Yuletide Cowboy (4 page)

“App, cut it out,” he growled.

Thankfully, App decided he'd said enough. He crossed his arms and stared straight ahead for the remainder of Brady's lesson.

The sheriff did a good job over the next twenty minutes. His words were about being a good steward of the talents God had given each church member, something Chance had thought he was doing until Randy's death.

Though Chance listened, his heart was closed off to any emotional response. It had been that way ever since Randy had fallen beneath the hooves of that bull and Chance had realized he probably wasn't coming out alive. App could push all he wanted but Chance wasn't up to being in that pulpit right now. And honestly, he wasn't sure when or if he'd be ready. He felt as if a heavy horse blanket had been thrown around his heart, smothering out all the light.

Everyone kept saying he needed time. That was why he'd come home. Time could heal most everything.

Chance hoped it was true.

He'd given many a cowboy a similar sermon at different times of trial in their lives. Now he was seeing how much easier it was to spout the words when you were giving advice to someone else. It was different when you were the one in the midst of the storm.

He let his gaze slide toward Lynn once more. Something was bothering her, too. He saw it in her eyes just now, and it cut him to the core.

“H
ey, mister. Mr. Chance, hold up.”

“Yeah, hold up!”

Chance had cut out the second the prayer was over. He wanted to keep right on walking but no way could he ignore the small voices hailing him. He'd made straight for the parking lot and was almost to the edge of the grass, almost to the white rock and fifteen feet from his truck… He'd almost made it.

App's grumbling during the sermon had convinced Chance that if he hung around he'd never hear the end of it. But no way could he ignore Gavin and Jack.

Feeling roped and tied he turned on his heel to find both boys charging after him. Lynn followed at a slow, reluctant pace. And he groaned at the sight of the Mule Hollow posse behind her! Norma Sue Jenkins and Esther Mae Wilcox were two of the older ladies who kept Mule Hollow running smoothly. They, along with their buddy Adela, had saved the tiny town with their matchmaking antics.

They'd come up with the idea a couple of years earlier to advertise for wives for all the lonesome cowboys who
lived and worked the ranching area. Despite the disbelief of everyone around them, lo and behold, women read the ads and had begun to come to town. Since then the ladies were always coming up with special events that would draw women to the town. Like dinner theater with the cowboys singing and serving, or festivals where the cowboys and ladies would meet up. So far it had worked well. He appreciated the three women, but they were also among the ones who were adamant about him coming home to preach.

Watching their approach he prepared himself for a lecture.

“Boys,” Lynn called, coming to a halt behind the two little dudes.

He couldn't help but wonder what was bothering her so…why she looked pensive and almost frightened. Was she scared of him?

“Mr. Turner was leaving. You don't need to bother him.”

“We ain't, Momma.” Gavin batted big eyes at her and then at him. “We was just wonderin' if you know how to make a tree house?”

“Yeah,” Jack drew the word out dismally as he wagged his dark head back and forth. “We got a
mess
at our house. A pure mess.”

“Boys!” Lynn exclaimed, turning red as a poinsettia, her big dark eyes widening like she'd just been prodded with an electric cattle prod.

Esther Mae and Norma Sue came to a halt, catching the end of Jack's declaration. Chance had a feeling Lynn was just as reluctant in their presence as he was. Match-
makers. Scary stuff for people who wanted nothing to do with the subject.

“Y'all are building a tree house—how fun!” Esther Mae exclaimed. Her red hair almost matched the color on Lynn's cheeks as they flamed up even brighter.

“We—well, the boys—started one this morning.”

“That's a wonderful idea,” Norma Sue boomed. “You boys probably do need a man to help you get that tree house up and working.”

Chance didn't miss the flash of alarm in Lynn's eyes when Norma Sue spoke. He understood. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to build a tree house. He wanted to be alone right now. To go back out to the stagecoach house where he was staying to contemplate the state of his life. Alone. And he could see that was what she wanted, too.

But Jack and Gavin were looking up at him with adoring eyes!
Adoring
—what exactly had he done to de serve the look in those eyes?

He met Lynn's now fiery gaze and his mouth went dry for the second time that day. She was struggling to hold her temper. It was obvious she didn't want his help. He told himself this had to do with her background. This was wariness or maybe distrust that he was feeling from her. He didn't like what he saw in the depths of her eyes and his own hackles went up at the idea she'd been mistreated. How bad had her abuse been? The question dug in like spurs.

