Page 6 of Naughty by Nature

Cheyenne refilled her mom and dad’s tea glasses, letting the silence of the room settle in. The sun was beginning to set beyond the windows and a few birds flew around, looking for a place to roost for the night.

“I saw Sheridan today.”

Her mother’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. Actually, she made a funny movement with her mouth like she was biting the inside of her lip.

“He was at the house the other day. Insurance company wanted me to file a report about those missing calves. So I did.”

“I didn’t know you had missing calves.”

Francine leaned forward, resting a hand on her husband’s leg. “We didn’t realize we did until almost a week after we got your daddy home from the hospital. Brock thought the gate had been left open accidentally. It took a while to even realize the cattle were missing.”

That was understandable. The Blue Star ran several thousand cattle at any one time, as well as several hundred horses. Keeping track of every single animal all the time could be daunting. Brock did a good job with it though. And Jackson, the foreman, did a good job as well.

“So, where did you see him, Cheyenne?”

Cheyenne blinked, looking at her mother. That question had been very carefully spoken and something about her mother’s expression seemed a little too interested. “I ran into him at the new coffee shop in town. I kind of freaked out when he grabbed my arm to keep me from falling.”

Her parents winced together, almost as if they were truly connected. But the more disconcerting thing that struck her was that they both knew how much being touched would affect her. Had she been that messed up all this time?

“It was okay, actually. I realized that my reaction to him was overblown, so I invited him in for coffee.”

Her mother’s pale blue eyes, so like her own, lit with excitement. “Really? Did he accept?”

Cheyenne nodded once.

“And what did you talk about?”

“Well, terrible kids,” she laughed.

Francine nodded her head. “That girl of his is going to send him to his grave.”

Suddenly looking horrified, she looked at her husband, but he was looking out the window at the kids, and hadn’t seemed to notice. She closed her eyes for a moment before visibly gathering herself together and continuing on. “I know it has to be hard losing your mother at such a young age, but Cora Williams’ granddaughter says that Olivia is a wild child. And that her father has no idea how bad Olivia is.”

Cheyenne winced, hoping that was just gossip. Sheridan was a good guy. Even as close as she was with her girls, she could understand how it hard it could be raising a teenager alone. “Cora Williams’ granddaughter is also a goody two-shoes, Mama. You know that.”

She was dreading life in a few years. All three of her girls would be teenagers at the same time.

Maybe she could pawn them off…

Nah… no one would take that many redheads together.

“You know,” her mother said softly, “I think Sheridan used to be sweet on you.”

Cheyenne took a deep breath, wondering why that little curl of excitement zinged through her. She wasn’t in the market for a man. Even one as handsome as the sheriff.

“I think you’re seeing what you want to see, Mama, and you have weddings on the brain.”

Her parents left a little while later, after kissing the girls goodbye.

The four of them stood there looking down the drive as the Blue Star truck disappeared. “I’m glad Granpa is better now,” Savannah said softly, leaning into her mother’s side.

Yes, she was too. When the call had first gone out that something had happened her heart had almost leapt from her chest and panic had halted her in her tracks. She loved her parents more than she could ever say. Their romance was truly something. A love like theirs came along only once in a great while. Years ago, she’d imagined finding a love like that herself. In the background was a strong man who appreciated her for what she did and who she was, not who he wanted her to be.

She looked down at her girls. They were the reason she got up every day and lived a life she hoped they would learn from and grow into young women who understood strength and honor and what love is really about.

“I know, honey. I am too. You dirty munchkins need to get inside and get cleaned up for school tomorrow.”

“Munchkins? Really Mom?”

“Yes, Carolyn.”

They grumbled and procrastinated, but eventually she got them moving in the right direction.

She didn’t have time in her life for daydreaming.

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