Champagne and Cowboys

by Donna Michaels

  “But he’s not just any man. He’s the right man.”

  “Exactly.” She nodded. “I can’t wait until you both find yours.”

  A strange look crossed each of her friend’s faces, and she raised a brow. “Or have you already?”

  “No.”

  “Hell no.”

  They claimed before sipping their drink.

  “I’ve the feeling you’re lying, but I’ll keep my nose out of it.” The chances of her idiot brother waking up to see Faith as the incredible woman Evie knew her to be, were about as slim as Scott doing the same with Jenna.

  “Hey, look, there’s your boyfriend now.” Jenna pointed out the window.

  Faith nodded. “Yeah, you should go enjoy your two hours of uninterrupted bliss while you can.”

  She laughed and stood. “Okay. I get it. I’m going.” She rushed out the door and spotted the gorgeous man wearing a black Stetson in the lobby.

  He unknowingly caused a stir amongst the women passing by. She empathized. He was truly something, and when his gaze met hers, he smiled, and the shadows he carried lately disappeared from his face.

  “Hello, beautiful,” he said, sweeping her in his arms for a kiss.

  When he drew back, she smiled. “Wow. What was that for?”

  “Me.” He winked. “You about ready to go check on the horses?”

  Hell yeah.

  “Absolutely.” She hooked her arm through his, and together, they walked out of the busy resort and into a bustling festival. “Things seemed to have picked up.”

  Last weekend, it had been sort of sluggish when she’d manned the Martelli stand. The coating of snow that had fallen during the week lured the guests to the nearby slopes. But, Lucas and Missy had helped out and they’d had a blast.

  She glanced sideways at him and caught him watching a young boy, laughing and throwing snowballs at his father. The wistful expression on the cowboy’s face broke her heart.

  “You okay?” She entwined her fingers with his and squeezed.

  He blinked away his melancholy, and smiled down at her. “Yeah, of course.”

  They walked in silence for a bit, and once they were farther away from the crowd, she decided to see if she could get him to open up. Dwelling in the past was eating him alive.

  “You don’t have to pretend with me, Lucas. I know you’re hurting.”

  He frowned, but said nothing.

  “You want to tell me about your dad?”

  He snorted. “I never had a dad. He let me go, but at least he wised up enough to be a good dad to Missy.”

  “He was.”

  His gaze snapped to her. “You knew him?”

  She nodded. “He was a regular at the shop. My dad and Mr. Wyne went to school with him. He was a nice man.”

  He brought them to a halt and tugged free. “Yeah, so nice he abandoned me and my mom.”

  She shook her head, her mind unable to equate the caring, kind man who’d been there for her many times over the years with the one Lucas painted. “I don’t know what happened, but the man I knew, he’d never abandon his child.”

  “Well, he did. Bought my mom a one-way ticket to Texas and never contacted us again. So, yeah, he abandoned us, because I don’t recall birthday cards or Christmas presents from him. Or my mom getting child support. She worked two jobs, and I cleaned out horse stalls before and after school by the time I was in the fifth grade.”

  Her chest tightened, aching for the little boy he had been. It just made no sense. “Look, I’m not saying he tried to contact you, I’m just saying there had to be a reason.”

  “Yeah, he was a piece of shit.”

  She shook her head, her heart squeezing at the pain etched in his face. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault.” He swiped off his hat and thrust a hand through his hair.

  “It’s not yours either.”

  He laughed without mirth and shoved the hat back on his head. “Who the hell else’s is it? Because the next time he had a kid, he didn’t send her and her mom away.”

  No. She recalled Missy’s mom had died in a car accident when the girl had been three. Mr. Williams had been devastated. Family meant everything to him.

  “I just can’t believe he sent you away, Lucas.”

  The guy had been a responsible, hardworking pillar of the community. To accuse him of turning his back on his one-year-old son was like accusing her dad or Mr. Wyne.

  “I hate to take your blinders off, darlin’, but he wasn’t the saint you believe.”

