Cowboy for Keeps

“Apartment?” Marina looked perplexed. “What happened to his house?”

“He still owns it. From what Sage Powell told me, he’s renting it out to cover the mortgage payment, except the monthly rent isn’t enough, and he has to make up the difference.”

“That’s terrible. It’s such a beautiful house.”

Dallas remembered visiting it. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, game room, three-car garage, a pool and a beautifully landscaped backyard. Living in the apartment must be a huge adjustment for Conner.

“He’ll move back into the house as soon as he finds a new job.”

“Positions like the one he had are few and far between,” Hank said. “And the competition is ruthless these days.”

Inspiration sprang suddenly to Dallas’s mind. “Maybe one of your clients has a job opening.”

“Possibly. Let me make some calls on Monday.”

“That’s really nice of you.”

“When are you seeing him next?”

“Tomorrow. We’re taking a trip into the mountains to view some of Prince’s old stomping grounds.”

“Honey, is that wise?”

“Don’t worry, Mom. We’re taking the wagon, which is much safer than riding horses. I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know....”

“Trust me. Conner has seen to every precaution.”

Marina marginally relaxed. “There’s a reason I always liked him. Be sure and tell him I said hello. And call me the second you come down off the mountain. I’ll worry.”

Dallas smiled. “I love you, too.”

She was convinced the trip would be uneventful, other than her getting a lot of shots for the book.

Dinner progressed comfortably and was soon over. “Let me help you clean the kitchen, Mom. I can’t stay long. I have an early morning.”

“You sound excited.”

“I am. Great weather, fantastic scenery, fresh air. It’ll be fun.”

“Having Conner for company all day will be fun, too.” Her mother winked, another nonverbal communication that Dallas pretended to miss.

She didn’t like admitting she’d been entertaining the exact same thought.

Chapter Three

“Easy does it, girls.” Conner walked behind the pair of fully harnessed draft horses, the long reins gripped firmly in his hands. Because the team was well broke and used to being hitched to a wagon, he was able to accomplish alone what might normally require two men. “Come on,” he coaxed. “Almost there.”

Molly, the older of the pair, eased into position on the left side of the wagon tongue. Her partner, Dolly, suddenly started veering the wrong way.

“Haw, haw,” Conner hollered, using the command to go left.

Dolly obeyed and promptly changed direction, the chains on her harness rattling like the ghost of Christmas past’s.

Molly watched, head bobbing and tail swishing. When both horses were lined up, Conner called out, “Whoa,” and let up on the reins.

“Need a hand?”

He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Gavin’s approach. “You can help me hitch them to the wagon.”

While Conner attached the neck yoke to the collars, Gavin hooked the trace chains to the doubletree.

“You seen Ethan this morning?”

“Earlier,” Conner answered. “He called to say he was heading over to the rodeo arena. Clay’s new bull is arriving.”

Like Conner, Gavin’s younger brother worked for their friend Clay. And like Gavin, Ethan had recently added to his family, when his wife, Caitlin, gave birth to a baby girl.

Conner thought about Dallas being pregnant. Just about all of his married friends seemed to be having babies lately.

Except Dallas wasn’t married to Richard, and he and Conner were no longer friends.

Checking the britchens and back straps one last time, he tied the mares to the hitching post. Eager to get started, Dolly pawed the ground with her heavy hoof.

Gavin came around the wagon to Conner’s side, stopping briefly to unlatch and lower the tailgate. “Maybe you should wait for Ethan to get back before you and Dallas leave.”

“What for?”

“He’s the expert and could go with you in case there’s a problem.”

“I know enough about wagons and driving a team to manage.”

“Just a suggestion.” Gavin shrugged. “Or I can take her.”

“I’m taking Dallas.” Conner dropped the ice chest he’d packed into the wagon bed, shoving it beneath the seat. “My job, as I recall.”

“No need to get riled.”

“I’m not.” He tossed the rain ponchos and rope behind the ice chest.

“You’re throwing things around for the heck of it?”

Okay, so maybe he was a little riled at the prospect of Ethan or Gavin replacing him.

“Ask her out,” Gavin said.

That halted Conner in his tracks. “On a date?”

