Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
DALLAS
I check my phone before pulling away from the barn. These days, I check messages a hundred times more often than I used to. But I don’t want to miss any texts from Rose.
In the two months since she moved to Tandy’s, we’ve settled into a routine. Every evening once I’m done working, I make the twenty-five-minute drive to her place, and most nights, Rose has dinner waiting when I arrive.
This evening, the only message is from Clint. And I open the text, hoping they’ve hired a new ranch hand because splitting my time is becoming exhausting. Some nights, I don’t get to Rose’s until well after dinnertime. Like tonight.
Clint: We have a new ranch hand. Tonight, everyone is gathering in the mess hall sometime after dinner so he can meet everyone. Hope you can make it.
Well, dinner at Stargazer Springs wrapped up about thirty minutes ago, so if I’m going to make it before they all go home, I need to get a move on. I call Rose as I drive out of the ranch.
“Hello.” Her chipper greeting is like an energy shot after a long day.
“Hey. I just finished up for the day, but I need to run by Stargazer Springs for a bit. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet, but I have stuff for tacos. It’s easy to keep it all warm.”
“Don’t wait for me. Seriously. How was your day?” I lose the struggle to hold back a yawn.
She also yawns, then laughs. “You triggered a chain reaction. Even Floofy yawned.”
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I just think it’s funny how yawns are contagious. And my day was good. Mostly. The walls on the shop went up today. It’s exciting to see things moving along. The rest of this week, I’ll be driving back into San Antonio most days. But it gives me a chance to see Dad. I’m happy about that.”
“Still haven’t heard from your mom?”
The day of the move, Mrs. Potts gaped when seven cowboys showed up with me to move Rose’s stuff. If she was hoping to watch Rose struggle with boxes, she ended up disappointed. Rose and Daphne supervised. The guys did all the work.
Rose hugged her parents before pulling away from the house that day. But she didn’t expect it to be a goodbye. However, she hasn’t heard from her mom since that day. And when Rose calls, her mom doesn't answer. Pretending like it doesn’t bother her, Rose shrugs and flashes a tight smile when the topic comes up. But I can tell that it bothers her a lot.
But Mrs. Potts thrives on images, so when it’s time to show off her happy family, she’ll reach out to Rose again. With Thanksgiving two weeks away, I expect that will be soon.
The chipper tone fades and is replaced with strain. “She called. But I’ll tell you about it when you get here.”
Hearing her unease prompts a change in my plans.
“I’ll be there soon. Stargazer Springs can wait until tomorrow.”
“Dallas, you don’t have to?—”
“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. Ever.” I might not be dating this woman for real, but I care about her. And when she’s upset, I’ll do my best to fix it.
She gives a short, amused huff. “All right.”
I want to stay on the phone while I drive, but I should let the guys at the ranch know I won’t make it to the meet and greet. “I’ll call you back in about two minutes, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
I end the call and punch Anderson’s name. His is close to the top, just below Rose, so it’s easiest to call him.
“Hey, Dallas. You coming this way? Ava is setting out some amazing-looking desserts.”
“I can imagine, but I’m not going to make it. Will you let Clint know? I want to meet the new guy, but Rose sounded kinda upset when I called.”
“I’ll let Clint know. And Carson is super cool. You’ll like him. I hope everything is okay with Rose. If you need anything, you have my number.”
“Thanks, Anderson.” I hang up and call Rose back.
“Hello again. You’re on speaker phone. I’m chopping lettuce and tomato. That was quick. Was it even two minutes?”
“Not sure. I didn’t check the time. And please be careful chopping while you talk.”
She laughs. “It’s like you know me, Dallas. Oh, say hi to Floofy. He’s sitting on the floor by my feet, staring up at the counter. I think he’s trying to figure out where you are.”
“Hey, fuzzy. I’ll be there soon to give you a good scratch. Don’t jump on the counters. That’s a no-no. Plus, I don’t want cat hair in my tacos.” I’m glad I’m alone in the truck because my friends would wonder what happened to the real Dallas. I’m not known for chatting with kittens over the phone. Or using the word no-no.
“Eww.” Rose laughs. “Cat hair tacos sound awful.”
“Agreed.”
While I drive, she tells me about her day. It would be easy to get lost in the sound of her melodic voice, but I listen intently, making mental notes as she talks. From these daily updates, I’ve gleaned useful information about Rose. She doesn’t like mustard. She picks onions off her hamburgers. She prefers her burgers with cheese. But not swiss. She’ll eat it, but it’s not her favorite. She likes gruyere, but she doesn’t like the way it smells. And she loves pickles but has never had them fried.
I figure that by the end of six months, I’ll know more than a thousand random facts about her. And I’m enjoying accumulating them.
When I pull into the driveway, she steps onto the front porch. As I stride up the steps, a car door slams behind me, and surprise registers in Rose’s expression.
She makes eye contact with me and mouths one word. Mom.
And that means it’s time to play my part. Cupping Rose’s cheek with one hand, I lean in and press my lips to hers. My intention is to give her a quick kiss, but when her arms snake around my neck, I draw out the greeting and pull her close. She doesn’t seem to care that I’m stinky and sweaty, and her cool fingers trailing along the back of my neck are heating up my insides.
