Cowboy at the Crossroads

Nothing.

“It’s important for a doll to have a name, don’t you think?”

Still nothing.

“She has blond hair like you, so is her name Nicki?”

Nicki rubbed her head against the doll’s. “Dolly,” she murmured.

“That’s nice,” Becca said, grateful for a response. She knew that if she kept talking, kept pushing, Nicki would respond in some way. She was hoping for a positive reaction, but she’d take anything at this point. “Does Dolly like to eat?”

Nicki shook her head.

“That’s a shame, because Della’s prepared this wonderful meal. I was just down in the kitchen and the smell alone was a real treat. She’s made this chocolate pie that has a fluffy meringue about three inches thick. Do you like chocolate pie?”

“No. Go ’way. I don’t like you,” Nicki said in a defiant tone.

Good, Becca thought. Now they were getting somewhere. She had to keep pushing.

“You don’t have to like me, but I’ve come all this way to see you and I expect you to eat dinner with me.”

“I’m not hungry. Go ’way.”

Becca reached up, and caught Nicki’s face with both hands and forced the child to look at her. “I’m not going away and you’re coming downstairs to eat.”

“No.” Nicki spat the word. “Daddy says I don’t have to and you can’t make me.”

Becca still held her face and looked into those angry eyes. “I’m going to pick you up and we’re going downstairs.” As she said the words, she got to her feet and gathered Nicki in her arms. This action was met with resistance. Nicki began to cry “No, no, no” and hit at Becca with her free hand and her feet. Becca kept walking; the blows to her face, neck and legs didn’t stop her. Halfway down the stairs, Nicki began to scream, blood-curdling screams. Becca still didn’t stop.

CORD JUMPED TO HIS FEET when he heard the screams. He ran for the patio door, then halted abruptly when he heard Becca’s words. “Please don’t come inside.” He turned and went back to his chair, but the screams continued. What was she doing to his baby? He marched back to the door and stopped again. God, how was he supposed to handle this? He wanted his child to get better, but he couldn’t take this. Each scream was tearing his heart out. He grasped the doorknob.

WHEN BECCA REACHED the bottom step she sat down, with Nicki still fighting and screaming in her arms. Suddenly Becca screamed as loudly as Nicki. Nicki stopped and stared at her with tear-filled eyes.

“I can scream as loudly as you,” Becca informed her in a calm voice. “So are we going to scream or eat dinner?”

“I don’t like you,” Nicki muttered, rubbing her eyes.

“I don’t like you too much right now, either,” Becca replied.

“You’re mean,” Nicki said crossly.

“I don’t want to be mean,” Becca told her.

Nicki didn’t answer. She still had a death grip on Dolly, who was looking a little worn and tattered. Now was the time for a softer approach.

“Dolly seems so sad,” Becca said.

“She is,” Nicki told her.

“Oh, that’s too bad. What do you think will make her feel better?”

Nicki shrugged.

“Chocolate always makes me feel better.”

“Candy?” Nicki’s eyes opened wide. She was talking, asking questions. That was good—very good.

“Yes, when I’ve had a long day and I’m tired, a chocolate bar perks me right up.”

“It does?”

“Sure does, but even though I love chocolate, chocolate doesn’t love me.”

“Why?”

“Because when you get to be a woman my age, you have to watch your weight and if I eat a lot of chocolate, my butt gets bigger and bigger.”

“You got a big butt?”

Becca laughed out loud. She couldn’t help it. Why in the world had she said that? She just wanted to keep Nicki talking, and the words seemed to come of their own volition. How could she correct this?

Before she could gather her wits, Cord came charging in, Della right behind him. Nicki immediately crawled off Becca’s lap and ran to her father. He picked her up and held her tight.

“How’s my baby?” he whispered.

Nicki pointed a finger at Becca. “She’s mean. I wanna go to my room.”

Just like that, Nicki had reverted to her old self. Becca got to her feet. Her eyes locked with Cord’s. Don’t you dare was flashing in their depths, and she hoped he got the message.

Cord received the message loud and clear. Thirty minutes ago he would’ve taken Nicki back upstairs. When he heard her scream, it was a certainty. Then he’d gone into the den and heard Nicki talking to Becca in a normal tone of voice. He couldn’t make out what she was saying, but she was interacting with Becca—something she hadn’t done with anyone in a long time. Now he had to look at himself. Was he an enabler, as Becca had said? Was he enabling Nicki to be the way she was because he didn’t have the strength or the courage to do anything else? Yes, he was. He could see that. Now he had to try some of that tough love Becca had talked about. Nicki’s future depended on it.