“Yeah, on a date.”

“You can’t be serious.”

Together Conner and Gavin loaded several bales of hay into the rear of the wagon. The extra weight would provide needed balance on the steep hills.

“Why not? You’re both single. You like each other. If you hadn’t let her slip through your fingers when you did, you two might still be together.”

Would they? It was possible. Conner did like her. More than he should. As good of pals as he and Richard were, he’d always been a little jealous of his friend and mad at himself for letting Richard steal her.

“No.” Conner all but barked out the word and wiped his damp brow with the sleeve of his jacket. “Not happening.”

“Because she’s pregnant?” Dallas had told Gavin about her condition and, after checking with his wife and sister-in-law, he’d reluctantly agreed to let her go on the ride into the mountains.

“I don’t care that she’s pregnant.”

“Didn’t think so, because your old girlfriend had a little girl and that didn’t bother you.”

It hadn’t bothered Conner. He’d gotten along well with the child and missed her. More than he did her mother, who’d dumped him when his severance pay ran out and he could no longer afford her expensive tastes.

“Be a big step, getting involved with a woman carrying another man’s baby.” Gavin’s voice was absent of judgment.

Conner paused and rested his arm on the side of the wagon. “It’s not her pregnancy stopping me.”

“Her ex-fiancé? Kind of awkward with him still in the picture.”

“No fooling.”

Gavin scratched behind his ear. “I’d be wondering if she was comparing me to him.”

Conner’s stomach clenched. He hadn’t considered that unpleasant possibility.

“’Course, there would be a certain satisfaction in dating her. Paybacks are hell.”

Conner rarely got mad, but his temper abruptly flared. “If I was to ever go out with Dallas, and I’m not, it wouldn’t be to get back at Richard. She’s too good for that.”

Gavin chuckled and retreated a step. “Hey, relax. I wasn’t serious.”

Conner reached for the canvas satchel containing the snacks he’d packed, shoving it next to the ice chest.

Gavin watched him closely. “What’s the real reason you won’t ask her out?”

“Richard being her baby’s father isn’t enough of one?”

“I know you, buddy, and you’ve got a hankering for Dallas. Did from the first time you laid eyes on her.”

Conner wished his friend was less astute.

He had always been drawn to her. She was pretty and genuinely nice, with a heart of gold. Her small, curvy body enticed him more than his model-thin ex-girlfriend’s ever did.

What really appealed to him, however, was her gumption. Her adventurous nature and love of life. Her many passions and her dedication to them. The fearless way she pursued her ambitions.

Conner had been the same once. Passionate and fearless, with an endless supply of gumption.

Then he’d lost his job and a large chunk of his self-esteem in the face of countless thanks-but-no-thankses.

“Richard was a fool to let her go.”

“Here’s your chance, buddy,” Gavin continued. “You don’t ask her out, I guarantee you someone else will, pregnant or not.”

“I’m not asking her out,” Conner repeated.

“She doesn’t care that you aren’t bringing home six figures a year.”

He jerked at the reminder of his former circumstances. “I care.”

“Money’s not important to her.”

“Easy to say.” Conner’s ex-girlfriend used to profess a similar sentiment. Funny how people change.

A horn beeped, causing both men to turn. Dallas waved from her Prius, then headed behind the barn, where the parking area was located.

“You’re wrong.” Conner returned to loading the wagon. “A husband who can provide for her and her child is what’s important to her.”

“She tell you that?” Gavin asked.

“It’s what she deserves.” And what, at the moment, Conner couldn’t give her.

“She’s planning on raising her child alone. If money was important to her, she’d have stayed with Richard.”

“He’s paying child support, or will. On his salary, it ought to be plenty generous.”

“Ah,” Gavin said knowingly.

“What does that mean?”

“If your ego was any bigger, it’d swallow you whole.”

Conner glanced at Dallas, who was quickly approaching and almost within earshot. “This has nothing to do with my ego.”

“Right.” Gavin let loose another chuckle.

Connor cursed under his breath. Once again, his friend’s insightfulness was right on the mark.

