Designs on the Cowboy Read online

  Glory felt the same exhilaration she’d felt when Erin had asked her if she’d be willing to do something with the Walker house. When Dylan had reluctantly agreed, she’d been over the moon. For good reason. Both structures had stood the test of time. She only wished she’d been around when the Opera House had been renovated.

  “I can honestly say that I think I can help,” she answered.

  Leaning back, Hettie smiled. “I’ve heard such good things about what you did with Dylan Walker’s house that I—”

  “From whom?” Glory didn’t doubt there’d been talk. Why else had there been so many people calling? “I’m sorry for interrupting, but I can’t imagine Dylan saying anything. He simply isn’t the type.”

  Hettie’s bigger smile hinted that there were secrets behind it. “It only takes one person to start spreading the news, especially here in Desperation. You should remember that.”

  Glory nodded, thinking of the past. “Yes, good or bad, word travels fast.”

  “Speaking of which, I’ve heard a rumor that someone from the local paper will be calling you for an interview,” Hettie said with a conspiratorial wink.

  Glory could hardly believe what she was hearing, but she doubted Hettie would have mentioned it if it wasn’t true. “That would be... Wow.”

  “You’ve been a favorite in Desperation for a long time, Glory. People didn’t forget you just because you were gone.”

  Thinking about how she’d come to this moment in time, Glory pushed away the bad memories and smiled. “It’s something I’ve thought about doing for a long time. And I wanted to come back here to do it.” She remembered Dylan’s face when he saw his bedroom, but refused to think about anything more than that. “I love doing it.”

  “You’ve always been a sweet girl.” Hettie reached across the desk and put her hand on Glory’s. “And you obviously enjoy making people happy.”

  Nodding, Glory smiled. “Yes, I guess I do. Making people happy makes me happy.”

  “Does that mean you’ll take the job?”

  For a moment, Glory stared at her, and then she laughed. “Of course! In fact, I’m putting it first on the list. Hopefully all the others will understand.”

  “I’m sure most of them will, and those who don’t, well, they’ll get used to it or not have the pleasure of having you do the work.”

  But Glory was only half listening. What was it she’d said to Hettie? Making people happy made her happy? Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and then opened her eyes to look at Hettie, who didn’t appear to notice that something might be wrong.

  Before she could even think of something to say, there was a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” she said.

  The door opened, and her grandmother stood in the doorway. “I saw your car outside, Hettie,” Louise said, “and I’m curious to know what you think about my granddaughter’s work.”

  “I think you have a very talented granddaughter,” Hettie said, standing. She turned to Glory, who also stood. “I don’t want to keep you any later. Give me a call next week, and we’ll go over the details.”

  “Yes, that sounds good,” Glory said.

  “I’ll walk you to the door,” Louise said.

  When both women were gone, Glory sank back to the chair, her heart aching at what she’d been thinking before her grandmother had come in.

  She’d spent her entire life trying to please everyone, and she’d done whatever it took to do it, no matter at what cost to herself. She was and had always been a people pleaser. As a child, she’d done everything she could to please her father. Then later her life had revolved around Kyle and his needs and wants. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized that she’d given away her happiness. It was time to choose the things that made her happy.

  In the back of her mind, she wanted Dylan to be a part of her life. But she’d ruined even that. Happiness might not be so easy to find.

  * * *

  “THE FOURTH OF July celebration is coming up next week,” Luke said.

  With his hands in the engine of the utility tractor and his mind on things it shouldn’t be, Dylan grunted. “So I hear.”

  “Are you going?”

  Dylan knew he couldn’t let his guard down. Luke knew him too well, and if he didn’t follow the usual script, there’d be some explaining to do. He didn’t want to explain anything. How could he? He was still grappling with what Louise Gardner had said to him.

  “I haven’t really thought about it,” he answered. “Hand me that torque wrench, will ya?”

  “Here you go. You know, it’s getting close to lunchtime. Want to run into town with Brayden and me? You know how he likes it when his uncle Dylan comes along.”

  Dylan wasn’t ready to risk seeing Glory. “Not today. I want to get this finished.”

  “It can wait.” When Dylan didn’t answer, Luke sighed. “Okay, then I’m out of here. If you want to stay here and work on that, go ahead. I’m going to spend my time with my son. I’ll see you later.”

  “Yeah.”

  Dylan waited until he heard the sound of Luke’s pickup start and drive away. When all was quiet and he felt safe, he put down the tools, picked up a rag and wiped the grease from his hands.

  Louise Gardner’s words whispered in his mind as he walked to the house and went inside. The first thing you need to do is prove to her that you’ve let go of the past and are moving on.

  If only he knew how to do that, but he’d spent the night before and all that morning trying to think of something—anything—that might work. So far, he’d come up empty-handed.

  The shades were pulled down in his office, and he didn’t bother to turn on the light when he walked in and made his way to his desk. There was no need. He had the room memorized, just like he’d memorized the last words Glory had said to him before she’d left him there, six days before. The note she’d written and left in the gazebo lay open on his desk, but he didn’t bother to glance at it. He’d memorized it, too. And still he didn’t know how he could prove he was leaving the past behind.

