Texas Rebels: Quincy Page 11

With a long sigh, Quincy did just that and settled in for the evening. The good-guy thing was going to kill him.

  * * *

  JENNY WAS OFF for the next three days and she hated it, but she’d worked so much overtime that Lindsay said she now had to take a break. Since the weather was getting colder, she would stay home for her dad. Usually the cold temperatures made his leg ache and she didn’t want him doing any of the heavy work on the ranch.

  But she still had time to think and she finally had to admit that Quincy wasn’t the cause of her heartache. She was. Her lingering feelings for Paxton were tearing her up. She wished she could take a sledgehammer and eradicate everything she’d ever felt for him. It wasn’t that simple, though. Until she found a way to let go she couldn’t go forward, and that drove her crazy.

  She’d latched on to Quincy to keep from drowning in all her pain and he didn’t deserve that. Stepping back and looking at her life was as brutal as standing in a hurricane, because it tore away her protective veneer and revealed all her faults. Her fear of being alone. Her fear of not being loved. Now she had to pick up the pieces and go forward.

  It didn’t keep her from thinking about Quincy. When she’d lost her phone, she’d gone over to his house and his grandfather had told her he’d gone to see a woman in Plano. That stung. She’d forgotten about the mystery woman Quincy always visited. Whoever she was, Jenny hoped she made Quincy happy. Because, above all else, he deserved that.

  She glanced out the kitchen window to see the wind whipping through the branches of the tall oaks and dark clouds gathering on the horizon. A cold front was moving through and she hoped her dad would come into the house soon. She didn’t like him being out there in it, but she wouldn’t tell him that. He was very touchy when she or Lindsay asked him about his leg.

  Her cell buzzed and she reached for it on the counter. She saw the caller’s name and took a moment before she clicked on. Paxton. She waited for the excitement to fill her chest, but it wasn’t there. All she felt was the sadness of losing Quincy. She clicked on without a second thought.

  “Hey, babe.” Paxton’s voice soon came through loud and clear. And annoying.

  “Please don’t call me babe. I hate it and I’ve hated it for years. I would appreciate it if you would never use it again in reference to me.”

  “Okay, ba— Okay. I just wanted to tell you Phoenix and I qualified to go to Vegas. We’ll both be bull riding. We’re excited.”

  So many years she waited for these calls to see how he was doing on the circuit, to see if his scores were high enough to get him to the big stage in Vegas. And the big money. Today it didn’t matter. She didn’t care anymore. It was a revelation. No longer was she waiting for Paxton.

  “Congratulations, and tell Phoenix congratulations, too. But, please, don’t call me anymore. We are really over and your career is not a top priority of mine any longer.”

  “C’mon, babe.”

  She heard the front door open and soon Lindsay walked in with a bag of groceries.

  “Really, Paxton, that doesn’t work on me. Please stop calling. It really is over.” Saying that, she laid her phone on the table.

  It really was over. For Jenny. For the first time she felt it in her heart.

  “You’re talking to Paxton?” Lindsay asked as she laid a package of hamburger meat on the counter.

  “He keeps calling.”

  “Don’t answer.”

  It is really over, and all I feel is relief.

  “Jenny, are you listening to me?”

  She stood with a smile on her face. “I didn’t feel the excitement, Lins. It wasn’t there. I’m over him. All the times he hurt me and now I can finally say I’m truly over Paxton.”

  Lindsay leaned against the counter. “Wow. Does that mean...?”

  “No. It doesn’t mean I’m running to Quincy. We both need time.”

  “That sounds very grown-up.”

  “How about that? Your little sister has finally grown up at the age of thirty-one. A little past due, but still an accomplishment.”

  “Good for you.” Lindsay looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He went to look for a calf and he hasn’t come back. I’m getting worried.” She went to the kitchen window again and saw the headlights and she relaxed. “He’s driving up now.”

