The Reluctant Cowgirl (7 page)

Crystal lifted the oblong casserole dish out of the hot soapy water and handed it to Elyse.

Her sister ran it under the faucet. “So you helped Jeremy deliver a calf today?” Elyse’s voice shook a little.

Crystal smiled. “You make it sound so scary. The cow was glad to have our help. And we didn’t have to do much. It could have been a lot worse.”

“Yeah. You could have gone back to New York, and I could have had to help him.” Elyse shivered.

Crystal decided a change of subject was in order, for both their sakes. She didn’t want to think about how badly she needed to be back in New York. And she knew Elyse would rather not think about cows.

She passed Elyse a plate. “As crazy as it may sound, it feels good to be doing dishes with you again. Don’t tell the others, but I always kind of liked kitchen duty, especially before Mama got a dishwasher.”

Elyse arranged the glass pan in the draining rack and swiped her hair away from her face with the back of her hand. “I’m glad my lack of a dishwasher is good for something. Even if it’s just a shot of nostalgia for you.”

“Aw c’mon, admit it.” Crystal slid the last plate beneath the bubbles and attacked it vigorously. “There’s something cathartic about washing dishes by hand. Life seems so simple when you’re up to your elbows in suds.”

Elyse shook her head. “Give me a tub full of soapy bubbles over a sink full of soapy bubbles any day.”

Crystal laughed. “Remember how Mama used to say, ‘Calgon, take me away’?”

Elyse nodded. “We had no idea what she meant. But now that’s exactly how I feel sometimes.”

The phone rang.

“That’s what usually happens when I try for a bubble bath, actually. The phone rings.” Elyse wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Can you handle the rest while I get this?”

“You betcha. It’s good for my psyche, remember?”

Elyse chuckled as she picked up the phone.

She hung up just as Crystal draped the dishcloth over the back of the sink and gave a contented sigh that always accompanied a job well done.

Elyse grinned. “Nice and shiny.”

Crystal took the good-natured teasing for what it was. It was good to be home. “Thanks.”

“That was Rachel Westwood on the phone.”

“The chiropractor Luke is building an office for?” Luke had declined their supper invitation because he was working late.

Elyse nodded.

Crystal’s stomach lurched. “Is Luke okay?”

“I’m sure he is. She was calling about her chocolate lab.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Elyse slipped on her shoes. “He’s cowering in the bedroom. She was telling me about it at church the other day. She and her husband can’t figure out why he’s suddenly started doing that sometimes. I made her promise next time he took refuge in the bedroom she’d call me.”

Crystal looked at the time on her phone. “It’s a little late for a house call, isn’t it?”

Elyse glanced up at the kitchen clock and shrugged. “It’s only eight. If I don’t see him during an actual episode, I won’t know why he does it.”

“Then I guess you’d better go.” Which meant she’d better go, too. Back over to the house to face the long night.

Elyse grabbed her car keys. “Come with me. We can stop on the way home and get ice cream.”

“Really? Are you sure that would be okay?”

“I know it would. Rachel has some friends over, and they’ll be happy to meet you.”

“Meet me?”

“My sister, the New York actress.”

Crystal laughed. “I’m sure you’re just being nice, but I’ll ride along with you if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

Twenty minutes later, they stood on the porch of the big ranch house. Elyse rang the doorbell.

The door swung open and a thirty-something redheaded woman with beautiful green eyes smiled at them. “Come in.” Inside the house, she shook Crystal’s hand. “I’m Rachel Westwood. You must be Crystal.”

Crystal nodded.

Rachel motioned toward the handsome cowboy who’d walked into the foyer to stand beside her. “This is my husband, Jack.” She turned to him. “Honey, introduce Crystal to Allie and Daniel while I take Elyse to the bedroom to see Cocoa. Maybe she can coax her out.”

“We’ve tried everything ... even doggy treats,” Crystal heard her say as she and Elyse headed down the hallway.

Crystal followed Jack into the living room, where a couple looked up from a basketball game on TV. A black labrador lying on the rug gave a cursory bark but didn’t get up.

“That’s Shadow,” Jack explained. “Whatever is upsetting Cocoa apparently doesn’t bother her.”

The man on the couch picked up the remote control and hit the MUTE button. He and the woman stood as Jack introduced them to Crystal.

