Beneath the Texas Moon

She tucked in her chin and glared up at him with a “don’t mess with me” look. Then her attention turned to the teenage girl. “Your daddy know who you’re hangin’ out with, Cynthia?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Cynthia smiled back at her.

Eve was surprised at the contrast between the insolent bulk of a young man and the slip of a sandy blond-haired girl who couldn’t be more than sixteen.

“Man ought to have his head examined.” Addie planted a fist on her hip and stared up at Toby. “You gettin’ off that counter or am I gonna have to have the sheriff remove you?”

“Ooo. I’m so scared.” Toby shot her a narrow-eyed look, his voice dripping sarcasm.

“Good thing your mother ain’t alive to see how rude her boy turned out.” Addie shook her head. “That woman was a saint. She didn’t deserve the likes of a bad-tempered, bad-mouthed, snot-nosed punk like you.”

Toby shoved Cynthia away and hopped off the counter to stand toe to toe with Addie Schultz. “Don’t you say nothing about my mother, you hear me?”

To her credit, Addie showed no fear, even though the big guy could have snapped her neck with one hand. “Grow up, Toby.”

“You’ll regret messin’ with me,” Toby rumbled in a low, menacing voice.

Cynthia stood to the side, her forehead creased in a frown, her hands clenched together. Toby grabbed her arm and jerked her toward the door. “Come on. This place sucks.”

“But I wanted to see Aunt Lois,” Cynthia said, her voice sounding soft and slightly apologetic.

“Forget it. We’ve got plans.” Toby jerked her arm again.

Cynthia leaned away. “I don’t want to go. Why don’t you go without me?” She twisted her arm, trying to loosen his hold.

“No way. You’re expected to be there with me. You’re going.” His hand squeezed tighter until Cynthia winced.

Tired of Toby’s bullying, Eve stepped forward. “She said she didn’t want to go with you. Perhaps you should let go of her arm, Mr. Rice.”

The young man towered over Eve and snarled. “Who are you, anyway? And who made you the law?”

She refused to be intimidated. “Eve Baxter, and no one made me the law. But you should treat her with respect, not like some piece of meat to jerk around.”

“She’s my girl. I treat her any way I want.”

Addie crossed her arms over her bosom. “Not if she don’t want it and not with me around.”

“Don’t piss me off.” Toby warned, his eyes tapering to a squint.

Eve and Addie stood their ground, refusing to back down.

Toby glanced from one woman to the other, and then snorted, turning toward the door. “Had enough of this place.” When he passed Cynthia, he shot over his shoulder, “You comin’ or not?”

Cynthia frowned at Toby’s back and then shrugged at Eve and Addie, her gaze cast down. “I’m coming.” Before another word was spoken, the two disappeared out the door.

Addie clucked her tongue. “I don’t know what a sweet girl sees in that good-fer-nothin’. I’ve a good mind to talk to her daddy.” Then she shook her head. “Never mind him.”

She took Eve’s hand and led her over to a couple closer to Eve’s age. At their feet, a girl about the same size as Joey played with a plastic bag full of rocks.

“Tom, Laura and Katie Taylor, this is Eve and Joey Baxter. They just moved to Spirit Canyon.” Addie turned to Eve. “Tom and Laura moved from Amarillo last January.”

The little girl shoved chubby hands toward Joey. “See my fossil?” In her palms was a chalky white rock the size of Eve’s fist.

Joey stared at the rock and then up at Eve.

Eve held her breath, hope rising like adrenaline in her system. She prayed Joey wouldn’t shy away from this attempt at friendship.

“Don’t you like fossils?” Katie tipped her curly blond head to the side.

Joey nodded but didn’t let go of Eve’s leg. At least he hadn’t hidden behind her.

“Here, you can have this one,” Katie said. When Joey still didn’t move, she set the rock on the floor and dug in her bag for another.

The boy sat on the floor and reached for the rock and held it in his hands.

“I got ’nother one. See?” Katie held out her hand.

This time, Joey took the rock.

Katie stared up at the scar on Joey’s face. “You got a booboo.” She went to Joey and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I kiss it better.”

Joey didn’t shrink back. He scooted closer to Katie’s bag of rocks.

Eve straightened and smiled at Tom and Laura. “Nice to meet you,” she said, and meant it. Addie was right, Joey needed other children to remind him how to act like the child he was.

“It’s hard moving to a new place and starting over. I imagine it’s even harder when you’re a single parent.” Laura squeezed her husband’s hand.

Tom laughed. “I’m beginning to wonder if we picked the wrong year to come. What with the drought, we’ll be lucky if we can pay back our loans at the end of growing season.”

When a familiar voice spoke in a low, rumbling tone to a group of folks behind Eve, every hair on the back of her neck rose in salute. Without looking in that direction, she could sense Mac had entered the Community Center. She couldn’t resist easing her head around, just enough to see him through the corner of her eye.

Just like the day before, Mac stood with his hat shading his face from the overhead lights. He moved through the crowd, stopping to shake hands with fellow ranchers.

Heart rate speeding up, Eve turned to Addie, hoping her face would cool by the time Mac reached the back of the store.

“So, Eve, are you up for a little meddling from all your new neighbors?” Addie winked at Eve. “Most folks around here see a single female as a challenge.”

Eve shook the man out of her head and concentrated on what Addie was saying. “What kind of challenge?”

“We’re still in the old-fashioned mind-set. A woman can’t possibly be happy unless she’s married.”

Eve’s stomach knotted. “Been there, done that, got the scars and the divorce decree to prove it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been hard.” Laura leaned into her husband. “Not every marriage ends in divorce, though. Right, sweetie?”

Tom squinted, a smile toying with the corner of his mouth. “Is this the place where I’m supposed to answer ‘Yes, dear’?”

Laura dug an elbow into his ribs, but Tom pulled her close for a loud, smacking kiss.