Cowboy Lullaby (The Boones of Texas 6)

* * *

CLICK’S PLAN TO stay calm and collected just went to hell. One touch from Tandy and control was a foreign concept. One look into those hazel-green eyes and he didn’t give a shit about Woodrow Boone, his high-handedness, or the man’s ability to make him feel lower than dirt. He’d rather stay this way, with Tandy against him, smiling and flushed.

“Daddy.” Scarlett’s warning was useless.

Woodrow Boone had never made an effort to hide how he felt about him. Click Hale would always be the son of the man who caused the greatest scandal in the history of Fort Kyle, Texas. Well, in this century at least. Murder-suicides might not be all that newsworthy in big cities, but there’d been no escaping it here. Especially when loudmouthed opinionated pillars of the community made it clear he was just as bad his father—barring him from having contact with his daughter and nieces as a precaution. The comparison had sent Click into a rage. He’d never raise a hand to someone he loved or let his rage take a life.

He shifted Pearl to his hip, releasing Tandy. She wasted no time putting a table between them. “Scarlett invited us for dinner,” he said, offering his hand to the older man.

Standing face-to-face with the man who’d torn him down when he’d needed kindness most wasn’t easy. Time had changed many things, but there was a part of Click that still worried Woodrow Boone was r

ight. Maybe there was too much of his daddy in him to ever amount to something good.

Woodrow’s eyes went round at the sight of his daughter. “Us?”

“My daughter Pearl and I,” Click said, forcing a smile. “She won’t eat much.”

Woodrow’s gaze narrowed slightly. “And her momma?”

“Just the two of us,” Click said.

“Hmm,” Woodrow said, finally shaking his hand.

“Daddy.” Scarlett hopped up and grabbed his arm. “This is Pearl. Pretty, pretty Pearl.”

Pearl smiled her shy smile, staring up at Woodrow Boone with those big eyes. Click marveled at how quickly she stole the older man’s starch. From inflated self-importance to grinning fool, Scarlett hadn’t exaggerated when she’d said Pearl was the key to winning Woodrow Boone over.

Not that he needed to win the old man over—not anymore. At the same time, he didn’t want to make enemies of his powerful neighbors. If he decided to stay.

“Pretty Pearl indeed,” Woodrow said. “I see an angel in your arms, Click Hale. What did you do to deserve that?”

“Not a damn thing,” he answered honestly. The last week had turned his life upside down and backward. But he wasn’t sure it was a bad thing.

Woodrow nodded. “A man’s only blessed if he has children to love him.”

Click had never expected Woodrow Boone to say anything insightful, let alone true.

“Course, the love of a good woman’s nothing to sneeze at,” he added, winking at Click. “Where did you say the little missus was?”

Click shook his head. “I didn’t.” His personal business was his own. He’d decide when and what he’d share, not some nosy old man.

Woodrow’s eyes went round, then he chuckled.

“Daddy,” Scarlett interrupted. “That man is waving at you.”

Woodrow frowned at his daughter, his gaze searching out the man. “Oh, well, that’s one Jim Marshall of New York, one of our return guests. More money than a fellow has a right to. Best see to him.” He glanced at Pearl again. “You and your pa come see me soon, Pretty Pearl. Might have a little business we can discuss.”

Click bit back his smile. While it had never occurred to him that he’d inherit Lynnie’s place, Woodrow Boone had probably been counting on it. He was curious to hear what Mr. Boone was willing to offer, but he wasn’t ready to consider selling—not yet. Maybe never.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad.” Scarlett patted his arm. “Was it?”

He shook his head. “Not at all.”

“That’s the key,” Renata said, patting the chair between her and Tandy. “Stay on his good side.”

“I thought I was already on his bad side.” He grinned, sitting. “Might be impossible to change that.” As long as Woodrow Boone was civil, Click was content.

“Da-gee,” Pearl said, giggling as Banshee sat his chin on Click’s knee. “Hi.”