by Hebby Roman
She put the tea down and traced a drop of moisture, trailing it down the plastic cup from the lip to the bottom. She jerked her hand back, feeling silly, realizing how nervous she was. But the scattered patrons in the Starbucks weren’t watching. Most were glued to their phones, texting or scrolling.
After her meeting with Gar, she’d called Saul, and he’d given her Liana De Léon’s number... now Liana Escobedo. She’d called Liana and gotten her address. With the help of GPS, she’d found a Starbucks in the northwest section of San Antonio, which was close to where Liana lived and a convenient drive to Bandera.
She was both eager and nervous to meet her fellow model. Even though she was older than Liana, for her, Liana was special. She was a model who’d quit at the top of her profession, married a regular guy, and gone to college.
During all of her work life, Sofia had sent money to her mother. After that, if she had anything extra, she’d saved her money, wanting to go to college. If she’d had her way, she would have quit modeling when she was thirty and already have her bachelor’s degree.
But all of her hard-earned savings had gone toward custody battles over Aaron.
The glass door swung open and a beautiful, thin Latina woman stepped inside. She was wearing a Calvin Klein V-necked, cap-sleeved, white top with a brilliant blue and gold paisley scarf, knotted at her throat, and faded jeans. It was Liana.
Sofia raised her hand in a self-conscious half-wave.
Liana saw her and nodded, pointing at the counter.
She nodded back and turned her attention to her iced tea.
After a few minutes, Liana stood beside her, holding a steaming latte in one hand and with her other hand outstretched. “Hi, I’m Liana, and you must be Sofia.”
Sofia half-rose, shook Liana’s hand and sat down. “Pleased to meet you, Liana.”
Liana took the seat across from her and put down the latte. She scooped up some Equal packets, shook two of them into her latte, and stirred. Then she looked up and said, “Being in the same business for so long and with Saul as our business manager, it’s a wonder we never met on a shoot.”
Sofia nodded. “Yes, it’s odd, though, I’m more on the commercial side.”
“Still seems strange. Oh, anyway. I’m glad to meet you.” She took a sip of the latte and flinched, blowing on the top. “Hmm, why do they make these things so doggone hot?”
“No telling. Maybe so you’ll numb your taste buds and come back for more.”
“Hah! I hadn’t thought of that.” Liana leveled her gaze at her. “I understand this is your first time in Texas.”
“Yes, I know New York, and some of the larger cities, like Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles, where I’ve been sent on assignment, but never to Texas.”
“Well, Texas is a different place from New York. Heck, from any place, really. And you’re not from the States. Right?”
“No, I’m originally from Argentina, though, I haven’t been home in over seventeen years.”
“Wow! That’s a long time to not go back home.”
“Yes, there were many times I wanted to take Aaron, my son, home to meet his grandmother, but…”
She stopped and licked her lips. She wasn’t ready to tell Liana all of her long, sad story, as Mr. McCulloch had so cleverly put it. “Uh, but things… timing, assignments, my son’s school, it just didn’t work out.
“Besides,” she said, “I’ve not much family in Argentina. Only my mother, and she’s remarried and content.”
Content, maybe, but still the same… her mother. At sixteen years of age, she’d fled home because of her mother’s abusive boyfriends. And despite her mother’s poor dating judgment, she’d never approved of her daughter having an illegitimate child.
“You’re here to see your son and you don’t know anyone… that’s what Saul said. How can I help?”
Here it was. Why exactly had she called Liana? Because Mr. McCulloch… Gar had told her she might be in Texas for a while, and she’d need support. At the time, it had seemed the right thing to do. At least, if she was staying with a famous model and a native Texan, not sleeping in her car, she might be considered respectable.
“I… I, uh, my son got himself into trouble. He’s in drug rehabilitation near a place called Bandera. And—”
“The dude ranch capitol of Texas, Bandera.” Liana tried another swallow of her latte. “Interesting place to have a teenaged drug rehab center.”