  His gaze was dark and so cold she shivered.

  “Apparently, he told Missy about me when she was ten. She said she wrote me letters and sent cards…but I never go them, Evie. Who does that to their own daughter? Tells her she has a brother, gets her hopes up. Even goes so far as to help her write the damn letters with one hand, then toss them in the garbage with the other when she wasn’t looking. Who does that?”

  She didn’t know. It made no sense. “The Mr. Williams I knew wouldn’t have done that to Missy.”

  “Jesus. He did, Evie. Missy told me she wrote them out, but I never got them. Who the hell else could’ve intercepted them? No.” He shook his head, resignation setting his shoulders. “He was the only one who could’ve made them disappear.”

  “I don’t believe it. What does Missy think?”

  He blew out a breath. “I haven’t said anything to her. She’s still under the impression he sent them.”

  “Maybe he did.”

  He muttered a curse and shook his head. “You and I are obviously not going to agree on this, so let’s drop it. In fact, you know what? You should probably go home. I’m not the best company right now. I need to be alone.”

  And before she could reply, he strode away and disappeared into the woods.

  Feeling as if the wind was knocked out of her, Evie sank down onto a nearby bench, her legs too shaky to stand.

  What the hell just happened?

  Did Lucas just walk away from the discussion?

  Or them?

  Nearly a week had passed since his heated discussion with Evie. Lucas had talked to her once on the phone, but it had been to tell her he had some evaluating to do.

  But, God, he missed her.

  Missed her smile, and her warmth. Being buried deep inside her. The way she had of making him feel as if he hadn’t a care in the world. That together they could face anything.

  Christ. He felt as if someone had reached into his chest and scraped out his heart.

  And the two times he’d seen her that week, when he’d picked Missy up from work, had salted the wound. Her gaze was no longer bright. She’d been pale, with shadows under her eyes. She was hurting, too.

  He hated that he was the cause, but dammit, it had hurt that she’d taken his dad’s side. God, he’d never felt so betrayed in his life. Not even by his father’s lack of interest. Lucas just didn’t see a point in hanging out when he couldn’t count on the woman he’d fallen for to have his back.

  And he had fallen for her. Hard.

  That’s why her lack of support hurt so bad.

  “Uh…Lucas?” Missy stood in the doorway of their living room, clutching a shoebox to her chest, the knees of her jeans a little dusty, her face dirty and tearstained.

  His gut twisted. “Is everything okay?” He wanted to get up and go to her, but she’d only just started to open up recently. He didn’t want to scare her off. “Did you find the decorations in the attic for Jill?”

  Jesus. He should’ve gone up with her. It probably stirred a lot of memories for her.

  Guilt soured his stomach. He was an ass.

  She nodded. “Yeah. Two fiber optic candles she wants for the New Year’s Eve party tonight. Mason’s on his way to pick them up.”

  Ah, hell. He’d forgotten about the party tonight.

  Apparently, the Wynes had a New Year’s Eve party every year in the resort’s big ballroom, similar to the annual Christmas party the McCalls threw for fami
ly and friends back in Texas.

  He glanced at the clock on the wall and held back a sigh. Less than two hours from now. The last thing he felt was festive. And the prospect of seeing Evie again hurt his chest.

  “So, uh…” Missy slowly walked over and sat next to him on the couch. “I think you need to see this.”

  He frowned, taking the old shoe box she handed him. A shiver of trepidation shot down his spine. “Okay, what’s in it?”

  “Just open it.”

  With one last glance at her tearstained face, he turned his attention to the box and lifted the lid. Lucas sucked in a breath as his brain processed what he was seeing.

  Son-of-a-bitch.

  “They’re all there. Every letter and card I sent you.” Missy’s voice wobbled. “Now I know why you never got them.” She burrowed into his chest and sniffed. “I’d addressed them to Lucas Williams. Not Harper. I didn’t know you had a different last name.”

  “Yeah, my mother’s maiden name.” He returned her hug and murmured something soothing while his mind fixated on one thing.

