Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

W ith the beef cattle settled and ready for the coming winter, Dallas had spent most of the week fixing fencing issues and a couple of water gap problems. By Friday, his to-do list was a hell of a lot smaller than it had been when he'd returned from the cattle drive, and he decided it was as good a time as any to head to town. He had some errands to run, and his fridge was damn near empty.

The ranch hands were helping Benton get the old barn ready for the annual weekend party and didn't need him to babysit. By noon, he was on his way to Big Bend, and by 2:30, he only had a couple of things left to do. Benton had asked him to pick up Nora from school to save him a trip to town, and just after three o'clock, he pulled into the elementary school parking lot.

There was a line of folks waiting on their kids. He spied Scarlett and Taz Pullman. He'd always had a soft spot for the youngest Bridgestone daughter. She'd had a rough go losing her mom so young and had gone from a spunky, vibrant kid to a quiet child who preferred to keep to the shadows. She'd found love and happiness with Taz Pullman, and it made him happy to see her settled.

He had nothing against the domestic life. It just wasn't for him.

"Hey," Scarlett said with a smile as he walked up to them. Her little guy, Hank, was on Taz's shoulders and kept tugging on the man's ear, then giggling hysterically as they waited for his twin girls, Cameron and Ryan. "You here for Nora?"

He nodded and leaned against the fence, his eyes on the kids who'd started to file out of the school.

"Damn." Taz sighed and glanced their way. "What did I tell her about wearing that dress to school?"

Dallas followed his gaze and tried his best not to laugh, but it was hard to keep a straight face when a little girl who looked like an angel was running toward them in white cowboy boots and a white lace dress that had more frills than was necessary, her entire outfit covered in mud.

"That right there is at least a hundred-dollar dry cleaning bill," Pullman muttered.

"Yeah?" Dallas looked at him. "Why don't you just toss it?"

"Because it's her favorite."

"Then buy her another one."

Taz looked at him as if he had two heads. "You really don't know anything about little girls."

Apparently not. Dallas stood back as Ryan came barreling through the gate and launched herself at Taz. Scarlett had just enough time to rescue Hank from his shoulders, or surely the little guy would have ended up on his head.

"Daddy! Robbie Martin pushed me into a mud puddle."

"After you tolded him he was stinky." That was from her sister, Cameron, who was dressed more sensibly (in Dallas's opinion), wearing jeans and a pink sweater. Sure, the jeans had sequins and the sweater was covered in glitter, but he gave her some leeway on account of her being so young.

Ryan looked over her father's shoulder at her twin. "He was stinky."

"I know, but it wasn't very nice."

"I kind of liked jumping in the mud puddle," Ryan said with a shrug.

"Looks like you liked it a little too much," Taz replied.

"But then our teacher got mad and yelled at us."

"She didn't yell," Cameron interjected, voice dropping. "She just talks louder sometimes."

Dallas watched the exchange, amused, and when Scarlett elbowed him, he turned to her. "What was that for?"

"You ever gonna have one of your own?" Her question was asked lightly, more of a tease, so he went with it.

"Doubt it. I'd have to find a woman brave enough to handle me full-time."

"Oh," Scarlett said with a chuckle. "I don't think you'd have a problem with that." She nudged him again. "Merry St. Germain and her crew are looking at you like you're a feature menu item. And they're all married."

"So are you, peaches," Taz said, giving her the side-eye as he wrangled his girls close to his side.

"Yes, I am," she replied, reaching up to kiss her husband.

Dallas stood back and gave them some room.

"Don't you forget it." Taz cracked a grin, then looked at his girls. "Let's get you home."

"We have to clean my dress, Daddy."

"Yep."

"Do you have the extra-special soap?"

Taz glanced at Dallas and laughed. "About ten gallons, darlin'."

He watched the family walk to their truck, which in turn brought him in line with Merry St. Germain, who was waving at him. She was an attractive lady, he'd give her that. But Dallas had rules. Married women were off-limits. He gave her a polite nod and was relieved when he spied Nora.

"Uncle Dallas!"

"Hey, you," he said as she stopped in front of him. "I'm your bus today."

Nora skipped ahead. He followed her and helped her into the truck, trying to keep up as the little chatterbox filled him in on her day. Damn kid barely took a breath between sentences. He planned to get the hell out of the school parking lot before any of the women, single or married, approached him, so he kept his head down, hopped in, and pointed the truck toward the other side of town. "I just have one more stop, and then we can go home."