“No, baby,” Cord said with every bit of strength he possessed. “We’re eating dinner in the dining room. Della has the table all set.” Without another word, he moved toward the door.

“’Kay, Daddy,” Nicki said meekly, and laid her head on his shoulder.

Cord let out a long breath. If she’d started crying, he still would have made her, but this was so much easier. Becca was right; he had to be firm.

Becca followed them into the large dining room. As Cord settled Nicki in her chair, Becca glanced around. The furniture was exquisite and definitely antique. She guessed the late 1800s. The table could easily seat twenty people. There was also a hutch and a china cabinet. The entire set was made of dark wood and decorated with an ornate design that was unlike anything she’d ever seen. The carving had to have been done by hand. She also noticed the china in the cabinet, which was old and very beautiful. She’d bet it wasn’t used anymore because of its fragility, but it was a pleasure just to look at.

Becca took her seat next to Nicki, and Cord sat at the head of the table. Della brought the food to the table without a word. Afterward she said, “If you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“Thanks, Della,” Cord said, and began to fill his plate and Nicki’s.

“I’m not hungry,” Nicki said with her arms tight around Dolly.

The silence became strained, and Becca could see that Cord was struggling with himself again. She had to do something, and fast. She did what came naturally—she talked.

“My, this looks wonderful,” she said as she dished roast and potatoes onto her plate. “In the hospital, I eat in the cafeteria and it’s not the most appetizing food. The vending machine and I are best friends. Of course, it’s not very healthy so I try not to indulge too often. But sometimes the mind and the stomach aren’t in agreement.” As she talked, she mashed Nicki’s potatoes with her fork and dipped gravy onto them. Then she lavishly buttered a roll and placed it beside the potatoes.

As Cord watched her, he thought, Anette used to do that. She’d make the food appealing so Nicki would eat. Maybe he should’ve been doing that.

“These potatoes are delicious, don’t you think so, Cord?”

He blinked and realized Becca was talking to him. She stared pointedly at his fork, and he realized she wanted him to start eating. He recovered himself and began to do just that.

“Yes, yes, the potatoes are great,” he said, following Becca’s lead.

“Della said they were new potatoes. Does that mean she grows them?”

“Gus does,” Nicki chimed in. Until that moment, she hadn’t said a word or even attempted to pick up her fork, but she was avidly watching Becca.

“Gus?”

“That’s my ranch foreman,” Cord answered, as Nicki didn’t say anything else. “He and Della have been here since I was a kid. They live in a small house not far from this one.”

“Well, Della can certainly cook. I’ve never tasted food so good. And this roll—” she took a bite and purposefully swallowed “—is about the best thing I’ve put in my mouth. I remember one time, my friend Ginger and I decided to make cinnamon rolls. The concept of yeast rising clearly escaped us and our rolls were like pancakes with cinnamon. So I admire anyone who can make rolls like this. It definitely takes talent and patience.”

Becca’s voice drummed on inside Cord’s head. The woman had one button—On—and she rattled incessantly about anything and everything. He was almost ready to scream stop, when he saw Nicki reach for her fork. Slowly she began to eat the potatoes, then she picked up the roll and took several bites. Cord kept eating, watching this miracle out of the corner of his eye. Becca’s voice hummed on, and it was the most beautiful voice he’d ever heard. He now knew what she was doing—distracting Nicki so she wouldn’t feel forced to eat…and it was working. His baby started eating, and before he knew it almost all the food on her plate was gone.

Becca was also watching Nicki closely. She leaned back in her chair. “My, that was the best meal I’ve ever eaten.”

Nicki also leaned back. “Me, too,” she said.

Della brought the pie out and set it on the table with a knife and plates. Then she began to collect the dinner plates.

“I’ll help you, Della,” Becca offered.

“No, you won’t,” Della was quick to say. “That’s my job. You can cut the pie and serve it.”

Becca didn’t argue. She picked up the knife and cut three pieces. She handed one plate to Cord, placed one in front of Nicki and took the third for herself. She stuck her fore-finger in the chocolate and tasted it. “Mmm. That’s delicious.”

