A Valentine for the Cowboy

by Rebecca Winters

  “Good night.”

  After locking the door, she rushed through the store to the back room, where she turned off all the lights except for the ones in the display windows. Her legs were still trembling when she got into her truck and headed home. On the way she stopped at a drive-through for some pizza and a soda.

  Once she got back, she didn’t go inside the house right away. Instead she ate in the truck and called her brother, hoping he was available to talk. Carol answered and told her he was out in one of the sheds, but she’d have him call her ASAP.

  No sooner did Brianna go inside the house than her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she hurried into the study and sat down on the couch. “Doug?”

  “Hi, Brianna. You kept your promise to call me this week. What’s up?”

  She loved her brother so much. “Can you talk?”

  “That’s what we’re doing, aren’t we?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I have all the time in the world for you. Carol’s fixing dinner. Go ahead and tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Brianna bit her lip. “I may have made a mistake tonight, and now I don’t know what to do.”

  “Do I dare assume this has to do with a man?”

  Clever Doug. His instincts were razor-sharp. “Yes.”

  “I take it he’s a good one.”

  “Yes, I know he is. He has the most adorable fourteen-month-old daughter.”

  “Is he single? A widower? Divorced? Wait—he’s not married, is he?”

  “Doug—”

  He chuckled. “You’ve got to give me more than a couple of yesses.”

  “I’m sorry. Let me ask you a hypothetical question. If you lost Carol—Heaven forbid if you did—how long do you think you’d stay in love with her?”

  “I would always love her, but I don’t think you can stay ‘in love’ forever because life has a way of evolving. I take it you’ve met a widower.”

  She breathed in deeply. “No. His ex-wife is alive, but he still wears his wedding ring.”

  “Yeah?” This after a brief silence. “That’s a tricky one.” It was not the response she’d been hoping for. “What mistake have you made, aside from falling for him?”

  “I haven’t fallen for him!”

  “Then why ask me for advice?”

  Brianna jumped up from the couch. “I barely know him, but I—I find him very attractive,” she stammered. “That’s all.”

  “Don’t forget the adorable daughter.”

  That wasn’t possible. Libby had his eyes.

  “I don’t want to be attracted to him.”

  Hearty laughter poured out of him. “Poor Brianna. After all those years of tying guys up in knots without compunction, you’ve found one who has turned the tables on you. What do you know...”

  “Please don’t make me feel worse.”

  “Now that I know a little more about the situation, how about telling me the nature of your second mistake?”

  There was no getting around this with Doug, not when she’d phoned him. “He came to the saddlery a little while ago to apologize to me for something and asked me out to dinner. I told him I forgave him but that dinner wasn’t necessary. Then I opened the door so he’d leave.”

  “And did he?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good for him.”

  She winced.

  “Why don’t you tell me what happened for him to come to the store wanting to tell you he was sorry?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “With you it usually is. Go on.”

  She told him everything that had gone on since the night Eli had been so rude at the gem shop. Quiet reigned after she’d finished explaining. “Doug?”

  “You’re frightened. Can’t say I blame you, but he could still be wearing his wedding ring for a variety of reasons. At this early stage there’s only one question you have to ask yourself. Is he so important to you that you won’t be able to eat or sleep until you talk to him again and find out what’s going on with him? In a few days you’ll know if you can’t get him off your mind.”

  “I’m afraid I already know.” Her brother was right. “Thanks for listening to me.”

  “Anytime. Call me soon, okay?”

  “I promise.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  She chuckled. “Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  She hung up, hugging her arms to her chest. Yes, she was afraid. Eli had loved another woman, married her, had a baby with her. How did you compete with those memories? Did Brianna even want to try if it turned out he was interested in her?

  Haunted by too many unanswerable questions, she went to her room and watched TV. Why did she have to meet a man who’d been married and had a past? A man who was still living in that past. A man with a darling little girl, who would remind him of his ex-wife every minute of their lives.

  Brianna had no idea how long she stayed awake, tormented. It was a miracle that she finally slept. But when she awakened, she discovered her pillow drenched in tears.

  Chapter Three

  Eli cut a banana into pieces and put them on the tray of Libby’s high chair. He ate one and then she ate one. Everything was a game with her.

  “Mom? Are you sure you don’t mind the applicants coming here this morning? I want to get your opinion before I take them up to my house.” He’d narrowed the list down to three women. They’d be arriving in hourly intervals. The first one would be there in a few minutes.

  “It’s important we all meet, honey, and that includes Solana.” The two of them sat at the kitchen table of the ranch house, enjoying coffee with their pancakes. Wymon had already left to meet up with Luis and the stockmen.

  With Toly on the rodeo circuit and Roce in Missoula, Wymon needed Eli’s help, but he’d taken this Wednesday morning off to conduct the nanny interviews. Life was about to change around here.

  His mother eyed him with concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “Maybe none of them will be right and Libby won’t like any of them.”

