Last Chance Texas, page 3
Nathan’s mood lifted as he considered that maybe keeping the land might not prove all that difficult. According to the law, after five years Mimi’s land would be his if no one stepped up to claim it. With only four more months to go, he just might be able to pull it off.
But when he looked over at Kelsey, his conscience began bothering him. Staring past her, he considered all that was at stake here.
If you don’t get Mimi’s property and sell it off, there’s no way you can afford to send Maura to college. She’s your stepdaughter. You owe her.
He tried to put it all out of his mind when a comment from Meredith sent him back on high alert.
“Kelsey tells me you knew her aunt.”
“Not all that well.” He was doing it again. Downplaying the fact he and Mimi O’Leary went way back.
But Meredith kept the focus on Mimi. “Kelsey said her parents rarely spoke about Mimi, so I suspect she’s hoping you can shed some light on what her aunt was like. Apparently, Mimi lived here in Alpine for a very long time. I imagine you got to know her quite well.”
Change the damn subject. Enough about Mimi.
Kelsey’s friend seemed overly curious about Mimi. Maybe if he distracted both women, the endless talk about Mimi would stop.
“The line’s moving pretty slowly. How about we duck out for a while and get some coffee?” His attempt to distract Kelsey worked like a charm.
“Sounds perfect. I could use a cup. I’m not used to getting up this early. Just point me in the right direction.” Kelsey’s eyes lit up again, and he suspected he’d said the magic word.
“You two go ahead. I’m going to walk around a little. I’ll catch up later.” Meredith began moving away from them, but Kelsey immediately stopped her.
“No, you won’t. You’ll stay with us.” Although Kelsey’s tone was one of insistence, Meredith raised a hand, trying to block her.
The woman looked peeved now, and Nathan wondered if he’d gotten in the middle of something. Meredith hesitated for several seconds before addressing Kelsey’s comment. “I haven’t had one second to myself since we got here. Seriously, I could use a break from everyone. No offense, Nathan.”
Before they could stop her, Meredith headed toward the picnic tables, leaving the two of them alone.
As ill at ease as Nathan felt being alone with Kelsey, she appeared to be every bit as uncomfortable as she fidgeted with the zipper on her leather coat.
“Well, let’s get you that coffee now.” He guided Kelsey toward the coffee pots, inhaling the fresh scent of lavender she wore.
The campground continued filling quickly, and as the two of them walked, several people greeted them. It occurred to him the townspeople would be shocked if they knew he was keeping company with Mimi’s niece. Over the years, Mimi had earned herself quite a reputation here in Alpine. But he’d keep that to himself. No sense giving Kelsey more information than she needed.
She stopped suddenly, staring at the old-fashioned chuckwagon, as though she’d never seen anything quite like it. While Nathan had attended this event every year since he was a kid, he realized to a city slicker - it looked pretty rustic.
“This is an amazing place. It looks so authentic I feel like I’m going back in time.” Kelsey glanced around the campground and smiled.
It amused him that something he so took for granted seemed to completely captivate her. Watching her react to things was like seeing it for the first time through someone else’s eyes.
They walked several more yards before reaching the campfire. When she smiled up at him, he decided that spending time with her had brightened his day considerably.
Don’t let your guard down. She’s Mimi’s kin. You’ve worked your butt off keeping up the O’Leary property. Don’t blow it now.
Grabbing a large metal pot of coffee, he poured her a cup. “How do you like your coffee?”
“Black.” When he handed it to her, she smiled. “This is quite an event, this chuckwagon thing.”
“Jake and I do it every year. In fact, this is our twelfth time. Jake and I slept out here under the stars and got up at three to start cooking. All the cooks do.”
“Really?” Looking away, she stared at the tent several yards away. “I thought from the way Jake talked you didn’t start the cooking until later. He seemed in a bit of a panic and dragged Rachel into the chuckwagon to help out. Her job, from what he said, was to crack eggs.”
Cracking eggs? Damn. Jake was good. You had to give him that.
As Nathan scanned the large picnic tables piled high with food, he suppressed a smile. There was already enough to feed an army. It was clear to him Jake and Rachel weren’t cooking. At least, food-wise, they weren’t. Kelsey apparently didn’t realize that.
He struggled to keep from laughing as he set the record straight. “We make the food ahead of time. If Jake and your friend are in the tent, I doubt they’re cracking eggs.”
When the color drained from Kelsey’s face, he regretted being so blunt.
“I was afraid of that.” Her pensive stare told him she’d already made up her mind about what kind of a guy Jake was.
“Hey,” he said, as he reached for her arm, stopping her. “They’ll be fine.”
Her dark eyes blazed for several seconds, but then her look softened. It was then he noticed the amber flecks in them. He caught himself staring at the softness of her features, wondering how it would feel to touch her.
“Rachel’s lucky to have a friend like you to watch her back.”
“That’s very kind of you to say, Nathan. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He could hear the husky tone in his own voice as he spoke. Against his better judgment, he placed his arm around her.
When she leaned closer, he closed his eyes.
