“I’m sorry about what happened between you and your daddy. Do you miss your home?”
“At first I did.” Jolene glanced around. “But I think I’m going to like living in a pink house.”
“So you aren’t going to change the color?”
Jolene shook her head. “Pink goes with this house.” She winked. “Besides, it will tick my daddy off to no end. He does not like his daughters bringing attention to themselves. But I’m my own person. And if I want to live in a pink house, I’m going to live in a pink house.”
Jolene’s rebellion against her father made Cheyenne trust her enough to tell her about her lie. “Rehearsal didn’t end early. I didn’t even go to rehearsal. I went to a party at Joey Mac’s house.”
Jolene didn’t act shocked. She picked up her hot chocolate and took a sip. “And I’m guessing something happened at this party.”
Cheyenne blinked at the tears that filled her eyes and nodded. “I thought Joey Mac invited me because he liked me. But it turns out that he likes Jen Jacobs.”
Jolene set her cup down. “I’m so sorry, Cheyenne.”
“I only have myself to blame. I was stupid to think that Joey would ever like me.”
“I don’t think it’s stupid. We can’t help who we fall for. Hearts don’t listen to reason.”
Cheyenne sighed. “I wish they did.”
“Me too.” Jolene’s eyes held sadness. Cheyenne couldn’t help wondering what man Jolene had fallen for who hadn’t loved her back.
Chapter Twelve
“Good afternoon, ladies.”Cal tipped his hat at Luanne and Raynelle as he stepped inside the To the Moon Bookstore. “Y’all are lookin’ mighty Christmassy today.”
Luanne and Raynelle stared at Cal as if he had horns growing out of his head, and he wondered if he’d said something wrong. Maybe women didn’t like to look Christmassy. But there was no other way to describe the matching red sweaters the ladies wore with the sequined reindeers on the front. Or their bright, glittery ball earrings.
When they still just stood there staring, he tugged his hat low. “Happy holidays.” It was only after he walked away that he heard them speak.
“What in the world has gotten into Cal Daily?” Luanne said. “He usually just nods when he sees people and walks right past.”
“And did you see that smile?” Raynelle said. “It about took my breath away. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the man smile. He’s acting like Scrooge after those three ghosts came a callin’.”
Cal grinned. It wasn’t a visit from three ghosts that made him so happy. It was one redheadedvixen named Jolene.
Just the thought of her made him feel like a kid who didn’t have a care in the world. It had been a long time since he’d felt that way. Maybe he never had. He’d always felt responsible for other people’s happiness. His mother’s. Clarissa’s. Cheyenne’s. He’d never thought just about his own. The last few weeks, that was all he’d thought about. His secret affair made him happy. Jolene made him happy. He couldn’t wait to get over to the pink house and pull her into his arms. When he wasn’t with her, he was thinking about her. Their conversations. Their lovemaking. Their quiet times when they just watched the fire and held each other close.
His preoccupation with Jolene was exactly why he was in a crowded bookstore three days before Christmas.
He had been so wrapped up in his secret affair that he had completely forgotten to get gifts for Cheyenne. Which made him feel guilty as hell. Just not guilty enough to cancel his plans with Jolene tonight and head to Abilene to do some shopping. Jolene had canceled the night before and he couldn’t go two nights without seeing her.
He had thought a few weeks with Jolene would be enough. It wasn’t even close. And why couldn’t they continue seeing each other after Christmas? Why was it only a holiday affair? They were both single adults. They weren’t hurting anyone. In fact, the town didn’t even know what was going on right under their noses. They could probably have sex in Simple Park and no one would payattention.
The thought of having sex with Jolene beneath the statue of Thomas Dixon made Cal laugh. He glanced over to see Luanne and Raynelle still watching him. He waved before he started browsing the shelves.
Books probably weren’t the best gift for his daughter. Cheyenne wasn’t much of a reader. He had to take some responsibility for that. He hadn’t read all that much to Cheyenne when she was little. Instead, he’d taught her how to work on cars and fix a drippy faucet. Jolene’s love of books reminded him how much he used to love to read. He’d decided he needed to buy more books for his daughter—and for himself.
But picking out books for a teenager wasn’t easy. The back cover of every book he pulled out seemed much too adult. They had sex in teenage books? What kind of craziness was that? He put back the book he was looking at and moved to another section. He finally settled on a DIY book on home repair and a book on how to apply to college. Satisfied with his choices, he headed to the register. On the way, he passed through the kid’s section. A title jumped out at him. He pulled the book off the shelf and smiled before adding it to his stack.
At the register, Emma chatted with him as she rang up his books. “I’m telling you, Cal. Boone has gone completely daft over the baby.” Boone and Emma had announced their baby news to the entire town. Which might help explain why no one was paying attention to Cal and Jolene. “Every day, he brings something else home,” Emma continued. “A kid’s baseball glove, a Tonka truck, a little toolbox, a bicycle.” She shook her head and smiled. “A two-wheel bicycle? How crazy is that?”
Cal laughed. “He’s just excited is all. I remember being that way when Clarissa told me she was pregnant.” It was the first time he’d been able to talk about Clarissa without feeling pain. It felt good. Damn good. “Dads just want their kids to have everything.”
“I guess so. But could he wait until the baby is born?” Emma lifted the book he’d chosen from the children’s section. “Is this for Cheyenne? If it is, you might want to rethink it. She already feels like you treat her like a kid, Cal. Giving her a children’s book for Christmas will only confirm her beliefs.”
“It’s not for Cheyenne. It’s for a . . . friend.”
