(Calahan Cowboys 08) The Cowboy Soldier's Sons (19 page)

Heck, I didn’t even give her an engagement ring, just a plain gold band when we got married.

He’d start with flowers. That seemed safest.

* * *

“W
HAT THE HELL IS THAT
?” Sheriff Nance demanded two hours after he’d last seen Shaman. A big green spathiphyllum plant hovered in the corner of his office.

Bobby Taylor grinned. “That cowboy soldier brought it. Said you needed a little life in here. I think he’s sucking up to you, Sheriff, since his wife burned down my house.”

Nance stared at Bobby. “Shaman Phillips left this?”

“Yeah. Said it didn’t need much light, but would clean up the air a bit in here. I told you he’s crazy, Sheriff.”

“Shut up, Bobby, before I have the deputy tape your mouth shut.” He eyed the plant. “You ought to be nicer to your sister. She’s got someone watching her back now.”

Anger crossed the man’s face. “He won’t always be around.”

Sheriff Nance shot his guest a grim glance. “How do you know?”

Bobby smiled. “C’mon, Sheriff. You know very well that Zola’ll move on soon enough. When she does, her cowboy soldier’ll go back wherever he came from.”

“You seem so sure.”

Bobby shrugged. “My sister doesn’t stay anywhere for long. He knows it as well as anyone. Now that she’s burned her house down, she’ll probably be gone before you figure out how she did it.”

The sheriff frowned at him. “Maybe
you
did it.”

Bobby settled more comfortably in his cell, lying down and sighing. “It was all I had, Sheriff. My sister has a house in some fancy place. And she’s got Shinny and Blanche’s bungalow. Why would I burn down what little I had in this world?”

“To get your sister in trouble. But now you’ve annoyed her husband, and he’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

“I don’t think so.” Taylor smiled as he closed his eyes. “Like I said, he’ll go once she runs him off. My sister doesn’t keep anyone in her life for very long.”

Sheriff Nance turned his gaze back to the spath plant. If it was true that plants could help process bad air into good, maybe he should relocate it.

With his boot, he scooted the big plant in front of Bobby’s cell, and then dialed Tempest’s cell phone.

* * *

“H
ELLO
?” Tempest juggled the babies and some diapers, tucking the phone under her ear. “Hi, Sheriff. How are you and your lovely wife?”

She smiled at her two sons as she laid them on the bed, each giving a tiny protest at being out of her arms. They were so darling, so cute. She was so happy to be a mother.

She didn’t know what to do about being a wife. Shaman had made her distinctly uncomfortable with his tempting offer. But she knew he’d never wanted to live here in Tempest for good. Now that she’d seen his home in Hell’s Colony—it was a castle, as Cat had claimed—she wondered if he could ever be happy in this one-stoplight town.

“Bobby’s here at the jail for the night. He needed a place to sleep,” Sheriff Nance told her. “Just thought you’d want to know.”

“That’s a new one. He burned my house down, and he’s sleeping in your jail?”

“Yeah. Can’t say much more than that. Just thought you’d want to know, as I said. And your man was in here a minute ago. Not that it’s any of my business, but I think he’s getting antsy.”

She frowned. “Antsy?”

“He’s asking a lot of questions about your father,” the lawman said.

“Why does he care?”

“I don’t know how his mind works. You just might want to be aware. It’s never a good thing when a man thinks too much. They almost always come up with the wrong answers.”

“Thanks for the tip.” Tempest hung up the phone just as banging sounded on her door. “Who is it?”

“Shaman!”

She looked at the babies with a sigh. “That’s your daddy, standing on the front porch, yelling at the top of his lungs instead of just opening the door. Come in!”

She heard the front door open and then shut. “I’m back in the bedroom!” she called.

Her heart jumped a bit as she heard him walk down the hall. She finished diapering Josh and then started on Gage. “Excuse us for a moment. We’re momentarily disrobed.”

He was carrying a huge bouquet of flowers that brought a lovely fragrance into the room. “They’re so cute nude. Like cherubs,” he stated.

She smiled. “I know. I believe they each have your fine backside.”

His brows rose. “Usually people settle for comparing eyes, or looking for Grandpa’s nose in the family tree.”

