Callie's Cowboy by Karen Leabo Read Free Book Online

his head as if to clear it of fog. “I’m not sure that’s possible. We haven’t been ‘just friends’ since we hit puberty.”
    â€œWe can try,” she insisted, although she partly agreed with him. They’d liked each other as children—had played on the same Little League team, gone to church camp together. In seventh grade they’d despised each other—or, perhaps facing an attraction they didn’t yet understand, they’d only pretended the intense dislike. At some point during eighth grade their seething hormones had won out, and they’d become inseparable. And, as Sam had said, from that point on they’d never again been simply friends. They’d either been madly in love or broken up and furious with each other until they made up.
    Callie held out her hand. “C’mon, Sam. Friends? Can we let bygones be bygones?”
    He never verbally agreed to her terms, but he didtake her hand. Instead of the perfunctory shake she’d expected, he held her palm against his, testing its softness with his strength. A million fireflies fluttered up her arm, then spread their flickering warmth throughout her body, settling deep in her abdomen where her most womanly urges resided.
    The doorbell rang. In a moment of irrational panic, Callie tried to jerk her hand from Sam’s grasp. He held on to her, daring her to make an issue of it. When the front door opened, however, and a cheery voice called in, “Yoo-hoo, anyone home?” Sam finally abandoned the game.
    â€œIn here, Millicent,” he called over his shoulder.
    A whirling dervish, two feet high and wearing a grass-green jacket, burst through the kitchen doorway. “Daddy!”
    Sam scooped his daughter into his arms. “Hi, Deany! Did you have fun with Mrs. Jones and Lily?”
    Deana immediately launched into a long monologue about her afternoon’s adventures that no doubt made perfect sense to her. Callie, however, caught only about every fifth word.
    Sam seemed to understand. “A dinosaur’s mouth? And then what happened? Did the dinosaur try to eat you?”
    â€œNooo!” She laughed uproariously, her blue eyes sparkling. But it wasn’t her smile that brought a lump to Callie’s throat, it was Sam’s. In the split second it had taken for him to greet his daughter, his whole demeanor had changed. He was smiling, animated. Love poured out of him like a bright beam of light enveloping Deana. Even his posture had changed. Instead of looking likehe had a fire poker up his back, he was in a relaxed, easy stance.
    Memories danced inside Callie’s head, memories of when Sam had looked at her with love in his eyes. She suddenly ached all over to have him look at her that way again.
    Millicent leaned into the kitchen doorway. “Oh, hi, Callie. I thought I recognized that car out front.”
    Callie almost laughed. Millicent had known good and well that Callie was joining the Sangers for dinner that night. They’d talked about it at least three times on the phone earlier this week.
    â€œHi, Millie.”
    â€œCan you stay for dinner?” Sam asked. “There’s plenty of food.”
    â€œNo, I’ve got a car full of kids with me, and Nancy has to get to her viola lesson. But thanks. Is your mom here?”
    Sam shook his head. “Went to borrow some spices from the neighbor.”
    â€œOh. I was going to ask her for a couple dozen eggs. But I can come back—”
    â€œNo, no problem, I’ll get them.” Sam set Deana on the ground and went to the huge double-sided refrigerator. “Yeah, looks like she’s got plenty. I don’t know what she charges for them, though.”
    â€œI do. I have the exact change right here.”
    During Sam and Millicent’s exchange, Deana had wandered over to Callie’s side. Feeling awkward, Callie leaned down to attempt a conversation. “Hi, Deana. I’m