Rescuing the Cowboy

Deciding to familiarize himself with his new charges, he led all six horses from their stalls to the corral. Normally, controlling this many horses at one time was difficult. But the well-trained and quiet-natured group obediently followed behind the mare Quinn held by a lead rope. At the corral, the horses stood and waited until he opened the gate.

Unhooking the rope, he clucked to the mare and patted her chunky hind end. The other five horses followed through the gate, needing very little encouragement from Quinn. Once inside, they came to a stop and either nosed the ground or stood at the corral railing, snorting and swishing their tails.

Two days working for the therapy program and Quinn had already learned a lot about the ins and outs. This time of year, because of the warm temperatures, students scheduled their lessons either early in the morning, finishing by nine, or in the evenings, starting at six thirty when it was less hot.

Just last week, a floodlight had been installed to aid the evening lessons. While the remainder of Dos Estrellas Ranch rested after a long day, the therapy program operated in full force. None of the Dempseys were there, with the occasional exception of Josh, who showed up because of Cara. Mostly, he stayed home to watch the kids.

He’d been there last night when Quinn arrived to observe the class, joining Cara while she advised Quinn on how the program worked. There’d been five students, two instructors, three volunteer helpers, one administrator, and five sets of parents. Summer and Teddy weren’t among those gathered. Quinn admittedly looked for them despite his vow to keep his distance.

During the lesson, he’d made a point of observing the horses in action with the students and the program staff. Today he wanted to see how the horses acted without riders and a small crowd distracting them. He was specifically interested in any personality quirks that might interfere with performance or abilities being overlooked and underutilized.

He put the horses through their paces, getting them to trot and lope in a circle by swinging a lead rope in a circle over his head. The chunky brown mare named Mama was undeniably in charge. She might be a lamb when Lizzie or the other kids rode her but as far as preserving order among this small herd, Mama was a force to be reckoned with.

Within ten minutes, Quinn had made a number of important discoveries. Pancake and George Clooney didn’t like to be separated and stuck together unless forced apart. Stargazer refused to lead with her left—though that might not be a problem as the students never loped the horses. Chubbs became agitated when approached from behind. Gidget’s one flaw was a choppy gait. Then again, her rider last night had laughed when rocked from side to side.

Concerned most about Chubbs, Quinn examined him from nose to tail, expecting to find a sore hip or abscessed hoof. Something Chubbs felt the need to protect. What Quinn found gave him cause for concern. The old gelding wasn’t entirely blind, but he did have some vision loss. That alone wouldn’t drum him out of the therapy program, but the staff should be made aware and take necessary precautions.

None of the therapy horses were particularly good-looking. A couple were overweight, including Mama. On the positive side, they were a dependable, reliable and trustworthy lot. Perfect babysitters.

Quinn leaned his back against the corral railing. Sweat soaked his shirt, causing it to cling to his skin. Removing his cowboy hat, he knocked it against his leg to dislodge the dust.

What he’d give for a cold glass of water to quench his parched throat. This was hot, hard work. Still, he wouldn’t trade it for a million dollars. Quinn had considered returning to the rodeo circuit when he was first released. This was the better choice. Easing slowly into post-prison life made more sense than plowing full steam ahead without having any direction.

Turning, he caught sight of Cara, who, after yesterday, was officially his boss for the three to four hours a day he spent with the mustang sanctuary and therapy program. Closing the gate behind her, she wended her way toward him, petting a friendly nose here and there as the horses meandered over to greet her.

“A little warm to be out here,” she said.

“I’m about done.” He nodded at Chubbs. “Did you know he’s partially blind?”

“I didn’t.” Cara evaluated the horse with crossed arms and a narrowed gaze. “Are you sure? He doesn’t act blind.”

“Haven’t you noticed he dislikes being approached from behind?” Quinn demonstrated, using Mama.

“I have but I didn’t associate it with partial blindness.” Cara nodded approvingly. “How’d you know?”

“I had a blind donkey before. It’s easy to overlook.”

“You rode a donkey?”

“I roped a donkey. Easier to use them than calves when training a green roping horse. They don’t spook like calves or tire as easily.”