Mrs. Potts clears her throat, and Rose breaks the kiss.
“Mom! I’m surprised to see you.” Rose hasn’t given her parents this address, so the unexpected visit is a shock.
Mrs. Potts gives me a death glare as she steps up beside me. The woman is taller than I am, and normally that would bother me, but I think my lack of height makes the fact that Rose chose me even more irritating to her. And that is oddly satisfying.
“I came to finish our conversation since you hung up on me.” She crosses her arms. “Are you going to let me in?”
Rose pulls the door closed. “We can talk here. My answer won’t be any different than when we spoke earlier.”
Mrs. Potts looks at me. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her. We have a family trip planned for Thanksgiving. Tickets are purchased and everything. But Rose refuses to go.”
I shift behind Rose and slip an arm around her waist. “I guess she doesn’t want to go.”
“Before you showed up, family mattered to Rose. And maybe you grew up in a dysfunctional home and don’t think family is important, but Rose wasn’t brought up that way.”
The accusation stirs a fire in my gut.
But before I can react, Rose’s body goes stiff, and I swear she grows five inches.
“Mom, I am not going to Cancun with you, Dad, Sage, and the Finch family. Dallas and I have plans for Thanksgiving.” Rose presses her back against my chest. “And, Mom, how did you even find me?”
If Mrs. Potts hadn’t already figured out that Rose purposefully avoided giving out her address, she knows now.
She tips her head toward me. “I waited in a parking lot near the main intersection. And when I saw his truck, I followed him. I figured he was headed home, and lo and behold, I see him come straight home to you. You can stop lying. I know y’all are living together. And I’m disappointed.”
My irritation is bubbling into a boil. “We?—”
Rose puts her hand on mine. “Mom, I think you should go. I love you, but this isn’t a constructive conversation. I hope y’all have a great trip. And I wish you’d asked before buying a ticket for me, but maybe Richard can take a friend along. You can transfer the ticket to his date.”
Without a word, Rose’s mom spins around and stomps off. She’s not used to Rose standing up to her, and it seems to knock her off balance.
Rose and I stand on the porch, silent, until the car pulls away.
“I guess I don’t need to ask what y’all talked about on the phone.” I’m hoping my mild attempt at humor at least draws a snicker.
Rose rubs her face. “I can’t believe she followed you. And I’m sorry I waited so long to put my foot down. This is years too late.” She clasps my hand and leads me inside. “Before I launch into what she said earlier, I want to apologize for cutting you off. But I didn’t want you to tell Mom that we didn’t live together. She’d never hurt me. I’m not worried about that. But she would hassle me a lot more if she knew you didn’t live here. So, I selfishly interrupted so you wouldn’t tell her.”
“After we eat, I’ll run home and pack a bag. I can crash on the floor in one of the guest rooms.”
“What about the couch? But you don’t have to—” She bites her bottom lip, then grins.
She caught herself, and I don’t have to remind her that I’m not doing things because I have to.
“Let’s eat.” Rose turns and walks into the kitchen.
“I’m going to wash up.” After giving my hands a much-needed scrub, I join her.
Rose is warming tortillas on the stove.
I toss down a pinch of shredded cheese for Floofy, who purrs while he gobbles it up.
“You’re spoiling that cat.” She doesn’t even look back, so I have no idea how she knows I’ve given him the treat. “I can’t even open that bag without that cat running into the kitchen to beg.”
“Guilty as charged. But when he looks up at me with those bright green eyes, I have trouble saying no.”
Facing the stove, she says, “I have a question, and feel free not to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”
“Okay.” That lead-in has me a bit nervous. We’ve talked about lots of stuff, so what’s about to make me uncomfortable?
“This may not be an exact quote, but paraphrasing, you only do what you want, right?”
“I was trying to make the point that I don’t do things simply because of obligation. I didn’t mean to sound like a spoiled toddler.” I ease up beside her.
She shakes her head. “I didn’t take it that way. But on the porch, when you realized we had an audience, did you want to greet me that way?” Gazing at me, she pulls that lower lip between her teeth.
I blink. Lying isn’t something I’m good at. And the smile playing on Rose’s lips makes me think my expression has already answered her question.
“I plead the fifth.”
She laughs. “I warmed you three tortillas. Need more than that?”
“That’s plenty to start. And if I need more, I can warm them. I’m capable.”
“I’d say you are. Quite capable.” She licks her lips and winks. “Want a Coke?”
“Sure.” I load my plate with food, then sit at the table. “And changing topics. We’ve been invited to two dinners on Thanksgiving. Tandy and Matthew are having theirs early in the day. That’s easier because of his great-grandkids. Lots of his family will be there, and Tandy invited us to join them. And if you’re okay with it, I’d like to go because I think it would mean a lot to Aunt Tandy to have her family there too.”
Rose drops into her chair. “That sounds awesome. I’ll call Tandy and find out what she wants me to bring.”
“Great. Yeah. She’ll be thrilled to hear from you.” I take a bite of my taco.
“You said two places?”
