Texas Bluff. Linda Warren

looking for her glasses, her keys and her books. She was always misplacing things. Seemed that hadn’t changed, either.

      “Hi, Sweet Bec.”

      “Morning, Luke.” She kept digging in her purse, not sparing him a glance.

      “Did you lose something?”

      “No. I did not lose anything.” She threw the strap over her shoulder, car keys in her hand. “And please don’t call me Sweet Bec.”

      Sweet Bec had been his pet name for her and it had slipped out. Or maybe he just wanted to annoy her. Her eyes met his and Luke thought if looks could kill, he would be dead. He hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Why? Does it make you remember?”

      “Don’t flatter yourself.” Her hand touched her hair, the only sign he made her nervous. The stylish short cut came below her ears and her fuzzy curls had been tamed. He wasn’t sure if she’d had them straightened or whatever women did to their hair. The fetching freckles across her nose were no longer visible. Neither were her glasses. Evidently she now wore contacts and makeup.

      She looked different, older and definitely more mature. For a moment he was nostalgic for the young Becky who’d constantly pushed her glasses up her nose and who could light up his life with just her smile. He wondered if she’d forgotten how to smile.

      Had he been the cause of its demise?

      “How are your folks?” she asked when he didn’t respond.

      He shifted gears to the present. “Fine. My dad is out of his eye drops. The clinic is loaning us some until I can get into San Antonio.”

      “I told your mom I’d drop them by if she needed me to.”

      Becky was a nurse and worked in the River Bluff High School. She helped out at the clinic, too. She helped anyone who needed her. That was typical Becky. His mom depended on her advice and that irritated Luke. He wasn’t sure why, but in a small town it was hard to keep their lives separate.

      “I can take care of my parents.” The words came out harsher than he’d intended.

      “Mom! Mom!”

      A young boy came running toward them. Luke stiffened. He knew who the kid was. He’d seen him around, but he’d never spoken to him and didn’t want to now. With the controlled discipline he had learned in the army, he stood ready to meet Becky and Danny’s son.

      “Shane, what are you doing here?” Becky asked, irritation in her voice. “I told you I’d be at the clinic about an hour and you and Brad were supposed to finish your homework. I was just on my way to pick the two of you up for school.”

      “Mrs. Grant got a call that her mother had fallen and was in the emergency room in San Antonio. She and Brad left real fast. She wanted to bring me over here, but I told her I’d walk.”

      “I don’t like it when you change plans on me.”

      “Chill, Mom. It’s only two blocks and I’m not six years old. Besides, it was an emergency and I know you wouldn’t want Mrs. Grant taking time to drive me to my mommy.”

      Becky’s lips tightened. “No. And don’t be smart.”

      “Ah, Mom.” The boy threw his arm across Becky’s shoulder and hugged her. “Stop trying to be so tough.”

      Luke found he was staring at the boy. He had to be about fourteen or fifteen, tall for his age with wavy brown hair and blue eyes. He looked just like Becky, except for the hair. He didn’t see a lot of Danny in the kid.

      “You’re Luke Chisum,” Shane said unexpectedly.

      “Yes.” Luke found his voice.

      “Do you think you’ll be hiring at the Circle C Ranch for the summer? I’m saving money to buy a truck when I turn sixteen.”

      “It’s just the end of February and I’m not sure yet about the summer, but we’re always looking for good cowboys. You’ll have to speak to my brother, Hank. He does all the hiring.”

      Shane grimaced. “He’s not too friendly. I already asked and he told me to come back when I was older.”

      “Shane, you never said you spoke with Hank.” Becky frowned, obviously displeased. “Your father’s going to help with the truck.” She glanced at Luke. “We don’t need to discuss this in front of Mr. Chisum. Come on, it’s time to get you to school.”

      “Dad wants to buy me one of those little Ford Rangers. It’s like a toy. I want a Chevy Z71 with four-wheel drive, all-terrain tires and—”

      “Shane…”

      Shane winked at Luke. “My mom’s really an angel, but some days you have to search for those wings.”

      Mother and son got into a silver Tahoe and drove away. Shane waved and Luke waved back. The kid had a great sense of humor. He was Danny Howard’s kid, though. Luke couldn’t seem to get beyond that. Becky and Danny were divorced, but it didn’t keep that seed of jealousy from sprouting in Luke. How could she have married him?

      The past hit him smack in the face then. He felt eighteen and angry. Why did life have to be so cruel?

      BECKY CLENCHED and unclenched her hands on the steering wheel. She had to mentally calm herself. Every encounter with Luke was the same—emotionally draining. Why did he have to come home? After all these years, she’d thought he was out of her life for good. But she knew he would never be completely out of her heart.

      Unable to stop herself, she glanced in the rearview mirror. In jeans, cowboy boots and a Stetson, Luke was unbelievably handsome. He always had been. And the years had added another dimension—one of maturity. His dark hair and eyes were the same, except his eyes weren’t as mischievous or flirtatious. They were serious. Luke Chisum was now dead serious. His dare-me arrogance was gone, but his cocky smile showed up now and then—like a few minutes ago.

       Does it make you remember?

      All the time.

      She put it down to first love—the all-consuming love of a teenager. Yet it all had been based on a silly dare. And that dare had sent her self-esteem into the biggest nosedive of her young life.

      Luke Chisum could have had any girl he wanted. She should have known there was a reason he’d asked naive Becky to the dance. She’d been so young, and wanted to have fun like the other girls, so she hadn’t given it much thought. When a friend had told her the truth, it had broken her heart.

      To make matters worse, she’d heard the kids talking. One day after gym class she realized she’d forgotten her purse in her locker. As she hurried back to get it, she heard Bobbie Sue and Stefi, two girls in her class, talking about how gullible Becky was to think Luke really loved her. They went on to say that Luke was just after the sex, all the guys were.

      And she noticed the boys glancing at her with pity in their eyes. She just wanted to crawl away and die. All she could think was Luke didn’t love her as he’d said. He was in the relationship for the sex. That knowledge almost killed her and led to restless dreams where he was laughing with his friends at just how easy she’d been.

      Through the pain, though, she recognized she might be blowing everything out of proportion. The healing process took a long time and when she was finally ready to listen to Luke, he was gone. She wrote several letters, but never mailed any. His leaving reinforced her original beliefs. If Luke had really loved her, he wouldn’t have been so eager to leave River Bluff.

      Even though she couldn’t get Luke out of her head, she’d plunged headfirst into a relationship with Danny. After a couple of years, they’d known the marriage wasn’t working and had gone their separate ways.

      But they had Shane.

      Becky lived her life for her son. She worked in the River Bluff school system so she could be near Shane. Raising a young boy wasn’t easy, especially since Shane was