She nodded. “Okay. Fuck it. So I guess you won’t care that Joe Miller walked her home last night after finding her crying and alone.”
My heart jumped to my throat. “How do you know that?”
“He was there at her house when she called.”
My eyes widened in horror. “He was at her house? What time was it?”
Amelia shrugged. “I don’t know. Ten thirty maybe.”
“She had to work this morning!” I shouted.
My sister laughed. “Oh, so because she works she’s not supposed to have a life?”
I swallowed hard. “Is she dating him still?”
Amelia pursed her lips. “I have no clue, and I didn’t feel it was my place to ask her why he was there.”
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I moaned. “Fuuuck.” I dropped my arms to my sides. “What do I do, Meli?”
Her expression turned soft, and she shook her head. “Do you have any idea how much I long to have a man look at me the way you do Paxton? A love like that is worth fighting for and, unfortunately, I’ve never experienced it. So I don’t know what to tell you, Steed. The only thing I can say is don’t give up because I’m positive she doesn’t want you to.”
The sadness in my sister’s eyes made my heart ache. I walked over to her and kissed the top of her head.
“You know there will never be a guy out there good enough for you, Amelia.”
She chuckled and hugged me. “Fight for her, Steed. Show her you made a mistake and that you’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to her.”
“Feel any better?” Tripp asked as he walked on the other side of Chloe. Each of us held her hand, swinging her every now and then. He’d been at the house this morning and I’d snagged him to help me drop Chloe off at school, afraid to face Paxton alone.
“No,” I grumbled.
“Mitchell said you did a number on yourself last night.”
I laughed. “Yeah well, nothing like drowning your sorrows in alcohol, right?”
“Did it help?”
Glancing at him, I half smiled. “For a little while.”
“And there lies the problem. It’s a temporary numb.”
I nodded. “Sometimes it feels good to feel nothing.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, Daddy,” Chloe said as she tugged our hands.
“One. Two. Three,” I said. Tripp and I swung her again. We rounded the corner of the school and my breath caught when I saw her.
“Uncle Tripp, this is my school! That’s my teacher!”
Chloe dropped my hand and pulled Tripp toward Paxton. About half the parents were already dropping their kids off in the morning drop off line rather than walking them up. Fuck that. I knew if I walked Chloe up I’d get to see Paxton. Plus, I wanted to spend as much time with Chloe as I could.
“Long time no see, Paxton!” Tripp said while Paxton flashed him a smile.
“You saw Uncle Tripp last night, Ms. Monroe?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God Chloe didn’t call her Paxton.
With a sweet laugh that settled nicely in my chest, Paxton answered, “Yes. I saw your daddy and other uncles too.”
Chloe grinned from ear to ear. “Are you and daddy going to date again?”
Everyone turned to look at me. Including one of the moms.
Oh shit.
“Chloe, why don’t you go line up with the other students.”
“But—”
Paxton regarded Chloe and raised an eyebrow. The argument was over and Chloe walked to the other kids. Turning her focus on me, Paxton’s hands went to her hips.
Lifting my palms in defense, I said, “Amelia said something in front of Chloe. I didn’t say a thing.”
Tripp frowned. “Why would she say something?”
“I don’t know. She’s stupid?”
“Steed!” Paxton said. “We don’t use those words! Honestly, I’m going to have to ban the parents from walking up!”
The first bell rang and Paxton turned quickly, making her way to her students. Chloe turned and stared at me. Her eyes started to build with tears.
“Oh no. She’s going to cry again,” I whispered.
“What?” Tripp said with horror in his voice.
Paxton walked up to the students and called out, “Shave and a haircut.”
They all stopped talking and replied, “Two bits.” With their complete attention, she gave them instructions on walking into the building.
I couldn’t help but smile. I glanced over to Tripp, who wore a happy expression too.
“Remember Mom used to sing that to get all of our attention?” I said with a laugh.
“Yeah. Looks like Paxton uses it for the same thing.”
