Counting on a Cowboy

by Debra Clopton

  By the time he got the bottle warmed, Levi had a beet-red face and Pops was frantic. And Bo had no idea what to do. Jarrod had ranch work that had to be done today and Bo had stirrups to make. His guys could cover for him some, but there were certain things he took care of personally that were going to back up if he didn’t figure something out.

  Every custom stirrup carried the guarantee of Monahan hands on it in the process. He did the detailing and if nothing else, he always branded the logo on each one. He’d always taken that promise seriously . . .

  But right now he had a baby to take care of.

  And parenthood to figure out.

  “So you want a small place?” Doonie Burke asked Abby after she arrived at his office. Abby had wasted no time after her conversation with her mom. She needed to rent or buy a place and she needed to do it soon. The sooner the better. She needed to make this official.

  She had the money. She and Landon had had a very comfortable life with both of their incomes. She had a cushion from what they’d saved and put in the bank that had enabled her to walk away from her corporate job without worry. Then there was the other . . . the money from the accident. The money she didn’t want to think about. She had no plans to live on that money. If she had needed it, then it would be a blessing in her life . . . but nothing about the accident was a blessing. Nothing. She had plans to use it for something good at some point, but hadn’t had the heart to think about it.

  And she still didn’t. “Yes, not tiny, but not something I’d be rambling around in all by myself. And in town if possible. I’ll be looking for a job and I’d like to be close to it.” She didn’t know yet what she was going to do but she knew working again was in her plans. She was still trying to figure that out, but she knew it wouldn’t involve marketing reports, statistics, or cubicles. “I saw a cute little house over on Daisy Street. What do you know about that one?” She looked from Doonie to his brother Doobie—mirror images, if it weren’t for the shirts they wore. Doonie had on a Hawaiian shirt and Doobie had on a striped western shirt.

  “That belongs to Rand Radcliff, the editor of the newspaper. It was one of the ones we recommend you see. How about we load up in the SUV and head over to see it and two more we have a couple of quiet streets from here?”

  The tingle of excitement at the prospect was welcomed. “I’d love that.”

  Within minutes they were back on Daisy Street beneath the big oak trees. With the well-kept yards, it felt welcoming.

  “Now, this here is a rental, but Rand might be open to selling it to the right neighbor since he lives right beside the little place.”

  Abby felt drawn to it even more than she had been when she’d found it while jogging. A curving walkway bordered with a pale blue flowering bush drew her to the yellow house and its white-framed picture window. “I love it. I can’t wait to see inside.”

  “Now, it’s not been rented for some time. One of the school teachers rented it, but then moved off and it’s been vacant since midterm last year.”

  She hurried out of the car and walked to the sidewalk, gazing at the place. Now that she was closer, she could see its age, but it was adorable. Doonie opened the front door and pushed it open for her.

  Inside she stopped. The sunlight poured in from the front window and through the large window in the kitchen that she could see from where she was standing. Everything looked cheerful and sunny with the pale yellow walls and their cream accent. Abby’s heart sighed. She inhaled slowly. She didn’t even have to see any other part of the house. These two rooms alone and the outside called to her. “I’ll take it.”

  “You will—you haven’t even seen the rest,” one of the brothers said, but she didn’t look to see which one as she walked to the kitchen. Cream wooden cabinets and a cream door with a large paned window on which she could see gingham curtains. The house reminded her of peace.

  And Abby craved peace for her restless soul.

  She spun to the twins. “I want it. When can I move in?”

  “She rented it on the spot.”

  “Really? Just like that?” Clara Lyn stared wide-eyed at Rand Radcliff across the aisle between their tables in The Bull Barn. Reba Ann and Clara Lyn happened to be sitting at their favorite booth, called “Tru Monahan’s table,” since it had several photos of the local cutting horse champion. In fact, every kind of rodeo paraphernalia a person could find decorated the walls around them.

  “Sure did,” Rand said from his table. “She didn’t look at everything before she snapped it up. I went over there and met her before she signed the papers. She seems like a very nice young woman. That house has been sitting vacant for over seven months, but she barely looked at it and just walked in and said she’d take it.”

  “Well, that’s just great,” Clara Lyn said.

  “She’s got good taste,” Reba Ann offered. “I always did think it was a nice little place. But most people are looking for something bigger.”

  Clara Lyn smiled. “I guess it’s just been sitting there waiting on her.”

  “It was meant to be,” Reba agreed.

  Rand looked up from studying his menu. “All I know is I’m happy to have it rented and she seems like she’ll be a nice, quiet neighbor.”

  “How about you? You gonna be a good neighbor? No singin’ off-key songs because you’re tipping that lousy bottle?” Clara Lyn asked. She’d stopped beating around the bush long ago. She said what she meant and hoped it hit home when she said it. Right now, she watched as Rand stared at her.

  “Yes, Clara Lyn, I’m fine. That was just a bad night. I’ve given drinking up.”

  That remained to be seen. “I sure hope so, because there was that incident in the grocery store last month.” Sadly, she suspected he needed a twelve-step program and to join a group. But as far as any of them knew, he hadn’t done any such thing. “You decide one way or the other if you’re going to get some help.”

