy Don announced the next bull by name and the cowboy riding him, too. Colt didn’t even look—he was too busy looking at Annie’s sad expression.
“You’re right about that. My house mother at the last foster home I was in always said that God had a plan. No matter if we could see it or not, He had a plan. I tell myself that all the time. I think it’s something you really need to grasp. We may never know why this tragedy happened. But no matter how much you wished it was you who died instead of the Eversons, it won’t change the fact. You need to come to terms with that. You don’t have to like it...but you have to accept it.”
“Colt!” Leo called as he wove his way through the people sitting on the stadium bench. Colt hadn’t realized Leo was coming up the steps, he’d been too focused on his conversation with Annie. Annie looked just as startled as he was.
“What is it?” he asked, reaching out to steady his son as he scrunched past the last set of knees.
Breathless with excitement, Leo grinned at Colt and Annie. “There’s gonna be a rodeo just for little kids like me! Can you believe it? A six-year-old like me.”
“Whoa, slow down and breathe,” Colt said, grinning.
“Excuse me. Coming through,” Norma Sue said, squeezing her way toward them. A bit larger than Leo, she had men standing up and trying to scoot steel benches out of the way with their legs in order to give her the room she needed to get through the crowd. Her elbow hit a cowboy in the head who was sitting one row forward. His Stetson went flying and landed on the lady two rows farther forward. All this during what was supposed to be the ride of the night, by a bull rider who was trying to take Colt down a notch in the national standings!
“Hey,” the cowboy boomed, glaring at Norma Sue. Obviously not from around these parts, the poor fellow had no idea what he was biting off by glaring at Norma Sue like that.
The robust rancher woman halted in her maneuvers and swirled around to face the unhappy cowboy. Unfortunately for the hospitable fellow who’d stood up to let her through, he was knocked back by her hips as she swung around to face the rude sodbuster. “I didn’t mean to knock your hat off, son,” she apologized as folks turned to see what was happening.
“You need to watch yourself,” the poor, misguided soul began, then halted when Norma Sue stuffed her fist onto her hips and leaned toward him, her expression easily telegraphing her displeasure at his rudeness.
“Did I tell you I was sorry, young man?” she huffed. When he didn’t say anything, she hiked a brow and tipped her chin. “Well, did I or didn’t I? What, now that you’ve got an old woman all riled up, you’re gonna pipe down?”
“Well, I, I...” He swallowed hard and glanced from side to side, spotting the expressions of irritation and outright humor at his situation.
“That’s right. Now you’re thinking about finding your manners. ’Cause I know your momma probably taught you better. If she didn’t, then honey, you’ve come callin’ on the right little gal to set you straight.”
Colt almost choked on his own laughter and Annie’s shoulders were shaking. Leo looked at Norma Sue with openmouthed amazement.
“That bad man shoulda kept his mouth shut,” Leo whispered behind his cupped hand into Colt’s ear.
“I reckon that woulda been the best thing to do.” Colt chuckled.
“So what do you want to say to me now?” Norma Sue asked, totally fixated on
the wish-he-could-crawl-under-a-rock cowboy.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Didn’t mean to get so upset when you—” He looked down at his boots. “When you were just trying to get past.”
Norma Sue relaxed, grinned and reached out and chucked the fellow on the shoulder good-naturedly. “Now, there ya go. Don’t you feel better now?” He was shaking in his boots and she was grinning from ear to ear, totally oblivious that she’d just taken an eight-second bull ride to a different level.
“Y’all get on back to your bull-ride watching. The show’s over.” She scooted the last foot to where they were sitting and squeezed in beside Annie. “Rude folks. Somebody’s gotta teach’um some manners.”
“Shor do,” Leo said, his little face scrunching up with his indignation at the situation. “You did good, Miss Norma Sue.”
She smiled. “Thanks, cutie pie. You just remember when you grow up to be a gentleman—that’s the real cowboy way. And the Godly way.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise.”
