Chapter Nine

He was having a beer and a burger at a run-down bar that catered to people more interested in drowning their sorrows than striking up a conversation. Not that it mattered. He'd made a career out of being invisible until he wanted to be noticed.

Right now, he wasn't thinking about that. His thoughts centered on what he was going to do after he paid for this meal. He would be out of cash, had a half tank of gas, and didn't get paid for two more days.

Just his luck, his tire would not just go flat, but shred itself all over the road into town. Now he'd be walking to work until he got paid and could manage to buy another tire.

Maybe it was time to move on. He was tired of shoveling shit and feeding animals, tired of living in a cheap motel and screwing women who didn't have the sense or the gumption to get out of this backwater rat trap of a town.

He'd been on the lamb for nearly a year after a very successful con in Vegas. Successful enough to get a bounty on his head. It was in his best interest to lie low. Which he did, in a manner of speaking.

He went to Atlantic City, rented a suite at a casino and spent six months living the high life.

Then people who worked for the man he conned out of nearly a million dollars spotted him. He escaped with the clothes on his back, the money in his pocket, and his car.

Figuring the people after him would go looking somewhere like Miami next, he headed southwest. His money was gone in weeks, as was the car, since he sold it to survive. And that's when he heard about the job at the ranch in Texarkana.

There was nothing about that kind of work that inspired or interested him. He wasn't born for manual labor. He was born to take money from people who had too much and were too dumb to realize they were being conned.

Anger bubbled up, giving him a sour gut. He hated living this way. What he needed was a big score, or a big benefactor and those were few and far in between. Selling someone on a lie and getting them to back you required time, patience and a hook – something that got them where they lived and made them want to help you.

There was a newspaper lying on the booth seat. He hadn't noticed it when he sat down, but since he was out of work and funds, he picked it up, intending on checking the room rentals first and then the job listings.

Single older women with rooms to rent were the easiest to con. Promise them free help in the yard, a man who can fix things and make them feel safe because they're not alone in the house, and you have them right where you want them.

They'd shell out their savings and Social Security checks until some relative or friend got wise and pointed a finger at him, making it time to hit the road again.

As he thumbed through the pages, something caught his eye. A name. He blinked and looked again.

Holy shit. Hope Evans. Now, there was a name from the past. He'd all but forgotten about her.

He read the article and excitement blossomed. So, that bitch had the child and raised it alone? No, she lived with her mother. They still owned the store in Cotton Creek. At present they were accompanying Hope's son to some big-deal camp for future conservationists at some rich family's ranch in Wyoming.

The article went into some detail about the Blackstone family, and the more he read the more excited he became. The family was loaded, and if Hope's kid was lucky, he'd win that scholarship and be invited to spend the summers with the rich folks.

That sounded pretty good. A hell of a lot better than sweating his ass off working on a ranch for a cheap bastard in Texarkana, making minimum wage.

His mind went to work, trying to come up with an angle he would use, some ploy that would get him in the Blackstone door. Trying to cozy up to Hope would likely be a bust. She probably hadn't forgiven him for bailing on her when she found out she was pregnant.

It came to him in a flash. No one knew he'd tucked tail and run when he found out she was pregnant. He could claim she kept the child from him. A smile took control of his face, accentuating the good looks he still had left. There was no doubt he could charm those yahoos into believing he was the injured party. Just a guy who'd been denied the knowledge that he had a son. Flesh of his flesh and all that.

That was bound to get him in tight with people who had enough money to make sure he spent the rest of his life in comfort.

All he had to do was make them believe he was the injured party. An idea popped to mind, and the smile turned into a delighted grin. He knew just how to get the ball rolling.

Not caring that he'd just laid down the last dollar he left as a tip he headed for the cheap motel he'd been calling home for the last six months. With luck it wouldn't be long before he was stepping in high cotton.

*****

It was the end of the first week of camp, and all the kids were having a great time. Hope was very impressed with the Blackstones and the opportunity they were providing for these young people. They were genuinely good people with a sincere love of the land and the life on it.

She was more than merely impressed with Brady. Despite telling herself that you couldn't fall for someone in a week, that's exactly what was happening. That scared her because a week from now she, her mother, and Andy, would leave to go home and who knew if she'd ever see Brady again.

Why she felt such dread and sadness about that was not entirely grounded in reason. At least that's what she came up with when she tried to look at it objectively. She'd known him for just over a week.. It was foolish to think that something life changing would happen between them.

Disappointment was hard to bear even when you try and convince yourself it was an unreasonable and impossible wish. She wasn't sure she was fully invested in being the adult and accepting it without regret or hurt, but today she'd decided to shove all that aside.

For today she'd forget how much time they had left here. She'd enjoy every moment she could. If these two weeks were all she'd ever have, then she'd try to make the best of it.

She'd just stepped out of the shower, clean and filled with resolve, when she heard footsteps. Fast ones. Hope smiled and a moment later heard a tap on the door, followed by Andy's voice.

"Mom? Are you not ready yet? Hurry up. They're setting up the chuck wagon and bleachers and everything. The cowboys are gonna put on a show, and I don't want to miss it."