You’re playing with fire, Nathan.
~ ~ ~
Nathan offered Kelsey his arm as they strolled throughout the campgrounds, and she took it, marveling at how natural it felt to be with him.
He guided her about the park, occasionally nodding at passers-by. The West Texas cowboy intrigued her. His laid-back demeanor, the way his gray eyes lit up when he was about to say something.
“When you’re not working the chuckwagon, what do you do?”
“I’m a large animal vet.” He smiled warmly, as though pleased she’d asked about his work.
“Really?”
“Yup. Horses and cows mainly. But I treat mules and donkeys every now and then.”
“That must prove challenging.” After she said it, he chuckled, as though sensing where she was going with this.
“That’s an understatement. And yes, they kick pretty darn hard. I have the scars to prove it.”
Back at the campfire, he crouched down, pouring himself more coffee. When the duster he wore opened slightly, she found herself staring. Even though he wore jeans, it was apparent his legs were muscular.
The guy could probably leg press three hundred pounds, easily.
Redirecting her attention to the coffeepot, she spoke. “I’m in the medical field myself.”
“A nurse?” As he asked the question, he stood up, handing her the coffee.
“Yes.” When he nodded, as though approving of her career choice, she wrapped both hands around the Styrofoam cup.
“That was a sexist remark, wasn’t it? I apologize.” He sauntered closer until he stood right next to her. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
“What do you mean?”
His gaze held hers and she quickly realized his inference. “I automatically assumed you weren’t a doctor because you’re a woman. My stepdaughter would be furious with me.” When he hung his head, she laughed.
He was a pretty amazing guy. Handsome, well spoken, and fairly liberal-minded for a country guy. But what really impressed her was that he was capable of apologizing. Not many men were. At least, not the ones she’d been around.
“I’m a nurse. I work the ER at a Dallas hospital.”
“Really, the ER. Wow. You must have some stories.” He looked at her for several seconds as though trying to take it all in.
“Originally I wanted to teach art. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, so we compromised. Nursing gives me more time with my patients. And to me, that’s what it’s all about. Being there for the patients.”
“You’re a very caring woman, Kelsey Malone.” His gaze held her for several seconds, and she decided that there was something about this man that brought out the best in her.
“My ultimate dream though was to become a famous painter. Of course, that never happened.”
“A painter and a famous one at that. Quite a goal.”
He stopped walking now and glanced over toward the town, raking a hand through his hair. “There’re several art galleries in town. Maybe you’d like to see about having them feature your work. I could talk to—”
Crossing her arms, she began chewing on her lip, just as she always did when people pried too much. She made a point of ending this conversation quickly. “I don’t paint anymore. I quit years ago. I’m sorry I brought it up. It was nothing more than a pipe dream.”
His eyes clouded over in confusion, and she wished she’d never told him about her dream of becoming a painter.
What had prompted that? She’d stopped painting after the accident. And here she was spilling her guts to some guy she just met.
When his gray eyes searched her, she nearly became undone. Nathan Wainwright was unlike anyone she’d met. He seemed the kind of person who could look into your soul-see your innermost secrets. And if she didn’t watch herself, she’d end up telling him more than she intended.
Chapter 3
Nathan hadn’t spoken for several minutes, and Kelsey realized she’d overreacted when asked about her painting, so she decided to try and smooth things over. “Everything okay, Nathan?”
He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. The expression on his face was serious, and she realized that while he could have easily answered her question with a ‘sure, why wouldn’t it be?’ or some other meaningless cliché, this guy wasn’t one to keep his opinions to himself. She offended him, and he wasn’t about to let her off the hook.
“Look, Kelsey. I’m sorry if I struck a nerve when I asked you about painting. Clearly, it’s not something you like to talk about.” His luminous eyes glowered as he stood rigidly, waiting for her to respond.
“I didn’t mean to overreact like that, Nathan. I’m sorry. But in all honesty, believing I could make a living doing what I loved, painting, really was nothing more than a pipe dream. And a very foolish one at that.”
He had every right to be annoyed with her for being so brisk. She’d given him every reason to leave her standing there and move on. But he didn’t. Instead, he smiled down at her and offered her his arm once again.
As he worked the muscles of his jaw, she waited for him to speak. Eventually, he did. “The way I see it, it takes courage to follow your dreams. Did you know that only ten percent of people pursue what they’re passionate about? Imagine that - just ten percent.”
The kindness in his eyes told her all was forgiven.
“You up for breakfast now? There’s no line.” When she nodded, he touched her waist, guiding her toward the picnic table. She loved the firm grip of his hand when he touched her, the woody scent of his aftershave.
In some ways, Nathan Wainwright was a contradiction. As ill at ease as he was when engaging in a conversation, he appeared exactly the opposite when it came to the physical aspect. He’d touched Kelsey a number of times, and with him, it appeared to come naturally.
When there was another lull in the conversation, she decided to ask him about a less controversial topic than painting.
“Where’s your sidekick?”
