The Cowboy's Return Page 23

  “A lot of us are doing that,” Camila replied.

  Bert looked at Tripp. “You had every right to hit me. Surprised someone hadn’t done it before then.”

  Tripp nodded and Bert and the others moved on.

  Change wasn’t so bad, Camila thought. Mrs. Boggs was right—something good had come out of Unie’s death. It had brought all the hatred and bigotry to the surface and the people of Bramble had a good look at themselves. That brought change—in attitudes and behavior—something she’d thought she would never see.

  She froze as Wallis, Lurleen, Vance, Debbie, Cameron and Dillon walked in. She’d seen them, but she hadn’t spoken to them since that awful day. Wyatt had questioned Lurleen about Patrick’s wreck and it was ruled an accident like it had been years ago. Everyone accepted that decision without any guilt—even the Danielses.

  Wallis, Vance, Cameron and Dillon had been ordered by the judge to be pallbearers, so they had to be here. Slim and Joe Bob shared that duty.

  Wallis walked up to Camila. Tripp stiffened beside her and Benita stepped closer. She would never have to face anything alone again.

  “Camila, I…I’m sorry for everything that’s happened.” Wallis shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “Now and…you know.”

  She swallowed, not able to speak.

  “Me, too,” Vance added.

  “Thank you, Camila,” Cameron and Dillon chorused without prompting from their parents.

  Before she could respond, Cameron said, “Daddy ordered some barrels and we’re going to paint them red and Mama’s going to write Unie’s Cans on them. We’ll place the barrels around town and people can throw their cans into them. Maybe soon we’ll have enough money to build a new gym. Jilly’ll be happy about that.”

  “Yes, she would,” Camila said, hardly able to believe the change in these people.

  The group moved into the church.

  “If that don’t beat all,” Millie said, grinning at Camila as she followed them.

  “Come on, chick,” Benita said. “We can’t start this without you.”

  “Be right there.” She turned to look at Tripp and he smiled.

  “You’re wonderful,” he whispered, giving her a long kiss. “The next time we’re in this church, we’re getting married and it can’t be soon enough for me.”

  “Me, neither.” They had agreed to wait to make love until they were married and now Camila was wondering if that was a wise decision. The restraint was getting to both of them, but Tripp wanted her to have a perfect wedding, everything a girl dreamed about. The only thing she dreamed about these days was him. She didn’t think it would be too hard to change his mind. Later, she would do just that. She took his hand and she and the cowboy walked into the church to pay their last respects to Unie.

  And the future awaited them.

  In Bramble, Texas.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  “Jilly, you’re gonna get us in trouble again and I’m keeping a list, I want you to know.”

  “Stop whining,” Jilly Daniels shouted back to her friend, Kerri.

  “We’re not supposed to ride our bikes on the highway,” Kerri reminded her.

  “This is important.” Jilly rolled to a stop, her sneakers sliding on the pavement by the Bramble population sign on the outskirts of town.

  “Everything is so important to you.”

  Jilly adjusted the kickstand and reached for the can of red spray paint in her basket. Button barked. “Shh,” Jilly told her.

  Kerri saw the can in Jilly’s hand. “Oh, no, you’re going to write on the sign, aren’t you?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s defacing public property. We’ll be, like, arrested.”

  “They’re going to change the sign anyway so I don’t see a problem. This is the first thing I want my mama to see when her and Tripp bring the baby home. The one-thousandth citizen of Bramble—Walker Griffin Daniels. You can go home if you want, but I’m writing on the sign.”

  Kerri got off her bike. “Horace is gonna put us in handcuffs. I just know it—that’s the first thing your mama will see—us in jail.”

  “Kerri…” Jilly stopped as Bert drove up beside them.

  “I told you,” Kerri breathed, moving closer to Jilly.

  Bert rolled down his window. “What are you girls doing? You know your parents don’t allow you to ride on the highway.”

  Jilly held the can behind her back. “I was just going to surprise my mama.”

  Bert glanced at their guilty faces then at the sign. “Were you going to write on the sign, Jilly?”

  Jilly bit her lip, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to get into trouble either.

  “You know they’re putting up a new sign tomorrow. It’s all part of the big celebration.”

  “Oh.” Jilly pondered this. “So is it okay if I write on this one so my mama and Tripp can see it?”

  “Yeah. Go ahead. I just stopped to tell you that they’re erecting the marker for the new gym, just like Camila wanted—the Eunice Gimble Gymnasium in memory of Unie. Tripp wanted it dedicated to Camila for donating Unie’s money for the project. I hope Camila will be pleased.”

  “She will.”

  “Good.” Bert nodded. “You kids did a wonderful job raising money, too. Now we have a new gym instead of a renovated one.”

  “Cameron and Dillon raised a lot of it.”

  Bert nodded. “I’m very proud of them, but you’re the one who showed them the way. I’m proud of you, too.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Boggs.”

  “Everything is ready for the celebration. Thought you might want to tell Camila about the marker, but don’t mention the dedication. Tripp wants to surprise her.”

  “That’s totally cool. Thank you, Mr. Boggs.”

  “Earl, Vance and Wallis have a crew hanging the welcome-home banners across Main Street for the celebration.”

  “Wow.”

  “Stay on the shoulder when you pedal back,” Bert called, before he took off toward Bramble.

  “Was that Uncle Bert?” Kerri asked, frowning.

  “Yep. Unless he has a clone.”

  Kerri giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. “Bramble’s a nice place to live now—all because of your mama.”

  “My mama’s great.” They did a high five, bumped their butts together and did a happy dance.

  Morris drove up in the black Cadillac and got out. “I’ve been looking all over town for you, young lady. Benita said you went bike riding with Kerri, but you’re not supposed to be out on the highway.”

  “I know, Morris, but I have to change the sign so Mama and Tripp will see it when they come home from the hospital. Mr. Boggs said it was okay in case you’re going to tell me I can’t.”

  “Well, come on, let’s get it done so I can get you to Leona and Grif. They’re at the community center finalizing plans for tomorrow and they’re not too pleased you spent the night with Benita.”

  “They’re not good at sharing, but I’m working on them.” Jilly had wanted a part of her father and she now had that, but deep down she thought of Tripp as her father. She couldn’t explain it. She just did and when he’d adopted her, it had made it real. She now had a father.

  Jilly stretched to reach the sign, but she wasn’t tall enough. She glanced at Morris.

  “Lordy, lordy, girl, you gonna drive me to drinking.”

  Jilly giggled and Morris held her high so she could reach the sign. She sprayed over the old number then wrote 1000 above it. She printed Walker Griffin Daniels in bold letters at the top, and Morris lowered her to the ground.

  “What do you think?” she asked, staring at her handiwork.

  “Totally cool, like, really good,” Kerri replied.

  “Sometimes I don’t understand a word you girls say.” Morris shook his head. “I’ll tell you what it’s like. That’s about as good as it gets. Gooder than dewberry wine. Gooder than snuff. Gooder than springwater in the hill country on a hot su
mmer day after working cattle in the heat and—”

  “We get the picture,” Jilly interrupted, giggling.

  “Then get your cabooses in the car,” Morris said without skipping a beat. “I’ll put your bikes in the trunk. Your grandparents are waiting for you then we’re going home to Lady Luck to await Master Walker’s arrival.”

  “I love living at Lady Luck and you’re a cotton-pickin’ angel, Morris.” Jilly hugged him.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  As they drove away, Jilly had a secret smile. Mama and Tripp were going to love it. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind.

  Mama was the greatest, and Tripp was, too.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8200-5

  THE COWBOY’S RETURN

  Copyright © 2006 by Linda Warren.

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