* * *

THEY ENTERED the mountains at one of the trailheads behind Powell Ranch. For the first twenty minutes, Dallas could hardly sit still. Head swiveling, she took in the view from her elevated vantage point on the wagon seat.

“Nice.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.”

They reached the first hill and began their ascent. Conner clucked to the horses, which leaned into the harness as they pulled their heavy load.

Dallas swallowed. “This is steeper than I thought it would be.”

“You want to turn back?”

She dug her fingers into the seat. “Absolutely not!”

The trail, barely wide enough to accommodate the wagon, curved sharply. Conner guided the team of horses, talking to them in a calming tone.

Dallas told herself he’d promised they’d take the easy routes, and she trusted him.

That was until she looked down.

No one had warned her how different riding in a wagon was from sitting astride a horse. How much higher it was.

Large boulders flanked the trail, close enough to clip a wheel. If that happened, they’d careen over the edge. And what an edge it was. On the other side of the boulders, the ground gave way, ending far below in an overgrown gully.

Perhaps she should have given more consideration to this day trip.

“Pretty, huh?” Conner asked.

“Very.” When she didn’t look down.

“You’ll appreciate the view even more when we get to the top.”

“How, um, reliable is this brake?” She ran her hand over the smooth handle, finding comfort in its nearness.

Conner’s hardy chuckle allayed some of Dallas’s worries

“You don’t have anything to worry about. Once we crest the top, it’s all downhill from there.”

“Until the next one.”

“True. But the second half of the trip is mostly flat,” he added.

She let out a sigh of relief.

“And here I always figured you for having nerves of steel.”

“I do have nerves of steel.” She lifted her chin. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here. I’m just more comfortable when I’m in the driver’s seat.”

“You want to take over for a while?” He started to pass her the reins.

She shook her head. “You’re doing great.”

“Seriously, if you want to try driving awhile, you can. When we reach flat ground and the girls are tired out. Less chance of a runaway then.”

Her fingers clenched the wagon seat tighter. “What exactly are our chances of a runaway?”

“Almost none.” He turned to face her. “Do you think Gavin and Ethan would have given all those people rides around the park during the Holly Daze Festival last Christmas if they thought for one second they’d have a runaway?”

“I guess not.”

Conner stared at her. At her mouth. Then his gaze traveled to her eyes, where it stayed...and stayed. “I wouldn’t do anything to put you in danger.”

She melted, inside and out, and let go of the wagon seat.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asked.

“No.” She could, she thought, go anywhere with him. “What was it like?” she asked after a moment. “Capturing Prince.”

“Not easy, I can tell you that. He’s a wily one and gave us a run for our money. Took six of us to herd him into a corner and get a rope around his neck.”

“What did you think when you first saw him?”

“That I’d met my match. I’d never worked with a wild horse before, much less rounded one up and brought him in.”

“And now you work with wild horses every day.” Too late, Dallas realized her slip. He hadn’t worked with horses every day, wild or otherwise, until he’d lost his job. Before then, it had been restricted to weekends.

If her remark bothered him, he hid it well. “Only until they’re trained. Which doesn’t usually take long.”

“You are good at it. You could train horses for a living if you wanted.” Shoot, another stupid slip. Would she ever learn? “Not that you aren’t a great systems analyst.”

Ugh! That sounded worse.

“Ethan’s the resident horse trainer on Powell Ranch. I wouldn’t want to take his job away from him.”

Like Richard had taken Conner’s job.

“I, um, was just—”

“It’s okay, Dallas. You don’t have to walk on eggshells. I got laid off. Now I’m training horses and leading trail rides, and glad to have a job. Plenty of the people I worked with at Triad Energy still don’t.”

“Something’s going to break for you soon. I have faith.”

“Glad one of us does.”

“It’s all about networking,” she said enthusiastically.

“So I’ve heard.” His grin strived for teasing—and fell short.

Had she overstepped?

Dallas kept quiet rather than commit another blunder.

Conner broke the silence first. “Do you mind if I ask a personal question? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Why did you break up with Richard?”

She took a moment to collect her thoughts. “Technically, it was mutual.”

“It still must have hurt.”

