by Sue Fortin
He took his black coffee outside, sitting on the wooden steps that rose to the front door. It was another hot September evening, even though the sun was just starting to dip behind the trees. Tomorrow he'd ring the UK and check everything was running smoothly at both restaurants. He knew the Guildford one was able to operate extremely smoothly without him, but he had always been close on hand to the Arundel restaurant. This would be a real test. Bookings had steadied out now after the initial surge of opening and it was running according to the business projections, so that wasn't a worry for Tex. It was just whether the staff would rise to the challenge of keeping up the high standards. He had faith in his restaurant manager and, to be honest, there was not a lot he could do about it here in Brenham.
His mind turned to other things. Well, one other thing. A person. A person who seemed to be occupying his mind pretty much all the time. Anna. The feeling that he had a lead weight chained to his heart, dragging it down continually, had been with him for so long now he couldn't remember what it felt like to be carefree and happy. Maybe coming to home hadn't been a great idea after all. It just reminded him of the last time he was here with Anna.
‘Halle-bloody-lujah!’ cried Zoe. ‘You're a difficult one to get hold of.’
‘Could say the same about you,’ replied Anna, wedging her mobile between her chin and shoulder as she peeled an orange. ‘How are you feeling? Better?’
‘Better than what I was, but not exactly one hundred per cent. Having said that, a stomach bug does wonders for the old waistline.’
‘Poor you. I called round the other day.’ Anna dropped the peel into the bin and began breaking the orange up into individual segments. ‘You were fast asleep and your mum seemed to have everything under control, so I didn't stay.’
‘She's been an angel. Actually, Nathan has been pretty good too,’ said Zoe appreciatively. ‘I'm convinced it was something I ate at that anniversary party I went to at the weekend.’
‘Well, if there's anything you need, just give me a shout.’ Anna readjusted the phone that was threatening to slip from her shoulder.
‘Actually, I need to speak to you about something. I did try to get hold of you on Sunday but your phone went straight to voicemail.’
‘Oh yeah, I lost my charger. Had to buy a new one in the end,’ explained Anna. ‘It was quite nice in a funny sort of way, not being contactable. It was quite liberating. As soon as it was charged enough, I had Nathan ringing as he hadn't been able to get hold of me, then Mark, then work. All within an hour.’
‘Mark? What did he want?’
‘It's all right, don't sound so alarmed,’ chuckled Anna. ‘He was only seeing how I was.’
‘And Luke, is he okay?’
‘Yeah, he's great. Really enjoying it over there. Still it's early days. I miss him, but I'm pleased that he and Mark are at last having a proper father-son relationship. I think Luke felt a bit sorry for me. He asked me what I was doing, was I going out anywhere and had I seen Tex. A bit odd, but nice to know he's thinking of me.’ Rather awkwardly, with her phone still lodged in place, Anna rinsed the juice from the orange off her fingers. ‘Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about before we got sidetracked?’
‘Any chance you could pop over? I don't feel up to coming out just yet. Besides, there's nothing like your own bathroom when you're feeling rough.’
Good job he was on the end of the phone a few thousand miles away, otherwise Anna wasn't sure she would be responsible for her actions. Only Mark had the power to make her feel violent.
‘Anna, let me explain,’ said Mark.
‘Where have I heard that before? I know exactly what you were doing. How could you blackmail him?’
‘Anna, I’m sorry. I was desperate. Really desperate. I wasn’t thinking straight.’ He was practically pleading. ‘You know I’ve turned things around since then.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me Tex had the photos?’
‘He didn’t want you to know, and I didn’t want him to blab his mouth off about my business. See, me and him, we’re not that different after all.’
‘Never, ever, compare yourself to him.’ She almost spat the words out. ‘And what about the text message you sent?’
‘Message? What message?’
‘The one you sent Tex. That night Luke ended up in hospital. The one telling him I didn't want to see him anymore. Don't pretend you don't know anything about it.’
‘I honestly don't though. I certainly didn't send him a text. I mean, why would I?’
‘Oh, come off it, Mark, it's so your style.’