“Good, now that that’s settled, I was coming to explain about the kiddy rodeo. Annie, I hope you’ll consider letting Leo compete.”
“Well, I guess that would be fine. He looks like he really wants to. But he doesn’t know how to do anything.”
“That’s nothing,” Norma Sue hooted, looking at Colt. “He’s got Colt living across the barbed wire from him. Colt can fix him up with anything he wants to do. Can’t you, Colt?”
“Yeah, can’t you Colt?” Leo added, his entire body wiggling with the prospect of what was to come.
Colt laughed, not about to go against anything Norma Sue said at this moment. “You and me, kiddo. We’ll have you rodeo ready in no time.”
“Yup,” Norma Sue agreed. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.”
“What kind of events will there be?”
“They’re gonna have mutton bustin’!”
Colt enjoyed Annie’s baffled expression as she turned questioning eyes to him.
“That’s kids trying to ride large sheep. Since they’re too young to ride steers.”
“It’s the cutest thing you ever saw,” Norma Sue added. “Leo would enjoy it.”
The crowd was going wild around them. Everyone stopped talking as their attention turned to the great eight-second ride going on out in the arena. The bull rider was riding the twisting bull and giving it his all. Colt’s hand on his good arm fisted into a ball and he recorded in his mind everything that was right about the ride and everything he would have done differently. All in all, the rider did a great job and deserved all the attention his ride had garnered. Though he had been preoccupied with Annie and Leo, Colt figured this was the winning ride of the night.
Leo pumped his little fist in the air. “That was awesome!”
Annie swallowed hard. “Norma Sue, I’ll need to think about this mutton bustin’. What else will be at the rodeo?”
“But Annie Aunt!” Leo exclaimed.
“Leo, I said I need to think about this.”
“I think it sounds like a fun thing for him to do,” Colt said, not getting the big deal. It was mutton bustin’—what was the big deal?
The instant Annie’s eyebrow shot up and those big eyes of hers narrowed as they locked on to him said it all. He’d just made a mistake.
And by the look of things, he wasn’t going to fare much better than the poor whupped-down cowpoke who’d dared to cross Norma Sue a few minutes earlier.
Chapter Eleven
“We’ll discuss this later, Leo,” Annie said as she sent Leo to brush his teeth before going to bed. At his protest she shook her head. “Young man, if you want the answer to be no about this rodeo, then keep fussing. I’ve told you I need more information, and until I get it I’m not going to say yes to mutton bustin’.”
He sighed an overly exaggerated sigh. “Yes, ma’am.” Trudging down the hall he disappeared into the bathroom.
Annie sighed to herself, her heart heavy with the idea of disappointing Leo. She was here to protect him though, and she planned on researching the events before she let Leo do anything that could jeopardize him. And how dare Colt!
Turning back to the kitchen she went to the sink to wash the dishes that were waiting on her. Time had run out on getting the dinner plates washed when she’d foolishly spent far too long in front of her closet contemplating what outfit to wear to the rodeo. Lost in thought, she ran the hot water into the sink, testing it to get the temperature right as the suds began to grow.
What did Colt expect? That he was going to keep his identity hidden and yet override her decision making? And what had she been thinking—the man was his daddy after all. Pulling him into this did give him rights. However, it didn’t seem fair for those rights to include upstaging her decisions.
Annie grabbed a plate, and though all it had held was a turkey sandwich—Leo’s favorite—she scrubbed it as if it had dried three-day-old eggs clinging to it. Colt had better be glad he’d taken his cue and gone home the minute he’d dropped them off. She scrubbed harder. He’d better also be glad that she’d held her dissatisfaction to herself, for the most part.
“What was he thinking?” she grumbled as she snapped the water back on and rinsed the sparkling dish beneath the clear warm water.
