A Cowboy in Her Arms Read online

  “I’m surprised Polly hadn’t mentioned it.”

  “She did, but the barn is in such bad shape that I didn’t think anything could survive out there.”

  “You’d be surprised. You might want to take a look before you spend good money on something you already have.” She took a step back. “Funny, but I never pictured you as a handyman type of guy.”

  “And I never saw you as a beauty queen. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She shrugged. “The subject never came up.”

  “How would I have ever known to ask?”

  “That’s just it. You and your friends were from Boise, the big city, while I was from small-town Briggs. I wanted to fit in.”

  It was the first time Joel ever realized that Callie had been embarrassed about her past, as if growing up in a small town had been something to be ashamed of.

  “Goes to show you how much we didn’t know about each other. I was jealous about your roots, about your closeness with your family, this town. I never had any of that growing up. I wish I could have seen you in that pageant. How old were you?”

  He could tell she didn’t want to talk about it. That for some reason, it still embarrassed her.

  “Seventeen. And believe me, I was talked into entering, but this, finding you fishing through asphalt roof tiles, well now, that’s something to behold. When did you get into roofing?”

  He wasn’t sure if she was pulling his chain or sincerely wanted to know about his new interest in DIY projects. Either way, he was feeling a little embarrassed himself. “Only recently.”

  “As in, since you moved onto the Double S Ranch?”

  “Yeah, but I’ve got a good handle on this. Should be an easy fix.”

  He continued to search through the different-colored tiles, hoping against hope he’d find a match. He’d already loaded his shopping cart with tar paper, something called a flat bar, a good solid hammer, roofing nails, roof cement, a trowel and a staple gun with extra staples. He was set for anything.

  She glanced over at his cart and he wanted to snatch it away, but instead he ignored her.

  “You might want to ask Hank Marsh about fixing that roof. It’s older and will probably require some extra skills. Hank can fix anything, and knows just about everything there is to know about making repairs inside or outside a house, a barn or a stable.”

  But Joel didn’t want Hank’s help. He didn’t want anyone’s help, and he especially didn’t want Callie’s.

  “There’s Hank now.” She called out his name as the older, white-haired gentleman in the short-sleeved powder blue shirt shuffled by, causing him to stop in his tracks and walk their way. Hank wore a wide grin, round frameless glasses, and sported a thick white mustache. He looked to be in his late sixties or early seventies and about as wizened as a dried fig. From the look on his face, seeing Callie Grant had to be the highlight of his morning.

  “Mornin’, Miss Grant. That was quite a parade we had yesterday, more fun than any of the parades I’ve seen in one heck of a long time. Can always depend on the Grant family to stir things up in this here sleepy town. Glad you didn’t disappoint.”

  “It really wasn’t my fault... Apple Sammy wouldn’t cooperate.”

  “Uh-huh. What can I do you and this young fella for this morning?”

  Joel wondered what other chaos the Grant family had caused in the town. He really wanted to ask, but he also wanted to buy his basket of home improvement paraphernalia and get the heck out of there. “Nothing. Thanks. I’m fine. I know exactly what I need.”

  “Just hold on a minute. Joel’s fixing the ranch house roof on the Double S. I thought maybe you’d have some pointers for him, Hank.”

  “’Bout time somebody shored up that there property. Been neglected for way too long. That must mean that Polly Sloan is gonna stay put. Heard the news yesterday from Phyllis Gabaur during the parade that the filly was in town, but Phyllis ain’t always reliable with her information. Glad this time she was right. Then you must be that young man I’ve been hearing about.” Hank extended his hand and Joel took it, but that was about as far as he wanted to pursue this conversation.

  Polly had warned him that folks in this town liked to know your business...all of your business. Joel wasn’t in the mood to spill any details this morning.

