Last Chance Texas Read online

  Table of Contents

  LAST CHANCE TEXAS

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  LAST CHANCE TEXAS

  Dreamcatchers Series Book 1

  TESSA GRAY

  SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

  New York

  LAST CHANCE TEXAS

  Copyright©2017

  TESSA GRAY

  Cover Design by Wren Taylor

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Published in the United States of America by

  Soul Mate Publishing

  P.O. Box 24

  Macedon, New York, 14502

  ISBN: 978-1-68291-379-6

  www.SoulMatePublishing.com

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Reviews for Last Chance Texas by Tessa Gray

  LCT is a compelling story with characters that readers can easily relate to. The residents of Alpine, TX are wonderful, generous people with strong morals and values. I can’t wait for the rest of the Dreamcatchers series. – Jennifer Haddad

  Book Club Worthy Read!

  Although I am not generally a “romance” reader, I found this book well written with great character development and plot. In the growing complexity of family units today, the conflicts taking place in this story are believable. – by Arty

  Wonderful Read

  Small town . . . big hearts . . . family secrets . . . romance as hot as a Texas summer! Last Chance Texas has it all. The book draws you in with believable characters and situations. Readers connect with Nathan and Kelsey early on with their emotional journey. I highly recommend this book, as well as the others in the Dreamcatchers series. – K Cren

  Loved This Read!

  I connected with the characters immediately and was hooked! This Dreamatchers series makes me want to visit Alpine, Texas. – Shappen

  I Loved these Characters!

  I loved these characters—so down to earth with true to life problems, characters flaws, and dreams. With a western setting and the romantic theme, I was captivated through the entire book. - Phyllis Carlin

  Thank you, Marianne Hunt and Nancy Redd,

  for decades of friendship.

  Without your encouragement,

  Last Chance Texas wouldn’t exist.

  Your willingness to make the nine hour trek

  to the Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering

  in Alpine, Texas, so I could gather material

  for a book I hadn’t yet begun to write

  speaks volumes of your belief in me.

  I cherish you both more than mere words can express.

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to give a huge shout out to the wonderful citizens of Alpine, Texas, for making my annual treks to the Cowboy Poetry Gathering memorable. To those who work tirelessly at the Chuck Wagon breakfast and to all the good folks at Penny’s Diner who make the best burgers I’ve ever tasted—thank you. Thanks to Wren Taylor for creating a book cover that captures the essence of the story. A very special thank you to my editor, Janine Phillips, for her patience and guidance in the rewrites. And last, but not least, a heartfelt thank you to Debby Gilbert of Soul Mate Publishing for believing in me.

  Chapter 1

  As the mixture of snow and gravel crunched beneath the car, Kelsey slowly navigated her way inside the wrought iron gates of the Alpine Angels Cemetery.

  She glanced out the car window, hoping her aunt’s grave wouldn’t be difficult to find. The graves looked well kept, compliments of the sea of yellow and purple pansies adorning them. Traces of the recent snowfall sprinkled over the flowers intensified their vibrant colors.

  Kelsey chewed on her lower lip, reflecting on the road trip she’d just taken. Never in a million years would she have imagined making a nine-hour trek from Dallas to the West Texas town of Alpine. But she was a woman on a mission. Her Aunt Mimi had willed her ten acres of West Texas property, and after waiting nearly five years, she was finally getting around to claiming it. She’d have done this earlier, but then, life got in the way. Closing her eyes, she grimaced, trying to forget.

  She hadn’t come alone, of course. What woman in her right mind would drive nine hours through the barren countryside with little more than an occasional tumbleweed drifting across the highway to break up the monotony?

  Almost a metaphor for life, really. If you thought about it.

  Thankfully, she’d been able to talk Meredith and Rachel into going with her. To show her gratitude, Kelsey had shoved a fifty into Meredith’s hand and dropped them off at a local bar. ‘Drinks on me,’ she’d told them. ‘I’ll join you when I finish paying my respects.’

  She quickly glanced down at her watch, hoping this wouldn’t take long. With dusk setting in, she felt a sense of urgency. Before long, it would be too dark to read the names on the headstones.

  May as well get it over with.

  Grabbing the wreath her mother sent along to place on Mimi’s grave, she examined it critically. The floral arrangement, if you could call it that, was so bold it was a wonder the concoction didn’t jump out of her hands and walk itself over to her aunt’s grave. She stared at the bright, red, plastic carnations, interspersed with pale, pink roses and decided that whoever created this monstrosity was either high or mean-spirited. While she wanted nothing more than to toss the wreath over the fence surrounding the cemetery, she carried out her mother’s wishes, just as she always did.