‘Anna, listen to me.’ Mark sounded calm, not spiteful or vindictive like he usually did when he had been found out. ‘I did not send a text to him, not on your phone, not on my phone, or anyone's phone for that matter. Absolutely, categorically, did NOT send one.’
‘Well, if you didn't, then who did?’ Anna stopped pacing around the coffee table. Mark's calm and convincing voice was making her doubt the accusations she had just levied at him.
‘I don't know but it wasn't me. Promise. Hang on a minute. Luke, I'm just in the middle of a conversation with your mother. Why would I … ?’ Mark stopped and again Anna could hear him speaking to Luke. ‘Can't this wait, mate? I'm just … ’
She could hear Luke's voice in the background but couldn't make out what he was saying. More muffled voices as Mark must have put his hand over the mouthpiece. Then Mark’s voice was clear again. ‘Sorry Anna, Luke’s trying to tell me something. Hang on a sec.’ More indistinct dialect before Mark spoke to her again. ‘Err … Anna, you better speak to Luke.’
‘What? Now?’ Anna began. Couldn't it wait? She was in the middle of a dingdong with Mark and now he was handing her over to Luke.
‘Mum?’
‘Hi, Luke. You okay?’ She tried to sound upbeat.
‘Yeah, err, Mum?’
‘Yes?’ Anna waited but there was silence. ‘Is everything all right?’
‘Erm, well, that message … to Tex … Dad didn't send it.’
It was a moment or two before Anna responded, totally thrown by Luke's comment. ‘It's all right Luke, you don't have to back your dad up. It's nothing to do with you,’ she said kindly.
‘But it is,’ mumbled Luke.
‘Ignore us. It's not a major row, honestly.’
‘No, Mum, you don't understand.’ He sounded quite upset. ‘It wasn't Dad who sent that text. It was .… me.’
Anna gulped. Luke? Luke sent the text? How ridiculous! Protecting his dad no doubt. ‘Please, there's no need to cover up for Dad.’
‘Mum! Listen! It was me. I sent it. I told Tex you didn't want to see him anymore.’ Luke's confession came gushing out faster than a split water balloon. ‘I wanted you and Dad to get back together. I thought if you weren't seeing Tex then Dad would stand a chance. You and Dad were arguing about him. I took your phone out of your bag when you went upstairs, and I sent a text to him. I was cross and angry. That's why I got drunk. I'm sorry.’
‘Oh Luke,’ sighed Anna. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Luke had sabotaged her relationship with Tex. Silly, silly boy. Stupid boy. Poor, desperate boy. Argh, she could throttle him!
‘That's not all. I changed Tex's number in your contact list. Just by one digit in the middle.’ Luke sounded suitably contrite. ‘I thought that way, you wouldn't notice the number was different, I mean, no one knows other people's mobile numbers off by heart, you just go by the name in the contact list. So if you sent another text to him, it wouldn't reach him and you'd never know.’
Anna closed her eyes and sunk down onto her sofa. So all her messages to Tex since that Saturday had just gone off to a random number. Tex hadn't received a single one of them. Oh God, what a mess.
‘I'm sorry, Mum. I forgot all about it until the other day when I spoke to you. Trouble was, I didn't know how to tell you. And then when I heard Dad just now, I knew I had to own up. Sorry.’
Anna had to force herself to speak civil
ly to him. ‘I can't actually believe you thought that was an okay thing to do. I am seriously peed off.’
‘I am sorry.’
Anna took a deep breath, no way could she condone what Luke had done, but she didn't really want to get into a transatlantic argument with him or end the call on a bad note. ‘Apology accepted. Now put your Dad on, I need to speak to him.’
Mark's voice came on the line. ‘Hi again.’
‘Sorry, Mark, I shouldn't have gone off on one like that, well, not about the text message anyway.’
‘Hey, that's okay. I would have assumed it was me too.’ There was a small silence before Mark spoke again. ‘I’m sorry about all the business with the photos. I was in a real bad place, both mentally and financially. I was desperate.’
‘I know that but it doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you. Yet.’
‘I know that too. Maybe one day you can,’ he said softly. Then, in an upbeat way, he added, ‘Anyway, what are you doing still on the phone? Haven’t you got a cowboy to track down?
