The Belles of Texas

“What!”

“Haley, Georgie and a girl named Ginny.”

“How did they get there?”

“I’m guessing they walked. You really need to keep a closer eye on your children.”

He gripped the phone so tight it almost came apart in his hand. “I’ll be right there. Do not let them leave.”

Running for his car, he cursed under his breath. Madison Belle had taken an instant dislike to him, and now he had to face the woman and see his failings as a father in her blue eyes.

He’d rather take a bullet.

CHAPTER TWO

MADDIE HUNG UP THE PHONE and made her way to the kitchen. On the way she thought about Walker. He was an enigma for sure. She didn’t even know his first name and she’d never heard anyone mention it, either. He was just Walker to everyone.

She’d met him four times; at the party, at High Five, at the convenience store, and at Cait and Judd’s wedding. Funny how she remembered every encounter. He always said hello, but little else, and she couldn’t blame him. Avoid crazy lady, she could almost hear him thinking.

He seemed very stern, very disciplined—a by-the-book type of man. Cait had said he’d been in the marines and later had joined a search-and-rescue team in Houston. He’d only returned to High Cotton because of his children. Cait hadn’t said anything about the mother, but she must be a fine piece of work.

Her sister Skylar thought Walker was a hunk. Maddie rolled that around in her head for a moment. He was tall and impressive, with broad shoulders, caramel-colored eyes like Georgie’s, brown hair that curled into his collar, lean, sculptured features, and a body that rivaled Arnold Schwarzenegger’s.

Her taste ran more to indoor guys in tailored suits and J. Crew shirts, who didn’t wear cowboy boots, Stetsons or risk their lives in the line of duty.

That described Victor, the man she’d been dating in Philadelphia. Tall and thin, Victor never got his hands dirty. As a doctor, he was very meticulous and fastidious in everything he did, even away from the hospital. He was fifteen years older than Madison and at times he made her feel like one of his children, which irritated her. But he was a compassionate, caring man and that’s what had attracted her.

Wasn’t it?

Victor wasn’t a muscled, gun-toting-hero type like Walker. The constable was all muscle and raw power.

He was too…too manly.

She almost laughed out loud at the description. Could a man be too manly?

As she entered the kitchen, Gran was telling the kids about Solomon, their pet bull. Maddie and Cait had raised him from a baby when his mother had died. Solomon was now quite large, and it wasn’t uncommon for him to be at the back door waiting for her in the mornings. He wanted feed and he didn’t like waiting.

She never knew how he got over the board fence until she saw him jump it one morning. Solomon’s father had had the same bad trait, and it had led to his demise. Maddie wanted to break Solomon of the habit. So far she hadn’t had any luck.

“Can I see him?” Georgie asked. His upper lip sported a milk mustache and his cheeks were smeared with chocolate from the chocolate chip cookies. He was so cute. How could his mother leave him?

“No, Georgie,” Haley told him. “We’re going to find Mama.”

“Oh.” Georgie stuffed more of the cookie into his mouth.

Ginny saw her standing in the doorway. “Did you get Ms. Belle?”

“Yes,” she replied, walking farther into the room. “She hasn’t seen Brian since he left High Five for the oil fields and she doesn’t have an idea where he might be.”

“Oh.” Ginny hung her head and Maddie’s heart broke for her. It was time for a heart-to-heart and she didn’t want Georgie to hear them.

“Gran, would you take Georgie to the veranda? Solomon might make an appearance.”

“Oh, boy.” Georgie bounced up and down in his chair.

Gran took his hand, which was covered in chocolate, and quickly reached for a napkin to wipe his hands and mouth.

After that, Georgie wiggled one arm into his jacket, but seemed unable to get the other one inside the sleeve. Maddie came to his rescue and zipped the Windbreaker.

“Come on, little one,” Gran said, leading him to the door. The screen banged behind them.

Maddie took his seat. “Ginny, I’m not trying to pry, but is Brian the father of your baby?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She still hung her head.

“And you think he’ll take responsibility for the child?”

“Oh, no, ma’am.” Ginny raised her head, her voice sincere. “It’s not like that. I mean, Brian dropped me after…well, you know. I just want the money to get us to Lubbock and Haley’s mom. I’m planning to keep my baby.”

