Arizona Cowboy Read Free Page B

movie junkie. But Holden had to admit he hadn’t helped matters much when he’d purchased surround sound for him two weeks later. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll take care of the ranch. You just head on into town.”
    “No, no.” His dad shook his head. “I’m going to help you get the work done that needs doing. I just wondered if you’d go with me.” He picked up a towel and started drying the dishes Holden had washed.
    Holden couldn’t get his dad to invest in a dishwasher. He always said that two measly men didn’t need a dishwasher. Didn’t cook enough to need one. Holden took in the various pans that had contained scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and biscuits. Today, two measly men could have used one.
    His dad’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “You know I don’t know enough about that newfangled electronic stuff. I don’t want to get ripped off.”
    “Sure. I’ll go with you.” Holden hurried through the rest of the dishes, and minutes later they headed to the barn. Work moved quickly with his dad back on his feet after battling pneumonia and pleurisy over the winter, then a stomach bug a week ago. Before lunchtime the two were driving on the Sun Valley Parkway toward Surprise.
    Holden sneaked a peek at his dad in the passenger seat of his truck. He noticed, as he had so many times over the last few months, that his father had started looking older than his sixty-two years. Deep wrinkles traced his forehead, the sides of his eyes and along his mouth. But it wasn’t the wrinkles that worried Holden; it was the deep, dark circles beneath his dad’s eyes. Seeing Ava’s aunt Irene looking young and spry at her surprise party also confirmed that his dad seemed to be aging quicker than Holden would have thought.
    He pulled into the parking lot of the electronics store, and almost before he could take the keys from the ignition, his dad was making his way into the building. The warm spring sun wrapped Holden as he stepped out of the air-conditioned truck. Arizona was too hot and dry for some people, but he relished the heat against his skin.
    The store’s cool air blasted him as he walked inside. He glanced toward the DVD players, but didn’t spy his dad. He was heading to that aisle anyway when he heard a familiar voice. “Get on over here, Holden.”
    He turned and saw Irene motioning to him. Ava stood to her right, her head lowered and her hands shoved in her blue jeans pockets. He swallowed. There was something about a gal in blue jeans, especially Ava. The denim practically screamed for him to loop his fingers around her waist and lift her closer to him.
    “You heard the woman.” Holden’s dad stood beside Ava’s aunt who held several CDs. “Irene’s going to sing in Senior Idol. She wants some help picking out a song.”
    Holden furrowed his brows as he walked toward them. The smell of Ava’s perfume sent his mind into a spin, but he was determined to focus. “Senior Idol?”
    “Sure. It’s a knockoff of American Idol. You have to be fifty or older. You can sing, dance, whatever talent you want to showcase.” Irene picked up another CD. “It’s at Willow Canyon High School in July. I know it’s only March, but I need to start practicing.”
    “So, you’re picking out a song?”
    “What does it look like she’s doing, son? Buying doughnuts?” His dad clicked his tongue.
    Holden glanced at Ava. She was staring intently at a CD, one that contained only male song choices. He picked it up and leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, “Is there one on here you think she should try?”
    He heard Ava’s slight gasp as she shook her head. His nearness still affected her. He knew it did. It had to, because at any moment he was going to lose control and play caveman, picking her up and carrying her out to his truck. The idea proved too enticing, and he forced himself to step away from her.
    “Aunt Irene, you sing anything beautifully. Just pick a song.” Holden noted that Ava’s