A Texan for Hire

by Amanda Renee

  “Is she working out okay?” Abby noted the hard edge to Lark’s appearance. It wasn’t just the choppy layered hair and dark eye makeup, Lark’s face was gaunt, as if she hadn’t slept in days. Whatever her story was, it appeared to be a rough one.

  “Seems to be. Definitely has waitressing experience. All the busybodies in town had to check her out, which is why we’re swamped today.” Bridgett shook her head. “I get the feeling Lark’s running from something or someone, but it’s not my place to ask. Besides, I’m hoping with her out front, I can get in more baking time.”

  “How’s your mom feeling? Usually the first day after physical therapy is the toughest.”

  “Sore, but she didn’t have her usual stiffness this morning.”

  “Just so you know, her leg did heal beautifully after the fall. But she favored it so much she threw her whole body out of alignment.” Abby lowered her voice so their conversation wouldn’t be overheard. “Don’t say anything to your mom yet, but I plan on talking to Gracie at Dance of Hope to see if she thinks your mom could benefit from some hippotherapy.”

  Bridgett grinned. “Thank you for doing this. Mom appreciates it even though she may have a strange way of showing her gratitude. She’d love to get on one of those horses.” Bridgett leaned close. “Speaking of love and horses...I heard you had a riding lesson with the P.I. this morning.”

  “How did you hear that?” The only person who knew she was visiting Clay was Mazie, and she didn’t think the woman ran to the luncheonette to spread the news.

  “Seems your little Mini Cooper is quite the attraction in truck country. A few people mentioned they saw you heading in Clay’s direction earlier.”

  “I could’ve been going anywhere. That’s not to say that I didn’t see Clay, because I did, but still.”

  “Honey, this is a small town.” Bridgett flicked her ponytail. “You have to get used to the gossip, especially if you take Kay up on her job offer. Why didn’t you tell me that when you came over last night to see my mom?”

  Just how fast does news travel around here?

  “Because last night was about your mom and I wanted to focus on her evaluation.” She shrugged. “Besides, I haven’t made a decision about Dance of Hope yet. It’s an appealing proposition, but I don’t think it’s doable. In addition to the financial considerations, I can’t leave my patients like that. Many of them are long-term, and even though I’m away for two weeks on vacation, they know I’ll return. My brother, my friends and my life are in Charleston.”

  “Give me a second to take care of these customers.” Bridgett gestured at an incoming couple. “When I get back, you’d better be ready to dish, girl.”

  Abby still reeled from her passionate encounter with Clay in his kitchen. If he hadn’t stopped, she didn’t think she would’ve found the strength. She was still curious about the boxes and the darkened rooms. When she had returned to the Bed & Biscuit, Abby had searched the internet for Clay’s name again, hoping to discover an explanation. But outside of Clay’s high school sports days, nothing appeared online. Of course, she knew none of his work with the ATF would be available for the whole world to see.

  “Okay, I’m back. Start talking.” Bridgett rested her arms on the counter, eyes sparkling.

  “I showed up at his house uninvited this morning. Well, we’d talked about it yesterday at Bridle Dance, but we hadn’t settled on when. Even though Clay was surprised to see me, he made the time to give me a lesson. It was fun...he’s a good teacher.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Uh-huh, what?”

  “Where’s the rest of the story?” Bridgett smirked. “And don’t tell me there isn’t one because I can tell you kissed him again.”

  “How could you possibly know that?” Abby asked. “We were in his kitchen. No one else was there.”

  “Honestly, I didn’t know until you just told me.” Bridgett folded her arms in satisfaction.

  “I can’t believe you tricked me and I fell for it.” Abby shook her head. “Okay, yes, I kissed him. It was hot and wonderful and he didn’t run away this time.” She held up her hands. “And before you say it, yes, I still have my life jacket on.”

  “I think we can upgrade you to water wings now,” Bridgett quipped. “So what happened next?”