Nicki scrambled to her knees and Dolly fell to the floor. Nicki stuck her finger in the chocolate as Becca had done. “Mmm, it’s good,” she said.

“Oh, I love chocolate,” Becca said as she reached for her fork. “I could eat this whole pie myself.”

“It’s gonna make your butt bigger,” Nicki said as she put a spoonful in her mouth.

Becca almost spit the chocolate onto the table.

“Nicki!” Cord admonished.

“What?” Nicki looked at Cord with big, innocent eyes.

Becca swallowed quickly. “It’s okay, Cord. Nicki and I were talking about this earlier. It’s really okay.” It was an effort to keep her face from turning red, but she managed.

Cord couldn’t figure out why Becca was talking to Nicki about big butts. That made no sense. Besides, Becca didn’t have a big butt. She was very slim with curves in all the right places and—he put skids on that thought. She was Colton’s girlfriend and he’d do well to remember it.

After they finished their pie, Becca smiled at Nicki. “You have chocolate all over your face.”

A look as if she’d done something wrong came over Nicki, and Becca wanted to quickly dispel it. “But that’s okay because I’ll just lick it off.” Becca tasted chocolate from Nicki’s cheeks with her tongue, and Nicki giggled. “You’re like one big chocolate bar and I could eat you up.”

“No, don’t eat me.” Nicki giggled more loudly and it was a delight to Becca’s ears. A hospital wasn’t going to be necessary; Nicki just needed some tough love. Now she had to make Cord understand that. Finally she reached for a napkin, dipped it in water and wiped Nicki’s face.

Anette used to do that, Cord thought again. She always wiped Nicki’s chin and cheeks with a napkin—but she’d never lick food from Nicki’s face. That was too undignified. And she would never permit Nicki to laugh at the dinner table. Anette had all kinds of ridiculous rules. They had argued about them all the time. He believed children should be allowed to be children, and Anette—

Cord got to his feet. “Let’s go into the den so Della can clean up.”

“’Kay, Daddy,” Nicki said, crawling out of her chair and scooping up her doll. Becca followed them, trying to think of something to occupy Nicki. She didn’t want her going to her room just yet. Cord sat in his chair and Nicki climbed onto his lap.

“Let’s play a game,” Becca suggested.

Nicki frowned at her and that same frown was echoed on Cord’s face, but it didn’t bother Becca. Nicki needed to act like a normal child.

“I know,” she said, a game they often played in the hospital coming to mind. “I’ll mention an animal, and you have to act and sound like that animal. The one who’s the best animal wins.”

Two pairs of brown eyes stared blankly at her. The Prescotts were not cooperating.

“Okay, I’ll go first.” She thought for a second. “A chicken. I’ll do a chicken.”

She tucked her hands under her armpits and flapped her elbows like wings, then pranced around the room squawking.

Nicki laughed out loud and pointed a finger at Becca. “You’re funny.”

Cord was hypnotized by the sound. Nicki had giggled earlier, but he hadn’t heard her laugh outright in so long that for a moment he felt winded by the pleasure.

“Okay, funny pants.” Becca grinned. “It’s your turn. Let’s see. A cow. You have to do a cow.”

Nicki jumped out of Cord’s lap, the doll falling to the floor again. “I can do a cow. I can,” she said as she got on all fours and trudged around the den going “Moo, moo, moo.”

“That’s about the best cow I’ve ever seen. What do you think, Cord?”

“The very best,” he agreed. “Better than any of the cows I have in my pastures.”

His eyes met Becca’s, and for an instant something seemed to pass between them, but Becca was sure she’d only imagined it.

“It’s Daddy’s turn,” Nicki called, interrupting the moment. “Daddy has to do one. What can Daddy be, Becca?”

Becca eyes gleamed because Cord was clearly resisting the idea. “A horse. I think Daddy should be a horse.”

“Me, too,” Nicki agreed brightly, and pulled Cord to his feet. He had that I’ll get even with you look in his eyes, but he got down on his hands and knees and crawled around the room with an occasional “Neigh.”

Nicki crawled onto his back and shouted, “Giddyup, giddyup, horsey.”

Cord laughed, a sound that came from his heart, and rolled over and held Nicki in the air as her delightful giggles filled the room.