  Clutching the wreath tightly against her side, Kelsey opened the car door and climbed out.

  She inched her way down the rows of graves and examined several headstone markers, wondering what their stories were; Mimi’s, in particular.

  Why an aunt she’d barely known had willed Kelsey ten acres of West Texas land was anyone’s guess. But far be it from her to question the woman’s Last Will and Testament.

  Kelsey breathed a silent prayer, hoping the barren acreage out in the middle of nowhere would be worth enough to finance the in vitro.

/>   She’d joked with the girls on the drive up that they should change the town’s name from Alpine to Last Chance. Because all kidding aside, this might be her last chance to have the baby she so deeply yearned for.

  Suppressing a shiver, Kelsey wrapped her black leather jacket tightly about her. As she watched the sun set lower onto the horizon, she marveled at the colors, bordering somewhere between salmon and coral hues.

  She considered what a splendid setting this would make for a picture, but then remembered she hadn’t painted in years. Not since . . . don’t go there.

  Taking a deep breath, she scanned the cemetery, searching for her Aunt Mimi’s grave when a child’s voice shattered the silence.

  “Is my nana in heaven?”

  “You bet she is, sweetheart,” a deep voice rumbled.

  Shielding her eyes from the brilliant sunset, Kelsey looked through a cluster of mesquite trees, until her eyes rested on two figures side by side. Curious, she tiptoed closer to get a better look. A man stood beside one of the graves, his head bowed as he clutched a cowboy hat. Beside him a small child dressed in a red, wool coat squatted, feverishly patting a bed of pansies.

  “I picked good colors, huh?”

  “You’ve done a nice job, Caitlyn. Your nana would be pleased.” There was pride in the man’s voice as he spoke, and judging by the child’s enthusiasm, she was eating up all the attention. The girl jumped to her feet and began hopping up and down, her arms flailing about.

  The man put on his cowboy hat, scooped the child into his arms and began twirling her about. When the child squealed loudly, her high-pitched laughter punctuating the winter air, Kelsey swallowed, fighting the lump forming in her throat.

  She continued watching the two of them, wondering about the relationship the man and child shared. As effortlessly as he’d lifted the girl into the air, perhaps he was the girl’s father.

  Stop staring. This is a family paying their respects, not a side show.

  Kelsey continued walking, the snow crackling beneath her boots. Mindful of the noise she was making, she made every effort to proceed quietly. She’d nearly gotten past them when the little girl wriggled out of the man’s arms and sped over to her.

  “That’s a pretty wreath. I like the flowers on it!” The child’s eyes lit up as she pointed to the wreath Kelsey was holding.

  “Well, thank—”

  Kelsey didn’t finish the sentence before the child spun the conversation around in a different direction.

  “Did you see my nana’s flowers? Aren’t they just so pretty? Gazing up at the man adoringly, she added, “Pappy helped me plant them, didn’t you, Pappy?”

  Kelsey smiled, feeling that familiar tug whenever she saw a child. The girl’s choice of words amused her. She decided to continue their conversation.

  “The flowers are pretty. In fact, they’re positively beautiful!”

  The little girl’s eyes lit up at the compliment.

  When the man turned, making eye contact with her, Kelsey couldn’t decide if he was pleased or not that the girl was striking up a conversation with a total stranger. He began walking toward her, his strides deliberate.

  The little girl appeared oblivious and began talking in short, staccato phrases. “Pappy let me pick them out. I picked them all by myself. Purple is my favorite color. But I like yellow, too.”

  Pappy? Was he the child’s grandfather? Impossible.

  When he got within a foot of the little girl, he stopped. Removing his cowboy hat, he dipped his head and rumbled, “Howdy, ma’am.” His deep, baritone voice reverberated throughout the cemetery.

  Kelsey eyed him curiously. From his creased blue jeans and tanned corduroy jacket, down to his alligator skin boots, this man fit her stereotype of a cowboy perfectly. But he was here to pay his respects, and she’d interrupted him. If he was annoyed at the intrusion, he hid it well.

  “I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  Kelsey barely got the words out before he began reassuring her.

  “No need to apologize. Caitlyn and I make this trek often. We were just about to leave.” He gazed down at her, his mouth beginning to tug at the corners. “Really, it’s okay.”

  He towered over her as the two of them stood there. Staring at the ground, she considered introducing herself, but somehow, given the situation, that seemed presumptuous. And really, it wasn’t as though they’d ever see one another again.

  “Can I help you find a grave, ma’am? You look as though you’re searching for a tombstone, given the fact you have that wreath and all.”