“Not really. Which says a lot. I took it in stride. Sure, I was a little lost at first. But by the end of the following week, I was ready to move on. Which says even more.”

“What happened? Between you.”

“Nothing happened, which was the problem. Whatever we had, it wasn’t head-over-heels, can’t-live-without-you love.”

“When did you find out you were pregnant?”

“A week later.”

Conner nodded, watched the trail ahead as it grew steeper and steeper.

Her curiosity got the best of her. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t change your mind and decide to get married, after all. Richard has his faults, but he’s a responsible guy.”

“If you must know, he did ask me.”

“Hmm.”

“I said no. Nothing’s changed.”

“Except you’re having his baby.”

“Which hasn’t affected my feelings for him. I care for him, I really do. And I imagine I always will. But not enough to marry him.”

“You could do worse.”

Dallas stiffened. Now Conner sounded like Hank.

“My mother spent five years married to a man she didn’t love. He wound up walking out on her and my brother and me. It sucked, and it’s the last thing I’d want for my child. Given a choice, I’d rather call off the wedding than go through with it, only to wind up divorced a few years later.”

“Sounds like you’re justifying the breakup.”

She scowled at him. “I am not.”

“A father has a duty to fulfill.”

“My father? Or are you referring to Richard? Forget it,” she said, before Conner could answer. “Richard will do his duty. We just won’t be married.”

“I admire you. It’s a big risk you’re taking. Most women would be scared.”

“I’m scared, all right. Petrified. But I have the support of my family and friends. And my work. Photography is something I can continue while I’m pregnant, and after the baby’s born.”

He made a face.

“What?” she demanded.

“You’d bring a baby along on a wagon ride?”

“Not all my shoots are in the mountains.”

“Or from three thousand feet up?”

He’d remembered the photos she took last year that now appeared in a calendar. “Guess I won’t be hot-air ballooning for a while, either.”

He was right. Her entire life would soon be completely different.

Was she making the right decisions for everyone concerned? Most important, her baby?

She and Conner reached the top of the hill. He drew the horses to a stop so they could rest.

Dallas had lived in the Scottsdale area her entire life and considered herself familiar with the landscape, having photographed it countless times. Even so, the view sent a rush of awe coursing through her.

“Cool, huh?” Conner grinned as if he’d discovered this view himself.

“Way cool.” Without thinking, she bent and reached for her camera bag on the floorboard beneath their feet. The strap evaded her grasp, and she had to abandon her efforts. “Is it possible for us to get out? I’d love some shots.”

“No problem. The girls could use a rest.”

He reached around her and set the brake. Gripping her hand, he steadied her as she climbed down the side of the wagon. Only when she was safely afoot did he wrap the reins around the handle and descend. Dolly and Molly didn’t budge, except to give each other a disinterested sniff.

While Dallas clicked away, Conner waited beside the horses, gripping Molly’s bridle.

“You were right. The view is amazing.” Dallas was already mentally composing the list of contacts she’d send the photos to in the hopes of making a sale.

Conner materialized beside her. “Watch you don’t get too close to the edge.” He took her elbow, drew her back a step.

A step that brought her up close and personal with him.

Tall. Broad. Strong. Masculine. The words blinked in her mind like a flashing neon sign. Conner was all those things and more.

“I’ll be careful,” she assured him. Careful to keep a watch on her heart. He could easily steal it.

She returned to the wagon bed and reached in the ice chest for a bottle of water. What she really needed was space. No reason to put ideas in either of their heads.

Dallas might be over Richard, but she was still vulnerable. She didn’t need a man messing with her priorities. Derailing her plans.

She’d seen the results of that firsthand with her mother.

Moving to a different spot, she continued snapping pictures. The mountains, harsh and primitive, erupted from the earth like an offering to the heavens. At their base, the city, with all its modern wonders, spread out in every direction, devouring the landscape.

These were the kind of photographs Dallas sought, the ones that told a story.

Conner appeared in her viewfinder, unaware that the camera had found him. He stood staring at the city. Behind him, a rocky brown ridge rose like a wall. Cacti and shrubs grew out of it, clinging to existence against impossible odds.

Molly, her head beside Conner’s, also stared at the city, with a look of ancient wisdom in her eyes.