Quinn and Cara discussed the other program horses until she asked, “Is there any chance you can swing by the tuxedo rental store this week for your fitting? The wedding’s going to be here before you know it.”

“Sure. No problem.”

“Thanks.” Her eyes twinkled. Getting married looked good on her. On his cousin, too.

Quinn had grown up with both Josh and Cole back in California. They were more like brothers, having lived in the same town and within miles of each other. But he’d always been a little closer to Josh. Seeing him about to get married to a great gal and become a father for the third time cheered Quinn, as did Cole’s relationship with Violet. It made him believe there was still good in the world.

As far as Quinn was concerned, no one deserved to be happy more than his cousins. They’d suffered a lot, having a father who’d abandoned them at a young age and then being raised by a bitter, angry mother. Obtaining co-ownership of the ranch when August died last fall didn’t make up for years of neglect.

Finding their future at Dos Estrellas did. It had changed them. Given them an entirely new outlook. Maybe the same would happen to Quinn.

Feeling his pocket vibrate, he plucked out his cell phone and frowned when he didn’t recognize the number.

“Excuse me,” he said to Cara, stepping away and answering. “Hello.”

“Quinn? It’s Summer. I hope you don’t mind my calling. Cara gave me your number.”

“No, it’s all right.” He glanced at Cara, who smiled guiltily. Apparently, she’d guessed the identity of his caller. “What’s up?”

“I know it’s short notice, but my boss had a cancellation this afternoon. He said he’d be glad to talk to you, if you can be here by four.”

Was it a coincidence he got off work at three thirty?

Cara gave him a what-are-you-waiting-for wave, confirming his suspicions that she was in cahoots with Summer.

“Thanks, but I—”

“I’m sure Martin can help you,” Summer insisted.

Quinn paused.

Her long sigh carried across the connection. “I’m being pushy, and I shouldn’t. Finding your daughter is your business.” She sighed again. “Sometimes I overstep. It’s a bad habit.”

He pictured her sitting at her desk, multitasking while they talked because she was probably a doer and a go-getter. His counselor in prison had been the same way. Except she wasn’t nearly as pretty as Summer and was about thirty years older.

“Fine.” He heard himself agreeing even before he’d decided. “See you at four. Can you text me the address?”

“Of course.” She sounded surprised, then pleased. “I’ll tell Martin. See you then.”

Aware of Cara’s stare, Quinn saved Summer’s number to his contacts before clearing his screen, silently chiding himself while he did. What reason would he have to call her?

“You planned this,” he said to Cara, acting madder than he was.

“I did give her your number when she told me why she wanted to call.”

Quinn grabbed the lead rope from where he’d hung it on the corral post and hooked it to Mama’s halter. Cara tagged along when he led the mare through the gate. As expected, the other five horses trailed behind them.

“Come on, Quinn.” Cara squeezed past Mama. “She likes you, and I think you like her, too. In fact, I’m sure you like her.”

Did being his cousin’s fiancée automatically make Cara his friend? One with rights to butt into his personal business?

Quinn ground to a halt. The horses did, too, bumping into each other and jerking their heads back.

That was the problem with happy people. They wanted everyone else to be happy, too, and went to great lengths to accomplish it.

“I’m not looking for a girlfriend, Cara. Besides, Summer can do a whole lot better than me.”

“She’s not like that. She accepts everyone for who they are. No judging.”

Quinn didn’t doubt it. Nonetheless, he said, “I don’t want to hurt her.”

“What makes you think you will?”

He groaned. “She needs someone who can step up. Be there for her and Teddy unconditionally and without hesitation. Someone who doesn’t come with his own set of problems and can put them first. I’m not that man. And after what I’ve been through, I may never be him.”

This time when he started for the stall, Cara didn’t go with him. She stayed behind, apparently stunned into silence.

Chapter Three

Summer struggled to concentrate. Quinn was due any minute. He hadn’t sounded enthused when she called earlier offering him the open appointment, but surely he’d show up. Finding his daughter was too important to him.

“What’s with you today?” Her coworker Alicia plopped a stack of papers on her desk. In the years Summer had been employed with the small law firm, paralegals had come and gone. Alicia was one of the best.

