Lacy Williams's Blog, page 6

30 Days of Story: To Trust a Cowboy (part 4)

Wade was a barbershop kind of guy.

The only time he’d ever stepped foot into one of the fancy salons was as a kid with his mom, and that was just to wait in the uncomfortable plastic chairs.

But love made a man do crazy things sometimes.

And so he pushed through the glass door to the salon where Annie worked. A bell jangled merrily from somewhere overhead.

And Kenny ran ahead, shouting, “Mom!”

Wade opened his mouth to call the kid back, but thankfully the place was empty except for Annie...

30 Days of Story: To Trust a Cowboy (part 3)

Annie had given the requisite number of goodbye kisses and waved goodbye to Kenny and his class as they’d marched back inside the school building in their disorganized line. She was walking off the playground when she heard footsteps pounding behind her.

“Annie, wait!”

Wade.

She closed her eyes briefly and wished for the earth to open up and swallow her whole. Or for wings on her feet so she could fly to her car in the parking lot.

Maybe she could pretend she hadn’t heard him. Except he...

30 Days of Story: To Trust a Cowboy (part 2)

Wade hated cancer.

It’d taken his mom from him and now his sister Sally was in the heat of battle.

He felt so helpless. Sally’d never been married and her fierce independence was probably a blessing.

But Wade needed to do something. Build something for her, or tear down a wall, or dig a well with his bare hands and a shovel.

Of course, Sally didn’t need any of those things. She’d been puking her guts out this morning thanks to the most recent round of chemo, so she’d asked him to fill in...

30 Days of Story: To Trust a Cowboy (part 1)

“Next up is Austin’s dad Steve. Steve, tell us all about being a data analyst.”

Annie sat in a chair that was way too small for her I-have-a-kid-and-proud-of-it derriere, with Kenny on her lap.

She tried to listen to good old Steve, but apparently, she was a kindergartener at heart because she found the classroom delightfully distracting. And Kenny kept wiggling on her lap.

And wiggled again. She squeezed her son and leaned the top of her chin on his white-blond head. Wouldn’t be able to...

30 Days of Story: Soldier’s Dilemma (the end)

The morning after Mallory told Sam their news, she broke down and called her brother Cash.

Sam might’ve shared his cautious joy with her, but this wasn’t over. She couldn’t forget how he’d frowned while he’d watched Jace and baby Timothy at the community center.

She’d told Cash about O’Dell’s blackmail attempt and sworn him to secrecy for the baby news.

Her brother’s advice had been to give Sam some time to work through his feelings.

She lasted all of three days. It turned out she wasn’t...

30 Days of Story: Soldier’s Dilemma (part 4)

Sam watched the color leach out of Mallory’s face.

His heart was beating wildly in his chest.

Why did Mallory have a pregnancy test? Was she…?

She dropped onto the edge of the bed. Her hands tangled in the sheet. Bunching it and unbundling it. As if she was nervous.

Mallory didn’t get nervous. She always knew what she wanted. Always went after her goals like a lion hunting a gazelle.

She looked down at her hands and his heart took a nosedive. “I was going to tell you,” she said softly....

30 Days of Story: Soldier’s Dilemma (part 3)

Something was definitely up with Sam.

After dropping his we need to talk, he’d spent the rest of the drive home pensive and looking in his rearview mirror, almost as if he expected someone to be driving up behind them.

As if they were under attack.

Mallory had given him his silence, knowing if she pushed too hard, too fast, he wouldn’t respond.

When they arrived back at the Double Cross Ranch, Sam brushed a kiss on her cheek and left her to watch him walk through each room on the lower l...

30 Days of Story: Soldier’s Dilemma (part 2)

“Do you want to hold the baby?”

Mallory hadn’t even had to glimpse Sam to sense the tension in him. She’d felt it before she’d turned to smile at him.

He was hiding it. It was his m.o. Whatever it was, she knew he’d tell her when he was good and ready.

The baby, Timothy, was soft and snuggly. He was Amber’s third child—the woman claimed her stepson as her own—and holding him was making Mallory’s heart hurt so good.

She wanted Sam to feel that. Needed it.

But a flare of something that mig...

30 Days of Story: Soldier’s Dilemma

Sam was looking forward to celebrating his three-year anniversary with Mallory. Nineteen days, and he’d been planning a surprise.

Mallory loved surprises, and he loved her. Maybe even more now that the day they’d said their vows.

He was still working out how to be the kind of husband she deserved. He loved every minute of working the ranch with her. Even the grunt work like mucking stalls and repairing the fence line. Even those endless nights during calving season.

They’d had one of tho...

30 Days of Story: Dog Park Diaries – Charlie & Micah (the end)

Saturday afternoon, an hour and a half before her brother’s wedding, Charlie stood on the outside side of Micah’s front door.

She’d been standing here for almost five minutes, vacillating between knocking and walking away.

She’d spent five years keeping her distance. Being friends with Micah.

Less than ten days of pretend-dating and she’d seen the real man beneath the jokester persona he used as a shield.

This was her moment.

She knocked.

From inside, Rocket barked.

Micah answered the do...