  “Sorry to hear about your loss, son. Heck of a thing for your mate to pass so young, ’specially since you’ve got a little one. Glad Polly brought you to this here town. Best therapy in the world for a youngster is to grow up on a ranch.” He glanced down at Joel’s shopping cart and shook his head. “Mm-mm-mm! You sure aren’t gonna be able to fix that old roof with what you got in that there cart. For one thing, are you repairin’ a valley leak, a window leak, the vent or the chimney? They each require special consideration. Or are you just replacing the entire roof, which is probably your best bet. That roof ain’t been touched for more years than those tiles were made to last. Plus, in my opinion, roofin’ is dangerous business, son. Unless you’re a professional, I wouldn’t advise goin’ anywhere near it. Might slide off and break your neck.”

  “No worries there. I know exactly what I’m doing.” Joel was quick with his rebuttal. Maybe a little too quick. He didn’t want to offend Hank. He merely wanted to let Hank know that he had it covered, so to speak. “I’ve watched more videos than I can count on the subject.”

  Joel may have exaggerated his abilities, but he’d watched enough home improvement videos that he felt confident he could save himself and Polly a lot of money if he did the work himself. After all, how hard could it be to pound in a few nails and line up some precut shingles? He could do it blindfolded.

  Hank seemed to choose to ignore Joel’s last statement. “As I recall, Polly’s departed husband, Daniel, and me put that roof on in the first place. Stored some extra tiles in the old barn of theirs, ’course, after all this time, might be hard to find and those tiles are probably in worse shape than what’s up on that old roof. Either way, there’s everything you need right here. Just give me a minute to round up your supplies.”

  “Thanks, but I think I’m good with what I already have in my cart. I’ll just add a few more tiles and I should be fine. No need to go out of your way for me.”

  Hank stared at Joel for a moment, blinked a couple times, then shrugged. “It’s your decision, son. You know where to find me if you need anything else. Give Polly my best.” Then he turned on his booted heel and shuffled away.

  “Videos? Seriously?” Callie said, shaking her head.

  Joel resented the negative insinuation. “I know what I’m doing. I’ve studied this. Got advice from the best.”

  She chuckled. “Now I get it. You don’t want or need any help. You’re a changed man. No more help for you, right?”

  Joel took offense at her condescending attitude. “This isn’t about anything but fixing a darn roof, which I’m completely capable of doing.”

  “Clearly.”

  Joel was no longer paying attention to the conversation. Instead, he’d slipped into panic mode. He hadn’t watched any videos on fixing a roof around a window, or anywhere else Hank had mentioned. Could repairing those areas be that different? He was no longer so sure. In two or three sentences, Hank had managed to change Joel’s roofing confidence into roofing fear.

  Still, he decided to push through and made a mental note to look up an assortment of roof repair videos when he got home.

  “And you especially don’t want any help from me,” Callie said softly.

  She shrugged, then started to walk away. Joel at once realized what she’d just said. “What? No. This has nothing to do with you.”

  She stopped to face him, the smile gone. “And here I thought we could come to terms and at least be civil to each other now that we’re living in the same town.”

  Joel knew that f
or now, he didn’t want to be near her. Every time he was, his thoughts seemed to get all jumbled up. He could tell she was over him and probably had been for a long time.

  And he was over her...or was he?

  “Absolutely. I’m all for being civil.”

  “Really? And not just to me, but to everyone in this town?”

  “Of course. It’s my home now. I want to fit in with the townfolk or county folk or whatever they’re called.”

  “Well, you could’ve fooled me, ’cause you just insulted one of the most helpful men I know, and in doing so, you’ve made it clear that everyday civility isn’t on your to-do list. Good luck with that roof, Joel. And for the record the word is townsfolk, which you are now part of, and if you keep that wall up, you’ll never fit in.”

  As she walked away, he hoped there was an online video on how to adjust to small-town living. Because, for the record, he didn’t think he would ever “fit in.”

