One Night Rodeo (Blacktop Cowboys 4)

Had Celia confided in Lainie about their fight? Or about their marriage? “Of what?”

“Stupid cell phones.” She held hers out. “See? Even I don’t get service here. And Tanna’s folks’ house is one of the few places in Texas where there’s limited cell service. So between the spotty service in Wyoming and you and Celia being without a home phone, I figured that’s why Celia called me—because she couldn’t get ahold of you.”

So Celia hadn’t told Lainie about the fight or the marriage license problem. Good. He’d let Lainie believe that crappy cell phone service was the culprit for Celia and him being out of touch with each other for four days. “What did she say? Is she okay?” Does she miss me? Is she coming home?

“She’s…coping. She told me the funeral is the day after tomorrow.”

“That soon?”

“Yes. I guess grief has done some crazy things to Tanna’s dad and he just wants the whole thing over with.” Lainie glanced up at him. “You are planning to go to Texas? Because Celia sounded a little…lost.”

That twisted his heart and his stomach into a gigantic knot. “I was just on my way to ask Josh if he’d take care of things here for a couple days so I could go get her.”

“Well, not to overstep our bounds, but Hank and Abe have volunteered to pitch in and take care of your livestock. They figured it’d be all right even if you needed a full week.”

Stunned, Kyle just stared at her.

“What? Would you prefer to have Josh do it? That’s okay with us too.”

“No, I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect the offer…not after all that happened….”

“You thought we’d just let you handle this on your own? Huh-uh. Family doesn’t work that way. Both you and Celia need to understand that. You both need to get used to it.”

He cleared his throat. “Well. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Admit you’ve always wanted a buttinsky sister-in-law, and pushy brothers-in-law. So for better or for worse, you’re stuck with us now.”

Kyle said, “I’m glad,” and meant it.

“Oh, and Bran said he’d help out. As did Renner and his foreman, Hugh. So we’ve got you covered.”

Again Kyle just stared at her.

“What are you waiting for? Shoo, man. Get yourself packed. It’s a long drive to that part of Texas.”

“But what if…” She refuses to come home? What if she’s decided now that she’s got money to compete she’ll hit the road with Tanna again? How could I return to Wyoming without her?

“But what if…what?” Lainie prompted.

Kyle couldn’t voice his fears to Lainie. He remembered Pearl’s advice to always talk to his wife first about things. And that’s what he intended to do. As soon as possible. “Nothin’. I appreciate you bein’ the go-between, Lainie. But I’ll handle getting ahold of Celia from here on out, all right?”

“She said something along those lines too when I told her I’d relay the message.” She flapped her hand at him. “My God. You and Celia are two peas in a pod. Stubborn. Both wanting exactly the same thing.”

“A national CRA championship?” he joked.

“No, you’re both looking for a place to call home. She loved racing around barrels for a while, but she never intended to make that her life. Same with you and bull riding. It was a means to an end. Now you both have what you want. She loves you, Kyle, as much as you love her. I’ve seen you two together and I know you were meant for each other.”

“Damn straight.”

Lainie danced a little jig around him. “Besides, I get to say I told you so. I told you one day you’d find a woman who loved and appreciated everything about you. And you did. I just didn’t expect it to be Celia.”

Then you weren’t paying attention. Because it’s been her all along.

Chapter Twenty-four

It was one of the worst weeks of Celia’s life.

The somber mood in the Barker household. Tanna and her brother Garrett’s devastation was made worse when their father, Milt, handed down edict after edict. Bonita’s best friend, Rosalie, refereed between father and children, in addition to coordinating the food, handling phone calls and visitors.

Celia helped as much as she could. Staying busy kept the memories of when she’d lost her parents locked down tight. She’d taken over feeding the cattle and the horses to allow Milt, Garrett, and Tanna to deal with the most pressing issues. It also allowed her time away from Tanna’s grief, which was overpowering and all-consuming.

Talk about all-consuming. She missed Kyle. Missed him like she’d left part of herself with him. Maybe the best part. She missed the home she’d made with him. Missed the life they’d begun to build together regardless if they were officially husband and wife. There was so much she wanted to tell him. In person.

And Celia had wanted Kyle so badly today, she’d sworn she’d seen him at Bonita’s funeral. Sitting in the back row at the church, wearing a black hat and a dark green sport coat. But she hadn’t seen him during the processional out of the church. Nor had she seen him at the cemetery. Obviously he’d been a figment of her needy imagination.

After the funeral Celia changed out of her dress clothes and put on work clothes to deal with the livestock. She lingered outside, trying to glean joy from the beautiful spring afternoon. As much as she appreciated the milder Texas weather, she missed Wyoming. Missed the spring snow that this time of year turned everything into a mud bog. She missed the cold air and the big sky and the constant smell of wood smoke. She missed the sound of calves bawling and the sound of Kyle whistling as he worked.