Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger / Once Upon A Christmas Eve: Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger

She shrugged, staring out at the night sky. “Then one day I got served with divorce papers.”

He saw her blink rapidly, her voice grew soft and shaky as she said, “I just never thought he would divorce the kids, too, and then the suicide.” She looked at him. “Can you see why Kasey acts up?”

Coop had a dozen questions he wanted to ask her but was afraid to tip his hand. Was Mike Perry a total jerk, or was he the Feds’ informant trying to protect his family?

The next day, Coop worked the morning repairing the walkway with Robbie. By noon, he’d sent the boy off to go swimming with his friends, while he went to see about his new boss.

He pulled his truck into the construction site at the west end of town. There were to be twenty-five affordable, two-story homes to be built in the development called Vista Verde. The first dozen homes were to be completed by September.

In fact, Alex Casali was listing the prices well below market value. It seemed the millionaire rancher wanted to pay back his good fortune to the community. The people who qualified to buy a house were low to moderate income families. And there was already a waiting list for the energy efficient homes that included a small park and community pool.

Coop knocked on the construction trailer door.

“Come in,” a man called.

He pushed open the door and walked inside. Although the space was large, it still seemed crowded with two men and a pretty auburn-haired woman and two toddlers running around.

The man behind the desk was Alex Casali, a big man with brown hair and gray eyes. He was a formidable man until he looked at his wife. Their affection for each other was obvious.

Alex finally noticed him. “Coop. Good to see you.”

“Hello, Alex. I thought I’d stop by to see about my starting time, but I can see you’re busy. Hello, Mrs. Casali.” He removed his hat. “Good to see you again.”

“Please, call me Allison. It’s nice to see you again, Coop. You don’t have to leave, I’m taking Will and Rose home for their nap. I think their dad’s had enough of family at the work place.” She kissed her husband. “See you later at home.” She paused. “By the way, Coop, we’re having a barbecue this weekend at the ranch. It’s for all the workers on the Vista Verde project. You are invited, and please relay the message to Lilly, Beth and the kids. It’s really a community event.”

He nodded. “Thank you, I’ll tell them.”

Alex walked his wife and children out, then returned with a smile. Coop found he envied the man, not for all his money, more so for his life and family. He’d felt the same way around his brother and his wife, Clara. Then he recalled the reason he was here: Devin’s death.

Alex walked to the desk. “Sorry the kids like to come and see me at work.”

“No apologies necessary. You’re the boss.”

“Boy, have you got that wrong.” He grinned. “My wife and kids run things. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Casali sobered as the two other workers grabbed their hard hats and headed out of the trailer. Once they were alone, he said, “You ready to start Monday?”

“All set.”

Casali smiled. “I hear you’ve been doing some repairs on Beth Staley’s house, too. She’s been bragging about you at the shop.”

Small town grapevine. “I’m not busy right now, and it’s a win-win situation. I get free meals out of it.”

“I’m glad you’re helping out. That family has had a rough few years. Come on, I’ll show you around.” Casali picked up a hard hat, handed him one and they walked outside.

They headed along the row of framed structures, the sound of hammering and power saws made it difficult to talk.

Casali walked him to an open field area away from the workmen. “I’ll introduce you to my foreman, Charlie Reed. He’ll be the one you report to, and he hands out the job schedule.” They continued to walk along the recently paved road and they reached four nearly completed homes at the end of the block.

“We’re proud of this project and I want the community involved in it as much as possible.” Alex studied him a moment. “Sheriff Bradshaw asked me to hire you. I take it there’s a good reason for that.” He raised a hand. “I’m not asking what it is, I’ve already got that lecture from Brad.” Sheriff Oliver “Brad” Bradshaw was Coop’s contact in town.

Casali went on to say, “I only worry about keeping my family and friends safe.”

“I don’t see why they wouldn’t be.”

“Well, I’m going to make sure of that. Just so you know, I’ll have extra security at the party and on the job site.”

“That’s always a good idea. It’s not unusual to have some vandalism on construction sites.”

Casali was a powerful presence. He didn’t doubt the man could take care of himself, or get things done. “Damn. I don’t like what’s going on.”

