The Cowboy's Homecoming

Lacey picked up the box again and handed it to Kailey.

Kailey opened the lid and found a gorgeous pair of cowboy boots nestled inside, with matching blue accents inlaid on the boot shaft.

“Wow. Just...wow.”

“I figured you might not wear the dress again, but you might find some use for these.”

Kailey took the first one out of the box and slid it on. It was a perfect fit. “There is nothing more comfortable than a good pair of boots,” she decreed, looking up at Lacey and smiling.

“I’m going to be wearing a pair, too,” Lacey replied. “Under my dress.”

Kailey had seen Lacey’s dress. It was sweet, in a similar style to Kailey’s only long and white and with frothy light material on the overskirt. Simple and very, very sweet—just like the bride. “The boots can be your something blue,” Kailey suggested, and Lacey grinned.

“I might have thought of that.” She looked at Kailey. “So what do you think? Alterations? Or is it fine as is?”

It fit perfectly. “I think we can take this home today, don’t you?”

Lacey nodded. “I can’t believe it’s only a few weeks away. Sometimes it feels like it’s all happened so fast, and other times it seems to be taking so long!”

Kailey smiled in return, though it felt forced. She kind of understood what Lacey meant but in the totally opposite way. Valentine’s Day seemed like ages ago, yet the time from then to now had gone so fast. Quinn and Lacey had been busy falling in love and she’d...

She’d been busy, all right. Thinking she’d seen something in Rylan Duggan that didn’t exist. Thinking he was...different.

“I should change,” she suggested, annoyed that she’d allowed Rylan to sneak into her thoughts. “We still have errands to run, right?”

With two and a half weeks until the big day, Kailey was spending more time than usual away from the ranch, fulfilling her maid of honor duties. Not that she minded, but it was a busy time of year. They’d be making the first cut of hay soon, not to mention rodeo season picking up. She didn’t often travel with the stock, but she had the final say on which animals traveled and she was in charge of making the arrangements.

“Right,” Lacey replied, taking the boots from Kailey as she reluctantly removed them. “K, you’re going to knock Rylan’s socks off in that dress.”

Kailey scowled. “That is so not the objective.”

“Oh, of course not.” Lacey’s face looked a little too innocent to be believed. “But you have to admit it’s a nice little side benefit.”

“Whose side are you on, anyway?” Kailey turned her back so Lacey could undo the hook and eye at the top of the zipper.

“Hey, I love my brother. Don’t get me wrong.” Lacey’s fingers were cool against Kailey’s skin as she undid the clasp. “But that doesn’t mean I agree with everything he does. Like hurt my new best friend.”

Kailey swallowed thickly. She loved it in Gibson, had lived here all her life. And she and Carrie had been good friends for years. But she had to admit, that with the exception of Rylan, she was very, very glad that the Duggan siblings had come to live at Crooked Valley. Duke and Lacey’s friendship had become really important to her.

“That’s sweet,” she said, trying to make her voice sound breezy. “But you don’t have to worry about me. That’s water under the bridge.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Ouch. Not that she mistook Lacey’s meaning. Clearly the family was aware of what had happened on Valentine’s Day. And she knew that all Lacey meant was that she was glad Kailey had moved on. But it stung a little, too, that Lacey was glad there was nothing between them. It felt as if the Duggans wouldn’t support her having a relationship with Rylan... After all, blood was thicker than water. Maybe they thought she wasn’t good enough for their little brother.

She locked herself in the changing room and frowned. What the heck was wrong with her, thinking like that? She didn’t want a relationship with Rylan, for Pete’s sake! What she wanted was for him to satisfy his inheritance requirement and then just leave again.

And good enough? She pulled on her jeans and zipped them, her movements quick and efficient. Jeez, she let one guy catalogue all her faults as a girlfriend and suddenly she doubted herself. Honestly, there were days she wished she’d never met Colt Black and his charming face. Or Rylan and his charming face, too. Boy, she was a sucker for the lookers, wasn’t she?

But today that didn’t matter. Today was about Lacey’s wedding, so after she put the dress in the garment bag and paid the balance at the counter, she and Lacey started back to Gibson for lunch. This afternoon they had appointments to put in the final order for the cake and flowers. Lacey was the perfect blushing bride-to-be, radiant and happy during the preparations. There hadn’t been a single bridezilla moment, and for that Kailey was eternally grateful.