“Pardon me?”
“Oh, sorry, do you know what a dude ranch is?”
“Uh, I think, maybe…” Sofia shook her head. “No, but it sounds familiar.”
“Probably from old movies. It’s a ranch, sometimes working, sometimes just for show. They take in people who’ve never been out West or on a real ranch and show them what it’s like to ride horses, herd cattle, take trail drives, hayrides, all that kind of stuff.”
“Oh. I didn’t know.” She lifted her tea and drank. “It must be very popular, this dude thing.”
“I guess it is with some people. Why do you say that?”
“Because that’s part of the reason I called you. The whole town of Bandera is full. No hotel rooms. I hate to stay an hour’s drive away from my son, but Mr. McCulloch thought I should find a room in San Antonio. I don’t know the town, and I’m not accustomed to driving, either. I was wondering if you knew the best area to stay and a good hotel.”
Liana grinned. “Welcome to Texas, mi amiga, that’s what we’re famous for, lots of open spaces and a bunch of long drives.” She lifted her head and glanced around. “As for the closest area, this is probably it—northwest San Antonio. Boerne, another small town is a little closer, but it’s also touristy, so you’re going to run into the same problem, especially around the holidays.”
“I see. Well, would you suggest a local hotel or one of the chains, like a Marriott?”
Liana reached across the table and took her hand. “Sofia, I think you should stay with us, my new husband and me. We’ve a spare room. My husband’s friend, who was staying with us, just moved out. Now, he has his own place in New Braunfels.” She smiled. “Sorry, that’s another small town, a few miles north of here.”
“But I couldn’t impose on you. It’s not right.”
Liana squeezed her hand. “Hey, sisters under the skin, both models. You’re a stranger in a strange land. And you need to get your bearings. I think it’s the right thing to do.” She lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “If it doesn’t work out, there’s an awesome Omni hotel on the outskirts of town, just off Loop 410 and Highway 16.”
“Maybe I should go there now and—”
“Nonsense, you’re going to stay with us, at least for a while. Okay?” Liana released her hand and rifled through her purse. “By the way, who’s this Mr. McCulloch?”
“Oh, him. It’s his ranch, his rehab center. I believe he’s the owner.”
“When do you plan on going out there again?”
“Probably on Monday, after the holiday. My son’s paperwork wasn’t in order. I need to sign some papers.”
Liana pulled out a piece of paper from her bright-blue Brahmin handbag. She huffed. “Finally, I found it. I hate big purses, but what are you gonna do? Here it is.”
She spread the paper with a map on the table. “I know your phone has GPS, but sometimes, especially in the country, you’ll hit a dead spot or you can get turned around and the directions don’t look right on the screen. I printed out this part of San Antonio and Bandera. I’ve circled our condo and noted the street address on the side, along with my husband’s cell number, just in case. You already have mine.”
She pointed at the dot, designating the town of Bandera. “Do you know approximately where the ranch is? What’s the name of the place? I could pull it up if you’re not sure of the direction.”
Sofia leaned over the printed map. A wave of warmth swept her, pooling in her stomach. How kind of Liana to think of a map and print it f
or her. She was more than accustomed to doing for herself and by herself. Having a friend was an unexpected pleasure. And to stay with someone who knew the area was a relief, too.
Maybe Gar had been right.
She traced her finger over the map. “Actually, the ranch is on Highway 16, but on the other side of Bandera, to the…” She cocked her head over the map, she’d never been good at directions.
“Probably to the northwest.”
“Yes, I think that’s right. The ranch is called ‘Shady Oaks.’”
“Hmm. Nice touch, the name.” Liana’s face got rosy-colored. “Um, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s alright.” This time, Sofia reached out and touched her hand. “It’s embarrassing, the position my son has gotten himself into.” She licked her lips. “I wish I could—”
“Don’t, please, don’t feel embarrassed. We all have our troubles. You know?” Liana smiled. “Okay, I want you to keep the map with you.” She folded the paper and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” Sofia tucked it into her purse.