And here she’d believed they’d made a connection for a minute there—not that she had been sure at all what she was doing, but something had passed between them. Her hands stilled in the dishwater. Colt had a family he could talk to. Unlike her, he had someone to gain insight from in difficult situations. He wasn’t like her, relying on herself or nearly complete strangers for advice. Hanging her head, she paused washing the plate. Fighting the mixture of anger and confusion, she gripped the sink and went to the one she did have to talk to...she went to God.
Dear Lord, please help me to know what I’m supposed to do. Please lead me to not make rash decisions. Please calm my spirit and allow me to hear your direction. Your calling.
Finishing the dishes, a sense of calm came over her, just as she’d prayed for. Annie determined that she would trust God to help her make the right choices for Leo. And for herself, she didn’t need to think about anything that had to do with her. She needed to concentrate on Leo and let her own needs remain in the background.
As for Colt, God was going to have to give her some direction on how to deal with the man who obviously didn’t want to drive the vehicle but was certainly showing signs of being a backseat driver. And if there was one thing Annie didn’t like, it was a backseat driver. Either you had your hands on the wheel, ready to take responsibility for the loaded car, or you were just a passenger.
Colt Holden was going to have to figure out whether he wanted up in the front seat if he planned on telling her how to raise her nephew. Until that time, she’d decide things such as whether or not Leo got strapped to the back of a big, fat, fuzzy sheep. Which did seem pretty harmless, but was it mutton bustin’ today and bull riding tomorrow?
All roads led to somewhere and she just wasn’t sure that was a road she was ready to head down.
Goodness, what in the world had Jennifer been thinking when she’d decided to be infatuated by men who thought nothing about risking their lives on the back of a mean hunk of bull?
Jennifer hadn’t been thinking. Nope, and just like everyone else in Annie’s life, she’d cut out of the picture early and left all the thinking and the worrying up to Annie. Frustration washed over her like the hot water she had her hands in. Annie’s nerves and her patience were worn thin, and her ability to think in a rational, clear manner was disappearing faster than a fresh-baked cherry pie in a roomful of hungry cowboys.
Please, God, please, give me strength.... She bowed her head again, right there at the sink and let the plea of a prayer ring out silently through her soul. Give me strength and wisdom. God promi
sed in the Bible that if you asked for wisdom He would give it to you. Look what He’d done for King Solomon. When he’d prayed for wisdom, God had made him the wisest man there ever was.
Of course, with all that wisdom, Solomon had still messed up.
Just please give me a little touch of wisdom to help me know how to do what is right for Leo.... And while You’re at it, please let me not fall for Colt Holden. Please let me keep my heart intact.
* * *
“What do you think?” Gabi asked, aglow in the excitement of showing Annie and Susan her wedding dress. Covered in a clear plastic bag, it hung from the top of the door. White with small ruffles that cascaded down from the knee to the floor, it was sleeveless and the bodice had a wide scoop neck adorned with tiny pearls from shoulder to shoulder.
“It’s beautiful,” Susan said, awe in her voice as she studied the dress. “And it’s going to look even more beautiful on you.”
Annie ran her fingers down the plastic, as if she were touching the dress. “Gabi, it’s perfect. I love it.” Annie loved looking at wedding dresses. As a little girl she’d lain in bed at night in one foster home after another and dreamed that one day she’d marry. Or in those days, infatuated with Cinderella, she dreamed of finding her prince. That he would come and sweep her off her feet and they would be married—she in the perfect dress and he in his perfect tuxedo—and they would live happily ever after in their perfect castle. That had been when she was barely older than Leo. By the time she was fourteen, she and Jennifer had been sent to the girls’ ranch, where they finished out their days until the system booted them out into the world on their own. Annie had stopped dreaming of love. She’d closed off her heart and thrown away the key. She’d realized that opening her heart made her vulnerable to pain. Too many people had thought she was not worthy of love. And she certainly wasn’t going to find one more person to fall for who could then toss her heart back to her on a platter.
Nope. Annie had gotten over dreaming of her prince and true love...but she couldn’t hide her love of wedding dresses. She had a weakness for them.
Her Homecoming Cowboy Page 11