The Cowboy's Return

“No, sweetie, you go ahead.” Millie poured a round of coffee for the men. “I’m giving these old coots thirty more minutes then I’m kicking them out.”

Joe Bob held a hand over his heart. “Aw. You’ve wounded my manly pride.”

“Yeah, right,” Millie laughed, then she turned to Camila. “Got the party all planned?”

“Yes,” Camila answered, her tiredness easing at thoughts of her daughter. “I told Jilly she could do something special for her twelfth birthday and I’m sure she wants to have a slumber party. She’s going to be really surprised that I’ve planned a party here for all her friends. Thought we could push back the tables and they could dance.”

“Do I get an invite?” Slim winked.

Camila patted his gray head. Slim was the youngest of the group. His wife had died of cancer about five years ago and he was lonely. “You’re always invited. Now I’d better call and see if my daughter’s ready to go home.”

Picking up the phone, she dialed Kerri’s mother. “Hi, Betty Sue, I was just checking to see if Jilly wants a ride home.”

There was a long pause on the line.

“Betty Sue, are you there?”

“Yes, I’m just a little shocked.”

“Why?”

“The girls are supposed to be working at your house.”

Camila was at a loss for words, but she recovered quickly. “What are those girls up to?”

“I don’t know, but it makes me nervous.”

“Me, too,” Camila admitted. “It’s not like Jilly to lie to me.” She’d never had a problem with her daughter. She made sure she was involved in her life and that she knew where Jilly was and what she was doing at all times. But something had slipped by her. Jilly wasn’t where she was supposed to be today. She’d really be worried if this weren’t Bramble, where everyone knew each other.

“I’m going home, Betty Sue. I’ll call you when I get there. Maybe they just wanted to be alone. They’re almost twelve, but Jilly assures me she’s grown.”

“I don’t like them lying to us.”

“I don’t, either, and I will definitely get to the bottom of this.”

Hanging up, she grabbed her purse and headed for her Suburban parked in the rear of the shop. Within five minutes, she was driving into her garage.

The house was quiet and the lights weren’t on. Jilly wasn’t there. She ran to her daughter’s room. Button wasn’t there, either. That meant Jilly had come home after school and gotten her, but where did they go?

She ran back to the kitchen and before panic could take root, she glanced out the kitchen window and saw Jilly ride into the garage on her bicycle. Camila took a deep breath, trying not to get angry. Jilly had thought that she’d be home before Camila and Camila would never have known she hadn’t been at Kerri’s today.

Camila busied herself at the sink and turned to Jilly with a smile, like always, as she entered with Button in her arms.

“Hi, baby,” Camila said and kissed Jilly’s warm cheek. Her daughter’s face was red and she looked flustered. Camila held the back of her hand to Jilly’s forehead. “Do you have a fever?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Jilly replied nervously. Button jumped from her arms and scurried for her bed in Jilly’s room.

“What’s wrong with Button?”

“I took her for a bike ride and I guess she didn’t like the wind.” Jilly avoided eye contact and Camila knew she was lying. Whenever Jilly had done something wrong, she couldn’t look at her mother.

Jilly grabbed some bottled water out of the refrigerator and drank thirstily.

“Did you and Kerri finish your project?”

“What?” Jilly looked at her with rounded eyes.

“The solar system you were working on, did you finish it?”

“Ah…ah…I…” Her bottom lip trembled. “I’m sorry…Mama…I’m sorry.”

Camila guided her to a chair at the table, then she sat beside her. “What are you sorry about?”

“I did something and…” She leveled a teary glance at Camila. “You know I wasn’t at Kerri’s, don’t you?”

Camila nodded, glad her daughter wasn’t going to lie further, and wondering why she’d had to in the first place. They were always able to talk about anything. But evidently there was something bothering Jilly that Camila didn’t know about. “I called to see if you wanted a ride home.”

Jilly winced. “Were you mad cause I wasn’t there?”

“No, just worried. Why did you lie to me?”

Jilly twisted her hands. “You’re going to be mad now.”

“Why?”

“Because I did something and I should have told you first.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I knew you wouldn’t let me do it.”

“I see,” Camila murmured, getting a bad feeling in her stomach. “What did you do?”

“Remember you said I could do something special for my birthday?”