It was as if the past and present were colliding right there in front of Dallas.

Talk about a story.

Chills ran up her arms as she snapped a quick shot. Then a half dozen more. Instinct told her these would be her best pictures of the day.

“You done?” Conner asked.

“I am.” God, she loved her work.

The drive to the box canyon took another hour and a half, during which Dallas and Conner chatted amiably.

In the canyon, he tethered the horses to a tree and then fetched water for them from a natural spring. They drank lustily, emptying one bucketful after another.

Dallas unloaded the ice chest, adding the trail mix and protein bars she’d brought to Conner’s canned tuna fish, crackers and apples. It was, in her opinion, a perfect lunch.

Afterward, they walked the length of the box canyon. He watched over her as she got all the pictures she needed and then some. Several shots included him, but none were as compelling as the ones from the top of that first hill.

When they finally pulled out, about two o’clock, Dallas’s eyelids were drooping. Sleeping was impossible with the wagon bumping noisily along the narrow trail.

“Thanks again for taking me today,” she said.

“My pleasure.”

Hers, too.

“Can you imagine what it must have been like, crossing the country in a wagon? How incredibly tough those people were to have endured the hardships they did.”

Her comment sparked a lively discussion about pioneers heading west, which eventually segued into one about the history of Mustang Valley. Before Dallas knew it, they were ascending the first of the large hills.

She scanned the horizon, always on the lookout for more photo ops. All at once, a metallic twang sounded, like a coiled spring being released.

Conner glanced down and swore, then yanked on the reins. “Whoa, girls.” To Dallas, he said, “Pull the brake.”

“What’s wrong?” She responded to the urgency in his voice, her fingers grabbing for the brake handle as a spear of alarm sliced through her.

Chapter Four

Once the draft horses were at a standstill, Conner peered over the side of the wagon and assessed the damage. He didn’t like what he saw.

In a matter of seconds, the entire flat iron tire had separated, remaining attached to the wheel by a single bolt.

“Conner?” The concern in Dallas’s voice reminded him that he hadn’t answered her question.

“We’ve damaged a wheel.” He reached behind her and checked the brake, making sure it was set firmly. Handing her the reins, he started to climb down. “Stay put.”

“Wait!” She perched on the edge of the seat. “What if the horses bolt? I’m not sure I can hold them back.”

“They won’t bolt.” He threaded the reins through her fingers. “Just keep a steady hold on these.”

Dolly and Molly waited patiently, though holding the heavy wagon on an uphill grade couldn’t be easy.

“You sure?”

“I need you to stay calm.” He reached up and rested a hand on her shin. “The only reason these horses would run off is to get away from your squealing.”

“I’m not squealing,” she insisted, doing precisely that.

“Right.” Conner hid a grin as he squatted beside the wagon to examine the damaged wheel.

“How bad is it?”

“The tire came off.”

“I thought wagons had wheels.”

He touched the dangling band of metal. “This is called a flat iron tire. It protects the wood.”

She scooted to the edge of the seat and angled her head for a better look. “Can you just take it off?”

“I could try, but we wouldn’t get far before damaging the wheel beyond repair. Then we’d really be stuck, and Gavin would have to come after us with a truck and trailer.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Call for backup.” He removed his phone from his belt and checked the reception, which could be hit-or-miss in the mountains. “Have Gavin bring us a drill and spare bolts so we can repair the tire enough to make it home.”

When he powered up his phone, the screen flashed No Service. “Dammit,” he muttered. Served him right for changing to a cheaper carrier. “Where’s your phone?”

Dallas looked stricken. “In my purse. Locked in my car. I didn’t think it would work up here, so I didn’t bother bringing it.”

He scanned the area, debated his options. “I’ll walk up the hill. Should have better reception up there. But first...”

Seeing what he needed, he set out on foot.

“Where are you going?” Dallas stared over her shoulder at him, her grip on the reins viselike.

“Not far.” Collecting two large rocks, he wedged them tightly behind the rear wagon wheels. He quickly located two more rocks and did the same with the front wheels. The extra precaution should prevent the wagon from rolling backward until they were rescued.