by Lisa Prysock
“Just before her fifth birthday, we went home for Christmas for the first time since I was eighteen. It was nice, but Mallory, my older sister, she’s never forgiven me. Our relationship is fractured, probably because I gave my parents so much grief and she isn’t happy about my career. It seems to have driven a wedge between us. Chip, my brother, the middle child, he is happy to see me and genuinely happy for me. He’s super easygoing, when he’s off duty that is. He’s a police officer.”
“Wow, my brother-in-law is a police officer, too. Guess we have a few things in common.” Jack stood up and went to the fridge, retrieved two bottles of spring water, and returned to the table, sliding one in her direction.
“Thanks,” she smiled. It was obvious Jack Colten was a considerate gentleman. “We were going to go home for Christmas and Thanksgiving this year, but I need a little more time and space. I have a difficult decision facing me. Plus, after three months of intense filming in Canada, Amy deserves some mom time.”
“I see.” He nodded and looked lost, deep in thought about her situation. “How long did you say you were married to Lane?”
“Two years and it was disastrous.” Nicole was anxious to learn more about him. The handsome, rugged cowboy was so quiet. “How about you? Tell me about Jack Colten.”
“Tell you about Jack Colten,” he sighed and then chuckled, the corners of his mouth curving up in a relaxed grin. “There’s not much to tell, really.”
Nicole drank some of the coffee and glanced out of the window at the snow. “Are you from this area? You seem to know Lander fairly well.”
“Yep, grew up around Lander. My folks have a ranch south of here, a little closer to The Sweetwater River.”
“I didn’t know there was an actual river named The Sweetwater. You must have had a few girlfriends over the years, a handsome cowboy like yourself.”
“I did have a girl, Cheryl Anne. We grew up together; high school sweethearts you could say. We got hitched right after graduation, but a few years after we married, she had a long battle with cancer and passed away three years ago.”
“Oh, Jack, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Nicole saw his cheek muscles tense.
He drew in a deep breath and continued. “It wasn’t the first time I lost someone close to me. My younger brother, Carson, we lost him to a hit and run driver one rainy night during his sophomore year on a country road with poor visibility. By the time EMS arrived, it was too late. He was already gone and the car was a wreck. I took it pretty hard, as you can imagine.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s just awful.” She shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, saddened by the sheer volume of loss her new friend had experienced.
“After Cheryl Anne died, I really questioned God. I knew I was close to losing my faith completely, so I sold my ranch, bought an RV, and joined The Cowboys of the Cross. God has a way of knowing what we need and when we need it. I traveled with them for two years, riding broncos on the circuit for two and a half years. They helped me get my head and heart in the right place and bring me out of despair. It saved my life, actually, being around other strong, completely devoted Christians. I was drowning in sorrow before that, but sometimes you just have to have blind faith and trust.”
“Wow! That’s amazing!” Hearing his story tugged on her heart strings. Her head tilted, listening to every word he spoke. “Do you miss owning your own ranch?”
“Yeah, so much that eventually, I began working for a ranch called The Broken J, down in Tipton. The owner, Chase Haven, he’s cousins with Logan Haven, the owner of this ranch. You’ve met his wife, Jill. Anyhow, Chase recommended me to Logan since he knew I was trying to get back to this area to be closer to my folks. They’re getting up there in years and need a hand now and again. Chase is a good friend I met when we were both working The Cowboys of the Cross, only he moved on first and I happened to catch up with him later, after he married a girl named Philomena. I guess I like having my RV and being free though, too. I’m not really sure where God wants me to settle down at yet. I just knew I had to get away from the memories that were a part of my past; a painful past.”
“That makes sense. I think that was wise. Do you have any other siblings?” Nicole tucked one leg beneath her, listening with avid interest.
“I do have a sister, Myra. She’s the one married to a police officer. They live in Lander city limits, but she checks on Mom and Dad a few times a week.”
“So your parents are retired from full time ministry like mine and both of us have brothers who are police officers?” she asked.
