Big Sky

by Stacey Coverstone

  Once inside the small house, he rubbed Caesar under the chin then shrugged off his clothes and jumped into the shower, questioning why he hadn’t thought to ask Taylor to supper before going to Maverick’s. Damn but he was out of practice. It had been ages since he’d gone on a real date.

  Putting aside thoughts of work, the men, and Taylor’s accident, and concentrating on seeing her soon, his skin tingled with anticipation as he lathered his body with soap and washed his hair.

  The cat was waiting at the bathroom door when he stepped out wearing a towel around his hips. “Are you hungry?” Brett asked at Caesar’s loud meow. After shaking dry food into a bowl on the kitchen floor, he chose a TV dinner from the freezer for his own supper and popped it into the microwave.

  Country music blared when he flipped on the portable radio sitting on the counter. As the meat loaf and mashed potato supper cooked, he picked out a shirt and a clean pair of jeans and plugged in the iron.

  After blow-drying his hair into shape, he removed the TV dinner from the dinging microwave and stood at the ironing board eating while he ironed.

  By seven o’clock, he was ready to go. When he realized he still had an hour to wait before seeing Taylor again, he turned off the radio, switched on the television and stretched out on the couch. It had been a long week—and an unexpected couple of days, meeting her and getting involved in a search for her sister’s alleged killer. He reached for calm, and it came in the form of Taylor’s image crowding his mind.

  The droning on of a news anchor broadcasting all the bad stuff that had happened in the world that day made him tired. With his eyelids growing heavy, he let his eyes drift shut. The last thing he remembered was feeling the weight of his cat on his chest and groaning Taylor’s name as Caesar’s claws kneaded him to sleep.

  Chapter Nineteen

  A couple of Motrin and a long soak in a hot tub with bath salts worked wonders on Taylor’s sore body. Or was it the anticipation of an honest-to-God date with an incredibly sexy man that was making her feel so good?

  She dressed in one of the new shirts and pair of jeans she’d bought at Kruse’s western store and applied fresh makeup. As it had been such a long time since she’d been on a date, she wished she could curl the ends of her hair to jazz up her style. But since she hadn’t packed a curling iron, her hair would have to hang straight, which was how she normally wore it anyway. At least it was clean and soft and smelled fresh, like the mango shampoo she’d used.

  Taylor dabbed some perfume behind her ears and down the cleft between her breasts and stared at her reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink. Brett’s rugged, tanned face flashed before her. Maybe tonight they’d share a kiss or two, and who knew what else? Her body was longing for his touch.

  Satisfied with the way she looked, she left the bathroom, wandered down the hall, and knocked on her mother’s bedroom door.

  “Come in.”

  She pushed the door open and popped her head in. Nancy was dressed and using a cane to toddle forward. “Hi, Mama. I came to see if you need some help getting downstairs for supper.” She’d already filled her mother in on the accident and finding nothing significant in Jamie’s cabin. But she still kept the secret that she’d been communing with Jamie’s spirit. Her mom had enough to think about with regaining her strength and dealing with whatever was going on between her and Will.

  “That’s very thoughtful of you, dear. I was just getting ready to make my way there. How are you feeling after your bath?”

  “Refreshed. I rarely take a bath. My schedule is so hectic that I usually only have time to jump in and out of the shower before dashing off to my next appointment.”

  Nancy smiled. “It’s nice you’re able to take time to smell the roses, as they say. And your arm? How is it? Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?”

  “I’m good. The arm is a little sore, but I guess that’s expected after a fall like I had.”

  With a frown, Nancy said, “That horse should be shot for throwing you.”

  “It wasn’t the mare’s fault, Mama. Horses spook and accidents happen.” Taylor hadn’t wanted to scare her mother by sharing Brett’s suspicions that there’d been a more sinister plot behind the incident.

  “I suppose.” Nancy closed the bedroom door behind them and Taylor walked by her side down the hall to the staircase. Once they carefully descended the stairs and entered the dining room, Nancy eased herself into the chair and let out a breath. “Whoo. That wears me out. But I’m coming along.”

