Debra Clopton - Her Homecoming Cowboy

He needed to get out of here, but for the life of him, Colt couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman’s pale eyes. Something stirred inside his chest at the way they searched his face, as if she were trying to look inside his head—which was not a good place for anyone to be searching right now.

“Do I know you?” Something pricked in the back of his memory. He’d feared at first that she might be a reporter. He’d learned the hard way that reporters could look innocent, too, and be as deadly as sharks.

“Um, no,” she replied quickly. “We’ve never met. I...” She swallowed hard, then took a halting breath as her gaze hit the ground before bouncing back to his.

Was she lying? Her body language wasn’t giving him any confidence in her words.

“I’ve actually brought my nephew to meet you. He’s your number one fan. I’m sorry to intrude, but I was wondering if you would take a moment to meet him.”

A child. Colt’s heart jerked at the thought and he shook his head. “I can’t— I mean, I’m not—”

Behind her, the creak of the battered blue car’s door opening drew his attention. His heart sank as a little boy, about five or six years old, peeked out. Colt steeled himself against the slash of guilt that ripped straight through him.

“Colt!” The kid’s big eyes, wide and dancing with excitement, stared at Colt as if he was some kind of superstar. “It is you!” the kid yelled and charged.

Stepping back, Colt wanted to turn and run the other way, but he held his position, glaring at the lady. Her mouth was hanging open as the kid skidded to a halt in front of him, gravel crunching as he came.

“I been waitin’ my whole long life to meet you,” he exclaimed, then joyfully threw his arms around Colt’s knees.

Images of another child flashed through Colt’s thoughts, breaking his heart once again into shattered pieces. Sweat popped across his brow and his heart thundered. It was all he could do to hold his ground as his gaze flew from the boy’s ecstatic, upturned face, then back to the woman. To his disbelief, she looked more terrified than he felt.

Three weeks ago, Colt would have patted the kid on the head and asked him questions, drawn him into a conversation and tried to make a good impression on the boy. Today he couldn’t breathe, his voice clogged in his throat and all he could think about was getting away. Life had changed in the blink of an eye. One minute he’d been on top of the world, chasing the dream reflected in this little boy’s eyes. Today that dream meant nothing compared to the lives lost because of him. How did he move on from that?

How did he deserve to move forward from a tragedy that he could have prevented?

That was the question he was wrestling with.

Looking into the little boy’s eyes, all Colt could think of was getting away.

Far, far away.

Chapter Two

Leo, Leo, Leo. Annie’s heart tugged at his childish adoration. It was obvious Colt Holden was not used to being fawned over by kids. This shocked her. The man was a rodeo hero and there were always photos of him grinning and signing autographs... Please tell me he is not one of those “fake it for the camera” guys.

If he was, she might as well turn her car around and head back home. Why, the man looked terrified...and totally worn out. Deep weariness etched his face.

She was startled by his overall appearance when he’d come barreling out of the office looking fierce and scraggly. He needed a shave and two weeks of sleep.

Very different from the photos Jennifer had hung in Leo’s room. Those were of a very clean-cut, slick-shaven cowboy with an intriguing glint in his eyes and mischief in his expression. This cowboy looked ten years older than the twenty-eight she knew him to be...still unbelievably handsome despite the hair that brushed his collar and the scraggly two- or three-day-old beard.

Getting over her shock, Annie bent to one knee and reached for Leo. His innocent face was a storybook of happiness as he clung to Colt Holden’s legs. He was six and had never latched on to anyone like Colt. Then again, this was a dream come true for him. A dream that was looking as if it had all the potential in the world of blowing up in her face.

The enormity of what she was here to do hit her with new force, and instantly fear for Leo gripped her.

She was a take-control kinda gal. The fact that she’d procrastinated this move for a year showed her fear and worry. It had finally taken a major Godly shove and a hard dose of reality to get her moving. She’d decided to take the bull by the horns, and here she was...feeling really stupid for bringing this child here before she’d checked the man out.

“Honey, let go of—let go of Mr. Holden.”

Bright eyes beamed back at her. “But, Annie Aunt, I’ve been waiting for-evvv-er.”

“Yes, I know.” She smiled, feeling a sense of urgency to extricate him as she gently took his arm and tugged him away. Looking up, her gaze locked once more with Colt’s alarmed brown eyes.

Annie’s heart sank. Ever since she’d learned who Leo’s daddy was God had laid a heavy burden on her heart. It had taken her house burning down to make her figure out what she wanted to do. And that was to come find out what kind of man Colt was.

Did any honor exist beneath that facade?

She’d been here all of ten minutes and things weren’t looking so good. She pushed on, though. “I’m sorry about this. I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Annie Ridgeway and this is my nephew, Leo.”

“Our house burned down and my room is gone,” Leo said, staring up at Colt with big, bright stars in his eyes. “But Annie Aunt told me we were moving here to your town and I didn’t even care anymore.” He cocked his head to the side. “Does Mule Hollow have a bunch of mules?” Prone to ask random questions, it was one of many more to come.

Colt’s brows crinkled in dismay. “Y-your house burned down?”

His words were choked and she didn’t miss the flash of compassion in his reaction. So the man did have a heart buried in there somewhere, Annie thought with a smidge of relief.

Always ready to tell a story, Leo placed his hands on his hips, cocked his little blond head to the side and studied his hero even more intently—if that were even possible. “My Annie Aunt always says life kicks you in the pants sometimes. But you just gotta go with the punches.” He was as serious as a little old man and she could have pinched his sweet cheeks!

“How old did you say you were?” Luke Holden asked, clearly impressed.

“I’m six. Annie Aunt says I came into the world as a twenty-year-old—and that’s real old. I already lost a tooth and everything. See.” He grinned and showed off his missing tooth.

That got a chuckle from Luke and Jess. Even Colt’s lip quirked upward on one side.

“That’s terrible,” he said, his gaze sliding to her. “You lost your home.”

There was something missing in the depths of his eyes. It was as if she were looking at a lake, a totally still lake with no ripples in sight. Butterflies fluttered in the pit of her stomach.

“Yes,” she offered. More than intrigued by the man, she wasn’t willing to accept that her pulse had actually increased as those soulful brown eyes held hers. She wanted to add more, speak intelligently; however, nothing came out.

“That’s terrible for you and all the others who lost their homes,” Colt continued. “We’ve been lucky here to have had only a few small grass fires that were caught early.”

Jess, who’d seemed content to listen as he studied his brother, added, “Those fires near Austin have been rough. Not as bad as the Bastrop and Montgomery fires last year, thankfully, still bad enough. Right, Colt?” he asked, and it sounded all the world to Annie like the man was trying to keep his brother involved in the conversation.