The dream of a young girl who hadn’t a clue about life. Maddie wondered how she’d manage.

She looked at Haley, who was playing with her glass. “Haley, does your mother know you’re planning a visit?”

Her caramel eyes turned dark. “That’s none of your business.”

“Watch your mouth,” Etta said before Maddie could form a response.

Maddie shot Etta a silencing glance and said, “She doesn’t, does she.”

Haley clamped her lips together and no response was offered. Maddie had her answer.

She stood. “Haley, you’re a minor, and I had no choice but to call your father.”

“You bitch.” The words were fired at her with such venom that it took her aback for a second.

Etta tapped Haley’s head with her wooden spoon. “Any more words like that, young lady, and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap.”

Haley rubbed her head and glared at Etta.

Maddie took a breath and sent another silent message to Etta to cool it. She’d felt the sting of that spoon many times as a kid and knew that Etta meant well, but Haley wasn’t in their family and not theirs to discipline.

She focused on the fury in Haley’s eyes. “I’m doing what’s best for both of you.”

“Dad will take Ginny home and her dad hits her all the time. He’ll make her lose the baby and the baby is all she has.” Haley’s words were delivered with all the fervor of a brokenhearted little girl.

Ginny touched her arm. “It’s okay, Haley. We don’t have any money so we have to go home.”

“It’s not fair.” Haley crossed her arms over her chest.

“Your father will do what’s best for you,” Maddie tried to reassure her.

“He doesn’t even want Georgie or me, and he bums us off on Aunt Nell all the time.”

“Haley…”

“You don’t know my father. You have money, so just give us some so we can go to Lubbock.”

All kinds of questions tumbled like broken glass through her mind. Was Walker taking the pain of a failed marriage out on his children? Haley seemed to hate him. What had Walker done to warrant that? Did he not want custody of his kids? Maddie now had misgivings about calling him, but if anything was amiss, Cait would have said so.

“I want to help you. I really do, but—”

There was a knock at the front door.

“Please don’t make us go home,” Haley begged, tears glistening in her eyes.

Maddie’s heart dropped like a rock, and she felt like the bad guy. But she had no choice. “Stay here while I talk to your father.” As she hurried to answer the door, she wondered how she’d gotten caught in the middle of this. Her predictable world just got blown to hell.

Before she could fully open the door, Walker said, “Where are my kids?”

His attitude got to her. He made to pass her, but she held out her arm. “Just a minute. I want to talk to you.”

“Ms. Belle, I don’t have time for—”

She stepped out on the veranda and closed the door behind her. Shivering, she wished she’d grabbed her jacket. “Make time.”

He frowned at her, and she could see the resemblance to Haley. She sat in one of the old rockers on the porch and looked up at him, then wished she hadn’t. All that male testosterone was just a little too close. Her breath caught in her throat.

For the first time, she took a really good look at this strong, rigid man. What she saw was a frightened father. Tiny worry lines crinkled around his eyes. His mouth was slashed into a stubborn line. His well-built body seemed restless. He was dressed only in jeans and a shirt—he had no jacket even though the temperature was in the forties. He must be thick-skinned, too.

His eyes told a different story, though. What he could hide with toughness and bravado, his eyes couldn’t. He was hurting, but she knew he would never admit it.

He was the type of man who never showed weakness. That was clear from his strong stance. She also knew he was at a loss at how to handle his own children, but he would never harm them. She understood all of that from the desperate look in his eyes.

She wrapped her arms around her waist. “Do you know what your daughter has planned?”

“No.” He pushed back his Stetson. “My daughter has an aversion to talking to me.”

“Why is that?” She stared directly at him, and the heat from his stare washed over her. Suddenly she wasn’t cold any longer. Her body felt hot, sticky, and the rocker creaked as she moved uncomfortably.

“Ms. Belle, I appreciate you taking care of my kids, but this is really none of your business.” The words were calm and direct, not angry like she’d expected.

Even though he was intimidating, she didn’t fold like a used wallet ready to be tucked away out of sight. She lifted her chin. “Your daughter made it my business by hiding in my barn.”

“What?” He was genuinely puzzled. “Why would they do that?”

“They were looking for Brian Harper. Evidently he told Ginny he would give her money if she needed it.”

“Why would they need money?” he asked slowly.