Coop knew he hadn’t fooled this man. He needed to change the subject. He told Alex about Kasey Perry’s adventure at the Dark Moon Arcade. “From what I could gather it’s not a good place for kids.”

“Not even close,” Alex agreed. “We’ve been trying to shut it down the past few years. I even offered to buy it, but the owner refused my offer.” Again Alex studied him. “It seems you’ve gotten involved in a few things since your arrival.”

He shrugged. “Just a little painting, and helped Lilly find Kasey. Like you said, it’s small-town living.”

“As a friend of Lilly and her family, we appreciate it. Maybe it’s time I alert the sheriff so he can keep a watch on the place.”

There were so many things that Coop didn’t feel safe involving a civilian in. If it was Perry who contacted the Feds, that might have been what caused his death. Did he leave behind some incriminating information? Stephanie and Santos were too interested in Mike Perry’s things. How far would they go to get it? His main job was to keep Lilly and her kids safe.

That was his number one priority.

CHAPTER FIVE

TWO mornings later, Lilly’s heart swelled at hearing laughter from outside the window. Her son was again working with Coop. Today, their resident handyman and his trusty helper were putting flagstone pavers over the already patched walkway leading up to the porch.

Coop had convinced her mother it would be cheaper to lay stone over the patched concrete than tear it out and pour a new walk.

At breakfast, Robbie had explained that the big tree in the front yard shaded the sidewalk in the morning so it was cooler to work there. They’d go back to painting when the sun moved from the side of the house.

Whatever Noah Cooper was doing, she wanted him to continue because her son was a lot happier these days. So was she. Her smile quickly died. If only she could say the same for her daughter.

She rolled her eyes at the ceiling, feeling the vibration, hearing the loud music coming from Kasey’s bedroom. It was the only thing she hadn’t taken away from the teenager.

She knew this wasn’t the end to this struggle between mother and daughter. Somehow, Lilly had to figure out a way to get through to her. What terrified her was that she might not be able to.

“Mom! Mom!” Robbie cried and she hurried outside afraid he’d gotten hurt.

A quick scan told her he was fine. So was the man standing next to him, shirtless. She felt a catch in her breath as she eyed that beautiful sculptured chest, flat stomach and …

“Come see.” Robbie interrupted her thoughts as he waved her down to the sidewalk.

She descended the steps. “What’s wrong?”

“See, Mom. I put my initials in the cement,” he told her proudly.

“Yes, you did.” She looked down at the “RP” along with the date in the grout beside the flagstone. “That looks great. So does the walk.”

“Coop said in a hundred years people will know that we did this work.”

She stole a glance at the man who rocked her son’s world these days. “That’s a lot of hot Texas summers and hard winters.”

Robbie nodded. “Coop said you should always do the best job so your work will last. So people can depend on you.”

She felt emotions welling in her throat. “That’s true. You should be proud of everything you do.”

“Do you think Daddy would be proud of me?”

She had to swallow hard as she glanced at the stoic look on Coop’s face. “I know he would.” She put on a big smile as she hugged her son.

After a moment, Coop spoke, “Hey, Robbie, we need to clean up before we go and get ice cream.”

“Ice cream?”

Coop gave Robbie a questioning look. “You did ask, didn’t you?”

Robbie looked down. “I guess I forgot. Mom, can we go get some ice cream?”

“How about we eat some lunch, then go.”

Robbie opened his mouth to argue, then looked at Coop. “Sure.”

Lilly turned to Coop. “It’s tomato soup and grilled cheese.”

“My favorite,” he told her.

“It’s my favorite, too,” her son chimed in.

Coop picked up his shirt and slipped it on. He hadn’t missed Lilly’s interest, nor did he mind it, but this was work. He needed to concentrate on doing his job and she wasn’t making it easy.

He followed them into the kitchen and heard the music from upstairs. He fought a grin. “I take it Kasey’s letting you know she’s not happy.”

Lilly went around the island and pulled out the flat griddle. “Drama for Kasey started when she was about a year old and it hasn’t let up yet.”

Coop went to the sink and turned on the water to wash his hands. He liked being in this kitchen. It was a little worn, but he bet there’d been plenty of good times here.

He glanced over his shoulder just as Lilly went to get something from the refrigerator. When she bent slightly, her shorts pulled tight over her shapely rear end and long legs.

