Finding Her Courage Read online

  Josh nodded toward the stables. “Ask Daisy. She’ll know better than us.”

  Good idea. Daisy was brushing down the horses when Ty found her. “How’d it go with Phoebe?”

  “She wants to know what kind of decorations we’d put up for the wedding. Do you have any ideas?”

  Daisy frowned. “Wedding decorations? I don’t know. I’m not exactly the wedding type.” Daisy had been one of the first women trained as a combat engineer. “All I know is kid’s birthday stuff. You know, streamers and balloons. Ask Maricela when she gets back from town. She’ll know.”

  Waiting for Maricela to get back took patience Ty didn’t have. Today was going from bad to worse. Dillon found him by Cessna 1 just before dinner, scrutinizing the fuselage leak.

  “You okay?”

  If making an even bigger mess of things was okay, then sure, he was fine.

  “I had an idea.” Dillon caught Ty’s suspicious gaze. “Just hear me out.”

  Uh-oh. Hear me out was code for you’re not gonna like this. Ty folded his arms. “What?”

  Dillon took a breath. “Ask Camille.”

  Bam, there it was. The best worst idea ever. “No.”

  “But she’s an event designer, right? George said she was great at it.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  Did Dill really have to ask? “She won’t do it. Not unless I let her sell the house.” Dillon pressed his lips together. Ty fought back a groan. “You and I have been through this. I promised George.”

  “Yeah, but you made a lot of other promises too. Like to the people on this ranch.”

  Ty glared at his brother. “You really know how to dig the knife in, don’t you?”

  Dillon shook his head. “I’m not trying to. I’m just saying that George was a vet too. He put the needs of military men and women above his own, always. If there was one reason to break your promise to him, saving this ranch is it. And it’s one he’d understand.”

  Why did Dillon have to start making sense all of a sudden? Money from the sale would only cover expenses for a few months, but Phoebe’s wedding would restore their reputation. More flying lessons, more riding lessons, more events. The money would continue coming in even after Phoebe was gone. He had to make sure she chose him over Liam. Still...

  “I don’t need Camille’s help.”

  “If we get Phoebe’s wedding, we’ll have less than a month to plan things out. A professional event decorator would be a pretty big help. Don’t you think?”

  Yes, but Ty had always managed to figure things out on his own. This was no different. “I haven’t even talked to Maricela. She’ll know what to do.”

  “She just got back.”

  Ty wiped his hands on his jeans. “Where is she?”

  Inside the kitchen Maricela was setting bags of groceries on the table. Emmitt was helping her. A pink bandanna with a unicorn covered her burn scars today. Some days she didn’t need the bandanna at all, but self-consciousness was a tricky thing.

  “Hey, I heard about the inspector,” she said. “Sorry.”

  But that was a headache for tomorrow. “Do you know what kind of decorations women like at weddings?”

  Maricela stopped what she was doing. “The Saylor wedding? Did you get it?”

  “Not yet. We’re close, but she wants decoration ideas.”

  Maricela’s eyes lit up. “Oh, sure, that’s easy.”

  Ty felt the tension leave his shoulders. He grabbed a pen and pad off the counter. “Ready.”

  “Okay, well, white balloons, maybe with something sparkly tied to the ends. And streamers are always good.” Ty’s heart sank. “Oh, and those little candy-coated almonds. I had those at a wedding once, they were really good.”

  Ty looked at Emmitt. “What do you think?”

  Emmitt shrugged. “What Maricela said.”

  Ty put the pad and paper down and went outside. The lights were on at the Sweet Dreams Ranch. Ty took two deep breaths, counted to three and started over.

  Chapter Four

  The porch swing was squeaking, and it was driving Camille batty. She found a rusty oil can in George’s garage, but she must’ve been oiling the wrong spot, because the squeak was still there.

  Nikki poked her head out the front door. “Are you still at it? You’re obsessed.”

  “I’m not obsessed. No one’s gonna want a house that squeaks.”