"I'm hurrying!" she called out.

"Well, hurry faster."

Hope smiled as she dried off. Andy was having the time of his life and loved everything about this place. Brady and Jud said he asked more questions that most of the other kids combined and not foolish ones.

Andy was serious about what they were learning and had already announced that he was going to live in Wyoming one day and work for Yellowstone to help keep the park and its wildlife inhabitants the way God made it.

Hope couldn't help but be proud of his enthusiasm and dedication. Jud said that Andy was the first one up in the morning, ready to take on the day. Ivy said he was like someone who drank knowledge and his thirst was voracious.

The fact that people noticed made her feel proud for Andy. He was showing everyone who he was, and they admired him.

So did she.

Five minutes later, she gave herself a look in the mirror. The woman who looked back had no smile in her eyes, and Hope forced a smile to her face and told herself to stop whining over what she couldn't have and appreciate what she did. Her jeans might be second hand, but the boots were her own, a pair she's owned for years and loved. Because the evenings were cool, she wore a long-sleeved t-shirt and topped it with a warm wool jacket Grace gave her. It was so pretty with its colorful native design. It made her feel prettier just wearing it.

Okay, here we go. She thought to her reflection and then walked out of the bathroom to find Andy sitting on the floor waiting.

He looked up at her and smiled. "You look pretty, Mama."

"Why thank you, Andy. You look pretty spiffy yourself. Shall we go?" she offered her hand.

"Yes, ma'am!" He gripped her hand, and she pulled him to his feet.

All the way to the main compound he talked about what they did during the day, what he'd learned, and about books Mr. Clayton gave him all about conservation, land management, and preservation.

Sometimes it amazed Hope that Andy could comprehend the information. He was, after all, just a kid. A kid with the brain power of an adult. She reminded herself.

Hope listened, asked questions, and watched him as he talked. She saw his face brighten and the topic changed abruptly. "Look, Mom, it's Mr. Brady," he pointed.

"Not Mr. Brady Blackstone?" she teased, looking in the direction he indicated.

Andy grinned, not at all affected by the teasing. "He said I didn't need to use his whole name, since we're friends."

"Oh, you and Mr. Brady are friends?"

"We are. Just ask him."

Hope gave a wave to Brady, who did the same. Andy grinned and threw up his hand as well. "She's finally ready Mr. Brady. Doesn't my mama look pretty?"

She couldn't scold him. Hope knew he said it out of love and it touched her heart. She just didn't want Brady to feel he had to agree.

"She sure does," Brady commented as they met and paused.

"Wow." Hope gestured around, choosing to divert attention to the event. "This is going to be quite a lavish shindig, Mr. Brady."

"Only the best for the best and brightest." Brady put his hand on Andy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Andy, Jud and my dad are in need of someone to help them with something, and they said for me to find you. Would you be interested in giving them a hand?"

"You bet!" He looked around. "Where are they?"

"At the main barn."

"I'll hurry." He started to dash off, stopped, and turned to give Hope a quick hug. "See you later, mom. See you later, Mr. Brady."

"Later." Brady grinned and they watched Andy run off. "That's some kid, Hope."

"Isn't he? And this is really something." She turned the attention back to the event. "What happens first?"

"First, we watch some cowboying in the main corral, then we eat, have some games and contests for the kids and then the dance."

"That sounds like fun," she said and fell in step as he turned and headed for the barn. "I hope you'll save me a dance."

"Honey, you can have all of them if I can beat the rest of the cowboys outta my way."

"Flatterer," she smiled at the compliment. "I don't think you'll have much competition. Not that it'd matter. Like Andy says, you're Mr. Brady Blackstone."

They both smiled at that, and Brady leaned in closer. "And you're the prettiest gal I've ever known."

Hope almost felt disappointed. Why would he say that? It was so obviously untrue. She wasn't an ogre, she was just average.

"You're such a flirt," she finally remarked.

"Will that get me anywhere?"

"Where do you want it to get you?"

"Wait until our first dance, and I'll tell you."

"Tease."

"You bet." At the sound of his name being called, he turned to look. "Okay, time to get to work."

"Need a hand?"

"Two if you are willing."

"Always, just point me where you need help and I'm on it."

"The main house, where I know you've been all day helping out, but Grace still has a list of things to accomplish before we get the show on the road."

"Then color me gone." She turned and headed for the lodge, but looked over her shoulder. "But I'm holding you to that dance."

The smile he gave her opened a whole new wave of longing that she knew she had to learn to move beyond. There was no future for her and Brady. He was a dream, or maybe fantasy was more like it—the man she'd fantasize about for a very long time.

Still, she couldn't help but think how much she enjoyed being around him and wished it could be more. At this point they were just casual acquaintances at the beginning of what could be a real friendship.

Having it be something more would be like having a wish granted. If only wishing made it so.

But the world didn't work that way. So, she'd make herself useful and show her gratitude for all the Blackstone family had done for her and Andy.

Like her mama taught her, never let the sun set with you neglecting to thank the people who help you.