The Texan's Christmas Page 16

  She drew away and Kid noticed she wiped away a tear. ‘I’m fine, Dad.”

  Bud looked her up and down. “You don’t look fine. You’re a mess.”

  Lucky brushed at her dusty clothes. “I just need a good bath.”

  “Did y’all catch those thieves?”

  “Yes. The authorities are tying up the loose ends.”

  “Who were they? Anybody we know?”

  Nettie picked up Bud’s cane and handed it to him. He leaned on it heavily.

  Kid could see Lucky was grateful for the distraction as she seemed to gauge her next words.

  “Girl, was it anyone we know?” Bud asked again.

  “Yes. Wilma.”

  Bud’s eyes narrowed. “Wilma who?”

  “Bubba Joe’s mom.”

  Bud laughed. “Wilma couldn’t rustle up a leaf on a windy day.”

  “It was her, Dad. She didn’t have the wig and she was shouting orders like crazy—a totally different person. She had us all fooled.”

  “Why would she do something like that? Her only interest is Bubba Joe.”

  “That’s it exactly. She targeted people she thought had been mean to Bubba. She wanted revenge and money to get Bubba Joe out of High Cotton and away from Thelma Lou.”

  Bud shook his head. “If that don’t beat all. I knew that woman was loony.”

  Lucky put an arm around her father’s shoulder. “Let’s go home.” She stopped suddenly. “Oh, my truck is at The Joint.”

  “I’ll take you to get it,” Walker offered.

  “My truck is there so can I hitch a ride, too?” Kid asked.

  “No problem.”

  Nettie patted Bud’s shoulder. “It was nice to meet you.”

  Bud smiled and Kid couldn’t even remember that phenomenon happening before. “Thanks for the coffee, food and company.”

  They climbed into Walker’s truck. He tried to help Bud, but Lucky was there blocking his way. It didn’t take long to reach The Beer Joint.

  Before Walker could drive away, Kid said, “I’ll get cleaned up and meet you at Bubba Joe’s. If he’s not involved, he’s going to take this hard. If he is, you’ll need some help with him.”

  “There’s no need,” Lucky snapped, stopping on the way to her truck. “I can handle Bubba. He’s not a violent man.”

  Their eyes met and locked. “I’m Bubba’s friend and I’m going to be there.”

  “Suit yourself. You’re going to do what you want anyway.”

  And just like that the walls were slammed up and sealed tight—just as if the night had never happened. She didn’t trust him and he couldn’t really blame her. As he watched her drive away he knew what he’d probably known for years. He still loved her.

  But how did he prove that to her?

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  LUCKY TOOK A SHOWER, washed her hair and changed clothes. All the while she forced herself not to think about Kid. She was good at that. She’d done it for years.

  She’d thought her father would want to talk, but he was on the phone with Nettie. He’d just left the woman. What did they have to talk about?

  Realizing she was grumpy for no reason, she went out onto the porch to relax and to take a deep breath. She wanted her father to have a friend. Lord knew Wilma wasn’t that person. There were signs the woman was unstable, but everyone in this town called it nutty, out-of-control smothering. But it turned out to be so much more.

  A light breeze touched her skin. A strong hint of fall was in the air. This wasn’t her favorite time of the year because it brought back so many memories of when she was pregnant and alone in Austin. The baby was due in January. When the doctor had first told her that, she’d been shocked, unable to believe it. How could she go so long and not know she was pregnant?

  At the time the only thing she could focus on was Kid’s leaving. They hadn’t been apart since they’d gotten serious and she didn’t know how she was going to live without him. Since they always used protection, pregnancy never crossed her mind. And she was used to skipping her period. Her cycles were never regular.

  Oh! She clenched her hands into fists. Why was she thinking about this? It was over. Done—twenty years done.

  But it wasn’t over. She closed her eyes. Last night she’d acted like that young girl, carelessly, recklessly. And she’d added stupid to the list. They hadn’t used protection. The young Lucky had been smarter than that.