"Can we get some sweets from Auntie Millie? Pretty please with sprinkles on top?"

He looked at the girl and winked. "I don't know if we'll see her, but I'm headed to the Sundowner anyway, so I suppose your dad won't mind if we fill up on some sugar while we're there."

Looking pleased, Nora settled back in her seat. The ride across town was relatively quiet. The Sundowner didn't seem to be all that busy when he pulled up, which was fine by Dallas. He wasn't in the mood to be polite. He'd already had his daily quota of talking to folks and was looking forward to a quiet evening at home.

They walked inside, and he spied Mick, an old-timer, at the bar chatting with his lady friend, Bernice. A few booths were occupied by locals, but other than that the place was empty. Millie Sue Bridgestone was talking with her cousin Zach, behind the bar, and she grinned widely when she spied her niece. Zach said a quick hello before he headed toward the back.

"Hey, sweetie," she said, hugging Nora before flashing a grin at Dallas. "Fancy meeting you two here. I stopped in to grab food for the boys."

"Cal recording?"

She nodded. "We've been writing up a storm."

"How's the little guy?" Cal Bridgestone, a bona fide country superstar and the pride of Big Bend, and his wife, Millie Sue, had had their first baby a few months back.

"He's great." Millie's entire demeanor changed. Her eyes softened, and her voice filled with warmth. "He's so great. He's starting to smile, and he makes these funny and cute expressions, and I just…" She blushed. "Shit, I sound like a lovesick fool."

"No," he replied wryly. "You sound like a mother."

"Can I pick out some sweets?" Nora asked, yanking on her aunt's arm. "And do you have soup?"

"You can have whatever you want." She lifted her chin to Dallas. "I'll check on your food."

"No worries. I'll grab a beer while I wait." When he'd called in his order, he'd been told it wouldn't be ready until nearly four.

Dallas slid onto the closest stool, and the barkeep, a new girl who introduced herself as Kelli with an ‘i,' grabbed up a frosty mug and filled it to the brim. She was new to town, a pretty girl who liked to flirt, which in this line of work generally meant good tips. She smiled and bent so close, her breasts nearly spilled onto the bar top.

She was also too young for him. Still had the shine of a new penny and the yearning for a relationship in her eyes. Definitely off-limits. He ignored her flirtation, accepted his drink with thanks, then swore silently when Brad Aldridge and Sam Binkley claimed the seats beside him. What the hell? There were at least ten empty stools they could have chosen.

"Henhawk," Brad said as he ordered a couple of mugs of beer.

Dallas grunted a response. Brad's family owned the local hardware store, and as far as Dallas knew, Sam worked for them. They were decent men. Though he'd known them his entire life, Dallas considered them acquaintances at best, and that was using the term loosely. He only had time and energy for a certain number of people in his circle, so it wasn't a personal thing. It was more of a practical thing.

He avoided eye contact and, therefore, conversation, though he did have to suffer through theirs on account of the close proximity. Brad sounded like a lot of married men he knew and complained that he wasn't getting sex from his wife. To which Sam responded that maybe if Brad didn't spend four nights a week at the Sundowner, it might not be a problem.

Sam might have a point there.

Brad then pointed out that Sam hadn't gotten laid in nearly two months because no woman in their right mind would give it up for him. Sam chuckled and slammed his beer down on the bar. "Three weeks, my friend, and that last time was in Austin. There were two of 'em."

"So you say," Brad scoffed.

"It was a two-fer. You're just jealous."

"Whatever," Brad muttered, clearly annoyed.

"Holy hell," Sam said. "She's still looking good."

"Who?" Brad turned his entire body around for a better look and then wolf-whistled. "Them Bridgestones got some genes, that's for sure."

Dallas kept his face averted, but he knew. Damn, he knew. His body thrummed with a new kind of energy. The Vivian kind of energy. He angled his head a bit more and raised his chin so that he could look in the mirror on the wall behind the bar. He found her almost immediately. Hard to miss a woman like her.

Vivian walked through the Sundowner, her arms linked with those of a man who decidedly did not belong in Big Bend. He was tall and…elegant was the word that came to mind. His clothes alone screamed money and city, and his leather shoes wouldn't cut it out here. Too shiny. Too new. He was older, with a thick head of snow-white hair and the kind of handsome features that were more delicate than masculine. A pretty boy who'd managed to keep his looks.

Vivian was laughing at something he'd said and then looked up suddenly, catching sight of Dallas watching her through the mirror.

