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“She good?” Brody asked.
“She’s amazing,” Scarlett said. “I’m not just saying that because she’s my cousin either.”
Brody chuckled.
Tandy took the stage, picking up a classic wooden six-string guitar. It looked more prop than instrument, but Tandy plucked and tuned until she was smiling. She shaded her hazel-green eyes and stared at the bar, smiling at Renata. “This is for the only momma I ever knew.”
Click nodded, her words echoing his loss. Lynnie was that for him, as well.
Tandy’s fingers plucked magic from those strings, the music filling the now-silent bar. When she opened her mouth, Click sat on the bar stool. Her voice, those words, left him spellbound.
Nobody sang “Cowboy Take Me Away” like Tandy. Nobody. The rasp of her voice drew every eye her way, pulled them in and left the audience mesmerized.
“Damn.” Brody stared at him.
He nodded, swallowing back the sting in his eyes and the tightness in his throat. Tandy’s voice was unexpected, in the best sense. When the chorus came, Scarlett and Renata joined in.
He smiled, unable to look away from Tandy. She sang, tossing her long hair and closing those eyes as the song came from inside her, for Lynnie. He felt it, the grief and love and gratitude blended together into something raw and beautiful. As she plucked out the last notes of the song, Click was on his feet, whistling loudly. He wasn’t the only one. Her performance was impossible to ignore.
She bowed, placed the guitar back against the wall and crossed the stage.
“Let’s go, Renata,” Scarlett said. “Tandy sang your song. Now let’s get you home.”
“The boys just got here,” Renata argued.
“Renata.” Scarlett’s whisper wasn’t soft enough to miss. “Tandy’s barely keeping it together.”
Click’s gaze searched out Tandy then. Because of him?
“Oops.” Renata pushed off the bar then tipped forward.
Click caught her, swinging her up in his arms. “Gotcha.”
Renata blinked. “Course you do.” She frowned. “I’m not sure what you did to Tandy, Click Hale, but I’m mad at you.”
Click nodded.
But Renata wasn’t done. “How’re we all supposed to grow old together? With you two hating each other.”
Her words gutted him. Hate? Tandy hated him?
“Don’t you know how special she is?” Renata asked, her voice rising.
He nodded again. He knew. Damn he knew. He woke up every morning knowing—regretting.
“Renata! Stop talking,” Scarlett said, horrified. “Maybe you should let Brody carry her?”
“I can walk,” Renata argued.
“Didn’t work too well last time you tried,” Click said. “Stay put. I’ll get you to the truck.”
“This way,” Scarlett said, leading him from the bar. “Brody, can you send Tandy out? Let her know what’s...up.”
Click followed, doing his best to act like Renata hadn’t wounded him. Not that Renata meant any harm. She was drunk, not thinking clearly. Still, there was a ring of truth to her words.
“I got the door.” Scarlett held the truck door wide, stepping aside so he could deposit Renata on the back seat of the four-door truck.
As soon as he’d put her in the truck, Renata listed to the side, resting her head on a pile of suitcases.
He paused, stunned by the appearance of Banshee. He was in the truck bed, staring down at him, tail thumping. Click had given Tandy the dog when he was a puppy—their first baby she’d said. “Hey, Banshee,” he said, holding his hand out. “Grew into those paws, I see.”
Banshee groaned, leaning into Click’s strong rubdown.
Scarlett slammed the door and stared up at him. “Click, don’t listen to her. I’ve never seen her this drunk. She’ll feel terrible, hurting you.”
“I’m fine,” he assured her, giving Banshee’s head and neck a good rub.
“No, you’re not.” Scarlett shook her head. “I’m not going to chastise you but... I don’t know what happened between you and Tandy either. Drunk or not, I agree with Renata on this. Neither one of you is okay, and it makes my heart hurt—for both of you.”
Click shook his head, searching for the right thing to say. “It’ll get easier in time.” Every day he woke up hoping that would be the case.
Scarlett squeezed his upper arm. “Glad you’re back. Planning on staying for a while? Can I drop by and visit you and your new family?”
“Pearl and I would like that, Scarlett.” He grinned, giving Banshee a final pat. “Not sure what’s next, but you can stop by anytime.” He headed back to the bar. The same time Tandy was headed out.
When she saw him, she paused—her posture going rigid and stiff.