  After supper, Jenny took a shower and tried to watch TV. She had one in her room, as did Lindsay. Their dad had complete control over the one in the living room. Nothing held her interest so she got up and went to the window. From there, she could see Quincy’s barn and the light was still on. He was probably getting his paints in out of the cold.

  She missed going over there. She missed Quincy. But she couldn’t lean on him anymore. To ease her heartache she had traded one brother for the other. That was like switching horses in the middle of the race. Her bad. And her new heartache.

  To put it all behind her she was looking forward to the party on Saturday night. It was what she needed to gain a new perspective on her life.

  * * *

  ON SUNDAY MORNING Quincy woke up to pouring rain. He got dressed, made coffee and flipped on the TV to The Weather Channel. The temperature was supposed to drop throughout the day and tonight it should be almost freezing. Looked as if winter was coming early to Texas.

  Grandpa trudged in, fully dressed, wearing a coat.

  “Why are you wearing a coat in the house?”

  “Because it’s cold.”

  Quincy went to the thermostat and turned up the heat and then fixed his grandpa a cup of coffee.

  “You’re a good grandson,” Grandpa said, sitting at the table sipping his coffee. “You know that other grandson didn’t come home again last night.”

  Quincy hadn’t expected Elias after what he’d said the other day. But boys who stayed out all night bothered Grandpa. “He’ll be home soon.”

  Elias came through the back door, shivering. Removing his slicker and hooking it on the coatrack, he said, “Damn. It’s raining.”

  “Boy, where have you been?”

  “Living.” Elias poured a cup of coffee.

  “You do too much living.”

  Elias straddled a chair. “Now, Grandpa, you’re always telling us to find a woman. I’m just doing research. And, Quincy.” Elias turned his attention to him. “You’ll never guess who I saw last night.”

  Quincy leaned against the counter, sipping coffee. “I’m not playing a guessing game with you.”

  “Aw, shucks, I was looking forward to the fun. But I’ll tell you anyway because I’m that kind of guy. Tammy Jo said she wanted to go someplace nice. The moment she said that I knew she had a place already picked out, and it was an upscale nightclub packed with nurses having the time of their lives. Right there in the middle of them was Jenny. I didn’t recognize her at first. She had on this short black dress, high heels and her hair was all bushy the way women wear it, all sexy and all. She was hot and downing Jell-O shots with the best of them. Interns crashed their little party and the fun was on.”

  Grandpa leaned over and whispered to Elias, “Are you crazy?”

  “Let him talk, Grandpa. He’s obviously enjoying this.”

  “Well, Quincy, Jenny’s a completely different person when she’s had a few drinks.” Elias kept on as if Quincy hadn’t spoken. “I danced with her. The lights were low and our bodies were moving as one, and, oh, man, she smelled good. You know what she said, Quincy?”

  Quincy just stared at his brother, refusing to be goaded.

  “Right there in my fantasy she said, ‘How’s Quincy?’ I told her he was grouchy as hell and needed a nurse. She laughed and Tammy Jo put a stop to our little conversation.”

  Quincy kept his emotions under control. Jenny was free to go and do whatever she wanted. It had nothing
to do with him. But the pain bubbling through his system belied everything he was thinking.

  Grandpa broke the tension in the room. “Did I tell y’all about the time I met this widow lady who had a lot of money and was looking for a little fun?”

  Quincy headed for the door. “With this weather, I’m going over to see what Falcon has planned for the day. Even though it’s Sunday, we’ll have to make sure all the wells have lights on them so they won’t freeze up. I’ll catch y’all later.”

  “What about breakfast?” Grandpa asked.

  “Elias will fix it,” Quincy replied at the door.

  “Quincy—”

  That was Elias’s payback for his smart mouth. Quincy knew what his brother was doing and he couldn’t fault him for trying to make Quincy see sense. Elias just didn’t understand how hard it was.

  Falcon’s truck was at their mother’s, so Quincy drove there. Falcon and their mom were having breakfast and Quincy joined them to talk over the day’s chores.

  Jude and Zane came into the kitchen. Zane grabbed a biscuit and stuffed it with scrambled eggs and bacon. Quincy noticed right off that something was different. Jude’s face wasn’t so pinched and Zane was smiling.

