Her Temporary Cowboy
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Tanya Agler
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19,3K
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18
CHAPTER ONE
“YOU’RE LIVING UP to your name, Lucky. You must not have a care in the world driving around in this.” Lucky Harper’s best friend, Sabrina MacGrath Darling, let out a long whistle as he ran his hand over the aluminum exterior of his combination horse trailer and RV.
Lucky almost pinched himself so he could make sure this was his home before following Sabrina into the living quarters. All the fourth-place finishes might never have landed him in the year-end rodeo finals, but they added up to a pretty penny, enough to pay off the trailer. Pretty good for a foster kid from upstate New York.
“Butterscotch likes it.” His horse’s comfort counted for something. Last winter, he’d helped a friend in Texas, not expecting anything in return, let alone the magnificent American quarter horse that knew a thing or two about tie-down roping. This year, he found himself collecting champion belt buckles, rather than landing smack-dab in the middle of the standings, like usual.
Sabrina explored the cabin’s interior, where the small kitchen backed up to the tiny dining nook. Good thing he’d cleaned up, not that he skewed toward leaving messes around. That wasn’t his nature. Neither was having too many possessions that might weigh him down. Except for Cherry’s ring in his small safe. Even though they’d broken up the day before he’d been set to propose over a year ago, he still thought of it as her ring. Guess he shouldn’t, as she was now married with a little one on the way.
“Then your horse has excellent taste.” She settled herself on the black leather dinette seat and rubbed the granite tabletop that matched the counter near the sink. “Elizabeth Irwin said you can board Butterscotch here at the Double I Ranch. Even with my mother’s upcoming wedding to her father, you don’t have to worry about whether she’ll take good care of him. When I quit my job, Elizabeth rolled my barn-manager position into the rest of her duties. She runs that stable with her usual efficiency.”
Lucky shifted on his feet, the hardest part of today’s visit upon him. “I’ll make some coffee.”
He gathered the filter and beans, his nerves getting the best of him. He’d put off telling her he wasn’t attending the wedding as long as he could. The next rodeo beckoned, with its earthy smells and camaraderie among the crowd and contestants. He belonged there, in that exhilarating moment in the chute when adrenaline met nerves and anything could happen, spurring him to new arenas.
For a long time, he’d believed his best friends, people he considered his family, felt the same. During his first year on the circuit, he’d met Will Sullivan and they’d bonded over Will’s border collie, who traveled with him, and the two became inseparable. A couple of seasons later, rodeo clown Sabrina completed their trio. Together, they’d celebrated their victories and nursed each other through sore muscles and broken bones. They prided themselves on one-upping each other on their birthdays with who could find the most unusual souvenir as a gift from their travels. Sabrina claimed the permanent title when she’d gifted them both tacky ceramic armadillos.
He thought the three of them would continue on their journeys indefinitely. But then Will’s parents died, leaving him the Silver Horseshoe and a mound of debt. Will didn’t look back—he’d left the rodeo to save his ranch and fallen in love with an energetic whirlwind in the process.
Months later, Sabrina had mysteriously accepted a job at the Double I before she revealed she was pregnant. Last winter, she and rodeo champion Ty Darling rekindled their romance before welcoming their daughter, Genie, and forming plans for a rodeo academy here in Violet Ridge.
Now he counted himself as the lone remaining rider, surprising since he hadn’t grown up around horses like Will and Sabrina. But here he was, having his best season to date. Still, he wasn’t fooling himself. The rodeo was merely a convenient excuse for turning down Sabrina’s kind offer. Witnessing another wedding celebrating love and forever, after things had gone south with Cherry? No, thank you.
Hitting the road with Butterscotch was his chance to continue doing something he loved, somewhere he belonged. Maybe his next cobbled-together family would stick.
He fixed two cups of coffee and handed one to Sabrina. Then he sat across from her, breathing in the rich aroma. He never stinted on good beans. “About that.”
Sabrina nodded her thanks. “Would you feel more comfortable boarding Butterscotch at the Silver Horseshoe? Will’s been asking about you.”
Lucky had spent many a relaxing day at his other best friend’s neighboring ranch, but he didn’t intend on visiting Will this time around. He shifted in his seat, already counting the minutes until this conversation would be over, and he’d be traveling to the next rodeo in Pueblo, a good three-hour drive from Violet Ridge. This time of year, the marigolds and other late-summer wildflowers would be blooming, although the aspens wouldn’t change color for another month. While he wanted to lend his support to Sabrina, seeing as it was her mother getting married and all, this ranch was overwhelming with its rarefied air and all of its affluence. His childhood had been spent moving from foster home to foster home, never knowing where he’d be living the next day. As it was, all his worldly possessions fit into this trailer/RV, a throwback to the days when he had to be ready to shove his belongings into a black trash bag and head to the new family at a second’s notice.