Chapter Thirty Six
This was not achieving anything, sitting here moping. Anna's silence was shouting loud and clear. Tex's feeling of despair and helplessness had gradually morphed into anger and frustration over the week. Even his brothers were giving him a wide berth at the moment. Letting him get it out of his system, no doubt. If only it were that easy. He shouldn't have allowed himself to become so involved. Hadn't Jamie said at the start that Anna was complicated? Hadn't Jamie also said that the best way to get over her was to find a replacement? Perhaps that's what he needed: a no strings attached, uncomplicated, one-night stand. Maybe more than one even.
His mind almost instantly turned to Carrie, an old flame from his teenage days, part of their group that hung around high school together. Over the years the group had met up periodically with their girlfriends and boyfriends, who had later turned into their spouses, and then with their babies and children, all of whom were now grown up themselves. It was a nice, uncomplicated group of friends. Carrie had married Henry and, as it turned out, they had recently divorced. On hearing Tex was back in Brenham and alone, Carrie had wasted no time in calling by earlier in the week, making it perfectly clear that a night out, leading to a night in, a night in bed with Tex, which would involve very little sleeping, was something she was up for. And why not? He needed to get Anna out of his system and perhaps Jamie was right. Sex with someone else would be the answer. Who better than an old flame who was actually more his usual type – long brunette hair, tall and slim. Still very attractive for her age.
Yes, Carrie would do nicely.
In anticipation, Carrie had left her number scribbled on a piece of paper in the cottage. A quick call. Great. She was free tomorrow evening. He'd pick her up at seven and go into Brenham for a meal. Wine, dine, bed. Excellent.
Anna knew it would have saved time to just phone Jamie and Yvonne, but she decided that it would be harder for them to fob her off if she was there in person. She could even stage a sit-in in protest until they told her where Tex was. Anna was hoping to appeal to Yvonne, woman to woman. Jamie would be more likely to look out for Tex and not give too much away.
‘Anna!’ exclaimed Yvonne as she opened the door. She smiled. ‘Come on in.’
Anna followed her down the hall to the kitchen, wondering whether Yvonne had been half expecting her. She had sounded more pleased than surprised when greeting her.
‘Coffee? Now, is this a social visit or something to do with work? Did you want Jamie? He's about somewhere.’
‘No, not especially,’ said Anna, sitting down at the breakfast bar. ‘It's Tex I'm after actually.’ Ignoring Yvonne’s raised eyebrows, Anna continued. ‘Look, there's been a mix-up. I really need to find him. He's not in Arundel or Guildford and I don't know where else to try. No one at the restaurants will tell me anything, other than he is away for a few days. They don't know where or for how long.’
‘Have you tried ringing him?’
‘I don't have the right number. My contact list is messed up.’ Another raising of the eyebrows. Anna didn't have the time to explain about Luke's meddling, nor that she would have found out sooner had she bothered to ring back the unknown caller who had messaged her with a Who is this? No doubt whatever number Luke had changed Tex's to belonged to 'unknown caller'. At that moment Jamie came into the room.
‘Oh, Anna.’ He smiled. ‘You want your job back? Only I could really do with you. The clients are missing you.’
‘She's after Tex,’ explained Yvonne. Anna didn't miss the look that passed between husband and wife.
‘Right,’ replied Jamie nonchalantly. ‘Not your job then? Okay. Well, Tex, he's not here.’
‘Do you know where he is?’ asked Anna. She tried to keep the note of impatience out of her voice. ‘Or can you just give me his number?’
‘I can, but it won't do any good.’ Jamie let out a sigh. ‘Look, Anna, I'll be honest with you. Tex thought a lot of you. A heck of a lot. Didn't he, Yvonne?’
Yvonne nodded. ‘He adored you. Never seen him like that over anyone before.’
Jamie continued, as Anna, feeling guilty, fixed her gaze on her cup. ‘He's pretty cut up by everything. All this business with Mark and not divorcing him. One minute you're with Tex, the next with Mark. Or at least, that's how it appears.’
