Page 31 of Mistletoe Cowboy

“I’m very happy to meet you,” Katy said. “You have wonderful food. Teddie and I ate there one afternoon just last week!”

“Thanks,” Mary replied with a warm smile. “Parker, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you trick-or-treating.”

“I brought Katy and Teddie.”

“Teddie?”

Parker nodded toward the little girl dressed up as Rey inStar Warsregalia.

“Why, isn’t she adorable?” Mary enthused.

“Thanks,” Katy said proudly. “She begged for the costume for two weeks, so I gave in. I have to admit, it does look pretty good on her, even if she is my daughter.”

“ThatStar Warsstuff sells like mad at the costume shops,” Mary agreed. “I used to go as Princess Leia. But that was years ago. Parker, did you ever dress up for Halloween?”

He shook his head. “We didn’t celebrate it in my family,” he said, and he was withdrawn suddenly.

Mary grimaced. “Sorry. Hit a nerve, didn’t I? I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s nothing,” Parker said softly. “Really.”

“We all have our bad memories of that golden childhood everybody talks about. I never had one.”

“Me, neither.” Parker chuckled.

“Sorry,” Katy replied.

Mary pursed her lips and her eyes twinkled. “You’re getting stares,” she warned. “There will be talk.”

Parker shrugged. “Won’t be the first time I attracted gossip.”

“Same here,” Katy said, and she grinned.

Mary just laughed. “At least you have a good attitude about it. I’ll go help my girls with the handouts. Don’t forget to bring your daughter by the restaurant. We made Rice Krispies treats!”

“I wouldn’t miss those for the world,” Katy promised.

“You can have some, too,” Mary promised, and patted her on the arm. “See you. Parker, you watch your mouth.”

He put a finger to his lips and his eyes twinkled.

After Mary left, Katy looked up at him curiously. “Everybody says you cuss like a sailor, but I’ve never heard you say a really bad word.”

“I’m on my best behavior, especially in front of Teddie.” He glanced at her with real fondness. “She’s a sweet child. You and your husband did a great job with her.”

“Thanks. I’m very proud of her,” she said, her eyes on her daughter, who was now talking with some other children who’d been brought to town by their relatives. She looked up at him curiously. “You’re wonderful with Teddie. It’s obvious that you love children. But . . . ?”

“But I never had any of my own, you were going to say, huh?” he asked, and his dark eyes were sad. “I didn’t know until I got back home, out of the military, but my fiancée was pregnant with my child when she died.”

“Oh, Parker, how horrible,” she said under her breath. “I’m so sorry!”

He ground his teeth together. So many memories, all painful. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. “I got cold feet after that. All I could think about was how much it hurt to lose her, to lose my child.” He laughed, but it had a hollow sound. “I withdrew from the world. I discovered,” he added, glancing down at her, “that most women will avoid a man who can’t say a complete sentence without a few really blue words. So I started cussing a lot, especially when the boss or the other cowboys had women relatives visiting.” He pursed his lips and his eyes twinkled. “It worked very well.”

She laughed. “Should I be flattered, that you don’t use bad words around us?”

His big shoulders shrugged. “I guess so,” he said after a minute. “I don’t want to drive Teddie away. She’s brought the sunshine back into my life.” He looked down at her. “You’re part of that.”

She caught her breath as they stared into each other’s eyes for just a little longer than politeness required.

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