Second Chance Cowboy

Chapter 21

After Ron left, Lanie entered the small trailer and PT closed the door behind her.

“Lanie.”

“Pete.”

“You’ve got fifteen minutes.  What’s your first question?”

“I really do hope you will give me an exclusive.  It’s the only way I could get close enough to talk to you.  And I really need to talk to you.”

“Alright.” He pointed to the booth that served as a dining table in its current set up. 

Lanie sat down and folded her hands on the Formica tabletop.  She cleared her throat nervously.  She didn’t know where to start.

"I want to talk to you too.” PT broke the silence.

“Really?” Lanie’s face lit up.

PT swallowed.   She had a look on her face, a look he recognized because it mirrored one he felt with an intensity that alarmed him…HOPE.

“Yeah.  Listen, I don’t know what happened in Las Vegas.” Lanie’s face fell and he hurried on, “I felt badly about having to leave, but I left you that note.  I don’t know why you never called me—“

“You left a note?” Lanie’s voice was small.

"Yeah.  I left a note, by your shirt that was on the chair.”

“I never touched that shirt again.  It was torn, and it had his blood on it…”

Understanding dawned with the force of a bolt of lightning.  PT cursed.

"Lanie, I swear to you, I left a note.   I was a monster for weeks waiting for you to call.  Ask Jake, he’ll tell you.  We had an argument about it.  He was tired of me being a bear.  He said I should just call you.  I told him it was your decision to make, and you had made it.  Lanie, I feel like such an ass.”

“No!  I should have called you.  I picked up the phone at least a hundred times, but I always talked myself out of it.  I said if you wanted to talk to me, you would call me.  I kept telling myself ‘what happens in Vegas…”

“Lanie.” PT got up from his seat across from her and knelt next to her.  He took her hand in his.

“I’m sorry, Lanie.  I’m sorry you got hurt.  It was never my intention.  I swear to you.”

She reached out and put her free hand on his cheek.  Her touch ignited a flame that shot through his body.

"You’re a good man, Pete.  I envy the woman who managed to hang on to you.”

“There is no one. I went out a few times, and Jake set me up a few times but there was something wrong with all of them.”

“I think I understand.  I went out a few times too.  I even found a nice guy I was dating for several months.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“We’re not together anymore.  It was comfortable, but there was no spark.  I was wondering what was wrong with me and thinking about ending it for a few weeks...and then I saw on the news that Montana was on fire.   I called Pierce from the plane on my way to Montana.  What was wrong with the women you dated?  Wrong hair color?” She said with a smile.

“No.  They were beautiful.  One was even a rodeo gal.   It’s just that none of them had…None of them could…” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.  “Hell, Lanie.  Truth is…none of them were you.”

He felt his neck burn red and didn’t care.  He forced himself to look at her when she didn’t say anything.  She was crying.

“Lanie?  I’m sorry.  I know I don’t have the right, but I had to tell you.  When I was trapped in that blaze, there was only one thing I kept thinking.  I promised myself I would find you and tell you…I don’t expect—“she put a finger on his lips.

“Pete, I love you too.  I never stopped.  Lord knows I tried, but you’re a hard act to follow, Cowboy!”

She leaned forward and their foreheads touched.  He searched her eyes, and felt the truth of it in his heart.  They were still tangled in each other’s arms when Ron cleared his throat.  Lanie jumped back startled.  The two of them fumbled and blushed like teenagers caught on the sofa.

“That’s quite an interview technique.” Ron said with a serious look on his face.  “Mind if I borrow it sometime?”

PT grinned.  Lanie blushed a deeper shade of crimson.

“Introductions.  I’m Ron.” He held out his hand.

“Lanie.” She shook his hand.  Recognition erased her embarrasment.  “You were with PT when the blaze…”

"Yup.  That was me.”

“Thank you for saving him.”

“He saved us with his warning, so I guess we’re even.”

“Still, thank you.”

“In that case, you are welcome.” He dipped his chin in a little bow.  “If you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.  It was nice meeting you Lanie.”

“You too.”  Lanie watched the door close behind him and then she took hold of Pete’s hand. 

“There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” She lifted his hand to her stomach and covered it with both of hers. 

He froze.

“How do you feel about kids?”

He blinked.  It took a moment for him to realize what she was telling him. 

Lanie held her breath as she watched a range of emotions flicker across his face.   She was startled when he whooped.  He grabbed her hand and dragged her outside.  He whooped again and shouted.

“Hey everybody, I’m gonna be a daddy!”

Lanie squeaked when he lifted her up and twirled her around.  He set her down, and slipped his arms around her waist.  He kissed her soundly.  She was flushed when he pulled away.  He was a little pleased that she was also a little breathless.

“Lanie, Let me be more than a Daddy.  Let me be a Husband too.  Let me take care of you both.  I can’t promise that I will be there for the rest of your life.” He saw the question in her eyes. “But I promise you, Lanie, that I will love you and our kids with all of my heart for the rest of my life.”

Lanie tipped her head and looked at him.  Her eyes searched his face and he held his breath, wondering what she was thinking. 

“I reckon, Cowboy that is the sweetest proposal I’ve ever heard.  It deserves an answer.” She smiled and stood on her tip toes. 

He bent down.  Once more their foreheads touched and it was just the two of them alone in the universe.  His heart stopped when her lips parted to speak.

“Yes.” She kissed him. 

He kissed her back.  He kissed her breathless and then he lifted her up again and twirled her around.  When he set her down again, he whooped and shouted.

“Hey everybody!  She said YES!” 

Lanie laughed and wrapped her arms around her waist as she watched him jump and shout.  He took off his ball cap and waved it in the air while he shouted “YEEEEEEHAWWW!  SHE SAID YES!”

He ran at her then and swept her feet from under her.  She put her arms around his neck and held on as he twirled them again.  He kissed her then and she felt pure happiness.    She sent up a quick prayer of thanks for this second chance at love.