Levi’s breath escaped like a deflated balloon. “Grandpa wants to know if you’re ready to go.”
She sighed in relief. His acts of defiance had diminished in the last couple of weeks. Especially when her dad was in the room. Looked like the school counselor was right—all Levi needed was a positive male role model. Why couldn’t she be enough?
“Run out to the barn and tell Grandpa I’ll be ready in five minutes.” They needed groceries, and at least Lampasas, twenty-two miles from Salt Creek, was big enough that she probably wouldn’t see anyone she knew. And by anyone, she meant Tony.
In a flash, her son bolted down the worn dirt path to the barn. A few minutes later, Levi and her dad ambled back to the house.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Let’s take the truck,” Dad said. “I need to run by the feed store.”
Lampasas was the county seat and a hub of activity. The small stores in Salt Creek only carried the basics, so most people drove to Lampasas every few weeks to stock up on supplies. The drive didn’t take long, and Sabrina pointed out the local landmarks to Levi as they drove—the show barn, where stock shows were held each January, the river walk and, of course, Storm’s Drive-In, home to the world’s best burgers.
“What’s going on?” Levi pointed to the bucket trucks parked along the side of the road. A large banner hung from the side of one bucket.
“They’re hanging signs across the street.” Dad slowed down so Levi could have a better look. “Spring Ho is in a few weeks, so they’re getting ready for it.”
“What’s Spring Ho?”
“It’s like a big fair. They’ll have a carnival, booths set up along the river, a parade, and one night they’ll have fireworks and a street dance over by the court house.”
Levi wrinkled his nose. “But it’s summer.”
Sabrina laughed. Having grown up in the area, it’d never occurred to her that the term might be confusing to people. “The town of Lampasas is home to a lot of natural springs, so the festival is named after their water source, not the season.”
The big Ford truck slowed to a crawl as Dad shifted gears and pulled into the parking lot of the H-E-B grocery store.
Robert waved at her as she jumped out. “I’ll pick you up after we’re done at the feed store.”
It wasn’t even noon yet, but already the sweltering humidity was unbearable. The grocery store’s air-conditioning was a welcome relief. Sabrina grabbed a shopping cart and in no time had everything on her list. Colorful boxes beckoned her as she passed the cereal aisle. She whipped her cart around. How could she forget Levi’s cereal?
She stopped her cart and frowned. The cereal she wanted for herself sat on the top shelf, just out of her reach. Just as she started to use the bottom shelf as a step, an arm reached over her and handed her the box.
“Thank you.” She turned around and froze. A pair of hazel eyes bored into hers with such intensity that she felt herself flush.
Disheveled black hair hung in soft curls at the back of his collar as he gave her a familiar one-sided smile. “Hey, Bree.”
“Tony?” Shakiness threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart pounded in her ears and she squeezed the box in her hands to hide their trembling. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes as Sabrina fought to keep her composure. Years of anger, bitterness and betrayal warred against a ridiculous urge to throw herself into his arms. Her teeth worried her bottom lip as she struggled to speak.
He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, the muscles in his arms stretching the sleeves of his T-shirt. “My grandfather mentioned you were moving back.”
Could he hear her heart pounding? “Good news travels fast. I read the article about you in the paper. You’re a hero.”
Silence permeated the air between them and his eyes never left hers. Like a mouse caught in the hypnotic gaze of a cat, she couldn’t move. Breathe. You’re not eighteen anymore.
The smile faded. He shook his head. “No. Just doing my job.”
Exactly what she’d expect a hero to say. “I’m sure your grandparents are thrilled to have you home for a while.”
“You should stop by and see them sometime. Abuela misses you.” He held her gaze. “How are you?”
Was he really trying to make small talk? She clasped her hands together. “I’m fine.”
The way his gaze swept over her gave her the impression that he was taking a mental inventory. She straightened the wrinkled T-shirt she’d thrown on in her rush to get out of the house.
The dimple under his left eye deepened. “I’d really like to get together while I’m still in town. Catch up. Could I take you to dinner sometime?”
He was close. Too close. Close enough for her to make out a faint scar under his jaw, just below his left ear. The scar—along with the bump on the bridge of his nose—that he’d gotten while defending her. She swallowed.
The sandalwood scent of his aftershave sent her heart into overdrive. She took a quick step backward and bumped into the cart. Strong arms caught her inches from hitting the floor.
His muscles tightened, and something flashed in his eyes. Before she could decipher it, thick black lashes blinked, and the mask she’d seen every time he wanted to hide his feelings returned. She pushed against his chest, struggling to right herself.
“Are you okay?” His husky voice sent shivers along her skin.
“I’m fine.” She took a breath in an effort to calm her galloping pulse.
Her knees almost buckled and she reached for the grocery cart. Leaning on it for support, she pushed it between them, forcing him to step back. A flicker of pain crossed his face. “You’re still injured. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was only a flesh wound. What do you say? About dinner?”
“It was a long time ago. No need to rehash the past. Goodbye, Tony.” She pushed her cart past him and hurried to the checkout line.
She flinched as she slammed the groceries onto the moving belt. She kept her eyes trained on the items in her cart. Don’t look around for him. Don’t give him that satisfaction. How long had he said he was going to be in town?
The beeping noises from the cashier were drowned out by the pulse thundering in her ears. She paid as quickly as she could and pushed the cart outside just as her father’s beat-up Ford pulled into the parking lot. She scanned the area once more for any sign of Tony before making a beeline to the truck.
What was she afraid of? That Tony would be waiting to ambush her in the parking lot? What would he do if he found out the truth? Would he even care?
Her lie had never bothered her before. It was simply a means to an end. She’d done everything she could to get Tony to stay and he still refused. He’d been long gone by the time she found out she was pregnant. If he was that desperate to be rid of her, she wasn’t about to use a baby to blackmail him into coming back. Especially when he’d made it clear he didn’t want a family.
She pasted a smile on her face and opened the truck door. “How was the feed store?”
“Levi was a big help loading the sacks,” her father said. “He’s pretty strong for a nine-year-old.”
On the seat between them, Levi puffed his chest out. Sabrina let out a sigh of relief.
What would happen if the truth came out? No. She wouldn’t let that happen.
* * *
TONY