“There you go, little Gage,” she said, finishing the diapering and snapping up the onesie. “You are now one well-dressed dude.”

“I’ll say.” Shaman sat down next to his two sons and held out the flowers to her. “Sheriff Nance says I suck at romance.”

She smiled and took the bouquet. “I never expected romance from you, so I’m not disappointed in the least. Not that I totally agree with Tempest’s finest.”

Shaman didn’t appear to like that too well. “How do you think of me?”

“I just told you. You have a great backside. I think my sons may have been fortunate to have inherited it. Watch the boys for a moment, please.”

He followed her, toting the babies in his big arms, watching her as she put the flowers in a vase. “Listen, I can’t stay. I just came by to tell you that I finally figured out what the problem is.”

She looked at him, suddenly wary. “If you know what any problem is, do feel free to share.”

“I keep telling you we should stay married. I keep saying we’re staying together for the sake of the kids.” He kissed one son on the head, then the other. “But then I realized that’s not the right thing to do. I know you don’t want to stay married to me. I shouldn’t try to force you to stay. We had an agreement. I’ll stick to it.”

She shoved the flowers into the vase and filled it with water. “That’s quite a change of heart.”

“Yeah. Well, I’m pigheaded. I know it.”

She wiped up the water on the counter, trying not to look at him as she gathered her wild thoughts. “Why were you asking questions about my father?”

“Oh.” He shrugged. “Because I don’t think Bud Taylor was your father. I think it was Mac Cupertino. I was hoping if I could prove that, it would give you some closure. Then maybe you’d feel better about settling down with me.”

She blinked. “You think I don’t want to be married to you because I don’t know who my father is?”

“I think it doesn’t help.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe a sexual relationship doesn’t translate into a committed, love-for-all-time marriage just because it results in babies?”

He sat down on the sofa across the room, looking dreamy in worn jeans and a dark shirt. “I know. I know those things worry you. And you’ve got this crazy brother running around trying to kill everything you love, which can’t be easy.”

“Don’t worry about me, soldier. I can handle myself.”

“Yeah, but you’re an actress,” Shaman said, winning himself no points with her at the moment. She was beginning to steam. “What do you know about taking care of yourself? Still, I think you’ll be fine from now on. Taylor knows everyone’s watching him. Plus you’re making new friends in the town, and have a storytelling and theater class gig.” He gazed at her, more handsome than any man should be. “You don’t need me anymore.”

She stared at him. “Don’t I?”

“Pretty sure you never did.” Shaman shrugged. “I’m just saying, I don’t want you to feel forced to stay with me. Marriage isn’t for wimps.”

“I’ll say.” She wasn’t thrilled with her husband at the moment. “So, are you trying to slither off on me? On us?”

“I want you to be happy,” Shaman said.

She put her hands on her hips, thoroughly disgusted with him. “I want
you
to be happy.”

“I’d be happy,” Shaman said, “if I was in bed with you. That’s when I was happiest.”

She hesitated. The hours she’d spent in Shaman’s arms had made her happy, too. In fact, they were the happiest she’d ever been. “I don’t think that would solve anything right now.”

“I don’t know,” Shaman said. “I do pretty good convincing when I’m naked with you.”

It was true.

“It can’t be just about that. A relationship has to be built on more than sex.”

“Pretty sure I’m fine with a relationship built on sex,” Shaman said. “I’m not a needy kind of guy.”

She wouldn’t let herself smile. “Shaman, I never thanked you for trying to save me from going to jail. Even though it was unnecessary, and my boys do not need their father in prison, I do appreciate you trying to help.”

He sighed. “Actually, I was being selfish. The boys need to be fed and looked after, and besides, the gossip in this town would never cease. For the rest of their lives, the twins would hear about their jailbird mother. I was not going to let that happen.”

She sat down next to him and the babies, touching her hand to each child’s head. “It’s nice to know you’re looking out for me. I like that about you almost better than your lovemaking.”

The expression on his face was comical. “Then I haven’t made love to you satisfactorily, Cupertino. And I’m a minus in the romance department, according to the sheriff. I’ve got some things to fix.”

“Maybe romance isn’t measured in flowers. Maybe Sheriff Nance only knows about Mrs. Nance, and not all women. Maybe women are not one-size-fits-all.”