He nodded and sipped his coffee. Setting the mug down, he answered. “Yeah, I’m still amazed we have that in common. My dad’s a retired Baptist preacher.”
“That’s interesting. My dad’s a retired Methodist preacher.” Nicole’s mouth hung up while she considered their similar backgrounds. It gave her goosebumps thinking about it. Were they destined to meet?
“So, how about us both being preacher’s kids...what are the chances?” He chuckled at the discovery and she joined in, laughing softly. “Wow, really, what are the odds? One in a few thousand, maybe?”
“That’s just crazy, but I’ve felt a connection to you from the start.” She looked into his dark eyes, studying his handsome features and strong jawline. He nodded and looked out at the snowflakes still falling from the Wyoming sky.
“Do you still live in your RV?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yep, I do. Not ready to settle down yet, I guess. I like the flexibility it gives me. I like being able to travel when I want to go.”
“I can understand that. Amy and I really enjoy ours, but I notice some of the wranglers live in the bunkhouse and wondered if you do, too.”
“Naw. Jed and Bronson do. Buck’s got a cabin on the back forty. Logan said I could park the RV near the bunk house, so that’s home, for now.”
“I see. What does your sister do? Do you have any nieces or nephews?” she asked.
“Myra? Well, mostly she’s a mother and wife. She’s married to Edward Chapman, only we call him Eddie or Ed. He’s on the Lander police force. They’ve got three great kids.” He stood up to make another cup of coffee and took both of their cups to the Keurig. “Caleb, Calvin, and Christy. The youngest, she’s about the same age as Amy. Third grade?”
“Yep.” She smiled. “Third grade.”
“Myra works part time as a daycare assistant two days a week and the kiddos keep her busy running them to football, baseball, soccer, chess club, science club, art club, church three times a week, dance lessons, you name it.” He drank some of his water.
“I imagine she has her hands full. She sounds like Mallory and my sister-in-law, Selena. They’re always carting my nieces and nephews around somewhere.” Nicole paused. She didn’t want to interrupt his story, but it seemed like the right time to mention her own nieces, nephews, and more about her siblings. “Mallory has a daughter, Addison, and son, Joseph. She’s married to Mike. He’s a computer tech guy and a deacon in the church. She’s an ‘elementary ed’ school teacher. They teach a Sunday morning class together. Chip and Selena have Faith, Hope, James, and Franklin. He’s a youth pastor when he’s not on duty as a police officer. She’s a stay-at-home mom.”
Jack nodded with a thoughtful look on his handsome face and crossed his arms. “I’m sure Amy enjoyed meeting all of her cousins. That’s another reason why I returned to Lander. Myra and Ed are too busy to really help Mom and Dad. Plus, the kids look up to me and I need to be here for them. I plan to go to some of their games and cheer them on now that I’m back in the area. I’ve only been working for Logan for a few weeks now.”
“Right,” she nodded. “I guess distance and my career have made it difficult for me to be the aunt I want to be for my nieces and nephews when I think about it. I need to do better in that area.”
“There’s still time. I’m sure you’ll be able to do special things for them. You can send postcards from the set and extra nice birthday and Chri
stmas gifts, maybe,” he suggested.
“Yes, that would help. I need to visit home more often, too. I’m thinking at least every other year.” She pondered the thought while he finished filling their cups one last time.
As he brought the fresh hot coffee to the table, her cell lit up again on the island. They both heard it rumble and caught the movement of light coming from it. She wished it wasn’t disturbing their time together.
“You can ignore it,” she said, but Jack was already up and retrieving it from the island for her.
“Here ya go.” He slid the phone toward her.
“Thanks.” She glanced at the phone, hoping it was Brooke, but the text wasn’t from her. “It’s just Drew.” She sighed.
“I kinda figured Nicole Maribella Beaumont had a Hollywood boyfriend.”
“Drew Fairchild.”
“Of Fairchild Studios?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded. “You may as well know about him, too. He’s part of the reason I came to Wyoming. He asked me to marry him before I left Canada, and after the devastation of Lane, I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I haven’t given him an answer yet, because I just don’t know.”