“Yes.”

“When I saw Mr. Daniels’s picture in the paper, I wondered if my daddy looked like him and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to see…to see what my daddy’s brother looked like in person.”

“Jilly, you didn’t.”

“Yes. I went to see Mr. Daniels.”

That bad feeling exploded into tiny pinpricks all over Camila’s body, leaving her nauseous and weak, but she had to concentrate on her daughter and not a past that she’d managed to put behind her. Yet sometimes that past had the power to make her feel frightened and alone, as she had when she was seventeen.

She gathered herself. “You should have told me what you were thinking.”

“I didn’t want to upset you,” Jilly mumbled.

“It upsets me more when you lie to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Camila scooted closer and caught Jilly’s hands. “If you wanted to see your father’s family, I wouldn’t have said no. But they’ve made no attempt over the years and my only concern is you getting hurt.”

“I wish I hadn’t gone,” Jilly mumbled again.

The pinpricks turned to a cold chill, but she had to know what her daughter meant, “What happened?”

“Kerri and I rode over there on our bikes and the place is really run down and kind of spooky.”

“I heard the Danielses are having a difficult time.”

“It’s like nobody lives there and I was so scared, but I knocked anyway and Morris answered the door. I had to ask three times if I could speak with Mr. Daniels before he heard me. Then he came and his hair was a mess and he didn’t look too friendly.”

Camila’s stomach clenched. She’d seen Tripp’s picture in the paper, too, and she was hoping he wouldn’t be staying long in Bramble.

“I couldn’t say anything for a long time, my tongue wouldn’t work. He was going to close the door so I blurted out my name and told him I made straight A’s and I was going to be a doctor and his family missed a lot by not knowing me…and you.”

“Oh, Jilly.” Camila wrapped her arms around her. She thought she knew her daughter, but she’d never dreamed she harbored these feelings. “Why didn’t you tell me you were thinking about your father?”

“’Cause it makes you sad.”

“There’s nothing you can’t talk to me about…even if it makes me sad. Don’t you know that?”

Jilly’s mouth trembled into a smile. “Yeah, and I won’t go back.”

Camila cupped Jilly’s face. “It’s okay to be curious about your father’s family, but next time, please talk it over with me first. I don’t like you riding that far on your bicycle.”

“Okay.” Jilly looped her arms around Camila’s waist and squeezed.

“Mama?”

“Hmm?”

“Do my grandparents live there?”

Camila swallowed. “Yes, they do.”

“But it’s so dirty and unkempt. Do you think they’re okay?”

This was her Jilly, always worried about everyone. There wasn’t an old person in Bramble who didn’t know Jilly. She ran errands and helped anyone who needed it. Jilly had a big heart and Camila cringed inside at the thought of anyone ever hurting her.

“Yes, they’re fine. Nurse Tisdale checks on them three times a week.” The nurse came in the shop occasionally and talked of the disrepair at the Lady Luck.

“I guess I’m like grounded for life,” Jilly muttered against Camila.

“Pretty much.”

Jilly drew away, her eyes worried. “But, Mama, I have to take out Mrs. Shynosky’s trash and pick up Mrs. Haskell’s groceries when she needs something and take Miss Unie food or she’ll just eat cat food.”

Camila tucked wisps of stray hair behind Jilly’s ear. “Do you know how special you are?”

Jilly grinned. “Then I can still help out?”

“Yes, but no TV or listening to music for a week.”

“Ah, piece of cake.” She kissed her mother. “I love you and I’m sorry I lied.”

“Just don’t do it again.”

“I won’t. I’d better check on Button.” She disappeared down the hall.

Camila buried her face in her hands. Oh, Jilly. What have you done? She’d thought she’d put the past behind her, closed that door forever. But now it was wide open and Camila didn’t know if she had the strength to go through it, to face a past that was painful, to face her daughter if she found out the truth. But she would make sure that never happened.

She’d guard the truth with her life.

Chapter Two

Jilly’s visit plagued Tripp and triggered thoughts of Camila. He’d often wondered how her life had turned out. Evidently she hadn’t married, since Jilly’s last name was Walker.

He worked until he was exhausted and still couldn’t shake them from his mind. So he worked that much harder. He fixed the tractor and lawn mower and cut the weeds around the house and mowed the grass. He hired the Garcia brothers to repair the entrance and the fence, then he went looking for Earl Boggs, who leased the land.

