Last Chance Texas, page 2
“Oh, no, that won’t be necessary.” When his mouth widened, as though he might be resisting, she added, “I wouldn’t exactly call that aesthetically appealing anyway. My mother bought it. I imagine Mimi would have preferred something a bit more subtle.”
His mouth tugged at the corners as he eyed the wreath. Fingering the rim of his hat again, he pointed to a grave several yards away. “Mimi’s grave is down there. It’s the one with the wooden cross.”
“Thank you. I’ll go pay my respects then.”
“I’ve enjoyed meeting you, Kelsey.” Nathan’s voice trailed, as though he wanted to say more. But he didn’t.
She felt a twinge of disappointment that he hadn’t taken their conversation further but decided making small talk was probably not his strong suit.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting you as well, Nathan.”
“Thank you for the wreath, Kelsey.” The comment caught her off guard, and she stared up at him, wondering if he was being facetious. When he laughed, shaking his head as he looked over at it propped up against his wife’s grave, she felt herself flush.
“It’s really awful, isn’t it?” She barely got the question out before they both laughed.
“Caitlyn thinks it’s beautiful, and that’s what matters.”
“Yes, you’re quite right,” she replied, wondering what to add.
His face softened as his deep gray eyes lit up. “My wife would have gotten a kick out of all this. She had a wonderful sense of humor.”
“I’m terribly sorry for your loss.” It sounded manufactured, but Kelsey meant every word of it.
He seemed genuinely moved by the comment, although he’d no doubt heard it hundreds of times. “Thank you, Kelsey. She didn’t live long enough to meet Caitlyn. That’s my biggest regret. Well, one of my biggest.”
The admission stunned her, and as she looked up at him, wondering what else this tall, handsome cowboy regretted.
Once again, he looked as though he wanted to say more. But instead he turned his attention to the little girl.
Several crows flew over them, their cries shattering the silence. Aware their paths probably wouldn’t cross again, Kelsey decided to make one last attempt to unlock her aunt’s very secret past.
“Is there anything you can tell me about Mimi? Anything at all?”
For the second time, his smile dissipated. Worry lines she hadn’t noticed before suddenly appeared. When he answered her question, he sounded annoyed. “Like I said before, I barely knew her. She mostly kept to herself.”
He left it at that, leading her to conclude Mimi was perhaps as much a mystery to the locals as she’d been to the O’Leary family.
~ ~ ~
Nathan stood inside the farmhouse kitchen, wishing he’d never run into Mimi’s kin. Meeting Kelsey Malone had been a fluke, and yet, it could throw a monkey wrench into his plans.
He glanced up at the Normal Rockwell calendar on his wall. February 27th. Four months to go. That’s when Squatters Rights would take effect. And when it did, all ten acres of Mimi O’Leary’s would belong to him.
Running a hand across the back of his neck, he winced, realizing Michele wouldn’t have approved of this shoddy business practice. But he had to keep his eye on the bigger picture. The medical bills they’d incurred during her battle with cancer had drained the savings account.
Staring out the kitchen window, he wished to god there was another way. But there wasn’t.
Exhaling sharply, he tried to remember her voice, her gestures-anything he could cling to. But the memories slowly slipped away each time he thought of her.
His thoughts drifted back to happier times. He’d been fresh out of vet school when they had first met. She’d been ten years his senior, with a six-year old daughter, no less. Nowadays they’d call her a cougar.
But despite their age difference, it all seemed to work out - until the cancer. She’d fought like hell to overcome it, but in the end, it devoured her like a savage beast.
Shaking his head, he headed toward the coffee pot for a refill.
Without warning, his black lab sauntered over, parking herself squarely in front of him, and plopped down. “Whoa, Gypsy. Good way to get stepped on.”
Cocking her head to one side, the dog stared up at Nathan, her eyes cloudy. At nine, she probably couldn’t see him clearly.