“Do you have your luggage with you?”
“Yes, it’s in my rental car parked outside.”
“Good. I borrowed my husband’s favorite ride, his cherry red, vintage Mustang. Thought it would be easier to follow me that way. I’ve got a white Prius, and quite frankly, every other car in town is white. What kind of car are you driving?”
She looked down and felt stupid. She could feel the tips of her ears burning. No one owned cars in New York, except the super wealthy. Same for Buenos Aires.
“Uh, I’m not certain. Hertz said it was a mid-sized sedan, and it is silver-colored.”
“Never mind. Show me on the way out.” Liana downed the last of her latte and grabbed her handbag. “You ready?”
“Yes, I think so.” She pushed her half-finished tea to one side.
“Okay. Show me what you’re driving, and then get behind me when I back out. While you’re following me, you might want to pull out the map and try to recognize some of the highways and larger streets along the way.”
“Thank you. I will do that.”
* * *
Sofia leaned over Gar’s desk, reading her son’s admittance papers. She’d learned, at a too-tender age, to not sign anything she hadn’t read and didn’t understand.
Kiki Anderson, Gar’s office manager, who had given her the papers, hovered, standing to one side with her head cocked. “Any questions, please let me know,” she said.
“Thank you.”
She flipped a page and started on the next. It had been several days since Gar had found her in the barn and thanks to Liana, she didn’t feel like a stranger any more.
Liana and her husband, Damian, had welcomed her into their home, a modern and spacious condominium, complete with two bedrooms and in-suite baths, a man’s cave, and a hot tub on the terrace with a stunning view.
Liana, who’d had the Thanksgiving holiday off, had given her the grand tour of San Antonio. They’d visited the Alamo where Liana had proudly shown her the restored plaque for her great-grandmother’s preservation contribution.
Sofia remembered volunteering to help with the demonstration to restore the plaque last summer. At that time, Aaron had been waiting for his court date, and she’d been frantic, at loose ends.
She’d known Liana by reputation and helping a fellow model to reclaim her heritage had seemed like a welcome reprieve from worrying about her son. Her father had liked to say that helping others kept you from worrying about your own problems. When the demonstration had been called off, she’d never dreamed their paths might cross again. And this time, she would be the one looking for help.
As her father had often said: “blessings offered, were blessings returned.”
Liana had more than repaid her, showing her around San Antonio, taking her to eat at one of the Escobedo family’s Tex-Mex restaurants along the famous San Antonio Riverwalk and shopping for food and trinkets at El Mercado, another local landmark. And she’d spent Thanksgiving Day with the large and boisterous Escobedo family as well as the De Léon’s. They were nice people and seeing them together had made her yearn for her son.
Realizing how kind Liana and her husband had been, her eyes got watery. It had been a long time since anyone had been willing to help her, other than Saul. As crowded as New York was, if you didn’t have a group of friends, it could be a lonely place.
She’d never made many friends, possibly due to her foreign roots or because she’d depended too much on Eric in the beginning, and then been consumed with raising their son.
Gar had promised, if she got herself situated and signed the papers, he would help with Aaron. But he wasn’t around and after she signed, would Kiki show her the door and that would be that?
She finished reading the document, found nothing objectionable, and took up the ballpoint pen. Before she signed, she asked, “Is Mr. McCulloch here? I wanted to have a word with him before I left.”
Kiki nodded. “Sure, he’s planning on seeing you. You were kind of early, and he’s finishing the boys’ roping lessons.”
“Roping lessons?”
“Yeah, the more western stuff like calf roping, calf wrestling, and even cattle herding that we include, along with their scholastic curriculum, the busier they stay.”
Kiki winked and popped the gum she was chewing. She blew a huge bubble and then it burst with a loud pop. “You know what they say about busy hands.”