“I assume you mean Caitlyn.” He chuckled when she nodded, and she had the distinct feeling he often thought of Caitlyn as just exactly that-his sidekick. “Her dad’s watching her today. He and my stepdaughter have joint custody.”
“Oh.” Unable to think of anything to add, she left it at that.
“Maura was barely sixteen when Caitlyn was born.” His voice trailed as he looked away briefly. “Guess I dropped the ball after my wife took sick.”
“That sometimes happens.” Her heart ached as she recalled him staring over at his wife’s grave the day before, sharing memories of what was obviously a solid marriage.
She visualized Nathan struggling to balance the responsibilities of parenting, coupled with caring for a sick wife. When his eyes clouded, a look of pain crossing his face, she wanted desperately to reach out to him, to assure him few men could have done better. But she didn’t know that for sure, and it wasn’t her place to speculate.
When he motioned her toward the rectangular, aluminum serving trays piled with food, she followed him.
A gray-haired lady piled scrambled eggs on her plate before giving Nathan a furtive glance.
He didn’t appear to notice how curiously the woman was eyeing the two of them and quickly made introductions. “Grace, this is Kelsey. She came all the way from Dallas to attend the poetry gathering. Kelsey, meet Grace.”
When the middle-aged woman frowned, Kelsey decided the woman might not approve of her. She decided to refer to Nathan in a more formal way. “Mr. Wainwright offered to show me around. My friend, Rachel is over there with Jake Crenshaw. Perhaps you know him.”
“Considering this town has less than six thousand, residents, of course I know him.” Grace’s mouth twisted into a deeper frown as she began stirring the scrambled eggs.
“Yes, I suppose you do know everyone.” Kelsey offered the woman a weak smile and decided that engaging in a conversation with someone this aloof was a waste of time. Obviously, Grace’s life didn’t revolve around Kelsey’s opinions about her.
The older woman stared over to the chuckwagon tent where Rachel and Jake were. “Wouldn’t trust that one as far as I could throw him. You’re much safer with Nathan.”
Kelsey couldn’t decide which was more amusing, the look of chagrin on Nathan’s face at being referred to as a safe guy, or the vision of a woman barely five feet tall tossing Jake Crenshaw over her shoulder.
Ignoring the remark, Nathan thrust his plate in front of the woman again.
The lady appeared to read his mind. Shoveling more eggs on his plate, she barked, “You’re sure getting your five dollars’ worth!”
“I’m a growing boy. What can I say?” Nathan winked at the woman as he spoke and began scanning the area for a place to sit.
“How ‘bout we sit over there, under the trees?” He led the way, choosing a secluded spot a good distance from the crowd. When they reached a picnic table, he stepped back, waiting for her to seat herself first. She sank down onto a bench and set her tray down. When he swung a leg over the bench directly across from her, she wondered why he’d suddenly opted to keep more distance between them.
She glanced over at him, noticing the deep shade of gray in his eyes, the way his jaw squared off. He was smiling now as he spoke softly, his voice gentle. “I’m pretty hungry. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m trying to be a gentleman here. I always wait for a lady to begin eating before I dig in. Any chance we could start eating before the sun sets?”
“Of course.” She slowly brought the plastic fork to her lips, taking a bite.
When he quickly dug into the grits, she realized what a true southerner Nathan Wainwright was. “Man, I love these things. Have you ever tried cheese on them? They’re good that way too.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
She’d eaten less than half her meal when Nathan scraped the bottom of his paper plate.
“I’d suggest you head over for seconds, but I suspect Grace would probably give you a hard time.”
“Her bark’s worse than her bite.” As Nathan looked over at the woman, Kelsey laughed at his clichéd remark.
“Tell me about Alpine, Nathan. What’s it like?”
Propping his elbows on the table, he began talking about the town he obviously loved. “Like Grace said, Alpine is a small town. Everyone here pretty much knows each other. My mother’s family dates back to the 1880’s. I own the same property my maternal grandparents lived on. Mom was raised in that house and to this very day, she can point out every single tree where one of the family pets was buried. Guess it’s obvious Mom loves animals. I suppose that contributes to my being a vet and all.”
He smiled at his own remark.
“Your mother lives around here then?”
“Just a couple miles down the road from me. In fact, I pretty much keep up her yard.”
“Siblings?”
“Just sisters. Three, to be exact. I’m the oldest. The only boy.”
“Lots of responsibility, I suspect.”
“That’s an understatement.” He looked over past a grove of trees at the mountains in the background. This time when he spoke, his tone was far more serious, “Especially after my dad passed. He was quite a guy.”
Kelsey thought of her own father and felt herself choking up.
Hoping to lighten things up, she began asking about his sisters. “Guess you and your dad were outnumbered with that many girls in the house.”
“Try getting ready for school in the morning with one bathroom and three sisters. Sarah used to spend hours pulling that hair of hers in a ponytail. Can’t believe she got that frazzled over a stupid hair-do. If it didn’t turn out just right, if there was a bump where didn’t lay down quite right, she’d throw the hairbrush into the mirror and you could hear her screaming from here clear out to Marfa.”