The Boggs family owned the little town of Bramble. Otis Boggs had died several years ago and his widow, Thelma Bramble, was the matriarch of the family. Earl, Bert and Melvin were her sons. Bert ran the bank, Melvin the feed and hardware store, and Earl took care of the Boggs ranch. Tripp went there to talk to him, but he was told that Earl was in town.

He drove to town and still couldn’t locate Earl. Frustrated, he went back to Lady Luck, not wanting to leave his parents too long. They were napping, as was Morris, so Tripp let them rest.

He called his friend and partner, Brodie Hayes. The two of them owned a Hereford cattle ranch near Mesquite, Texas, and Tripp had to let him know he wasn’t returning as soon as he’d planned.

“So you’re not coming back for a while?” Brodie asked.

“I can’t leave my parents just yet and the place is so run down.”

“Take all the time you need. I can run this place with my eyes closed.”

“Yeah, right.”

Brodie laughed. They’d been the best of friends since their rodeo days. The two of them and Colter Kincaid, another friend and rodeo rider, lived not far from each other. Colter had married the love of his life and now had two children.

“How’s Colter and the family?”

“Wonderful. Every time I’m over there it makes me think about getting married. Then I come home and take a cold shower and it brings me to my senses.”

“I guess we’re going to be two old bachelors.”

“Yep.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Something bothering you?” Brodie asked.

He told Brodie about Jilly’s visit.

“So you think this could be your brother’s daughter?”

“I’m not sure, but I can’t stop thinking how good it would be for my parents if she was.”

“Then find out.”

That would be easy for Brodie. He was a charmer, a talker.

“Hell, Tripp, you’re not a shy sixteen-year-old. Just ask the woman, or do you think she doesn’t know who the father is?”

“Not sure about that either, but I’ll definitely speak to her. Talk to you in a couple of days.”

Tripp stared at the phone. He’d never told Brodie or anyone about his feelings for Camila. Feelings? He scoffed at the word and forced himself to call it what it was—good old-fashioned lust. Every time he’d looked at her, he hadn’t been able to think straight, and she’d been a teenager and… That was in the past—a past he’d just as soon forget. He knew what he had to do for his family. He left a note for Morris and drove back to town.

CAMILA LOCKED UP for the day and saw Eunice Gimble across the street, pushing her shopping cart of plastic bags filled with aluminum cans. Unie was the can lady of Bramble. She was close to ninety and picked up cans from the street, diner, beer joints and roadsides, any place she could find them.

Camila went over to her. A dirty black coat covered with cat hair hung on her thin body and she wore a multicolored wool scarf tied around her head. “Hi, Unie,” Camila said.

Unie whirled around, a frown on her wrinkled face. “Oh, Camila, it’s you. Thought you were someone trying to steal my cans.”

Unie’s mind wasn’t right. Sometimes she made sense and sometimes she didn’t, but she always talked about people being after her cans or her money. She lived in a run down house with weeds grown to the windowsills, and everyone knew she didn’t have any money.

Camila didn’t understand why the people of Bramble didn’t try to help her. She and Jilly were the only ones concerned about Unie. They mowed her grass when Unie would let them. Unie didn’t take kindly to charity. They still took her food and checked on her, but Unie needed more attention than that. People of Bramble tended to leave her alone, except those who made fun of her.

“Would you like a ride home? I can put your cart in the back of my Suburban.” Camila always felt sorry for this old lady who was all alone and lived in her own little world.

“Nope. Not through for the day.”

A purr rippled from the plastic bags and Lu Lu, Unie’s black-and-white cat and constant companion, raised her head from the bags.

Unie stroked Lu Lu for a second then pushed her cart farther down the street, pausing to look in a trash can.

Camila shook her head and headed for her car and home. Jilly was in her room, doing her homework. As part of her punishment, she wasn’t allowed to visit with her girlfriends after school.

Camila had been on pins and needles waiting for Tripp to make an appearance, but so far he hadn’t. Maybe he was going to forget about Jilly’s visit. Looking in the fridge, she tried to decide what they’d have for supper.

The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. Her breath stalled in her throat.

