Heart of Texas Vol. 3: Caroline's Child. Debbie Macomber

was one of the most popular events of the year, along with the big summer dance and the Willie Nelson Fourth of July picnic. The town council always invited Willie to the picnic, but he had yet to accept. With or without him, it was held in his honor, and his music was piped through the park all day.

      “Sure will. I’ll let Dovie know you want to be a judge next year,” Ellie promised. “Consider it just one of the many benefits of marrying a local businesswoman.”

      Glen wrapped his arm about her waist and gave her a squeeze. “I know all about those benefits,” he said and kissed the top of her head.

      He raised his hand so that it rested just beneath her breast. “Glen,” she warned under her breath.

      He sighed and lowered his hand to her waist.

      Ellie saw Jane and Cal and waved. Dr. Texas immediately returned her wave, and the two couples sauntered toward each other.

      “So you’re going through with it,” Glen said when he saw his brother.

      “I can’t talk him out of it,” Jane said, rolling her eyes.

      “I’ve competed in the bull-riding competition for ten years,” Cal argued. “Besides, if I’m injured, I know one hell of a fine physician who’ll treat me with tender loving care.” He winked at his wife.

      From the look Jane tossed her husband, Ellie suspected she’d be inclined to let him suffer. Grinning, she reflected on how well her matchmaking efforts had worked. She gladly accepted credit for pairing Cal with Jane; the match had been brilliant, if she did say so herself. Jane had moved to Promise as part of a government program in which she agreed to work for three years at the community health clinic in exchange for payment of her college loans.

      Cal, of course, had been burned in the romance department several years earlier when his fiancée had dumped him a couple of days before their wedding and skipped town. In addition to the hurt and rejection he’d suffered, Cal had been left to deal with the embarrassment and the questions that followed. For years afterward he’d refused to have anything to do with women.

      Until Jane.

      She’d moved to town after living her entire life in California. Poor Jane had been completely and totally out of her element until Dovie took charge. One of the first things Dovie had done was introduce her to Ellie.

      In the beginning Ellie wasn’t sure it was possible for them to be friends. Jane had an attitude about all things Texan, and it rubbed her—and just about everyone in town—the wrong way. Everything she said and did had an air of superiority.

      Jane’s start had been rocky, that was for sure. Ellie smiled as she remembered that first lunch in which she’d suggested Jane take her wine-sipping, quiche-eating butt and go back where she’d come from. She was grateful now that Jane had decided to stick it out.

      When Ellie set up the date between her distrustful brother-in-law and the doctor-with-attitude, she knew she was taking a chance. It would have been just like Cal to take one look at the setup and walk out of the restaurant. He hadn’t. In fact, he’d shocked both Glen and Ellie when they discovered that he’d agreed to give Jane horseback-riding lessons.

      They were married within six months and Cal was happier than she could ever recall seeing him. He hardly seemed like the same person.

      “I have a feeling I could win this year,” Cal said.

      “He’s been claiming that every year since he first entered,” Glen muttered just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

      “I’m gonna win,” Cal insisted, defying his brother to challenge him.

      “This is a man thing,” Ellie explained to her sister-in-law. “Glen competes in the calf-roping event.”

      “I have the blue ribbons to prove it.”

      Cal winced at the small dig. “Ouch, little brother.”

      “Calf roping I can tolerate, but watching Cal on those huge bulls is something else again.” Jane looked at her husband, and Ellie saw a spark of genuine fear in her friend’s eyes. She had to admit she was grateful Glen wouldn’t be competing on the bulls.

      “I’ve done everything I know to talk him out of this,” Jane confided as the two women made their way to the grandstand and found seats in the second row. Both men were by the chutes, chatting with their friends and making small talk with the professional rodeo riders.

      Jane clenched her hands in her lap.

      “It’ll be fine,” Ellie assured her. “Cal’s no fool.”

      “How can you say that?” Jane said, biting her lip. “Only a fool would risk his neck riding an ill-tempered beast who weighs as much as the state of Texas.”

      Ellie laughed.

      “If…if Cal happened to get hurt, I don’t know if I’d be able to treat him.”

      “You love him that much?” Ellie asked.

      “Yes, but that’s not the reason. I don’t think I could stop myself from clobbering him for worrying me like this.”

      Ellie laughed outright, although she understood.

      The grandstand quickly filled to capacity as the competition time neared.

      “I heard a wild rumor,” Ellie said, hoping to distract Jane from her worries. “Someone told me Willie Nelson might make a surprise appearance at the dance later this evening.”

      “You’re joking!”

      She shook her head. “I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s what people are saying.”

      “That would be wonderful. What brought it about?”

      “I’ve heard he likes surprising people now and then.” She gave a slight shrug. “He knows this is Willie country and he’s never been able to come to our Fourth of July picnics. Maybe that’s why.”

      “My parents went to hear him recently,” Jane said. “They said he isn’t going to replace the Beach Boys in their eyes, but the music was entertaining.”

      “Give ’em time,” Ellie said.

      The calf-roping event was one of the first on the program, and Ellie wasn’t surprised when Glen took first place. She loved the way he raced after the calf, roped him on the first try and maneuvered the animal onto its back. He made it all look so easy. But when he tied the animal’s legs, then tossed his hands in the air and leaped back, his eyes didn’t go to the time. Instead, they zeroed in on Ellie and he’d smiled that secret little smile meant for her alone. Only then did his gaze go to the clock.

      When his time was announced, Ellie jumped to her feet and applauded loudly. Pursing her lips around her index finger and thumb, she released a piercing whistle. Jane stood with her and the two of them made several victory punches in the air.

      “How long before Cal rides?” Jane asked after they sat back down.

      “Pretty soon.”

      Jane placed her hands between her knees and took several deep breaths. Ellie gently patted her shoulder. “Hey, it’s only eight seconds.”

      “A bull like that could kill him in one.”

      Ellie let the comment slide. “Cal knows what he’s doing.”

      Jane nodded, but she looked pale. Ellie realized how difficult this was for her. Not having been raised around cattle ranches, Jane must view these competitions as barbaric. Ellie decided she hadn’t given her sister-in-law the credit she was due for marrying into this whole new way of life.

      When the competition had begun and Cal’s name was announced, Jane bit her lip and closed her eyes. Cal sat high in the chute on the bull’s back, his concentration intense. The door opened, and man and beast plunged forward. The bull snorted, shaking his massive head, determined to dislodge his rider.