Dallas too had left Lizzie to fend off any town gossip, the thing she dreaded most. What to do? If he stayed in Barren with her, worked for Hadley or bought land of his own, he’d be giving up the championship, his endorsements. None of his sponsors would want a washed-up cowboy then. He’d have Lizzie, though, and had it been that hard to take care of her three kids for a few days? Seth was sweet. Jordan seemed eager to learn everything he could about Dallas’s lifestyle, to see him as a role model. Stella...well, not as easy there. She might never accept him.
But as they grew, they’d all need more guidance along with Lizzie’s love. On the other hand, if he went back to the circuit, he could better manage his parents’ growing needs without the distraction of a ready-made family, but he might lose any chance he had left with Lizzie. And the thought of raising this child they’d made, together... He needed this time away to make some decisions.
The situation had tied him in knots more tangled than the thought of Ace signing another rider to replace him. He handed Calvin the large bag of fries. Dallas seemed to have lost his appetite. He slipped his half-eaten burger into the other sack. “What are you going to do after this rodeo?” Dallas could have been talking to himself. “You made a bad choice before, Calvin.”
“Yeah, I did,” he said, then shrugged. “Guess I’m going back to Barren. Face the music. See what Becca really wants to do—if she’ll talk to me.”
Dallas could understand that. “Only way to find out.”
A FEW DAYS LATER, Elizabeth was watching Seth play on the backyard swing set while, on her knees, she weeded what she laughingly called her “garden”—most of the plants were dying off this late in the summer—when her next-door neighbor stepped onto his back porch. Her heart skipped a couple of beats. A minute later Dallas had crossed the grass between their houses and was helping her to her feet. His hand felt warm, strong, but Elizabeth pulled free. “Where have you been this time?” She’d asked the question idly, she hoped, not because she’d missed him. She’d been stuck with his duties as well for the rodeo, that was all. A glimpse of what life would be like if she and Dallas were really together.
He gazed around the yard. “In Serenity. Not much more than a wide spot in the road, but they put on a decent rodeo. Had to try out my rusty moves, but I wasn’t exactly welcome there, especially after I finished first riding bulls. Thought about getting dumped on purpose but couldn’t throw the event—or the chance to prove myself. I donated my winnings to their local senior citizens’ group. My parents won’t suffer the loss of those few bucks I won there, and I’ll make that up to them.” He frowned. “I, uh, came over to see if there’s anything we need for our rodeo.”
Elizabeth felt herself weakening. He looked wonderful, his face tanned and streaks of sun in his darker hair. Yes, they’d had words before he left, but there was no sense in giving him the cold shoulder now. They were adults. She’d had her time to feel furious, hurt, and soon his rodeo would be over. Then this sad tension between them would end. Dallas would leave. “I rescheduled your TV appearance—in the hope you’d be here for it. The Barren Journal will publish a write-up about you next week. You need to call them.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I didn’t mean to leave you holding the bag.”
Elizabeth said nothing, and they ran out of words that weren’t charged by the issues between them, specifically the baby. She and Dallas hadn’t been this uneasy with each other since May.
Fortunately, Seth filled the awkward silence. He’d been digging a hole under the swings but looked up, spotted Dallas—and tore across the yard. “Hi! Where did you go? My mom says our grass is getting too long. Did you bring me a present?”
“Seth!” Elizabeth said, blushing.
“You did say that, Mama.”
“Your grass is pretty high,” Dallas agreed with Seth. “I’ll get right on that. And yeah, maybe I did bring you a present.” He didn’t seem to mind her little boy wrapping his arms around Dallas’s legs. He would make a good dad—if he’d wanted to be one. Caring for her children while she felt ill hadn’t fazed him; but she assumed spending the rest of his life helping to raise them and the new baby wasn’t on his schedule.
I didn’t ask you to make a lifetime commitment, Dallas had once said.
“Can we read another book?” Seth asked.
“Sure.”
“I’ll be right back!” He ran toward the house.
“I didn’t mean this second,” Dallas murmured, a smile tugging at his mouth. He cupped the nape of his neck, not quite looking at Elizabeth. “He misses his dad, doesn’t he?”
“He misses his fantasy of what Harry—a father—should be.” She winced. “That sounded bitter, sorry. Not your problem. You were saying about the rodeo...?”
He rephrased his earlier question. “Anything else left I need to do for you?”
No, except stand by me when this scandal breaks, be here for this baby, and doesn’t that sound needy... Talk about an impossible dream, which probably wasn’t in either of their best interests or, equally important, in her children’s. The last thing they needed was another broken relationship if Dallas couldn’t resist the call of the rodeo circuit—a second loss would throw them into fresh turmoil.
“I think you’re all set,” Elizabeth said at last. “Clara’s been wonderful, taking charge of things I wasn’t familiar with, and her enthusiasm is catching.”
“That’s Clara.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Lizzie.”
He didn’t correct himself. She didn’t mind the name as much as she once had, but she replied, “I’m not that person, Dallas. I’m still me, Elizabeth Barnes, uptight, proper and making another fool of myself,