“Not really.” Especially considering Butterscotch already had a home for tonight, an assigned stall in the rodeo stock pen. The organizers knew they could always count on Lucky to lend a helping hand wherever needed. A jack-of-all-trades, he was as adept at repairing fences as he was at wiring temporary structures.
Sabrina finished her cup of coffee and placed it in the stainless-steel sink. “Good. Then it’s settled. Find Elizabeth Irwin. You know her, right? Auburn hair, green eyes and very pretty. Let her know you’re ready to unload Butterscotch.”
“We’ve never been formally introduced.” That admission came easily. Admitting he wasn’t staying for the wedding? That was hard. Disappointing someone he loved like a sister was rougher than eating dirt in the rodeo arena.
“What?” Sabrina laughed before she realized he was serious. “Then today’s your lucky day.”
Hardly, as he’d be hurting Sabrina. And, for the record, the luckiest days of his life were the days he’d bought a bus ticket for Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and landed at the Cattle Crown Ranch. Little did he know the owner was a hall-of-fame rodeo competitor who’d ended up taking Lucky under his wing and preparing him for the circuit.
Sabrina opened the door and exited, and light flooded into the small space. The August heat was rather stifling, and Lucky tugged at the edge of his T-shirt. He picked up his weathered brown cowboy hat and placed it on his head. She was at the horse trailer part of the RV by the time he caught up with her. “You’re going too fast.”
She shrugged and introduced herself to his gelding. “That’s because there’s so much to do.” She cooed soft words to Butterscotch, who nudged her as if they’d known each other for years. “As soon as we find out whether Elizabeth wants you in the paddock or a stall, we’ll be back for you.”
“I’m mighty thankful for the invitation.” Lucky fought for control of the situation. The longer he took, the hotter the water he’d find himself treading in.
“I’m the thankful one since you supported me through this. I can’t believe my mother’s back in my life, let alone marrying the owner of the ranch where I used to work.” Sabrina had interrupted him before he could make his excuses. “Evie and Gordon mesh well together. Best of all, Elizabeth will be my stepsister and Genie’s aunt. A new family, so to speak. Follow me.”
The water went from warm to scalding. A new family. He’d give anything for an old family. “It’s mighty kind of you to invite me to the rehearsal dinner.” Especially since he’d never met the bride before. He’d been taken aback when he’d discovered his friend, who couldn’t sing a note, was the daughter of one of the most recognizable singers in the world, Evalynne, known to her friends as Evie. He’d hummed along to Evalynne’s hit “Misty Mountain” on the bus ride from New York to Steamboat Springs at least twelve times, if not more.
“Evie’s excited to meet you, and Genie loves her uncle Lucky. You have the magic touch with her. I can’t believe my daughter is already eight months old.”
Sabrina was making his announcement more difficult by the second, but she was happy with her new husband, Ty. He’d kept waiting for an offer to teach at their rodeo academy, but she never broached the subject. Instead, she congratulated Lucky on his season, telling him he still had his best rides ahead of him. She didn’t need her old friend anymore, and neither did Will, who’d connected with the love of his life, Kelsea, last May. It wasn’t their fault they’d found love. He just wished there was a place for him here in Violet Ridge, one of the prettiest places he’d ever had the fortune of visiting. Staying longer would only make him feel like a third wheel and remind him of what he lost when Cherry chose someone else.
He followed Sabrina past a field where a bull snorted and pawed the ground. “Speaking of the rodeo...”
“What about it?” Sabrina stopped and faced Lucky.
He’d known Sabrina too long to keep up the pretense any longer. “I’m not staying for the wedding.”
She searched his face, and her jaw dropped. “You’re serious.”
He nodded and tipped his hat. “It’s a family affair.”
As hard as it was to admit it, Will and Sabrina were no longer his family. They’d moved on without him. His heart ached once again at losing the people who’d come to mean everything to him, but he was used to it. He survived before, and he’d carry on.
“You’re like the brother I never had and always wanted, Lucky.” Sabrina came over and laid her hand on his arm, her engagement-and-wedding-ring set digging into his skin. “You’re my family.”
Those brown eyes gazed at him with care and concern. Somehow, he had to let her down gently. Ty would more than make up for Lucky’s absence. Hadn’t she made it clear last Christmas when she and Ty separated themselves at the Mile of Lights holiday display that she was ready to move on without Lucky? At the time, Lucky thought he’d be helping Sabrina, lending his support during the last stages of her pregnancy by surprising her at the apple orchard where the Mile of Lights was being held. Instead of a happy reunion, though, Sabrina had gone off with Ty, leaving Lucky with Will and Kelsea until Lucky found an excuse to head out of town. It was a good thing Ty was the perfect fit for the woman he cared for like a sister. That helped soften the blow.