  His dad had actually sent them.

  A million emotions surged through him at once, and when he released his sister to riffle through the box, they grew overwhelming as he found letters and cards addressed to him that weren’t in Missy’s handwriting.

  His father had tried to contact him, too.

  Evie was right.

  The beautiful, strong-willed gorgeous woman had had his back. She’d stuck to her conviction, insisting there had to be another explanation as to why he’d never gotten the letters. She had tried to help him consider another explanation, to look beyond his anger, but he’d been too stupid. Too damn stubborn.

  And what had he done? He’d walked away.

  He had done the abandoning.

  Christ, I’m an idiot.

  “There’s a letter in there to Dad.” Missy sniffed. “I think it was from your mom.”

  His heart dropped to his boots, then bounced up to rock in his chest. Instinct told him it was important, and he rooted through the box. Lucas found the letter, and drawing on the encouragement in his sister’s eyes, he opened it.

  It took him less than a minute to read, but he was damn grateful he’d been sitting down. He felt like a rug was pulled out from under him.

  He’d had it wrong.

  All this damn time, he’d had it all wrong.

  “I’m sorry,” his sister said, laying her head on his shoulder after they’d read it together.

  He blew out a breath, feeling slightly numb. “Me, too.”

  His father had never known about him. Never sent him away. His parents had met while his mother was on winter break on a ski trip. She’d returned to Harland County, and two weeks later discovered she was pregnant. But never contacted his father.

  Why? And why would she never tell him? Why wait until after her death?

  The outside envelope was a registered letter from a Texas law firm. She must’ve written it and paid a lawyer to mail if she died. But the date on the envelope had been nearly eight years after her death.

  His mind reeled with questions while his stomach lurched. All that wasted time…

  But, for once, he wasn’t going to dwell on that now. He folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope, then set it in the box.

  Not yet. He couldn’t open it yet. The past had to wait. He needed to take care of his future, first.

  “I’m going to read them, all of them, but not tonight,” he told Missy, who nodded. “We have a party to get ready for.”

  He put the lid on the box and stood. “And I need to apologize to Evie.”

  Chapter Ten

  Evie tried her best to get into the festive mood, but it was hard when her heart was flatter than pizza dough without yeast. Still, she’d donned a floral dress, did her hair and makeup, hoping her family didn’t notice she was operating on auto pilot. If they had, they’d said nothing when she greeted them a few minutes ago after arriving at the Wynes’ New Year’s Eve bash with a smile on her face.

  “Okay, what’s wrong?” Jenna pulled her aside two minutes later.

  She sighed, knowing better than to try to lie to the sister of a cop. Her friend was just as observant as Jeremy. “Nothing I want to talk about just yet. Maybe later, okay?”

  By then, she was hoping to have ironed things out with Lucas. What they had together was new, but too wonderful to walk away from over their difference of opinion on his father, and she was going to tell the stubborn cowboy that…if he showed up tonight.

  Her childhood had been way different than his. She’d always had a support structure, and she realized how her suggestion to give his father the benefit of the doubt must’ve felt like a slap to the face. Like she’d betrayed him.

  But, it was the furthest from the truth. If they could just sit down and talk, she was sure they could work through this, she’d just have to be more careful over the subject of his father.

  Her friend studied her a moment, then shoved a glass of wine in her hand. “Okay. Here, you look like you could use it.”

  She snorted. She needed the whole damn bottle. Hell, the whole case. But, she’d make do with one glass. “Thanks.”

  Evie took a sip, then a gulp when a gorgeous cowboy walked in wearing his black Stetson, jeans, and a white dress shirt under a black vest.

  Her chest instantly tightened.

  God, she’d missed him.

  Missed his smile, and the drawl in his voice when he called her darlin’. The incredible way he made her feel when she was in his arms, clothed or naked—exhilarated, happy…complete.

  Staying away from him this week had been the toughest challenge she’d ever faced. But, she knew he needed time.