Nodding, I finish chewing. “Stargazer Springs. Ava is having dinner later. Not just because of us, but there are some other ranch hands who will be doing two dinners. Ava tries to find a time where we can all be there.”
“Send me Ava’s number. I’ll contact her too.”
“Sure.”
We’re quiet as we eat our tacos, but after her second is gone, she pushes her plate to the middle of the table. “So when Mom called earlier, she started out by telling me that they’d decided to celebrate Thanksgiving as a family in Cancun. And because I’m wising up to her ways, my first question was about you.”
“Uh-oh.” I sip my drink.
“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes. “Mom snapped that you weren’t family. And I hung up.”
“I’m sorry, Rose. I’m sorry she gives you a hard time. I’m sorry she doesn’t respect your opinion. And I hate that she tries to railroad you. I don’t hate Richard, but the more she pushes him on you, the less I like him.”
“If you spend more time with him, I guarantee you’ll like him less.” She reaches down and pets Floofy. “When I asked you to pretend, I had no clue that it would change everything. I enjoy spending time with you, but more than that, I like who I am now. I have a spine.”
“And it looks good on you.” I try to ignore how weird it sounds to say that a spine looks good on her. But the meaning is clear, and I know she understands.
“I made brownies. Do you want yours now or after we get back from your place? And I have vanilla ice cream to put on top.”
“After we get back. That sounds like a great before-bed treat.” I’m not sure Mrs. Potts will make another appearance tonight, but if she does, I’ll be here.
As I’m backing out of the driveway, Rose looks down at her phone. “You said you needed to go by Stargazer Springs. If you want, we could swing by there on the way to your place. You know, if it’s not too late.”
It hasn’t been all that long since I talked to Anderson. Maybe they are still having the meet and greet. “Won’t hurt to swing by there.”
If nothing else, I know there will be leftover desserts.
As I drive, I think of all the things I’ll miss about working there. Ava always makes more than enough. Both she and Goldie make delicious food. But Ava is more than just a cook. She mothers us all in the ways that make us feel taken care of. I’ll miss that. Honestly, there isn’t a single person I won’t miss seeing every day. I’ll even miss the stupid bull that fetches.
I’m excited about the opportunity to run a ranch, but now that they’ve hired a new guy, leaving is hitting me.
Rose rests her hand on mine. “You got quiet.”
“Thinking about life changes. I’ve worked at the ranch a long time. I’ll miss spending my days there.”
“From what I’ve seen, they’ll be your friends for life.”
“For sure. Whether I like it or not.” I chuckle so that she knows I’m joking.
I park in front of the main house and lead Rose around to the mess hall. It’s her first time out here, and her head is on a swivel as she takes it all in.
“Beautiful.”
“I’ll bring you back out during the day sometime. It’s a pretty place.”
As I step through the door, everyone in the room shouts, “Dallas!”
I jump, and Rose giggles.
“I let them know we were on our way.” She grins.
Aunt Tandy wraps me in a hug. “The guys tried to get you over here. But then they called me, and I texted Rose.” She pats my cheek. “She’s a gem, Dallas. I hope you know that.”
I know. And almost daily, I try not to think about it.
Within seconds, Rose and I are separated. She’s catching up with the wives, and I’m loading a plate with desserts as I chat with the guys.
Clint walks up, the new ranch hand with him. “Dallas, this is Carson Blake.”
I balance my plate on one hand and extend my other. “Hey there. I’m glad they found someone. You from around here?”
He shakes his head. “I’m not. But I like it so far.” He points across the room at a boy about Mason’s age. “I recently took custody of my nephew, and he’s super excited about living on a ranch.”
“And I imagine Mason is thrilled about it too.”
“I'm really happy about that. And these desserts.” Carson pats his stomach. “I’ll have to work extra hard to burn calories. The food is incredible. And I’m going to refill my dessert plate. It was great to meet you.”
“The food is always good. Nice to meet you too.”
Clint tips his head, motioning me toward the corner. So I carry my plate and follow him to where Beau is standing.
“This is nice. Thank you.” I’m hoping no one gets mushy because the mortar in my walls is more like porridge when Rose is around.
Beau crosses his arms. “You’ll be missed. And you better not be a stranger.”
“I won’t be.”
“This surprise was Beau’s idea. I wanted to get a card and have everyone write out their feelings.” Clint flashes a half smile.
“Talking about feelings is bad enough. Never ever write them down.” I laugh.
He pats my shoulder. “We’ll see you at Thanksgiving. You are coming, right?”
“I think that’s Clint’s way of saying it isn’t optional. But Tandy is probably doing something with Matthew’s crew. Let Ava know what’s going on. Maybe she can find a time that works for both,” Beau says.
I’m ahead of the game on this one. “Already handled it. Rose and I will be here. Wouldn’t miss it.”
Beau looks over at Rose, then back to me. “You’ll invite us to the wedding, right? She seems like a great girl. You deserve nothing less.”
My head bobs, but I don’t say anything. I can’t make myself lie to Clint and Beau. And Rose deserves way more than someone like me. But that would only be something to trouble myself about if the relationship were real.
It’s fake.
But my feelings are very real. And I’m getting worse at hiding them.