Tripp Daniels stood there with his hat in his hand. His chiseled features were bronzed by the sun and his blond streaked hair curled into the collar of a blue-and-white pin-striped shirt. Wrangler jeans molded his long legs and cowboy boots made his legs seem that much longer. A silver buckle gleamed on a tooled leather belt. His eyes were as striking and blue as a Texas sky, and he looked more handsome than she ever remembered. She hated herself for recognizing that.

And she hated that stir of excitement in her stomach.

“Tripp.” His name slipped out before she could stop it. She didn’t want them to be on a first-name basis.

“Camila.” He nodded. “Could I speak with you for a second?” He had a deep Texas drawl that as a silly teenager had evoked visions in her head of satin sheets, champagne, roses and soft music. Sadly, it still did.

“That’s not necessary.” She shook the image away, her hand gripping the doorknob to still the nervous flutter in her stomach. “Jilly told me what she did and I promise she won’t bother your family again.”

“She wasn’t bothering us,” he said, twisting his hat. “Could I come in, please?”

No. No. No.

“We don’t have anything to say to each other.”

He glanced at the street, then back at her, almost as if he was resigning himself to the fact he wasn’t getting past her doorway. “That’s where you’re wrong. I think we have a lot to talk about. If you want to have this conversation out here, well, I guess we can.”

She glared at him for forcing the issue, but stepped aside, knowing she might as well get this over with. “You’ve got five minutes, Mr. Daniels.”

He lifted an eyebrow at that. “Tripp, please.”

She’d always thought that was a strange name to give a child. But it had been his mother’s maiden name. Leona was the last of the Tripps and she wanted the name carried on.

They walked into the living room and Camila quickly moved the baby eyelet quilt in the quilting hoop from the sofa. She’d planned on finishing it tonight. As she turned, she bumped into him. She hadn’t realized he was so close behind her. His body was hard and firm, and his tangy aftershave jolted her senses, reminding her of that night. She jerked away. She didn’t mean to, but she couldn’t be that close to him and not remember.

Was there a look of sympathy in his eyes? That was the last thing she wanted from Tripp Daniels. He eased onto the sofa and she perched on the edge of a chair and waited. She knew what was coming.

Suddenly the living room seemed small, way too small. He looked out of place on her beige sofa and colorful throw pillows. She had trouble breathing and she didn’t know why, but something about having a Daniels in her home was unnerving.

He placed his hat beside himself and clasped his hands together. “I was surprised to see your daughter the other day.”

Your daughter. No mention of Patrick. Her jaw clenched tight.

“I told you that won’t happen again.” She kept her back straight, her hands folded in her lap.

“Obviously she believes we’ve slighted her.”

“As I said—”

He cut in. “Jilly looks a lot like you.”

Camila stiffened even more. “Yes.”

His gaze locked with hers. “This might be out of line, but I’d like to know if she’s Patrick’s?”

She sprang to her feet. “If you have to ask that question, then I don’t want you in my house. Please leave.”

As if she hadn’t spoken, he said, “I’ve been away for a long time and I was surprised to find my parents in such bad shape.”

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have stayed away so long.”

He inhaled deeply. “If Jilly is Patrick’s, she could be what they need to give them a will to live. I’m asking a yes or no question.”

She bristled even more. “Jilly is not a dose of medicine. She’s a loving young girl and I will not have her hurt. Your parents have not shown the slightest interest in her.”

“I said that badly. I apologize.”

Camila marched to the door. “Mr. Daniels, Jilly is my daughter and no concern of yours or your family.”

He didn’t budge. “I’d like to have a DNA test done.”

She whirled around. “What?”

“Patrick could be the father. I want to know for sure.” His blue eyes turned to the color of steel.

Could be. Could be. Her blood pressure soared.

“Never. Now get out of my house.”

Tripp slowly stood, knowing he’d stepped over the line of good manners, but something about being this close to Camila made him act and do things out of character. When Patrick had brought her out to the ranch, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her. People had called her trash, but he’d seen an unbelievably beautiful young woman with dark eyes and hair who moved with a sensuousness he’d never seen before.

