Page 43 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

Sylvia didn’t have to be asked twice. She was up and found a spot in line. He moved in front of her, with Kristy by his side.

“Just follow us, Mom,” Kristy called back over her shoulder.

He was pleased to see that Kristy didn’t miss a beat as the caller yelled out the various dance steps, from rocking horse to grapevine. He loved to dance regardless of being a big guy who took up more than his share of the floor. As the line turned, Sylvia was in front of him and was keeping up, if looking a bit rusty. There was a big smile on her face though, bearing witness that she was enjoying herself.

She seemed to be pleasant enough, and he’d try his best to make a good impression.

As the song ended, “Blue Rose” began, a couples dance. Kristy leaned over. “Would you mind asking my mother to dance? She loves this one. If you know it, that is.”

“I’m a country boy, so of course I know it.” He glanced at Sylvia, who was walking toward the table. “Sylvia, would you do me the honor.”

Her face lit up like a Halloween pumpkin. “I’d love to. But shouldn’t you be asking Kristy?” She nodded toward her daughter.

“You go, Mom. I’ll get the next one, and it will give me a chance to catch my breath. It’s been a while.”

He reached out his hand, and Sylvia clasped it. “Well, it’s been a while for me too, but I’ll give it a go.”

He swung her around, and they went right into the jazz box. While he would have preferred Kristy’s company, Sylvia was light on her feet and only made a mistake or two through the whole dance. When it was over, she squeezed his hand. “Thank you for taking pity on me and giving me the best time I’ve had in a long while.”

“My pleasure, truly.” And he meant it. “My mom loves to dance too.”

As she sat down across from her daughter and he squeezed in next to Kristy, she took a swig of water. “Tell me about your mother.”

“Not much to tell. She’s a rancher through and through and a really good businesswoman. We like to say my dad has cow sense, my mom has money sense. And both are all right with that.”

“My sorority big sister married a Russell halfway through college. I never saw her again. Wonder if you’d be related. He was a rodeo rider. Her name was Jewel.”

You could have wiped him off the floor. “I think you’re talking about my mother.”

Sylvia’s smile couldn’t be any bigger. “Small world. What is it they say, six degrees of separation? In Wyoming it’s more like two.” She chuckled. “I guess it all worked out for her.”

“I think so. She has three grown children and a grandchild from the youngest one, Junie. I’m the oldest, and then there is my sister Lexi, who just got married to the rancher who bought out my folks. Once they sold the ranch, they decided to live the good life in New Mexico. They’re up here for the summer, staying with me, actually, in our old homestead so they can visit with their grandson.”

“That’s wonderful. Do you think…” She clasped her hands in front of her, prayerlike. “I would love to see her again. She went home for Christmas break and never came back. She wrote me a short note, since I was her sorority little sister, saying she married your father and was settling down. She didn’t include a return address, so we lost touch.”

“I can call her tonight and see if she has time tomorrow. How long are you staying?”

“Not too long. Betty and I thought we’d spruce up their place a little and head home. We just wanted to see where they were living, if it was safe and all, and how they were doing.” Sylvia reached across the table and patted Kristy’s hand. “We miss them.”

“Well, let me make a phone call and see what’s what.”

Kristy frowned. “If it’s tomorrow, I won’t be able to go with you, Mom. I have meetings with vendors all day.”

“That’s okay. If it works out, it will just be old college friends reliving the past.” Sylvia turned her attention back to Rusty. “Tell her it’s Sylvia Ford. Hopefully, she’ll remember me.”

It didn’t take but a minute to reach his mother, and by the excitement in her voice, Rusty knew he’d be chauffeuring Sylvia to meet his mother tomorrow. If somehow Kristy and he made a go of it, which was a stretch, considering neither of them were interested in chancing fate, it seemed the potential in-laws would get along… maybe.

The man was sinking in the mud. “Grab my hand. Grab it,” he yelled into the howling wind. A helicopter’s blades churned, slashing the night air against Rusty’s face, and the slimy earth pushed against his limbs as he tried to move toward the guy. The man let out a blood-curdling cry and sank under the mud. Rusty couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. “Don’t go. Don’t go.”

“Rusty. Wake up. Wake up.”

It was his mother’s voice. A dream or real? He opened his eyes, adjusted to the dark. Saw the form of a woman bending over his bed. “Mom?” He blinked.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, causing the old mattress to creak. “Were you having another nightmare?” She rubbed her hand gently up and down his arm.

His pulse pounded like a horse’s hooves running the Derby. “Yeah.”

“You sounded frantic.” She leaned toward him, and he could make out her face in the dark. Frown lines creased her brow, and her lips had flatlined.

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