Her Texas Rebel
At the soft knock on the door, he gritted his teeth, determined not to let any pain show on his face. “Come in.”
“I brought you some ice for that shoulder.” Abuela placed the pack on the nightstand and sat next to him. “You will tell me if you need anything?”
“Of course,” he lied. He’d been here one night and already he was interrupting their lives. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
Abuela took one of his hands in hers, her calloused fingers running over his knuckles. “You try to get some sleep.”
Outside the window, an owl hooted in the darkness. He peered out the window. He didn’t feel at all tired, but he lay down on the bed, anyway. Placing the ice on his shoulder, he closed his eyes.
He’d spent much of his life trying to control the chaos around him. But here, in this small town, things moved at their own pace. His teenaged self had hated it. Now it was exactly what he needed. Too bad he couldn’t stay.
The rattle of dishes woke him up. He didn’t remember falling asleep. The rich aroma of warm bread drifted down the hall. Abuela must be making tortillas.
He slipped a pair of sweatpants on and made his way to the living room. Nothing had changed since the first time he saw it all those years ago. The flower pattern on the sofa had faded, but his grandmother’s afghans and doilies covered up the worn places. Papa’s recliner sat in the corner, facing the ancient cabinet television taking up most of the space on the far wall.
He smiled. “Does that thing still work?”
Papa looked up from the newspaper. “Yes. Do you want to watch something? We still only get the three channels.”
No cable TV. No satellite. No cell phones. Yep. It was like he’d stepped back in history. If only he could go back in time. So many things would be different now. Starting with Sabrina.
“No, thanks.” The crumpling sound of the newspaper page being turned drew his attention. And he froze. From across the room, he could clearly read the headline on the front page of the open paper. “Hero Cop Has Roots in Lampasas County.”
“Can I see the paper for a minute?” Tony crossed the room and sat on the couch across from his grandfather.
Without waiting for a reply, he took the paper and scanned through the article. His name jumped out at him, followed by a story hailing him as a hero for jumping in front of a bullet to save a young man’s life. It failed to mention that the young man he’d taken a bullet for was the same one trying to rob the store. “How did the newspaper get this information?”
Abuela appeared, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Me. A reporter came by and wanted to know if you were the cop.”
“So you gave them a story?” He rubbed his hands on his legs. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why not?” She lifted her chin. “I’m proud of my grandson and I don’t care who knows it.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. It wasn’t her fault. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her, but she had to know. “Abuela, sometimes I work with dangerous people. If they ever wanted to retaliate for any reason, this article could lead them right to you two.”
Her mouth opened but nothing came out. After a moment, she turned to her husband. “Did you know about this, Antonio?”
Papa shrugged and stood up. “No. Not until I got to San Antonio and talked to his captain.”
“How dangerous?” Her eyes darted back and forth between Papa and Tony. “Should we be worried?”
This was exactly what Tony wanted to avoid. He set the paper down. “I chase drug dealers and I work with kids from gangs. All small, local operations and I’ve managed to stay under the radar, but if I get promoted to detective, it may not stay that way.”
Abuela’s brow creased. She pressed her lips together and turned to her husband. “You call his captain and tell him he’s not coming back. He’s staying here.”
“You can’t protect him from everything, Elaina. He’s a grown man and makes his own decisions.”
“That’s what you said about Teresa and look how that turned out.” Her voice had risen an octave.
Tony held his breath at the mention of his mother’s name, waiting for the explosion. He’d lived with his grandparents for four years in his late teens, but it had only taken a few months to learn not to ignite Abuela’s anger.
Papa pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, immediately defusing the tiny woman’s temper. Only Papa could calm her down as fast as she riled up.
Tony swallowed. He’d once had someone who affected him the same way. How much trouble had he avoided because Sabrina had talked sense into him? He’d believed they would be as happy as his grandparents.
Until she’d ruined it by believing in him enough to sacrifice her future.
CHAPTER TWO
FOR OVER A WEEK, Tony stalked his grandparents’ house, looking for something to keep himself busy. How was he going to make it six weeks without going nuts? Or driving everyone around him nuts? More than once Abuela scolded him for moving around too much.
