Lili pursued her to the front door. “Where are you going?”
Willa climbed into her truck and slammed the door. “To give someone a piece of my mind.”
She found Nate Hernandez working in Daniel’s barn and learned that “the boss” was in the house. Her knock on the front door was answered by Trouble’s frantic bark. In the moments before the door opened, she noticed the landscaping Daniel had added to the place—lantana bushes along the front of the house, young pecan trees planted at intervals and mulched with bark to preserve moisture, plus a gravel walk curving from the front step to the driveway. The plain concrete block house was beginning to look like…a home.
The door swung back and Daniel stood there in jeans, a chambray shirt and bare feet. “Hey, Willa. Come on in.”
She steeled her heart against that knee-weakening grin and stepped past him into the living room. “Do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure.” He closed the door. “Let me release Trouble—he won’t stop barking until he sees who’s here.” He went through to the kitchen. “Yes, she came just to see you,” Willa heard him tell the dog. “Doesn’t say much for her taste in men, I’ll tell you that.”
Trouble rushed in, wagging furiously from nose to tail and sniffing at her boots. Willa gave him a minute of attention, then straightened up to look at Daniel.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the big black leather recliner, and prepared to seat himself on a displaced kitchen chair.
“No, thanks.”
Halfway to sitting, he struggled back to his full height. “What’s wrong?”
“That’s what I said, about two hours ago, when the principal of Robbie’s school called.”
“Something happened? Is he okay?”
“Oh, sure, he’s great—except for being suspended for an entire month of classes, with failing grades for every assignment and test.”
“Why?”
“Because, Major Trent, my son decided to win friends and influence people by taking your damn gun to school with him.”
Daniel just stared at her for a minute. “My gun? Are you sure?”
“That’s what he said.”
His gaze turned inward, and then he left the room without a word. Willa followed him to the bedroom, where he stood with his hands on his hips, gazing at a moving box in the far corner. The tape on the top had been pulled up, then pressed into place again to disguise the fact that the box had been tampered with.
“The weapon was in here,” he said. “I hadn’t opened the box yet. I’ve ordered a gun safe, but the shipper appears to be having trouble finding Zapata, Texas.”
She couldn’t keep from glancing around Daniel’s bedroom. Between the iron headboard and footboard, his bed was neatly made up, with crisp white sheets and a dark blue blanket. A gorgeous Turkish carpet covered the floor with a blue and cream and orange pattern. The only other furnishings were an armchair in a small orange check, a chest of drawers in dark wood with iron knobs and a lamp table by the bed…a simple, uncluttered space, like the man, himself.
“I drove the box across country in my truck,” he continued. “But I did ask Rob to help me move it into this room.” His chin dropped to his chest. “I suppose we know how Trouble got loose. Rob came in during the cattle drive to take the gun, and he let the dog out.”
Willa fought the urge to apologize. “Probably. But the idea would never have occurred to him if you hadn’t shown him the weapon and brainwashed him about the glory of being a soldier.”
Daniel jerked around to face her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Telling him stories about war, Daniel. Feeding his desperate need to resurrect his father, by telling him just what he wanted to hear—tales of your adventures in the desert, the brotherhood of combat, the excitement of taking out the enemy.”
“I didn’t—”
“You made yourself and Jamie heroes in Robbie’s eyes, and he couldn’t wait to share with his friends at school. He took the gun with him to back up what he was saying.”
“This is not my fault, Willa. I did not show him the weapon. I told him the box contained uniforms, boots and junk. He must have guessed the truth.”
“You’re saying he lied to me.”
“I’m afraid he did.”
“Are you denying you told him about the war?”
“N-no. He asked, and I did answer his questions.”
“In the process, encouraging him to think about his father’s exploits as some kind of…of knightly crusade.”
“I did no such thing. And I refuse to apologize for serving my country, or for being damn good at it.”
“I’m not asking you to. But you didn’t have to make it look so desirable.” She pressed her clenched fist against her mouth. “I lost my husband to the military. I will not give up my sons, as well.”
