The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler Page B

profile. “You nervous?”
    Her mother bit her lower lip. “Don’t tell your daddy, but I am a little.” Concern filled her eyes. “You do know you’ll need to stay in the house, right?”
    Crystal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She’d known this was coming. Had actually thought of it a split second after she volunteered to take care of things while her parents were gone.
    And when she’d flown back to New York this past weekend to tell Mia and pick up her things from Tina, it had been this thought above all others that had most tempted her to call Aaron yesterday and chicken out of coming back. But she hadn’t. So here she was.
    She opened her eyes. “I was hoping maybe I could just stay out at Elyse’s and walk over here every day to check on things. I’m already settled in there.”
    Her mama didn’t say anything. She just reached over and added a pair of casual black pants to the suitcase.
    “I know you’d feel more comfortable if someone stayed in the house,” Crystal said. How did Mama still do that? Make them toe the line without saying a word? “I’m just not sure I can do it.” Her voice cracked and she put her fingertips to her throat, as if to add strength.
    When her mother finally turned to face her, tears sparkled in her eyes, but she was smiling. “Oh, honey, you’re so much stronger than you think you are.” She motioned toward the queen-sized bed. “You can sleep in here if you’d rather.”
    Crystal nodded. She’d probably end up on the couch downstairs, but there was no point in worrying her mother. “I’ll be fine.” She folded the last of her dad’s casual shirts. “I guess I’d better go out to the barn. Aaron’s going to remind me what it takes to run this place. I promised I’d take notes.” She dropped a kiss on her mama’s smooth cheek and started toward the door.
    “Crys...”
    She spun around.
    “I’m glad you’re home. I know it will be a lot of work, but I wish you’d relax and enjoy it.”
    Crystal smiled. “I will, Mama. I’m looking forward to a little break from the city.” And she was. As long as that’s all it was. “I love the ranch.” Again, true. The house may suffocate her, the river might sadden her, but the ranch, with its honest labor and never-ending circle of life, made her feel rejuvenated in a way The City That Never Sleeps couldn’t seem to do.
    As if reading her mind, her mother frowned. “We’re proud of your success on the stage, honey. You know that. But you have other talents besides acting.”
    Crystal frowned. “I made a choice to follow a bigger dream.”
    “Are you still writing?”
    Crystal shook her head.
    “Do you ever think about working with children?”
    Crystal forced a chuckle. “I was a kid myself when I thought I wanted to do those things.” Why couldn’t her mom just be happy that she was achieving some measure of success in New York? She might eventually make it to Broadway. What mother wouldn’t be thrilled about that?
    “Honey, you and I both know you loved working at that childrens’ theater when you first went to New York.” Compassion filled her mother’s eyes. “Cami wouldn’t want you to keep on living your life for her. In spite of what she might have said to you that last day, she was always a believer in y’all each doing your own thing.”
    Crystal winced and wrapped her arms around her waist. She’d quit the children’s theater and started waitressing because she was getting too comfortable there. She could see she’d never push herself hard enough to make it on Broadway if she stayed there. And she really didn’t want to talk about what Cami and she had disagreed about “that last day.”
    “Uh-hum.” She started to dart for the door, but her mother took two quick steps and cut her off as if she were a confused calf that needed to be herded into the trailer.
    Her mama touched Crystal’s shoulder. “Talking about her helps.”
    Crystal twisted her mouth. “Not for me