A Valentine for the Cowboy

by Rebecca Winters

  The moons spilled onto the carpet. She grabbed the yellow one.

  Brianna tapped it. “Moon. Moon. See? These are all moons.” She laid them out in a line. To help her understand, she put the Goodnight Moon book on the floor and opened it to the picture of the moon.

  The little girl studied it and then looked at the moons before she reached for the white one and gazed up at Brianna. She was smart, just like her daddy. “Moo.”

  “Moon. That’s right.”

  “Moo.”

  The n would have to come later. Libby picked out the dark blue half moon. “That is a moon, too,” Brianna said. “Moon.”

  But Libby wasn’t as interested in the half-moons. She started playing with the six pancake-like moons. Brianna took advantage of the moment to brush Libby’s brown hair into curls. She really was a beautiful child.

  The sound of the doorbell startled Brianna, but Libby was riveted with her new toy.

  Who could it be?

  Brianna put the brush down and got to her feet. She walked to the entrance and said, “Who is it?”

  “Tessa Clayton. I’m here to see my daughter.”

  What?

  Brianna’s body went hot and then cold before she opened the door. Immediately she recognized the attractive woman standing there from the pictures Eli had placed around the nursery. Libby was the spitting image of her.

  “Please. Come in.”

  “Thank you.” She stepped inside the entrance hall.

  “H-have you made arrangements with Mr. Clayton?” Brianna’s voice faltered.

  “No. He couldn’t be reached, but I assure you I’m Libby’s mother. Are you Sarah, her nanny?”

  Good Heavens. “No. My name is Brianna Frost. I’m watching Libby right now.” At this point Libby toddled into the foyer with a moon in both hands. Brianna bit her lip. “Perhaps you should check with Mrs. Clayton first?”

  “I stopped at the ranch house, but no one was there.”

  Brianna couldn’t believe this was happening. “Have you tried to reach Eli?”

  “Not yet. I just want to see her. Eli came to see me a week ago and told me I could visit my daughter any time.”

  Think, Brianna. This is what Eli had been wanting all along. He’d gone to Thompson Falls to try one last time to work things out with his ex-wife. Now that she’d come all this way to see her little girl, who was Brianna to tell her she couldn’t?

  She pulled Libby into her arms. “Come in the living room, Mrs. Clayton.”

  Libby hid her head in Brianna’s neck. This was a situation she couldn’t have anticipated in a million years. She thought how strange it must be for Libby’s mother to come back to this house where she’d lived with Eli, where she’d planned their baby’s nursery. And now Brianna was inviting her in.

  She carried Libby all the way in and set her down on the floor by her new toys, hoping they would distract her. Brianna sat down next to her. Tessa perched on the end of the couch by the two of them. She, too, was wearing jeans with a V-necked kelly green sweater.

  Floundering for words, Brianna said, “I just brought her this present because she loves the book Goodnight Moon. It’s her favorite.”

  “Eli and I bought it right before she was born.”

  Shock number two.

  “If you’d like to hand her that unopened gift, she’ll probably behave more naturally.”

  Tessa reached for it and handed it to her daughter. “Would you like to open this, Libby?”

  At first Brianna didn’t think Libby would accept it, but curiosity won her over. Libby started pulling the paper off to reveal the coloring book of moons. She opened the pages and pointed at the various moon faces. Brianna looked up at Tessa. In a low voice she said, “Why don’t you get on the floor, too, and open the box of crayons for her? Show her what to do.”

  Tessa slid off the couch and moved down on the carpet. Brianna fought to control her breathing while Tessa opened the crayon box and watched to see what would happen.

  Tessa pulled out a red crayon and started coloring one of the faces in the opened book. “Do you want to color, too?” she asked Libby, handing her the box. Her little girl picked out the blue crayon, the same shade as one of the toy moons. The two of them sat there and colored. “That’s a beautiful blue moon,” she told her daughter.

  Brianna’s eyes blurred to see mother and daughter doing a project together. Since Libby’s birth, this was what Eli had been wanting and praying for. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered. Reaching for her purse, Brianna disappeared from the living room and hurried through the house to the bathroom. She dug inside her bag for Eli’s mother’s business card and called her.

  “Mrs. Clayton? This is urgent. Can you come to the house right now? Just walk in.”

  The older woman didn’t ask any questions. She said she’d be right there. Brianna rejoined Tessa and Libby in the living room. The two of them were coloring more pages and seemed to be having a good time. A minute later, Eli’s mother walked through the door into the living room. She hadn’t even paused to put on her parka.

  Brianna saw the shock on the older woman’s face. And the love... “Tessa,” she cried softly.

  The woman’s brown head lifted. “Mom Clayton?” There was affection in her voice.

  “Don’t get up, honey. Stay right there with Libby.”

  Brianna knew what this moment meant to the older woman, who’d been praying for this miracle, too.

  But Libby had heard her grandmother’s voice and got to her feet to show her the crayon she’d been using. “Have you been coloring?”

  “Moo,” she said with great emotion.

  “Ah.” She walked over and hunkered down beside her granddaughter. “I can see the moon.”