Sofia smiled. “Yes, I think keeping busy is a good thing.” She couldn’t help but chuckle. “That was quite a bubble.”
“Oh, that, pardon me. Gar says I shouldn’t be blowing bubbles in the office.”
“Why not?”
“He thinks it looks unprofessional. Bubble gum is my passion. I’m an ex-smoker, and I couldn’t stay on the wagon without my bubble gum.”
“What made you quit?”
“Gar made me quit when he found me sneaking out back for a smoke. Said I couldn’t work at a place that rehabbed kids with drug problems if I was an addict myself.”
“Pretty tough and invasive for a boss, telling you what to do with your private life.”
“Not a bit. I’m beholden to him. Cole, my husband, hates smokers. We would have never dated if it hadn’t been for Gar. Besides, health-wise, smoking is bad. I would have had to stop sooner or later.”
“Well, if you’re happy, then I guess…”
“Gar’s a good guy. He wants the best for everyone.” Kiki fiddled with one of her silver and turquoise earrings. “He used to be a juvenile probation officer. After what happened to his daughter…” She hesitated and glanced down. “Uh, he went back to school at night and got his master’s in juvenile counseling.
“When his cousin left him this ranch, he decided to change it into a drug rehab place. I’ve gotta say, having toured other private rehab places, your son is one lucky kid.” She shook her head. “Some of those other places are downright depressing. ̓Course, you have to have bucks to place your kid here. Running a ranch isn’t cheap.”
“My son’s father has lots of money.” She fiddled with the pen, flipping it between her fingers. “He’s the one who found Shady Oaks. I had no say in the matter.”
“That makes sense.” Kiki nodded. “That’s why you’re here, signing a new set of papers. Well, with joint custody, Aaron’s father shouldn’t have done that. Though, I think you’re lucky he picked us.” She grinned and blew another bubble. “My humble opinion, of course.”
Sofia couldn’t help but smile. Despite her over-the-top gum chewing, Kiki was a beautiful young woman, who obviously admired her boss.
But the spectacular square-cut sapphire on her left ring finger showed who owned her heart. Her husband, Cole, must love her very much. It was a gorgeous engagement ring and wedding band set.
She hadn’t noticed a wedding band on Gar’s finger, which for a man, wasn’t definitive. Eric hadn’t
worn a wedding band, either. But she’d known he was married, and she’d been his wife’s so-called “friend.” More shame on her.
Why was she thinking about Gar’s marital status? Because Kiki had mentioned he had a daughter and then changed the subject? Surely, the tall cowboy wasn’t like Eric, a married man who had other women on the side?
She had to admit he was attractive—maybe those were the only kind of men who appealed to her—married and unfaithful. How sick was that?
Married or not, attractive or not, she was here for her son. And if Gar was going to help her, she needed to finish the documentation. Putting pen to paper, she signed her name and handed the document to Kiki.
“Was this a dude ranch before Gar turned it into a rehab center?” she asked.
“How did you know?”
“I’m staying with a friend in San Antonio.” It felt good to say she had a friend. “She’s a native Texan and mentioned the area around Bandera is mostly dude ranches.”
“Yep. Gar’s cousin ran the place as a dude ranch. Gar thought it could be put to a better use than catering to a bunch of tourists who wanted to play like they were in the Wild West.”
“Very noble of him.”
“I think so.” Kiki gathered the papers and placed them in a file folder. “Can I get you something? A Coke or coffee or anything?”
“No thank you. I’m fine.”
Kiki pulled her cell from her back pocket and consulted it. “It’s going to be another thirty minutes or so. They have to take care of the horses.”
She placed one hand on her hip with the file tucked under her arm. “That’s another thing about this place. Each boy picks a horse when he arrives, and he has to take care of the horse. Feed and water, grooming, muck out the stall, anything the horse needs. I think it’s a great way to teach responsibility.”
“Yes, I agree with you. I grew up on a ranch until I was ten.”