Page 56 of A Cameo for a Cowgirl

“I shouldn’t.”

“You should. We’d like the company.” She turned, leaving the front door wide open, leaving him no choice but to follow down the hallway to the kitchen.

There they found Derek James, who shook Harrison’s hand, even as he eyed the flowers Leonie held. “Pretty flowers.”

“Harrison got them for Cassie, but gave them to me because she’s not here.”

“Cassie, huh?”

The rancher’s assessing look straightened Harrison’s shoulders. “I wanted to talk to her, but Leonie said she was out.”

“So he’s stuck talking to us instead.” Leonie winked at Derek, which drew a small smile. She turned to Harrison. “Are you a steak man?” Her brow furrowed. “You’re not vegan or anything like that?”

“I like my meat.” Good thing it was true. Otherwise he sensed there’d be no hope to win any points with Cassie’s parents who ran a beef cattle ranch.

Derek nodded, then invited Harrison to get a beer from the fridge. He declined, but took a zero-sugar Coke instead.

“You don’t drink?”

“No.” He swallowed. “My dad was an alcoholic, and I’ve grown up not wanting to be anything like him.”

“I’m sorry that was your experience.”

Harrison shrugged. “It’s life. But I guess I’ve learned that everyone can take responsibility for their choices.”

“Not everybody does though.”

“True.”

The conversation triggered memories of when he first arrived and complained about so many things, blaming others. Was it any wonder that Cassie didn’t want anything to do with him? He sighed.

“What is it, son?”

Son. Emotion pricked his eyes, clamped his throat. For so many years he’d longed to feel like someone’s son, to feel part of a family, that it took a while to answer. Then he realized just what Cassie would think of him poking his nose in again, peeking into her world. She’d hate it. She’d hate him. He needed to leave. Now.

He rose. “I’m really sorry, but I just remembered I need to go.”

“Are you sure you can’t do that after you eat?”

The scent of frying garlic and onions was nearly more than he could bear. “I don’t think she’d like me being here.”

“Who? Cassie?” her father asked.

He nodded.

“What are you? A man or a mouse?”

Right now he felt a lot like the latter. Which finally reminded him of yet another Cassie encounter where he’d fallen short. “I’m sorry. I—”

“Son, sit down.”

He obeyed.

“Harrison, what is it that you really want to know?”

And like a geyser spilling a lifetime of dirt and gunk, out it all came.

Harrison’s desire to make amends with Cassie. Ainsley’s comment about being unequally yoked. His questions about God. The truth about his past. He probably got way too real and raw and honest, and there were times he saw Leonie bite her lip and Derek frown that tempted him to veer from honesty. But he sensed this was a rare moment in life that had been handed to him and he could either live the rest of his days with these questions or could finally ask someone who seemed pretty wise. And even though some of his questions involved Derek’s daughter, he was considerate enough to answer them.

---