  Chapter Four

  The next evening the air seemed to spark with excitement as the folks in the stands readied themselves for the opening ceremonies at the annual rodeo. A clown stood in the center of the large arena at the fairgrounds sparring with the announcer, Harry Sweets, owner of the Sweet Spot, a local chocolate shop. Their voices boomed over the sound system, garnering belly laughs from the children who stood to get a better look at the shenanigans. This was a smaller arena and a smaller rodeo. There was no Jumbotron to capture any of the expressions on the riders’ faces, and the neon sign that displayed his or her name and score was visible only from the center of the stands. Which explained why the majority of the side seats remained empty. Still, the enthusiasm of both the audience and the riders was as high as any of the bigger events of the Western Days festival.

  Callie looked out over a sea of cowboy hats and smiling faces as she and the other Misses prepared to carry the flags out across the arena. Callie’s stirrup had been rigged with a flag boot to hold the flag upright and steady. Apple Sammy seemed a little jittery once she secured the heavy flag in place, his ears twitching as he wavered on his hind legs.

  “Easy, boy,” she said, and firmly patted his long neck. That seemed to settle him, and it settled her, as well. “We’re going to do just fine.” His head went up, and he whinnied as if he agreed...at least she hoped he agreed. She could never be sure about Apple Sammy’s temperament. Most of the time he was as cooperative as a trained pup eager to please, other times...not so much.

  Callie’s family sat in the stands: her mom and dad, her sisters, Coco, Kenzie, Kayla and Kayla’s husband, Jimmy. Plus her brother, Carson, and his wife, Zoe, were there, as well. Carson wouldn’t be competing in this year’s rodeo. Now that Zoe was pregnant, he didn’t want to be on the road. His focus had switched to teaching, and he seemed to be enjoying spending time at the M & M Riding School instead. Callie had always known her brother would settle down once he found the right woman, and Zoe Smart was 100 percent the right woman. She still ran her wedding planning business, but even that had taken a backseat to her pregnancy.

  The entourage of Idaho Misses had briefly practiced their entrance earlier, with flags in place, before the crowd had arrived, so Callie felt confident this would go much better than the parade had.

  She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, hoping it would calm her nerves, knowing full well it wasn’t the anticipation of the ceremony, which, after ten years, she could do in her sleep. Nope, she knew exactly why she couldn’t seem to relax. It was the anticipation of seeing Joel again. Not that she expected him to be in the stands, as he’d given her no indication that he would be there, still, she couldn’t be sure.

  “Is he here?” Nellie Bent asked as she rode up next to Callie who tried her best not to check out the stands for Joel. If he happened to be in the crowd, it would probably be best if she didn’t know.

  “I don’t know.” Callie sat back in the saddle, making sure her flag was seated properly.

  “Will you be okay this time?”

  “Of course I will.” Apple Sammy took a couple steps back, then whinnied. Callie patted his neck trying to soothe him, but she knew he could sense her apprehension. She certainly didn’t want a repeat of what had happened during the parade.

  “Your horse seems a little spooked. Maybe you shouldn’t go out. We can shuffle the flags around. Instead of us carrying two Idaho state flags I can take your flag.”

  Callie carried Old Glory.

  “What? No. I don’t care if Joel is in the stands. That situation has been resolved.”

  Nellie Bent seemed to know more about Callie than she should. That would have to stop or the whole town would soon start speculating about Joel and Callie. When the wretched affair first went down, Callie had been careful in keeping all the details within her family. She must have asked them a hundred times to please not tell anyone. Because of that sense of privacy she felt certain no one in town knew what had happened back in college.

  “So his name is Joel? Is that the new guy in town, Joel Darwood? He’s really cute, a little old, but still cute. I heard he’s a widower. That’s too bad for his little girl. My mom divorced my dad when I was a kid and I hated it. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like if my mom had died.”