“Pardon me for saying so, but if you think he’s anything remotely like Lane, you need to run the other way.” Jack ran a hand through his hair and rolled his eyes.
Nicole added creamer, stirred, and tasted her coffee. “This is really good. French vanilla?”
He nodded.
“I know you’re right,” she admitted, “and I don’t exactly feel the need to have a husband except maybe for Amy’s sake, but if I did, everyone in Hollywood is some kind of version like Lane, except for Dan, and he’s taken by my best friend.”
“Doesn’t sound like you needed to visit Wyoming to make up your mind about Drew Fairchild...” He drank some of his black coffee and leaned back in his chair again, a contented smile appearing on his face. “This is good coffee.”
“It’s more complicated than that.” She shook her head in frustration. “Almost all of my movie roles have come through Fairchild Studios, and sometimes I think he’s right for me. Other times, not so much.”
“Ah, now we’re getting to the heart of the matter.” He put his coffee cup down. “Just because Drew Fairchild and his studio has given you a couple of big breaks doesn’t mean you have to stick with him forever. So, trust God. You don’t need Fairchild Studios to land good roles anymore. You’ve already got a great name. You can probably have your pick of movies at this point. God can open doors no man can shut. You’re right up there with the best of the best. The other studios and directors are probably just waiting for you to escape from Drew’s grip so they can pick you up and offer more parts to you.”
“You think so?” Nicole leaned her head to one side, wondering if all Jack said could possibly be true.
“I know so.” He leaned forward and looked her in the eyes with a strong and courageous expression on his face. He was so handsome; he nearly took her breath away.
She remained unconvinced and stared at the cell phone. “We’ve been dating for a long time and if it wasn’t for Drew, I don’t think I’d have much of a career.”
“Look at it this way. Everyone knows Fairchild Studios owns the block. They don’t want to upset the big guy or they won’t be able to film their own movies using his studio. Am I right?”
She nodded. “Something like that, at least some of the time.”
“Are you in a contract with Fairchild?”
“No.”
“Well, there’s your answer.” Jack finished his coffee and set his empty cup down on the table, rising to leave.
Nicole hobbled across the kitchen to the foyer, following him to say good-bye. “I guess I could call my agent and tell him to put my name out there, but when Drew gets wind of it, I hate to think what he’ll do. He can be vindictive, and he’s just as much of a womanizer as Lane ever was, maybe more so. I’ve seen him ruin, halt, and slow the careers of many actresses simply by making a phone call.” She shook her head to think of it.
“Pray.” He reached for his coat and slid his cowboy hat on. “I’ll be back tomorrow night. I get off work at five o’clock so I can make the spaghetti, unless you want to try to make it to the chuck wagon dinner.”
“I wouldn’t be able to walk very well or dance yet, so spaghetti here at the cabin is a far better choice. Are you sure about tomorrow night? That’s a lot of work, Mr. Colten, cooking for three.”
Before she could say no, he pulled her into his arms and planted a long, gentle kiss on her lips. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
When the door closed and he was gone, butterflies danced in her stomach. She stared at the door, touching her lips where he’d kissed her, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. He was an incredible guy. Maybe the good Lord had decided to answer some of her prayers after all. Was He still up there in heaven looking down on her, watching over her? Had He been the one to allow Drew to give her favor? Was He leading her away from Drew now and into this amazing cowboy’s arms? She’d not been able to put many prayers into words, but perhaps He’d read her heart though she hadn’t deserved it.
Chapter 10
“To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love.”
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
“Colten, can you take these boxes over to cabin five and these flowers to cabin eight?” Buck had his arms full as he crossed the main house front porch to the golf cart parked in front where Jack sat behind the wheel. “I’ve got to get back to the barns. They need my help to saddle up Butterfly.”
Jack stared at the flowers. “Cabin eight?”
“Yep.” Buck handed him the vase of flowers and placed the stack of boxes on the cart for cabin five. Then he headed toward the empty golf cart.