The Horseshoe Diner was doing a bustling business over the lunch hour, and Kailey and Lacey found themselves at a table near the back, close to where the ancient jukebox sat. Lacey, being ever conscious of fitting into her wedding dress, ordered a salad with dressing on the side. Kailey didn’t worry so much about what she ate, considering the physical labor she did each day. She ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and hot peppers and then, at Lacey’s horrified expression, asked for a side salad instead of fries.

She would not look at her watch and worry about chores. She deserved a day off. This was Lacey’s wedding after all. Things could run without her for a few hours.

Their food came as they were discussing the merits of having both a white and chocolate layer in the wedding cake. Kailey was just considering the best way to pick up her cheeseburger when the front door swung open and Rylan and Quinn strode through.

Lacey had her back to the door, so it was Kailey who saw them first, and her heart sank as she watched Quinn scan the room for an empty table. There weren’t any that Kailey could see, and she looked down, hoping the pair wouldn’t see them sitting there. Not that she’d mind Quinn, but Rylan? No thanks.

No such luck. A quick glance showed her that they were on their way over, Quinn leading the way with a big smile. Of course he was smiling. Lacey was there. Rylan didn’t look quite as pleased. Apparently he wasn’t looking forward to seeing her any more than she was looking forward to seeing him.

“Is there room for two more here?” Quinn asked, and Lacey’s head snapped up in surprise, her face flushing with pleasure.

“Of course there is!” She patted the chair next to her. “Our food just arrived. I’m sure yours won’t take long.”

Quinn gave her a quick kiss and sat while Rylan stood by Lacey’s chair. “May I?” he asked quietly, politely. Unenthusiastically.

“Be my guest,” she answered coolly, wishing now that she’d gotten the fries. And a big soda. And a hot fudge sundae to bury her head in.

“Thanks,” he murmured and took the seat beside her.

He and Quinn ordered and Kailey noticed that Lacey wasn’t eating, instead saving her salad for when everyone had their food. She looked longingly at her burger, still hot from the grill, the scent of the beef so delectable her stomach growled in anticipation. With a little chuckle, Rylan leaned over. “Eat it. It won’t be as good cold.”

“That would be rude,” she replied, trying to ignore the delicious shiver that skittered down her spine at the quiet words uttered so closely to her ear.

“Not if we say it’s not.” He sat back, picked up his glass of water and took a sip. “Seriously. Eat. Don’t let us interrupt your lunch.”

She still felt awkward, but she picked up the burger—she needed both hands—and took a first delicious bite. Closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the explosion of flavor happening inside her mouth.

When she opened her eyes again, Rylan was watching her, a look of fascination on his face, and something more, too. Hunger. For her? Or for her lunch? She grabbed her paper napkin and scrubbed it across her lips, looking away from him.

“It’s that good, is it?” he asked, the note of teasing slightly strained.

“Always,” she replied, taking a drink of water. “I’m afraid I’m not one of those fancy dish people with the fresh this and that, and herb and goat stuff and whatever. A good beef burger with bacon and cheese and some jalapenos and I’m a happy girl.”

“Not champagne tastes then.”

She met his eyes evenly. “Not really. My tastes tend to be rather...ordinary.”

She could see in his eyes when he got her meaning, and she felt a little bit small for implanting the barb in such an innocuous way.

She hid by taking another bite of her burger while Quinn and Lacey chatted about wedding stuff.

Moments later Quinn’s and Rylan’s meals arrived, and she watched with envy as Rylan picked up a crispy fry and dipped it in a little dish of ketchup. He’d ordered a club sandwich, and didn’t waste any time helping himself. Likewise, Quinn picked up his pulled-pork bun and took a hearty bite. Out of sorts, Kailey wondered why men could order such meals and it was all manly and if a woman did the same thing, she got sideways looks. It was a stupid double standard. Especially considering what her daily calorie burn tended to be. Scowling, she took another huge bite of her burger.

“You should see Kailey’s dress.” Lacey’s sweet voice interrupted the meal, and Kailey nearly dropped the half of the burger she had left in her hands while she chewed what had ended up being too big a bite. “She looks beautiful. The color is just perfect.”