  He laid his menu on the table. “Clara Lyn, I’m fine.”

  “That’s good. But Rand, contrary to what you may have heard, singing Dolly Parton-slash-Whitney Houston songs to a woman are not the way to her heart.”

  Rand wasn’t willing to accept that he had a drinking problem. He’d also gotten drunk at a wedding and mortified Pebble when he’d stumbled around and sang to her.

  “Clara Lyn, you sure are stirring the pot. A man makes one mistake and no one ever lets him live it down. Would you drop it? I’m fine.”

  “I’m just asking out of concern, and you know it.”

  “I do, and that’s why I’m not getting mad. But I’m fine and I think Pebble is coming around.”

  Clara Lyn wasn’t so sure about that and she was worried about Rand. He’d loved Pebble back when they’d all been in school, but he’d been too rowdy for prim Pebble and she’d fallen in love with Cecil and they’d had a wonderful life until he’d died over ten years ago. Rand had been on the outside looking in all this time and now he was hoping to get another shot at winning her over. But embarrassing her in front of the whole town in a drunken spectacle was not the way to endear himself to Pebble. Not to mention the other not-so-high-profile incidents that had happened over the last few months such as walking to the grocery store so drunk he’d had to be driven home by the police.

  But Clara couldn’t fix that. He had to want to fix himself and he had to acknowledge that he had a problem.

  “Well, I think it’s great that she likes your little place,” Reba broke in, trying to be the peacemaker.

  Clara decided to let it go. “I am too.” The twins walked in at that moment and made their way over to Rand’s table.

  “Yup, that’s a sure nice little lady, isn’t she, Doobie?” Doonie said soon as he sat and realized what they’d all been discussing.

  “She sure is, and she was nice to help poor ol’ Bo out with the baby yesterday,” Doobie chuckled. “That boy looked scared to death when we spotted them in the store together.”

  “She told us y’all went out
there last night,” Doonie said, looking at Reba and Clara.

  “We did,” Reba said first. “Clara Lyn came up with the idea and she was right. He needed us in a bad way.”

  “I hope he’s doing okay this morning.” Clara Lyn had worried about them all night, but everyone had to get used to it when a new baby came into the world. “He’s a capable man. I’m sure he figured it out.”

  “We gave him all the basics, and Abby had given him a boatload of help before us.”

  “You’re right, Reba.”

  “Still,” Doonie chuckled. “I’d hate to be in his shoes right now. When are Tru and Maggie supposed to be home from that honeymoon?”

  “Next week,” Clara said. “Maggie will also be a great help to him, I’m sure. Those cowboys have a lot on their plate right now. It’s good they have a woman to help them navigate this.” It just made her heart swell up thinking about it. Clara would be glad for them to get back. She was so happy for them. Tru’d been so road weary. He had a new happiness about him they were all thrilled to see.

  As far as Clara Lyn was concerned, a young man needed a good woman. Her thoughts swung back to Abby Knightley. She and Reba had speculated about Bo’s needing a wife all the way home from his house. And they hadn’t missed that Abby had seemed genuinely concerned for Bo.

  No, they hadn’t missed that at all . . .

  10

  Abby went straight to the office after signing the rental agreement. Her excitement shone in her voice when she spoke. “Pebble, I’ve found a place to move into.”

  Pebble looked up. “That’s wonderful. Where?”

  “Mr. Radcliff’s place. It’s just perfect for me. And I called and my furniture should be delivered on Monday.”

  Pebble looked troubled despite the smile she gave Abby. “That’s a very nice place. Rand’s grandmother lived there when we were all in school. He bought the place next door to it when he came back to town several years ago and he’s kept it up. I think you’ll be happy there.”

  Abby took a deep breath. “I plan to be. I’m very excited. I’ve needed this.”

  “I was just about to head over and have lunch with Clara Lyn and Reba at The Bull Barn. Would you like to go?”

  “Yes, thanks, I’ve wanted to go and see it since arriving but with my car and everything, I didn’t have a way over there.”

  “Well, now you do.” She flipped the sign that said she’d be back at 1:15 p.m. and walked out the door.

  Abby realized only then that Pebble had been standing there with her purse on her arm about to leave. Wasting no more time, Abby walked out behind her and followed her to a large Lincoln. They climbed in and Abby saw that, just as pristine as the older car was on the outside, it was as well-maintained on the interior. The car dwarfed Pebble—she actually had a pink chair cushion to sit on so she could see over the steering wheel more easily.

  “Cecil ordered me this car straight from the dealer a few years before his accident. He picked out the color and everything special and insisted I drive it. It’s huge, but it was for my protection, he said. He felt like having all this metal around me would help protect me if I ever had an accident.” Her expression softened as she thought of her husband. “After he passed away I just haven’t been able to let go of it. It’s over twenty years old now.”

  At the mention of having a car accident Abby’s heart began to thunder. She ran a hand over the soft leather and then Pebble’s other words sank in—Pebble was a widow too.

  She looked at Pebble. “Do you still miss him?”

