she thought as she saw Red Harper’s pickup parked in front of the Cowboy Bar.
Red Harper, according to what she’d heard, had been her father’s former hunting buddy and best friend.
Red was one of those people born into a family with money and a good name. His father owned several farm implement dealerships across the state and had left Red a large thriving ranch north of town.
As McCall parked, she could see Red having an early lunch at the counter. If anyone would know what had been going on with her father the day he died, it should be his best friend.
The smell of stale beer and floor cleaner hit her asMcCall entered the dim bar. It was early enough that only a few of the regulars were occupying the stools along the bar.
“Red,” she said by way of greeting as she neared his stool.
He gave her a nod, already wary. She assumed it was the uniform. According to stories she’d heard, Red had been a lot like her father in his younger days, both from money, both unable to keep trouble from finding them.
The difference was that Red had grown up.
Trace Winchester never got the chance.
“Buy you a beer?” she asked but didn’t give him time to answer as she motioned to the bartender to bring them two of whatever he was having.
“Mind if we move over to a table?” she asked. “I’d like to talk with you.”
He pushed away his plate, his burger finished, and got to his feet, although he didn’t look anxious to talk to her. “What’s this about?”
She took a table away from the regulars at the bar and sat down. Red reluctantly joined her.
“If this is about your mother and me—”
“My mother?” McCall couldn’t help the surprise in her voice. Red Harper was one of the only men her mother’s age who hadn’t dated her after Trace had allegedly left town.
McCall had always wondered why.
“Your mother didn’t tell you I asked her out?”
She shook her head. That too was strange. McCall had lived her mother’s ups and downs with men and was always the first to hear when a new man came into Ruby’s life—or left it.
“Sorry, but no. Ruby can take care of herself.” If only that were true. McCall had seen her mother go through so many relationships that were obviously doomed from the beginning that she didn’t try to warn her off certain men anymore.
McCall, though, couldn’t help but wonder why Red had decided to ask her mother out now.
Their beers arrived. When the bartender left again, McCall picked up the frosty glass and took a sip of the icy cold beer.
Red seemed to relax a little. “So what’s this about?”
“I just wanted to ask you about my dad. You probably knew him better than anyone.”
He nodded and picked up his drink. “There was no one like Trace.”
“Is it true he was as wild as people say?”
Red smiled, flushing a little. He was a handsome man with a full head of reddish-blond hair still free of gray, blue eyes and a great smile. McCall had always liked him.
“There’s some truth to the stories.” Red chuckled ruefully. “He was a good guy, though. He just liked to do what he wanted. He and I were a lot alike that way.”
She took another drink of her beer and waited for Red to continue.
“He liked to fish and hunt and drink and chase women.” Red seemed to realize what he’d said and quickly added, “Well, until your mother.”
McCall had caught his slip-up. Why hadn’t she thought that there might have been another woman in her father’s life?
Ruby had been pregnant with McCall, wildly hormonal,according to her, and jealous as hell, if her other relationships were any indication.
Her mother’s life was straight out of a country-and-western song. If there had been another woman in Trace Winchester’s life, McCall shuddered to think how far her mother might have gone to make sure no woman took her man.
Red finished his beer in a hurry, realizing he’d messed up. “I’m sorry, but I have an appointment and really need to get
Red Harper, according to what she’d heard, had been her father’s former hunting buddy and best friend.
Red was one of those people born into a family with money and a good name. His father owned several farm implement dealerships across the state and had left Red a large thriving ranch north of town.
As McCall parked, she could see Red having an early lunch at the counter. If anyone would know what had been going on with her father the day he died, it should be his best friend.
The smell of stale beer and floor cleaner hit her asMcCall entered the dim bar. It was early enough that only a few of the regulars were occupying the stools along the bar.
“Red,” she said by way of greeting as she neared his stool.
He gave her a nod, already wary. She assumed it was the uniform. According to stories she’d heard, Red had been a lot like her father in his younger days, both from money, both unable to keep trouble from finding them.
The difference was that Red had grown up.
Trace Winchester never got the chance.
“Buy you a beer?” she asked but didn’t give him time to answer as she motioned to the bartender to bring them two of whatever he was having.
“Mind if we move over to a table?” she asked. “I’d like to talk with you.”
He pushed away his plate, his burger finished, and got to his feet, although he didn’t look anxious to talk to her. “What’s this about?”
She took a table away from the regulars at the bar and sat down. Red reluctantly joined her.
“If this is about your mother and me—”
“My mother?” McCall couldn’t help the surprise in her voice. Red Harper was one of the only men her mother’s age who hadn’t dated her after Trace had allegedly left town.
McCall had always wondered why.
“Your mother didn’t tell you I asked her out?”
She shook her head. That too was strange. McCall had lived her mother’s ups and downs with men and was always the first to hear when a new man came into Ruby’s life—or left it.
“Sorry, but no. Ruby can take care of herself.” If only that were true. McCall had seen her mother go through so many relationships that were obviously doomed from the beginning that she didn’t try to warn her off certain men anymore.
McCall, though, couldn’t help but wonder why Red had decided to ask her mother out now.
Their beers arrived. When the bartender left again, McCall picked up the frosty glass and took a sip of the icy cold beer.
Red seemed to relax a little. “So what’s this about?”
“I just wanted to ask you about my dad. You probably knew him better than anyone.”
He nodded and picked up his drink. “There was no one like Trace.”
“Is it true he was as wild as people say?”
Red smiled, flushing a little. He was a handsome man with a full head of reddish-blond hair still free of gray, blue eyes and a great smile. McCall had always liked him.
“There’s some truth to the stories.” Red chuckled ruefully. “He was a good guy, though. He just liked to do what he wanted. He and I were a lot alike that way.”
She took another drink of her beer and waited for Red to continue.
“He liked to fish and hunt and drink and chase women.” Red seemed to realize what he’d said and quickly added, “Well, until your mother.”
McCall had caught his slip-up. Why hadn’t she thought that there might have been another woman in her father’s life?
Ruby had been pregnant with McCall, wildly hormonal,according to her, and jealous as hell, if her other relationships were any indication.
Her mother’s life was straight out of a country-and-western song. If there had been another woman in Trace Winchester’s life, McCall shuddered to think how far her mother might have gone to make sure no woman took her man.
Red finished his beer in a hurry, realizing he’d messed up. “I’m sorry, but I have an appointment and really need to get
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