Looking at her now, he saw the same thing, but a mature version. The years had been kind to Camila. A clip held her long hair away from the clean lines of her face and her olive skin was touchable perfection. In jeans and a T-shirt, her body was more riveting than a starlet in a skimpy three-thousand-dollar gown. But the eyes were always what got him—dark as the night, as deep as the ocean and as mysterious as the Marfa lights, yet there was a hidden pain in them that she couldn’t disguise.

Thirteen years and she still made his heart race, and his body… He cleared his mind, searching for the right words to apologize again.

Jilly walked into the room. “Mama…” Her voice trailed away when she saw him. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Hi, Jilly.”

Jilly glanced at her mother then back at Tripp. “Hi.”

“Mr. Daniels was just leaving,” Camila said.

Tripp turned back to the sofa and retrieved his hat. “I just wanted to make sure I didn’t frighten you the other day.” The excuse sounded lame to his own ears, but he found he couldn’t say anything that would hurt this young girl. He’d have to sort this out with Camila, but at the moment, her dark eyes were about to sear him into a pile of ashes.

Jilly reached down and picked up her dog, who was making soft noises at her feet. “No. I’m fine.”

Tripp nodded. “Good.”

He headed for the door.

“Mr. Daniels?” Jilly asked.

He looked back. “Yes.”

“Are Mr. and Mrs. Daniels okay?”

Tripp was taken aback for a second. “Their health’s not very good but they’re okay.”

“Do they need anything?”

This time he didn’t know what to say. He’d never met anyone like Jilly before, except… For a moment he was shaken by the thought.

“Because I run errands for a lot of people,” Jilly informed him. “And if they need anything, I can pedal it out there. It doesn’t take long.”

Don’t do this, Jilly. Baby, don’t do this. Camila’s heart broke at the entreaty in her daughter’s voice. Jilly wanted to help the Danielses. It was very evident Jilly wanted to know her father’s family and Camila had to let it happen. But she would fiercely guard her daughter’s feelings.

“I’ll remember that,” Tripp said and placed his hat on his head. At the door, he spoke to Camila. “I’m sorry if my visit has disturbed you. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Goodbye.” She closed the door, unable to deal with anything else right now but her daughter.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” Jilly said as Camila walked into the living room.

Camila sat on the sofa, bracing herself to tell Jilly about Patrick. She looked at her daughter. “Never be afraid to talk to me.”

“I’m not, Mama.”

“But you’re curious about your father and his family, so let’s talk about it.” She patted the spot beside her.

“Okay.” Jilly nestled into Camila’s side and Camila wrapped an arm around her. Button curled into a ball on her lap.

“Did my daddy look like Mr. Daniels?”

“Some.” Camila ran her fingers through Jilly’s dark tresses. “They have the same blond hair and blue eyes, but Tripp was the handsome older brother. Girls noticed him and he was popular. Patrick, on the other hand, was very shy and always felt overshadowed by his big brother. They lived on a ranch, but Patrick was never interested in horses or cows. He always had his head in a book and when he got his first computer, well, he found his joy. He was going to be a computer engineer.”

“But he got killed?”

“Yes.” Camila’s hand stopped. She could still feel that pain of long ago when she’d been told of Patrick’s death.

“And you and he were in love?”

She chose her words carefully. “Patrick and I were very good friends. We had been since kindergarten. Patrick was my protector. When kids said bad things about me or Benita, he’d always take up for me. He had a very big heart and I loved him for that.” She hadn’t been in love with Patrick, though—that’s what had caused the problem. She’d cared for him a great deal and had been so grateful for his support. But Patrick had wanted more.

“Why do the Danielses think you’re so bad?”

Her hand curled into a fist and she dreaded this part, but she wasn’t going to lie to Jilly.

Before she could find the words, Jilly asked, “Is it because Benita’s been married so many times?”

“That’s part of it.”

“Is it because she worked in a bar and danced when men asked her to?”

“Partly.”

“But that’s not fair. Benita’s a fun person and she’s always happy. She’s not a bad woman.”

Camila tucked hair behind Jilly’s ear. “That’s because you love her. Other people don’t see her that way.” She swallowed. “And some don’t see me that way either.”

Jilly raised her head. “Why, Mama? You didn’t sleep with other guys. I know you didn’t.”

She kissed the tip of Jilly’s nose. “Thank you for your faith in me. You get that soft heart from Patrick. He was the same way.”