The Cowboy and the Christmas Tree by Deanna Talcott

Author:Deanna Talcott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1995-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Slade tried valiantly to make small talk as he drove the six miles to his brother-in-law’s home. But he was so nervous his guts were turning inside out. He squirmed on the car seat, the pain in his middle cutting him in half.

In all those years of imagining how it would be to be home again with Crystal he’d never really considered what it would be like to face her family. She’d grown up teasing and wrestling and holding her own in the middle of a rowdy family of boys. But those same boys had spent their younger days intimidating—and scaring off—all of Crystal’s would-be suitors.

How would they feel about their sister’s absentee husband, one who had returned after almost four years on the lam, one who hid from his grief and his responsibilities?

“A new Kwik Stop on the corner, huh?” Slade asked, running out of things to talk about. “Suppose it gives the Gas ‘n Go some real competition.”

“Not so much. Mostly the kids stop after school.”

“I hear the kids got together and worked on a new backstop for the city ballpark.” Saying that, he intentionally drove two blocks out of the way to inspect it. He wasn’t nearly as interested in seeing the damn thing as he was in postponing the inevitable confrontation with Crystal’s family. “Look at that, what a deal! They got a new fence, too. And covered dugouts.” He let the car inch past the unlit field, feigning interest.

From the ballpark easement Slade flicked a surreptitious glance to Trevor’s driveway. Cars were lined up like a used-car parking lot. It took a lot of gumption, but he cranked the steering wheel in the direction of everlasting hell and damnation. At least, he figured that was what he was in for—the fire and wrath and brimstone of a family done wrong.

They were obviously the last to arrive. He pulled up behind a station wagon, the back end of which was plastered with Student Of The Month and Honor Student bumper stickers. Probably Allen’s, he guessed, switching off the ignition. His hand lingered near the steering column. “Well. Everybody’s here.”

“Looks like it.” Crystal picked up her purse and lifted the door handle.

“Crys?” he asked quickly, touching her sleeve and effectively stopping her.

“Yes?”

He sank back against the seat. “Remember what you told me when we started dating? When we knew what we felt and what we wanted for each other was more than sharing a soda and going to a movie?” If Blake hadn’t been in the car, he’d have gotten crude and suggestive, and said something about sharing the back seat and going all the way.

The porch light highlighted her quizzical expression. But Crystal said nothing, and desperation mushroomed through him.

“Well, I’ll never forget it. I can still hear it in my head.” She frowned, waiting, as the door handle clicked back into place. “You said, ‘Don’t put too much stock in this. All my romances are short-lived, compliments of my brothers.’”

She let it sink in, then threw her head back, her eyes drifting closed.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.