Our Now and Forever(74)

“Yes, I remember you,” Wes said. “How’s the theater project going?”

“We’re off and running, thanks to you and your generosity.”

“My pleasure.”

“Snow, this is Judd Farley,” Caleb said, motioning toward the larger man. “He owns the Second Chance Saloon.”

So much for the bodyguard theory. “Hello, Mr. Farley,” she said, taking in the scarred-up bar, neon beer signs, and deer heads mounted on the walls. “Nice place you have here.”

“I doubt nice is the word most would use, but it has character.” A friendly grin peeked out from the wiry red beard that covered the bottom half of Farley’s face. “Caleb here says you’ve done some time in Nashville.”

“I did,” she answered. “But I’m not cut out for that business.”

Wes said, “Even the ones at the top aren’t always cut out for the business.”

“You did pretty well,” she said with a smile, liking the man’s down-to-earth nature. Though Snow didn’t like that Caleb had gone behind her back to arrange this, she knew his intentions had been in the right place.

“That was a whole lot of luck and a hefty dose of too stupid to give up.”

“It paid off, and as one of your fans, I can say we’re glad you stuck with it.” Snow fought back the nerves as she asked, “What are we going to sing tonight?” She did a mental flip through the song Rolodex in her head, hoping he’d suggest something she remembered. Well-intentioned or not, Caleb had put her in an uncomfortable position.

“Do you know ‘You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma’?” Wes asked.

“I do,” she answered, relieved he didn’t suggest a more modern tune, as she wasn’t a fan of the pop swing the genre had taken in recent years. “And there’s always the Johnny and June version of ‘Jackson.’”

Wes took Snow by the hand. “She’s the perfect woman, Caleb. I’m going to have to steal her from you.”

“My cousin might have something to say about that,” Farley chimed in. “You know, your wife?”

“Oh, yeah.” Tillman gave Snow a look of regret. “I’m afraid we’ll have to limit our relationship to the stage only.”

“That’s okay,” she said, flashing a smile Caleb’s way. “I already have a man.”

She did for now, anyway. A man who wanted to make her dreams come true. If only Caleb could build her a time machine. Maybe then she wouldn’t have to tell him good-bye.





Chapter 22




What the hell?

Late for a meeting with Spencer, Caleb had been climbing into his Jeep when a VW Bug pulled past him in the driveway and disappeared into the garage. He stood on the gravel blinking, wondering if he’d imagined the whole thing. What he thought he saw couldn’t be right. Who painted a car two different colors?

Stepping closer, he watched Hattie exit the moving art piece with several bags in her hands. Caleb couldn’t stop staring at the car. The front end was sky blue and covered with white puffy clouds, while the back end faded into a deep purple sprinkled with tiny stars.

“What did you do to that car?” he asked, spotting the circle on the roof that was half sun and half moon.

“I painted it,” Hattie said, reaching into the car for more bags.

The colors blended perfectly in the middle. “You had it painted like this?”

Withdrawing from the vehicle, she answered, “No. I painted it. Now are you going to help me carry this crap or not?”

Caleb hopped to attention, realizing she’d set several bags at his feet. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, collecting the groceries off the garage floor. The older woman stayed busier than a beaver during dam season, so while he had her here, Caleb took the opportunity to pay her the balance on Snow’s ring. “I have the rest of the ring money for you.”

“I thought we were doing that in installments,” she said, charging toward the side of the house. A dark ball cap teetered on her gray curls, and the usual giant sunglasses shaded her eyes. “I’ve heard you’re doing well at the paper, but that doesn’t mean you have to give me all your earnings at once.”

“Actually,” he said when they reached the porch, “I had the money before I got the job.”

Hattie stopped in her tracks, spun his way, and narrowed her eyes. “You had five thousand dollars sitting around while you were in between jobs?”

If he and Snow would be making a home in Ardent Springs, Caleb thought it time to let people know the truth about who he was. At least the folks who deserved to know. “You ever heard of McGraw Media?”