  “I don’t hear anything.”

  Camille’s mouth dropped open. “You don’t... Listen.” She pushed the swing. The squeak made her ears hurt.

  Nikki shook her head. “Don’t be weird in front of the buyers. I’ve got two coming tomorrow. And one of them is a retired pilot, so planes aren’t an issue. Is that okay?”

  Okay? It was great. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  Nikki tapped her foot and set her hands on her hips, a move she’d learned watching Camille. “Ty.”

  Ugh. “Don’t remind me. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll figure out the rest.”

  “How?”

  “I just will.” She went back to her oil can, and Nikki went back into the house.

  Oil spilled on the wood, leaving a stain. Camille grabbed a rag and tried wiping it up, but she only spread it out and made things worse.

  “Cat litter.” Ty’s voice made her jump. Her foot knocked over the entire can and slick golden goo puddled on the porch. She sat the can back up, but the damage was done.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  Camille glared at him. “You didn’t. What do you want?”

  He pointed to the stains. “Kitty litter will soak up the oil, just like on a driveway. I’ve got some if you want it.”

  She wasn’t giving in to his Mr. Nice Guy routine. “No, thank you.”

  “If you change your mind—”

  “I won’t.” How hard did she have to grit her teeth together to make him go away? “Did you want something?”

  The sun dipped in the sky, silhouetting Ty with pinks and purples that almost made him look like he was blushing. She looked closer. He was blushing. “I need your help with something.”

  A favor? From her? No way. But curiosity wasn’t easily dismissed. “Help with what?”

  “Do you know who Phoebe Saylor is?”

  “The movie star? She’s from here, right?” Phoebe Saylor had been all over the news lately. That whole thing with the rats was just gross.

  “Right. Well, turns out Phoebe’s got a thing for ranch weddings.”

  Camille arched an eyebrow. “Not your ranch?”

  “Maybe. It’s between me and another rancher right now, Liam Kendrick.” Ty’s face lost the blush and grew tight. If his teeth were gritting any harder, they’d start breaking. “She came by Sky High today and loved almost everything about it.”

  Whatever Ty was getting at must have been hard for him. He wasn’t the type of man to fumble, and he was fumbling all over the place right now.

  He drew in a breath and spit out his words. “She hated my decoration ideas and I have no idea what to do. George always said you were this amazing decorator and I thought maybe...you could help.”

  If there was a punch line, she didn’t get it. “You’re not serious?”

  He came up the porch steps and lowered his voice, a whispered conversation between cowboy and city girl that caught Camille off guard. “Our ranch isn’t doing great. Financially. One of our planes needs some repair work that’s gonna wipe us out. If we get this wedding, it fixes everything.”

  She felt bad for him, but she didn’t see what it had to do with her. “I’m sorry, Ty, but I can’t help you.” If he thought she was gonna play friendly neighbor now, he was kidding himself. She grabbed her oil can and headed inside.

  Ty’s voice came dangerously close to panic.
“You can sell the house.”

  Camille paused with her hand on the door. She turned back around. “What did you say?”

  “You can sell the house, but only if you help me. And only if Phoebe Saylor picks Sky High for her wedding.”

  Hmm. “What would I have to do exactly?”

  He tossed his hands in the air. “Dillon told her decorations were included, and she’s expecting something better than streamers and balloons.”

  Camille paused. “You didn’t actually suggest that to her, did you?” Ty’s blush was back. It was almost endearing. Almost. “So, if I give you some ideas, you’ll let me sell?”

  He shook his head. “No, you’ve got to meet with her. Actually plan things out and see them through to the wedding day. After she’s married, you can sell the place and we’ll split the profits according to George’s will.”

  Camille frowned. “When’s the date?”

  “The last Saturday in June.”

  “That’s in three weeks.” Good for her, but bad for planning a wedding.

  “They already sent out invitations. Phoebe’s brother got time off from active duty. It’s way too late to change things.”

  Tempting. “We have two buyers coming to look at the house tomorrow. You promise not to scare them off?”