“These are our friends, Daniel and Allie Montgomery. We’ve all discovered a common love of Razorback basketball. Or at least Daniel and I have. Rachel and Allie tolerate it, I think.”

“Don’t let me keep you from your game.” Crystal motioned toward the remote. “You can turn the sound back on.”

Allie chuckled, her blue eyes twinkling. “Don’t be silly. It’s halftime or Daniel wouldn’t have turned it down.”

Crystal smiled. “I totally understand. We McCords are Razorback fans, too, even though football is more our game.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Crystal,” Allie said. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

“I hope it wasn’t all bad.”

“Bad? Are you kidding me?” Allie shook her head. “We’re all hoping you’ll decide to put on a workshop while you’re here.”

Crystal tilted her head. “A workshop?”

“A woman used to come down from Chicago and do a drama day camp for the local kids when I was growing up. Before your time.” Allie laughed. “We loved it.”

“I didn’t know that. We—” Crystal cleared her throat. “I took classes at the Imperial Studio of the Arts in Pocahontas when I was young. I don’t think we ever had anything like that here in Shady Grove then.”

Allie shook her head. “No, she quit after us. Hmm ... maybe we drove her out of town.”

“The truth comes out,” Daniel said dryly.

She slapped at him. “Not me, of course, but maybe Lark or Victoria.” She glanced back at Crystal. “Two more of my and Rachel’s friends. You’ll love them. Although, Daniel’s right. Together, we could usually find some kind of trouble to get into.”

“Some things never change, do they, man?” Jack said teasingly.

Daniel laughed, but he put his arm around Allie’s waist.

“Are you guys ganging up on Allie?” Rachel asked as she and Elyse came back in the room, followed by a friendly-looking chocolate lab.

Jack snorted. “Who? Us?” He held out his hand to the dog. “Hey, buddy. You feeling better?”

Cocoa cast a nervous glance around the room but trotted over to his master. Shadow stood and padded across the room to Elyse.

Rachel beamed. “Elyse figured out what was wrong.”

Jack glanced up from where he was rubbing the dog behind the ears. “What?”

“March Madness—it’s our basketball kick, combined with the new surround sound system.”

“Huh?”

“The whistles. He hates the refs’ whistles.” She turned to Elyse. “So if we turn off surround sound while we watch the ball games, do you think it’ll be okay?”

Elyse nodded, her own attention focused on Shadow. Crystal noticed her olive skin took on a hint of red with all eyes on her. “That should be fine,” she said softly. “If not, you can just get Cocoa settled in the bedroom with some toys and food and water before you start the game.”

“Not that we’ll have to worry about that anymore until next season unless the Hogs do better this second half,” Daniel said.

Jack winced. “Ouch. True. But it’s a big relief to know what was causing her to bolt for the bedroom.”

Allie nodded. “She was giving us a complex. Every time we come over lately, she starts acting funny.”

Daniel scooted his wife over against him. “Good to know he’s just allergic to basketball and not us.”

“We’d better go,” Elyse said softly.

As if she understood Elyse’s words, Cocoa trotted over to her. She bent down and told both dogs good-bye then straightened.

Admiration flitted across Rachel’s face. “Thank you again, Elyse.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Nice meeting you,” Crystal said.

Everyone echoed her words.

“Let me know if you decide to put on a workshop, Crystal,” Allie called.

“What kind of workshop?” Elyse asked as they pulled out onto the road.

Crystal told her about their conversation.

“That sounds like something you’d love,” Elyse said.

“It would be fun, I think. But I can’t do it while I’m supposed to be watching the ranch.”

“No, but you could do it when Mama and Daddy get home.”

“Bite your tongue. I have to go back to New York the second they get back. I’m really close to the possibility of a Broadway role, Elyse.”

Elyse nodded. “You can’t take a chance on missing that opportunity. Not after you’ve worked this long for it.”

After a quick pass through Dairy Queen to get ice cream, they headed home. As they pulled into the driveway in front of the McCord house, Elyse looked over at Crystal. “Want me to come in with you?”

“I don’t know,” Crystal joked. “Are you going to tell me a bedtime story?”

Elyse chuckled. “I could throw the chew toy for you until you get tired.”

“Hmm ... I think I’ll be okay.” She reached over and gave her sister a sideways hug. “You were great tonight.”

