An Accidental Hero (14 page)

Lamont’s brows knitted in the center of his forehead. “Thank me? For what?”

Releasing his hand, Reid said, “Let’s just say if I’m ever lucky enough to have young’uns of my own, I hope I can love ’em as unselfishly as you love yours.”

Drawing his head back slightly, Lamont blinked several times. “Well, I…uh, well—”

The shadow cast by Lamont’s hat brim made it impossible to know for sure, but Reid had a feeling the man was blushing. “Guess we oughta be hittin’ the road,” he said, saving him. “Sunup comes mighty early, and Billy’s new ranch hands haven’t learned the ropes yet.”

This time Lamont held the diner door open. “He didn’t look so hot when I saw him today,” he said as Reid passed by.

“The docs figure he has six months, tops.”

The men walked side by side to Lamont’s truck. “That’s a sorry shame. I always liked old Billy….”

“Can’t think of a soul who doesn’t.”

Again, Lamont nodded. Then he opened his driver’s door and climbed into the SUV’s cab. “Be seein’ you,” he said, slamming the door.

Reid answered with a two-fingered salute to his hat brim.
Yeah,
he thought,
I reckon you will.

At least, he hoped so.

It depended entirely on how Cammi would take it when he told her…everything.

D
inner the following night with the family was everything Cammi expected it to be—and then some.

For every delicious morsel of food Lamont’s housekeeper served up, Violet and Ivy dished out unwanted advice. Like blond stereo speakers, the twins voiced shock that their eldest sister had secretly married a near stranger, had been carrying his child when he died. They were harsh and disappointed that Cammi had kept her hardships to herself these past few months.

Lily, usually the most likely to take up for the underdog, didn’t participate in the heated discussion. She sat, sullenly poking at her food, too preoccupied to join either side of the debate. Cammi made a mental note to seek her out later, find out what had caused the uncharacteristically gloomy mood. Hopefully, nothing had happened to one of Lily’s beloved animals.

Lamont finally put an end to the twins’ carping
criticisms. “Give it a rest, girls,” he scolded, throwing down his napkin. “I thought we put this kind of squabbling behind when you left kindergarten.”

He meant well, Cammi knew. And the Good Lord knew the man deserved one peaceful meal, after all she’d put him through these past few days…these past few
years.
But he had no idea that his fatherly refereeing always caused more harm than good; inevitably, it widened the gap separating Cammi from Violet and Ivy.

As if to prove her theory, the twins traded “I told you so” glances, a silent signal that Cammi read to mean,
the prodigal returneth.
She loved her sisters dearly, but at times like these, it was very difficult to
like
them.

Maybe if she could steer them away from her mistakes…

“So, how’s the boutique, Ivy?” The shop had been Ivy’s lifeblood ever since her fiancé left her at the altar.

The youngest twin’s blue eyes brightened. “Wonderful!” she said smiling. “I’m expecting a shipment of turquoise jewelry. You’ll have to stop by and pick out a pair of earrings—my welcome-home gift to you.”

Cammi patted Ivy’s hand. “You’re a peach, kiddo.” And turning to Vi, she said, “And the dance studio? How goes it?”

“Oh, it’s tap-tap-tapping along.” Vi gave a proud smile. “I have nearly two hundred students this year.”

“I’m so proud of you, Vi! Any shows on the calendar?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll get you tickets. You’ll love the Thanksgiving performance. We’re dancing to numbers from
Phantom.
”

Cammi thought Vi spent entirely too much time at her school, but who was she to talk when she’d just blown two whole years trying to make it as an actress. As for Vi’s love life, well, Cammi knew better than to bring
that
up. She couldn’t think of a single boy Vi had brought home who hadn’t riled Lamont. But then, in all fairness to Vi, she couldn’t name a guy
any
of them had brought home that he’d approved of.

And Reid Alexander would prove to be the source of his biggest disapproval yet. Which was a shame, because she sensed that beneath Reid’s ladies’ man facade lived a good old-fashioned hero. Cammi remembered the soft warmth of his lips, the steady beat of his heart against her as he tenderly wrapped her in his muscular arms. She wondered what it might have been like if Lamont didn’t already know Reid’s history. “Dad,” she’d say, striking a game-show hostess pose,
“this is Reid, the fella who killed Mom….”

Immediately, what started out as a halfhearted joke backfired. For the thousandth time, she pictured that life-altering night, when lightning crackled, slicing through the storm-black sky. She imagined rain, sheeting over the horribly misshapen station wagon, where inside her mother lay bleeding and helpless and—

“Good grief, Cammi,” Lily said, her brow furrowed with concern, “you’re pale as a ghost. Why don’t you go into the den and stretch out on the couch for a while? Ivy and Vi will help me with the dishes.”