  “Promise.”

  On the inside Camille was already halfway through her happy dance. “When do we start?”

  “Phoebe’s out of town this weekend. She gets back Monday and expects something spectacular, otherwise I’m finished.”

  Tomorrow was Friday. That was plenty of time to come up with spectacular. “I’ll be at your place tomorrow at nine.”

  * * *

  Ty was in the barn with Emmitt when Camille and Evie showed up the next morning. He kneeled down so that he was eye level with Evie, then held his hand out. “Good to see you. Ready to dig your hands in and get them all greasy?”

  Evie scrunched her face up.

  “She’s shy,” Camille said. But a second later Evie’s hand shot out and grabbed hold of Ty’s. She pumped it with a wrestler’s strength, and Ty pretended to fall over like she was crushing his fingers.

  Evie didn’t giggle exactly, or smile, but there was a light in her eyes that told Ty she hadn’t forgotten how it was done. Camille looked shocked Evie had even moved.

  Milkshake mooed, vying for their attention, and Evie went to say hello. Worry lines dug across Camille’s forehead. “Is it safe for Evie to pet her? What if she bites?”

  Ty stifled a laugh. “Cows can’t bite. They don’t have upper teeth. The most they can do is gum you, and Milkshake won’t even do that.” Evie climbed onto the bottom rung of Milkshake’s gate and was busy stroking the tips of her ears. Milkshake was busy loving it. Camille still looked uncertain.

  Emmitt popped up. He’d been laying down some hay in Milkshake’s stall. “Milkshake’s friendly. She’s only in here alone because she had a cold and we wanted to separate her. I’ll keep an on eye on Evie for you.”

  The worry lines eased. “Thanks, Emmitt.” Camille looked around the barn, taking it in from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, then dug out a notebook and pencil. “Do you know if they want to be married inside or outside?”

  “Inside, I think. Or maybe outside. I don’t know, I guess. I could text her.” Why hadn’t he thought to ask when she was here?

  “That’s okay. I’ll come up with ideas for both.” She walked toward the ladder that led to the loft, scanning things with a professional eye and jotting down ideas.

  Ty peeked over her shoulder. “Clotheslines? I don’t think Phoebe Saylor’s gonna want clotheslines draped across the barn at her wedding.”

  Camille’s head snapped around. “They’re for pictures. We string clotheslines around the barn and hang pictures of the bride and groom off them, mixed in with the lights. It’s rustic. And charming.”

  “I don’t think Phoebe wants rustic.”

  “She’s getting married on a ranch. She’ll be fine with rustic.”

  Good point. “All right, sorry. Go ahead.”

  Camille’s eyes drew together, but she went back to her notebook. She circled the barn, peeking into the stalls. He moved a little closer, getting behind her again. He just wanted to see what she was scribbling.

  A quick sketch of the barn from one end to the other was spread horizontally across the paper. Camille had penciled in all the posts, beams and doors. Around the posts she’d drawn some sort of swirly something and an arrow pointing away from them saying white lights.

  Ty shook his head. “No white lights.”

  Camille jumped and almost bopped him in the nose with her head. “Are you gonna sneak up on me like that all day?”

  “No. It’s just that Phoebe’s not into stuff like that. When I suggested white balloons and streamers, she hated the idea.”

  “That’s because they were balloons and streamers, Ty. Not because they were white.” She shook her head.

  Ty backed off. “Sorry, just trying to help.”

  “If you want to help, then stand back for two minutes and let me get my thoughts down. This is just the barn. I’ve still got to look at the stables, the property itself...the hangar.” Her last words came out shaky.

  Ty took three steps back as Emmitt and Evie came over. “I think Evie wants to see the horses.” Emmitt held out a piece of paper Evie had taken from her pocket and given him, and Ty saw a pretty good drawing of a horse. “Is it okay if I take her to the stables?”

  Camille started fidgeting. He’d only known her a few days but already he knew the routine. It started with a foot shuffle, followed by a few twists of her wedding ring. “You won’t let her ride one, will you?”