“Hang on guys!” Jill burst out of the main house with more boxes in her arms and added them to the pile of boxes on the empty seat beside him. “These are for cabin eight, too. That’s Nicole’s cabin. Tell her we hope her ankle is feeling better if you happen to see her.”
He nodded while placing the flowers securely between the boxes, mumbling, “Sure, but you shouldn’t be carrying all those things in your condition, Jill. Next time, I’ll come inside and get them. Just text me.”
“Thanks, Jack. That’s very thoughtful of you. Logan had to go into town and my phone has been ringing off the hook, so I just went ahead without thinking a thing of it. I need the exercise and these weren’t too heavy, so it’s not a big deal this time. Anyways, have a good afternoon, and thanks.” Jill supported her back with one hand, waving as he nodded, and then drove the cart toward the zig-zag row of cabins.
Buck’s cart turned off in the direction of the barns and Jack steered toward cabin eight while he muttered to himself. “I’m not going to look. Not going to look. Don’t care if Mister Hollywood is sending her a bank.”
When he knocked on the cabin door to cabin eight, Amy answered, happy to see him. She jumped up and down, her eyes lighting up with a wide smile on her face. “Mom, it’s Cowboy Jack.”
“You can let him inside.” He could hear Nicole’s sweet voice from the sofa.
He stepped inside as Amy opened the door all the way and moved aside for him to enter. “Where would you like the flowers, ma’am?”
“Oh, anywhere. You brought us flowers?” Amy asked.
“Uh, no, I mean, yes, well...they’re not from me.” Now he was embarrassed. Why hadn’t he thought to bring her flowers?
“Oh.” Nicole’s voice sounded flat. “You can place them anywhere. The boxes, too. Anywhere you can set them down is fine. No peeking, Amy.”
“Too late, I already peeked,” Amy admitted. “They’re from Drew.”
“I meant no peeking in the boxes.”
“All right,” Amy sighed. “Did you order me something for Christmas, Mommy?” Amy eyed the boxes curiously.
“Maybe, but if you peek, I’ll return them.” Nicole la
ughed as Amy raced back to the living room and sat down on the floor with her paper dolls. “How are you today, Jack? Thanks for bringing those items and for all you did for us last night. I hope you managed to get a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh, I’m fine. I slept well.” Jack looked around helplessly and decided he’d place all of the boxes and the flowers on the island. He entered the living room and was glad to see Nicole resting her ankle on the sofa. “How are you doing today? Any better?”
She sighed. “Well, it’s still really sore, but keeping ice on it yesterday really helped. It’s not so swollen, but a little bruised. At least I was able to get my boots on. It’s so good to see you, Jack. We’re really looking forward to dinner tonight with you. I’m a little stir crazy just sitting here all day, but I did manage to get a shower.”
He noticed her hair was curled and styled, she had make up on, and looked amazing in a blue jean skirt, cowboy boots, and a pink and purple plaid flannel shirt with pearl snap buttons and ruffle trim on the pockets and wrists. “You look beautiful. Can’t wait to get our dinner started. I’ll be back later. You two enjoy the day.”
“We will,” Amy grinned and held up a paper doll. “I’ve got a new paper doll set and finished my school lessons this morning.”
“Atta girl,” he nodded, taking in the array of paper dolls Amy had spread out on the floor from the recliner to the sofa so she could be next to her mom. “I have to get back to work, but I’ll see you ladies this evening. Do you need anything?”
“No, we’re fine. We ordered room service of beef stew and biscuits for lunch. We had yogurt and instant oatmeal for breakfast here in our cabin,” she explained. Motioning toward the stack of coloring books, a large box of crayons, and a stack of DVD movies to her left, she added, “As you can see, we have an afternoon of coloring planned. We’re going to watch My Friend Flicka and International Velvet.”
“Good thinking on the room service. You need to rest that ankle. Coloring and movies gives you some time to hang out with each other. All right, I’ll return in a few hours.” He looked down at how pretty she looked and wanted to kiss her on the cheek before he strode out of the cabin, but Amy was watching and it was too soon.