  But when Kid went flying out of the boxcar, she had visions of him lying out there bleeding to death. All she could think about was him and how she’d gotten him involved in a dangerous situation. Because of her he might be dead. At that moment she’d known that she didn’t want Kid out of her life, no matter how many times she’d told herself otherwise.

  When he swung back in the car, she was so happy she’d just wanted to touch him, hold him and never let him go. And she had been uncaring of the consequences. But now in daylight reality she was waffling with all the feelings she’d said she would never have for Kid again. Evidently, she’d been lying to herself.

  She glanced toward the hill and all of yesteryear’s pain centered in her heart. Vividly. How could she ever trust him?

  She’d trusted him last night and this morning. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if he hadn’t been there. It was nice not to be alone in a moment of crisis—to have someone to lean on. Even when Melvin had the gun pointed at Kid’s head, he was still cracking jokes, but Lucky knew he was dead serious. To prevent Kid from being shot, she did the only thing she could and fired at Melvin. She’d been trained to protect herself but nothing prepared her for the startling reality that she might have killed someone. It left her weak and trembling.

  Kid understood. That startled her even more.

  On the ride home she’d come to the conclusion that she didn’t want to risk her life or anyone else’s again. She had to stop worrying her father and face life head-on instead of living dangerously on the edge, searching for validation from a group of people who cared nothing for her. How psychotic was that?

  Travis was right, she should be a wife and a mother. But no one had ever come close to filling the emptiness inside her that Kid had left. Now he was back and she was falling into the same old trap of loving him. Maybe that’s what she’d been waiting for all these years.

  She drew another long breath. Out of self-defense she’d snapped at him earlier. Eventually they would have to talk and she wanted to be well armed with her pride intact when that happened.

  Her father came out the door without his cane and sat in a rocker. “Hey, girl, I thought you had to meet Walker.”

  “I do.” She got to her feet. “I just needed a moment.”

  “Mmm. Confronting Bubba Joe will be difficult.”

  “I’m just hoping he’s not involved.” That would crush her if he was. They were good friends and she couldn’t even remotely see him interested in cattle rustling.

  “Nah.” Her dad shook his head. “Wilma made him weak, dependent, and she would never let him get mixed up in anything like that because she’d be afraid he’d get hurt.”

  She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

  “Ah.” He waved a hand to dismiss it. “You know, Nettie reads palms and she said I didn’t have anything to worry about, that you would come home safe. She was a soothing comfort.”

  “Mmm.” She eyed her father who wasn’t his usual grouchy self. “You like Nettie?”

  “Yeah. She’s a nice lady. A bit different, but I like different.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. She said there’s a thing at the Senior Center on Wednesdays for men and women. They bring food, play cards, dominoes, some of the women knit. It’s just a fun get-together. I think I’ll go next Wednesday.”

  What? Her father never went anywhere. Nettie had certainly cast a spell over him.

  She kissed his cheek again. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. And to make you feel even better you’ll be even happier
to know that I’m quitting my job with Travis.”

  He turned his head to look at her clearly. “You mean that?”

  “Yes. Travis will probably fire me anyway because I crossed the line. But that doesn’t matter. I needed that job to make me feel better about myself. Not anymore. I don’t care what people say or think about me. If they don’t like me, it’s their loss. I’m not putting you through any more hell because I need to prove something to myself. I think I’m a pretty nice person the way I am.”

  “Damn straight. And I want you to think about closing The Joint or selling it.”

  “Dad.”

  “I mean it, Lucky. I never liked you running that place. It’s time to think about you—your life. Go to nursing school like you planned. Check in Brenham or College Station. I’m sure they have a program.”

  “I’m thirty-eight years old.”

  “So? You’re never too old to achieve your dreams. You’re never too old to be happy.”

  Lucky cocked her head. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Nettie, does it?”

  “We’re not talking about Nettie.” His voice became testy for the first time. “And what was that Hardin boy doing with you?”