  “Hey, Uncle Quincy.” Zane came over to him, his words muffled as he munched on the biscuit.

  “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Jude told his son.

  Their mother handed Zane a glass of milk and he downed it quickly, eager to talk.

  “Dad and I talked last night and he said I could ride Bear in the horserace next year.” Zane’s eyes sparkled as if he had firecrackers going off behind them. “That’s good, huh? And I told Dad I would still do the tutoring. It’s not so bad and it’s only twice a week and Dad said I can help on the ranch, too.” Zane hugged Quincy. “Thank you,” he whispered for Quincy’s ears only.

  How Quincy wished he could solve his own life problems that easily, but he was afraid there was no solution for his heartache. Only time could dull the pain.

  And he had lots of time.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Quincy!” his mother called before he could get out the door. “I’m fixing homemade chicken-noodle soup for supper and I’m making enough for you, Abe and Elias. And, of course, Jericho. You can pick it up anytime after six.”

  “Thanks, Mom. Grandpa was asking for soup the other night. He’ll be happy.”

  A melancholy expression came over her face. “Your dad always liked to have soup when the first cold spell came. It became a tradition and I guess I still think about that when it gets cold. I think about him.”

  An invisible balled fist pressed into his chest, forcing him to take a deep breath. It was always painful when his mom talked about their dad in that sad tone of voice. He walked over and hugged her, knowing words wouldn’t ease her pain or his. That was the way it was, and every now and then it was like a paid-on-account in this thing they called life.

  He kissed her cheek and made his way toward the door. The day was busy and the morning faded from his mind like it always did, but the memories lingered as a reminder that part of his life was missing.

  He changed lightbulbs in the heat lamps in all the well houses. His brothers were busy making sure all the farm equipment and trucks had antifreeze in them. Any busted pipes or radiators would cause them extra work and expense. After that, they rode out to check the herds to make sure there was plenty of hay in all the pastures. Grandpa even joined them, huddled in his winter coat. By midafternoon the wind shifted from the north and the temperature dropped drastically. The heavy, dark clouds hung low and the smell of rain was in the air again. He made sure Grandpa got home safely and then he went to check on the paints. He’d pick up the soup on his way back.

  The horses pranced around, eager to get into their stalls for the night. Thunder rumbled across the sky and Quincy reached for his slicker and slipped into it. He already had a plastic cover over his hat. He closed the big double doors, and the cold north wind whipped around him, biting into his hands and face. He buttoned the slicker over his sheepskin coat and turned toward his truck. As he did, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. At the same time the sky opened up with torrential rain. He squinted through the downpour and the darkness and saw lights in the pasture of the Walker place.

  Were those truck lights? What was Clyde doing out in this weather? He pulled his phone from his pocket to call Jenny, but with the rain and the weather there was no signal. The lights stayed in one place and they weren’t moving. Without thinking, he leaped over the fence to see what was wrong, for he felt sure something was. He didn’t take his truck because that was a good way to get stuck in the mud.

  He kept hoping the rain would let up, but it continued in a steady onslaught. When he reached the spot, he saw there were two trucks. Clyde’s and Jenny’s. There didn’t seem to be anyone around until he heard a moan. He held his hand over his eyes and tried to see more closely. Two figures were on the ground some distance away. Clyde lay lifeless and Jenny was trying to pull his body toward the truck. He fell down beside her.

  “What happened?” he shouted above the rain.

  Jenny took a deep breath. She was soaked from head to toe in nothing but jeans and a shirt. “He didn’t come home for supper so I came looking for him and found him on the ground. I...I don’t know if he’s had a heart attack or a stroke and... I...I can’t get him to the truck. I have to get him to a hospital.” She was shouting, too, as the rain continued its assault. “Daddy, Daddy,” she called, stroking Clyde’s face.

  Quincy reached down and gathered the limp man into his arms. “Open the back door of the truck.” Jenny ran to do his bidding, sloshing through the rain.