Tony decided that when Papa came home for lunch, he’d insist on returning to the hardware store with him for the afternoon. Papa was probably still using the same old cash register he’d had when Tony was in high school. Abuela couldn’t complain about him sitting on a stool and checking people out. It’s not as if the tiny store would be swamped with customers.
The thought of getting out of the house for a while lightened his dark mood. He stuck his head into the kitchen. “Can I set the table?”
Abuela flipped some frying potatoes. “That’d be just fine.”
Tony slipped behind her and gathered plates from the cabinet. When he’d first come to live with his grandparents, he thought it was odd that Abuela cooked her biggest meal at noon. The evening meal was lighter, usually leftovers.
He’d just finished placing the condiments on the table when Papa came in. Like clockwork, he closed the store every day at noon to come home and eat what his grandparents called dinner. Breakfast. Dinner. Supper.
“How are things going at the store?” Tony waited for Papa to sit down before pulling his own chair out.
“Good.” Papa never elaborated on work. “Robert Davis came in this morning.”
Tony almost dropped his fork. Sabrina’s dad. His heart kicked into overdrive. “Why’re you telling me?”
“He heard you was in town and he doesn’t want you getting any ideas about going out there and bothering Sabrina.” Papa’s words were clipped.
That meant Sabrina was in town. Her memory had haunted him for ten years. No way he was going to pass up an opportunity to make things right. He swallowed. “Nice to see Robert’s opinion of me hasn’t changed much.”
The platter Papa was holding hit the table with a thud. His eyes were hard as flint. “It’s got nothing to do with you. Or Robert. Sabrina hasn’t had it easy. Her fiancé was killed in Afghanistan, leaving her to raise her son alone. Robert only just convinced her to move back home where he could help her.”
Fiancé? Son? His racing heart plummeted. She’d moved on with her life, just like he’d wanted her to. So why did it bother him so much? “He told you all this today?”
Abuela piped up. “We heard about Sabrina’s fiancé years ago.”
“Years? When did this happen?” And more importantly, why hadn’t they told him?
“Let me think.” She pressed her lips together. “I guess it was about the same time you started at the police academy.”
Tony leaned back. Eighteen months. It’d taken her all of eighteen months to get over him and love someone else.
He had hurt her. On purpose. It was the only way to keep her from giving up her scholarship to follow him to Louisiana. The kicker was that he’d only accepted a job out of state so he could earn enough money to follow her to the university in Houston. But when he got to Houston, he couldn’t find her. She wasn’t in any of the student directories and none of their mutual friends knew where she was. If they did, they wouldn’t tell him. Now he knew why.
He shot a glance at Papa. “Why did Robert feel it necessary to send me a warning?”
“You know why.”
Silence filled the room. Yes, he knew why. Until he came along, Sabrina Davis had been Salt Creek’s brightest star. And he’d tarnished her.
Papa stood up. “Might as well come to the store with me. I need to get some inventory done if we have to go to Lampasas tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, sir.” Tony picked up his plate along with Papa’s and carried them to the sink.
The ten-minute ride to town was quiet. Tony expected another lecture from Papa about staying away from Sabrina, but nothing was said. His cell phone chimed as Papa parked his small truck in front of the hardware store he’d owned for decades.
Tony looked at the number and grinned as he answered. “Hello, David.”
“Are you still playing sick?”
“You’re just jealous.”
“Six weeks paid leave? Who wouldn’t be?” David laughed. “How close are you to Lampasas?”
“Twenty-two miles. Why?”
“Ashley’s dad is turning sixty-five this weekend. We’re heading to Hamilton tomorrow and have to go right through Lampasas.”
“Okay...” Did David want to stop by and see him?
“I thought I’d bring your SUV to you.”
Having his Dodge Durango would give him some measure of freedom. “That’d be great. I have a doctor’s appointment at ten in the morning, so I’ll already be in town. What time should I meet you?”
* * *
SABRINA WAS DUSTING THE mantel over the large fireplace again. She’d spent the better part of the last week deep-cleaning Dad’s house. There wasn’t much more to be done. She picked up one of the photographs perched on the ledge. A smiling woman with blond hair and laughing brown eyes grinned at her.