  When his gaze found hers from across the room, and lit up brighter than the large, festive tree behind him, her heart regained a pulse. He looked happy to see her. And as he strode purposely for her, she set her glass down and moved to meet him halfway.

  “I’m so sorry, Evie. I’ve been an ass. Please say you’ll forgive me.” He grasped her hand and brushed her knuckles with his lips.

  “Of course,” she replied. “And I’m sorry, too. I should’ve been more sensitive about your father.”

  He shook his head. “No. You said nothing wrong. I’m to blame. All my life, no matter where I went, one constant followed me. Lucas Harper was abandoned by his father.”

  She opened her mouth, but he squeezed the hand still in his grasp.

  “Wait, let me finish.”

  When she nodded, he continued.

  “What I didn’t know, was Lucas Williams had a father who did actually care.”

  She smiled, wanting to ask how he knew, and what had changed his mind, but could tell he needed to say these things, not just for her, but for himself, too.

  “Missy found those letters I mentioned. They were in a shoe box up the attic, with return to sender stamped across them. They’d been addressed to Lucas Williams, and sent to an old address. My grandmother’s. But the house no longer existed by that time. It’d been wiped out by a hurricane.”

  A clear picture started to form in her brain.

  “So, your dad didn’t know you’d moved, or that your mom had changed your last name?”

  He shook his head, a deep regret filling his gaze where the anger had once been. “No, I…it turns out he didn’t even know I existed. Not until he’d gotten a registered letter from a lawyer eight years after her death.”

  A tightness reached across her chest and squeezed so hard, she could barely breathe. She ached for all he was going through. “I’m sorry, Lucas.”

  “At least I know my dad did try to contact me,” he said, his jaw working through his emotions. “I found letters from him in the box, too.” He cleared his throat. “Haven’t opened them yet. I’d like to have you with me when I do.”

  By this time, her throat was so swollen, and gaze was too misty to see clearly, so she nodded, and smiled in the direction of the dar
k blob in front of her.

  The next second, she was yanked against something hard, and warm, and wonderful. It felt like home. She eagerly wrapped her arms around him and held tight.

  “God, I missed this, Evie.”

  The emotions she felt in his touch and heard in his voice breathed life back into her deflated heart.

  “I’ve missed you, too, Lucas.” She closed her eyes and melted against him.

  They were going to be all right.

  “Well, I was going to ask how you were adjusting to the Poconos, Harper, but I can see you’re doing just fine,” a vaguely familiar voice said with a smile evident in the tone.

  They broke apart as Lucas jerked back in surprised. “Kade? Great to see you, man.” He smiled, pulling his friend in for a back slapping hug. “What are you doing up here?”

  “We borrowed his cousin’s company jet last minute, so I could ring in the New Year up here,” his wife answered, stepping around the handsome gray-eyed man. “I think we should get frequent flyer miles from McCall Enterprises.”

  “Brandi!” Evie pulled her friend in for a hug. “It’s nice to see you again. You look great.” The woman had always been beautiful, no matter what size dress she wore. Even in high school.

  “Thanks. You, too.”

  When they drew apart, Brandi smiled at Lucas. “It’s nice to see you again, Harper.”

  He stepped forward to kiss the woman’s cheek. “You, too, Brandi, but, I go by Lucas now.”

  “Then Lucas it is.” She turned her twinkling brown gaze to Evie. “I see you fell for a cowboy, too.”

  She chuckled, slipping her arm around Lucas’ waist. “Yes, I sure did.”

  He squeezed her closer. “I have two wonderful women in my life now.”

  “Speaking of that, where’s your sister?” Kade asked, glancing around.

  “Right here,” Missy said from behind the other cowboy, her gaze shy but proud. “I’m Missy Williams. It’s nice to meet a friend of my brother’s.”

  Kade shook her hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you, too. Your brother’s a good man. He’s been missed.”

  “Missy.” Brandi immediately pulled the girl in for a hug. “I’m sorry about your dad, hun. How are you doing?”