“Nothing.” Summer gave the stack a passing glance. They’d talked earlier about the copies and packages needing to be mailed before the end of the day.

“Could have fooled me. You’ve been on edge all afternoon. Is Teddy okay?”

“He’s great. Improving every day and talking more and more.”

Most important, there’d been no outbursts for almost a week, which had to be a record. She didn’t count the battle they’d engaged in this morning over which shorts to wear or the one yesterday over lunch—she’d run out of peanut butter, an earth-shattering disaster. Those types of battles were par for the course as far as Summer was concerned. A regular part of their daily routine.

“Then what is it?” Alicia asked. She understood a lot of what Summer had to deal with. Alicia cared for her ailing grandfather, whose senility continually worsened.

“Just a lot going on.” Summer patted the stack. “I’d better get started on these.”

A few minutes later, she gave a nervous start when the door to the office opened and Quinn strode in. He removed his hat with one hand, stopped when he spotted her behind the desk and nodded.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” She stood, automatically brushing the front of her slacks, though not a speck of lint dotted them. “Have a seat. I’ll let Martin know you’re here.” She returned to her computer and opened a messaging window, sending her boss a quick alert. Seconds later, he responded. She read it out loud. “He’ll be a few minutes.”

“Thanks.” Quinn picked one of the five empty visitor chairs in which to wait. He was their last appointment for the day.

Summer came out from behind her desk. “Can I get you a bottle of water or some coffee?”

“Water would be great, if you don’t mind.” He rested his cowboy hat on his lap, unable to look more uncomfortable if he tried.

She hurried to a nearby multipurpose room where a refrigerator was stored. It held a variety of beverages exclusively for clients. She grabbed the closest bottled water, decided it wasn’t cold enough, replaced it and chose one farther back on the shelf.

“Seriously?” she asked herself as she took the cold bottle anyway. On the way back she nearly collided with Alicia. “Oops. Excuse me.”

“Whoa, girl. Slow down. It’s not as if he’s going to spontaneously disappear on you.”

“What? No. Don’t be silly.”

“Right.” Alicia laughed, a full, rich sound. “And your all-fire hurry has nothing to do with that fine-looking man in the reception area and how you went into spasms the second he arrived.”

“Spasms? I think I’m insulted.” And impatient.

“Go on. Get outta here. I’ll answer the phone if it rings.”

“Humph.” Summer, not nearly as put out as she pretended to be, pursed her lips and slipped past Alicia. By the time she reached Quinn in the waiting area, she wore a smile. “Here you go.” Handing him the bottle—the cold bottle—she returned to her desk, which afforded her a nice, unobstructed view of him.

Checking her computer screen to make sure Martin hadn’t contacted her during her short absence, she attacked the stack of documents Alicia had left on her desk.

“Thanks again for setting this up, Summer.”

Hearing Quinn’s voice, she glanced up. “Glad to do it.”

“How’s Teddy?”

“Good. He’s in after-school daycare. I can’t always coerce him into going. Today I got lucky. You may see him this evening. He has his equine therapy class. He hasn’t actually ridden yet. Won’t let anyone help him up into the saddle or put the harness on him. But he loves to pet and groom the horses and lead them around.” She didn’t add that Quinn might see her, too. She usually accompanied Teddy.

“I’ll be sure to look for him.”

“How’s the new job going?” She should be working. Hadn’t she promised Alicia the packages would be ready before five?

“I’m learning the ropes,” he said. “Slowly but surely.”

“Do you like it? That’s the important part.”

“Yeah. I do.”

Quinn shifted nervously, his right boot softly tapping the floor. He didn’t look as though he’d spent a lot of hours in offices. Or, she suddenly realized, the hours he’d spent in them had been difficult to endure. Nothing fun about conferring with your defense attorney and fighting for your freedom.

“Cara’s lucky to have you. You arrived in Mustang Valley at the perfect time.”

“I did.”

She’d meant that Cara needed assistance because the demands of her personal life had increased. The thoughtful quality in Quinn’s tone implied something entirely different. She was even more curious about him than before.

Martin stepped in from the hall. “Mr. Crenshaw. It’s nice to meet you.”