‘It's not like that, honestly. I know it sounds corny but it's all been a big mix-up. Please Jamie.’ She'd get down on her knees and beg if she had to. ‘That's why I need to see him, or at least speak to him so I can explain.’ She looked from Jamie to Yvonne and back again. ‘I love him.’
‘Oh, for God's sake, Jamie, give Anna his number or I will,’ said Yvonne.
‘Like I said, it won't do any good having his number,’ said Jamie. ‘He's not leaving his phone switched on. He's trying to have some time away from it all. He just checks in with work every couple of days and that's it.’
‘Where is he then?’ Christ, Jamie wasn't making this easy for her.
Jamie grinned. ‘Can't you guess?’
The relief that swept over Anna as Jamie finally revealed Tex's whereabouts was almost overwhelming. It was obvious really, if she had thought about it. Of course Tex would go to Moonshadow Meadows. Creek Corner to be exact. His retreat.
‘Here's the satnav,’ said Jamie, handing the small black screen to Anna. ‘I've put Tex's address in there, so you should have no trouble. Now, you've printed the plane ticket, haven't you, and your hire car form? Travel authorisation for entry into the States?’
Anna waved the e-tickets at Jamie. ‘Yes. Thank you so much.’ She had used Jamie's laptop to book her tickets for the following day. All she had to do now was go home and pack a few things. The taxi for the morning was all booked too.
‘You're more than welcome,’ smiled Yvonne, giving Anna a hug. ‘I really hope you and Tex sort things out. We both do. Jamie was only being a bit difficult under Tex's instructions.’
‘I know. I understand.’
‘Don't forget, you can have your job back once you and Tex have sorted yourselves out,’ said Jamie.
Drive for point-two miles and arrive at destination, announced the borrowed satnav. Anna gave a wry laugh. She couldn’t exactly get lost on this one way track to Moonshadow Meadows. Within a couple of minutes Anna pulled up outside the gates of the ranch.
It had been a long journey and she was exhausted. On reflection, perhaps she should have booked a motel. Given herself chance to freshen up. She looked down at herself. Trousers crumpled. Stain on her t-shirt from the juice she’d spilt on the flight. Glancing at her reflection in the rear-view mirror made her mind up. She looked dreadful. She needed to look her best. She turned the hire car around on the track and headed back towards Brenham town. She’d book in to a motel she remembered seeing, near that Italian restaurant Tex had taken her to. She wanted to make herself presentable. No wait, make that irresistible.
Something made him do a double take of the sedan that had just cro
ssed the lights in front of him. Hell, what was he thinking? Just because the driver was blonde it didn’t mean it was her. Why would she be driving through town? The lights turned to green and Tex swung his brother’s pick-up round the corner, heading back towards the ranch. He must stop this. Thinking about her was becoming a habit. One that he needed to get out of.
He purposefully turned his thoughts to that evening and Carrie. Yes, that was better. He'd been into town and bought himself a new shirt and trousers, together with a pair of shoes. He wanted to wear something new. Something that he couldn't associate with anything or, rather, anyone. That way he would stay focused tonight. He was a bit out of practice wooing and romancing a female. The fact that it was Carrie shouldn't make it any less of an occasion. She would at least want to feel like they had gone through the motions of a romantic evening. Even Carrie, despite the obvious green light she'd given him, would want to feel like he was making an effort and that it wasn't just for sex. Although, to all intents and purposes, that's exactly what it was.
He just needed to go home now and put some clean sheets on the bed, shower, dress, put the wine in the fridge for later, and that would give him enough time to have a quick drink with Al at Finnigan’s bar in Brenham, before picking up Carrie. The table was all booked at the Colloseum Italian restaurant on South Market Street. Perfect.
Sitting outside the gates of the ranch once again, Anna felt rather more glamorous than she had earlier that afternoon. Even though it was early evening, it was still extremely hot. She had opted for the lightweight floaty dress she had worn for her first proper date with Tex.
Okay, this was it. She opened the gate and drove through onto the track, remembering to close it behind her. She could drive straight to Creek Cottage without having to go past the main ranch house. There was a little turning on the left a bit of the way up that Tex always took. As she turned the slight bend in the track and Creek Cottage came into view, she saw a quad bike parked out the front. Her heart gave a little flutter.