Nodding, I glanced at the door, hoping Paxton would turn back. She didn’t and that wounded me more than I wanted to admit. At the same time, my heart soared as I watched her walk into the building holding Chloe’s hand.
Tripp hit my arm. “Let’s go. Dad needs me to pick up some paperwork for him.”
We headed back to my truck. “So how much do you know what happens in this town of ours?”
Tripp laughed. “I know a lot.”
“Do you know if Joe Miller is dating Paxton?”
Tripp stopped walking and looked at me. “I can find out, if you really want to know.”
I felt like a creeper, but I needed to know and if I asked Paxton, she might lie and tell me yes just to piss me off.
“Do it,” I said as I opened the truck door and climbed in.
September flew in like a storm. Literally. The cold front toppled the tents set up for the fall festival, one of our main fundraisers, and if we couldn’t get everything set back up it would mean a lot of lost money for the school.
“Paxton! We need more help! I can’t hammer this stupid tent stake in,” Corina called out.
I let out a frustrated groan.
First and fourth grade were in charge of parent volunteers for this year’s fall festival. It rotated with each year for the different grades. Corina was having a hell of a time trying to round up this year’s first grade parents to help with anything. We were almost a month into the school year, and she still didn’t have a classroom parent.
Who in the hell could I call to help?
Joe crossed my mind, but if I called him, he’d get the wrong idea like he did three weeks ago when he walked me home from Cord’s bar. It was stupid of me to use him as a shoulder to cry on. When he leaned in to kiss me, I put the brakes on fast.
“Um, let me call my dad,” I said.
The wind blew hard, and the temperature was dropping. If it kept falling, it would be too cold for the kids to enjoy themselves. My father’s phone rang, and I prayed he would answer.
“Hey there, sweetheart.”
“Dad. I need help. We’re trying to set up for the fall festival and none of the dads showed up to help us. This wind is kicking our butts.”
“Who’s all there?”
I glanced around. “Me, Corina, about three other teachers who got subs and four moms.”
My father covered the phone, talking to someone. “I think I found you some help.”
“Really? Oh, Dad! That would be amazing! Are they strong?”
He simply laughed.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Are you at a delivery?”
“Yes, darlin’. We’ll be there in a bit to help.”
Smiling, I gave Corina a thumbs-up. “Okay, Daddy. Be careful.”
Hitting End, I ran over to Corina. “My dad was at a delivery and rounded up some help.”
“Thank goodness. I’m sorry my volunteers bugged out.”
“It’s okay. We may need to pull out last year’s list and see if we can recruit some parents. If they didn’t show for set up, it’s unlikely they will want to work the booths tomorrow. Especially if it’s on the cold side.”
Corina placed her hands on her hips. “If I see them walking around with cotton candy I’m going to shove it up their a-
holes.”
Smiling, I shook my head. I loved my best friend. I’d have been kicked out of A and M if it hadn’t been for her. When a position opened for a first grade teacher, I pretty much told her I’d do anything to have her here.
We got to work taking turns hitting the stake with the hammer.
“Damn rock!” I said as I hit it and nothing happened.
Corina dropped to the ground and sighed. “I’m exhausted. How are you not tired?”
Laughing, I answered, “My father delivers feed remember? I used to help with fifty-plus pound bags of the stuff.”
She stared. “That explains your upper arm strength. To be honest, when you said your father grew and sold feed, I had no idea what in the hell you were talking about. At first I thought you said weed.”
I stopped mid swing and stared at her before we both started laughing. “Let’s hope he was delivering at a ranch with lots of young guys to help.”
Corina’s eyes lit up. “Cowboys. Yes, please, and thank you.”
Growing up outside of Chicago, Corina still wasn’t used to all the cowboys, especially in our small town. At College Station she got a taste of it, but there was nothing that screamed real cowboy as much as living in small town Texas. They were everywhere.
