A Maverick's Heart (4 page)

Rory waved his empty bowl in front of Seth who, himself, was slightly half done.

“I get chocolate pudding before you,” the boy crowed.

“So you do. And well deserved. Your mom’s swamped. Maybe you should take your bowl and show your grandmother. Isn’t she the keeper of the pudding?”

“Yeah.” So saying, he slid out of the booth and headed off with his bowl.

Seth had taken another few bites when Zeke walked up. “We’re going home,” he said. “One of the things that came up during our meeting was that a couple of the larger ranches haven’t finished branding their calves yet. Generally they hire extra help, but it seems with our long, harsh winter, not as many cowboys needing part-time work came this far north.”

“You’re telling me...why? You think I should sign on to brand calves?” Seth’s laugh rolled up from his belly.

Zeke laughed, too. “It’s not that I don’t think you could learn like I did. But late as it is for them to drive their cattle to summer grass pastures, there’s no time to train anyone. I’m telling you this because I volunteered to give them a hand the next few days. Which means a delay in roofing my barn. I didn’t figure you’d be too bent out of shape. This way you’ll get more time to fish. I hear the steelhead are running. Oh, and Lila’s mom will buy your catch.”

Seth blotted his mouth with his napkin. “I’m not sure I’m keen to fish these swift rivers alone. But Gavin brought up something that snagged my interest. He said before coming here he read up on the area, and some articles said gem hunters have found sapphires near here. Have you heard that?”

“Yep. In fact I told Myra if I mentioned it to you, you’d be sure to visit. Then you phoned to say you’d decided to come and our wedding coincided... Frankly the sapphires slipped my mind.” He glanced around the room. “You might want to ask some of the older guys for specifics.”

“Cool. I’m no stranger to going online to ferret out information. And a county courthouse will have the facts on what kind of permits are needed and such.”

“That’d be in Wolf Point. Not hard to find. It’s where Myra and I went for our wedding license. So it sounds as if you’re okay having a few days to yourself?”

“I am.” Looking past Zeke, Seth saw Rory coming back, carrying a bowl of pudding and wearing a big smile.

“In fact, this morning Lila said her horses needed to be ridden more. I may carve out time to go take a look at the hills beyond here now that I know they may yield some nice gems. Say...how long has Lila lived in Snowy Owl Crossing? Maybe she’ll know where sapphires were found. They’re probably in defunct mines.”

Zeke lowered his voice. “Ixnay on asking Lila, dude,” he murmured as Rory approached the booth. “Her husband died in a mining accident.” The last bit he imparted half under his breath since the boy noisily plopped down his bowl and spoon and reclaimed his seat.

As Seth tried to digest what Zeke had said, he crushed the napkin he held. Startled by the information about Lila’s husband, he quickly decided he’d get particulars on sapphires from another source. He wouldn’t want to cause Lila any anxiety.

Myra broke off talking to the couple at another table and signaled Zeke that it was time to go.

“Call or text me after you finish helping your neighbors,” Seth said. “In addition to what I said I may do, I may play catch with my little buddy here after he gets out of school.”

“Really?” Rory stopped licking pudding off his spoon and his eyes widened. “Really?” he repeated, exhibiting more excitement. “I wanted to ask you, but my mom said no. Oh, but I need a bat. And a mitt that fits,” the boy added glumly. “She never has time to shop, ’cause she works so much.”

“Equipment isn’t a huge deal,” Seth told him.

“Gotta take off, bro.” Zeke squeezed his twin’s shoulder. “Cost for new stuff could turn out to be a big deal. Perhaps you should’ve spoken with Rory’s mom first,” he said, a vague warning in his tone. “Pride, you know,” Zeke added.

“I will. Go on, get outta here and let me finish my supper or I won’t have time to order any of that chocolate pudding before they close the café.”

“It was good,” Zeke called back with a grin as he moved off and slipped his arm around his wife.

“Will you talk to my mom? She’s thinking about signing me up to play on Kemper’s Little League team. But she can’t seem to decide. Maybe we can’t afford it.”

Seth registered Rory’s downcast demeanor. The poor kid felt let down a lot. But there could be legitimate reasons his mom held back on signing him up to play ball. “How do you do in school?” Seth asked.

Sitting straighter Rory pulled his spoon out of the pudding and stuck it in again. “In school how?”

“In your classes. How are your grades?”

