Free The Way to Texas by Liz Talley Page B

just goes to show you’re taking my advice and grabbing on to some happiness.”
    Margo looked way too satisfied, and now, Dawn had roped herself into spending Sunday afternoon with a guy who made her think inappropriate thoughts in the weehours of the night. “How do you know riding an ATV is grabbing happiness?”
    Margo pulled a dead chrysanthemum from the pot sitting at the foot of the steps and shrugged. “I don’t, but I’m thinking you better hold on tight, girl.”
    â€œDon’t worry about her, Margo. I’ll make sure she’s safe. She’ll be back here on Monday morning.” Tyson didn’t know what Margo meant. But Dawn did.
    Margot nodded. “You’re the kind to do that. Make sure my Dawn don’t get hurt.”
    Tyson narrowed his eyes. “Okay.”
    â€œWhat time should I meet you at the Longs’?” Dawn resigned herself to going even though it wasn’t an ideal date. Date? Wait. Not a date. An outing with a friend. She reached out to grab the front door handle, worried about the sugar cookies in the oven turning into brown hockey pucks. Standing looking at Tyson’s buttery smile and broad shoulders wasn’t a good enough reason to ruin a batch of perfectly good cookies.
    He gave her a lopsided grin. Okay, maybe it was.
    â€œI’ll swing by and pick you up,” he offered.
    She pictured Nellie and Jack standing on the porch, waving goodbye as she slipped into Tyson’s pickup. She could see the look on Nellie’s face. No way. “Don’t bother. It’s out of your way. I’ll meet you there.”
    Tyson looked as though he might argue, but then shrugged. “Fine. Let’s meet for 1:30 p.m.”
    Â 
    T YSON STOOD AT THE SIDE of the house, staring at his cell phone. Laurel hadn’t called him back. Again. This was turning into a habit. Hell, it had already been a habit for weeks now and wasn’t going to get any better if he didn’t do something.
    He pecked the numbers he knew by heart.
    His soon-to-be ex-wife, Karen, answered on the fourth ring.
    â€œWe need to talk,” he said into the receiver as he toed the fresh lumber he’d hauled in earlier that morning and stacked beneath the window boxes.
    â€œTyson,” she breathed into the phone. “I’ve been thinking of you. How are things in that cute little town?”
    â€œFine. But I don’t want to talk about me. I want to talk about our daughter.”
    â€œLaurel?”
    â€œDo we have another daughter? Yes, of course, Laurel.” He had to tamp down the smart-ass tone that crept into his speech every time he talked to the woman who’d cheated on him with his former business partner. It was hard to be nice. “Sorry. Just worried about her.”
    â€œTy, she’s fine. Doing better each day. She really wants to come to Oak Stand. But the therapist thinks we need to let her get comfortable with the idea. That’s all. I’ll bring her soon. I promise.”
    â€œI know she’s seeing a therapist, but I’m not sure time away from me is better than forcing her to be with me.”
    â€œSee?” Exasperation crept into Karen’s voice. “You use words like force. That’s part of the problem. We don’t need to force her. Let her do things in her own time.”
    â€œNo. No more. Next week, she comes to Oak Stand. No excuses. I’m putting my foot down. Now let me talk to her, please.”
    Silence met his demand.
    â€œKaren?”
    â€œWhat?” Defensiveness crept into her tone. She was hiding something. “Laurel’s not here.”
    He clenched his teeth. “Why not? I thought she had a fever and sore throat.”
    â€œWell, she did. Yesterday. She felt much better today so I let her go to Zack Reilly’s Halloween party. All the kids were going and she didn’t want to be left out.”
    Now he got the picture. Laurel wasn’t