She had to tell him the truth, and she didn’t pause in doing so. “For bus tickets to Lubbock to find Haley’s mom.”

“Shit.” He swung away, his body taut as he gazed at the barn and corrals. “Haley doesn’t know where her mother is.”

“Why does she think Lubbock?”

He swung back to her, his jaw clenched. “Trisha’s sister lives there, so I assume Haley thinks her mother is there, too.”

“And she’s not?”

“Where are my kids?” The questions were clearly over, but Maddie wasn’t finished.

She stood and took a step backward. Standing close to his male heat made her breathless, but she had a point to get across and she was determined to do it. “Before I came to live at High Five, I was a counselor in a hospital. I dealt with a lot of children. Usually when a child runs away and doesn’t want to go home, there’s some sort of abuse in the home.” She paused to gather her courage. “Haley doesn’t want to go home, so naturally I heard warning bells. But talking to you I know that isn’t the problem.”

He tensed. “Very big of you.”

She ignored the sarcasm. “Ginny doesn’t want to go home, either, and in her case I’m inclined to believe she’s being abused.”

“Her father’s a drunk and gets his kicks by beating his wife and kids.”

“Can’t you do something?”

Walker was all out of patience, and Madison Belle was treading on his very last nerve. But there was something in her blue eyes that stopped him from giving her a full dose of his anger. She cared. She had to have been born under the sign of the Good Ship Lollipop, fairy tales and happily ever after. Good was probably her middle name, and she believed in it to the hilt. He avoided women like her because they usually had their head in the clouds with reality nowhere in sight.

He’d seen the worst in people, and when push came to shove, the worst always won over the good. But Goody Two-shoes Madison would never believe that.

He dragged his thoughts back to her. From the first moment he’d seen her, at a party at Southern Cross, he’d thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. At the time, he’d said some off-the-wall remark that had irritated her. As he’d looked into her shining eyes that day, his good sense had taken a hike. That was a first for him.

Her sisters, Caitlyn and Skylar, were beautiful, too, but he had no trouble talking to them. Something about Madison tied him up in knots. He didn’t like the feeling. He was in control—always. Over the years he had mastered it, but somehow she had broken through all his defenses with just one look. He didn’t like that, either. So he avoided Madison Belle.

Now she was in his face, demanding answers and wanting the good to shine through in this situation. He’d dealt with Earl Grubbs before, and the man didn’t have an up-close-and-personal relationship with good. How did he explain that to her, though?

“I’ll do what I can” was all he could say. But he was going to make sure Earl got the message this time.

“That’s it?” She arched an eyebrow that spoke volumes.

Against his will, his eyes swept over her. Her soft curves were emphasized in the tight jeans and western shirt. Her blond hair had come loose from its ponytail and hung enchantingly around an angel face perfect in every way—smooth, gorgeous skin, pouty lips with a sexy curve and an expression of wholesomeness minimized by pure, come-hither blue eyes. Exactly what every man would want in his Christmas stocking.

He put brakes on his thoughts and took a long breath. “Ms. Belle, I appreciate your concern, but now I’m taking my kids home.” He opened the door and went inside with her on his heels like a pit bull.

Hearing voices, he headed in that direction. Haley and Ginny sat at the table eating cookies. Etta Johns was watching them.

Haley looked up and saw him. “Daddy,” she said in a guilty voice.

“Let’s go. Where’s Georgie?” He tried to keep his voice calm, but it came out as stern, probably a side effect caused by Ms. Belle.

Haley rose to her feet, her movements nervous. Her eyes were like his, but her hair was blond like her mother’s. Her jeans and knit top hung on her thin body. His daughter had a nervous stomach, and he didn’t know how to make her eat without getting sick. The divorce had hit Haley hard, and he wanted to make her world happy again. Maybe with a little of Madison Belle’s good.

He didn’t know how to accomplish that, since his daughter seemed to hate him and blame him for Trisha leaving. His gut twisted a little more each time he looked into her anguished face.

“He’s outside with Miss Dorie.”

“I’ll get him,” Madison said. In a minute she was back with Georgie in her arms, Miss Dorie behind her.

Madison was talking softly to him and Georgie was smiling. Walker was mesmerized by the picture of Madison’s face close to Georgie’s. She seemed so natural with a child in her arms.