The screen door slammed shut as Levi tromped in from outside. “Who’s that?”
She traced the picture lightly as Levi came to stand beside her. “My mom.”
“She looks like you.” He took the picture from her. After staring at it for a moment, he let out a sigh. “I bet it would’ve been nice to have a grandma.”
The admission caught her off guard. She’d never thought about how much Levi had missed out on. “She would’ve been the best grandma ever.” She ran a hand over his back. “I really miss her.”
“She died when you were twelve?”
“Yes. She had breast cancer.”
He frowned. “At least you had two parents for twelve years.”
She sucked in her breath. She’d told him this one lie his whole life. What choice did she have? “I never thought about it like that. I guess I was lucky, in a way. But knowing her for twelve years makes me miss her that much more.”
Levi shoved the picture back at her. “What you’re really saying is it’s a good thing my dad died before I was born. Since I never knew him, it shouldn’t bother me, right?”
“That’s not what I meant at all.” She rubbed her temples. Constantly walking on eggshells around him was exhausting. Would he ever get rid of the chip on his shoulder?
His left dimple deepened as he pressed his lips together. Sabrina knew that look. He was deciding if he wanted to go into battle. His gaze darted around the room and stopped on the picture she still clutched in her hands.
Levi’s breath escaped like a deflated balloon. “Grandpa wants to know if you’re ready to go.”
She sighed in relief. His acts of defiance had diminished in the last couple of weeks. Especially when her dad was in the room. Looked like the school counselor was right—all Levi needed was a positive male role model. Why couldn’t she be enough?
“Run out to the barn and tell Grandpa I’ll be ready in five minutes.” They needed groceries, and at least Lampasas, twenty-two miles from Salt Creek, was big enough that she probably wouldn’t see anyone she knew. And by anyone, she meant Tony.
In a flash, her son bolted down the worn dirt path to the barn. A few minutes later, Levi and her dad ambled back to the house.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Let’s take the truck,” Dad said. “I need to run by the feed store.”
Lampasas was the county seat and a hub of activity. The small stores in Salt Creek only carried the basics, so most people drove to Lampasas every few weeks to stock up on supplies. The drive didn’t take long, and Sabrina pointed out the local landmarks to Levi as they drove—the show barn, where stock shows were held each January, the river walk and, of course, Storm’s Drive-In, home to the world’s best burgers.
“What’s going on?” Levi pointed to the bucket trucks parked along the side of the road. A large banner hung from the side of one bucket.
“They’re hanging signs across the street.” Dad slowed down so Levi could have a better look. “Spring Ho is in a few weeks, so they’re getting ready for it.”
“What’s Spring Ho?”
“It’s like a big fair. They’ll have a carnival, booths set up along the river, a parade, and one night they’ll have fireworks and a street dance over by the court house.”
Levi wrinkled his nose. “But it’s summer.”
Sabrina laughed. Having grown up in the area, it’d never occurred to her that the term might be confusing to people. “The town of Lampasas is home to a lot of natural springs, so the festival is named after their water source, not the season.”
The big Ford truck slowed to a crawl as Dad shifted gears and pulled into the parking lot of the H-E-B grocery store.
Robert waved at her as she jumped out. “I’ll pick you up after we’re done at the feed store.”
It wasn’t even noon yet, but already the sweltering humidity was unbearable. The grocery store’s air-conditioning was a welcome relief. Sabrina grabbed a shopping cart and in no time had everything on her list. Colorful boxes beckoned her as she passed the cereal aisle. She whipped her cart around. How could she forget Levi’s cereal?
She stopped her cart and frowned. The cereal she wanted for herself sat on the top shelf, just out of her reach. Just as she started to use the bottom shelf as a step, an arm reached over her and handed her the box.
“Thank you.” She turned around and froze. A pair of hazel eyes bored into hers with such intensity that she felt herself flush.
Disheveled black hair hung in soft curls at the back of his collar as he gave her a familiar one-sided smile. “Hey, Bree.”