  The three of them coloring together was a sight Brianna would never forget. If Eli could see this right now... Maybe he could. She pulled out her phone and took some pictures to show him.

  While they were all engaged, Brianna tiptoed over to the foyer and got her parka out of the closet. This was one of those exits that didn’t need to be explained. Instead of leaving by the front door, she hurried through the kitchen to the back porch. She had to traipse through six inches of snow, but it was worth it not to be detected.

  After reaching her truck, Brianna prayed she wouldn’t see Eli on her way out to the highway. Instead of turning left toward Stevensville, she made a right and drove the twenty-mile loop back to her uncle’s house.

  The miracle had happened.

  Brianna didn’t question what she did next. While en route, she stopped long enough to make a reservation for a flight to California that night. She followed that up with a call to her brother. When she told him she was coming home and would explain later, he said he’d meet her at the airport in Sacramento.

  Her aunt and uncle weren’t home when she arrived at the house. They’d thought she’d be gone until late, so maybe it was better this way. She called a taxi and made arrangements to be picked up ASAP for the trip to the Missoula airport. Then she hurriedly packed. Before the taxi arrived, she wrote a letter for her family to read when they got home.

  Later on in the year she’d fly back to gather all her belongings. For the time being, she just needed to leave Montana. When Eli walked into his house, his whole world was going to change. Brianna didn’t want to be there.

  Tessa had obviously experienced a huge breakthrough. It appeared Eli’s visit the week before had done something that no therapy could accomplish. He didn’t need outside stress while he dealt with the fact that his ex-wife had come to see their daughter.

  Brianna didn’t want to jump to any conclusions yet. All she knew was that, after a whole year, Tessa had made an appearance. Who knew what would happen when he found her in their house, wanting to be with Libby? If all went well,
their little girl would be getting her mother back.

  Maybe Tessa’s feelings for Eli had been rekindled by seeing him face-to-face, too. Nothing was impossible, but the thought of those two getting back together hurt more than anything. It was too painful for her to watch it happen.

  * * *

  ELI LEFT THE hospital and had just climbed into his truck when his mother called. He clicked on his cell phone. “Mom? Luke is going to be all right. They have to do tests, but after a few days they’ll go in to repair a valve in his heart. Luis is with him until his girlfriend gets there, so I’m coming home right now.”

  “Well, that’s great news, Eli. I’m relieved to hear you got him to the hospital in time. Now, there’s something I’ve got to tell you. Tessa showed up at your house out of the blue this afternoon to see Libby.”

  He reeled. “She what?”

  “I guess she decided to surprise you, too.”

  “With Brianna there?”

  “Yes. Brianna let her in and called me to come over. While I was occupied with Tessa and Libby, Brianna left your house without telling me. I’m sure she went back to her aunt and uncle’s because she knew how important this unexpected visit was.”

  His hand almost crushed the phone. He closed his eyes tightly. “Where is Tessa?”

  “Carl and Diane drove her here. The three of them are staying at the Bitterroot Lodge in town. She just left the house and hopes to talk to you when you’re free this evening. I took Libby home with me and will keep her overnight. Tessa’s waiting for you to call her.”

  This was unbelievable.

  But someone else was waiting for him, too. Someone who’d become so important to him that he needed to talk to her before he did anything else.

  “What would I do without you, Mom? I’ll be in touch soon.”

  He started the engine and headed straight for the Frost home. As he turned into the driveway, he had to put on his brakes. A taxi was getting ready to back out. That outfit ran a service to the Missoula airport.

  Realizing what it meant, a pit formed in his gut. He left his truck blocking the driveway and got out. The driver honked, but Eli kept moving toward the taxi and opened the back door.

  “Eli—” Brianna looked shaken.

  “Yes. Where do you think you’re going?”

  “It’s clear Tessa is back and wants to be a part of your and Libby’s lives. Your world changed today. So did mine. You three deserve to be together.” Her voice shook.

  “Well, this is one trip you’re not going to take.” He went around to the driver and handed him forty dollars, half the amount to get her to the airport. “Thanks for coming, but she’s changed her mind. I’ll grab her luggage.”

  Eli opened the other rear door and pulled out her suitcase, and then he returned to where she was sitting. “Come and get in my truck so the man can back out. I’m not taking no for an answer.”

  He’d put her in a bad position, but he didn’t care. She got out without making a scene and followed him to his truck. After helping her inside and putting her suitcase on the rear seat, he got behind the wheel and moved so the taxi could leave.

  “Tessa and her parents drove here from Thompson Falls and are staying at the Bitterroot Lodge. I have to stop by and see them, and then you and I are going to have a long talk.”

  “Wait, Eli—if we’re going to leave, I need to take my luggage back to my bedroom and get the letter I left for my aunt and uncle.”

  He groaned. She’d covered all her bases in such a big hurry that it astounded him he’d been able to catch her before she’d managed to sneak away. Eli took a swift breath and drove back into the driveway. He pulled the suitcase out and carried it to the door for her. Then he waited in the truck until she came out again.