“You know I’d do anything for you.” And he would, except he couldn’t stay for the wedding. Anything but that after he thought he and Cherry were destined for each other, only to be dumped without a backward glance. No wedding bells for him, then or ever. “But this might be my only chance to make the finals. Every rodeo counts.”
“Of course, you’d bring up the one reason I can’t stay mad at you. As it is, I’m taking a three-week leave of absence from my rodeo-clown position to support Evie and Gordon.” She released his arm and pushed on the sliding doors of the stable. “At least you’ll stay for the prewedding festivities, right?”
“I just came to give Genie the rocking horse.” The one he’d carved and then painted in his off-hours. “Hold on a second.”
He went back to the trailer’s storage compartment and returned with his gift for Genie.
“Lucky, it’s beautiful. You made this?” Sabrina gasped and ran her hand across the sturdy oak that formed the horse’s body with connecting wooden legs. He’d painted Genie’s name on the strong base. “The craftsmanship is breathtaking. Look at that saddle and the tiny pink heart on each side.”
Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and she hugged him. He’d carved it for Sabrina as much as Genie.
Separating from his friend was almost impossible, but he’d manage. “I’m better with smaller pieces of wood. Whittling’s more soothing, but this came out well. Since I delivered it, I’m heading out.”
“Already? Lucky Harper, you can stay in one place for longer than ten minutes. Mold won’t grow on you.” Sabrina popped her hands on her hips and stared at him while something outside the stable caught his eye.
More like a someone. A little someone, probably five or six, by the way she held her teddy bear with tears running down her face. Was she looking for Sabrina? His heart went out to the little girl, those pink cheeks tugging at his heartstrings even though he’d never set eyes on her before. A few feet away from the stable, she stopped on the gravel path and sniffled. Her eyeglasses fell to the ground. She bent over for them and released her grip on her teddy.
Out of nowhere, a UTV barreled toward her. Horror gripped his chest when he noticed the driver was talking to the passenger and probably couldn’t see the child. There was only one thing to do and no time to waste.
He sprinted away from the stable and scooped the girl up under his arm. Rolling, he landed on the other side of the path, the UTV missing them by mere inches. Shouts from the vehicle reached him while it parked on the nearby grass. Pain jolted through his shoulder, but the little girl was fine. That was what counted.
At least he thought she was until she burst out crying and wailing at the top of her lungs.
It seemed as though this wasn’t his lucky day after all.
IN THE SMALL office next to the tack room, Elizabeth Irwin studied the blueprints for the row of four modern, updated bunkhouses she wanted to build behind the stable. Anything to keep busy and away from the bustle of her father’s wedding.
The current bunkhouse needed too much work with the upgrades costing more than new construction. Ten minutes ago, the architect had finally sent her the plans, and she opened each rendering on her tablet. The elevation view gave her a better sense of what they’d look like from the side and back. Constructing these would allow the Double I Ranch to retain long-term employees who wanted to live on site and hire more temporary workers for seasonal work. Female cowhands could have their own facility, and there’d also be ways to accommodate families. The best place for these bunkhouses was her father’s favorite riding trail, and he always shut down any discussion of more utilitarian uses for the land. Sometime before the wedding, Elizabeth needed to find a minute alone with her father so she could convince him to approve the architect plans for the bunkhouses.
The Double I was the best ranch around, and these improvements would only make it that much better. While she loved every day riding herd with Andromeda and overseeing the stable, her favorite time of year was upon them, only days away from one of the three annual roundups when she and the cowhands moved the cattle to the autumn field. Preparations for that gave her a reason to hide out here in her stable office, far from the rest of her family.
A commotion arose outside the stable, and the horses whinnied their discontent at the sudden uproar. Elizabeth was unsure of whether to calm them or check on the cause, and it wasn’t often she was unsure of anything.
After jamming on her red cowboy hat, she passed the stalls, taking care to keep a calm presence for the horses’ benefit. There hadn’t been this kind of noisy disruption since that camera crew finished filming the commercial ad last Christmas. She found her beloved Appaloosa, Andromeda, and murmured some sweet words until her mare’s agitation settled. Then she quickened her pace and found bedlam outside. Her good friend and future stepsister, Sabrina, was on her knees next to Elizabeth’s niece, Audrey, who was practically inconsolable. Two of the newest ranch workers were arguing with each other next to a parked UTV, and a man she didn’t know sat on the ground, rubbing his left shoulder.