  Oh, yeah. The grouchiness was back.

  “Kid saved my life last night and I was glad he was there.” She told him about the hobo and Kid’s daredevil stunt to get back to her.

  “Oh, girl.” He sighed heavily. “Don’t get tangled up with him again. He’ll break your heart just like before.”

  Unable to stop herself, she looked toward the hill. “I don’t think I’ve ever become untangled. There’s a permanent link that binds us.”

  “Oh, crap, girl. Don’t do this to yourself.”

  “I’m not, Dad. I don’t know what I want and Kid doesn’t, either. It’s like running through a fire and hoping you don’t get burned.”

  He squinted at her. “How many times do you have to get burned before you learn not to run through a fire?”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “My, aren’t you a bundle of wisdom.” He made to speak and she held up a hand. “No more advice. This time I’m making choices that are right for me and now I have to go.”

  Ollie was stretched out in front of the door. As he moved away, she said, “I’m still mad at you.”

  The dog whined.

  “Stop picking on Ollie.”

  She squatted and hugged him. She couldn’t really blame Ollie for her weakness in letting her guard down with Kid that day in the barn. It was the first crack in the armor she’d thought she’d perfected against the world—against Kid.

  But it was strange. Ollie had never done anything like that before. Maybe he’d sensed the tension between the humans and acted on instinct to ease a difficult situation. And she was dawdling. She went inside and grabbed her phone off the charger and headed for the door.

  Her dad was on the phone again with Nettie.

  This could get interesting.

  ON HER WAY TO BUBBA’S she called Thelma Lou to test the waters. She told her everything that had happened and added if she cared anything about the man she should be at Bubba’s in thirty minutes.

  The Grisley house wasn’t far from The Beer Joint. The small white frame two-bedroom sat on five acres. Wilma paid someone to mow it because she didn’t want Bubba Joe getting too hot.

  She often wondered why Wilma let him work in the bar. She was so protective of him and then it hit her. It was a way for Wilma to get information. Poor Bubba Joe. Wilma probably grilled him every night. He was going to have to grow up fast. That was going on the assumption that he had nothing to do with the rustling.

  She pulled into the driveway behind Walker. Kid whizzed in behind her. She tried not to look at him, but failed. His hair was still damp from a shower, curling into a blue polo shirt, which showed off his broad chest and strong arms. His jeans clung to his long legs. All that was sexy as hell, but it was the five o’clock shadow that made her weak in the knees. Or maybe it was remembering the feel of it as it had brushed across every inch of her sensitive body.

  He looked at her, his eyes dark, and then he spoke to Walker. “How do you want to handle this?”

  “I just got a call from the sheriff,” Walker said. “Wilma totally lost it in the jail, beating her head against the bars and shouting for Bubba Joe. They restrained her and took her to a hospital for a mental evaluation so let’s play this by ear. I’ll start the conversation.” Walker strolled toward the steps.

  Kid lightly touched her arm and her skin tingled. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she replied, following Walker.

  “You seem upset…with me.” He persisted.

  “I’m not. I’m just upset by everything that has happened.”

  “Everything?”

  “We’ll talk later,” she said, going up the steps. They were close to Walker so Kid didn’t say anything else.

  Walker knocked on the door. Bubba Joe greeted them in jeans and a white T-shirt, strands of hair sticking up at the back of his balding head. He’d obviously been asleep. He always slept during the day because he was up most of the night.

  “Sorry to disturb you,” Walker said.

  “I was just snoozing in my chair before I go to work.” He glanced at Lucky. “Did you come for the money from last night? I put it in the bag like I do when I close. It’s in my room I—”

  “Bubba, that’s not why we’re here,” she said. “Can we come in, please?”

  “Okay.” He opened the door wider and it was very cool in the house, probably cooler than Wilma would allow him to have it. The place was neat and clean but it had an old musty scent. Walker and Kid sat on the threadbare sofa while Bubba took his seat and she pulled a straight chair close to him.

