A Christmas Cowboy to Keep

by Hebby Roman

  “About that,” Liberty began, “I said I’d talk to Daniel about his unused bedrooms.”

  “Yes?”

  “He and I talked last night, and I didn’t bring it up. He told me about his past with his brother. He also told me he was Dylan.”

  “I’m so glad,” Lilah said. “I hated not telling you, but it isn’t my story to tell.”

  “I get it. Daniel’s fortunate to have you and Jack for friends.” Liberty started going over her list of items to check on as they made their way to the house. “Where do I need to jump in to move the plans along?”

  “Actually, I think we’re on track. Tara’s inside on the phone trying to locate more tents and portable heaters, and Meg has enlisted a couple of caterer friends from Amarillo to help with food.”

  Awed once again by their sense of community, Liberty smiled broadly. “That’s so awesome. I’ll go help Tara, and then I want to call Connor and tell him to forget about bringing Dylan – Daniel – and the band out of retirement.”

  “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting ahold of him.”

  “That’s good news. How come?”

  “Because he’s here.”

  Chapter Ten

  Liberty made it back to Daniel’s place that evening, tired but confident the event for Children’s Cancer and DIPG would go off without a hitch. She hadn’t yet talked to Connor but there was time to do that.

  The only lights in the house were from the Christmas tree, so she walked to the barn, that was lit up like mid-day. She didn’t find Daniel immediately, but followed the sounds of a vacuum cleaner through the oddly placed door and into an addition to the barn.

  What she saw surprised her, yet it shouldn’t have. An older model tour bus sat inside like a grand old lady. She was solid black with silver and purple swirls and curlicues of writing that read, The Dy Tryin’ Band, with Darin Kyle written beneath. She climbed inside and looked around, finding the tour bus typical of other buses she’d been in, nicely done and equally impressive.

  The driver’s seat was to her immediate right. On the left-hand side were the obligatory couches on either side, with tables that could be easily disassembled and removed for extra space.

  Next, as she continued to follow the vacuum cleaner sound, were a dozen beds, six per side, all set up like the beds in a pullman train car. Each one had its own privacy curtain. Behind them, she discovered a small bathroom and kitchen area.

  She found Daniel with a shop vac and a plastic carrier containing cleaning supplies. He wore a dirty, sweaty tee shirt and jeans, held a toothpick in the corner of his mouth, and couldn’t have looked better to her if he’d had on a starched shirt and jeans with a cowboy crease.

  “Hi,” she said. “If you’re looking for work, I could use a house boy.”

  “Hey! How’d it go today?”

  “Really well. You should see all the celebrities who’ve shown up early to help.” She followed him to the front of the bus, as he rolled up the electrical cord. “Folks are opening up their buses and Lilah’s threatening to hammer nails into the wall for everyone to have a place to sleep.”

  He chuckled and said, “That sounds like her. Jack came over after you left and said as much, which is why I decided to knock some of the dust off the old girl and drive her over in the morning.”

  “They’ll appreciate it, I know.” Again, she didn’t mention the use of his house. She would leave him to do that on his own if he wanted to. She pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. “Oh, here, I finally looked up the information about the tile on the fireplace. Since we can’t remove it and soak them in water, it’s suggested to use paint remover.”

  He tossed the well-used toothpick into the trashcan at his feet and grinned. Taking her by the hand, he said, “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

  She followed him to the old house, and when they walked inside, she pinched her nose and exclaimed, “Man, it stinks in here!”

  “Yeah, the smell of the paint stripper will fry your nose hairs but look what I got done this morning.”

  A good-sized section of the tile was free of the old paint, letting the browns and subtle blues of the different glazes used on Batchelder tiles shine. “It’s beautiful, but I’m surprised you weren’t high as a kite from the fumes. I’ve been here less than five minutes and I’m already feeling light headed.”

  “Better ventilation is needed, for sure,” he agreed. “But what an addition to the house it’s going to be.” He picked up the sealed can of stripper and ushered her outside.

  The cool, brisk air on the porch, opened her nasal passages and her head felt like it was back on her shoulders. The pride Daniel felt was still evident on his face, making her happy to share his joy. He had been through so much, yet still managed to maintain a healthy attitude. He was a survivalist.

  Impulse took over and she faced him, reached up and kissed him much like she’d done last night, except this time, he pulled her into his arms and planted one on her. It was bone melting, ricocheting inside her body from her mouth, to her toes and back to her heart.

  He broke their kiss, cradled her face with his hands, and kissed her eyes and the tip of her nose. “I could use a shower, how about you?”

  “Oh, absolutely.”

  They didn’t turn on the lights when they went into the house. Just peeled off each other’s clothes, turned on the rain head shower spray and drizzled each other with her shower gel.

  He stood behind her, his fingers in her hair massaging her scalp, neck and shoulders. She’d never experienced anything so erotic. Feeling him behind her elicited familiar sensations from their first night together and she wanted him in her arms.

  Her soap-slicked skin meshed with his wet, hair roughened, muscular frame, and she thought she might internally combust. When he lifted her against the shower wall and entered her body, she lost all control and followed him to ecstasy.