She hurried over and kneeled beside Audrey, brushing her niece’s long auburn hair, which matched her own, away from her face. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”
Audrey sniffled and bit her lip. “Aunt Elizabeth, I want to go home.” She threw her arms around Elizabeth, her tears wet and warm against the thin fabric of her tank top under her unbuttoned plaid flannel shirt. “My glasses are dirty, my knee is scraped and Zack says I’m gonna mess up the wedding.”
Her chest tightened at her nephew Zack’s comment to his younger sister. That sounded like something her brothers would have said to her twenty-five years ago when she was six, the same as Audrey now, although thankfully they’d grown up since then. If anything, she didn’t see them enough with Audrey’s father, Jeff, working as an attorney in Boston, and Ben stationed in Germany with his United States Air Force unit. Jeff was already here for the wedding, and Ben would arrive late tomorrow night. Elizabeth squeezed her niece tight before reaching for the bandanna she always kept in her rear pocket.
She located Audrey’s purple frames on the lush green grass and wiped the dirt from them. With care, she placed them back on the bridge of Audrey’s nose. “One problem solved.”
Then she removed her hat and plopped it on her niece’s head. Way too big. Those sniffles turned to giggles, followed by a lone hiccup, since it covered her forehead and most of the frames.
“I like you.” Audrey grinned.
Something stirred within Elizabeth, and she wanted to protect her niece, but first she intended to get to the bottom of what had just transpired. “What happened?”
Before Audrey could answer, her father marched over with Evie MacGrath keeping pace beside him. America’s favorite bluegrass singer was a perfect match for her father. In sync with their steps, the two also meshed in other ways. They both strived to be the best in their chosen professions while emphasizing their relationships with their adult children. More than anything, though, Evie made Dad happy with her vibrant personality and positivity. He beamed whenever she was around, and they interacted like they’d known each other for decades rather than mere months.
Evie reached Audrey first, and her niece left Elizabeth’s side for the older woman who was set to become her grandmother and the new Mrs. Irwin on Saturday, a mere two days away.
“Audrey, sweetheart. Are you okay?” Evie asked.
A second hiccup was Audrey’s answer, and Dad pulled the workers aside, the intensity in his dark eyes reflecting his feelings about the matter. The fact that their conversation was too muted for Elizabeth to hear only confirmed how upset her father was. He was using his quiet voice of steel that cut to a person’s core. She was watching the workers departing, heads down and shame-faced, when she spotted someone hiding behind an aspen in the distance. She stood and crooked her finger. “Zack, please come here.”
Now Elizabeth would get some answers. Her eight-year-old nephew merely gulped and hung his head, but did as ordered. Sweat dripped off his forehead, probably due to the sweltering August day as much as his nerves. He lifted his head in time to catch the tail end of one of his grandfather’s patented Irwin glares. “Sorry, Audrey.” Zack kicked at the dirt with his new boots. “You’re not gonna ruin the wedding.”
“Zachary Gordon Irwin, we’re going to find your father and have a talk about being a gentleman,” Gordon said. “I had several such discussions with your father and your uncle. Somewhere along the line, they received the message.”
With a nod in Evie’s direction, he reached for his grandson’s hand and headed toward the main house.
So much for finding some time to talk to her father this afternoon. The down payment for those new bunkhouses was coming due soon if they were going to get a head start before winter. She’d have to get his approval some time before he left on his and Evie’s honeymoon.
Evie oohed when she saw Audrey’s knee. “Shall we get that cleaned up?” She scooped up the little girl with the same care and loving tenderness as she did whenever she reached for her beloved guitar. “A couple of my crew members like colorful bandages, so I have extra.”
“I need Teddy.” Elizabeth handed her niece her special bear.
Evie smiled as Audrey cleaned the dirt off her bear. “And if your teddy has a boo-boo, too, we’ll kiss his knee and make it better,” Evie said.
In no time, the crowd thinned to only her, Sabrina and the man sitting on the grass observing everyone, and everything, like a hawk. Unlike those birds of prey, however, the man seemed as though he didn’t have a care in the world, but was just watching the world go by.
Sabrina walked over to the man and offered him her arm, making Elizabeth feel rather guilty for not thinking of that sooner. “And that, Lucky, is my mother and future stepfather.” She helped him rise and glanced at the main house before tugging on her long brown braid. “Would you mind if I check on Genie and Ty while you talk to Elizabeth about Butterscotch? Something must have happened for Ty to lose track of Audrey and Zack like that.”