Dammit. He kept on going, his heart picking up with every step he took. He’d made a mistake tonight, coming here. He wouldn’t do it again. Should he tell her as much? Let her know he’d do his best to stay out of her way? Because seeing the effect he had on her dragged up all the self-loathing and shame he couldn’t face right now. One good thing about being Pearl’s father—it forced him to keep his shit together.
He tipped his hat as they passed, offering her some sort of greeting, and kept going. It was hard. Damn hard.
“Click.” Her voice carried on the wind, bringing him to an abrupt stop. “I—I’m sorry about Lynnie,” Tandy said. “She was a gift to us all.”
He nodded his head but didn’t turn. “You all going to be able to get home okay?”
“Yes.”
He glanced back, knowing it was a mistake, knowing he’d regret it later. Later. Not now. She took his breath away.
“We’ll be fine...thanks.” She hesitated, her gaze finding his.
Damn if he wasn’t caught, held tightly by his love for this woman. “Night, then,” he murmured.
“Night,” she repeated, heading toward the waiting truck.
He made his way inside, taking the beer Brody offered him and sitting at the bar.
“Something about the Boone women,” Brody said, shaking his head. “Once they get under your skin, you can’t get them out.”
Click grinned. “I’ll drink to that.” Loving Tandy had been the greatest gift of his life, something he’d known he didn’t deserve but couldn’t bring himself to point out. It had been his greatest secret, one he’d protected for most of his youth. Hadn’t she known she was better than him? He’d almost told her again and again. Until the summer she’d kissed him and he’d stopped caring. Seventeen and bold, fearless and desperate—that she’d felt the same had blown him away. That was the last summer Tandy had come to Fire Gorge. Uncle Woodrow had made sure of that.
“How’s India?” Click asked. All the years he’d been carrying a torch for Tandy, Brody had been pining for Scarlett’s sister, India. Not that Brody had ever acted on it. Or India Boone had the slightest idea.
Brody’s laugh was startled. “Moved back not too long ago.”
“That so?” Click stared at the man. “See her yet?”
He shook his head, taking a long swig off his beer.
“She still has no idea?” Click asked.
Brody’s narrow-eyed look said it all. “Nobody does.”
Click chuckled. “Can’t decide if that’s better or worse. Having her and losing her or...” He shook his head. “Never having her.” He shrugged. “Cuts both ways I guess.” As much as he regretted the loss and hurt they’d experienced, he couldn’t regret the love they’d shared. In the short time Tandy had been his, he’d loved a lifetime. All the dreams and plans they’d shared were gone, but not forgotten.
Now he had something new to dream and plan for. He had Pearl. And his little girl deserved all the love and dreams and attention he could give her.
Chapter Four (#udac7effc-ea84-52be-9dbf-ad52f78dcaeb)
“It’s so good to see you.” Aunt Evelyn leaned around the table to hug her awkwardly, again. “When Uncle Woodrow said you were coming, I cried.”
“She did,” Scarlett agreed.
Tandy smiled, taking a bite of her pancakes.
“I hated parting with you that way,” Aunt Evelyn sniffed. “Hated not having you girls all together for the summertime.”
Tandy kept her smile firmly in place. That summer had changed everything. She’d been sent home, embarrassed, because of her inappropriate relationship with Click Hale. If being sixteen and kissing a boy she was sweet on was inappropriate. Her mother had never let her forget how humiliated she was by Tandy’s behavior. Or how lucky she was her uncle stopped things from getting out of control.
“Let it go, Evelyn,” Uncle Woodrow snapped, patting her hand gruffly. “Tandy’s grown up. She’s got a good head on her shoulders now.”
Tandy didn’t let the now get to her. “Guess I’ll drive into town today, meet Dr. Edwards and see the clinic.”
Woodrow frowned. “It’s Saturday. Closed up.”
“Saturday and Sunday?” she asked, stunned. Weekends were emergencies only at the veterinarian hospital in Stonewall Crossing, but it was normally pretty busy.
“His nephew takes care of the boarders through the weekend. Don’t see much point in you making the drive into town.” Woodrow sat back, dropping his napkin across his plate.
“You’ll have to stay in one of the hunting cabins for now,” Woodrow continued. “They’re still updating the wiring in the Garden Cottage. Hope to have it ready in a week or two.”