  Afterward, Daniel rinsed the soap from her hair and her body. He must be the luckiest guy in Texas tonight. He was certain he had the most beautiful and passionate woman of anyone in recent history. Handing her a towel, he wrapped a second one around his waist and caught a glimpse of a light in the bedroom.

  “I don’t remember turning on a light, do you?”

  “No, we didn’t.”

  He entered the room and couldn’t believe what he saw. Spray painted across one wall was the word whore in block letters. He turned to tell Liberty to stay in the bathroom, but she’d followed him. She stood beside the bed staring at something and when he reached her, he saw it. A dead cat had been left in the middle of the bed.

  He moved between her and the sight of the cat, backed her into the bathroom. Closing the door, he grabbed his phone from his pants and called Jack.

  “I need you over here, pronto,” he said. “Yeah, quick as you can. Come on in, we’re in the master bedroom. Thanks.”

  He rubbed her arms to get her circulation started. She was whiter than milk, and he knew she was in shock. He needed to get her warm quickly. “While we wait for Jack, let’s get dressed and out of these wet towels.”

  Jack arrived in record time. “What the hell? Man, who the hell have you pissed off?” He had his phone in his hand snapping pictures of the gory mess.

  Daniel said, “I wondered that myself until just a little while ago.”

  “Who do you think it is?”

  “Zena, from the bar. She came to the house the other night, practically throwing herself at me. She knew Liberty was here, and I told her she needed to get a gut-check on her pride and self-respect. She was not happy when she stormed out of here.”

  “I’ll go to her house and question her. I’ll find out if she had anything to do with this. It’d be nice to solve this—”

  “Hey Jack?” Liberty said, interrupting and pointing to the window. “You may not have to go too far.”

  Daniel followed her line of sight to see Zena standing outside
looking in. When he turned, Jack was already gone and soon had the woman in custody and sitting in the back of his patrol car.

  “Daniel, I’m going to take her in and book her on suspicion. Will you bring Liberty in tomorrow morning and give your statements?”

  “Yeah.”

  “The judge will be in early and we’ll proceed from there.”

  “Thanks, again,” Daniel said and went back inside. Liberty was in the kitchen pouring bourbon into two glasses.

  “Good idea,” he said.

  “I thought so, too. I knew I could use a shot.”

  “I’m sorry you got caught up in this mess. She was mad at me, not you.”

  “No, I’m pretty sure it’s me.” Taking a healthy slug of the liquor, she said, “I came to town and messed up her playhouse. She thought you were hers. I saw how she felt that night at the Watering Hole. Remember what they say about a woman scorned?”

  He downed his drink in one gulp. “But I never gave her any indication. She’s not my type.”

  “Doesn’t matter. She thinks of you as belonging to her, and that’s all she sees.”

  “I guess.” He set the glass on the counter. “Are you all right sleeping here tonight?”

  “I don’t know, do you have any other crazy-ass women hanging around?”

  He laughed. “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “Okay, but I refuse to sleep in that bed ever again.”

  “Lucky for you, I have a sleeping bag.” He walked around the center island and took her into his arms. “I have an idea. After Jack has all he needs for evidence, we’ll take it outside and burn it, bedding and all.”

  “Now, that’s an idea I can get behind.”

  * * *

  Christmas Eve arrived and with it, the day of the event. The morning had started out with a decent temperature and sunshine, but as the day wore on, the clouds thickened, and the north wind was wicked cold. Liberty zipped her puffy coat closed and knotted a knitted scarf under her chin. She glanced at her forehead in the hall tree mirror. Seeing her makeup still covered the now blue-green bruise, she walked outside, making her way to the stage area.

  Lilah and Tara met her halfway.

  “Did you and Daniel get your statements given this morning?” Lilah asked.

  “Yes, everyone, from the judge, to the lawyers, to us, were present and accounted for. I don’t know when they’ll follow through with charging Zena, but it’s headed in the right direction.”

  She took the clipboard from Tara and looked everything over. Music wafted toward them on the north wind piquing Liberty’s curiosity. “Have they started playing early?”

  “Yes,” Tara said. “A crowd was gathering and some of the guys decided to give them a show. Do you want to come have a listen?”

  “In a while, right now, I want to check on the food and tents. I’d like to head off any potential problems. See you in a little bit.”

  Meg seemed to have the food service under control and Liberty was impressed. Jack’s mother-in-law was a marvel. She was stern yet compassionate, possessed a good sense of humor, but was all business when she needed to be. It didn’t take Liberty long to realize her oversight on the food front wasn’t necessary.

  She left the cooking tent and saw a couple of men entering the Dy Tryin’ bus. She hadn’t seen Daniel since they’d gotten back from town and wondered if he was there, but Pam Blackstock interrupted her train of thought.

  “Liberty?”

  “Oh, hey, Pam. Did you have any trouble getting here?”

  “Not at all, we had a great trip. Do you have time to meet Mary Fay?”

  Liberty glanced at Daniel’s bus, and said, “Of course, I do. Take me to her.”

  “She’s here with her nephew, Aaron, who shoots and produces music videos. I thought you might like to meet him, too.”