Quinn stood. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

The two men shook hands, and Martin invited Quinn into his office.

With nothing more to distract her, Summer quickly finished assembling the packages and then updated Martin’s court calendar. She was more than a receptionist for the modest practice. In addition to managing the office, she handled all the billing and accounting. Martin was generous, allowing her to occasionally work from home by logging into her office computer remotely.

At about four forty-five, the office door abruptly opened. Summer stood at the lateral file and, hearing the sound, turned. Her heart immediately dropped to her knees.

“Hal. What are you doing here?” Her ex-husband was the last person she’d expected to see.

“I need to talk to you. It’s about Teddy.”

“You couldn’t have just called me at home? You needed to ambush me at work?”

“This isn’t an ambush.”

Yet that was how it felt to Summer. He liked having the advantage, which taking her by surprise gave him, and frequently pulled stunts like this.

“You’ll have to wait until I’m done.” She turned her back on him, ready to resume her search for the files while also sending him a clear message.

“Dennis called me the other day.”

The manager of the market? “Why would I care about that?”

“Because he told me Teddy had a tantrum and upset some of his customers.”

Summer didn’t take kindly to Hal’s use of the word tantrum. And were the two women really that upset? She refrained from commenting for the moment and walked to her desk. “I left the store right away. It’s not as if I enjoy making a scene.”

“That’s the point, Summer. According to Dennis, Teddy’s had a bunch of tantrums in the market.”

“A bunch? There’s been maybe three.”

“And how many has he had in other places you haven’t told me about?”

“Outbursts are part of his disorder. You know that.”

“Seems to me, he’s been having more and more lately.”

“That’s not true.” Summer’s defenses instantly rose and, rather than insist he leave, she continued to engage him. A tiny voice warned her that was just what he wanted. “Teddy’s been better behaved at home and the learning center than ever.”

“Apparently not in public.” Hal stood his ground. He was a handsome man, when he wasn’t scowling. At the moment he stared at her with glinting eyes and a jutting jaw.

“Dr. Hamilton says Teddy’s outbursts can be his way of exerting his independence or his frustration at communicating and not being understood.”

“I’m not buying one bit of that.”

“Right. Because you’re such an authority on autism.” Anger flared inside her. Hal could ignite it with a single remark. “You see Teddy barely more than a few hours a month. You’re in no position to lecture me.”

“It’s just like you to overreact.”

“Is that what I’m doing? You’ve refused to go with me to Teddy’s doctor appointments or family counseling sessions for the last four years. You’ve never read even one of the books I bought.”

“I’ve read plenty of books, Summer,” he said with scorn.

“Ones Loren bought? Is she behind your sudden interest in Teddy?”

It was unfair of her to blame Hal’s new wife, but ever since the two of them got married, Loren had been pushing him to take more of an interest in Teddy. They were trying to adopt, and it looked good on their application. Right thing, wrong reason, which was what bothered Summer. If not, she’d welcome Hal’s and even Loren’s interest in her son.

“Leave her out of this,” he said, his voice increasing in volume. “And you need to start shopping someplace other than the market where everyone in town goes.”

Where his buddy the manager worked, she almost spat out. Instead, she said, “I don’t always have time to drive into Scottsdale for a few items.”

“Obviously something about the market triggers Teddy’s tantrums.”

Summer had reached her boiling point. “You need to go, Hal. Now.”

Alicia emerged from around the corner, a stern expression on her face. She knew Hal, having met him once before. “What’s going on here?”

“Hal was just leaving.” Summer would rather not involve her coworker in her personal problems.

He sent her a dangerous look.

“Okay.” Alicia reluctantly retreated.

Summer had the feeling her coworker wouldn’t go far. “I wasn’t kidding, Hal.” She struggled to calm her anxious breathing. “Leave now. I won’t risk my job because of you.”

“We aren’t done with this.”

At the sound of footsteps, they both spun to see Quinn appear, his hat still held his hand. He stopped and locked eyes with Hal for a full three seconds before turning to Summer.

“You all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Quinn moved toward her, his stance protective.

“Who’s this?” Hal demanded.