  “If things don’t work out today, we can always interview more applicants.” She eyed him over the rim of her coffee cup. “I didn’t realize you’d removed your wedding ring. When did that happen?”

  “Last week, after you advised me to get my act together. I phoned Tessa’s family and had a talk with Diane. Nothing’s changed with Tessa. The psychiatrist believes she might have chronic depression. I’d hoped in vain that she’d get better and want to come home.” He shook his head. “It isn’t going to happen, so I took the ring off and started looking for a nanny.”

  “You’re very courageous. I’m proud of you, son.”

  “And I’m more grateful to you than you’ll ever know for helping Libby and me through this last year.”

  He didn’t hear his mother’s response because Solana came into the kitchen. “Your first appointment has arrived. I showed her into the living room.”

  “Thanks, Solana.” Eli got up from the chair. “Be right back.” He tousled Libby’s hair and headed for the other part of the house with little expectation that this could actually work.

  By noon he’d found Sarah Giles, a cute young woman with an appealing personality whom everyone agreed would be great. Most important of all, Libby didn’t cry when she picked her up and played with her.

  She was twenty-eight and was living in Missoula with her grandparents while her husband was deployed with the army for the next fifteen months. They were saving their money and hoped to buy a house after his tour of duty was over.

  Sarah had been trained as a cook and had worked as a sous-chef until recently. Cooking was her passion, but the restaurant had closed and she needed a job.

&n
bsp; Eli decided that fifteen months with a nanny who could cook and keep his daughter happy sounded perfect. Sarah was ready to move in and would start work the next morning.

  He was so relieved that he no longer had to rely on his mother for everything that he raced his horse Domino to the pasture. After telling Wymon his news, he did the job of three stockmen. They looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

  In a way, he had. Freed from a great source of worry for the first time in a year, he could concentrate on a plan to approach Brianna Frost again.

  He’d never been shown the door before and was still smarting from the experience. In order to break through the barrier he’d caused her to erect, he needed backup. If anyone knew the way to Brianna’s heart, Libby did.

  When Saturday came around, he’d load his daughter in the truck just before closing time at the saddlery. On the pretext of wanting to buy her a child’s cowboy hat, he’d ask Brianna for help. If he knew his little girl, she’d love the attention and wouldn’t want to leave the shop. She might even start to cry, which would be a plus.

  Eli would take it from there and suggest the three of them go for a bite to eat at a place where he could take Libby. A new sense of excitement filled him on his way back to the barn at dark. Tomorrow would be a new day and he had a good feeling about Sarah.

  The last time Eli could remember looking forward to the future had been the night of Libby’s birth. He’d felt such wonder as he held her in his arms. They’d started their family. At the time he couldn’t have comprehended that they wouldn’t live out a rich, full life together with more children.

  The onset of Tessa’s depression followed a week later and never went away. Eli had never suffered from chemical depression. But to watch it take hold of his wife and change her into someone he didn’t know had devastated him. He’d been helpless to alleviate it or bring her comfort. She didn’t want to hold Libby, let alone take care of her.

  His whole family had pitched in to help and had been doing it ever since. Though Tessa’s parents tried to do it long-distance, it was difficult.

  On the night Tessa begged to go home, she didn’t say, “I need to go back to my parents in Thompson Falls for a while.” She’d made it clear she wanted to go home. That deliberate choice of words cut him to the quick and spelled the end of his dreams.

  At the lowest point of his life, Eli packed up her things. After asking his mother to watch the baby, he drove Tessa back to her parents’ house. The phone call asking for a divorce soon followed. What he’d feared most had come to pass, but the fact that it came as another shock proved to him he’d been living in denial.

  He’d still been in denial until the day he’d seen Libby so happy in Brianna Frost’s arms and realized he couldn’t go on as he had been any longer. His mother’s warning had acted as the catalyst for things to change, and he couldn’t be more glad of the fact.

  * * *

  BRIANNA MET LINDSAY at the entrance to the Italian restaurant. “I’m glad you could meet me here for dinner. Ken works the night shift in the ER on Saturdays and I didn’t want to go home to an empty house after work.”

  “I hear you. My aunt and uncle have gone to their monthly Cattlemen’s Association dinner. This was a great idea.”

  They went inside. Naturally the restaurant was crowded, being as it was a weekend night. The hostess showed them a table and handed them menus. Brianna opened hers. “So what do you think you’re in the mood for?”

  Her friend looked over her own menu. “I think I’ll order the alfredo with mushrooms.”

  “Mmm, that sounds good, but so does the chicken Tuscany.”

  “Let’s get both and share. Now that I’m over my morning sickness, I eat like a horse.”

  Brianna chuckled. “Perfect.”

  They gave the waitress their order. “That book on Elon Musk you were asking about came in. I’ll save you a copy if you want.”

  “I’ll come by Monday on my lunch hour to buy it.”

  “Why don’t you just buy a Kindle?”

  “I could, but I like a book in my hands, you know?”

  “I do, too.”

  They were still talking books when the waitress brought their meal. Lindsay’s eyes lit up. “Wow, this looks good.”