“Thanks. ’Night.”

When Crystal’s foot touched the third step of the front porch stairs, she stopped and shifted her weight on it again then smiled. That board still squeaked. After all these years. Some things never changed. She scanned the huge wraparound porch. Like the way the moonlight made the oak-plank floor look silver.

She slid her key in the front door lock and pushed the door open. She stepped into the dark house, flipping the light switch on the wall as she went. Elyse’s taillights reflected in the glass door as she closed it.

Without allowing the quietness to seep into her mind, she took the stairs two at a time and grabbed a blanket, a quilt, and a pillow from the hall closet. She cast a glance at the surrounding doors, some open, some closed. One door in particular drew her attention. It was closed. Which was just how she intended to leave it.

She balanced her burden going down the stairs. “Look out, couch. Here I come.”

She made her bed on the sofa in the living room then settled in for a good night’s sleep.

An hour later, she was still lying there, fighting demons and arguing with naysayers in her mind. Finally, she sat up and curled her legs up under her. She glanced over at her daddy’s ratty recliner. She’d sat in here a lot with him, both of them reading Zane Grey or C.S. Lewis.

A scene flashed through her head. Graduation night after the ceremony. She’d come home instead of going out with friends.

And she’d been right here on this sofa when the call had come. Her daddy had been reading the newspaper before he answered the phone. She could still see the sports page flutter to the floor as his face turned the oddest shade of gray she’d ever seen. He’d hung up the phone and given her a look so terrifying that she’d burst into tears before he said a word.

She pushed the memories from her mind and jumped up, snatching her blankets and pillow off the couch. For a second, she stood in the living room, clutching her bedclothes. Such a big house. But nowhere she wanted to sleep.

She tiptoed to the front door and opened it. The quiet yard loomed big, swathed in shadows and moonlight. She dragged her blankets with her over to a double rocker with a padded seat.

She sat quietly for a while, wondering what God would think if she asked Him to give her peace. He’d probably think she was a little late in the asking. And He’d be right.

Finally, she put her pillow down at the end of the rocker, stretched out on her side to look out at the night sky, and tugged the blankets snug around her. She lay quietly in the dark and watched the twinkling stars waltz to the crickets’ symphony. She’d followed those stars home.

Now what?

“I ain’t wakin’ her up.” Slim shifted his chew of tobacco and spat on the ground.

“Wakin’ who up?” Jeremy said as he came around the barn to where the cowhands were huddled.

Slim jabbed a thumb over his shoulder toward the house. “Sleepin’ Beauty.”

The other guys laughed.

Slim scowled. “Laugh if you wanna. But I don’t see any volunteers.”

Jeremy glanced toward the house. “How do you know she’s still in bed? Maybe she’s on the phone or something.”

“Ain’t in bed. She’s zonked out right on the front porch.”

Alarm shot through Jeremy. What if Crystal was sick? Passed out cold while these bozos stood around and laughed? He ignored the other men and ran toward the porch.

When he turned the corner, he skidded to a stop. She was lying in the big wooden rocker, a down-filled blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon. Definitely asleep. He tiptoed toward her. Her blond hair framed her face; long, sweeping eyelashes touched her cheeks.

On the third step, the wood squeaked loudly. He froze.

Her bright blue eyes popped open and focused on him immediately.

“Good morning,” he said softly.

She frowned and looked past him at the yard. “Morning?”

He watched her face as reality dawned. She almost fell as she scrambled to sit upright, still swathed in the blanket.

He rushed toward her. “Hey ... it’s okay.”

She leaned forward and peered out at the barn where the guys were still huddled. “Hmph,” she offered, a half laugh, half grunt. “I feel like an idiot.”

“You shouldn’t. Sometimes when sleep finally comes, it hits like a hammer.”

She nodded, her smile embarrassed. “Thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be ready to work in about ten minutes.”

“Want me to go ahead and get the assignments off of Aaron’s desk in the barn and hand them out?”

She clutched the blanket around her neck and rested her chin on her fists. “Would you? That would be so great.”

“Sure. Aaron said it’s been a while since the north-side fences have been checked. Okay if we do that today?”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll be down there in a few minutes.”

On his way back to the barn, Jeremy chuckled to himself.

Sleeping Beauty.

Slim had pegged that right.

