Jenna's Cowboy (12 page)

Those around them chuckled, and Jenna smiled. But not Nate. It was a great honor, but he had a good idea what the coach would say next. It filled him with dread.

“Nate, I know you’re hiding up there somewhere. Would you please come down so we can present you with your old jersey?”

Jenna bumped his arm with her shoulder. “Go on, cowboy. Make all these people feel good.”

He couldn’t go down on that field. It was wide open. He’d be a sitting duck. His mom looked up at him again, this time with a slight frown. She motioned toward the field.

“This isn’t the time to be shy, amigo,” muttered Chance.

Nate looked in his direction. Dub shifted forward, drawing his gaze. “God has your back, Nate,” he said quietly.

Nate nodded, acknowledging his understanding and encouragement.

God will protect me.
Silently repeating the phrase, he stood and worked his way out of the row. The people around him started clapping, the applause growing as he walked down the bleacher steps. By the time he reached the field, the people who had come to root for their teams were standing and clapping for him.

The hometown hero. Right. If he were a hero, he would have stayed in the army, not run home with his tail between his legs.

He shook hands with Coach Snyder and accepted the purple jersey with gold lettering. The coach stuck the microphone in front of his face. Nate turned to the boys behind him, some of whom might join the service in a year or two.

“Thank you.” Overcome with emotion, he cleared his throat. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. As for winning that medal, anybody in my squad would have done the same thing. We were a team, working together to do our job and keep each other safe.” He looked back at Coach Snyder. “I learned about teamwork right here on this field, playing with the Wolves. Those lessons served me well. Thank you, sir.”

With tears welling up in his eyes, the tough, burly coach shook his hand again. “Welcome home.”

The band played “Stars and Stripes Forever” as Nate walked toward the sidelines, which choked him up even more. The Boy Scouts had moved, taking a position a few yards from where he would exit. When he was in front of the American flag, he stopped, snapped to attention, turned sharply to his left, and saluted. Ending the salute, he turned back to the right with military precision and marched the few yards off the field, falling into a normal step when he reached the running track circling it.

The crowd roared.

Nate wiped a tear from his cheek before he started up the bleacher steps. He hadn’t done it for show or to please the onlookers. When he’d approached that treasured cloth of red, white, and blue waving in the gentle breeze, gratefulness had overflowed in his heart and soul. Gratitude for the privilege of protecting his country. Appreciation for those who cared. And above all, thankfulness to almighty God that he’d made it home.

It took a while to reach his friends. At every step, people reached out to shake his hand, thank him, congratulate him. His folks beamed as he made his way past their row. His mom had confiscated his dad’s handkerchief.

He finally collapsed in his seat, his legs wobbly and his hands shaking. Good thing they were only ten rows above the fifty yard line instead of in the nosebleed section. He’d never have made it.

Dub gave him a thumbs-up, and Will and Chance were grinning like they’d been the ones to get the honor.

Jenna slipped her arm around his and leaned close. “Way to go, cowboy.”

“Did I make sense? I felt like I was babbling.”

“You were perfect. Except you ruined my makeup.” She had a mascara smear under one eye.

“You’re still beautiful, even if a little smudged.”

“And you’re sweet. Which side?”

“Right one.”

She dug a tissue out of her pocket and wiped the skin beneath her eye. “How’s that?”

“Better. There’s still a little streak, but nobody will notice unless they’re this close.” He dropped his voice a little deeper, a little quieter. “And I don’t intend to let anybody else get this close.”

The second half began, and she looked back at the field, apparently not bothered by his little display of possessiveness. In fact, given the tight hold she kept on his arm, she was feeling a little possessive herself.

Nate didn’t participate in any touchdown hugs for the rest of the game. Neither team scored again, so Callahan Crossing High won. It was a tough defensive battle on both sides, thus nerve-racking for everyone.

Afterward, the Callahans and the Langleys decided to go by Irene’s Boot Stop, a popular restaurant with great home-style cooking. Nate and Will had fried catfish and french fries and a piece of banana cream pie. The others only wanted dessert.

The place was crowded with locals and returning alumni. Some had been Nate and Jenna’s classmates, others had gone to school with their parents. People roamed from table to table before and after they finished eating. Almost everyone stopped by to shake Nate’s hand. With Irene and a waitress keeping coffee cups and iced tea glasses full, it turned into a gabfest, with acquaintances catching up on careers, marriages, kids, and grandkids.

A man waved at the owner to get her attention. “Hey, Irene, tell my wife how you named this place.”

Irene smiled and kept pouring coffee. The noise died down, though at least half of the folks knew the story. “Well, I always wanted a truck stop, but I couldn’t afford enough land to build one. Eighteen wheelers take up a lot of space.”

“And with your great cookin’, there would be a bunch of them,” hollered a lanky cowboy about the same age as Irene.

She winked at him and told the waitress to get him another piece of pie. “So I settled for a place with plenty of room inside where all you cowboys and cowgirls could park your boots and stay awhile. A pickup stop didn’t have much of a ring to it. So I called it a boot stop.”

“We’re glad you didn’t build out on the highway,” said Sue. “It’s nicer to eat downtown.”

Nate had a second piece of pie, peach this time, and listened to the conversations around him. His dad and Dub were discussing the proposed farm subsidy bill in Congress. Sue had drawn his mother into planning a women’s thing at church, and Jenna was chattering away with a classmate who lived in New York.

He ate the last bite and set the plate and fork on the corner of the table where the waitress could get to it easily. Leaning against the back of the chair, he took a sip of decaf coffee and sighed in contentment.