  “Nothing. He had work to do and I had to take a cold shower. This isn’t fair. You know far more about me than I do you. Who are you involved with?”

  “No one and I won’t be until I find Mr. Right. When I was in high school I pretty much dated...well...everyone. One day I realized I was dating guys just to date them. I was one of those girls who had to have a boyfriend and I let it define me. These days, I’m more selective. Who knows when or if Mr. Right will walk through that door, but I’ll be ready for him.”

  “How will you know it’s the right guy?”

  Bridgett shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve ever been in a serious, long-term relationship. I think I’ll feel it in my heart. Isn’t that what love is? That deep down, undeniable sense of belonging and peace with someone?”

  Abby laughed. “You’re asking the wrong person. I’m in the same boat as you are. I’ve never been in love myself.”

  Abby wasn’t sure if Clay was the one, if Dance of Hope was the right job or if Ramblewood was the right town in the search for her sister. The only thing she had to go on was that everything was coming together at the same time. The pieces fit. Maybe Ramblewood wasn’t where she was supposed to start her search, and maybe Walter had been delusional when he’d written his note. It didn’t seem to matter. She was exploring her options. Whether she took advantage of them or not, she liked having them for once.

  Abby stood and placed money on the counter for the pie and coffee. “I’m going to stop across the street and see how your mom’s doing. When you get off work, would you like to go shopping with me? Clay said I need a more riding-appropriate shoe.”

  “Sure, I have another half hour. I’ll meet you at the salon. My mom called in a late lunch order and I told her I would drop it off.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Outside, Abby walked to the corner. She didn’t cross the street immediately. From where she stood, the town unfolded in all directions. Closing her eyes, she raised her face to the sky and inhaled. The air was different here than it was at home. Not to say one was better than the other. Simply different. Charleston had a heavier, saltier smell. Ramblewood had a crisp, laundry-on-the-line scent, with a hint of sweetness to it.

  In Ramblewood, there were no sounds of horses’ hooves on cobblestone streets. She was accustomed to seeing horses every day in Charleston, thanks to the many carriage tours of the historic district. It was almost expected. But here in the heart of Hill Country, where horses and cowboys were the norm, she couldn’t envision a horse riding down Main Street. It would seem out of character. Almost ironic.

  Smiling, Abby crossed the street to the Curl Up & Dye. The salon bustled with customers while Kylie happily bopped behind the counter to a Blake Shelton song. Every manicure station was in use, and there was Ruby, in the thick of it, laughing heartily while airbrushing someone’s nails.

  “Here she is.” Ruby waved Abby over. “Were your ears burning? I was talking about you less than a minute ago.” She tapped the customer’s hand. “Isn’t she beautiful? She’s dating our Mr. Tanner.”

  “Whoa.” Abby held up her hands. “I don’t know if I’d say dating.”

  “We also heard you might be moving to Ramblewood,” said the woman whose nails Ruby was intricately painting. “I’m Charlotte Hargrove, by the way. Very nice to meet you.”

  “Same here.” Abby’s heart began pounding like a trapped rabbit’s. “I haven’t made any decisions yet. My main focus is finding my sister.”

  “Yes, I heard about that. How exciting to have a long-lost relative. I wish
I could lose some of mine. You can have them if you want.” Charlotte’s response was met with laughter from the other women in the salon, cluing Abby in on just how many people were hanging on her every word.

  By the time Bridgett appeared with Ruby’s lunch order, Abby was exhausted from answering questions about herself.

  “Hello, everyone...Mother.” Bridgett leaned over and gave Ruby a quick kiss on the cheek. “Abby and I are going shopping. I’ll see you back at the house for dinner.”

  Ruby looked up from where she sat and stared at Bridgett and then Abby. “You two have fun,” she said, her voice fragile, almost shaking.

  As Abby and Bridgett walked out of the salon, Abby whispered, “Is your mom okay? She looked upset.”