Crystal ran through the living room, grabbed some clean clothes, and ran up the stairs. “Haven’t you ever heard of an alarm clock?” she grumbled to herself.

Why had she assumed that as soon as the sun rose over the horizon, she’d wake up? Actually, she’d felt certain she wouldn’t sleep at all. But one thing she’d never imagined was being found on the porch swing like a bum on a park bench. Her face reddened at the memory as she tore off her Razorback sweat suit. After a quick shower, she wriggled into her jeans and shirt and looked in the mirror. Definitely a ponytail day.

Less than twenty minutes after she woke up on the porch, she walked into the barn office. Not bad for a girl who used to take major grief in the mornings for hogging the bathroom.

Jeremy looked up from the desk. “You just missed Slim and the guys.”

She grimaced. “Probably just as well. I guess they saw me snoring on the porch?”

“’Fraid so.” He winked. “Slim was trying to bribe one of them to wake you when I got here.” He shoved the chair back and stood.

“Oh no. I’ll never live this down.”

“Well, I just wouldn’t break into song with birds flying around or go near any spinning wheels,” he called over his shoulder as he walked out the door into the main tool storage area.

She groaned again and followed him. “Sleeping Beauty?”

“The one and only.”

He tossed her a pair of heavy leather gloves, which she stuck in her back jeans pocket.

While Jeremy heaved a roll of wire into the back of the little four-by-four farm-utility vehicle, she flipped open the toolbox and gave the contents a cursory inspection. Several pairs of fencing pliers and plenty of wire clips. Perfect. She lifted the toolbox in beside the wire and turned to face him. “You’re awfully familiar with fairytales.”

He glanced up from where he was now checking the gas and oil in the small chainsaw. “I’ve read that one and watched the movie often enough to recite it by heart.”

“Beka’s favorite?” As soon as the words left her lips, she realized he might rather not talk about his daughter.

But he smiled. “She loves it.”

“She’ll be back with you soon to watch it again.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears.”

She blushed. Maybe once upon a time. But no more.

He loaded the chainsaw in the back of the tiny vehicle and motioned to her to get in. He opened the driver’s door, slid in under the wheel, and then froze. He glanced at her. “I didn’t think to ask. Did you want to drive?”

She shook her head and fastened her lap belt. “You’re not typical, you know that?”

“I’m not?” He started the motor and backed out into the main barn area. “Why?”

She shrugged. “Even before New York, the local boys”—she raised her eyebrows—“not counting my brothers of course—treated me like I was a ‘little lady.’ Aaron spent half his time getting Luke out of fights he’d get into defending my tomboyishness.”

He laughed and hit the gas. “I can see Luke doing that.” He glanced across at her. “So I don’t treat you like you’re a ‘little lady’?”

She laid her head back against the seat. The breeze felt so crisp on her face. “I thought you were going to. When you made that”—she deepened her voice in an imitation of his—“‘not many ranches in New York City’ remark.” She cut her gaze toward him, curious to see his reaction.

“Hey, can’t a guy be surprised? I make it a habit not to judge a book by its cover. But in your case, it’s pretty much impossible not to.” He pulled up to the closed gate leading from the barn lot into the pasture.

“Thanks for trying.” She jumped out and opened the red metal gate. As soon as he drove through, she pulled it shut and climbed back into the utility vehicle.

He pushed his hat back on his head a little and looked at her. “You up for a detour?”

She motioned toward the wide open spaces around them. “Being here for the next six weeks is a
major
detour, believe me. But what did you have in mind?”

A frown flitted across his face so fast she thought she might have imagined it. “Nothing big. I just thought we might swing by the cavern area and see if we can see Anastasia and baby.”

“I’d love to. Do you think we’ll be able to find her?”

“We’ll give it our best shot.”

Twenty minutes and six Anastasia look-alikes later, Crystal was starting to think that the cow had been a figment of their imaginations. Every time they got close enough to a cow to really identify her, the markings were different. Three of the faux Anastasias even had tiny brown and white calves. “You can tell it’s calving season around here,” she grumbled as they drove over another hill.

The utility vehicle stopped suddenly. “That’s her, isn’t it?” Jeremy said, pointing to the cow and calf nearest them.

“Yes. Definitely.”

“The calf looks great.”

“Happy,” Crystal agreed.