  Ma’am again. He said that a lot.

  “I’ve come to pay my respects to a relative of mine. Her name’s Mimi O’Leary. Any chance you knew her?”

  The glint in his eyes faded, replaced by a penetrating stare.

  “So you’re Mimi’s kin.” His voice trailed as he continued watching her. “You look just like her, you know. Just like her.”

  “You’re joking, right?” When he didn’t respond, Kelsey volunteered more information than she’d intended. “I’m adopted, so it’d be next to impossible I’d look anything like her.”

  A thick wall of silence hung between them now. She hoped he’d continue talking about Mimi, but he didn’t. Still, he’d known her aunt, and that was something that piqued her interest.

  She decided to press him, to find out more about this elusive aunt of hers the family always spoke of in hushed whispers. “You mentioned I look like my aunt. You knew her then?”

  “Not all that well.” His tone had an edge to it now as he jammed one fist into a pocket and looked away.

  The little girl stared up at him and began fidgeting. She quickly turned back to Kelsey and pointed to the wreath. “Is that for my nana? It’s really pretty.”

  Kelsey was enough of a child at heart to realize that the girl might assume the wreath was intended for her grandmother. That’s how kids were. It was all about them.

  The wreath her mother sent would never make it to Mimi’s grave.

  The cowboy whirled around, and quickly intervened. “No, Caitlyn. The lady brought it for someone else.” He stepped forward, draping an arm across the child’s shoulders, shielding her as though speaking to Kelsey was off limits.

  “It’s okay. She can have it. I can easily get another.” The words spilled out before Kelsey had a chance to think about whether or not she might be overstepping her bounds. She was, after all, a stranger to this little girl.

  “I’m afraid Caitlyn’s forgotten her manners.” He shot the child a warning glance before his face turned a deep shade of red.

  Kelsey moved closer, stopping just short of occupying the man’s personal space, and gently pushed the wreath toward him. “Really, it’s no problem. Please, let her have it.”

  Caitlyn’s lips were pursed together, her eyes glistening as she continued eyeballing the wreath, clearly mesmerized by its bright colors.

  To Kelsey’s relief, he finally smiled. “Well, if you’re sure it’s okay. Thank you, then. That’s very kind of you, isn’t it, Caitlyn?”

  Moving closer, he took the wreath. “Thank you, again.”

  “You’re quite welcome.”

  They stood in total silence again, and Kelsey realized this was probably as close as she’d come to finding out about her Aunt Mimi. As the man held the wreath, examining it intently, Kelsey glanced up at the West Texas sky and decided she’d wasted enough time trying to uncover her aunt’s past.

  The cowboy obviously intended to remain tightlipped about Mimi. The adage ‘draining blood from a turnip’ popped into her head, and she made the decision to back off.

  She turned to leave just as he started to speak.

  “I’m Nathan. Nathan Wainwright.”

  She turned back around,
and when he extended his hand, she took it; his large palm nearly swallowed hers.

  “Kelsey Malone.”

  “And this little lady is Caitlyn. She’s . . .” He hesitated for a split second before adding, “She’s my granddaughter, in a round-about way.”

  Kelsey studied Nathan for several seconds, noting the full head of dark brown hair and amazingly muscular physique. A grandfather? No way.

  “I think this is the part where you ask me how I could possibly be a grandfather at my age.” When she didn’t reply, he added, “Or maybe you don’t think that at all. Maybe I’m just flattering myself.”

  When they both laughed, she finally relaxed.

  “Can I put the pretty wreath on my nana’s grave now? Huh, can I?”

  Amused by Caitlyn’s perseverance, Kelsey nodded before answering. “Sure, if it’s okay with your pappy.”

  “Goody, goody gum drop!” Caitlyn grabbed the wreath and raced back over to the headstone. Squatting, she propped it against the grave and examined it closely while the adults watched. Within seconds, she composed a song about the wreath, and her head bobbed up and down as she belted out the tune.

  The look on Nathan Wainwright’s face suddenly softened as he watched the little girl squat down beside her grandmother’s grave. He broke into a smile as the girl continued singing. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

  “Quite the little singer.” After Kelsey said it, Nathan beamed with pride.

  “Sure didn’t get that from me.” He chuckled several times, and Kelsey decided that he was the type who didn’t mind poking fun at himself.

  But then he abruptly changed the subject. “I’ll be happy to replace it. The wreath, I mean. Obviously, it was intended for Mimi.”

  He’d referred to Mimi as ‘your aunt’ earlier, but now he was referring to her by her first name. Just how well had this guy known her?