Tomas: Cowboy Homecoming. Linda Warren

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      “So you and your husband moved back to Roundup?”

      Cheyenne kept scanning the items into the cash register, trying not to react. Trying to be cool. “No. Just the girls and me.”

      There was a pregnant pause filled with all kinds of questions. But again, she didn’t react. “Will there be anything else?”

      “I need PRCA regulated rowels and spurs.”

      “Austin orders those.”

      “I figured.” He reached for his wallet in his back pocket and pulled out a credit card.

      She totaled his purchases, swiped his card and ripped off a receipt for him to sign. She watched as his strong hand slashed out Tomas Hart. No one around here called him that. Even in school he was always known as Tuf, the youngest Hart.

      As he slipped the card back into his wallet, he said, “I was out of line the other day. Your child is your business and I shouldn’t have said a word.”

      She was taken aback by the apology, but all of Sarah Hart’s children had good manners. “No, you shouldn’t have, but I appreciate your concern. Sadie always tests my patience.”

      He nodded and picked up the big bag from the counter as if it weighed no more than his wallet. “Thanks for the help.”

      Even though she told herself not to, she watched through the display window as he took long strides back to his silver truck.

      “Mommy, who’s that man?”

      Cheyenne looked down to see Sadie staring up at her with big green eyes.

      Someone I knew a long time ago. Someone I wished I’d had the courage to date.

      “He’s Aunt Dinah’s brother.”

      Sadie bobbed her head. “Aunt Dinah gots lots of brothers.”

      Sammie leaned into her, wrapping herself as close as she could to Cheyenne, needing attention, love and reassurance that their world was still okay. Sometimes she didn’t know if she had that much strength because she struggled every day to make sense of a life blown apart. But for her daughters she would do everything possible to hide her fears.

      Her eyes strayed to the window. If only she could go back in time…

      * * *

      TUF GLANCED ACROSS THE STREET at the redbrick building that used to be the home of the old newspaper but was now the Number 1 Diner. Sierra, Beau’s wife, owned it, and Tuf’s mother raved about the home cooking. He swung the bag of clothes into the backseat of his truck and walked over.

      Inside, the diner was decorated in a mining theme, and he remembered his mom saying it had been named in honor of Sierra’s grandfather, who’d died in a mine. On the walls were mining photos and a long shelf held mining artifacts. The tables were red and the chairs had black leather seats. The place had a rustic, homey appeal, and the scent coming from the kitchen made him hungry.

      He spotted Dinah and Austin sitting close together in a booth. Not wanting to interrupt, he started for the counter to order coffee, but Austin eased out of the booth, so Tuf strolled over to join them.

      “Hey, Tuf.” Austin shook his hand.

      “I was just over at your shop to order some rowels, spurs and chaps.”

      Austin’s eyebrows rose. “Getting back into rodeoing?”

      “Yeah.”

      “Come back and I’ll get you set up.”

      “Okay. I’ll visit with my sister first.”

      “Good deal.” Austin leaned down to kiss Dinah and then made his way toward the door. Dinah’s eyes followed him and she had a dreamy look on her face.

      Tuf slid into the booth. “You’ve got it bad, Sheriff.”

      Her gaze swung to him. “Yes, I do.”

      Tuf removed his hat and placed it beside him. Before he could say anything, a young girl in jeans with a red apron trimmed in black appeared to take his order.

      “Just coffee, please.”

      When the girl left, Dinah asked, “So you’re getting back into rodeoing?”

      “Mom and I talked about it. She’d rather I take it easy for a while, but I need to be busy.”

      “Maybe you’ve been taking it easy for two years. Who knows?”

      This was the Dinah he knew, the one who came straight to the point, spoke her mind and didn’t pussyfoot around.

      “But I’m not going to grill you because I know you’ve been through a great deal.”

      Damn. She was folding like a greenhorn in Vegas. He didn’t expect that. He should just tell her where he’d been, and he didn’t understand what was holding him back.

      The waitress placed a cup of hot coffee in front of him, and his hand gripped the warmth of the cup. But words lodged in his throat.

      “Are you okay?” Dinah asked in a concerned voice. “That’s all I want to know.”

      “I’m fine.” He took a sip of coffee and thought it best to change the subject. “I saw Cheyenne over at the store.”

      “She helps out when Austin needs her. Aren’t her little girls adorable?” Dinah looked down and rubbed the swell of her stomach. “I hope our little one is as cute.”

      “How could it not? His or her mother is a natural beauty.”

      “Stop it.” Dinah wrinkled her nose. “You’re my brother. You have to say that.”

      He grinned. “Not really. That’s Austin’s job. Me, I can poke fun all I want. It comes by right of birth.” He pointed to her chest. “Love the way that badge sparkles on your khaki shirt there.” He leaned over to see her waist. “Damn. No gun.”

      “Will you stop?” Her voice was stern, but her eyes sparkled.

      He took a sip of coffee, remembering all the times he’d teased her as a kid. It was part of his job as little brother. Her teen years were a nightmare. John Hart kept a tight rein on his only daughter, and Dinah rebelled over and over. Tuf often wondered if Dinah would make it through those turbulent times. He would tease her just to see her smile.

      Dinah scooted to the end of the booth. “I have to get back to work.”

      “What’s Cheyenne’s situation?” he asked before he could stop himself.

      She sighed. “Please tell me you’ve gotten over that teenage crush.”

      “I have.” He twisted his cup. “I’m just curious. She’s different.”

      “She’s going through a rough time.”

      “She СКАЧАТЬ