He crouched down, running his fingers along her coat. “You miss her too, don’t you?” Ignoring him, the dog stood up, lumbered over to her bed, and circled it several times before plopping back down.
“And now for all of you true country boys, here’s an oldie but goody.” As the radio blared out a song about some lady thinking a guy’s tractor was sexy, Nathan smiled. It’d been his wife’s favorite. Funny after all these years, he remembered. It never failed to lift his spirits. And they definitely needed lifting.
Glancing at his watch, he realized it was nearly eight. He’d forgotten all about dinner. But then, he did that a lot these days.
He strolled over to the fridge and pulled out a frozen dinner, just like he always did. He’d eat, log onto the computer and pay some bills, watch Jay Leno, and hit the sack.
It was always the same; the same cycle of events with nothing changing. He detested how predictable his life had become; predictable and boring as hell. But that’s how things were when you lost your soulmate.
Chapter 2
The following morning Kelsey pulled into the parking lot of a tiny park called Poet’s Grove to attend the annual Cowboy Poetry Chuckwagon Breakfast. Although she and Meredith weren’t particularly interested in attending, Rachel had begged them to go. They’d need to eat quickly because the first poetry event which took place at the local college called Sul Ross University would begin promptly at nine.
Kelsey stared up at the gentle slope of the beautiful desert mountains surrounding the park and tried to unwind. But as she thought back to her encounter with Nathan Wainwright the night before, a feeling of gloom swept through her. She’d tossed and turned for hours, trying to read between the lines, trying to figure out what Nathan wasn’t telling her about her Aunt Mimi.
“Kels. Mere. Hurry it up.” Rachel sprinted ahead, motioning them to follow.
Kelsey felt sorry for her friend. She’d met some guy at the bar last night and when he’d asked her to join him at the chuckwagon, she was all over it. Although Rachel often created her own problems, the poor girl always ended up disappointed. She drifted from one guy to the next, always looking for the perfect man. Of course, he didn’t exist. But try telling that to Rachel.
Meredith kicked a small rock away and began sprinting to keep up with Rachel. Kelsey obediently followed, wishing she’d never agreed to drag herself out of bed this early to have breakfast at the chuckwagon. And yet, she owed the girls.
Rachel raced toward a large tent, motioning Kelsey and Meredith to follow.
“Jake told me they’re doing the cooking over at the chuckwagon. But let’s check his tent first. He slept out all night.” When neither woman responded, Rachel’s emerald eyes twinkled. “All the guys cooking the breakfast slept out under the stars. Is that cool or what? Just wait until you see him. He’s so good looking!”
Kelsey chuckled at Rachel’s dramatic display. The cliché, ‘giddy as a schoolgirl,’ popped into her head, but she fought the urge to warn Rachel not to get her hopes up. This Jake guy, no doubt, would be just like all the rest.
“I give this budding romance about ten more minutes.” Meredith rolled her eyes as she said it.
“Oh, Mere. Come on. Cut her some slack.”
“You are such a pushover.” Meredith jerked her head back, tossing her blonde perfectly-coiffed hair as she hissed out the remark. Kelsey gazed toward the hills once again, sending good thoughts Rachel’s way.
Please don’t let her be disappointed again.
She quickly steered the conversation away from Rachel and her most recent crush. “I appreciate you making the drive to Alpine with me. It’s a beautiful little town, isn’t it?” Kelsey slowed her pace as she spoke, digesting the authentic-looking campsite, reminiscent of the westerns she’d watched as a child.
She stopped in her tracks, staring at an array of cooking kettles hanging by pegs, strewn haphazardly throughout the chuckwagon.
Between the chuckwagon and the sea of Stetson hats sprinkled throughout the campsite, Kelsey felt as though she’d turned the clock back a hundred years. She glanced back up at the distant hills, half expecting a band of cowboys to come galloping down on horseback brandishing pistols.
A man dressed in perfectly creased blue jeans and a buckskin jacket bolted from a tent and began racing toward them, a huge grin splashed across his face.