“How was the funeral?” Aunt Evelyn asked.
“Good turnout,” Scarlett said. “Brody came, but his father didn’t.”
Meaning her aunt and uncle hadn’t come to the funeral because they didn’t want to run into Mr. Wallace? Tandy took a sip of her coffee, eager for breakfast to be over.
“Lynnie Hale was an amazing woman,” Aunt Evelyn said.
“She was stubborn,” Uncle Woodrow mumbled.
Tandy bit back a grin then. She remembered how frustrated Woodrow got with Lynnie the few times his cows brought down her fences or when she’d let him water his cattle at her spring—on her terms.
“She had to be.” Aunt Evelyn sipped her tea. “To hold her own with the men hereabouts.”
Tandy agreed. From Scarlett’s nod, so did she. She wished Renata was here. She made conversation seem easy. But Renata’s hangover had other plans, like staying in a dark, silent room in bed.
“Breakfast was wonderful,” Tandy said, ready to get the day started. “Guess I’ll head out to the hunting cabin and start unpacking.”
“Take her to the south field. Best shape,” Uncle Woodrow said, not looking up from his coffee.
“When he says best shape, that’s not saying much,” Scarlett whispered.
Tandy laughed. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Good, good.” Uncle Woodrow nodded. “Dinner is at six, around the campfire. Booked solid, so join us.”
“Thanks for the invite.” Tandy smiled.
Both of her uncles ran successful guest ranches. Most of her summer holidays and school breaks were spent at one of the two places. She knew hard work was required to keep things successful. Uncle Teddy’s Lodge was more a large-scale bed-and-breakfast. They offered low-key excursions like birding and wildlife walks, horseback rides, hayrides and the occasional campfire.
“Bring your guitar, too, Tandy. Nothing says cowboy like a serenade under a sky full of stars,” Uncle Woodrow added. “Should be a clear night.”
“Will do,” Tandy agreed. For some reason, singing to strangers was always easier.
Unlike Uncle Teddy’s Lodge, there was nothing low-key about Fire Gorge Dude Ranch. The large-scale ranch brought people from all over the world to experience the Wild West firsthand. They had over-the-top theme nights, a mock cattle drive, dances and overnight trail expeditions for those who really wanted to “rough it.” The last few years, Uncle Woodrow added upscale dining, yoga and fitness classes, and a spa for those “city folk willing to spend big money for mud baths and fancy food.” It seemed to be working—business was definitely booming.
Tandy suspected the dude ranch existed mostly to keep Evelyn happy. Her aunt loved talking and meeting new people. Her uncle hated travel almost as much as he hated strangers and lengthy conversations. The fact that the dude ranch kept his wife happy and brought in a pretty penny was a bonus her uncle surely appreciated. But their real wealth came from the oil they’d discovered some years back. That and the cattle Uncle Woodrow kept.
“If you need a thing, you let me know,” Aunt Evelyn said.
“I’m sure it will suit just fine.” Tandy smiled.
Scarlett trailed behind her from the dining room, speaking only once they were out of earshot. “Something’s up.”
“I sort of got that,” Tandy said. “As long as I have four walls, running water and some electricity, Banshee and I will be fine.”
“That might be all you have.” Scarlett shook her head. “That cabin is in rough shape.”
Thirty minutes later, she, Scarlett and a bleary-eyed Renata bounced down the rutted dirt road to her new home. Tandy’s enthusiasm nosedived. The cabin was one room—and in need of substantial TLC. But the bed was big and comfy and there were large windows in three of the four walls. The fourth wall was the kitchen, a collection of burnt-orange appliances and curling wallpaper. A pop-up table was built into the wall, collapsing flat when not in use. Two wooden chairs hung on pegs from the wall to prevent overcluttering the space. To say furniture was minimal was an understatement. The only additional piece was a large recliner. She could function with her closet-sized bathroom. At least there was a teeny-tiny shower stall, a toilet and a sink that dripped. None of that was the problem.
What bothered her was the view.
This was the sad cabin she’d spied from Lynnie’s back porch. Now, Lynnie’s house occupied the majority of one window. Not just any window either. If she lay on her big comfy bed, that was her view.
“No curtains?” she asked Scarlett.
“We’ll head into town and shop.” Scarlett shook her head. “Might as well start a list.”