“Daddy,” Georgie shouted when he spotted him. He wiggled free from Madison and ran to him. Lifting his son into his arms, he held him tight. His daughter might hate him, but Georgie didn’t. He was grateful for that small miracle.

“Daddy, I saw a bull,” Georgie said, his eyes bright. “A big bull.” He stretched out his arms as far as they would go.

“You did?”

Georgie nodded. “I ’cared of him.”

“He won’t hurt you,” Madison assured him.

“Is he talking about Solomon?” he asked Madison.

“Yes.” She smiled, and his heart kicked against his ribs with the force of a wild bronco. “He’s getting so big.”

Walker had been there the day Caitlyn had brought Solomon home. Back then, Cait and Judd were at odds. High Five and the Southern Cross ranches were adjoined, and Cait’s bull was always jumping the fence to get to Judd’s registered cows. Eventually, one of Judd’s cows gave birth and died shortly after. When Cait saw the calf, she realized it was from her bull and took it home. Walker felt sure there would be a fight over the calf, but Judd had allowed Cait to keep it. That’s when he knew Judd had finally forgiven Caitlyn.

The last time he saw the calf, Madison was cooing at it as if it were a child. Somehow he knew she’d make a pet of him.

He forced his eyes away from the light in hers. “Let’s go,” he said, and glanced at Ginny. “I’ll take you home, too. I want to talk to your father.”

“You can’t take her there.” Haley scrunched up her face in anger. “He hits her.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“No, you won’t. You just want to get rid of us.” Everything in him screamed at his daughter’s attitude, but he was powerless to change it. God knows he’d tried.

“Don’t talk back,” he said, “and thank Ms. Belle for any inconvenience.”

“Thank you,” Haley mumbled, grabbing her jacket and running toward the front door.

He slowly followed with Georgie and Ginny. Outside they came to an abrupt stop. A young black Brahma bull stood on the stone sidewalk. Haley seemed frozen.

Madison ran around them and grabbed the bull’s halter. “Solomon.” She stroked his face. “You’re scaring our guests.” The bull rubbed his face against her and a deep guttural sound left his throat.

The thought crossed Walker’s mind that if she stroked him like that, he might make that sound, too.

“It’s okay,” she called. “He won’t hurt you.”

Haley and Ginny made a wide circle around him. Walker stepped close to Madison. “You know, a bull is not a pet. He’s male—all day, every day, and potentially dangerous.”

Her eyes locked with his. “Yes. I know what you mean.”

He had a feeling she wasn’t talking about the bull.

CHAPTER THREE

WALKER TURNED ONTO THE DIRT road that led to the Grubbs’s trailer house. No one spoke. He glanced toward the backseat and saw Georgie was asleep. Haley leaned in close to him, always there, always protective of her baby brother. But her face was a mask of pain.

How was he going to reconcile with his daughter?

“Mr. Walker.” Ginny turned to him in the front seat. “You can let me out here. I’ll walk the rest of the way. I’ll tell my dad I missed the bus.”

“Sorry, Ginny. I need to talk to Earl.”

“Why, Daddy?” Haley asked in her usual angry tone. “It’s only going to cause trouble.”

“Mr. Walker…”

“Trust me, girls.”

“Yeah, right.” He heard Haley mutter under her breath.

He ran a hand over the steering wheel, feeling lower than sludge. Neither girl had any faith in his abilities to defuse a potentially dangerous situation. He’d have to show them. This time Earl was getting the full brunt of his anger.

Pulling into the lane that led to the Grubbs’s place, he made to get out and open the aluminum gate covered with chicken wire.

“I’ll get it, Mr. Walker,” Ginny said, and hopped out.

Earl raised goats, pigs and chickens. They were all over the cluttered yard. Ginny shooed chickens and goats away so she could open the gate.

He drove through, and Ginny quickly got back in the car. The old trailer was straight ahead. Not a blade of grass grew in the dirt yard. The aluminum siding was rusted in spots, and the screens were missing. A makeshift porch attached to the front looked ready to collapse. In stained overalls and a discolored flannel shirt, Earl lounged in a chair propped against the trailer. He was raising a jug to his lips. Walker knew it was homemade wine. And good was nowhere in sight.