  “Isn’t he shooting a video for Jessie Duke?”

  “Yes, and then he’s on the road again.”

  Liberty shook hands with both, Mary Fay and Aaron, and promised to come and listen to Mary Fay’s performance. She picked up cards with contact info, from various tables. Slowly, she worked her way through the crowd of event goers and made it to the stage just as Gunner Carr started performing his hit single in Country Gospel, “Sunday Morn”. It was one of her favorites of his.

  She was there when he came off the stage and shook his hand, along with his wife, Barbara.

  “Gunner, I’m so glad y’all could make it.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to be here for such a good cause.”

  “Please go to the tent to warm up. We have heaters and hot coffee.”

  “You can count on that,” he said. “It’s colder than a well digger’s fanny out here!”

  Tara joined her. “I’m having such a fangirl day!” Giggling, she asked, “Do you know who’s next on the schedule?”

  Liberty did know, since she’d put together the final order of things, but she didn’t want to rain on Tara’s enthusiasm. “No, who?”

  “Alan is setting up and Brad is next. I’m so excited I can’t stand myself!”

  She finally spied Daniel off to her right. She tried to catch his eye, but there were too many people surrounding him. Just when she thought he looked her way, Callie ran up to her.

  “Miss Liberty? My mom needs your help. Can you come?”

  “Sure, take me to her?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She trudged over to where Lilah stood, talking to a group of folks holding fiddles and guitars. The temperature was dropping, and she wished she’d heeded someone’s advice to buy and wear a pair of long johns.

  Well digger’s fanny, indeed!

  * * *

  Daniel watched Liberty head in the opposite direction. He was proud of the job she’d done with this event. Jack was in charge of the money collected, and he’d said earlier they had surpassed their initial goal.

  He’d spent the day getting reacquainted with the band members of Dy Tryin’. When he found out Lilah had rounded up all the guys, he’d been aggravated she hadn’t asked him first. But after the initial handshakes, it was as if they’d never been separated and, apparently, they were interested in getting back together again. Who’d have thunk that?

  Excusing himself, he left them to find Liberty and congratulate her. He saw her behind the stage talking to Connor. When did he get here? But seeing him didn’t alter his plan to call him after Christmas. There was plenty of time to put things straight between them.

  He waved at a local family he knew and just as he neared Liberty, she put her arms around Connor and kissed him.

  What the hell?

  He was rarely wrong about people, usually read them pretty well. How had he missed Liberty’s feelings about Connor? She had given him the impression that she and Connor were often at cross purposes. Evidently not.

  Hells bells, he’d even thought she was on the same page as he, at least as far as how they felt about each other. Evidently, he’d missed that by a mile, too.

  Bummed and seriously re-evaluating his feelings, he turned around and headed back to the Dy Tryin’ bus. He boarded, sat on one of the couches, and wallowed in self-pity. It was what he was good at. He’d done a lot of wallowing, after his wife and brother died.

  He’d sealed himself away after finding out Adrienne had been leaving him for his brother. That had been the last thing he’d expected from people he loved and trusted.

  And now, it was happening again with Liberty.

  He reached for the guitar that sat next to him, picked it up and began to strum a few chords. The melody from too many years ago popped into his head and he hummed along while he played. As he remembered, he’d barely gotten started on the song before Adrienne had died and he’d put the words out of his head. Couldn’t bring himself to finish it. He closed his eyes and sang quietly, I can look at you for a lifetime, but I’ll love you forever.

  “That’s p
retty.”

  Daniel glanced up at the sound of Liberty’s voice and stopped playing.

  “Please don’t stop,” she said. “I’ve never heard you play.”

  “It isn’t really what I do. I’m better at swinging a hammer.”

  “Somehow I doubt that, but anyway, I came looking for you because your friends wondered where you went.”

  “Who?”

  “I’m not sure of their names, maybe Sam, Josh and Tobey? They want to go on stage and play some of the old songs, and they’re wanting you to sing with them.”

  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Darlin, I’m flattered but I think those guys have lost their memories about the old days. I never sang. That was all Darin. I only wrote the songs we performed. You might say I’m just a three-minute man.”

  “That’s cute.” Being familiar with the music business, she knew most songs ran about three minutes and weren’t always easy to write. She smiled, and said, “You should go see them.”

  “You’re right.” He thought about what he’d witnessed and decided to ask her. “Liberty, what’s up with Connor?”

  “Nothing, other than the obvious character flaws. Why?”

  “You didn’t tell me he was coming here.”

  “I didn’t know until Lilah mentioned it the other day. But I didn’t see him until a few minutes ago.” She watched him closely, and asked, “What’s going on, Daniel? Why the third degree?”

  “I came looking for you earlier and saw you kissing Connor. I didn’t like it.”

  There it was, out in the open, and he wanted an answer.

  “He asked me if I had seen Jessie Duke, and then he congratulated us on the event.” She reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “Daniel are you jealous?”

  “Confused is more like it. Something happened the other night that changed the way I feel about my life . . . about you.

  “I swore, after my wife cheated on me, I would never get involved with another woman. You came along and changed everything. You made me care again. You’ve made me fall in love with you.”