The Right Cowboy

“An article about you in the Sublette Gazette a few months ago indicated you were involved with a country singer. Are you—”

“Patsy Janis you mean?” He cut her off. “We did a few records together. She wanted me to stay in Colorado, make records and marry her. But I told her I wanted to go home. I take it you’re involved with the man who threw his arms around you the night of the fire.”

Without thinking, she said the first thing to come into her head. “That was Dean Witcom, Sally’s brother-in-law.”

“And your boyfriend?” After firing the question, he tipped his cowboy hat. With a rakish smile he said, “Be sure to pass on my warning to your father.”

Tamsin smothered a groan as he headed for the front of the store pushing the cart. She waited until he’d checked out before she paid for her groceries. By the time she went out to her car, he’d left. After she got back to the apartment, she was no longer in the mood to watch a movie.

Cole was back and he didn’t want anything from her. Why would he when she’d cut him off a long time ago, believing he didn’t love her enough to stay in Wyoming?

To think he’d become a firefighter and a biologist!

Feeling frustrated and heartsick, she hurried into the bedroom to get her laptop. She set it up on the little kitchen table and began researching brucellosis. That led her to studying about the disease in Wyoming and its history. Never during their time together had he mentioned being interested in biology, let alone fighting fires. He’d been a bull rider for Heaven’s sake!

When she’d exhausted every possible avenue of information on the subject, it was three thirty in the morning. She fell into bed physically exhausted from her move, and emotionally spent over a man who’d left her a long time ago.

He’d returned a man she didn’t recognize. Tamsin didn’t know how long she sobbed before oblivion took over.

Late Saturday morning she awakened to the sound of her phone ringing. She checked the caller ID before answering.

“Hi, Sally.”

“Hey—what’s going on? Mom just told me you moved to an apartment in town.”

Tamsin sat up on the side of the bed. “Yesterday you were sound asleep, so I planned to tell you today.”

“This has to do with Cole, but I don’t know in what way.”

“Why would you say that? I decided I needed more privacy. Getting an apartment will give me a chance to see how I really feel about Dean.”

“Does he even know you’ve moved?”

“No. I’m going to call him this afternoon and tell him my new address. I’m going to make dinner for him.”

“I know why you’re doing this. It’s because of Cole. Admit that if he wants to see you again, he’ll be able to come to your apartment and not the house where he’d be sure to run into Dean.”

“That’s not true, Sally.”

“You’ve been with Cole, haven’t you?”

“No! In fact, last night I bumped into him at the grocery store. He has no interest in me anymore. I’ve moved on and want to concentrate on Dean.”

After a silence Sally said, “I’m sorry for him and you.”

“Why are you saying that? It’s long past time I stopped living in the past. Isn’t that what you’ve always said to me?”

“Yes. Forgive me. You’re absolutely right to do what you’ve done. Being on your own will give you the time you need to see where it’s going with Dean without everyone else being around.”

“Exactly. Thank you for being so understanding. Now enough about me. How are you?”

“I feel all right.”

“You have an appointment with the doctor on Tuesday, right?”

“Yes.”

“Please be careful. Only three more weeks and your baby will be here.”

“I know. I’m going crazy waiting for it to happen.”

“I am, too. I can’t wait to be an aunt. Love you, Sally. Call you tomorrow.”

Once they’d hung up, Tamsin decided to phone Dean and tell him where she’d moved. Over dinner she would explain her feelings. To her relief, he answered his phone rather than it going to voice mail.

“Hey, honey—I was hoping you’d call.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been MIA until now.” She got up from the side of the bed and started pacing. “Yesterday I moved out of the ranch house to an apartment in town, and I’ve just finished settling in.”

There was a long silence. “You moved?”

“Yes. I should have done it a long time ago.”

“You never mentioned anything about that to me before.”

“I know, but it’s been on my mind for a long time. The other day I saw the right apartment for me and grabbed it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped you move.”

She knew she’d hurt him. “I would have asked for it, but since this apartment is furnished, all I had to do was bring over my clothes. If you’ll come for dinner, I’ll explain more.” Tamsin told him her new address.

There was another pause before he said, “I’d rather take you out for dinner. I’ll be there at seven.”

“Then I’ll be ready.”

“Does Chinese sound good to you?”

“Perfect.”

After she hung up, her sister’s observation that she’d moved so she could have private time with Cole had struck a deep nerve. It made her question her own motives. Sally had a way of doing that. If Tamsin had made this move because of Cole, it had to have been on a subconscious level. It terrified her that it might be true because that meant she wasn’t over Cole and never would be!

“Tamsin—”

She gripped the phone tighter. “Yes?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, before hanging up.

Oh, boy. Dean was no fool. He knew something serious had gone on for her to move from the ranch without saying a word to him.