Kailey struggled to finish chewing and finally swallowed the mouthful, feeling as if she had no table manners at all. “Lace, I’m not sure the guys are interested in bridesmaid dresses, you know?”

Quinn put his arm along the back of Lacey’s chair. “Aw, there’s nothing wrong with being excited about the wedding,” he replied, looking at Lacey with such devotion it was nearly sickening.

Kailey wasn’t usually so cynical. Maybe it was because Rylan was beside her. And Rylan had been the one to leave her alone in a motel room after what was the most romantic night of the year—Valentine’s Day. Perhaps if it had been underwhelming, it wouldn’t be so difficult to put in the past. Trouble was it had been amazing. Rock-her-world amazing.

Kailey had often wondered if she should trust her own judgment with men, and the incident with Rylan pretty much had cemented the answer.

She was better off sticking to horses and bulls.

“What color is it?”

Rylan asked the question and she really, really wished he hadn’t. “Blue,” she answered. “It’s blue.”

Lacey laughed. “You can’t just say blue. There are lots of blues out there.” She turned her attention to Rylan. “It’s kind of a turquoisey sky blue. It looks great with her hair and tan.”

Kailey put her forehead on her hand. Her tan? Really? Because she was only tanned around her neck and from the biceps down...like every other rancher in these parts.

“Sounds nice,” Rylan answered.

Lacey and Quinn started talking about something to do with Amber, leaving Rylan and Kailey silent on their side of the table again.

“Sorry,” he offered quietly, eating another fry. “If I’d known you guys were here, I would have suggested somewhere else.”

“It’s just awkward, that’s all. We’re going to run into each other occasionally. We might as well get used to it.”

She wiped her fingers on her napkin, then picked up her fork and speared a slice of cucumber from her salad.

“Kailey...I’m sorry.”

“For?” She crunched the cucumber, determined to ignore the weird flutterings in her tummy.

“For being such a jerk that morning.”

She looked up quickly, checked to see if Quinn or Lacey had heard. Luckily, they were still engrossed in their own conversation. “This isn’t the place to discuss it.”

“I get the feeling you don’t want to discuss it at all, and that’s fine. But I do owe you the apology.”

Dammit. It was easier to hate him when he wasn’t doing the right thing.

Scratch that. The right thing would have been sticking around, at least until coffee. They could have agreed to go their separate ways or...whatever.

“Noted.” She stuck her fork savagely into the lettuce.

“Noted, but not accepted?” he asked. “I mean it, Kailey. I was totally in the wrong. Wouldn’t it be better if we could get along? As you said, we’re going to run into each other. And possibly more than occasionally. I’d like to put it behind us.”

She would, too, but she wasn’t sure she could until she understood why. Why had he felt the need to rush out before sunrise? Or was he really just a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy? She’d certainly seen that type before...though she hadn’t pegged Rylan as that kind. On top of Colt’s rather quick moving on, it had left her feeling, well, disposable. Not worth the trouble of sticking around, even for breakfast.

Sitting in the diner with a lunchtime crowd audience didn’t seem the right time or place to ask him why. But he was right. Their ranches were side by side. She was good friends with Carrie and Quinn, and Rylan’s brother and sister.

Then there was the fact that he wasn’t planning on staying at Crooked Valley forever. He was here to fulfill the terms of his grandfather’s will, so Lacey and Duke could keep the ranch in the family. Surely she could suck up her personal feelings for a few months. Couldn’t she? She’d gotten pretty good at hiding her feelings over the years. She’d had to when she’d taken a bigger role at the ranch and had become the boss of a largely male workforce.

“Consider it behind us,” she replied, pushing away her salad. She really wished Lacey would get a move on. Not that she was in the mood for more wedding details, but it would get her away from Rylan.

Rylan, whose gaze she could feel glued to the side of her face. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she sighed.

“What?”

“Thank you,” he said simply.

She looked at him and felt her animosity threaten to abandon her. He didn’t look cocky or insincere in any way. In fact, his eyes were completely earnest and his lips open just a little, so she could get the full effect of their bowed shape. The bottom one was just a little fuller than the top, and she remembered them being surprisingly soft and...capable.