“That’s a long way in the future, Willa. By then your boys will have the right to make their own decisions.”
“I will never accept their right to take that kind of risk with their lives.”
Daniel watched as Willa pulled herself together. He wanted to put his arms around her, assure her that she could handle whatever happened. But that was another kind of risk she wasn’t prepared to accept.
He followed when she turned and, without a word, returned to the living room. “What are you going to do about Robbie?”
She stopped with her hand on the front doorknob. “Work his butt off, so he’ll understand why staying in school is a good thing.”
“Do I get a say in this?” Now she looked at him, with anger and indignation on her face. Daniel held up a hand. “Two points. First, Robbie stole from me. I’m an injured party, here.”
Some of the outrage faded. “I guess that’s true.”
“More important, though…You say this is my fault. Shouldn’t I have some role in setting Rob straight again?”
Relief flashed in her eyes. “What would you do with him?”
Daniel grinned. “Work his butt off.”
THAT AFTERNOON, A HEAVY KNOCK on Daniel’s door announced the arrival of Sheriff Hobbs Sutton. “I have something that belongs to you,” he said, holding up the gun inside a clear plastic bag. “You have some paperwork?”
“Come on in, Sheriff.” He’d anticipated this visit and had all his permits ready to show. “Would you like a cup of coffee? It’s a little cool out there today.”
“Sounds good.” Sutton set the gun down on the kitchen table and paged through the notebook in which Daniel kept his records. “You’ve got quite an arsenal here.”
“Occupational hazard,” Daniel said, borrowing the phrase from Willa. He gave the sheriff a mug of coffee. “I have a safe coming and will guarantee that no one but me ever opens it.”
“All right. There are plenty of kids with guns in this county already, crossing back and forth across the border, generally raising hell. I don’t need any more of ’em, especially not with the kinds of weapons you’ve got here.”
“Will there be charges against Rob?”
Sutton shook his head. “I believe his story—he wanted to show off. What thirteen-year-old doesn’t? Unless…” He cocked an eyebrow at Daniel. “Unless you want to press charges for theft.”
“Nope. I’m devising my own brand of hard time.”
“That’s what the boy needs. That, and a daddy.” Sutton stared into his coffee for a second. “Not gonna happen any time soon, though.” He blew out a deep breath, then drained the mug in three gulps. “Gotta go. Seen any sign of those rustlers yet?”
“Not yet. We check the perimeter daily.” As they stepped outside, a gust of chilly air swept across the yard. “Maybe they’ve relocated to a warmer climate.”
“Maybe.” Sutton climbed into his truck. “Good luck with your inmate. Temper your justice with mercy, as they say.”
BUT ROB’S ATTITUDE, at 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning, did nothing to elicit mercy, or even concessions. Willa pulled up next to Daniel’s barn, waved wi
thout smiling as Rob left the truck, then drove off. Looking ashamed, defiant and a little scared, the boy stood in front of Daniel and Nate with his hands in his back pockets. He didn’t volunteer an apology, didn’t say a word.
Daniel simply stared at him for a long moment. “Fine. I didn’t want to talk this morning, anyway. You can start by stripping the stalls down to the dirt. I expect a new load of shavings about ten o’clock, so you should be finished by then.”
Rob’s eyes widened—it was a big job for two hours. Then he caught his breath and went into the barn.
The rest of the week followed the pattern of that first day. No conversation with Rob, no sharing jokes or stories, no praise for a job well done—just unremitting hard work. Daniel and Nate between them found some of the dirtiest, sweatiest tasks on the ranch and gave them to Rob. After the cold snap over the weekend, the weather turned warm again, and everybody complained about the ninety-degree temperatures. Everybody except Rob. The boy didn’t say a word. His mother waved from behind the wheel of her truck but never lowered the window or got out to speak.
Daniel thought it was probably the worst week of his life since he’d awakened up in a hospital in Germany with his leg shattered and his Army career finished. The only bright spots were the boxes of treats that kept showing up on his doorstep. Chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday, brownies on Wednesday and an apple pie on Thursday, each steadily improving in quality over that first sad cake. Between them, Daniel, Nate and the hands finished every crumb.
