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  Bonner’s Way

  A Book in the Honky Tonk Angels Series

  By

  Regina Carlysle

  Bonner’s Way

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Bonner’s Way Copyright © 2015 Regina Carlysle

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book publication November, 2015

  This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, (Partnership name here)

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Dedication

  Starting over is never easy and almost always painful. It’s nice to know that someone has your back every step of the way through times like these and I’m well aware I couldn’t make this journey without the help of my children, Avery and Ben. You make every single day a pleasure and a joy. You make me laugh, make me think, and keep me sane. I love you to the moon and back.

  This book is also dedicated to best friend forever, Syneca Featherstone. Love and laughter are the greatest gifts any friend can supply and you give it in spades. So here’s to the journey. May it be sweet and full of fun.

  Chapter One

  Life in West Texas and the small town of Cotton Creek was laid back and often downright boring, but this morning the Willow Tree Café bustled with hungry diners whose only concern was to visit with friends and enjoy a hearty breakfast. Outside a slow drizzle dampened the sidewalks, while inside the atmosphere practically buzzed with the sounds of clattering plates, silverware, and the low hum of conversation. The scent of bacon and coffee filled the air as Callie Murphy hoisted the half-empty coffee pot and topped off the cups of patrons who sat at the counter on this early Friday morning. She’d lived here for most of her life and truly loved the people who inhabited this tiny space on the planet. There were a few exceptions, of course.

  “Got some more cream, Callie?”

  “Sure, Hank.” She reached behind her for another tiny pottery container of half and half and set it in front of the elderly man. “Here ya go. How’s Marjean? I heard she’s out of the hospital.”

  “Yeah, she’s out but still hobbling around. It’s pure-d hell gettin’ old and breaking a hip is no damn good, but that woman is a trooper. Told me I was bugging her and chased me off.”

  “You babying her since she’s home, I hope?”

  Hank doctored his coffee with cream and nodded. “Little too much, I guess. Hey, I’m only trying to help, but she gets pretty cranky with too much pampering.”

  “All women secretly like that though.” Lord knew she could use some of that herself. Working two jobs while she cared for her sister and the kids was draining her last stores of energy. These days she ran on willpower alone, but there was nothing she could do about it. A woman did what must be done. She had little family left and knew something about loyalty. Emma needed her and so did the little ones. “Give Marjean my best, okay?”

  “Will do,” he said as Callie moved on down the counter.

  “Order up!” Doris Boggs, owner of the café, chief cook, and Callie’s employer yelled out through a broad opening that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room. As usual, her boss was a harried mess which was logical enough considering the crowd this morning. Doris’ son normally helped out, but he had the flu or something and that left Doris alone to take up the slack. Paula and JoAnn, the other two morning shift waitresses, were at the far side of the room busing tables, so Callie turned, set down the coffee pot, and grabbed the two plates loaded with food.

  She spun around, and as if an act of God had ordered it, a clap of thunder rattled the windows of the café when a tall, broad man stepped through the door, seeming to fill the room with his size.

  Callie went still then smiled, her heart stuttering at the sight of Mac Bonner, friend, one-time lover, and the man every woman in town wanted to mess up the sheets with. There was a time when his boots had been firmly planted beneath her bed, but time, distance, and immaturity on both their parts had ended the love connection years ago, and these days they maintained a steady friendship that she dearly loved.

  Would she change that to revisit one of the most exciting times of her life?

  In a heartbeat.

  Though late fall lay heavy on her small hometown, it didn’t take much of a leap to remember that hot summer so long ago. He’d been her first love but with college looming for him, deep in her heart she’d feared that distance would end things between them. He’d gone and she’d remained behind. Today she still recalled the desperate longing and the emptiness that had consumed her. With each passing month, his calls grew fewer and farther between. They’d succumbed to the typical fate of young people who hadn’t a clue as to what they really wanted from life.

  They’d simply grown apart, moved on, and no amount of wishing changed a damn thing. Now, of course, Callie knew they’d both needed time to mature into the adults they were meant to be, but even knowing that didn’t relieve the bittersweet sense of loss she still experienced each time she saw him. In spite of it all, they were friends. She could handle that. And these days she needed all the friends she could get.

  Once she deposited the plates of food to customers seated nearby, she picked up the half-empty coffee pot and a laminated menu then paused to take in Mac Bonner in all his glory. As usual, her heartbeat kicked up a notch and her belly tightened with a need she couldn’t ignore. His very presence commanded attention and though they hadn’t been involved in a sexual relationship for many years, she wasn’t immune to his appeal. Frozen in place, a death-grip on the handle of the coffee pot, Callie watched him shrug out of his shearling coat and hang it on the coat rack near the front door as she admired the sheer size of the man he’d become. No longer a green kid, he was six-feet-four of pure muscle and brawn who carried the look of a hard-edged ranch man as if born to it. And of course, he was. After the passing of his dad, the Deuces Wild had fallen to him, and through hard work and determination the place remained one of the most prosperous ranches in the entire county.

