A Valentine For The Cowboy. Rebecca Winters

this pain-filled year, he’d been blind to women. But, out of the blue, he’d found himself eating up Brianna Frost with his eyes when he knew his brother had brought her to the gem shop. Something earthshaking had happened to him over the last three days.

      He left the nursery and walked across the hall to his bedroom. Deciding to take his mother’s advice, he sat on the side of the bed and called his in-laws in Thompson Falls. It was the same time there. Quarter to nine.

      They’d remained friends through all the grief and had stayed in touch. Diane and Carl Marcroft had driven down to Stevensville dozens of times in the past year to see their granddaughter. The divorce had been the last thing they’d wanted, but naturally they had to give Tessa their full support.

      “Eli—” Diane had picked up on the second ring.

      “Is this a bad time to call?”

      “No. Tessa’s downstairs in the TV room with Carl.”

      His hand tightened on the phone. “How is she?”

      After a silence, “There’s no improvement. Dr. Rutherford in Missoula has her on a new medication, but he thinks her condition may be chronic.”

      So nothing had really changed. That was the news Eli had needed to hear tonight in order to see things clearly.

      “How’s our Libby?”

      “Growing cuter every day. Before bed tonight I took a picture of her in that pink outfit you sent her for Christmas. It should be on your phone.”

      “Oh, wonderful. I’ll check it in a few minutes. How’s Alberta?”

      “Mom’s just been terrific, as always.”

      “She’s amazing. We feel so guilty for not being able to help more, but—”

      “Don’t go there,” he broke in. “Tessa needs you full-time.”

      “What about you? We admire you so much, Eli.”

      “Thank you. To be honest, things are looking up. I’ve been saving money and am now able to pay for someone to watch Libby during the day. Hopefully by next week Mom will be able to get on with her own life.”

      “That’s very good news, for both your sakes. We’ll try to help all we can.”

      “You already do. Give my best to Carl. I’ll call you again soon.”

      “We love you, Eli.”

      “Same here. Good night.”

      Eli clicked off. Diane didn’t know it, but this call had given him the push to let go of the past and move in a new direction. No more hoping for something that wasn’t going to happen. He looked down at his wedding ring. Time to take this off for good, Eli.

      After removing it, he walked over to the dresser, where he put it and the picture he’d displayed of Tessa in the bottom drawer. He stared at the white skin where the ring had been. In the last year he’d experienced his father’s death and the death of his own marriage. He’d suffered enough pain to last a lifetime. No more.

      Before getting ready for bed, he phoned Luis and arranged to take Wednesday off work to check out employment agencies in Stevensville and Missoula. By next week he hoped to find a satisfactory nanny who could come to his house every Monday morning and leave after he got home from work every Friday evening.

      The woman would need to have a car and could make the spare bedroom her own. She’d share the guest bathroom with Libby. He would expect her to prepare meals and do some light housekeeping. Her age didn’t matter to him as long as she was the right fit for Libby.

      As he climbed under the covers, the vision of his daughter patting Brianna Frost’s cheeks replayed itself in his mind. Disturbed that he couldn’t turn it off, he punched the pillow to get comfortable before oblivion took over.

      * * *

      THE JUSTIN BOOTS supplier came on Wednesday afternoons. Brianna opened the rear door of the saddlery to let him in while her uncle was out front dealing with a customer looking for the right saddle.

      “How are you, Antonio?”

      “Things are good, senorita, but they’d be better if you’d agree to go out with me tonight.”

      The rodeo celebrity from twenty years ago was probably in his midforties. According to her uncle, he’d been married and divorced twice. He had a certain reputation with the ladies. Brianna imagined he had several children with different women.

      He lifted the last box off the dolly and put it on the floor. “What’s it going to take?”

      His bold approach and persistence annoyed her. “I’ve got a boyfriend,” she lied.

      “But you’re not married yet.”

      All women were fair game to him. “That’s true, but I’d like to be.” Brianna counted the delivered inventory and signed the paper on his clipboard. “Accepting a date with another man would spell the end of my dreams, so I’m not taking any chances. Do you have any other business? My uncle’s out front if you want to talk to him.” She handed him the clipboard.

      “No other business, chica.”

      Good. She’d angered him. Without wasting another minute, she walked over to the back door and opened it. “See you next week.”

      He pushed the dolly out the door. “Hasta la vista.”

      She shut the self-locking door and got busy unpacking boots and other items of clothing. Her uncle was whistling when she went out front with the delivered items. “I take it you made a sale.”

      “That’s the third Dakota saddle this week. I’ll have to place more orders.”

      “Your business is booming.”

      A smile broke out on his face. “We keep getting repeat customers. You’re part of the reason.”

      “Nice one, Uncle Clark. You know I’m indebted to you.”

      “That works both ways. Your aunt can teach school without worrying about me running the saddlery alone. But any time you’re ready to use that college degree to start a real career, you need only say the word.”

      “I know, but I’m very happy working here with you. To be honest, it makes me feel closer to Dad.”

      Her uncle squeezed her shoulder. “Same here.”

      She checked her watch. Ten after four. “Since today is your wedding anniversary, why don’t you leave now so you can get ready to sweep Aunt Joanne off her feet. What’s your plan?”

      “I’m going to surprise her and pick her up at school. We’ll drive to Missoula and grab some dinner and then go country dancing.”

      “Ooh, I’d love to see the look on her face when she sees that ring.”

      “I’m excited, too.”

      “Then go home. I’ll close up and see you two in the morning at breakfast.”

      “Thanks, honey.” He gave her a hug and left the store. She had two more customers before it was time to lock the front door and put the closed sign in the window. With that done, she started for the back room but paused when she heard a knock on the window.

      Brianna whirled around and almost fainted when she saw Eli Clayton’s tall form through the glass. “Will you let me in for a minute?” he called out to her.

      She nodded but couldn’t imagine why he was there. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she unlocked the door. He stepped inside, bringing the cold air with him.

      “If you’ve come to see my uncle, he left early.”

      He removed his hat. “I came by to talk to you.”

      Brianna smoothed her palms against her denim-clad hips. “Why?”