Friday morning, while Rob swept five or six years’ worth of cobwebs out of the barn, Daniel drove to Zapata to pick up mail from his post office box. Among the bills and the advertisements was a thick, cream-colored envelope, the kind invitations arrived in. Daniel dumped the rest of the mail on the passenger seat and opened the foil-lined envelope to see who wanted him and where.
The South Texas Cattlemen’s Association
cordially invites you to the annual
Halloween Costume Ball
Saturday, October 19th, 8 p.m. until…
This year’s theme is Texas History Night
Come dressed as your favorite character
from our Great State’s past!
Twenty-four hours didn’t give him much time to work up a costume. And the response date was two weeks ago, although Daniel doubted they’d refuse to take his money if he offered to buy a ticket. Only one factor would determine whether he stayed home tomorrow night watching a movie on TV or dressed up and headed out to dance the night away in a hotel in Laredo.
Would Willa Mercado be there?
Chapter Nine
“Who is that gorgeous man?”
Willa had been at the ball for an hour, dancing with Hobbs Sutton and Juan Angelo, drinking her first glass of champagne and catching up with friends, like Bev Drummond, who’d asked the question.
“What man?” Willa glanced around the ballroom at a motley collection of Sam Houstons, Davy Crocketts, Mexican generals and Spanish explorers, oil tycoons and Texas Rangers. “Where?”
“In the doorway.” Bev, dressed as a nineteenth century “fallen angel,” nodded her ostrich-plume headdress toward the entrance, but the crowd on the dance floor blocked Willa’s view. “He’s the winner of the costume contest, hands down. And we should auction him off as the most eligible bachelor of the night…assuming he is. Please, God, let him be single.”
“I don’t…Oh.” The band finished its first set and the dancers dispersed, leaving her a straight line of sight to the man in the doorway. “Yes, he’s single. That’s—that’s my new neighbor. Daniel Trent.”
Bev grabbed her arm. “You know him? Introduce us, Willa. Please. And then leave quickly.”
Willa laughed, as she was meant to, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Daniel. He’d chosen a simple, yet perfect, costume—white, long-sleeved shirt with a red bandanna at the throat, indigo blue jeans, leather chaps and a well-worn pair of boots. One hand held a white Stetson hat at his side. He embodied everyone’s hero, the quintessential Texas cowboy, dressed up for a local barn dance.
Not every cowboy could boast those deep blue eyes, of course, or the wide shoulders and narrow waist. And only Daniel offered that sweet, sexy grin over which Bev was drooling.
“Come on.” The redhead started across the floor, pulling Willa with her. “I want to meet this man. I want to dance with him. I want to bear his children.”
Willa hung back, her stomach twisting in a disagreeable way at the thought of Bev with Daniel that way. But her friend simply jerked her closer, bearing down on her target with fierce determination.
Daniel’s smile widened as Willa met his gaze. And then she was standing in front of him, with Bev simmering beside her.
“Hi,” Willa said lamely. “It’s, um, good to see you.”
“You, too.” He gave her a quick wink, then looked at Bev. “I’m Daniel Trent, Willa’s new neighbor.”
“This is Beverly Drummond,” Willa said. “She owns Drummond’s Feed Store in Zapata and is something of a local legend—a prize-winning barrel racer and winner of the Miss Texas Rodeo title. Bev, this is Daniel.”
Bev extended her hand and Daniel took it. “I’m not surprised you’re a pageant winner. A business woman and an athlete, as well? That’s impressive.”
Talkative Bev was practically speechless. “You’re too good to be true.”
“Oh, no, I’m not.” He released her hand and looked at Willa again. “I understand Susannah’s successful at barrel racing.”
“Yes, indeed. Bev’s been coaching her for several years now.”
“She’s competing next weekend in the Zapata County Rodeo,” Bev said. “I think Susannah’s got a chance to beat the britches off every rider there. She and her pony are the best I’ve seen for quite some time.”