He didn't look away as the smile slowly faded from her face, and when she lifted that right eyebrow in a way that said fuck you , he grinned. He knew she'd left the ranch. He just wasn't sure he was happy she was back.

The two of them crossed the room and claimed a booth near the back. He relaxed a bit when she was out of sight and when Jennifer, the manager who ran the place when Millie Sue wasn't around, came over.

"Nora is still in the kitchen deciding between velvet cake and a raspberry lemon with white chocolate. I'll have Kelli bring out your food when it's ready."

"Thanks." He paid for his order and slid off the stool. Who in hell would have thought a place like this would employ a cook who could create desserts that would make a Michelin-star chef proud? He glanced toward the kitchen and then over to the booths, and before he could tell himself it was a bad idea, strode toward the one woman he should avoid.

Vivian glanced up when he stopped by their table. Her eyes were shiny, her cheeks were flushed, and that damn hair was a wild mess around her shoulders. She licked her bottom lip and met his gaze with a bit of defiance.

"Fancy seeing you in town," she said.

"I get out every now and again."

"I bet you do." She looked across the bar at Kelli, then back to her companion. She took a beat. "This is Dallas Henhawk. Dal, my good friend Jack McDaniel."

"Nice to meet you," Dallas said, offering his hand for a shake. You could tell a lot about a man in the way he shakes a hand. Jack's grip was strong, his eye contact direct.

"You as well," Jack replied, sitting back down. "Would you care to join us?"

He caught the look she sent her friend, and it was clear Vivian didn't want that. If he didn't have Nora to think about, Dallas just might let his contrary nature come through and make her move over.

"Thanks, but I have to be heading back to the ranch."

"Yes, the ranch. I can't wait to see it. I've heard a lot about it and have read up on ranching in Montana. It's quite a life."

Dallas studied the man for a moment. He had questions. A lot of them. But he reminded himself that Vivian Bridgestone was none of his business. Not anymore. And what she did and who she did it with was her business. Not his.

"The Triple B is the second-largest working ranch in Montana. There's a lot to cover, but I'm sure Viv won't mind showing you around."

"I'll look after you, Jack." Vivian grabbed his hand and squeezed. The movement left a shit taste in Dallas's mouth. This here was wrong. What's worse, it was wrong that it bothered him.

"Here's your order, Dallas." Kelli with an ‘i' handed him a paper bag with his order inside, and he thanked her for it.

"Are you coming back to town this weekend?" Kelli's eyes were hopeful, her breasts still perky, and her meaning was plain to them all.

"Depends," he answered.

"You have the party tomorrow night," Vivian said sweetly, looking at the server. "Though I suppose you could bring a date."

He shot her a look. "You looking after my social calendar now?"

"Shoot," Kelli responded. "I have to work all weekend."

"That's all right, darlin'," Dallas said, backing away and trying his best not to snap. "I'll be back." He nodded at Vivian and Jack and then strode toward the kitchen. He pushed through the door and obviously surprised Millie Sue and Nora.

"What's crawled up your butt and died?" Millie Sue asked when she spied him.

He gave Millie Sue a warning glance and turned to Nora. "You got your sweets? We need to go." His words were clipped.

"Uncle Dallas is in a bad mood again," Nora said, reaching for her bag.

"I'm not in a bad mood," he retorted. "I'm just a little…pissed off, I guess."

"I see that." Millie Sue peered through the window in the door and then turned back to him. "Vivian is out there."

He shrugged.

"Who's the guy?"

"Jack."

"Just Jack?"

"If you want to know more, you'll have to ask Viv."

"I'm asking you."

"I didn't take the time to get to know the man."

"I see." She gave him a thoughtful look.

"There's nothing to see. Who Vivian Bridgestone spends time with is none of my concern."

But the thing about it was, he didn't like seeing Vivian and this old guy together. They seemed so easy. So okay with each other. Jesus, he'd been over her for years, so why was he annoyed that she was in the Sundowner with another man? He didn't want to consider the reason. Because that would make him think about a bunch of shit he liked to keep tucked away, out of sight. Like that damn unicorn.

"Are you going to the barn dance tomorrow night?"

Not if I can help it.

"Maybe." Dallas pointed to the back door and nudged Nora forward. "Let's go." The two of them left the Sundowner by way of the kitchen entrance, which meant he didn't have to deal with Vivian again. At least, not today.

It was an easy out, but for now, Dallas would take it.