“What the hell’s going on here?” Blanche demanded from the doorway, then glanced at Becca. “And who the hell are you?”

“Becca Talbert,” she answered stiffly, taking in Blanche’s tight-fitting red dress and heels.

“Colton’s girfriend? Is Colton here?”

Cord swung to his feet in one easy movement, Nicki held tight in his arms. “No, he isn’t.”

“Then, what’s she doing here?”

Becca bit her tongue to keep a retort from tumbling out.

“I invited her,” Cord said woodenly.

“You’re fooling around with Colton’s girl? I won’t have this, Cord.”

“Please, Blanche, acting like a mother is out of your league, so give it a rest. I’ve got to get Nicki to bed.” Exhausted from the unaccustomed exertion, Nicki was falling asleep on his shoulder.

“Cord,” Becca called after him. “It’s getting late, so I’ll be going.”

He looked back at her. “Could you wait for just a minute? I’d like to talk to you. This won’t take long.”

“Sure,” she said unenthusiastically. Spending time with Blanche was like spending time in a room full of red wasps. Didn’t matter what you said or did, you were gonna get stung.

As Cord left, Blanche went over to the built-in bar and poured a glass of scotch. She raised the glass to Becca. “What’re you up to, sugar?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Becca said, reaching for her jacket.

“Sure you do,” Blanche muttered. “You’re playing my boys against each other.”

Becca opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. She wouldn’t dignify that statement with an answer. It wasn’t any of Blanche’s business, anyway. This was between her and Cord.

“Let me give you some advice, sugar,” Blanche said, when Becca remained silent. “Stick with Colton. He has the money. Cord’s a rancher and always will be. It’s in his blood. That stupid Anette tried to change him and get him away from here, but it didn’t work.” She paused for a second and took a big swallow of scotch. “Aren’t you a doctor or something?”

“Yes, I’m a doctor.”

“Then, you’re not stupid and I’m sure you can see the writing on the wall. Cord has that rugged handsomeness that appeals to women, but sugar, in the dark it don’t make no never mind, as my dearly departed husband used to say. So stick with Colton. He has the big bucks.”

“Is that what you did, Blanche? Stick with the big bucks?”

A sly smile played across her red lips. “I see you’ve heard my story. But until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes, sugar, you don’t have the right to judge me.”

“I’m not judging you,” Becca said, but knew she was. She couldn’t imagine why an eighteen-year-old girl would marry a sixty-year-old man—other than the obvious reason. Money.

“Claybourne was a lot like Cord—very handsome even at sixty. I wouldn’t have married him, otherwise.”

“I’m sure that’s a matter of opinion.” Becca couldn’t keep the words from slipping out.

Blanche was angry. Becca could see it in her glittering blue eyes.

She finished off the scotch and walked over to Becca. “Let me tell you something, sugar. Get your ass back to the city where you belong before the same thing happens to you that happened to Anette.”

“Is that a threat?” Becca asked in a barely controlled voice.

“Take it any way you like, sugar, but stay away from my boys.” With that, she swept from the room.

CHAPTER THREE

BECCA PICKED UP HER PURSE and slid it over her shoulder. She would really prefer to leave, but she’d promised Cord she’d wait.

He soon returned. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I hope Blanche wasn’t rude to you.”

Becca wasn’t sure how to answer that or how to tell a man that his mother was obnoxious and vile, so she said, “I’m sure Blanche is always the same.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “She’s hard to take on a good day.”

Becca retrieved her medical bag thinking the Prescott men had a strange relationship with their mother. “You said you wanted to talk to me.”

“It’s about Nicki.”

Becca had expected as much. That was why she’d stayed, even though Blanche had made her temperature rise. “She’s at a critical stage. In the morning it’ll start all over again. She won’t want to leave her room or eat, but you have to make her.”

“I’m not very good at that.”

“You have to be, for Nicki’s sake.”

He gazed directly at her. “I was hoping to persuade you to come here for a couple of days so Nicki can keep progressing. I know that’s asking a lot, but I’m desperate. Della and Edie have tried to coax her out of that room with no results. You did it, though, and you had her talking and laughing. I want my little girl back. Please, Becca.”

Her stomach turned over at the sound of his saying her name. She hadn’t anticipated this, and found herself grappling for the right answer. She knew there was only one—but, still, she hesitated.

“Does Nicki go to school?”