  “You did great.” Taylor patted her shoulder and sat down. Where’s Will?” she asked looking around.

  “He’ll be here. He knows what time supper is served. Anita,” she called. When the Mexican woman appeared in the doorway, Nancy told her, “Serve supper when you’re ready.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Banner.”

  “Do you want me to go find Will?” Taylor asked. “We shouldn’t start without him.”

  “There’s no need. He’ll traipse in soon enough, I expect.” Switching the subject abruptly and smiling, she said, “You’re all dressed up. Do you have a date tonight?”

  “A white blouse and jeans is hardly dressed up, Mama. But, yes, I do have a date. I guess.”

  “You guess? You don’t know if you have a date?”

  Taylor grinned. “Okay, it’s a date. With Brett.”

  Her mother didn’t seem surprised. “Brett Austin is a fine man, Taylor. Your stepfather completely relies on him, and with good reason. He’s trustworthy, a hard worker, has a heart of gold, and he’s awfully handsome. But, of course, I’m sure you noticed that already. Brett’s a great catch.”

  Taylor chuckled. “Sounds like you’re the man’s P.R. manager. I can tell he’s a good guy, but I’m not trying to catch him.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m not trying to catch anyone. I’m never marrying again.”

  “Who said anything about marriage?” Nancy winked. “I’m not too old to know what a hookup is. Or to fantasize about one.”

  “Mama!” Taylor laughed. “I swear.”

  Nancy rolled her eyes. “I’m all talk and no action, honey. But if I were thirty years younger, believe me, you’d have some competition. That cowboy is as cute as a bug in a rug, as they said in my day.”

  Taylor glanced back at the hallway to see if Will was anywhere near, but he wasn’t. She lowered her voice. “Mama, are you and Will having problems?”

  Nancy feigned puzzlement. “What do you mean?”

  “You know. Marital troubles.”

  “Oh, what couple doesn’t have marital troubles after this many years together?” She patted Taylor’s hand. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m so glad you’re here. That’s all that matters to me. Thank you for coming home, sweetheart. I’m so pleased we’ve put the past behind us, and that you’re helping to find out what happened to Jamie.”

  Taylor smiled. “I’m glad to be here.”

  The conversation halted when Anita entered the room carrying sizzling plates of fajitas at the same time the front door opened. Taylor craned her neck around to see Will stroll through. “Sorry I’m late,” he apologized, wiping his boots on the entry rug.

  “You’re just in time,” Taylor hollered in greeting.

  “Wash your hands and join us before the food gets cold,” Nancy added, not looking his way.

  A glimmer of light above the foyer table caught Taylor’s attention. Her eyes enlarged as she watched Jamie materialize in front of Will. With long legs dangling over the edge of the table, Jamie stared intently at their stepfather, watching him stub his cigar out in the ashtray.

  Taylor froze. Could Will not see Jamie? Or sense her? Mama obviously couldn’t see her either, or she would be screaming or fainting.

  Was she the only person who could see her sister? Taylor’s gaze connected with Jamie’s, and as fast as she’d appeared, Jamie disappeared like a wisp on the wind.

  “Be right there,” Will called out while step
ping into the powder room to wash his hands.

  Why had Jamie been staring at their stepfather? Had she been giving Taylor a big hint? The scent of Will’s cigar permeated the air.

  Taylor’s chest tightened. No. Will had nothing to do with Jamie’s murder. I refuse to believe it. Jamie was probably just trying to communicate with him by staring him down, that’s all. Shaking her head to dismiss any suspicions about their stepfather, Taylor forcefully pushed that possibility out of her mind.

  During supper, she wanted to ask her parents if they knew of any business dealings Jamie had been working on before her death. But it wasn’t the right time since Jamie seemed to be a sore subject between them. She decided to broach the topic with Will another time.

  “Where are you going on your date with Brett?” Nancy asked as Anita cleared away the empty plates.