Oh, boy. He felt the stirring low in his gut.

As if she sensed his attention, she turned around. Her expression was one of surprise, though there was awareness in her eyes, but she quickly glanced away. “What kind of cheese do you want on your sandwich?”

He shut off the water and grabbed a towel, wiped his hands as he leaned against the counter. “Anything is fine.” He’d be damned if he would apologize for staring at a beautiful woman. Wasn’t that what guys did? Except he was a Texas Ranger who was supposed to be doing his job, and Lilly Perry was a part of it.

She looked at him again. “Why don’t you go sit down? I can handle lunch.”

He started to argue when Robbie came running into the room. “Coop! Coop! See what I got.” He was holding up a baseball in a plastic case as he climbed up on a stool at the island.

“What do we have here?”

“It’s a baseball. See it’s got Nolan Ryan’s name on it. Just like your baseball card.”

“Robbie,” his mother cautioned. “Remember that’s not a toy. It’s valuable.”

“I won’t take it out,” he promised her. “I only wanted to show it to Coop.” The boy turned back to him. “He played for the Texas Rangers baseball team. Dad said Nolan Ryan’s the greatest pitcher ever.”

“I know.” Coop took the plastic case and examined the ball to see Ryan’s signature. “He had seven no hitters. He was the strikeout king. He was nicknamed The Ryan Express.”

The boy’s eyes rounded. “Wow! You know a lot.”

“That’s because I love baseball, too. I used to play in high school.” It had been the only thing that kept him out of trouble. “Do you play?”

The boy hung his head and murmured, “I don’t know how to catch very good.” He looked at his mother. “I don’t have anyone to practice with me.”

Coop felt for the kid, knowing sports had kept him and his brother off the streets. “I bet you can play tee-ball and learn.”

Lilly turned the sandwiches on the grill, surprised at her son’s comment. She would have loved to sign him up. Give him an activity to keep him busy. “If you want to play, I can talk to one of the fathers, maybe they will help you.”

“Ah, Mom. I don’t want to do that.”

Lilly was at a loss. She wasn’t much of an athlete, so she couldn’t help.

“Maybe I can help you,” Coop said. “You got a mitt and another baseball?”

“Sure. I’ll go get ‘em.”

Lilly called him back before he left the room. “First, we eat. So go and wash up and get your sister.”

The boy looked disappointed, but did what he was told.

Lilly went to stir the soup, then pulled down the bowls.

“Is there something wrong?” Noah asked.

She hated to say anything critical about his act of kindness. She looked at him. “I’m just a little worried. Robbie has been so excited these last few days with you around.”

“So you want me to stop being friends with your son.”

She sighed. “No, but he’s a little boy who misses his father. Doesn’t that make you uncomfortable?”

Coop was more uncomfortable about not being truthful with her. “Look, if you don’t want me to spend time with your son, that’s your right. Since I was a kid who didn’t have a father around, I know it’s nice to have another man provide some attention.”

“Did you have someone?”

Don’t get too personal, he told himself. “My brother and I spent a lot of time at the boys’ club.” He smiled. “A gruff, old guy named Gus. He told us to leave the attitude at the door if we wanted to come in. He kept all the kids in line.”

She smiled, then quickly sobered. “Don’t get me wrong, Noah. I’m happy you spend time with Robbie, but I don’t want him hurt when you leave.”

He went to her. “You mean like their father hurt all of you?”

He saw her hesitate, but also the pain in her eyes. She finally nodded.

“You can’t keep your kids from getting hurt, Lilly. They have to get out there and learn to survive, not to be afraid. And they need to learn that from you.”

“But Robbie isn’t even six.”

“And he and his sister have already been hurt. You couldn’t protect them from the pain of losing their father.” He paused. “You’re an adult, and you couldn’t even protect yourself.”

An hour later, Lilly had to get away from the house. She ended up leaving Kasey brooding in her room, and drove Robbie to the library for the children’s reading hour, postponing the trip to the ice cream store. Okay, she needed time to brood after Noah’s declaration.

She walked into the Blind Stitch, needing some adult time. Some girl time. As usual the popular shop was busy. Since Jenny was on maternity leave, it had been ever harder to keep up with customers. The regular employee, Millie Roberts, was behind the counter.