The kid hiked both skinny shoulders and dolefully eyed Seth, who continued to work on finishing his salad.

“I dunno. Mom’s not happy if I don’t get As on my report card. But Memaw says she got some Bs. Memaw says only Ds and Fs are bad. I never get those.”

“Who’s Memaw?”

“You know... Memaw.” Rory stabbed his finger toward the kitchen just as Lila whipped back to their table carrying the coffeepot.

She gestured with it after topping off Seth’s mug. “In Kentucky where my mother grew up, grandparents were called memaw and papaw. I asked her preference when Rory was born. Here people go by grandma and grandpa. But she chose memaw.”

Seth grinned. “Whatever makes her happy?”

“Right. I don’t know about your mother, but when it comes to guilt trips, mine is the biggest travel agent in the world.”

Tipping his head back, Seth laughed long and loud. “Sorry, that description could fit my mother, too.”

Lila wagged a finger at her son. “Don’t you dare tell Memaw what I said. It’s a joke, honey, okay?” Returning her attention to Seth, she grew serious. “It looks as if you’re finished. Do you want anything else or just your check? We close in half an hour.”

“If that gives me time for chocolate pudding I’ll have some. Otherwise I’m good to go. Oh, but something I wanted to discuss with you before I take off... How would you feel about me playing catch with Rory after school? I used to play a lot. I’ve taught kids in underdeveloped countries. Maybe if you agree, I could give Rory a few batting tips, too.”

Rory’s eyes widened. “I didn’t ask him, Mama. Honestly!”

“No, he didn’t ask. Zeke suggested it. And since my brother is going to help some ranchers and is delaying the roofing, I’ll have some free time.”

Lila fidgeted. “Rory comes here to do his homework after school. But...it is staying lighter longer. If we get home before dark and you’re around, I’m sure he’d love some tips. But I don’t want him bugging you,” she quickly added when her son did two fist pumps and squealed “Yeesss!” with an ear-to-ear grin.

Seth darted a glance between them. He and Zeke had always had each other to play ball with when no adult was around. “I feel bad that Rory is stuck playing catch with a dog.” He said it, but still worried that he might be treading on thin ice with the boy’s mom. So it was with hesitation that he broached the next subject. “This morning Zeke and I saw Rory trying to play catch with Ghost. His ball is pretty tattered. And his glove seemed too big. I’ll be out tomorrow running errands. Would it be okay if I pick up some equipment more his size?”

Lila’s eyes narrowed markedly. Seth steeled himself to be told not only no but hell no from the sparks aimed his way. Funny—it also struck him that her eyes resembled fine, clear, aquamarine stones like those he’d found in Colorado, until hunting them had grown too dangerous due to landslides. But he’d done enough admiring her eyes. Her anger made him wonder if he’d overstepped and ruined everything for the kid.

Then as fast as her temper seemed to flare, her eyes lost their fire. “I know his stuff that I found at a garage sale is old. But I can’t afford outlandishly expensive things. Lori Barnes said her husband paid two-hundred-fifty dollars apiece for Kemper’s bats. I can’t recall what she said mitts cost.”

Seth shook his head. “Expensive doesn’t necessarily equate to better playing, especially at Rory’s age.”

“Keeping that in mind, I guess it’ll be all right if you buy some new stuff. But only if you promise to give me the bill. I know right now he’s anxious to play ball, but who knows if in a month he’ll stick with it? I’m just saying he doesn’t need equipment with Michael Jordan’s name on it or anything.”

“Mom!” Rory rolled his eyes. “Michael Jordan played basketball. You mean I don’t need a Derek Jeter bat.”

Breaking in, Seth said, “Jordan did play pro baseball for a time. He found he liked basketball better. But that’s not the point.” Glancing at Lila again he said, “I do recommend buying two or three Cal Ripken signature balls. I can probably find them for six bucks or so each. A good, solid ball doesn’t get out of round, providing he only lets Ghost play with the old one that’s already got teeth marks,” he added, turning his attention to Rory again.

Even Lila laughed at that. “I’ll go get your pudding,” she said, taking off but returning quickly with Seth’s dessert.

“Thanks.” He smiled at her. “I was afraid it’d be all gone.”

“Well, enjoy it, because it’s the last one.”

