Texas Heat by Bárbara McCauley Page B

growling as they stepped out of the truck. Jake suggested they eat before they picked up supplies, and Savannah quickly agreed.
    The counter stools were nearly full and cowboy hats turned in unison as Jake entered the café. The pretty waitress pouring coffee from behind the counter looked up, her large brown eyes widening as she stared at Jake. “Hey!” a cowboy yelled, startling the waitress, who realized she had overfilled the man’s coffee cup. Apologizing, she grabbed a towel and cleaned up the mess, her gaze darting toward the corner table where Jake had pulled out chairs for Savannah and Emma.
    Ignoring another cowboy’s request for a refill, the waitress hurried over to the corner table with a coffeepot in her hand. “Hi, Jake. Haven’t seen you for a while.”
    Savannah detected the note of disappointment in the woman’s tone. Jake nodded at the waitress as she poured him a cup of coffee, but did not respond to her comment. “Loretta, this is Savannah Roberts and my sister Emma.”
    Loretta’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she glanced at the child. Emma, fascinated by a stuffed, seven-foot brown bear in the opposite corner of the café, was oblivious to the introduction.
    â€œYour...sister? But—”
    â€œJake!” A gravelly voice rang out. “Jake Fitzgerald Stone! Come here so I can whup your butt!”
    Savannah stared in amazement as an older man nearly as tall as Jake rounded the counter. His hair was as silver as his mustache and he had the lean muscular body of a man who kept himself in top physical condition. Savannah held her breath as the man approached angrily, his meaty fists swinging at his sides.
    Jake lifted his coffee cup lazily to his lips. “How’s it goin’, Digger?”
    â€œDon’t you ‘how’s it goin’’ me, you mangy prairie dog. You ain’t made good on our last poker game.” The old man waved a piece of paper under Jake’s nose. “Two bucks, mister. Pay up.”
    Jake pulled the money out of his pocket. “Digger, you’re as mean as that bear over there and stuffed with the same sawdust.”
    Digger grabbed the bills from Jake’s hand and shoved them into his pocket. “Since your daddy couldn’t teach you no respect, looks like I’ll have to take the job. Come on out back where these here ladies won’t have to watch you embarrass yourself.”
    Savannah gasped when Jake stood and stepped closer to the man. She sighed in relief when they threw their arms around each other. Men are such imbeciles, she thought.
    â€œDigger, this is Savannah Roberts,” Jake said when the old man released him. “Savannah, this is Francis Elijah Montgomery.”
    â€œYou call me that again, boy, and I’ll kick you so far you won’t have to drive home.”
    It started up again between them, the exchange of insults, until Savannah didn’t know whether to laugh or groan. Digger was in the middle of a comment comparing Jake’s face to a jackass when he stopped suddenly. He stared at Emma, who was watching the two men in wide-eyed amazement.
    Jake glanced at Emma, then met the old man’s pale blue eyes. “This is Emma.”
    He said the words quietly, but gave no explanation. He obviously didn’t have to. Digger stared at Emma, then a slow smile spread over his deeply lined face. He knelt down and waved the child to come over. Emma glanced at Savannah, who nodded her approval. Hesitantly Emma scooted out of her chair and moved closer. She stood in front of the gruff old man, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
    â€œYour daddy was a good friend of mine,” Digger said softly.
    â€œHe was?” Emma smiled widely.
    Digger nodded. “Maybe sometime you and me can talk about him. I know he’d be right pleased if I passed along a few things to you he wanted you to know.”
    Moisture glistened in the old