Thirty minutes later, a truck honked. I smiled and waved as my father pulled up and parked. Then two other trucks pulled in next to him. I swallowed hard.
Please God no.
Then the fourth truck pulled up and my heart dropped to my stomach. “Oh. No.”
“What’s wrong?” Corina asked.
“He was at the Parker ranch.”
“Parker as in the ex? As in the richest family in this county?”
With a fake chuckle, I replied, “Yes, as in the ex. And expand that to at least ten counties.”
Truck doors starting opening, and they all piled out.
“Holy mother of all creations. Sweet Jesus. I’ve died and gone to cowboy heaven,” Corina purred.
Slowly turning to her, I had to smile. She truly did look like she had died and gone to heaven. “Corina, you’ve got a bit of drool on the side of your mouth there.”
She mindlessly reached up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Cowboys. Look at them all. They’re all…are they all…oh lord.”
Squeezing her on the arm, I said, “Oh stop it. Yes. It’s the Parker boys. Now snap out of it, Corina. They’re just guys.”
Her head snapped over to me. “Are you not seeing what I’m seeing? Because what I see is five guys … five guys in jeans and cowboy hats. No wait! Five drop dead gorgeous guys, in cowboy hats, and cowboy boots.” She glanced back at them then focused on me. “And they’re dirty.”
I laughed. “That they are. Every single one of them.”
Corina swallowed hard. “I meant their clothes are dirty.”
Peeking back over at them, I replied, “Yeah. That too.”
“Oh lord. My heart.”
My father walked up, wearing a shit-eating grin. I knew exactly what he was doing. He’d always loved Steed. Hell, he loved all the Parker boys. I could only imagine the smile on his face when I asked for help, and he was standing in the middle of them all.
“Look who I stumbled upon this morning.”
I lifted my brow. “I see.”
My parents had stopped pressing me long ago about why Steed left town and why we had broken up. I didn’t think I would ever have the courage to tell them. Once my mother found out Steed was back, I could tell her and Daddy had been itching to start up with the questions again. I’d talked about Chloe a few times, but not in great detail. I had thought it would be harder having her in my class, but I found myself drawn more and more to her, and it wasn’t only because she was Steed’s daughter. She had a heart of gold and was one of the sweetest students I’d ever had.
“You asked for help,” my father said with an evil smirk as Mitchell, Tripp, Cord, Trevor, and last but certainly not least, Steed, walked up.
I tried like hell not to let my eyes linger on Steed, but it was hard. His tight black T-shirt showed off how he’d gotten in even better shape than he was at eighteen, and those jeans… I had to fight to make myself breathe. The matching black cowboy hat made his steel blue eyes pop and when my gaze caught his. I quickly glanced away. My heart was beating so fast, and I had a hard time focusing.
Get it together, Paxton.
“So you brought all five of the Parker boys?”
“Boys?” Trevor said with a laugh. “Hell woman, you’ve got yourself a bunch of strong men.”
Corina mumbled something I couldn’t understand. Grabbing her, I pulled her toward the four set of hungry eyes. The only one who wasn’t looking at Corina was Steed. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of me yet.
“This is my best friend, Corina. We went to A and M together. She teaches first grade here in Oak Springs.”
Mitchell and Tripp pushed each other to get to Corina first. Tripp won.
Taking her hand, he lifted it to his lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Corina. The name is Tripp Parker.”
Something slipped from her mouth. A giggle moan? I rolled my eyes, but deep down I was happy to see the guys giving her attention. Corina was beautiful. She had a sweet innocence to her. She almost always wore her blonde hair in a pony, unaware of how beautiful she was. Men tripped over themselves, and she was clueless to all of it. She had dated a couple guys while we were in College Station, and one of them had broken her heart when she caught him cheating.
Corina finally found her voice. “Nice to meet you, Tripp.”
Mitchell pushed Tripp out of the way. Imitating his brother, he took Corina’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Mitchell Parker. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
“Lord have mercy,” Corina whispered.
