Rescuing the Cowboy. Cathy McDavid
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might have surprised him with a job offer, but he had an even bigger surprise in store for her.
“We’ve met,” Quinn said.
Summer swallowed, then smiled tentatively in return. “Yes. Earlier today at the market. Except we each didn’t realize who the other person was.”
“Oh!” Cara drew back to study each of them. “Really?”
“He helped me with Teddy.” Summer extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Quinn.”
“Same here.” He closed his fingers around her slim and deceptively strong ones, lingered for too long, then turned his attention to Teddy rather than give himself away. “How you doing, son?”
The boy peered up at him but didn’t meet Quinn’s gaze. He noticed Teddy favored his mother. Same color hair, same freckles and same hazel eyes.
“We’re doing much better,” Summer answered for him. “Shopping can sometimes be stressful. Thank you again.”
“My pleasure.” Quinn meant it.
Cara blinked in astonishment, taking the three of them in. “I really wish I’d been there. This sounds interesting.”
“Truly, it wasn’t.” Summer smiled somberly. “A woman touched Teddy, and, well, you know how he hates that. Quinn was kind and helped me out.”
“Man,” Teddy suddenly said. “Stow.”
“That’s right.” Summer beamed. “Mr. Crenshaw is the man we met at the store.”
Cara also seemed impressed. “Wow. He’s really talking more and more.”
“Between the learning center and the therapy program, he’s making incredible strides.” They chatted for several more minutes until Cara was called away to help with dinner. Summer smoothly changed the subject. “Quinn, I hear you’re a rodeo champion.”
At least she hadn’t said ex-convict. “Former champion.”
“Bull riding?”
“That was Josh and Cole’s event, though I did give it a go now and then. Mostly then. Bronc busting, bareback and saddle was my choice of torture, along with a little steer wrestling.”
“Torture?”
She glanced down at her son again, who continued to stare at Quinn’s left ear. It should have made him uncomfortable. For whatever reason, it didn’t.
“Rodeoing isn’t exactly easy.” But it was a hell of a lot easier than prison.
“Do you miss it?”
“Every day.” Quinn wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to be so forthright with Summer.
“I hear you’re taking to cattle ranching. Josh says you’re a natural.”
“Cara offered me a job. Helping with the mustangs and the therapy program.”
Summer’s mouth opened, then shut and thinned to a flat line. Whatever she was going to say, she’d changed her mind.
Her reaction bothered him. “Don’t feel you have to stay and keep me company.”
“Sorry.” Her denial was quick and not quite believable. “I should probably help with dinner, too. I don’t want to leave everything to Cara and Raquel.”
“Sure.” His ready acquiescence wasn’t entirely believable, either. Not to his ears anyway. Apparently not to Summer’s, either.
For the first time she faltered. “I... It’s not...”
“Is there a problem with me working for Cara?”
“No. What gave you that idea?”
“Because you changed the second I mentioned it.”
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity.” When Cara called her name, she couldn’t escape fast enough. “Excuse me.” Checking on her son, she let out a soft, “Oh.”
Quinn felt it then. Teddy was tracing his index finger along the engraving on his leather belt depicting a herd of galloping horses.
“Hey, son.”
“Haws. Wunning.”
“Yes, the horses are running.” Summer blinked back tears.
Quinn issued the invitation without thinking. “He can stay with me if he wants.”
“No.” She shook her head vehemently, her tears instantly drying. “No,” she repeated, starting for the kitchen. Except Teddy didn’t follow her. “Come on, honey.”
He stuck out his lower lip, his concentration focused on his finger as it traveled from one horse to the other on Quinn’s belt.
Summer wavered, visibly torn.
“I have a solution,” Quinn said amicably. “I’ll go with you and Teddy.”
Again Summer shook her head in protest. But when Quinn started walking, Teddy did, too.
Quinn had been to Arizona many times during the years he competed. There were several well-known rodeos in the state, the Parada del Sol being one of the biggest and most popular. He’d heard of Mustang Valley from his cousins, mostly how they’d refused to set foot in the place again after what they viewed as their father’s abandonment, but he hadn’t visited.
Then their father’s death had brought them home after a long, long absence. In a way, it had also brought Quinn there.
He stared at the distant outline of the McDowell Mountains, grateful for his recent good fortune. This was a place worth living in and not just because he’d spent the last two-plus years calling a stark concrete cell the size of a closet home.
Dusk fell, and the sun disappeared behind the horizon, leaving behind a half moon hovering above Pinnacle Peak. A flock of doves took flight from a nearby paloverde tree and winged their way into the great expanse of the desert. Distant lowing from some of Dos Estrellas’ twelve hundred head of cattle grew softer and less frequent as they settled in for the night.
Quinn stood in the front courtyard of the Dempsey house. Behind the ranch and a good two miles north lay the town. In this direction, however, the land seemed to extend forever.
Inside the house, the party continued strong. He’d escaped after dinner and come outside, hoping no one was offended. His need for solitude wasn’t the fault of the guests. They were all nice and cheerfully welcomed him, though some couldn’t hide their curiosity.
He simply liked being alone and shutting out all the noise until only his own thoughts remained. At times the craving was too powerful to resist, and he gave in.
That might be the reason he liked and understood Teddy. Sometimes a person didn’t want to be touched or talked to or bothered.
Quinn thought Summer must also understand Teddy. At least, she tried. She certainly respected his boundaries.
He compared his own situation to Summer’s, noting the differences. He’d been denied the chance to parent his daughter and longed for contact with her. Summer, however, lived with Teddy but wasn’t allowed to touch him. How hard that must be for her.
An exterior light came on. The next instant, the front door to the house, a large and ornately engraved oak panel, swung open. Summer stepped outside as if by thinking of her Quinn had made her appear. Teddy, as usual, stood beside her.
She obviously hadn’t seen Quinn yet and assumed she had the courtyard to herself. He would have relished the chance to observe her unnoticed, except in the next instant Josh’s two young children tumbled outside like a pair of puppies set free after being confined all day.
Nathan,