All Roads Lead to Texas

“I don’t,” Brit said. “I want to be a cowgirl.” She reached for her hat.

“You’re so stupid,” Adam taunted. “You’re going to get us in trouble always asking about horses. We don’t have a horse, stupid, so forget about being a cowgirl.”

“You can’t tell me what…”

All of a sudden everything came down on Callie. She buried her face in her hands and the room became very quiet. The kids were tense and fighting. The house needed so much work. Was she crazy for coming to Texas? There were so many other places she could have gone. Had she made the right choice?

“Callie,” Adam whispered.

She raised her head.

“We’re sorry.” His face was lined with worry.

All three threw themselves at her and she held them tight. “I love you guys. That’s why I’m doing this. I know this isn’t the brownstone or the house in the Hamptons, but this is our home for now. So what’s your decision? Stay or leave?” She was giving them a choice when there really wasn’t one, but she could do no less. They had to be united or it wasn’t going to work.

“I’m staying,” Brit said.

“Me, too,” Mary Beth added.

Adam looked around then stuck up his hand for a high five. “I’m in.”

Callie gave him a high five as did Brit and Mary Beth.

“We’re home.”

“Anybody here?” a voice called from the front door.

They scrambled to their feet and met Miranda Wright, the mayor and the driving force behind the Home Free Program, at the door. She was tall and Callie always felt dwarfed by her height, but Miranda’s warm, outgoing personality took away any awkwardness.

They’d met at the University of Texas, both business majors. The moment Miranda had said she was from Homestead, Callie had felt drawn to her, wanting to know all about the town she was born in. But most of all, she wanted to know about her father.

Not once, though, in all the times they’d talked, had Callie mentioned her father. She recognized that for what it was—a defense mechanism. Her father had signed over his rights to Glynis when Callie was five years old. As a child, she didn’t quite understand what that meant, but as an adult she knew. Her father didn’t want any connection to her. As a child that had hurt. As an adult it hurt even more.

She’d told Miranda that her family had moved away when she was five and Miranda hadn’t pried into her family affairs.

So now here she was in Homestead and she could find out if her father was dead or alive. Callie had a lot of conflicting emotions about her father and it was time to sort through them. And she would not involve Miranda in that part of her life. Miranda had done enough for her.

Miranda and Callie hugged. “Glad you made it,” Miranda said, looking at the children.

Callie introduced the kids again.

“And that’s Fred,” Mary Beth said, pointing to the fish.

“A very nice goldfish,” Miranda commented.

“He wants to go home,” Mary Beth whimpered.

Callie and Miranda exchanged glances.

Callie picked up Mary Beth, her heart breaking at the pain she was going through. “It’s all right, sweetie. This is our home now.”

“I know,” Mary Beth mumbled into her shoulder. She rubbed her head against Callie and saw the dog squatted at Miranda’s feet.

Mary Beth raised her head. “What’s your dog’s name?”

“Dusty.” Miranda patted the yellow Lab mix.

“Can I pat her?”

“Sure.”

Mary Beth slid to the floor, stroking Dusty, happy again.

“Has Wade given you a tour?” Miranda asked after a moment.

“Yes,” Callie replied.

“I had Ethel Mae Stromiski clean out the two bedrooms and bath downstairs and they’re livable until you decide about the renovations. Her son June Bug will be over to start work on the rotted column.”

“June Bug?” Callie’s eyebrow arched.

“Don’t ask.” Miranda smiled. “He’s a very good carpenter and he’ll be able to help with a lot of the work.”

“Good.”

“As we talked about, this is an old house and needs lots of work. Frances Haase, the librarian, has all the info on it if you’re interested. I have all the paperwork at my office, so if you’re ready we can go over there and you can sign all the necessary forms to become a part of the Home Free Program.”

“Thank you, Miranda.”

A message passed between them. Her secret was safe with Miranda. In return, Callie would live up to her end of the bargain.

But a lot could happen in a year and Callie fervently hoped that it was all for the best. She just had to stay hidden and keep from getting arrested.

That meant avoiding the local sheriff.

WADE WALKED INTO the Lone Wolf Bar and spotted his father, Jock Montgomery, immediately. He’d gotten a call that his father was causing trouble. Jock sat at a table with a bottle of scotch and an almost empty glass in front of him, hurling curse words at Herb, the bartender and owner. The bar was empty—evidently Jock had gotten rid of the rest of the customers.

“He came back here and got the bottle, Sheriff,” Herb said. “I couldn’t stop him.”

Wade picked up the bottle and carried it to Herb. “I’ll take care of this.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

Wade could see that Herb was nervous. He’d been here when Jock had been sheriff and knew that no one said no to Jock Montgomery. His dad had done what he’d wanted in this small town. But not anymore.

“Let’s go home, Pop.”

Jock took the last swallow from the glass. “You call my son, Herb? You yellow-bellied bastard. In the old days that would have meant betrayal and I’d have thrown your ass in jail.”