Mitchell flashed that smile, and I was pretty sure Corina was melting on the spot. When he winked, she leaned into me.
“Oh, for the love of all that’s good.” I pushed Mitchell away. “We have work to do! Corina, stay away from Tripp. He’s in politics.”
“Hey!” Tripp cried out.
“Mitchell here, he’s a Texas Ranger.”
Corina perked up. “A baseball player!”
Mitchell laughed. “You’re not from Texas are you, sweetheart?”
Looking at me with huge eyes, Corina smiled and then turned back to Mitchell. “Chicago.”
He nodded. “Well, Corina from Chicago. Texas Rangers are a baseball team, but they are also an elite group of police officers.”
Tripp huffed behind Mitchell.
“You’re a police officer?” Corina asked with dreamy eyes.
Mitchell’s grin grew wider. “Yes, ma’am.”
When her teeth sunk into her lip, I pulled her away.
“Corina, this is Cord Parker. He owns Cord’s Place.”
Corina reached out her hand, and Cord followed suit. “Pleasure is all mine.”
“Nice to meet you, Cord.”
Stopping in front of Trevor, I took a deep breath. He was the one I was most worried about. “Corina, this is Trevor. He may be the youngest brother, but I think he is the most dangerous.”
Trevor tossed his head back to laugh before staring straight at Corina. “Hell yeah, I am.”
“Nice to meet you, Trevor,” Corina said as she held her hand out. Trevor looked down at it and then grinned like he had just made the catch of the day. “Hell girl, any friend of Paxton’s is a friend of mine. Come here.”
Before I knew it Corina was wrapped up in Trevor’s arms. He lifted her off the ground. She let out a small yelp and laughed. When he put her down, her cheeks were flushed.
“Nice, Trevor,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
I wanted to turn and walk away without even introducing her to Steed, but I couldn’t do that in front of my Daddy. He’d raised me better than that.
Steed was still staring at me, but turned to Corina and smiled politely. He reached his hand out and shook
hers. “Steed Parker, it’s a pleasure meeting you.”
Corina snapped her head over and gave me an inquisitive stare. “Steed? This is him.”
I chewed on my lip. Please don’t make a scene, Corina.
With pleading eyes, I replied, “Yes, Corina, this is Steed. He just moved back from Oregon with his daughter, Chloe.”
Corina plastered on a fake smile. “Well, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Steed’s grin faded as he cleared his throat. “I’m sure you have.”
Leaning in so only he could hear, Corina whispered, “I’d like to grab you by the balls and push them up into your throat for what you did to her.”
His eyes grew wide, and he took a step back.
I clapped my hands. “Great. Okay. Since we have man power here, we need to get all these tents up, and they have to be staked into the ground good with this front blowing in.”
Trevor was the first to get after it. “Let’s do this shit!”
Steed paused in front of me, but then followed Cord to another tent without saying a word. I tried not to let the hurt show. After all, I was the one pushing him away. Why should I expect him to stop and talk?
“He can’t keep his eyes off of you,” Corina whispered.
“So what,” I said as I peeked over at Steed. I wouldn’t admit to Corina and could barely admit it to myself, but my chest fluttered and my stomach dropped each time I caught Steed watching me.
She sighed and I stopped setting up the booth and turned to her. “What?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He looks so…sad.”
“So? I really don’t care if he’s sad or not.”
“Paxton, you don’t really mean that. I know you still care for him.”
She was wrong. I still loved him.
My father walked up with a smile, as usual. “Darling, we’ve got all the tents up, but I think the boys need to be getting back to their place. I pulled them away and they’ve got work to do.”
I hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy, for bringing help.”
He pushed me back and gave me a wink. “Well, as soon as they heard y’all were in trouble, they were eager to help.”
A rush of guilt washed over me knowing I had avoided the Parker family for so long, and the moment I put out the call for help, they didn’t think twice. With a chuckle, I said, “Sounds like the Parker boys.”