The Cowboy's Return

Tripp helped his brother into bed, hoping that was the last of the insane talk. The next morning, Patrick came out to the barn upset because Tripp had mentioned to his parents that he thought there were drugs at the party. He told Patrick he needed to stop and think about what he was doing and that he didn’t need the drugs. Patrick became subdued, saying that was easy for Tripp to say because the girls loved him. Then all of a sudden he became angry, saying Camila was his and Tripp couldn’t have her. Tripp tried to tell him he didn’t even know Camila and Patrick wasn’t making sense. That made Patrick angrier. He ran out of the barn before Tripp could stop him. He climbed into the Corvette his parents had given him as a graduation present and yelled that he wasn’t coming back.

And he didn’t.

He died two hours later.

One of the ranch hands told his father about the argument and Griffin wanted to know what was going on with Tripp and “that tramp.” Tripp told him the truth and Griffin didn’t believe him, just as Griffin didn’t believe a word about the drugs. And Patrick had already told his father that Tripp had come on to Camila at the party. His father accused Tripp of the unforgivable, hurting his brother when Tripp could have had any woman he wanted.

Tripp was well aware that Patrick envied him, but he’d always thought they’d had a good relationship. The kids at school called him a nerd, a geek, and Patrick just wanted to be popular. He’d asked Tripp a dozen times about how to fit in. His baby brother had been a sweet kid and a lot of the nice kids had liked him, but Patrick had never seen how people had admired his soft-hearted, caring personality.

Like Jilly’s.

Tripp crossed the cattle guard to Lady Luck. After his brother’s death, he hadn’t thought he’d ever return here. When the sheriff had come with the news of Patrick’s accident, it was a day Tripp would never forget. His life, his whole world had changed.

As had his parents.

They blamed Tripp for upsetting Patrick. He’d been told to leave and never come back. Later, Tripp had realized they’d spoken out of grief and he’d called home, but his parents wouldn’t talk to him. Even while he’d buried himself in the rodeo circuit, a day hadn’t gone by that he hadn’t thought of Patrick. Of his parents.

Guilt was his constant companion.

He’d cursed himself many times for that night, for the way he’d handled it. He’d cursed Camila, too.

Now, he had a chance to ease some of that guilt. He had to find out if Jilly was Patrick’s, and he knew where to start—by asking the people in Bramble.

Chapter Three

After Tripp’s visit, Camila managed to calm her shaky nerves. She fought hard against the memories of that night. She only prayed Tripp stayed out of their lives.

They ate supper and Jilly went to her room to finish her homework. Camila called Betty Sue and talked about the girls’ punishment. They agreed keeping them apart for a week would suffice.

As Camila finished cleaning the kitchen, Millie stopped by. She’d gone to Brenham to visit her sister who was in a nursing home.

Millie took one look at Camila’s face and asked, “What’s wrong, kid?”

Camila folded a dish towel. “That’s the same thing you asked me when you found me at the bus stop all those years ago.”

Millie dropped into a chair. “Yeah. One of the luckiest days of my life. I found the most beautiful young woman—inside and out. I’m so proud of you. You and Jilly have brightened my life. I’d be a sour old widow woman by now if not for the two of you.”

“Thank you.” Camila blinked away a tear. “It was a lucky day for me, too. I’m not sure what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t taken me in hand.”

“Pleeeaase.” Millie rolled her eyes. “Don’t you know by now that you’re a survivor?”

She did. But those insecurities from her childhood sometimes weighed heavily upon her, especially when people questioned her child’s paternity.

“How’s your sister?” Camila asked, not wanting to think about Tripp anymore.

“Pretty good. I enjoyed visiting with her and I stayed at my niece’s catching up.” Millie looked around. “Where’s Jilly?”

“In her room.” She told her what Jilly had done and about Tripp’s visit.

Millie’s blue eyes blazed with fury. “He has some nerve coming here.” Millie had red hair, or used to—these days it came out of a bottle. She wasn’t letting anyone see her gray. But the quick temper was real. Everyone in Bramble knew better than to get on her wrong side. “I hope you told him to go to hell.”

“No. But he got the message.” Camila sucked in a breath. “He wants to know if Patrick is Jilly’s father.”

“It’s a little late for that.”

“I should forget about it, but Jilly made the first move. After I talked with her, I could see she’s curious about the Danielses. She’s curious about her father. What am I going—”

“Nothing,” Millie told her. “That’s what you’re going to do. Absolutely nothing. Because if Tripp hurts Jilly or you, he’ll have me and the whole town to contend with.”

“Not the whole town.”

“The Boggses don’t count.”

Camila managed a small smile, but it soon faded. “I feel as if I’ve failed as a mother. I didn’t know Jilly had these feelings about her father. I thought we were able to talk about anything.”

“She’s turning into a teenager and you’re not going to know everything she’s thinking and feeling. So stop beating yourself up.”

“I guess.”

Millie watched her. “So why didn’t you tell Tripp that Patrick is Jilly’s father? All it would have taken was one little word.”

Camila tucked a stray tendril behind her ear. “I guess it was the way he asked—kind of like I might not know and could Patrick be a possible candidate.”

Millie’s eyes softened. “Sweetie, everyone in this town knows Patrick is the father. It’s not a secret or a mystery to anyone but the Danielses and a few hypocrites who don’t deserve a second thought.”

Millie was talking about the Boggses. They controlled the town. Melvin Boggs was president of the school board and his brother Earl was also on the board. Their brother Bert was mayor and superintendent of schools. Camila had gone to school with Wallis Boggs and Vance Boggs, sons of Earl and Bert. They told lies about her and their parents had believed them—even to this day.

Of all the Boggses, she liked Melvin the best. He was always nice to her and he had two daughters who were older and had moved away from Bramble. His twin sons, Max and Mason, were a year younger than Camila and she had very little contact with them. Maybe that’s why she got along with him.

Betty Sue had married Max. Camila and Betty Sue had known each other in school, but hadn’t been close either. When Max had left his wife for another woman and had moved to Temple, Texas, Camila became Betty Sue’s friend. Betty Sue had told her that she’d never believed any of the rumors the boys had spread around—she knew they were just angry that Camila had rebuffed them.

Camila placed the dish towel on the counter. “One night out of my life and I can’t seem to get past it or the repercussions.”

“That’s what happens when you’re in love with two brothers.”

Camila whirled around. “Don’t say that—especially out loud.”

“It’s not a sin to care for one brother and love another.”

“Please, Millie. I don’t want to talk about this—ever.”

“Okay.” Millie got to her feet. “You were a teenager with hormones raging out of control. That’s life, all women go through it, but it doesn’t make you a tramp. Please understand that.”

Camila didn’t answer. She couldn’t. After that night at the Danielses’, she’d believed that about herself—she was like Benita, tempting men. She was to blame for everything that had happened. She was to blame for Patrick acting the way he had.

Tripp coming back had opened up those old wounds. She was struggling to understand them and to understand herself.

“I’m going home to soak in a hot bath,” Millie said, heading for the door. “Oh.” She stopped. “Almost forgot what I came over here for. I went by the bakery to check on things and Benita called.”