  “It does. I’m starving.”

  Halfway through their meal Lindsay leaned forward. “Don’t make it too obvious, but you’ve got to get a look at this cowboy who just walked in carrying an adorable little girl wearing a cowgirl hat,” she whispered. “If I weren’t married...”

  Brianna tried to turn her head inconspicuously and almost slid off her chair. Catching her breath, she faced her friend once more. “Even if you were single, you wouldn’t want to get involved with him.”

  Lindsay blinked. “You know him?”

  “I’ve met him several times. His name is Eli. He’s one of the Clayton brothers.”

  Her friend sat back in surprise. “You’re talking Toly Clayton’s brother?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Wow.”

  “My uncle told me Eli’s wife divorced him. But he still wears his wedding ring.”

  “He probably does that to keep all the women away. Otherwise there’d be a line a mile long.”

  A piece of chicken lodged in Brianna’s throat. She had to take a drink of water to clear it. “I was thinking he can’t take it off because he’s still so much in love with her.”

  Lindsay went quiet. Brianna found herself the object of her friend’s gaze. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “I think it does,” Lindsay said right back. “You’re interested in him.”

  “Well, like you, I find him attractive.”

  “And?”

  She averted her eyes. “And nothing.”

  “Has he asked you out?”

  By now Brianna was squirming. “Yes, but I turned him down.”

  “Brianna—why?”

  “I told you.”

  Lindsay kept at her. “Is it because he has a daughter?”

  “No! She’s wonderful.”

  “So you’ve met her, too.” Her friend smiled. “If you want my advice, which I know you don’t, I would tell him yes if you get another chance.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Don’t be so sure. He’s walking this way.”

  What? Her heart thundered in her chest.

  “Brianna?”

  She looked up and her gaze collided with Eli’s. At the same moment his daughter tried to get to her. Brianna pushed her chair back. “Hi, Libby. Have you come out to dinner with your daddy?”

  By now the little girl was twisting to escape Eli’s arms. Brianna had no choice but to reach for her. His little girl wrapped her arms around Brianna’s neck, warming her heart.

  Eli’s blue eyes glittered with amusement. “When we came in for dinner, she spotted you out of all these people. Your hair is unmistakable. I gave up any hope of peace until we came over to say hi first.”

  “Why don’t you join us?” Lindsay spoke up with a knowing smile Brianna had already deciphered. “We have two more chairs.”

  Brianna moaned inwardly.

  “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “It’s no intrusion, is it, Brianna?”

  “No, of course not. Please sit down.”

  “I’m Lindsay Turner, Brianna’s friend,” Lindsay said as he pulled out a chair. “And you are...”

  “Eli Clayton.”

  “Well, Mr. Clayton, I have to say that’s the cutest little girl I ever saw in my life, especially in that cowgirl hat. I’m expecting in four months and can’t wait to start dressing my daughter.”

  “Congratulations. I’m happy for you. We bought
this hat at the saddlery before coming here. She went right to the one she wanted and put it on her head. That was it.”

  He’d come by the store? Had her uncle told him she’d be at the restaurant?

  “It’s my favorite one,” Brianna admitted. The white felt with the pink trim and star looked as if it had been designed for his daughter.

  “But it needs to come off while we eat, or you won’t be able to finish your dinner.” Brianna watched as Eli leaned over and undid the tie before lifting it off his daughter’s head.

  His ring.

  It was gone!

  Libby didn’t seem to mind being relieved of her hat, but Brianna sat there in shock to see the white skin where the band had been. From Brianna’s lap the little brown-haired princess wanted to touch everything and reached for Brianna’s roll. She darted Eli a glance. “Is it all right?”

  “If it is with you. She eats everything. I’ll order you another one with her mac and cheese.” He signaled the waitress to come over and asked for a high chair.

  While Brianna fed Libby a spoonful of linguine from her plate, Eli and Lindsay discussed Toly’s recent wins. Soon Eli’s order arrived, but, to Brianna’s consternation, Lindsay had finished her meal and stood up.

  She smiled at Brianna. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take what I didn’t finish to my husband while it’s still kind of warm. I promised him.” Brianna had feared this would happen. “Thanks for having dinner with me. I’ll see you on Monday at noon.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Eli got to his feet. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “I’m so glad to have met you and your daughter, Mr. Clayton. Wait till I tell my husband that I had dinner with Toly Clayton’s brother. We’re both great fans.”

  “I’ll tell him,” Eli said and smiled.

  After she walked away, Eli plucked his daughter from Brianna’s lap and put her in the high chair. He set it right next to Brianna so Libby wouldn’t complain and started feeding her macaroni while he ate his spaghetti and meat balls.

  He eyed her. “Would you believe I had intended to ask you to have dinner with me and Libby tonight at this same restaurant? I was disappointed you’d left the saddlery early so I didn’t get the chance to ask. Seeing you here was fortunate for us, but I didn’t mean to break up your plans for the evening.”