“Oh, my god. That’s him. That’s Jake!” Rachel’s eyes lit up when she saw him, and Kelsey glanced over to see what Meredith’s reaction would be.
Mere’s mouth twisted into a look that could only be described as sheer amazement. “Well, will you look at that? He really is good looking!”
“Dallas, you came! Just like you said.” The word said actually had two syllables when he spoke. More like, “say-ed.” The guy’s voice oozed like syrup, his drawl so thick Kelsey could hardly understand him.
“Hi, Jake.” Rachel batted her eyelashes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t fly off her face.
As Rachel raced over to greet him, Meredith rolled her eyes again.
“Top of the mornin’ to ya, ladies. Man, you sure do clean up good, Dallas.”
“Dallas?” Kelsey asked, staring at Rachel, wondering just exactly when she’d gotten that nickname.
“That’s the name Jake gave me. Pretty awesome, huh?” Rachel beamed as she spoke, nervously twisting several locks of her dark hair.
Removing his hat, the cowboy Rachel referred to as Jake dipped his head and smiled.
“You’re even prettier than you were last night, Dallas.” As Kelsey studied the guy, it was easy to see why someone as naïve as Rachel would be smitten. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, and chiseled features. As cliché as it sounded, this dude looked like he came straight out of GQ.
This guy was obviously a player. The girl was in over her head.
Kelsey felt herself cringe as she realized that Rachel no doubt intended to form some type of relationship with this guy. Which was pretty stupid.
They were, after all, just out here to help Kelsey claim the land. She’d already scheduled an appointment for tomorrow with a real estate agent to discuss the property. And once that was done, they’d head back to Dallas, never to return to Alpine again. Pretty much a waste of time for Rachel to fall for a guy who lived nine hours away.
But as Kelsey watched Rachel snuggle up to Jake, gazing up at him adoringly, she found herself wishing on some level she was more like Rachel. Trusting, optimistic, and naïve as hell. But she wasn’t. That ship had sailed years ago.
Jake slid his arm down Rachel’s back and began rubbing it. When he spoke, his tone was low and husky. “We could sure use an extra hand, Dallas. How good are you at cracking eggs?”
He wanted Rachel all to himself. That much was obvious.
As Kelsey watched them walk into the oversized tent, laden with cookware, Rachel glanced back at them, a smug look on her face.
A guy this slick would probably have Rachel in the sack before nightfall.
But as Kelsey watched the look of excitement on Rachel’s face, she decided not to be a spoilsport.
There was a time she’d been that naïve-that trusting. Of course, that had been before the divorce. Before the string of one night stands that followed left her too numb to feel anything.
Out of nowhere, memories of Nathan Wainwright surfaced. Kelsey felt emotions bubble up inside her as she recalled the way his steel, gray eyes lit up when he mentioned his wife. The deep melancholic tone in his voice as he’d shared how deeply he regretted his wife’s passing before she’d had a chance to meet their granddaughter had touched Kelsey. She exhaled sharply as she contemplated what it would be like to have a husband so devoted to you.
There were a band of faithful husbands out there. Unfortunately, she hadn’t married one of them.
“Have fun, Rach. We’ll see you later.” Kelsey hoped the sentiment sounded more sincere than it felt.
When Meredith motioned her toward the food line, Kelsey numbly followed.
“May as well make our way over to the breakfast line. It’s getting pretty long.” Meredith sounded frustrated when she spoke, and Kelsey wondered if she was peeved about Rachel dumping them.
As they scurried toward several tables piled high with food, Kelsey noted the simplicity of the breakfast spread. No fancy table linens or elegant serving trays, just vinyl, checkered table clothes with large, aluminum trays resting on them.
They stood in line for less than a minute when a man dressed in a western-style shirt and alligator cowboy boots stepped back, removed his hat, and motioned them to cut in line. “I’m in no hurry. You ladies go ahead.”
Both women thanked the gentleman and promptly took him up on his offer.