The twins exchanged another secret glance, making
Cammi wish that just once, she shared their talent for each knowing what the other was thinking.

For the past half hour, Cammi had been trying to ignore the fact that she’d been feeling light-headed. No surprise, really, considering that only a few days ago—

“She’s right,” Lamont agreed, mistaking Cammi’s hesitation for reluctance to do as Lily suggested. “Take a nap or something while we clean things up in here.” He smiled at Lily, then at Vi and Ivy in turn, his not-so-veiled hint inspiring them to nod their agreement. They reminded Cammi of those doggies people liked to perch in the rear windows of their cars.

“I just hate to miss out on dessert,” she teased, standing on wobbly legs.

“We promise to save you a slice of pie,” Lily said, reaching out to steady her. “Now, get on out of here. How do you expect us to bad-mouth you behind your back if you’re right here facing us!”

Laughing, Cammi held up her hands in mock surrender. “All right. I give up.” She headed for the family room, grateful to have a family who loved and cared about her despite the stupid mistakes she’d made. A dizzy spell stopped her halfway down the hall, and Cammi grabbed the wall’s chair rail for support.

“I’m really worried about her, Dad,” she heard Lily whisper. “How much blood did she lose, anyway!”

“I don’t know” was his answer. “I wasn’t there.”

“You weren’t?” That voice belonged to Vi,
Cammi realized. “If you weren’t there, how’d she get to the hospital?”

Lily said, “The guy she crashed into the other night drove her.”

“Crash!” said Ivy. “What crash?”

Cammi heard Lily’s impatient sigh. “Do you
ever
hear a word anyone says,” she droned, “if it isn’t about
you?
I told you on the phone—Cammi had an accident coming into town, and she met up with the other driver the very next day. Started having her miscarriage right before his very eyes, and he drove her to the E.R.”

“If he hadn’t been there for her,” Lamont put in, “God only knows what might have happened to Cammi.”

She’d had the same thought, dozens of times. Reid truly had saved her, in every sense of the word. But she never would have guessed her dad could be open-minded enough to admit it!

“So who
is
this guy?” Ivy asked. “Do I know him?”

Lily cleared her throat. “Ever hear of Reid Alexander?”

Silence, then Violet said, “Not the rodeo cowboy whose name is always in the gossip columns….”

Leave it to Vi,
Cammi thought,
to point out the most negative thing about him.

“One and the same,” Lily said.

“I’ve seen pictures of him in all sorts of magazines and newspapers,” Vi added, “and let me tell you, he’s one good-lookin’ dude!”

“Now, girls…” Lamont said.

Cammi recognized it as a warning to change the course of the conversation, now.

Evidently, all three of her sisters caught the admonition, too; she heard the unmistakable sounds of plates being stacked, silverware being gathered, tumblers being collected. “We’ll take care of these, Dad,” Ivy said. “Go on into the den and keep Cammi company. We’ll all have pie in there together when the dishes are done.”

Cammi heard the feet of his chair scrape across the thick Persian rug that blanketed the polished dining room hardwood. “Think I’ll take you up on that offer,” he said. And chuckling, he added, “I wouldn’t complain if a cup of coffee came with my pie.”

She craned her ears, trying to figure out what had caused the sudden, complete silence.

“How ’bout you, Cammi,” Lamont called, his voice a tad louder. “Should the girls bring you a cup, too, when they deliver your pie?”

Not even as kids had his daughters been able to get anything past him. What made her think she could pull the wool over Lamont’s eyes now that he’d had a decade or more to hone his parenting skills? He had her, dead to rights; no point now in pretending she’d been heading back toward the dining room from her perch on the family room couch.

“Sounds great,” she muttered.

Vi sounded genuinely surprised when she said, “Dad, how’d you know Cammi was standing there?”

“My lips are sealed,” he drawled.

The girls’ giggling voices faded as they moved into the kitchen. Cammi waited, and when Lamont caught
up to her, he grinned and slung an arm around her. “So, heard any good gossip lately?”

Red-faced and shaking her head, Cammi sighed. “Well, I guess you’re a shoo-in for the Best Ears in Texas award.”

He ushered her into the family room, and as she settled onto the couch, he rubbed his chin. “Best Ears award, eh?”

What he’d said about Reid echoed in her mind. “You’re up for Father of the Year, too.”

He slouched into his recliner. “And why’s that?”

“What you said about Reid…” She shrugged. “It was a nice thing to say, that’s all.”

A shadow crossed his face, and the merry grin and twinkling eyes were replaced by a dour expression. Cammi would have asked what happened to change his mood…if she hadn’t been so afraid of the answer.