“I could help if you need me.” What else could he say? The boys yelled jubilantly and began jumping around with happiness.

Lynn pressed her shoulders back and shook her head.
“Thank you,” she said, stiffly, “but we don't need help building our tree house.”

“I don't mind.”
Chance, what are you saying?

“He don't mind, Momma.”

“Gavin, you're showing very bad manners. Again, thank you but we're fine,” she said firmly. “Come on, boys, we need to go.”

“But, Momma—”

“Jack, we need to go home. Remember we have Christmas lights to put up, too.”

Both boys looked reluctantly at him but obediently headed off to the car. Lynn didn't meet his gaze as she said goodbye to Norma Sue and Esther Mae. He thought she was just going to walk off but then she paused. “I'm sorry. Thanks for the offer though,” she said, then strode away.

What had she been through?

Chance's cousins walked up. “What was that all about?” Wyatt asked.

“That was Lynn being stubborn,” Norma Sue offered.

“Gavin and Jack were trying to get Chance to help them build a tree house, but Lynn is Miss Independent and having none of that.”

Esther Mae harrumphed. “She needs to get over that.”

Wyatt got a thoughtful gleam in his eye.
“Really.”

Cole grinned. He was the youngest brother, about Chance's age and his former partner in crime. “Did you tell them you were a master tree house builder?”

“I think we can both swing a hammer better than we could back then.” Chance chuckled. He and Cole had tried to build a tree house when they were about eight
years old. “We were stubborn back then though. We re fused help from everyone.”

“Until Dad stepped in,” Wyatt added. “Y'all had the biggest mess. Dad finally had to insist on making it safe for y'all to use.”

“Thank goodness.” Seth gave a laugh that was more of a grunt. “Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you Melody said thanks for taking those lights up to the church for her.”

Esther Mae beamed. “Lynn told us about that last night when we were decorating for the fundraiser. What a cute way to meet,” she gushed. “Are you coming to the fundraiser tonight?”

Chance had already told Wyatt and all the guys the day before that he was going to pass. Wyatt hadn't liked it and had told him that being around people would be good for him, but he understood. Now, looking at Esther Mae and Norma Sue, Chance wasn't sure what to say. They had worked hard on this fundraiser, evidently, and it was for a good cause. His conscience pricked at him. He was startled that they hadn't yet mentioned his preaching. He was relieved by the reprieve. “I'm not sure—”

“Sure you are.” Norma Sue looked serious. “Chance, we just heard what a hard time you're having dealing with the loss of this young man. The best thing is for you to get involved with your family…and we are your family. I expect to see you there.” She shot Wyatt a firm look. “See to it.”

Wyatt gave a slow grin. “Yes, ma'am. You heard the lady, Chance.”

He was dug in deep for patience.

Esther Mae dipped her chin, causing the yellow daffodils on her hat to bend forward as if they, too, were watching Chance. “I'm expecting you there, too. So don't disappoint me. I know you'll enjoy it. And it will be good for you. Lynn will be there, too.”

Great, just what he needed. Chance wondered what Lynn would think if she knew what was going on.

“And you'll enjoy the auction, too,” Cole drawled.

“What auction? I haven't heard anything about that.”

Seth hiked a shoulder. “Aw, it's just stuff for the la dies.”

“But you'll still enjoy seeing them bid,” Norma Sue added quickly, and Esther Mae grinned and nodded.

Everyone was acting strange. He knew they cared for him and maybe they were right. “I might be there,” he offered.

Chance thought about Norma Sue's words all the way back to the stagecoach house. As he drove down the gravel road to the house that had been in the Turner family for almost two hundred years, he felt a small semblance of peace. His home was basically on the road, but when he needed time out this was where he came—always had been. All the memories he had from his years spent visiting and living at the ranch were the good times. Yes, he'd come home for much-needed solitude and time to think. But as he pulled up in front of the stagecoach house and got out of the truck he knew at six o'clock he'd be getting back in the truck and heading back to town.

This was a fundraiser…and the least he could do was go up there and buy a steak to help raise money
for the women's shelter. There was no denying the good the shelter did. It was evident in Lynn and her boys. He'd spend some time alone tomorrow, but he knew he wouldn't feel good about himself if he didn't go up there and make a contribution to the shelter. Many benefits had been held to help Randy's family after his death. He'd only made it to one of them and he'd been asked to speak. He'd almost not made it through that… No, helping out the shelter here at home was the least he could do.

 

The women must really like whatever was up for bids. They were everywhere.