“Kind of different than people back home, huh?” When Meredith said it, Kelsey couldn’t decide if the comment was meant to be taken at face value, or if Meredith was lamenting being married to a man who pushed everyone aside to get ahead. Maybe meeting people who wouldn’t crush everyone in sight to get ahead would do Meredith some good. Let her see how the other half lived.
Kelsey studied the assortment of cowboy hats ahead of them.
They’d been in line less than a minute when she spotted him.
Towering over everyone else, Nathan Wainwright stood, his hands stuffed in the pockets of the tobacco colored duster he was wearing. He was alone, which didn’t surprise Kelsey in the least. From what she’d observed, Nathan was more reserved than most men she’d known.
“What are you staring at?” Meredith reached over, grabbing Kelsey’s arm.
“Nathan. The guy I met at the cemetery last night.”
“The guy who knew your aunt?” Meredith stood on her tiptoes and scanned the crowd. “Point him out to me.”
“He’s the tall, dark-haired guy wearing the duster.” Kelsey quickly pointed at Nathan, and looked back at Meredith to get her take on things.
“Hmm . . . he’s kinda cute. In a rugged sort of way.”
“You can barely see him from here, Mere. How do you know what he looks like? And seriously what does ‘handsome in a rugged sort of way’ mean anyway?” Kelsey arched one eyebrow, just the way she always did when something puzzled her.
“It means he’s a good-looking dude and I think you should introduce him to me. That way, I can tell him what a great catch you are.”
“Geez, Mere. Come on.”
“You haven’t had a date in months. Bet you a million to one you can get the guy to ask you out by the time breakfast ends.”
“Enough, Mere, I’m not interested.”
When Meredith stepped out of line and began moving toward where Nathan Wainwright stood, Kelsey yanked her by the arm, putting a stop to this nonsense. “Mere, no. I don’t want to intrude. He’s probably meeting someone.”
“You talked our ears off last night about how cagey this guy was when you mentioned your aunt’s name. We’ll only be here for a couple of days, Kelsey. If there was ever a time to find out why your aunt was such a mystery, it’s now. I say, go for it.” Meredith placed an arm on Kelsey’s shoulder and whisked her toward Nathan Wainwright.
~ ~ ~
Nathan waited in line, the smell of freshly baked biscuits making his mouth water. He’d just kicked several pebbles from his boot when he heard the soft padding of footsteps just to his right.
“Nathan?”
He recognized the warm cadence of her voice immediately.
He whirled around as Kelsey waved at him, her lips parting into a smile as she walked up to him. A woman he’d never seen before accompanied her.
When both women greeted him, he removed his cowboy hat, motioning them to cut in line. “Morning, ladies.”
“Hello again, Nathan.”
Kelsey’s soft, brown eyes lit up as she smiled, and as usual, a clever, snappy retort eluded him.
“Hey, there. Long time, no see.”
That’s it? That’s all you got?
With that thick, auburn hair of hers tied back in a ponytail, Kelsey Malone looked absolutely stunning. Her high cheekbones and perfectly formed jaw line reminded him of the Greek goddesses he learned about in high school. As he studied her closely, he couldn’t imagine for the life of him why he hadn’t noticed how utterly gorgeous she was the previous evening.
He hadn’t really thought of her this way until now. Pretty and all. But he’d had plenty on his mind last night at the cemetery. Mainly, the land.
“I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Meredith Chapman. Meredith, this is Nathan Wainwright.”
The blonde immediately reached for his hand. “Hello. Nice to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s mine. Jake tells me y’all are from Dallas. What exactly brings you to our neck of the woods?” He cringed after he said it, aware he probably sounded like some backwoods hick.
“Actually, we’re here for the poetry gathering. We head back to Dallas on Sunday.” Meredith shot a quick glance at Kelsey, but not quick enough, and Nathan wondered what was up.
Maybe Kelsey really was here for the poetry gathering and nothing more. Maybe she wasn’t here for the land after all. Hell, maybe she didn’t even know it existed.