With Lamont having turned in earlier than usual, and Lily in the barn tending her critters, Cammi had the darkened house all to herself. She slid the napkin bearing Reid’s phone number from her pocket, where she’d tucked it earlier.

The mantel clock counted out the eight o’clock hour as she lifted the receiver from its cradle. Too late to call, given Billy’s condition? Hopefully not, she thought, pressing the numbers.

For the next few minutes, Cammi and Martina exchanged pleasantries. Then the older woman said, “Why do I get the feeling you didn’t call just to talk to me?”

Cammi heard the smile in her voice and was about to admit she’d called for Reid when Martina laughed.
“He’s right in the next room, watching a baseball game with Billy. I’ll get him.”

Because of the ALS, Reid’s time with his old friend was limited, she knew. “No, don’t interrupt them,” she said. “Can you have him—” She heard the phone hit a hard surface, then the
thud
of slant-heeled cowboy boots nearing the phone.

“Hey, there, pretty lady. What can I do for you?” Reid said cheerfully.

The imperious tones of the twins’ voices still ringing in her ears, she needed to hear his voice. “Just wondering if you’d heard from the mechanic, is all.”

“Nope. Guess that means you haven’t either, right?”

“Hard to tell when we’ll get our wheels back.”

“If,
y’mean,” he said, chuckling. “So…where’s your dad?”

“Upstairs, asleep probably.”

He paused. “Think it’s safe for me to stop by?”

Cammi coiled the phone cord around her forefinger, trying to come up with a legitimate reason to say yes.

“I won’t stay long, I promise.”

She wished Lamont hadn’t confirmed her suspicions about Reid’s involvement in her mother’s accident. Cammi didn’t know how she’d behave face-to-face with him.

“There’s something I have to tell you, and…”

He’s said as much last night, in the same dreary tone of voice. Cammi realized Reid wanted her to hear from
him
that he’d been driving the other car that night. “And what?” she urged.

“…and something I need to ask you.”

She couldn’t imagine what he might want to ask her. But last night, while tossing and turning on the pillowy leather sofa in Lamont’s den, Cammi had made a decision, and Reid had a right to know what conclusions she’d come to.

“Okay,” she said. “But park at the back end of the drive, and I’ll meet you in the barn.”

“No way! You’re supposed to stay off your feet, remember?”

“It’s just a short walk from the house, and I’ll take it easy. Once I’m out there, I’ll put my feet up on a hay bale or something, I promise.”

“I dunno. Goes against my better judgment. Maybe I should wait until—”

“I hate to sound cranky,” she interrupted, reminding him what he’d said last night, “but it isn’t your call.”

Another pause, then he said, “I don’t think you’re strong enough yet.”

“Let me be the judge of that, will you?” When he didn’t respond, she added, “We’ll have more privacy out there than in the house.”

After a moment, Reid said, “Look, what I have to say can wait until you’re on your feet. It’s nothing urgent, nothing that’s worth putting your health in jeopar—”

“Don’t patronize me, Reid. I know my own limits.”

He heaved a heavy sigh. “Anybody ever tell you you’re mule-headed?”

She heard the teasing in his voice. “Oh, I’ve been told so a time or two.”

“Yeah, well, I can be stubborn, too, y’know.”

Which meant he could simply refuse to come over. Disappointment nagged at her, compelled her to say, “So you don’t want to see me, then.”

Another sigh. “Aw, Cammi, you disappoint me.”

“Why?”

“I never figured you for someone who’d fight dirty.”

“Curiosity killed the cat, they say.”

“Okay, I give up. What does
that
mean?”

“I’m itching to find out what you want to tell me. And what you want to ask me. The sooner I find out, the sooner I’ll be able to relax!”

“Stubborn,” he said, chuckling, “and tricky, too.”

“See you in half an hour!” Fifteen minutes later, Cammi went searching for a tablet and pen. Finding them in the end table drawer beside her father’s recliner, she wrote,
“Dad—back soon. I’m visiting with Lily. Don’t worry, I’m being careful. Love, Cammi.”
There was a roll of cellophane tape in the drawer, too. Snapping off a piece, she used it to secure the note to his recliner’s headrest.

Flinging an afghan over one shoulder, she carefully and quietly unlocked the French doors and tiptoed across the deck. If she took it easy, as she’d promised Reid, the two-minute hike from the house to the barn would be a cakewalk.

And it would have been, too…if the moon hadn’t slid behind a cloud, darkening the path, causing her to catch the toe of her sneaker on a tree root.

Twenty-five minutes into the ride, it was all Reid could do to keep from stomping on the gas and speeding the whole way to River Valley Ranch. Because
the sooner he got there, the sooner he could lay his cards on the table.