“I might just have to show up and cheer for her.”
Bev preened, as if he’d made the decision on her account. And for all Willa knew, he had. “We’ll look forward to seeing you there.” She put her hand to her ear, as if trying to hear the tune the band had just started up. “That sounds like a nice, cozy number. Will you dance with me, Daniel?”
He gave her a smile that would melt any woman’s defenses. “How about the next slow one? Willa promised me the first dance after I got here.”
Willa caught her jaw just before it dropped open in surprise.
“No fair, girlfriend.” Bev’s pout was only half teasing. “You’re not supposed to steal the good ones before the rest of us get a chance.” She fluttered her fingers at Daniel. “I’ll be back,” she promised, and drifted away.
“Are you impressed with my finesse?” Daniel put a hand on Willa’s back and eased her toward the dance floor. “Not only did I manage to send her on her way smiling, but I made it impossible for you to refuse to dance with me.” His arms slipped around her and the next thing she knew, they were swaying to a soft, dreamy tune.
“You can dance,” Willa said, her voice weak. The last time they were this close…The memory took her breath away.
“Slowly,” Daniel agreed. “And nothing too fancy.”
She drew back a little to look at him. “You don’t have your cane tonight?”
“I didn’t think it went with the costume.” He pulled her close again. “Between climbing onto a horse several times a day and working outside from dawn until dusk, my leg’s holding up better than it used to. As long as I don’t try to rush, I do okay.” With his lips against her temple, he said, “You look beautiful.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Where did the dress come from?”
She’d been wondering if he’d noticed her costume. “Jamie’s great-grandmother and her sisters embroidered the flowers and sewed the beads on the skirt and blouse. His grandmother and mother wore it for fiestas with the Mercado family in Mexico.”
“And Susannah will wear it after you.”
“I hope so.”
“The family has quite a tradition to be proud of.
”
Again she pulled back to search his face. He wasn’t making fun of the Mercados or her. “Yes, we do.”
The music slowed, then stopped for a second before slamming into a hip-twisting rock number. Daniel winced. “I think I’ll pass on this one.” He glanced around as they left the floor. “If you’d like to find another partner…”
Willa shook her head. “Not really.”
He grinned, and she had a chance to see that the expression started in his eyes with a glint of pleasure before the corners of his mouth lifted, and then the center. Totally devastating.
“We could get something to eat,” she suggested. “And a glass of champagne.”
“And hide from your friend.”
Willa laughed. “And hide from Bev.”
ROSA SAW DANIEL ENTER THE ballroom, and read the pleasure on his face when he glimpsed Willa through the crowd. Yes, indeed, that situation was developing quite nicely.
She’d wanted to mention the Cattleman’s Ball to Daniel as soon as the invitations arrived. He should have come with them as Willa’s escort. Her sister had convinced her to stand back, however, and let the two manage for themselves. Rosa had worried that Daniel simply wouldn’t bother, but Lilianna had been right. That young man knew who he wanted and was prepared to go after her.
Which was more than could be said for Nate Hernandez.
Without telling Lili, Rosa had arranged to have the foreman sent an invitation to the ball. When Daniel had called to see if Willa would attend, Rosa had asked about Nate. Daniel had been sure that Nate had no intention of making an appearance. He didn’t belong with the bigwigs, Daniel said, imitating Nate’s drawl. That fancy shindig wasn’t the place for plain ol’ cowpokes like him.
Which was the problem, Rosa thought, watching Lili talk with the wives of some of the wealthiest and most influential cattle ranchers in the state. The Mercados boasted an old name, came from old money. If Texas had an aristocracy, they were part of it. And Nate simply wasn’t.
But he’d loved Lili for years, since he’d come to the Blue Moon as a thirty-year-old drifter. And Lili loved him. Isolated on the ranch, sequestered by their father’s old-fashioned ideas about a woman’s place in the world, Rosa and Lili had missed most of life’s adventures. Rosa’s one rebellion had ended in tragedy. Lili had taken that lesson to heart and never reached for anything more.
Christmas at Blue Moon Ranch Page 10