Seth didn’t dip right in. Instead he followed Lila’s progress to another table, registering that she looked good from every angle. Really good. Then it came flooding back—the tidbit that Zeke had imparted about Lila’s husband dying in a mine. Maybe, considering his career, he shouldn’t be admiring her. In fact, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have offered to help Rory. He’d done it mostly because he was a sucker for sad-eyed kids. In the poor countries where he frequently hunted gems, he’d always bring baseballs or soccer balls to hand out to local kids. And he’d give them tips on game rules.

However, Snowy Owl Crossing wasn’t a village in a poor country. Seth tried to keep that uppermost in his mind as he polished off the pudding and listened to Rory prattle on about how excited he was to tell his friend Kemper that he got to learn baseball from somebody who had trophies.

Pushing his empty bowl aside, Seth dug out his wallet and peeled off bills enough for his meal and a substantial tip. He dropped the money on the table, stood and said to the boy, “Tell your mother I’m going back to the B and B. Remind her I plan to run. I may take Ghost again. As the only good place to run is along your lane, have her slow down a lot when she leaves the highway.” He left the café without checking on Lila’s whereabouts.

* * *

L
ILA
CAUGHT
S
ETH
’
S
exit from the corner of her eye as she counted out change for Dave Ralston. He was a Cattlemen’s Association officer and generally lingered to book a date for their next dinner meeting.

“May we have the last Thursday in June, Lila? Same terms. You close during our business meeting and open to the public after we’ve all ordered food.”

Lila got the calendar on the shelf under the cash register. “Mom hasn’t scheduled anything else on that day, Dave. It’s yours for the taking.” Locating a red marker, she circled the date. “The quilters gather here, but they come after closing. Cattlemen are the only group that’s so big you require the whole restaurant.”

“I wish we could decide on meeting dates for a whole year at a time, but the ranchers can’t all commit so far in advance.”

“I know you used to meet at the Grange hall. Mom appreciates the extra business you’ve brought her since you started coming here.”

The leathery-skinned man grinned. “Our guys griped over only getting one kind of meal at the Grange. That’s because we hired a camp cook to come in. Now some gripe they can’t order a beer with meals here. When’s Doreen getting her alcohol license?”

“She’s applied. Shall I go ask? She’s putting dishes in to wash. Our helper called in sick, which has left Mom and me doing extra duty.”

“Nah, don’t bother her. She can’t get the state liquor board to move any faster. Hank Watson knows someone who sits on that board. I’ll ask him to nudge them. G’nite, Lila.” As he turned and walked toward the door, he saw Rory crossing the restaurant and he waved to the boy.

“Hey, you’ve grown a few inches since I saw you at the Thanksgiving bazaar. Is your mom going to hire you to help around the B and B this summer?”

Rory shook his head. “I’m a kid. I was only nine in April.”

“Then I guess you’ll enter the junior rodeo at the Wild Horse Stampede.”

“Huh?” Rory screwed up his face. “I wanna play Little League baseball. Seth’s gonna help me learn to throw good. And bat. He’s got baseball trophies. Mr. Zeke said.”

“So that’s who shared your booth? I thought he looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Of course I only saw him at Zeke and Myra’s wedding.”

“Do you know why Seth left before I gave him his check?” Lila questioned her son.

“I brought his money. He left it on the table.” Rory scampered to the register and held up the greenbacks.

“Good luck with your ball playing,” Dave called and went on out the door.

Accepting the money, Lila counted it and pursed her lips. “Seth left too much. A lot too much,” she said. “Even adding in a tip it’s still too much.” And Lila wasn’t sure how she felt about getting a tip from someone who paid to rent from her. She quickly totaled his ticket, put the correct amount in the till and stuck what was leftover in her uniform pocket to return when she next saw Seth.

“Rory, will you lock the door? I’ll see if your grandmother needs me in the kitchen for anything.”

“I’ll sweep,” Rory said, tossing the words over his shoulder.

“Bless you. Let me wipe down the tables and get the chairs put up first.” She poked her head into the kitchen and spoke to her mom. “Do you need help or should I clean up out here? Rory volunteered to sweep tonight.”

“I have the kitchen under control. Could you count out the till? And if you wouldn’t mind making a night deposit on your way home, it’ll save me walking to the bank. I’ll admit I thought it a waste of money when you hired a student to help when we host big meetings. In her absence today it brought home how many steps she saves me. My legs never used to get this tired.” Doreen shook her head and wiped her hands on her apron.