Without waiting for a response, Sabrina trailed in Evie’s footsteps, calling for them to wait for her. That left Elizabeth alone with someone named Lucky. He dusted the grass and dirt off his T-shirt, the color of which matched the electric blue of his eyes. Wincing, he stretched his shoulder, bringing attention to the muscles under the shirt. Then he noticed her and grinned. “You must be Sabrina’s friend Elizabeth. It’s supposed to be my lucky day meeting you.”
“Lucky day? Hardly.” Even if he had a grin that would melt ice cream. Elizabeth bristled at Sabrina matchmaking before Evie and Dad’s wedding. She’d have a little talk with her friend, and ask her to cease and desist any further efforts to pair Elizabeth with anyone. Just because Sabrina found her true love with Ty Darling didn’t mean everyone wanted a relationship. The ranch was enough for her. That, and getting her father to accept her contributions to the family’s legacy. All she wanted was a chance to prove to him she could run the ranch.
Then she saw a flicker of pain cross Lucky’s face. He wasn’t good at hiding secrets, if that look was any indication. “Now that everyone has scattered, can you fill me in on what I missed?”
“Uh, um, the important thing is that little girl is okay...” Lucky averted his gaze and searched the ground until he picked up a battered brown cowboy hat, grimacing as he raised his shoulder. “Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. Couldn’t happen to a nicer family.”
Taken aback at his sentiment, she concentrated on how he was flexing his biceps. Something had happened to this man on her land, and she’d find out what and fix whatever was wrong. “What happened to your shoulder?”
“Must have landed on it funny.” So he knew more about the incident than he was letting on. She bristled at the fact some outsider had inside knowledge about her ranch that she didn’t. He covered his longish, dirty blond hair with his hat. “I’ll be on my way so your family can enjoy the festivities.”
“I’ll enjoy them better once you get that shoulder examined. I won’t take no for an answer.” With a glance toward the stable, she saw one of the grooms bringing out Margarita, her father’s favorite mare, for exercise. She needed to deliver some instructions before she accompanied Lucky to urgent care. “Wait here.”
In no time, she was back, but Lucky wasn’t where she’d left him. She searched the area and came up empty. Where’d he go? He’d injured himself on her ranch and, although she still wasn’t clear on the sequence of events, that made him her responsibility.
She passed the field where the wedding would occur in two days. The wildflowers were in full bloom, providing the perfect backdrop for the ceremony, along with the most spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains anywhere. Tomorrow, the arch would be constructed and the chairs assembled for the guests, one hundred of the bride and groom’s closest friends and family. As of now, the weather promised a Saturday of sunshine, so the event should be the special day her father deserved.
Glancing this way and that, she found no sign of Lucky and headed to the guesthouse, where Sabrina and her husband were staying. In the driveway sat a behemoth of a horse trailer, and Elizabeth found Lucky at the rear of the vehicle. She stopped at the sight of a gorgeous American quarter horse, and her estimation of the man before her rose considerably. “Beautiful horse. Does she follow instructions better than her owner?”
“His owner. His name’s Butterscotch,” Lucky corrected her and patted the horse before pulling the door closed. “Thank you for the offer about my shoulder, but I’m due in Pueblo later today.”
He retrieved the keys and winced, rubbing that same left shoulder. “You should reconsider. It won’t take long to have someone examine you, and it would set my mind at ease.”
“This here’s nothing. I’ve hurt myself worse at the rodeo,” Lucky insisted and headed toward the driver’s door.
By his own admission, he was well enough to leave. That ought to be enough to satisfy her, but she was convinced he was underplaying the injury for some unknown reason. This close to the wedding, however, she wouldn’t press him. “Then have a good day.”
Unsure of why he caused such a powerful reaction in her, Elizabeth headed to the stable with a firm intent on checking on Andromeda and the other nine horses, all of whom didn’t care for sudden, loud noises. She didn’t have time to dwell on cowboys who refused a little attention, not with her ranch chores calling her name, followed by a final fitting for her bridesmaid dress before dinner.
She halted in her boots when she heard her name. Turning, she faced Lucky heading her way. “I changed my mind. Could you keep an eye on Butterscotch while I find the closest urgent-care clinic?”
His earnest face held her gaze. He placed the needs of his horse above his welfare, and that was an admirable trait. Good thing he had plans to compete in this weekend’s rodeo. Someone with those eyes and a love of horses could disrupt her schedule in a hurry if she wanted that kind of disturbance. Which she didn’t. The best way of ensuring Lucky’s quick departure from her life was to get him cleared for the rodeo so he could move on before nightfall.
“Better yet, I’ll unload him and get him settled in the stable. Then I’ll take you myself.”