  It was difficult but Quincy managed to get Clyde into the backseat. Jenny climbed in beside him and Quincy ran around to the driver’s side. He pulled off his slicker and coat and handed them to Jenny. “Maybe this will help to keep him warm.”

  Jenny was busy checking his vitals. “He barely has a pulse. Hurry, Quincy. Oh, no, there’s blood on his clothes. And a knot on his head. He must’ve hit his head on something. Hurry!”

  He turned the key in the ignition. “Pray we don’t get stuck.”

  The truck slid a few times, but they made it to the gate, which was closed. He jumped out and opened it and Jenny drove through. By the time he slid into the driver’s seat again, she was already in the backseat wiping water from her dad’s face with a loving hand.

  “I have to call Lindsay. She had to go in to the hospital. Do you have your phone? I don’t know where mine is.”

  “It’s in the pocket of my slicker, but I couldn’t get a signal a little earlier.”

  It didn’t take Jenny long to find it. “It’s ringing, but she’s not answering. Damn it!”

  “She’s probably busy.” Quincy was whipping in and out of traffic, hoping a policeman or highway patrolman didn’t catch him, but he knew Clyde was in grave danger.

  “He’s so wet and shivering. Daddy, I’m sorry I didn’t come looking for you earlier.” Her voice cracked and Quincy knew she was crying. His heart contracted.

  “Wrap the coat around him and pull the slicker over him. Maybe it will generate some warmth,” he told her.

  “I think that helped,” she said. “I’m going to try Lindsay again.”

  Lindsay answered and Jenny screamed into the phone, “Why didn’t you answer the first time?” There was a slight pause as he was sure Lindsay was attempting to answer the question, and then Jenny said in a sad voice, “Daddy’s had an accident. It’s bad, Lindsay. I...” Jenny sobbed into the phone and Quincy reached back and took the phone from her.

  “This is Quincy. We’re about ten minutes away from the emergency room. Your father must’ve fallen and hit his head and he’s unconscious, but he’s alive, wet and cold. Jenny’s just a little upset
.”

  “I was in a meeting and couldn’t answer the phone.”

  “There was nothing you could do since we were already on the road. I’m sure Jenny would appreciate it if you were there when we arrived.”

  “Yes, yes. I’ll alert the ER.”

  “Thanks.” He clicked off and handed the phone back to Jenny. “Take a deep breath. Your dad needs you to be calm.”

  “I know. I’m just so scared.”

  “I’m right here.”

  “Thank you, Quincy.”

  “No problem.”

  As he turned into the hospital parking lot, the rain let up. Driving up to the ER, he saw two orderlies with a stretcher and Lindsay standing behind them. When the truck came to a stop, Lindsay yanked open the back door.

  One look at her father and Jenny, she paled and almost crumpled to the pavement, but she held on to the door. “Oh, oh, oh, is he...is he alive?” Right before his eyes he witnessed an experienced trained nurse fall to pieces.

  He hopped out and pulled Lindsay and Jenny from the vehicle. They wrapped their arms around each other, tears running down their faces. He waved for the orderlies to come forward. In minutes, they had Clyde out of the vehicle and on the stretcher and raced him into the hospital. Lindsay and Jenny ran behind the stretcher. Quincy exhaled a long breath and got back in the truck to park it in a lot. Then he ran for the entrance of the hospital, wanting to be there for Jenny. And Lindsay, too.

  He found Jenny in the hallway with her arms wrapped around her waist, shivering. When she saw him, she ran into his arms and he held her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. They were wet from head to toe and they melded together in the mushy steam that emanated from their bodies.

  He stroked her wet hair. “Where’s Lindsay?”

  “She went with Dad. They tried to stop her, but she’s director of nursing so they gave up. I’m so scared, Quincy.”

  He looked into her sad eyes. “He’s alive. Cling to that.”

  “I can’t lose my dad. I just can’t.” Her words were wrapped around a sob and he held her again, trying to ease her distress.