  “I’m going to have to cancel my flight and call my brother.”

  “You can do that while we’re on our way over to the lodge. When we get there, we’ll get something to eat in the coffee shop and I’ll give their room a call.”

  After a silence she asked, “Have you seen her?”

  “Not yet. As soon as Luis showed up at the hospital to be with Luke, I was able to leave. Mom phoned and explained what had gone on while I wasn’t home. The second she told me you had disappeared, I drove straight here from the hospital. Another fifteen seconds and I would have been too late.”

  “You have to understand—” she began, but he didn’t let her finish.

  “I do. But you have to understand something, too. For now let’s just take care of first things first, and then we’ll talk. Agreed?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “As you know, one of our hands had a heart attack today. When I heard you’d slipped away from my house without saying good-bye, I almost had one myself. I recall a certain conversation where you promised me you’d give me fair warning.”

  She stirred restlessly. “All the rules changed this afternoon.”

  “They certainly did.”

  By the time he’d pulled into the parking lot of the lodge, she’d cancelled her flight and had left a message on her brother’s voice mail.

  In the coffee shop, the hostess showed them to a table and gave them menus before walking away. Eli didn’t need to look at one. “If you’ll order me steak and eggs and plenty of coffee, I’ll be back soon.”

  “Eli?” she said as he stood up.

  “What is it?”

  Her heart was in those blue eyes that stared at him with such concern. “This is what you wanted.”

  “For Libby to have her mother’s love—yes, it’s what I’ve wanted. But not for you to disappear.”

  “I believe it’s for the best.”

  “Not for me it isn’t.” Her unselfishness was a rare trait that meant more to him than she would ever know. He shook his head before leaning over to kiss her mouth. “I’ll be right back.”

  The taste of her lips lingered on his as he walked to the front desk and called Tessa’s room on the house phone.

  “Eli?” It was Carl’s voice.

  “Yes. I’m at the front desk, but I’ve just come from the hospital and need to get home soon. If you’re staying the night, I’d like to have a proper visit with all of you first thing in the morning at my house. We’ll have breakfast with Libby. But if you have to leave tonight, I can come up to your room now.”

  “No, no. Tomorrow will be perfect. We all need sleep.”

  He could only imagine. “How did Tessa react to being with Libby?”

  “She can’t stop talking about how wonderful her baby is.”

  Eli’s throat thickened. “Thank God.” Major, major progress had been made.

  “Bless you for coming to see her last week,” Carl said with tears in his voice.

  “See you in the morning,” Eli told him.

  He hung up, dazed by the events that had happened throughout the day. Brianna’s plea not to give up on his wife had resulted in a turnaround of earthshaking proportions. This could potentially be the start of Libby’s relationship with her mother.

  When he returned to the coffee shop, he found Brianna eating an omelet and sipping on coffee. She looked up as he slid into the booth. Her searching eyes asked all the questions he attempted to answer.

  “Tessa and her parents will be at my house in the morning to have breakfast with Libby. After they leave, you and I will enjoy the day we should have had today.” He sat down to eat his meal.

  “Don’t worry about tomorrow because of what happened today.” Brianna reached in her purse for her phone. “I want to show you something.” She clicked on her photo gallery and found the pictures she’d taken earlier. “Take a look at these.”

  Eli took the phone from her. She saw him magnify the pictures. When he looked up, his eyes had gone suspiciously bright.

&
nbsp; “I bought crayons and a coloring book of moon faces for Libby. I had Tessa give them to Libby after she arrived. At that point, I called your mother and she came over. Pretty soon the three of them were on the floor, coloring away. I couldn’t resist taking some photos so you could see for yourself.”

  She heard his sharp intake of breath. “You’re incredible, Brianna.” He grasped her hand across the table. “I’m so indebted to you for turning their first meeting into something wonderful. I’m at a loss for words.”

  “It all happened very naturally. Perhaps because of the pictures of Tessa around Libby’s room and your recent trip to go see her, Libby didn’t act at all strange around her. But maybe that’s because they were together for the first month of her life.”

  “Maybe. Whatever the reason, I know the encounter went well or Tessa wouldn’t have wanted to stay over until tomorrow in order to talk to me.”

  Honesty forced Brianna to explain the rest. “But the truth is I almost didn’t let her in, Eli.”

  “That doesn’t matter.” He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go. “She took us all by surprise. I did the same thing to her by showing up at her door unannounced. I’m sorry it put you in an awkward position.”

  “It’s all right. At first she thought I had to be Sarah.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I was a friend looking after Libby. While they were all busy coloring, I decided the best thing to do was leave the three of them alone. I knew that without my presence, Tessa and your mother would be able to talk more freely until you got there.”

  He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “And, knowing how your mind works, I guess you decided to get as far away as you could in order to make it possible for me and Libby to reunite with Tessa and for us to get remarried. That’s what you told your aunt and uncle in that letter you didn’t want me to see, right? Don’t bother to deny it.”

  She eyed him directly. “I won’t.”

  Since she’d finished eating, Eli put some bills on the table and got to his feet. “Let’s go.”