Chance walked through the door of the community center, which was just down the sidewalk past Pete's Feed and Seed. He'd had to park all the way at the opposite end past Sam's Diner just to find a parking space.

There were lots of couples sitting around and mingling in groups, but it was immediately obvious that the room was overrun by single women. He should have known that any gathering the town was organizing would bring even more women to Mule Hollow to meet single cowboys. His cousins had expanded their cattle operation, as had several other large ranches in the area, increasing the cowboy population even more. All in all, Mule Hollow had grown in the last year, and by the crowd it was apparent.

Glancing around, Chance had thought maybe he'd see a bunch of beauty-treatment baskets or jewelry or stuff that ladies liked, lining a table somewhere to be auctioned off. But he didn't see anything like that.

“Chance, over here,” Wyatt called, waving him over
to join the family. He wove his way through the tables, greeting people as he went.

“Boy, you weren't kidding when you said the women were going to bid. What's up for bids?” he asked, taking a seat beside Wyatt. There were two women at the table in front of him giving him the once-over… He felt like
he
was the one on the auction block.

Wyatt's wife, Amanda, gaped at him like he was crazy. “You don't know?”

“Know what?” He glanced around the table. Seth, Cole and Wyatt had on poker faces that would have made their great, great, great, great, great Grandpa Oakley proud. Oakley wasn't the most respectable Turner in the clan and immediately Chance was on alert. Melody, Amanda and Susan's expressions of disbelief sent an un easy feeling coursing through his veins. “What have I missed?”

Amanda pushed her short dark hair behind her ear. “I can't believe no one told you?” She gave Wyatt a cute scowl. “Or that you didn't see the flyers on the fronts of the stores announcing that this is a dinner and bachelor auction.”

Chance choked. “A what? What flyers? You said a
bachelor auction?
” He cut his gaze to Wyatt, then Cole and Seth, and he was pretty certain his scowl wasn't cute. He hadn't been in town all that much, but now that he thought about it he had seen a flash of yellow on the windows. Suddenly he remembered seeing Sam crumbling up something yellow when he was getting out of the truck for breakfast the day before. He'd also been grinning when he greeted Chance at the door. “What
exactly are y'all up to?” he asked, knowing he'd been set up.

“It's harmless,” Susan said, shooting Cole a disbelieving glance. “The women or anyone who wants to can bid on the bachelors who have agreed to be auctioned off. The high bidders have to fix dinner for the cowboy they win and then he gives them a few hours of work around their house.”

Melody leaned around Seth and smiled sweetly. “You know, like help with putting up their
Christmas lights,
” she said, drawing out the obvious. “Or cleaning up their yard to get ready for the holidays.”

Had that had been why she'd given all those lights to Lynn? Was Melody expecting Lynn to bid on a bachelor? As if summoned by his thoughts he spotted Lynn across the room dishing salad onto plates. He noticed the waiters then, about fifteen cowboys carrying plates to the tables.

“Are those the cowboys who agreed to be auctioned?” he asked Wyatt.

“Yup, that's them.”

“You know cowboys,” Cole drawled. “They'll sacrifice themselves for a good cause.” Yeah, right.
Big sacrifice.
Judging by the grins on their faces they weren't hurting too bad. Chance massaged the knot that had formed in his neck. It was no coincidence that everyone had conveniently omitted that this was a bachelor auction. Why?

Across the room he caught sight of Lynn. She was busy, in and out of the kitchen with several other women and men. Applegate and Stanley were manning the grill out back, so he'd been told. Every once in a while he saw
them carry in pans of steaks. Lynn was putting food on plates. She looked as pretty as a summer day wearing a yellow sweater with her jeans. She caught him staring at her several times—he'd make an effort to stop staring but next thing he knew, he was right back at it. It was nothing short of rude, so why was he doing it?

Feeling eyes on him, he glanced around and caught Brady watching him from the next table. The sheriff leaned toward Chance across the space between the tables so he could speak quietly to him.

“It was good to see you in church Sunday. You were far more qualified than me to be in that pulpit though.”

“You did a great job.”

Brady rested his elbow on his thigh. “Don't know about that, but seriously—I know your heart is at the arena with the cowboys, but we could really use you while you're in town. With Christmas coming and no preach er in sight…I mean, to be honest, we haven't gotten any replies to our request. I can only do so much be cause I'm not a preacher. I have faith that God's going to send the right man for the job, but I'm not sure when that will be.”