  “She’s been a little off lately.” Bridgett peered through the salon window, studying her mother. “I thought it was her leg at first, but now I’m not so sure.” She sighed. “I wish she’d meet someone. My mom’s the life of the party, but the minute everyone goes home, she retreats inside herself. I think she has a thing for the man who owns the movie theater, but she’ll never admit to it. It’s so obvious...how many times a week can you possibly go to the movies by yourself?”

  Abby hoped it was a romance that kept Ruby in the confines of the dark theater and not her injury. She’d seen too many of her patients battle depression when they were no longer able to do what they once could. The thought made Abby anxious to get back to Charleston. Her job was more than a paycheck. It had become her world and each patient an extension of herself. Ramblewood may be calling to her, but home was Charleston, and she didn’t know how she’d be able to leave it.

  * * *

  CLAY HAD SPENT the entire afternoon and a good portion of the evening poring through the files in the attic of the Double Trouble ranch. Miranda had insisted he join them for dinner and he had. After, he and Jesse searched more boxes, but he still came up empty. However, they had discovered quite a few historical papers about the house and land that Miranda planned to frame.

  When he’d checked in with Abby on his way home, she had excitedly told him about her shopping trip followed by dinner with Bridgett and Ruby. She’d asked if they’d have another lesson in the morning, and as much as he would’ve loved to have said yes, he’d already fallen behind on too many of his cases. He needed to remain focused on work. If he got within ten feet of Abby, he’d be all over her. And the next time he’d like to be able to continue...

  After working through the night in an attempt to catch up, Clay managed to drag himself to The Magpie the following morning for a bite to eat and a cup of coffee. Somewhere around midnight, he’d scooped the last bit of ground coffee from the metal can on the counter. Clay had no food in the house. The last time he had stepped inside a grocery store was a sour gallon of milk ago. Outside of beer and some eggs from the chickens, he was pretty much out of everything.

  “Breakfast for one this morning or is Abby on her way?” Bridgett turned over his cup and filled it with coffee.

  “Just me. I have some work to finish before I head to the courthouse later.” He hadn’t considered calling Abby and asking her to meet him for breakfast. It was barely seven. Would she be up? “I heard you two had a great time yesterday.”

  “We did. Abby and I have more in common than I thought we would. I really like her and I especially like her with you. Just don’t break her heart,” Bridgett warned. “What can I get you today?”

  “The breakfast special,” Clay said, laughing at Bridgett’s unexpected comment. “And a carafe of coffee.”

  “An all-nighter?” Bridgett smiled. “I guess that’s the beauty of working from home. Your order will be out in a few.”

  She clipped his order to the stainless-steel ticket wheel and told the cook, Bert, to make it a priority. Clay appreciated the gesture, and he appreciated her friendship with Abby. In the same breath, the fact that Bridgett liked him with Abby scared Clay. Abby deserved someone to give a hundred percent of themselves to her. He didn’t know if he could...at least, not yet.

  His body told him he was ready to move on, but his heart lagged behind. The guilt of kissing Abby had lessened, but it still existed. He wanted to be happy again, but wanting and deserving were two different entities. The responsibility he carried for Ana Rosa’s and Paulo’s deaths haunted him every day. He needed to move on from the pain. Whenever Abby was around, he saw a glimmer of what might be, along with the betrayal of his love for Ana Rosa. And even though he was willing to try the long-distance thing, it was probably wise to slow things until she made a decision.

  “Don’t you have a birthday coming up?” Clay overheard a customer ask Bridgett.

  “October thirteenth.” Bridgett groaned. Clay jotted down a note to remind himself to wish her a happy birthday. “I still have a month to go.”

  “I could have sworn it was this month. I pride myself on my memory, you know. Twenty-eight this year, right?” the woman prodded further.

  “Don’t remind me,” Bridgett sighed. “Can’t we say twenty-one for the seventh time?”