Earl could be a decent-enough guy when he was sober, but those occasions were very rare. He had an aversion to getting a job, and he blamed God, the government, neighbors and anyone who came within his vision for his poverty.

Walker glanced at Haley. “Stay in the car with your brother.”

“Like I want to get out” was her clipped response.

Walker opened his door and the stench from the pigpen filled his nostrils. It took a moment to catch his breath. How did people live like this? He shooed chickens away and was careful not to step in goat crap.

Two hunting dogs barked and pulled at their chains at the end of the trailer.

“What you done now, gal?” Earl asked when he saw Ginny, his words slurred. He took another swig from the jug. “If you’re in trouble again, I’m gonna beat your sorry ass.”

Ginny stood next to him, and he could see her trembling. She was frightened to death. Fueled by anger, Walker started up the steps, the decaying boards protesting under his weight.

“My daughter and Ginny missed the bus, so I brought Ginny home.” It was a lie, but it would suffice for now.

“She got legs, she can walk. There ain’t nothing wrong with her but stupidity.”

“Go inside,” Walker said to Ginny.

“You don’t tell my daughter what to do,” Earl spit out.

Walker nodded to the girl, and she opened the screen door. A thin woman holding a small girl stood there. Four other children of various ages were behind her. He noticed the woman’s bruised face before she quickly pulled Ginny inside.

“You better have supper ready on time,” Earl shouted at his wife. “And stop mollycoddling those brats.”

Walker had had enough. He jerked the jug out of Earl’s hand and flung it into the yard. It hit a chicken and she flapped away squawking.

“What…the hell…?”

Walker kicked the chair forward with his foot. Earl spit and sputtered, but being drunk, his reflexes were slow. Taking Earl’s face in his hand, he yanked it up so he could look into his bloodshot eyes.

“Listen up, Earl.”

“You…y-ou b-bastard.”

Walker squeezed tighter and Earl’s straggly beard scratched his fingers. “You’re not paying attention, Earl. Now, listen. If you lay one hand on Ginny, I’m coming back with both fists loaded, and I’m going to show you what a beating feels like. You got that?”

“Y-ou…y-ou…” Earl sputtered.

Walker squeezed even tighter. “And lay off the wine.”

Earl’s eyes almost bugged out of his head and Walker released him. Rubbing his face, Earl said, “You can’t tell me what to do on my own p-property.”

“I have a badge that says I can,” Walker replied. “And you better listen to me. I’m coming back tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. If Ginny, your wife or any of your kids have bruises, I’m arresting you and throwing your ass in jail. I’ll make sure you get convicted, and Earl, those inmates in Huntsville don’t care for child abusers. They’ll have a good old time with you.”

Earl’s bugged-out eyes opened wider. “Y-you can’t…”

Walker straightened. “This is a warning. Next time I won’t be so nice.”

“I can’t go…go to jail. I got kids to feed.”

Walker looked at this man who had reached the very bottom. “Think about it, Earl. All you have to do is stop drinking and take care of your family instead of using them as punching bags.”

“You think you’re high and mighty—”

Walker pointed a finger at him. “Get your act together. I’ll be returning in a couple of hours to make sure you heed my warning.” Saying that, he swung off the porch and headed for his car.

And clean air.

THE RIDE HOME WAS AGAIN in silence. Georgie woke up as he pulled into their driveway. The house was a block away from Walker’s General Store. He had no interest in running the store, but Nell had. So they worked out a compromise. They split the profits fifty-fifty and she drew a salary.

Walker had also inherited his father’s house and land. Nell lived in his grandfather’s house, which was next door. When he’d first brought the kids to High Cotton, Nell had helped him, but he could see now it had been a mistake. Her life was the store, and there wasn’t room for anything else. He would have to find other babysitting arrangements when he had to go on a call.

He lifted Georgie out of his car seat, and they went inside the white clapboard two-story house with the wraparound porch detailed with black gingerbread trim. The Walkers before him had taken very good care of the house, so it was in good shape. When he’d returned, he’d had central air and heat installed for the kids.

Since he was an only child, he’d often wondered what he was going to do with the house, land and store in High Cotton. He had no desire to live here. He’d been away too long. But life had a way of mocking his plans. At the ripe old age of thirty-six, this was the only place he wanted to raise his kids now.