  “You’ve got a date with Brett?” A startled look crossed Will’s face.

  “It’s no big deal,” Taylor replied. “He asked if I wanted to go to Maverick’s with him tonight. Apparently it’s not the same dump it used to be.”

  “Very interesting.” Will and Nancy shared a sweet, though fleeting look between them.

  Taylor glanced at her watch and scooted back from the table, smiling. “You don’t have a rule about your foreman hitting the town with your stepdaughter, do you Will?”

  He flashed a toothy smile. “Not at all. It’s about time Brett got out and had a little fun.”

  “All work and no play will make Brett a dull boy,” Nancy chimed in.

  Taylor grinned. “You two are not transparent at all. I have to brush my teeth. Be down in a few minutes.” I’ll sure do what I can to show that cowboy a good time, she thought as she climbed the stairs. Especially now that I have Mama’s and Will’s blessings.

  At exactly eight o’clock, she heard the doorbell ring and then voices. She checked herself once more in the mirror then grabbed her purse. Brett gazed up at her from the bottom of the stairs as she descended.

  “Evenin’, Taylor.”

  “Hello, Brett.” In pressed jeans, a light blue shirt that brought out the sapphire twinkle in his eyes, polished boots and a white cowboy hat held in his hands, he looked every bit the essence of western masculinity. He tossed her a grin so engaging it stole her breath away.

  “Are you ready to go?” he drawled, letting his gaze roam discreetly over her.

  Nodding, because it was difficult to coax words from her mouth, Taylor saw her mother’s eyes misting and her lip quivering. Maybe she was remembering happy times when boys came to the house to take her and Jamie to the school dances. Or perhaps she was sad that Taylor’s marriage had failed and Jamie had not had the chance to walk down the aisle. Or was she gloomy because she realized she’d probably never be a grandmother? Now that she only had one daughter left, maybe she was disheartened by Taylor’s resolve never to marry again. Or maybe her tears had nothing to do with Taylor whatsoever. Whatever her feelings were, she smoothed her expression into a resilient mask and smiled.

  “Don’t wait up,” Taylor whispered as she passed by her.

  Brett stepped in front of Taylor and held open the front door. “You look great,” he complimented when they were out of earshot of the house, where her parents stood proud at the screen door like she was a girl going on her first date.

  “Thanks. You clean up nice yourself.” And he smelled good enough to eat.

  “How was the bath?”

  “Wonderful.”

  “And the arm?”

  “It’s tender but better.”

  When she realized they were walking toward his pickup truck, Taylor stopped and shook her head. “No offense, but I don’t feel like getting jostled around in Gus tonight.” She dug the car keys out of her purse and tossed them to Brett. “We can take the rental.”

  “I understand.” He opened the passenger door and shut it behind her once she’d climbed in. “You sure your contract allows someone else to drive?” he said, jumping into the driver’s side.

  “I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I’ll take the chance. You’re a good driver, aren’t you?”

  “You bet. Did you purchase the extra insurance?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did.”

  He started the car. “Okay then. We’re golden.” As he drove to town, he filled her in on the brief conversations he’d had with Charlie as well as Tumbleweed and Dash.

  “I told you Charlie didn’t have anything to do with what happened today,” she said with her trademark stubbornness.

  “And, unfortunately, I can’t prove the other two set out to hurt you either.”

  “Which is a good thing, right? Last thing I want is to be a target, especially without knowing why.” She sighed. “Can we please not talk about this anymore? I just want to have some fun tonight.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he smiled. “My lips are sealed.” He pretended to zip his lips. Then he locked them with an invisible key and threw the key out the window.

  The parking lot at Maverick’s was crowded, but a car pulled out of a spot in the front row and Brett whipped the rental in. As he opened Taylor’s door, she heard whistles and chuckles crackling through the air. She turned around. Charlie Keller and some other men were exiting a dually truck in the row behind them. Charlie lifted his hand in a wave and she waved back.