  Her words cut right through Callie. Four years ago, Callie’s mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer, a diagnosis no one wants to ever hear. It just about tore Callie apart watching her mom go through all the treatment and surgery. If it wasn’t for the strength her family had during that time, she didn’t think any of them could have survived it. Her mom pulled through, and has been cancer-free ever since, but the scars of that time would never truly heal. So yes, Callie empathized with little Emma more than she wanted to admit.

  “I’m sure it’s tough on his daughter, Emma, but Joel seems to be handling her well.”

  Just then, the Misses received the signal to gallop out into the arena. They moved at a fast trot to the cheers and whistles of the enthusiastic audience. They headed across the full length of the arena, and would turn to their left and trot back in single file at a fast run so the flags would unfurl.

  “I know right where he’s seated,” Nellie said as they took off side by side, filling the arena with the sound of pounding hooves.

  “How could you know that?” Callie asked as they headed to the far end of the arena, amazed at Nellie’s gossip acumen.

  When they were about to make their turn and gallop back, Nellie said, “Because my sister texted me as soon as he sat down. He’s sitting close to my older sister Katina, third row center, second seat in from the left.”

  Callie’s first mistake was to quickly gaze up in the stands to the exact location that Nellie had described. Once she did, she spotted Joel Darwood flanked by Emma and Polly.

  Her second mistake came when, for a split second, she lost focus on her riding.

  She pulled a little too sharply on the reins, causing Apple Sammy to turn much too quickly. His feet went out from under him and they both went down. She knew in an instant she would hear about this for months to come.

  Silence surrounded her as Callie’s tiara tumbled off her head and landed in the rich brown earth, covering its sparkly stones with a fine coating of dust. Callie managed to jump off and away from her horse unscathed, the flag remained in the boot. Apple Sammy righted himself as Callie picked up her tiara. She didn’t bother to dust it off and put it back on her head. Then she quickly mounted her horse, secured the flag and took off for the open gate where the other Misses waited for her return.

  The place erupted with cheers and whistles as she raced across the arena to the relative safety of the waiting area. As the world shot past her in a haze of Old Glory, she made up her mind that as long as Joel Darwood lived in this town, her Misses days were once and for all unequivocally over.

  * * *

  WHEN
JOEL HAD seen Callie go down with her horse, he was up on his feet and heading for the arena without giving it a second thought. A fall like that had to cause some major hurt, if not a broken bone. He’d caught that she’d gotten back up and ridden out of the arena, but knowing Callie, that didn’t mean she wasn’t injured.

  The Callie he remembered never liked to admit she’d hurt herself, even that time when she’d split open her thumb on a broken glass. It had taken him most of an afternoon to convince her to let him drive her over to the ER for a couple stitches. In the end, she’d needed six stitches, and never once flinched as she watched the doctor pull the thread through her skin.

  Joel had waited on the other side of a metal gate while a male EMT asked questions and checked her out. Callie looked frustrated with the whole procedure as he flashed a light across her eyes, apparently concerned about a concussion. Once he was satisfied that nothing was broken and she didn’t have a head injury, a group of people immediately surrounded her. Joel had recognized a few of them from pictures he’d seen of her family. Her parents were there, along with her famous brother, Carson, plus Coco, whom he’d met the previous night, and two other women he assumed were her other sisters. A few other people had shown up, as well, reminding Joel of how much she was loved.

  In the end, he backed away from the group, thinking she probably didn’t want him in the mix.

  Fine. Well, he’d just have to get her out of his head and one way to do that was to get the heck out of there. So he secured a ride back home after the rodeo for Polly and Emma with some friends of Polly’s, and he headed out to Belly Up, the tavern in town he’d been wanting to try. Maybe he’d find some peace there, or at least a distraction from the seemingly constant thoughts of Callie he was having.

  Once inside, he made his way along the bare, planked wooden floor to the long, mirrored mahogany bar, pulled up a vintage wooden stool and ordered a whiskey neat, with a locally brewed beer chaser. The honky-tonk seemed rather quiet, and Joel suspected that most of the townsfolk were at the arena enjoying the rodeo.