That morning, he’d gone to Sweetwater and found a kitchen table and chairs at Goodwill. Plain and inexpensive, but not ugly. For now, that suited him. He’d picked up dishes and silverware, a few pots and pans, and some towels at Walmart to supplement the things his mom gave him.

Years earlier, his family and the other neighbors between the ranch and town had benefited when Dub had the television cable brought out. He knew that all the houses on the ranch were equipped with it. But he’d been surprised to learn that the basic cable TV and broadband Internet packages were included in the utilities that Dub paid.

Now, he sat there with his family and friends he’d known all his life. Honest, hardworking people who loved God and country as much as he did. It had been a good day.

The Callahans and his folks left about ten minutes ahead of them. He took his time driving home, going a little under the speed limit. But Jenna didn’t seem to mind. When he stopped in front of the ranch house, the porch light blazed in the darkness and the lights in the living room were still on.

He walked around the pickup and opened Jenna’s door. “Reckon your dad is watching out the window?”

She grinned and laid her hand in his as he helped her from the truck. “I wouldn’t put it past him. But that would be better than when I was in high school. He used to sit out here on the porch, waiting for me to come home.”

Nate laughed, resting his hand at the small of her back as they slowly walked to the porch. “Even in the winter?”

“He bought a heavy parka for that sole purpose.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, honestly, I’m not. I never had a good-night kiss on that porch.”

Going up the steps, he slid his hand lightly around her waist. “Do you want one now?” he asked softly.

“And risk Daddy barreling out the door? Better not.” When she looked up at him, he thought that under other circumstances she might have said yes. Then uncertainty clouded her eyes, and he decided he was merely seeing what he wished for. “Thank you for tonight.” She touched the mum. “And for this. I had a wonderful time.”

“So did I.” He caught her hands in his. If Dub was watching, he hoped Sue was hanging on to his arm to keep him inside. “Thank you for going with me. It meant a lot.”

“To me too.” She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I’m not sure if you realize how big a step this was for me. But you made it easy.”

“After last night, I was afraid you’d slam the door in my face.” They’d avoided talking about the bonfire all night. Why did he have to bring it up now?

She led him to the far corner of the porch, out of the glare of the light and away from the living room windows. “I was upset for a while, but Mom and I had a long talk. She helped me understand some things.”

“That I’m nuts?” He tried to say it in a light, joking manner, but instead it came out sounding as if he believed it. Sometimes he halfway did.

Frowning, Jenna searched his face. “She pointed out that you’ve been through a lot, probably much more than any of us know. Maybe even more than you realize. She said it’s natural for you to be jumpy and react to loud noises like that. Daddy did that kind of thing too.” She squeezed his hand. “After all, you were trying to protect me.”

He grimaced. “From a phantom enemy.”

“In that moment, to you the threat was real. And I was the one you thought of, the one you wanted to keep safe. That’s important.”

“Yeah, I did a great job of keeping you safe.” Anger at his stupidity made his chest tight. He turned her arm, nodding at the scab on her elbow. “You probably have bruises too.”

“Just one. And it’s not bad. I’ve had a lot worse working cattle. Nate, don’t worry about it. We’re going to have some ups and downs. Every relationship does.”

“I hope the rest of the downs aren’t literal.”

She laughed and curled her arm around his, drawing him beside her to lean against the porch railing. “That depends on how well you stay on your horse Monday.”

“Maybe I should ride Penny.” Relaxing against the railing, he let his upper arm touch her shoulder. He could get real used to that kind of closeness.

“Daddy put her out to pasture a couple of years ago. Dumpling is still available.”

Nate snorted. “Y’all would leave us behind in two minutes.”

“True, but she doesn’t have the energy to buck. Will sometimes uses her for moving cattle, but mostly for checking the fence in the back pastures. Plodding along is good for that, and it makes her feel useful.”

“Can’t have her gettin’ depressed.”

“And I think she would. Penny had trouble adjusting to retirement, though she was worn out. Her body isn’t up to it anymore, but her heart is still willing.”

“They’re like people, aren’t they? Some gentle, sweet, and hardworking. Others mean and ornery.”

“And everything in between.”

Nate noticed the curtain flutter. He leaned over and whispered, “I think your dad is looking for us.”

“He’d have to open the window and stick his head out to see us over here. I’m not sure I put it past him. That settles it, I’m going to move into my grandparents’ house.”

“I thought it was the guesthouse.”

“They never use it for company anymore. They wind up having people stay here. It’s in great condition. I’ll have to ask about it, but I don’t think the folks will object. It’s time Zach and I had a place of our own.” She looked up at him, her expression filled with mischief. “And the front porch is on the opposite side, so nobody can see it from any of the other houses.”

Nate chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. “I’m likin’ the idea more by the minute. Now, I’d better skedaddle. My folks are probably waiting up too.”

Jenna laughed softly. “We’re too old to be living with our parents.”

“Definitely.” He gave her a little squeeze and stepped away. When she opened the front door, he waved at the Callahans waiting expectantly in the living room. Sue and Will relaxed on one of the sofas. Chance occupied a big matching chair. All three had their feet resting on the coffee table, which also served as an ottoman.

Dub stood by the fireplace, but Nate bet a dollar to a doughnut he’d been peeking out the window moments earlier. He winked at Jenna and walked to the pickup with a much lighter heart than when the evening began.

11

On Monday morning, Nate fixed himself a big breakfast of ham, eggs, hash brown potatoes, and toast. He’d been up since 3:30 anyway, partly due to the anticipation of starting the job but mainly because of another nightmare. Friday and Saturday nights had been good with plenty of rest and no bad dreams. He’d hoped they were gone for good, but the one last night had left him too tied in knots to close his eyes again.