“Tony?” Shakiness threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart pounded in her ears and she squeezed the box in her hands to hide their trembling. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes as Sabrina fought to keep her composure. Years of anger, bitterness and betrayal warred against a ridiculous urge to throw herself into his arms. Her teeth worried her bottom lip as she struggled to speak.
He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, the muscles in his arms stretching the sleeves of his T-shirt. “My grandfather mentioned you were moving back.”
Could he hear her heart pounding? “Good news travels fast. I read the article about you in the paper. You’re a hero.”
Silence permeated the air between them and his eyes never left hers. Like a mouse caught in the hypnotic gaze of a cat, she couldn’t move. Breathe. You’re not eighteen anymore.
The smile faded. He shook his head. “No. Just doing my job.”
Exactly what she’d expect a hero to say. “I’m sure your grandparents are thrilled to have you home for a while.”
“You should stop by and see them sometime. Abuela misses you.” He held her gaze. “How are you?”
Was he really trying to make small talk? She clasped her hands together. “I’m fine.”
The way his gaze swept over her gave her the impression that he was taking a mental inventory. She straightened the wrinkled T-shirt she’d thrown on in her rush to get out of the house.
The dimple under his left eye deepened. “I’d really like to get together while I’m still in town. Catch up. Could I take you to dinner sometime?”
He was close. Too close. Close enough for her to make out a faint scar under his jaw, just below his left ear. The scar—along with the bump on the bridge of his nose—that he’d gotten while defending her. She swallowed.
The sandalwood scent of his aftershave sent her heart into overdrive. She took a quick step backward and bumped into the cart. Strong arms caught her inches from hitting the floor.
His muscles tightened, and something flashed in his eyes. Before she could decipher it, thick black lashes blinked, and the mask she’d seen every time he wanted to hide his feelings returned. She pushed against his chest, struggling to right herself.
“Are you okay?” His husky voice sent shivers along her skin.
“I’m fine.” She took a breath in an effort to calm her galloping pulse.
Her knees almost buckled and she reached for the grocery cart. Leaning on it for support, she pushed it between them, forcing him to step back. A flicker of pain crossed his face. “You’re still injured. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was only a flesh wound. What do you say? About dinner?”
“It was a long time ago. No need to rehash the past. Goodbye, Tony.” She pushed her cart past him and hurried to the checkout line.
She flinched as she slammed the groceries onto the moving belt. She kept her eyes trained on the items in her cart. Don’t look around for him. Don’t give him that satisfaction. How long had he said he was going to be in town?
The beeping noises from the cashier were drowned out by the pulse thundering in her ears. She paid as quickly as she could and pushed the cart outside just as her father’s beat-up Ford pulled into the parking lot. She scanned the area once more for any sign of Tony before making a beeline to the truck.
What was she afraid of? That Tony would be waiting to ambush her in the parking lot? What would he do if he found out the truth? Would he even care?
Her lie had never bothered her before. It was simply a means to an end. She’d done everything she could to get Tony to stay and he still refused. He’d been long gone by the time she found out she was pregnant. If he was that desperate to be rid of her, she wasn’t about to use a baby to blackmail him into coming back. Especially when he’d made it clear he didn’t want a family.
She pasted a smile on her face and opened the truck door. “How was the feed store?”
“Levi was a big help loading the sacks,” her father said. “He’s pretty strong for a nine-year-old.”
On the seat between them, Levi puffed his chest out. Sabrina let out a sigh of relief.
What would happen if the truth came out? No. She wouldn’t let that happen.
* * *
TONY STOOD INSIDE the store, waiting for Sabrina to leave. The pain in her eyes cut him to the core. What had he expected? For her to fall into his arms? The engagement ring she still wore on her finger was proof that she’d moved on. If he needed further evidence, all he had to do was look at the little boy who hopped out of Robert’s truck to help her load up the groceries.
David’s offer to deliver Tony’s SUV to Lampasas had been a godsend, and he’d given David directions to the H-E-B, right off the main road. His grandfather had dropped him off after his doctor’s appointment. What were the chances that Sabrina would be shopping there at the same time?
Here. Where are you?