Lilly found her mother in the other room of the shop, where they held the quilting classes. Beth Staley was instructing a patron on a quilt pattern. She looked up and smiled, then excused herself and walked over.

“This is a surprise. What brings you in?”

“I miss my mother,” Lilly said.

Beth smiled back at her. “That’s nice to know. I take it the kids are getting to you.”

She groaned. “I know I’m a terrible mother, but I can’t wait until the school year starts.” And she wouldn’t be daydreaming about a shirtless man in her backyard. “So can you go on a break?”

“Of course, if you wouldn’t mind going with the QC ladies?”

Lilly knew her mother’s good friends of the Quilter’s Corner. They meet here at the shop a few times a week. She glanced toward the corner table and waved. “Sure.”

Liz was the first to greet her, then came Louisa Merrick, both friends were her mother’s age. Caitlin and Lisa were younger mothers, close to Lilly’s age. They took up quilting because they could find the time with small children.

“Enjoying your summer?” Louisa asked.

“I have a thirteen-year-old who’s bored. What do you think?”

They all groaned in unison, and Louisa said, “I know it’s seems like hell, but hang in there. They’ll turn out nice like you did.”

Lilly arched an eyebrow. “Was I that bad?”

“We all were,” Liz announced. “It’s all those raging hormones.”

“Please, my Kasey is too young to be thinking about sex.”

“None of us are too young, or too old, to think about sex,” Louisa, who looked lovely and healthy these days, added. Even with the stroke she’d suffered last year there were no lingering effects now.

Liz nudged her. “That’s because you got yourself a good-looking husband. And he takes you to all those romantic places.”

Louisa turned to Lilly. “It seems Lilly only has to look out her back door to find a good-looking man.”

All eyes turned to her and she felt the heat rise to her face. “Mr. Cooper is our tenant. It’s hard not to look at him. I mean he’s helping with the house.”

Caitlin jumped in. “I’d say. I drove by yesterday and saw your sexy tenant on a ladder painting the house. He didn’t have his shirt on, and I nearly wrecked my car.”

“Maybe I should go for a little drive myself,” Liz said. “Is Coop working today?”

Lilly couldn’t help join in the laughter. She needed this, more than thinking about a man she had no business thinking about.

After lunch, Coop had returned to work, then the heat got to him and he went in the cottage. He still remembered the look she’d given him earlier. He’d had no right to speak to her that way.

So he’d decided that he’d better make himself scarce and disappear. So why not take the afternoon off?

Well, there were a couple of reasons. He wasn’t good at relaxing. He liked to stay busy, and he needed to figure out what was going on with Delgado.

Word on the street said he was relocating his drug business since El Paso was getting too hot. The Feds just hadn’t figured out where until they received a message from the informant. Now they were thinking Kerry Springs was at the top of the list. Okay, it was farther from the border, but who’d suspect the picturesque small town would harbor drug dealers?

Now he just needed to find the place. Perry’s Landscaping Company? It would be a perfect hideout. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to ship Delgado off to prison for drug trafficking and for the murder of Officer Devin Morales. Plus his possible connection with Mike Perry’s demise.

He only had to gather the proof. Where to look: the landscaping business or maybe the video arcade? Delgado wasn’t the type who sold drugs on street corners. His known MO was to have gangs distributing the merchandise. Kerry Springs might not have gangs, but every town had drug users.

Coop was getting antsy. He needed to end this and soon. Get Delgado. And the sooner he could make sure that Lilly Perry and her kids were safe, he could leave and forget about her. Undercover work didn’t allow for return visits.

There was a soft knock on the door and he closed his notebook and placed it under a toss pillow. He went to answer it and found Lilly standing on the stoop.

She looked pretty in her blue blouse that matched the color of her eyes and asked, “Could I speak with you?”

“Sure.” He stepped back, allowing her inside the small area. “Is there something wrong?”

“Yes. I neglected to apologize for my behavior earlier. You’re right, Noah, I am overprotective of my children.” She sighed. “It’s just that when all this happened with Mike, his death was so public, I didn’t know how else to handle it except to wrap my kids up and hold them tight.”