  Mac removed his Stetson revealing thick, closely cropped black hair then he scanned the crowded room briefly before he finally spotted her. A broad smile creased his rugged face. He nodded once in acknowledgment as he flicked drops of water from the brim of his hat before settling it on a peg next to his coat. Callie smiled in response and, remembering her duties, headed his way.

  Once he slid into a recently vacated booth near the front windows, Callie stepped up, splashed hot coffee into his cup and handed the menu over. “Mornin’, Mac. Little wet out there, huh? What brings you to town?”

  Mac grunted as he opened the menu then instantly closed it. “Had to pick up supplies at the Feed and Seed. Figured I might as well grab a bite while I’m in town.” He set the menu aside and looked at her through a pair of narrowed, golden-colored eyes. “You look tired. How are you holding up?”

  Her thoughts flashed to her sister, Emma. “Okay. Hanging in there. Some days are worse than others. Rig
ht now there seems to be more bad than good.”

  Callie didn’t relish the whole Debbie-Downer role so she forced a smile. “We’re getting by.”

  Mac doctored his coffee with cream from a small white container on the table then gave the brew a stir. “Maybe you need a night out.” He relaxed against the booth and took a slow sip. “Maybe a trip into Midland is in order. Or we could really go wild and head into Austin. We could grab dinner and drinks. Maybe take a weekend to act like tourists.”

  “Now doesn’t that sound like heaven?” It had been forever since she’d done anything other than take care of her sister and her niece and nephew. Oh, and work. Let’s not forget that. Having two jobs just to make ends meet was grueling to begin with. Add in the family problems and each day seemed endless. Finally, she shook her head. “Timing isn’t right, Mac, but it’s so nice of you to ask.”

  “I worry, you know. Things must be hard for you right now.”

  “They are but─”

  Doris called out another order, and Callie glanced over at the pick up window. She faced Mac again. “I have a break in about thirty minutes. Maybe we can talk then?”

  Mac nodded, rattled off his breakfast order, and then passed the menu back to her. “This’ll do. Come over for coffee when you can. I’ll be here.”

  Despite the dreariness of the day, Callie headed back to work feeling a whole lot sunnier. Lately, her days were filled with far more downs than ups. A thirty-year-old single woman with no time to call her own was a pitiful thing to behold, and she knew that it was more than a little pathetic for her to get such a thrill at the prospect of spending five or ten minutes with sexy-as-sin Mac Bonner.

  She’d take what she could get.

  And how pathetic was that?

  Within another ten minutes or so, the morning crowd began to file out of the Willow Tree and only a scant number of customers remained, no doubt dreading walking out into the downpour that had begun outside. Hoisting a platter of dirty plates, Callie headed into the kitchen to deposit the mess near the sink.

  Doris planted her fists on ample hips and narrowed dark brown eyes behind the lenses of her glasses. “Go on and take your break, girl. You look plumb frazzled.” She leaned close and grinned. “And there’s a good looking cowboy sitting out there obviously waiting for you.”

  “You mean Mac?” Callie shrugged. “He’s just a friend.”

  “Pfft. You can spout that just a friend stuff all you want but don’t shit a bullshitter. I see the way you look at that man, and I also see the way he watches you right back.”

  If only.

  Callie laughed and lightly tapped the side of Doris’ glasses. “I think you need to get these checked.”

  Doris huffed and turned away with a little wave of her hand. “Go on now. Take a break before you fall over.”

  Despite her need to be realistic, she was shaken to think others might have noticed how bad she had it for the rugged cowboy. Was she making a fool of herself all over town? She’d been so careful to keep her feelings hidden away but if gossip was spreading, it wouldn’t be long before he got a whiff of it. That could mean the end of a friendship she truly cherished, not to mention needed. He was a cautious man and had given her no indication that he felt anything other than friendship. What had once been between them was history and it had to stay there.

  Though she wore her favorite well-worn sneakers, Callie’s feet ached slightly as she poured herself a cup of coffee and made her way to Mac’s booth. She slid into place across from him, noting his empty plate and the look of satisfaction on his face. Her foster mom had once told her that a well-fed man was a happy one. There might be something to that.

  Mac gave her a smile as he slouched against the booth and studied her. “Forget that whole dancing idea, sweetheart. Maybe we should settle for dinner so I can get you off your feet.”

  Callie reached for the creamer and poured until her coffee turned nice and white. “Sounds amazing, but even dinner isn’t in the cards for me right now. Sure is tempting though. I’d love to forget my troubles in the company of a good looking cowboy.”

  “At your service. Anytime.” Mac followed the comment with a teasing grin that did funny things to her tummy then the smile slowly disappeared. “You do look pretty tired, Callie. Burning the candle at both ends can’t be good for you.”

  “Not much I can do about that under the circumstances.”

  “Tell ya what, why don’t I have Sarita fix some things for you and the kids. I’ll run it by your place one night this week.”