Summer would have put him off. Unfortunately, Quinn stepped forward before she could insist Hal get out now.

“I’m Quinn Crenshaw. And you are?”

“None of your damn business.” Hal’s gaze left Quinn only to return, recognition visibly dawning in his eyes. “You the Dempseys’ ex-con cousin?”

“Hal!” Summer was aghast. He could be incredibly rude at times.

Quinn didn’t flinch or blink or move a single muscle except to talk. “I am Josh and Cole’s cousin.”

Hal’s stare intensified. “They hired you to work at the therapy program.”

Dennis, the market manager, must have told Hal. He gleaned a lot of local information, intentionally or unintentionally, by waiting on customers.

“They did,” Quinn confirmed.

Hal advanced. “You don’t go near my son, you hear me? You do, and I’ll call the police.”

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Summer couldn’t believe him. “What’s the matter with you?”

“He’s a criminal.”

“He was found innocent!”

Not only did Alicia return, Martin accompanied her. Being in his early sixties made no difference. He stood up to Hal like a man many years younger.

“Unless you have business with me or this firm, I suggest you vacate the premises immediately. I won’t tolerate anyone harassing my employees or my clients.”

“If I hear that guy’s come within a mile of Teddy, you and I are going to be revisiting our custody agreement.” Tossing Quinn one last look, Hal stormed out.

“I’m so, so sorry.” Summer’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and she held back tears. “I had no idea.”

“It’s all right,” Martin said.

She swore she could hear a silent Just don’t let it happen again tagged on the end. She didn’t blame her boss. Hal’s disruption was completely unprofessional. In the morning, at home, she’d call her personal attorney, who’d send a warning to Hal through his attorney.

Why did this have to happen now, in front of Quinn?

“Let me know if you need anything.” Quinn touched her shoulder before thanking Martin for his help and leaving.

The gesture itself was subtle yet powerful. It was also kind and delivered when Summer most needed it. She’d remember the feel of Quinn’s hand for a long time.

She quickly finished her work for the day and left a few minutes before five in order to reach the mailbox on the first floor before the final pickup.

In the parking lot, she walked to the row where her car was parked—and received her second shock in the last half hour. Quinn’s truck was parked in the neighboring spot, and he leaned against the hood, his arms folded over his chest.

* * *

SUMMER CAME TO a halt, a mixture of emotions coursing through her. She was glad to see Quinn. She’d also rather have avoided him after the scene with Hal and the threats he’d made.

Was Hal still in the parking lot, watching her from a distance?

“What are you doing here?” she asked Quinn.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He pushed off his truck and came toward her, looking heart-stoppingly gorgeous with his confident stride and cowboy hat pulled low.

“I’m fine. Thanks.”

She moved her oversize purse from one shoulder to the other in a vain attempt to shield herself from the force of his potent appeal.

“You sure? You look angry, and I’m thinking it’s not just at Hal but me, too.”

“No, no. What happened isn’t your fault. It’s entirely his. He shouldn’t have said what he did.”

“Do you think he’s serious? Will he revisit your custody agreement?”

“I don’t know what’s to revisit. Technically we have joint custody, though he hasn’t taken Teddy for more than a couple of hours at a time in, well, years.” She had to stop and mentally count how many. “I can’t believe he wants full custody, and I can’t imagine he’d get it. I’m not an unfit parent.”

“You’re the furthest thing from an unfit parent there is.”

“Thank you.” She glanced away, searching for Hal’s car, then back at Quinn. “But just in case Hal is serious and means to make trouble for me...”

“Right. I should go.”

Summer instantly felt bad. “Wait. That’s not what I meant.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He reached for the door handle on his truck.

“Quinn. Please.” She scrubbed her cheek with her free hand. “Hal can be difficult. And he was completely out of line. He had no business coming to my work and no right to insult you.”

“He loves his son. I get it.”

“He did love Teddy. Once.” Summer grimaced. “That wasn’t fair. But Hal’s feelings for Teddy have changed since the diagnosis. I can’t trust him. Not when I believe he’s simply trying to look good for the adoption agency. He and his wife recently applied.” She groaned. “That wasn’t fair, either.”