He was as attractive as ever, but she’d learned her lesson and learned it well. Rylan Duggan was trouble, and trouble was the last thing she needed.

“You’re welcome.”

Lacey was finally finishing up her salad and Kailey figured she might escape without having to speak to him again, but once more Rylan picked up a new thread of conversation.

“I could use some advice,” he said, pushing away his plate. All that was left on it were the four toothpicks that had held his sandwich together, and the little dish that had contained his ketchup.

“Advice about what?” she asked. She hoped to God it wasn’t anything personal. An apology was one thing. But they hadn’t made that many amends yet.

“On the stock situation at Crooked Valley.”

That made her sit back. “Oh?”

He kept his voice low. “Quinn and I have been talking. He’s doing okay, but really, Quinn’s a cattle man. The little stock we’ve sent to competition has been handled by Randy. And I know Brandt stock. It’s top-notch. I wanted to run some ideas past you.”

Nothing he might have said would have surprised her more. On one hand, it was nice to know he respected her knowledge and opinion.

On the other hand, it made her wonder if the apology had really been meant to soften her up into giving him free advice.

Well, either way, it wouldn’t hurt to state the obvious. “What Crooked Valley needs is some new breeding stock. A new stud, a couple of mares. But mostly a good stud that you can make some money off of breeding fees. That’ll help pad your program so you can grow it.”

“That’s what I thought.” He frowned.

“And Quinn probably knows that, too, but truth of the matter is Crooked Valley can’t afford to outlay that much money right now. It’s risky, even if the money was in the account. Am I right?”

He nodded. “Yes. According to Duke, our grandfather thought it would be fun to breed some rodeo stock. But it was more of a side thing than a focus, and it’s never paid its way or lived up to its potential.”

“I know Quinn and Duke have talked about selling it off.” Kailey made herself smile. What she’d said about potential was absolutely correct. There were a few mares in the stables that she’d love to get her hands on, breed them with Big Boy. If the Duggans did decide to call this side of the operation quits, she hoped she could get first dibs on some of the unrealized potential in the barn before it went to auction.

“I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”

Did he realize he’d said we? He was a temporary addition to the Crooked Valley operation, wasn’t he? Or perhaps he used the concept as cavalierly as he used his women.

And maybe she hadn’t quite accepted his apology. She bit down on her lip. It wasn’t like her to be this nasty, even in her thoughts. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like anything that Rylan Duggan made her feel.

Quinn coughed, interrupting their conversation. “Sorry to break this up,” he said. “But, Ry, I’ve got to get back.”

“No problem,” Kailey replied. “It wasn’t anything important.”

Rylan got up and reached back in his hip pocket for his wallet. She watched as the muscles in his shoulders and back shifted beneath his shirt, remembering what those very muscles looked like without the covering of cotton. He took out some bills and threw them on the table. “Lunch is on me, ladies. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”

Kailey’s face flamed. He was smiling his charming smile and smoothing everything over, wasn’t he? And it would be so easy to fall for that again.

Instead, she reached inside her purse, took out a twenty and dropped it on the table before picking up one of his bills and handing it back to him.

“I can pay my own way,” she said quietly, and without looking back, headed for the exit.

Kailey strode to Lacey’s car, anxious to get going and away from Rylan but trying to look more purposeful than actually running away. That was what he did, not her.

Her breath hitched a little, surprising her, and she gulped, trying to shut down the flood of emotion. She wasn’t acting like herself. The Kailey she knew was able to let things roll off her like water off a duck’s back. She took things in stride, put them in perspective.

That she couldn’t in this one particular instance bugged the hell out of her.

“Hey, wait up!” Lacey’s quick steps sounded behind her and Kailey, almost to the car, slowed.

Lacey was slightly out of breath. “Did someone light your tail on fire or what? And what was that whole deal with the bill, anyway?”

“I’m sorry.” Kailey looked at Lacey and wanted to confide, yet held back. This was Rylan’s sister. Blood did run thicker than water, or so she’d heard. “I shouldn’t let it get to me so much.”

“You really don’t like Ry, do you?” Lacey put her handbag over her shoulder and studied Kailey.

It was probably the opposite—that she’d liked him too much. “It’s not that...” Her voice trailed off, unsure of how to explain.