He shook his head. “I owe you an apology, too. I had no business telling you how to handle your children. I’m a single guy. I don’t know anything about parenting.” He inhaled her soft scent and nearly forgot his speech. “If you’d like, I’ll keep my distance. Don’t worry, I’ll be the bad guy and tell Robbie.”

“Oh, no, Noah. Please, you’re the best thing that’s happened to my son in a long time. He’s been living in a house with only women for the past two years. Now that he’s nearly six I see the changes in him.” She looked sad. “He’s not my baby anymore. And I’m not really sure on how to handle the next stage of his life.”

She turned those bright eyes on him and he felt a kick. “All the baseball and Boy Scouts …”

Ah, hell, she was killing him. “I’m sure there are coaches and Scout leaders who will take him under their wing.”

She nodded. “I know, but today was the first time he looked interested in doing anything. So if your offer is still open, I’d be happy if you helped Robbie learn to catch.” She held up a hand. “I mean, I know how busy you are with the repairs … Oh, God, how can I ask you?”

“You didn’t ask, I offered to help. Lilly, it’s not rocket science, it’s tossing a baseball with a boy. Besides, I don’t start my construction job until next week.”

She raised her chin and smiled at him. Good Lord, she was pretty. Her skin was rosy and flawless.

“I have another favor to ask.”

She was getting to him. Bad. “Sure.”

“Would you please go with us to get some ice cream?”

He smiled. “Okay.”

Lilly knew she was acting schoolgirl crazy, and she knew better. Something about this man brought out those silly, giddy feelings in her.

“Thank you. Of course, it’s my treat for all the work you’ve done.”

“Sure. I don’t have a problem with a lady buying my favors.”

“I probably couldn’t get much with two scoops of Rocky Road on a sugar cone.”

He stared down at her and her heart began to race. “Change that to Cherry Pecan and your smile, and it’s worth a lot more.”

Oh, boy, she was in trouble. “We better go round up the kids.” She scurried ahead of him to the kitchen door and hollered for Robbie and Kasey. Surprisingly they both appeared and followed her outside.

Her daughter headed for the car. “No, Kasey, we’re walking.”

“Mom,” she whined. “It’s too hot.”

“It’s getting rather pleasant,” Lilly insisted. “Besides, we’re only four blocks from town. I’m a school principal who pushes physical fitness. How would it look if we go driving around everywhere?”

Kasey stomped over to her. “Then I don’t want to go.”

“You don’t want any of Shaffer’s ice cream?” She slung her arm over her daughter’s shoulder, and she didn’t shrug away.

The girl shook her head.

“Well, you still have to go along anyway.”

The teenager opened her mouth to complain again when Coop appeared. “Is he going, too?”

“Yep. Looks like you’re stuck with me.” He motioned to Robbie. “C’mon, Rob. Let’s see if the ladies can keep up with us.”

The boy looked over his shoulder. “Yeah, see if you can keep up.”

Lilly looked at her daughter. “Are you going to let them win?”

Her beautiful child got an ugly look on her face. “I don’t care.”

Lilly started moving, but kept well back behind the guys. “Look, Kasey, I get you’re angry with me. But when you don’t obey the rules, there are consequences.”

“I know. You run things like a prison around here. I have no freedom.”

“I don’t think I did at thirteen, either. But you are still young and you went to a place that was off-limits. It’s my job as a mother to protect you.”

“Fine. I get it, but I don’t have to like it.” She marched up ahead, past the guys. Robbie took off after his sister and Coop dropped back with Lilly.

“I take it she’s still angry with you.”

She nodded. “My mother says it’s payback for how I treated her.”

“You’re doing the right thing. Stay on her because it’s tough out there.”

Lilly frowned. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Something more that happened at the arcade?”

He shook his head. “It’s just the element that hangs out there isn’t the best.”

Coop glanced around the tree-lined street, and the manicured lawns and hedges. It seemed like the perfect place to live and raise a family, but looks could be deceiving. “At that age they think they can conquer the world, that nothing can harm them.”

“I remember those days. Yet, this town doesn’t have the problems that large cities do. We all know each other and watch out for each other.”

An older woman standing on her porch called Lilly’s name and waved.

“Hello, Miss Olivia. How are you feeling today?”

The fragile looking, gray-haired woman came down the steps as Lilly went to her. They exchanged a hug and he could see her hands were crippled with arthritis.