  “Something has happened, right?” Bubba’s friendly expression changed to one of fear.

  “Yes,” Walker said.

  “Momma went to see Aunt Mable and something’s happened to her.”

  “Yes,” Walker said again. “But not like you think.” Then he told him the whole story.

  “Nah.” Bubba shook his head and looked at Kid. “This is a joke, right? Like you used to pull in school?”

  “No, Bubba.” Kid scooted forward. “I wouldn’t do that to you. This is serious and Walker needs to know if you were involved.”

  “Me?” Bubba was shocked. “I don’t even like cows. Momma wanted me to work on the Southern Cross but Judd wouldn’t hire me for that reason. Momma got mad and said she’d get even.”

  “She did, Bubba,” Lucky told him. “She got even with a lot of people.”

  His bottom lip trembled and Lucky knew he was going to cry.

  Kid got up and knelt by his chair. “Come on, Bubba, you’re gonna have to grow up now.”

  “But Momma takes care of me. I give her my check and she won’t let me touch the money. She gives me twenty dollars a week. Momma says I don’t know how to manage money.”

  “I’ll help you with all that now, but you better not be lying to us or Walker will find out.”

  “I’m not, Kid, I wouldn’t lie to you. You’re my friend.” Lucky feared Bubba was always going to be in third grade, but it was very clear Bubba looked up to Kid—his hero.

  “You bet.” Kid smiled and she had a moment of revelation. She didn’t think for one minute that Kid would take the time to fool with Bubba, but he was and it made him look so different in her eyes. Grown-up. Mature.

  “Where’s Momma, Kid?”

  Kid took a moment and she knew he was measuring his next words. “When she was arrested, they took her to jail, but apparently she had a mental breakdown. She’s being evaluated in a Brownsville hospital.”

  “Oh.” Bubba choked up again, running his hands down the thighs of his jeans. “I’d like to see her, but Momma won’t let me drive anywhere but High Cotton.”

  “I’ll take you in the chopper.”

  “You will?” Bubba’s eyes grew big. “I’ve never been on one. I might be scared.
”

  “I’ll be right there,” Kid promised him.

  “Okay.” Bubba made a decision for the first time in his life.

  “But do you understand your mother is not coming home?”

  Bubba wiped at his eyes. “I do.”

  Walker stood. “Bubba, you’ll probably have to sign some papers since you’re the next of kin. All those involved will be transported to the Giddings jail since the crimes were committed in this county. After your mother is evaluated, we’ll know more about where she will be located—jail or a hospital.”

  “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Don’t worry,” Kid told him. “I’ll be there to help you.”

  Bubba pushed out of his chair. “I’ll go change my clothes.”

  Kid got to his feet. “We have time. I’ll have to call Chance first to see when the chopper is available.”

  “Oh.” Bubba looked disappointed.

  “But it doesn’t hurt to be ready.”

  Charming Kid was out in full force, but that’s who Bubba needed right now, someone strong and self-confident to boost his low self-esteem. And Kid was good at that. As a teenager he’d given her confidence in herself—in life, only to shatter it. He wouldn’t do that to Bubba, though. Why she was so sure of that she couldn’t explain.

  “Bubba, do you know of anyone who works for the railroad?” Walker asked.

  “Yeah, Aunt Mable’s son-in-law drives a train. When we visit, he’s always talking about it.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Philipe Mendes. Why?”

  Kid patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll explain later.”

  Suddenly the squeal of a car that needed new brakes sounded. Thelma Lou. She burst through the door without even knocking. She looked around at the group. “So the old bitch finally cracked.”

  Lucky leaned over and whispered. “Cool the attitude.”

  “That’s mean, Thelma.” Bubba’s face knotted in pain.

  Thelma flung out an arm. “Did y’all tell him what she’s been doing?”

  “Yes,” Kid answered. “But we didn’t cut him with a razor blade while we did.”

  Thelma got the message quickly. She went over to Bubba and put her arm around him. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”