  And he was. Slowly. He was doing his best to forget about the day that had changed all their lives and to not be afraid to love someone. If Glory had faith that he could do that, why didn’t he have half as much in himself?

  A framed photo of his high school baseball team sat on his desk, and he reached for it. He hadn’t seen it for years, until Glory had discovered the box of photos he’d hidden in the attic. Now that he was over the shock of seeing all the photos again, he’d discovered that the sight of them didn’t bother him. In fact, he had come to the point where he enjoyed seeing them. There was a new photo on the desk, too, one Erin had taken before she left and sent him only two days ago. In it, he and Luke were holding Brayden between them. Brayden and Luke were laughing, but he wasn’t. That wasn’t how he wanted his nephew to remember him.

  On the other corner of his desk was the photo from the living room of him and his dad. Leaning back in his chair, he remembered that his dad had never missed one of his games. Had Glory known that? Had she realized the power the photos held for him? He believed that giving them to him had been her way of helping him heal, but he hadn’t realized it until now.

  He’d vowed never to play baseball again and hadn’t. But what would happen if he did? Could he do it? And if he did, would it be proof enough that he was moving on?

  When he heard his brother’s voice calling his name, he looked at the clock on his desk. Over an hour and a half had passed since Luke had left.

  “I’m in here,” he called out.

  “I thought you’d still be out working on the tractor,” Luke said from the doorway of the office.

  “I had some things to do.” Dylan pushed away from the desk and stood. He felt strange, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. He felt good, as if he’d found an answer he�
�d been seeking for a long time.

  “Going back to work on the tractor?” Luke asked as he followed Dylan into the kitchen.

  “Not today. I’m going upstairs to clean up and then run an errand.”

  Luke followed him to the stairs. “What’s going on? You were so determined to get that tractor fixed.”

  With his foot on the first step, Dylan turned back. “Some other time.”

  An hour later he was at the O’Brien ranch, where he found Tucker O’Brien and his son Shawn working with some horses in the corral. Taking a deep breath, Dylan approached them, stopping at the fence.

  “Hey, Dylan,” Tucker called to him. “What brings you here?”

  “I’d like to talk to Shawn, if that’s okay.”

  Tucker glanced at his son, and then nodded at Dylan. “Sure. I’ll just leave you two—”

  “No need to do that. Your input is always welcome.”

  While Tucker tied the horses to the fence on the other side of the corral, Shawn joined Dylan and asked, “Is there something I can do for you?”

  Dylan said what he’d practiced as he drove to see them. “I hear you’re looking for some players for the baseball game on Thursday.”

  Shawn looked behind him at Tucker, whose eyebrows raised slightly as he walked toward them. Turning back to Dylan, Shawn said, “As a matter of fact, we could use one or two more. Do you know somebody who might want to play?”

  “Maybe.” Dylan watched as Shawn looked to his dad again. “One person, anyway.”

  “Yeah?” Shawn’s eyes held a hint of anticipation. “Got a name?”

  Hoping this was the right thing to do, Dylan shrugged. “I thought I might give it a try.” When Shawn stared at him, saying nothing, Dylan wasn’t sure if the young man understood. “If you don’t mind a guy who hasn’t caught or thrown a ball for fifteen years, that is.”

  “You? You? I don’t believe—” Shawn’s smile seemed to reach from ear to ear, and then he laughed. “Yeah. Oh, yeah, we’d love to have you on the team. You’re a legend around these parts.”

  “Not hardly,” Dylan answered. He’d never taken well to praise.

  Tucker stuck his hand out, and Dylan took it. “Yeah, you are,” Tucker said. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

  “A small legend, then,” he admitted with reluctance. “But I’m going to need some practice. A lot of it.”

  “Sure!” Shawn’s eagerness shone in his eyes. “I mean, whenever you want, I’m available. Some of the other guys, too. We have a practice planned for tomorrow afternoon at two. If you can make it, of course.”

  “I’ll make it.” Just saying it made Dylan feel good.

  “You have a mitt, right?”

  Dylan nodded. He’d hidden it away in the loft in the barn and never looked at it again. “It’s probably pretty stiff right now, but I think I can get it in shape with some oil and a good workout.”

  “Great. Then I’ll see you tomorrow at the baseball diamond at the high school.”

  For a second, Dylan nearly backed out, wondering if he could handle the memories. Instead, he nodded and took the hand Shawn offered. “Tomorrow at the high school.”

  Heading back home in his truck, he pulled out his cell phone and hit an autodial number. “You’d better be home next Thursday,” he said.

  “I have things to do,” Erin replied with an indignant sniff.

  “I’m serious, Erin. I need you to be here.”

  For a moment, there was silence. “All right. But why?”

  He felt the smile coming on. Even if this failed where Glory was concerned, he knew it was the right thing to do. Somehow he’d found a way to use the past to move forward.

  * * *

  GLORY WALKED THROUGH the park, surrounded by rides and booths selling everything from food to crafts and more. “I’d almost forgotten how much fun celebrating the Fourth of July in Desperation could be. This was always my favorite part of summer. How about you?”

  Kate grinned. “Oh, it’s definitely my favorite.”