“Anette had enrolled her in a private school in Houston. She started pre-kindergarten, but it didn’t last long. After Anette’s death, she cried all the time, and the teacher suggested maybe it would be best for her to be at home with a private teacher.”

“Did you do that?”

“Yes, I hired Mrs. Witherspoon, who’s also a nanny, but she can’t get anything out of Nicki, either. Nicki’s enrolled for kindergarten in the fall, but I’m not sure how that’s going to go.”

“Nicki’s health is at stake here,” she told him. “Nicki has to start acting like a normal child and the adults in her life have to be strong. They—and not Nicki—have to call the shots.”

“That’s not easy.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“She responds to you like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’m just asking for a little of your time.”

Becca took a long breath and tried to explain. She didn’t want to seem insensitive, but she had to be practical. “Nicki needs to start interacting with the people in her own environment. If she becomes attached to me, it’ll only make things worse.”

“Okay, Becca, I think you’ve made your position clear. I’m sorry I asked.”

Oh God, this wasn’t what she wanted at all! For the first time in her life, she was afraid of becoming too attached to a child—and to the child’s father. But Nicki needed help, and Becca had started a course of treatment and she had to see it through…to see Nicki happy again. That was the one thing, the only thing, that mattered. This wasn’t about Becca or her feelings. Besides, Cord wasn’t interested in her as a woman. He was still dealing with a lot of emotion over his wife’s death.

She’d wanted a change, an opportunity to get away from Houston for a while. The ranch wasn’t far, but it could be perfect. She’d have the time and peace to sort through all her own discontent.

“What’s it like living on a ranch?”

His eyes narrowed. “Pardon?”

“I was raised on the coast and I don’t know a thing about cows or horses or the ranching life.”

He blinked. “Does this mean you’d consider coming here to help Nicki?”

“If the offer’s still open.” She smiled. “I’m a sucker for a child in need.”

His face relaxed. “Thank you. Oh, Becca, thank you. I know you probably have a hectic schedule, but if you can just fit us in for a couple of hours, I’d really appreciate it.”

“Actually, my schedule’s open. I have some free time before I begin my practice in July.”

“Oh.” He seemed shocked. “Then, you’d be willing to stay here and help Nicki?”

She nodded. “Yes, but the nanny stays, too. I want Nicki to realize that I’ll only be here for a short time.”

“Sure, no problem.” He watched her for a moment. “I can’t believe you’ve actually agreed to do this.”

“I have an ulterior motive.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“I’ve had an exhausting schedule for the past few years and I need a break. A break from city life.” And so many other things.

“Well, then, I hope this works out for both of us,” he said. “There’s a pool in the backyard, horses to ride, wide-open spaces, and more cows than you’ll ever want to see. You won’t be bored.”

That was one thing she couldn’t possibly be around Cord. For some reason, whenever she was near him her senses seemed magnified.

“I hope Blanche won’t mind my being here.” One encounter with the woman was one too many, but Becca wasn’t going to let her interfere with Nicki’s health.

“Don’t worry about Blanche. I’ll take care of her.”

She was sure he would. The relationship between the Prescott men and their mother was an odd one. And she intended to keep out of it.

“I’ll be back sometime tomorrow morning,” she said as she moved toward the door.

“I’ll have Della prepare a room for you—and thanks again for doing this.”

She turned in the doorway. “Nicki just needs someone to push her, and I can see you’re hopeless in that area.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, forcing herself to walk to her car. She wanted to continue talking to him, to continue… There was something about Cord that touched a place deep within—a place no man had ever reached. Maybe it was the sadness she saw in his eyes or the struggle to help his little girl. Whatever it was, it had made her do an impulsive thing. Staying at the ranch was not in her plans, and yet she’d suddenly found herself volunteering. She didn’t regret that impulsiveness. In all honesty, she was looking forward to living at Triple Creek for a few days. Or even a few weeks. Now she had to tell her parents—and Colton.

CORD WATCHED until her taillights disappeared down the driveway. He couldn’t believe his luck. She was coming back and she’d be staying here. That was far more than he’d ever hoped for. This was exactly what Nicki needed—someone to help her deal with Anette’s death. Lord knows he hadn’t been able to do it.

She’s coming back was all he could think as he went in search of Della. As usual, he found her in the kitchen.

“Becca gone?” Della asked as she wiped off the counters.