  Bemused by Bridgett’s fear of aging, Clay laughed to himself for a moment, then the realization of what he had heard set in. He quickly flipped through his note pad. Abby’s birthdate struck him square in the jaw. Clay looked across the luncheonette at Bridgett. He was searching for Abby’s sister—he may have just found her twin.

  Chapter Seven

  Abby grinned when she came downstairs with Duffy for their morning Bark Park visit and found Janie’s husband, Alfred, standing in the front parlor with two file boxes next to him.

  “You didn’t have to bring these here. I would’ve gone to your house.” The number of black-and-white photos Alfred spread across the coffee table amazed Abby. “Janie was right when she said you photographed everyone in town.”

  “Coming here gave me an excuse to drive Janie crazy while she works.” The older man winked at Abby before waving to his wife who stood in the foyer. “I narrowed these down to a few years before and after you were born. I can always expand the search more in one direction or the other, but this gives us a good place to start.”

  Abby flipped through the white-edged photos, admiring the sharp detail Alfred had captured in each of his subjects. It contrasted with the soft blur of the background.

  “These are really good,” she said. “Did you develop them yourself?”

  “Yep.” Alfred sat a little straighter and nodded. “After I retired, it gave me something to do. Janie says I spend too much time in my darkroom.”

  “Now it’s all he does.” Janie took a seat next to her husband on the double-ended burgundy jacquard Victorian sofa. “Your search gave him reason to organize some of this stuff.”

  “Why didn’t you ever become a professional photographer?” Abby thumbed through another mound. “You’re really good.”

  “Because then it would be work and I wouldn’t enjoy it as much,” Alfred said. “This way, I’m not on anyone’s schedule except my own.”

  Janie cleared her throat. “And mine.”

  “Yes, dear.” Alfred patted his wife’s knee. “Yours, too.”

  The love radiating between the couple warmed Abby. If she didn’t already know they were married, she wouldn’t have guessed the much older Alfred was Janie’s husband. Fifteen years or more separated them, but their adoration for each other outshone the difference in their ages. She dreamed of that kind of love—where every day retained some newlywed bliss.

  “Oh, my gosh!” Abby’s hand flew to her chest. “This is Walter.”

  Judging by the year on the back of the photograph, Abby was three when it had been taken. Long after her parents had divorced and left Ramblewood.

  “I took that during the annual Harvest Festival, which is only a few weeks away,” Alfred said.

  “What are the chances you and your
father came to Ramblewood the same time of year, twenty-five years apart from each other?”

  “It’s not by chance.” A tear trailed down her cheek. “He would have been here for my birthday. Just as he sent me here now. I’m in the right place. My sister’s here.”

  Janie squeezed Abby’s hand. “Let me see the picture, dear.”

  Duffy jumped onto Abby’s lap, as he always did when he sensed she was upset. “It’s okay.” She held him close to her chest. “Mommy’s all right. She’s just one step closer to the truth.”

  The excitement over her quest stilled, suddenly turning to apprehension. Her friend Angela’s words echoed in her head. Are you sure this is a good idea? Cold tingles crept up Abby’s spine. No matter the outcome of her search, her life would never be the same after this trip.

  A part of her wanted to run—to leave and forget she knew anything about a long-lost sister. But, no. She knew too much now. There was no turning back.

  “That’s Darren Fox with your father,” Janie said, snapping Abby to attention.

  “Who?”

  “The mayor. Well, the mayor now. He wasn’t back then,” Alfred said. “Based on the way they’re facing each other, I’d say they’re having a conversation.”

  Abby examined the photograph again. It was hard to tell exactly what was going on in the picture, but if the mayor knew her father she had a new place to start looking for answers.

  “Do you mind if I borrow this?” Abby asked Alfred. “I’d like to take it with me when I talk to the mayor.”

  “Of course you can,” he said. “You’ll have to wait to see Darren, though. He left on a fishing trip a few days ago. Not sure when he’ll be back.”

  “Talk about bad timing,” Abby said. “I arrive in town looking for my sister and the only tie to my biological father takes off?”