  Having heard the story of how Dusty had chased Kate through town during the annual celebration and roped her so he could propose, Glory laughed, and then sighed. “I suppose it’s because I haven’t been here for so long. More than anything, it’s getting to see people I hadn’t thought of for years. And the memories it brings back, too, I guess.”

  “Good ones, I hope,” Kate said. “And look, there’s my sister, heading this way.”

  Trish shook her head when she joined them. “It’s totally crazy over there at the refreshment stand. You’d think no one’s had a bit of sugar for months. But look who I found.”

  Erin’s grin was visible from several yards away, along with the four cones of cotton candy she was carrying. “Now I remember why I stopped coming back home for these,” she called to them, pulling her mouth down in a make-believe frown.

  Glory laughed as Erin drew closer. “And here I was just telling Kate how much I was enjoying this.”

  Trish relieved Erin of one of the sticky confections. “Don’t believe what she says. Erin was enjoying all the attention she was getting.”

  “Was not,” Erin said, lifting her chin as she handed a cotton candy to Glory. “It’s just difficult to get away from people sometimes.”

  “I didn’t know you’d planned to come back this soon,” Glory said.

  “I hadn’t.” Erin shrugged and smiled. “Plans change.”

  “How long will you be here this time?”

  “I haven’t decided. And if we don’t hurry, we’re going to be late.”

  Glory glanced at each of them. “Late for what?”

  Kate, talking to Trish, looked at them. “Oh, didn’t we tell you? Dusty and Morgan have decided to risk broken bones this afternoon.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Playing baseball,” Trish answered.

  “Really? I don’t remember Dusty playing in high school. He was too absorbed in rodeo and bull riding.”

  Kate nodded. “He was, but he was determined to be a part of this, so I guess he knows what he’s doing.”

  Trish nodded. “All Morgan ever wanted to do was be a cop like his grandfather, but, like Dusty, he decided he was going to play. Why don’t you two come with us to the game?”

  Glory wasn’t sure, but she did want to spend time with her friends. “It would be nice to sit for a while, I guess. I haven’t walked this much since I don’t remember when.” She turned to Erin. “How about you?”

  “I suppose it can’t hurt.”

  Ten minutes later, they were entering the gate of the high school baseball field. “This brings back some memories,” Glory said as they stepped inside the enclosure.

  “Good ones?” Kate asked.

  “I try to make all of them good,” Glory answered with a smile.

  “Let’s find a seat,” Erin said, and led them to the visitors’ side of the field.

  Glory pointed to a group of players throwing baseballs on the other side of the diamond. “Is that the high school team?”

  “That’s them,” Kate answered. “I heard they won most of their games this year. Which doesn’t bode too well for the old guys.”

  “Don’t say that in front of Morgan,” Trish said, laughing, “although he has been complaining of aches and pains in places he didn’t know existed.”

  Their laughter was interrupted by the arrival of Jules O’Brien and her sister-in-law, Dr. Paige O’Brien. “I don’t see our team,” Jules said, sitting on the bleacher seat behind them. “Have they decided to forfeit?”

  Kate shook her head. “They’re over on the football field, warming up. Personally, I think they want to make a grand entrance.”

  “As long as they make an entrance,” Jules replied.

 
Erin turned around. “Is Tanner playing?”

  Jules tipped her head back and laughed. “Oh, heavens no! But he is coaching.”

  “Tucker isn’t playing, either,” Paige said, “but only because I put my foot down. His leg is stronger, but I don’t want him taking a chance with it. He will, however, be on the bench, just in case he’s needed.”

  “Nikki and Mac wanted to be here,” Jules said, “but it was the only time they could get into a special seminar in Arizona. I’m sure next year will be different.”

  Glory turned to Kate. “Nikki?”

  Kate nodded. “Tucker and Tanner’s sister.”

  “They have a sister?” When Kate nodded, Glory shook her head. “I’ve missed so much.”

  “Don’t worry,” Erin said. “We’ll get you up-to-date.”

  Blown away by all the things she hadn’t known about, she turned her attention to the field. “You know, I don’t remember baseball games on the Fourth of July when I was in high school.”

  “It was Shawn’s idea,” Paige said. “He was on the high school team, but graduated last year. He’s been itching to play some of his former younger teammates, so he decided to put together a team of ‘old guys,’ as he put it.”

  Kate laughed. “And very well put, I’d say.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Glory caught sight of a group of ballplayers entering the home-team dugout. “Looks like our team has arrived. And don’t those uniforms look nice!”

  Jules nodded. “Gerald Barnes and a few others got together and bought the shirts and hats. The players paid for the rest.”

  “Maybe they’ll make a habit of this.”

  “That remains to be seen, and only if they all survive,” Jules said, laughter in her voice.

  Shading her eyes against the bright afternoon sun, Glory tried to see who was on the team, but with all the players in uniform, she couldn’t tell one from the other.

  Erin touched her shoulder. “I’m going to get us something to drink.” She looked at the others. “Is anyone else thirsty?”

  While Erin took orders, Glory turned her attention back to the players as they took the field for a final warm-up before the game started. Just when she started to ask Kate which one of the players was Dusty, she stopped.