“Happy?” Jeremy frowned at her. “How can you tell when a calf is happy?”

“Oh, never mind. But the little guy needs a name.”

“Naming a calf out here is asking for heartache.”

“You’re the one who named his mama.”

He sighed. “Only because you made fun of me for calling her Bess.”

“Prince.”

“What?”

She lifted her chin. “We’ll call him Prince.”

“You’re naming a calf Prince? Like the singer?”

“No, silly. Like the happily-ever-after kind.”

“Don’t look now, but your tomboy image is getting a little frilly around the edges.”

She laughed. “I am what I am. I really don’t worry about that anymore.”

“I’m glad.” He sounded really pleased with her answer.

And she was ridiculously pleased that he was pleased.

By quitting time, she was so tired she didn’t care who was pleased about what. Amazing what a day of hard physical labor could do to a body. She’d kept in shape in New York. Or so she thought. Until now.

When Jeremy suggested calling it a day, it was all she could do to keep from clapping. “Sounds like a plan,” she said, with what she hoped was a jaunty smile but was probably more of a grimace.

“You okay?” he asked as they approached the barn lot.

“Fine. You?”

He nodded, but when they pulled up to the gate, he jumped out and opened it, quickly climbed back in and drove through, then got out again.

“I could—”

He was gone to close it behind them then back in a flash.

“I could have gotten the gate.”

“Different activities work different muscles. You’re probably going to be pretty sore tomorrow from hauling those limbs off of the fence.”

“Tomorrow?”

He chuckled as he maneuvered the little utility vehicle into the barn. “You look like you could fall out any minute. Do you want me to pick you up some supper? I usually run into town and grab a bite.”

She shook her head. “I just need to get a shower. Mama left a big pot of stew in the refrigerator. But thanks anyway.”

“Okay, then. You go on to the house and I’ll put everything away.”

Grateful, she started out the door then turned back. “Um, Jeremy...”

He looked around at her and cocked his head.

“That is one huge pot of stew. I called a while ago and tried to get Luke and Elyse to eat supper with me, but he’s working late and she’s got a dog club meeting. So I was wondering...”
Do you want to stay for supper and keep me from having to spend the evening in that empty house alone?
“Are you hungry?”

A grin split his tan face. “So I’m a last resort to avoid eating by yourself? I’m flattered.”

Heat rushed up her neck, but she forced a smile. “Not really the
last
resort.” She nodded outside where they’d driven past Slim and the other guys packing up for the day. “If you’re not hungry, I’m sure somebody out there would like to eat supper with Sleeping Beauty.”

His grin grew wider.

“They would,” she insisted. “Mama makes the best beef stew in the country and everybody knows it.”

“I’m sure they would eat with you even if your mother was the worst cook there ever was.” Jeremy took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll run home and take a shower and be right back. Truth is my house gets pretty empty at night, too.”

She’d known that was the case. Had counted on it, actually—this makeshift supper helping both of them. But in keeping with the light air she was going for, she put her hands to her heart. “Now it’s my turn to be flattered. Supper will be ready in about an hour.”

“Great. See you then.”

After he left, she took a quick shower because her aching muscles made it plain that if she gave into the bubble bath temptation, she’d never get out. After she dried off, she examined her meager wardrobe. What did a country girl turned city girl turned country girl wear to a non-date meal in the kitchen with a good-looking but totally friends only cowboy? The first thing she grabbed. In this case, jeans and a plain blue T-shirt. She pulled her damp hair up into a messy bun and put a little clear gloss on her chapped lips.

In the kitchen, she turned the burner on under the stew and snagged a loaf of wheat bread from the bread keeper. She slathered the slices with garlic butter and sprinkled shredded cheese on top. When the preheat light went off on the oven, she slid the pan of toast inside and set the timer.

She set plates and bowls and silverware on the table as she listened to the
tick-tick-tick
of Mama’s old-fashioned egg timer. Just like the timer in her mind counting down the days until her parents came back and she went back to the city.

As she set the table for two, she remembered Aaron’s warning her about flirting with Jeremy. Surely even her cautious brother would agree that tonight’s invitation hadn’t been flirting. And Jeremy obviously understood that, too. She’d seen the compassion in his eyes. He might not understand why she didn’t want to be alone, but he could sympathize. And beautiful friendships had started based on less than that.