Tony texted David back. Be right there. He stepped outside, looking for his Dodge Durango.
A horn honked and Tony saw a short, stocky man waving at him from across the parking lot. Grinning, he hurried over to shake his partner’s hand.
“How’re ya feeling, man?” David pulled Tony in for a quick hug.
For the next few minutes, Tony and David discussed doctors, the kids from St. Paul’s Mission and the weather, all the while ignoring the one thing Tony wanted to know the most.
Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Is Captain Rodriguez still pissed?”
David’s brow furrowed. “It’s not him you need to worry about. You screwed the mayor out of an opportunity to prove his anti-gang initiative is working. He’s the one gunning for you.”
“But it’s not working.” The only way to combat gangs was to get to the kids before they joined up. But the results took longer than most politicians had in office. None of them had that much time or dedication. “So I guess I’m still exiled.”
David shrugged. “It’s for your own good, you know. What would you be doing in San Antonio right now? Hanging out with the kids at St. Paul’s Mission? Tell me I’m wrong.”
“I can’t.” Tony lifted his chin. “I’ve put a lot of time in with those kids. You can’t expect me to abandon them just because Captain Rodriguez doesn’t think I should be seen there.”
“Most of those kids are known gangbangers and Cap is trying to keep you from being brought up on charges of hindering an investigation.”
“But I didn’t do anything wrong.” It wouldn’t matter. Tony had seen it too many times. Once a political witch hunt started, it didn’t end until someone went down. So in the meantime, he’d been banished to Salt Creek.
“You asked Mr. Chan not to press charges, so technically you did.”
Tony curled his fists. David was right. He’d let his own emotions get the better of him and he’d made a huge error in judgment. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Pain shot through his chest wound. “I guess I can kiss that promotion goodbye.”
“Captain Rodriguez is convinced the mayor is just blowing smoke. Hang tight and stay out of trouble. It’ll all work out.”
“Thanks, David. Keep me posted.”
“Will do, brother. Will do.”
A horn honked and then David’s wife pulled into the parking spot next to them.
“How are you doing, Tony?” Ashley asked through the open window.
“Good. Anxious to get back to work.”
“Well, hurry up. Without you around, David thinks he has to try out all his new jokes on me.”
David waved and jumped into the car. Tony waited for the two of them to pull away before climbing into his SUV. If he hadn’t blown it with Sabrina, would his life be more like David’s?
* * *
“CAN YOU STOP at the nursing home so I can pick up a job application?” Sabrina pointed the road out to her father.
Robert shot a look at her over Levi’s head. “Why do you want to do that?”
“I need a job, Dad. How else will I pay my half of the bills? And I want to try to get into the nursing program at Central Texas College. I need money for tuition.”
“Hmph. I managed to pay the bills before you got here. I reckon I can keep paying for them. All you need to do is worry about that boy of yours. Ain’t that the reason you moved here?”
“Yes, but I won’t let you pay for my school. If you don’t want to stop now, I’ll just come back and apply later.”
“Suit yourself.” He whipped into the turn lane. “You always do.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to remind her father where her stubbornness came from, but she clamped her mouth shut. She loved her father, but sometimes he was a hard man to get along with.
After her mother’s death, he’d retreated into a shell, cutting off everyone. Including his twelve-year-old daughter, who’d desperately needed to know someone still loved her.
Sabrina had tried to fill the void left in the house. She cooked, cleaned, shopped for groceries and paid the bills. Her father never seemed to notice. After a while, Sabrina had stopped caring if he appreciated her or not.
Instead, she’d found acceptance by excelling at school. She participated in every sport, organization and club her small high school offered. Most people saw her as an overachiever. Only Tony had understood.
Dad pulled up in front of the large brick building that housed the nursing home and parked without even glancing at her. She reached out to touch his arm. “I’m not trying to be stubborn, Dad. I want to contribute my fair share.”
She was proud of the fact that she’d been able to support herself ever since Aunt Patty moved to a retirement community in Florida. She refused to be a burden to her dad’s limited finances.
She returned just a few minutes later. Dad shifted into Drive and pulled out of the parking lot before saying, “They aren’t hiring right now.”