My Cowboy, My Hero

Chapter Twenty-One

Lexi sat at the table, playing with her fingers. She felt bad when Tyler walked away. He looked so defeated.

She quickly pushed herself up from the table and ran to catch him. She found him walking on the sidewalk away from the bakery.

"W-Where are you going?" she asked him. She tried to smile at him to show him she didn't mean to be rude earlier. She felt like her smile made her look more like a constipated cat.

"Would you come with me?" Tyler found himself asking.

"W-where?" she asked as played with her fingers again.

"I need to show you something." he said. He knew he was lacking in explanation, but he just needed her to understand why he was the way he was. "I want to show you something."

"b-but it's Kat's birthday and I haven't even said Happy Birthday." she protested. Tyler had a feeling she was protesting the idea of being alone with him, not his request.

"Will you go if I promise to let you buy her flowers?" he bribed.

Lexi nodded and he almost smiled. He knew her heart was big enough to overcome her fears if it was for Katrina.

He took her hand and lead her to the door.

"Should I tell Max I am going with you?" she asked as she bit her lip.

"He will know."

"He might be angry." she said as he voice trembled.

He stopped walking. "I wish you weren't so scared of me." he said, sweetly.

"I am sorry." she said shamefully.

He squeezed her hand gently. "You don't have to be sorry honey. I am not upset. It just makes me sad you're so scared."

He lead them through the cemetery gates and down the cobblestone path. He had made the journey so often he was sure he could do it with his eyes closed. He smiled when he reached Heather's grave. He had paid extra to have a guarded section of the cemetery and thankfully he hadn't regretted it. An older lady came out everyday and swept the leaves from around the headstones- making it seem a little less dreary.

"S-She has your last name." Lexi said in confusion. He hadn't noticed she had been studying the plaque.

"Yeah." he said as he set on a little cement bench Rhye had purchased. The bench was made for two, but with his large size she couldn't fit. She stood beside him until he reached over and placed her on a tiny piece that his large frame wasn't taking up. .

"Was she your sister?" Lexi asked as she turned to look at him.

"No, she was my wife. She died almost two years ago." he said.

"How did she die?" Lexi whispered. Tyler noticed she looked a little pale. He kicked himself. Her mother had died, bringing her to a cemetery was a horrible idea.

"She had brain cancer and she didn't recover." he said as he stood up.

"I am so sorry." Lexi said as she studied the ground.

"I brought you here in hopes you would understand why I am the way I am. When Heather got sick, I had to step up and be a man. I learned to show my love by caring for her. I know I scare you because I stay so close to you, or because I ask you so many questions, or even because I won't leave you alone."

"You... you..." Lexi tried to process. "You watch me so much because you care about me?"

Tyler smiled at her use of the word "watch". He was sure to her if did seem like he was watching her like a hawk.... of course, he would admit he was. "Let's head back yeah?" He asked, worried she was scared.