Debra Clopton - Her Homecoming Cowboy

“He’s fine. I don’t think he’ll be doing that again. Will you, buddy?”

Leo shook his head. “Colt told me I made you worry.”

“I know you didn’t mean to.” She fought to let the episode go as she brushed his bangs off his forehead. “I’m just glad a cow didn’t get you.”

Colt’s brows lifted a bit and he gave a slight nod of agreement.

“I was real careful. I crouched down real low, like this.” Leo leaned over, hunkering down and demonstrating how he’d scurried across the pasture. When he came to a stray clump of bitterweeds, he crouched down, looked about, then grinned at them. “See, I was real careful and watched out for mean ole heifers like y’all told me to.”

Colt and Annie laughed.

Then Leo headed home, continuing to sneak back across the pastures, obviously enjoying his game. Watching him, Annie and Colt began walking.

“Are you okay? You seemed...really upset.”

Self-conscious, she sure wished she hadn’t let her fear show. “I’m fine. I just got worried. Leo was gone.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just walked beside her, as they kept Leo in sight. “So, y’all are settled?” he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Annie nodded, glad for a change of subject. “Pretty much. We really didn’t have a lot to unpack.”

“So, y’all lost everything?”

“Except each other.” Annie met his questioning gaze. “The fire was bad. I’m grateful Leo wasn’t harmed. If I’d lost him...or he’d lost me...” A lump lodged in her throat. “That would have been the tragedy.” Her heart raced again at the thought.

Every time that horrible day came to mind, especially the moments when she’d believed she was going to die not knowing what had happened to Leo, she had to fight not to tear up. Forcing herself to the bright side, she smiled. “Thankfully, we have each other, and we’re here in this neat little town, moved into this fantastic, quaint farmhouse that I’ve totally fallen in love with. I feel like I’m living on a smaller set of The Waltons when I’m in the kitchen.”

Colt stopped walking. “So you were home when the fire happened?”

“I was. Leo was staying in town at a friend’s house, because we knew our area was in a danger zone. When the fires struck it happened so quickly...” She paused, remembering. She rubbed her arms as Colt watched her with intense eyes. “It’s unbelievable how your life can change in a flash,” she added. Though she’d rather change the conversation, something in his expression, in his eyes, seemed to draw the words from her.

“Yes, it is.” He took a deep breath and studied Leo, who’d reached the yard and had begun trying unsuccessfully to rope a bucket he’d set out.

Annie felt sad. Among all the other things she thought she’d seen in him at their first meeting, she’d glimpsed what she believed to be sadness. She’d chalked it up to the fact that his injury must have taken him out of contention for the national championship. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“Have you eaten?” she asked impulsively. After all, she was here to find out who Colt Holden was. What better way to do that than to share a meal with him? “Leo would be ecstatically happy if you were to eat supper with him. I’ve got plenty.”

“I haven’t eaten, but—”

“Please join us. It’s the least I can do after you’ve saved the day, two days in a row. I promise you it won’t become a habit.” As if she could promise that when Leo was around! What was she thinking? You’re thinking about making this man laugh again and you know it.

He had a nice, rusty laugh and seemed to surprise himself every time one escaped the tightly guarded wall that surrounded him.

His eyebrows knitted slightly over deliberating eyes that darted back to Leo. Sensing their gazes, Leo looked up and waved. “Come help me, Colt.” His little voice was full of excitement.

Annie held her breath.

“I need—” Colt started, and Annie was certain he was going to say, “I need to go.” But he clenched his jaw and swallowed hard. If she’d hadn’t already picked up that something was wrong in Colt’s life, it was very clear now.

“Please,” she urged, touching his arm. His tortured eyes were fathomless when he turned them to her.

What had happened to this man?

He blinked and the agony was replaced with that semiblank facial expression she’d seen before.

“I don’t know what’s bothering you,” she blurted out. “But I’m thinking maybe some company would help. Please stay.”

Chapter Five

Colt couldn’t turn Annie’s invitation down. Oh, he’d tried. She was persistent, though, and despite the loss and guilt raging through him, when she’d touched him, when he’d looked at her, he couldn’t turn and run. Couldn’t tear himself away even though he tried.

“Great!” A warm smile spread across her face and crinkled the edges of her eyes. Immediately she headed toward the house, probably afraid that he would change his mind. “Not that I’m promising anything fancy. But with Leo around, I can always promise wonderful, entertaining company.”

She shot him a grin. “That kid’ll brighten any day.”

Colt took a deep breath. She had no idea that it was the little fella’s exuberance and liveliness that had him twisted into knots right now. He pushed the idea away. He had to come to grips with this somehow. It would be just like God to move Annie and Leo right in beside him to help him to dig up out of the hole he was in. It didn’t sit well with Colt, but that beef was between him and God; Annie and Leo had nothing to do with it.

* * *

Through the kitchen window, Annie watched Colt show Leo how to hold the rope and then toss it. Over and over it missed, and over and over Colt patiently showed him how to do it. Annie was supposed to be setting the table and putting the hamburger skillet dinner out, but she was drawn to the window to watch them. There was just no denying that Colt intrigued her.

The little voice in her head kept telling her he looked great, too—but she was ignoring the bothersome voice. Colt was crouched on Leo’s level and was explaining how to hold his hand as he held the rope, and she was seeing yet again how similar Leo’s movements were as he copied the way his daddy held his hand. So engrossed was Annie that it took a minute to realize she smelled something burning and that the room had somehow filled with smoke. “Oh, my goodness!” she exclaimed rushing over to the stove, where the skillet of hamburger and noodles smoldered!

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