  Before driving onto the road, Pebble met her gaze with a knowing glint in her wise eyes. “Every single day. But it’s eased up. I’ve moved on in most ways. I’ve made a good life for myself. Though I still own the motel we bought together and still drive this car, I have become my own person. I’ve made peace with everything that happened. And you—do you think of your husband every day?”

  Abby gasped. “How?”

  “I had my suspicions that you’d lost someone dear to you, but just now, I saw it in your eyes.”

  “It’s been two years and I miss him every day. I’m learning to move on. Being here is part of that process.”

  Pebble placed a gentle hand on Abby’s arm for just a moment then returned it to the steering wheel at the two o’clock position.

  Abby felt a sense of deep comfort in that small gesture. Tears welled within her and she heaved a heavy breath and fought it down. “I’m here to move forward. I’ve been on standstill all this time and just knew I had to make a move in order to find happiness again. Does that make sense? Sometimes I think I may have lost my mind.”

  “Nothing of the sort. You’ve chosen well. We’re a great community, and you do need to move forward, but grief has no timetable. You’ll know when to push.”

  Abby felt the odd sense of relief wash over her as they drove away.

  “I haven’t really told anyone else.”

  “Is it a secret? Either way my lips are sealed.”

  “No . . . my friends were too protective of me and then with others—it was just different. Maybe it was because I was different, but nothing has been the same. I was suffocating in the pity and protection and . . .” Her words trailed off. There was so much about losing Landon that sparked things she hadn’t told anyone and wouldn’t still. Things that cut so soul-deep that if she voiced them she might break. In many ways, she was broken already. Abby shoved those emotions deeply back inside and locked the door. No one saw that—she couldn’t even bear to see it. She was trying to let God help her deal with the issues, but right now she just couldn’t think about them.

  “I’m just trying to find me again. And not be labeled. At least for the moment.”

  Pebble wheeled the big car into The Bull Barn’s parking lot and came to a halt in the first space she found. She turned to Abby. “I understand. Most people who’ve walked in our shoes understand. I’m here to talk and for support if you need me. Though I’ll admit I changed, too, and haven’t been able to go back to exactly the way I was. I’m comfortable in my skin. I have boundaries that I don’t want to cross. And until I’m ready or willing, I don’t plan to.”

  “Thank you for that, Pebble. I love my friends, but just couldn’t deal. It’s nice to be able to talk to someone.”

  “Friends push too hard sometimes because they want so badly to fix the heartache you’re going through. They sometimes push for the wrong solutions and often pray for the wrong thing too. But, usually you’ll learn it’s because they just want to help and don’t know how. When the time is right you’ll let them back in. Or, you’ll also find that some friendships, however close they might have been, were only here for a season in your life.”

  Abby let those words sink in. “I can understand that. For the most part.”

  “Thank you for sharing. I won’t tell and I won’t push you either, since I understand.” A twinkle lit Pebble’s eyes. “However, I’ll warn you that Clara Lyn is very intuitive. And Reba also. They may figure it out. Being in the beauty business and hearing folks talk about their problems and heartaches seems to lend itself to reading between the lines. Please don’t think I’ve told them if they pick up on it before you disclose it.”

  “I understand.”

  “Abby, you are a darling, darling young woman. You will be happy again. Now, enough of this seriousness—let’s go into the craziness that is The Bull Barn and see what this town has been up to.” She chuckled. “They’ve probably all been discussing your being here.”

  Abby followed Pebble inside to mouthwatering scents—baking bread, roasting meats. Such a mixture of savory aromas filled the air, as did the hum of conversation. This was definitely the place to be at lunch if you wanted company.

  Abby would no longer be holed up or closed off here. With a town this small, she had a feeling trying to hide out wouldn’t work. Folks would come by and bug a person enough till they finally did something. And that was exactly the motivation Abby needed.

&n
bsp; Jarrod took Pops with him to check fence and then into town to the feed store. Pops loved getting out and they tried on his good days to do so. Sometimes on his bad days they took him riding in the pasture but that was all. He felt familiar and comfortable in the surroundings of the ranch.

  Bo hadn’t left the house since the day before when he’d gone to the store. Today he had decided he had to try and start taking control of his situation and stop letting having a baby in the house buck him out of the saddle. That meant he had to go back to work and to do that he had to figure out how to work and watch a baby at the same time. It had to be easier than changing a diaper.

  While at the store Abby had placed a boxed-up baby swing in the buggy, and he decided it was time to put it together.

  After loading the baby into his car seat in the truck, he put the playpen and swing into its bed then carted them all plus the baby supplies down to the shop.

  Sergio, his only full-time employee, came out of the back with a curious expression as Bo brought Levi in and placed him in the playpen. Sergio’d been working for him for about a year now and was great with woodwork. He’d quickly learned the technique of building the stirrup that Bo had developed, and though he was only twenty he’d grown indispensable to Bo.

  “So this is the little one? I heard him wailing from inside and felt pity for you. You don’t know anything about babies, do you?”

  “If you’d asked me that question forty-eight hours ago I’d have answered with an emphatic no. But now I know a lot more than I’m capable of processing. He’s always surprising me with something new.” He frowned in spite of himself.