He looked at her, his expression a bit hopeful.

“I happen to think that a man who will go to jail for me is a bit of a hero. And that’s very romantic,” Tempest said. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “It just occurred to me that we haven’t made love since we got married, soldier.”

Shaman looked distinctly tempted, and very wolfish. She felt a shiver run over her.

“It has been a long time.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to agree. And yet, to what purpose? He wasn’t in love with her. If it hadn’t been for the babies, she doubted he’d be in Tempest right now.

“Anyway,” Shaman said, “I just wanted to let you know that I’m going back to Hell’s Colony. Xav has come out of his coma, and I need to go help Kendall keep an eye on him. Gage is going, too, but he really needs to be at Rancho Diablo with Cat until she finishes school.”

Tempest’s heart nearly stopped. “When are you leaving?”

“Probably after we put the boys to bed for the night.” He touched each baby gently. “I think it’s best.”

He meant that it would be best for him to go, without her. “Is this because of Bobby?” she asked. “You going to jail, and being accused of arson?”

“I don’t care much about that.”

She didn’t believe him. He’d gotten his head split open like a grape, and so had his brother, and then he’d been in jail. Because of her, because of Bobby. “That’s why you were trying to find out who my father was. You know that if Bud Taylor was truly my family, you’ll always be tied to Bobby.” She was sad for her boys, and sad for herself. “I don’t blame you. You deserve a more decent family tree.”

“I only looked up your birth records because Blanche was sort of hinting around that you and Bobby weren’t related.” He shrugged. “Cupertino, I couldn’t care less who your family is. My hope was that if you weren’t related to Bobby, you could tell him to buzz off.”

“It won’t work,” she said. “He’s mad about the money.” She straightened. “So who was my father?”

“Mac Cupertino,” Shaman said. “That’s what’s on the birth records.”

“Oh.” Tempest’s heart flipped over. “Then why did Bud leave me his money?”

“Could be that he really loved your mother. We know he didn’t care for his relations, and if Bobby is a representative sample, maybe I can see why. You’ll probably never know.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” She looked down at the boys, who were snoozing next to each other, between her and Shaman. “I didn’t want anything of Mr. Taylor’s.”

“Yeah. I hope you’re okay with the news. You gonna be all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “It’s actually good news.”

He nodded. “Well, I’d best hit the road. Need to go thank my sister for sending the heavy artillery on my behalf.” Shaman leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, but it didn’t feel like the kisses he’d given her in the early days of their relationship. “I’ll call you soon enough and check on the boys.”

She was starting to get annoyed with her big cowboy. How dense could he be? “Just because we may not extend our agreement doesn’t mean...”

“Doesn’t mean what, Cupertino?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I don’t know.” She wrapped a blanket around the boys, just to have something to do with her hands. It was so hard to look in Shaman’s eyes. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely.”

“Thanks for coming to sit in jail with me.” He grinned at her, a rascal to the very end, a rascal who seemed determined to carry off her heart. “It’s a memory I’m sure we’ll look back on and treasure.”

“Tell Xav and Kendall and Millicent hello. From me and the boys.”

He smiled again, then picked up her hand, kissing it. “You’re a beautiful mother, Cupertino. Definitely the beauty in the fairy tale.”

She watched as he kissed his boys, then got up from the sofa, put his hat on, walked to the front door. “Take care of yourself.”

She nodded. “You, too.”

“Lock the door.” He left, and her heart jumped almost painfully in her chest. She put a hand over her breast, willing herself to calm down.

His truck started, then lights flashed in the window as he pulled away from the adobe bungalow. She looked down at her children, who were sleeping peacefully, unaware that their father had just left their mother.

Somehow, it felt so much like history repeating itself that it opened up a hollow place inside her.

She got up and locked the door.

Chapter Sixteen

Back in his brother’s bedroom at the spacious family compound Shaman was relieved. Shaman hadn’t realized just how responsible he’d felt in this whole situation. His little brother shouldn’t have suffered for his sake.

When Xav opened his eyes, Shaman breathed a sigh of relief. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He smiled wanly. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see if you’d joined the living.”

“Barely.” Xav reached for the water bottle on his nightstand. “What hit me?”