  Emmitt’s eyes widened. “Oh, no, nothing like that. She can help brush them though. And we’ve got some oats she can feed them.”

  The fidgeting settled down. Camille let go of her ring. “That sounds nice. Thanks.” He and Evie walked off, and Camille started drawing in that notebook of hers again. The one Ty wasn’t supposed look at. The one that held his future in its pages.

  Ty stood where he was for as long as he could, but his feet were itching to move. He grabbed some hay and added it to Milkshake’s stall, then picked up a shovel and hung it on the wall, glancing at Camille’s notebook as he went past. “Mason jars? I think Phoebe’s expecting more than mason jars.”

  When Camille spun around, the look in her eyes was enough to rattle the toughest cowboy. She threw her notebook on the ground. “Okay, that’s it. If you want decoration ideas, ask Milkshake.” She started for the barn doors.

  Just couldn’t keep quiet, could you? Ty chased after her. “Camille, wait. I’m sorry. Please don’t go.”

  She twisted around, ready to combust. “Why not? You can still criticize me when I’m not here.”

  Criticize? Is that what he’d been doing? Camille just got under his skin in a way most people didn’t. Not even Mia. Danger signals started flashing at the comparison, and Ty snapped them off before they went any further.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to criticize you. I’m just out of my element here, and I’m not used to that.”

  Camille’s glare softened. “This is never gonna work if you’re constantly second-guessing me.”

  “I know. I won’t.”

  But DOUBT flashed across her face in neon letters. Ty had to make this right. Truth time. “I’ve got two dozen men and women counting on me to fix a mess that I created. If I don’t get this wedding, the ranch might have to close.”

  Camille’s brow crinkled. “You created? What do you mean?”

  This wasn’t a story Ty liked telling, but if it meant the difference between her staying or walking out those barn doors, there was only one option.

  “A few months ago, this blogger and her friends booked a flying lesson. They sho
wed up drunk. I refused to take them up and refunded their money. The blogger wrote up some pretty nasty stuff, and our sales took a nosedive.” He sighed. “I guess her blog was more popular than I’d realized.”

  A frown spread across Camille’s face. “It doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong.”

  Ty shrugged. “Tell that to social media.”

  Camille stood where she was a minute, then slowly crossed the barn, picked her notebook off the ground and dusted it off. Ty hadn’t realized how much tension he was holding until he felt it seep out of him. “Thank you. I promise to stay out of your way.”

  A soft smile played on her lips. “You’d better, or I might have to get your brother to tape your mouth shut.”

  Dimples the size of Texas sprang up in the corners of her cheeks. She turned back to the haylofts, and Ty’s heart gave the tiniest of patters. Those dimples were dangerous.

  * * *

  Camille’s feet crunched as they stepped onto the front porch Saturday morning. She looked down at the light gray granules sprinkled across the wooden flooring, covering yesterday’s oil stain. Nikki paused behind her in the doorway. “What is that?”

  There was no point fighting the smile rising on Camille’s lips. “Kitty litter.” Ty must have brought it over late last night, or early this morning. “It’s to soak up the oil.” Nikki shrugged and started down the path.

  A small hand wove its way into Camille’s and squeezed. It took Camille by surprise. Usually she had to initiate that sort of thing with Evie. Maybe next she’d get a smile. And after that an actual word. Camille hadn’t given up on her daughter yet, despite what the doctors said.

  Nikki bounced along. “I still can’t believe Ty agreed to let you sell. I guess he’s as sweet as he is cute. Think he’s seeing anyone?”

  Camille’s head snapped around. “What?”

  Blond hair fell to the side. Nikki’s eyes drew together. “Don’t worry. I was only kidding.”

  “I’m not worried.” But Camille heard the crack in her voice.

  Nikki was still staring at her. She moved in closer and whispered so that Evie couldn’t hear. “You don’t like him, do you? I mean, roman—”