  “I figured the guys would be here tonight,” Brett said, nodding at them. “But I didn’t think we’d run into them so soon. Guess the cat’s out of the bag about you and me now.”

  “What cat would that be?” she queried. He didn’t answer, but slid another smile at her that sent her heart thumping like she’d run a marathon.

  As they were walking to the front door, Taylor felt someone watching her. Her head pivoted and her gaze met that of a man’s standing alone in the corner. Tall and thin with a receding hairline and bulging eyes, he lit a cigarette and stared. When he lifted his head in a slight nod, a shiver ran the length of her spine. Did she know him? Was he someone she’d gone to high school with perhaps?

  Her attention was drawn away for a moment when the bouncer stamped her hand. But before going through the door, Taylor turned back for another glance. The man’s eyes were still locked on her. Not placing him and assuming he was just a guy who got off on staring, she dismissed him from her mind.

  The cowboy bar was packed when they stepped inside. Country music boomed from large speakers hanging in all four corners of the huge warehouse-like building. Taylor let her gaze drift around. Girls and guys alike were line dancing on the hardwood floor in the middle of the room. On the stage at the back were games of what she assumed to be corn hole. On the opposite end loomed the mechanical bull. Along one side was a long wooden bar with stools pushed up to the counter, and on the other side of the room set the pool tables, which all looked to be in use.

  “This bar sure has changed since I was last here,” she yelled above the loud music.

  “It’s about the only place to unwind on a Friday night, unless you want to drive thirty miles,” Brett yelled back. “Do you want a drink?”

  She nodded and they bellied up to the counter.

  “Hey, cowboy. What can I get you?” the woman bartender asked, flashing a mouth full of teeth at Brett. He looked to Taylor.

  “I’ll have a light beer. Whatever you have on tap is fine.”

  “Make that two,” he said.

  “Watching your waistline?” Taylor teased. While they waited for their drinks, she saw Brett’s head was bopping to the music. “You like to dance?” she asked, leaning close so he could hear her.

  “Yeah, I do. Mostly slow dancing though. I’m not into the group line dancing thing.”

  The bartender set the beers on the counter. When Brett paid and said thanks, she winked and replied, “Whatever you need, baby. I’ll be here.”

  “Is she one of your girlfriends?” Taylor kidded as they walked away from the counter.

  “I told you, darlin’, I don’t have a girlfrie
nd. Not yet, anyway.” He put his hand at the small of her back and nudged her toward one of the few unoccupied tables. Then he pushed two of the chairs close together.

  “There are two empty glasses here,” she noted. “Maybe we’ve taken someone’s seats.”

  “Whoever was here has probably left. Besides, there are two more chairs available if they come back. Or they can stand.”

  Parched and her throat dry from the cigarette smoke hanging in the air, Taylor gulped down half of her beer. “Is that corn hole?” she asked, pointing to the beanbag toss game that was taking place on the stage.

  He flashed a big grin. “Yep. Not dirty at all. You want to play?”

  “Maybe later.”

  He took a couple of swigs of beer and smiled at her. He’d put on his white cowboy hat before coming into the bar. She stared at him, letting her gaze move from his blue shirt up to his blue eyes, thinking herself very lucky because she was with the best looking man there, and wondering what his kiss would taste like. She could barely keep her eyes off his lips.

  “I’m real glad you decided to come with me tonight,” he said into her ear.

  “So am I.”

  All of a sudden the loud music stopped. Some dancers left the floor and others shuffled around as a man on the stage announced into a microphone that a corn hole tournament was about to start. He also said the mechanical bull was up and running, ready to buck any cowboys and cowgirls who were brave—or stupid—enough to take a ride.

  “Wow, my ears are ringing,” Taylor said, happy they were able to speak to each other in their natural voices for a couple of minutes. “I haven’t been in such a noisy environment for a long time. I guess you can see what kind of a party animal I am.” She drained her beer and he laughed.

  Brett was staring at her with what looked to be passion clouding his eyes when Taylor heard a familiar, high-pitched squeal behind her.