Over Lacey’s shoulder, she saw Quinn and Rylan hop into Quinn’s truck and pull away from the curb.

She sighed. “How much do you know about Valentine’s Day?” Kailey asked her friend.

Lacey grinned. “I know that as I was leaving with Quinn, you were leaving with Rylan.”

That’s right. There’d been another, more successful, romance budding back in February. One that had ended with a far better result. “You went home with Quinn, and I had a romantic night at the Shady Pines Motel. With your brother.”

Lacey blushed a little. “I know, I know,” she said, flapping her hand as Kailey lifted an eyebrow. “I asked.”

“I won’t go into the gory details.” Kailey would spare Lacey that trauma. No one wanted to think of their brother that way! “But here’s the thing. I met Rylan at Christmas when he spent the holiday with your family. He’s a good-looking guy, Lace. Charming, too. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been interested. I’d been seeing someone off and on, but that had gone south in a big way. So when he was back less than two months later, and we were both at that Valentine’s Day dance...”

“One thing led to another.”

“It certainly did. It wasn’t something I’m in the habit of doing, either. I was more interested than I probably let on.” She gulped. It had sort of been...revenge sex. It just hadn’t been with someone random. She’d chosen. She’d chosen Ry.

“He didn’t return the sentiment?”

Kailey looked her friend straight in the eye. “Maybe we can finish this conversation in the car? Away from public consumption?”

At Lacey’s nod, they got inside the little sedan. Kailey turned in the passenger seat and faced her friend. She had to be honest here, even if Rylan was Lacey’s baby brother.

“Okay,” she continued. “When I woke up, he’d taken his things and checked out. His truck was gone...it was like he had never been there.”

Now Lacey frowned, a wrinkle forming between her perfectly groomed eyebrows. “He ran?”

“Like he couldn’t get away fast enough. And he hadn’t left enough cash with the room key, so I had to pay the difference.”

It had been the singularly most humiliating moment of her life. If he’d hung around, she might have been able to avoid going to the office and seeing Lyle Tucker behind the desk. The small smirk on his face had only added insult to injury as far as Kailey was concerned. It was enough to turn her off romance for a good long while.

“Oh, ouch,” Lacey said, frowning. “Hey, I love Ry. He’s my brother. But that was pretty crappy behavior.”

“Yeah, it was.” Kailey sighed. “And I know I should get over myself and just...I don’t know, put it behind me. Not let it get to me.”

Lacey looked far too hopeful for Kailey’s liking. “Could it be you still care for him?”

There was a very real chance of that, but Kailey would never admit to it. “I barely know him,” she replied. “And I’m very aware of how that makes me sound considering what we shared.” And what they hadn’t shared. Her shoulders slumped. “I made a mistake, that’s all. And I’m trying, really I am. We were chatting about the stock and stuff and doing fine until he insisted on paying the bill.” She sent Lacey a sheepish half smile. “I’m afraid it set me off, since he stiffed the motel, you know?”

“Maybe if you just talk to him—”

Kailey cut her off before she could finish the sentence. “No way. What’s done is done. It’ll be fine. I just need to put on my big-girl panties.”

Lacey laughed. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, Duke is Quinn’s best man. You won’t be paired up for the day or anything.”

It didn’t. Because that was just for the ceremony, and maybe a few pictures. The rest of the night Duke and Carrie would be pasted together. And Kailey, the maid of honor, would be the old maid of the group.

Ugh.

“Speaking of...” She changed the subject. “Let’s get these errands done. We’re supposed to be focusing on your wedding, not my romantic drama.”

The mention of wedding errands was enough to set the efficient Lacey into action, and they talked about lace versus satin ribbon for the flowers and cake flavors as they headed down Main Street.

It was just too bad Kailey couldn’t get Rylan’s gray-blue eyes out of her mind, or the sound of his voice. She knew Lacey and Duke needed him to keep the ranch in the family, but honestly she hoped he wasn’t around much. Then life could get back to normal.

Chapter Three

Rylan pulled into the Crooked Valley yard at quarter past seven. Too late for dinner—though if he asked, Lacey would probably have leftovers—and still with enough daylight left that he could chill for a bit before falling into bed.