  “Sarita has her hands full just cooking for you and the hands. Bet you don’t pay that lady anywhere near what she’s truly worth.”

  Mac laughed. “You’re probably right about that. Good thing the Sanchez family has been with the Bonner’s since the Civil War days. They’re firmly attached at the hip to us wild, wicked Bonners.”

  It was true. Sarita and her husband, Juan, had raised their big family on Deuces Wild land, living in a house built generations ago on the property. They were as connected to the ranch as Mac himself, and the lot of them were connected to the founding of Cotton Creek, making them town royalty.

  “Well, either she’s really happy working for you or you’re keeping her chained to her stove,” Callie teased. “I haven’t seen her in ages.”

  “It’s not as if you’d notice her coming into town anyway. You’re like that damn pink bunny on the battery commercial. Between this place and working at the gift shop every day, you barely have time to catch a breath much less visit with folks.”

  Right after her shift at the café, she’d head off to a local shop for round two of her day then top it all off by taking care of her family as best she could. Callie glanced pointedly at the front of her pink tee shirt and shrugged. “Sad commentary on my life, I’m afraid. All this work keeps me out of trouble.”

  “You need to get into trouble more than any woman I know and that’s no lie.”

  Mac’s gaze locked onto the Willow Tree logo emblazoned across her chest then he lifted it to meet hers. Callie sucked in a breath then held it as she tried desperately to hide her surprise at the flash of hungry lust gleaming in those Spanish Gold eyes.

  Now that was the shocker of the century!

  Was there something to Doris’ observation after all or had she simply imagined the interest burning in his gaze? The idea of the two of them rekindling things after all these years caused an undeniable flutter to beat through her belly but if it were true, Mac’s timing couldn’t be worse. Before everything had gone to hell over a year ago, attention other than friendship from him would’ve been the answer to a wild and wonderful prayer. Mac had always held her heart in his hand, but she’d been too much of a coward to admit it except in the dead of night after she fell exhausted into her bed.

  “I’ve been a ‘good girl’ for far too long. Doubt I’d even remember how to get into trouble. At least the fun kind.” She laughed a little hoping to chase away the weird tension that had risen tauntingly between them. “Too busy for it anyway.”

  “Things will get back to normal.”

  The dark cloud that seemed to hang over her disappeared for a moment, yet the respite was brief. It reappeared with a vengeance. “Things will never be as they were.”

  Mac reached across the table and took her hand. “I’m sorry. Is there anything I─”

  Rushed voices and chatter came down the aisle toward them, interrupting whatever Mac was about to say. Cassie removed her hand from Mac’s grip and glanced over her shoulder to see Nadine Early, along with a group of her girlfriends, heading toward the cash register in front, checks in hand.

  Nadine, all of five-foot-nothing, her hair resembling a pitch black football helmet, stopped at their table, gasped and clutched her heart. “Oh honey! You have been on my mind constantly,” she said, finally reaching out to pat Callie’s shoulder. Then she leaned close. “I heard hospice is with Emma now.” Nadine whispered the word as if it were a secret. “That
poor thing. I just feel so badly about it.”

  Though Nadine meant well, it was such a hard topic to discuss. Tears washed over Callie’s eyes. This wasn’t the first time she’d felt love and concern from this small community, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. Still, these conversations were tough. “Thank you,” she said simply.

  Nadine patted her shoulder several more times, and then cruised randomly from one topic to another like a true master. “I lost someone to leukemia a long time ago. I feel so sad for you, Emma, and those poor little children. At least that rotten, no good ex of hers is in prison where he belongs. He can’t stir up any trouble with him being locked up in Huntsville and all. My Sunday School class at First Methodist started a prayer circle. Do ya’ll need anything?”

  “More time,” Callie whispered as a tear lost its balance and went tumbling down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away and tried to smile. “That would be nice.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” Nadine patted again then dug into her bag for a tissue which she promptly handed over. “Listen here, you just let me know if you need anything at all, now or in the future.”

  More time would be perfect, but then this wasn’t a perfect world. She’d known that forever.

  Once Mac left the cafe to return to Deuces Wild, Callie worked to finish the last hour of her shift at the Willow Tree, losing herself in tasks that needed finishing during the lull between the breakfast and lunch hours. She’d never been a stranger to hard work, and these days she appreciated the ethic that kept her mind from dwelling on circumstances that she couldn’t change.

  How was she? She heard the question a dozen times each day.

  Heartbroken. Exhausted.

  That pretty much summed it up, but there was simply no time to sit back and evaluate her emotions these days. That was a good thing.

  Another clap of thunder rattled the walls, and she grimaced as the light rain instantly became a gullywasher that spelled bad news for anyone traveling on foot. Her car had been in the shop for several days, and she’d hoped for good weather. Luck apparently wasn’t on her side. Fortunately, Ragged Rose, the gift shop where she worked part-time was only a few blocks away. She reached beneath the counter to fetch her bag just as the phone in the back pocket of her jeans vibrated. Callie stilled at the sight of the now familiar number flashing on the screen.