Wrangling Cupid's Cowboy

A soggy tennis ball landed in her lap, jarring her out of her thoughts. “Ew, Jake!” Delta held up the filthy ball. “Is this the one you lost last summer?” Jake ran down the steps and barked, waiting for her to throw it. “I’ll take that as a yes. One more time then we’re going in.” She stood and threw the ball of crud toward the empty pasture before unlocking the back door. Within seconds, Jake had returned with his treasure. “You’re not bringing that in the house. Drop it.” If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn he rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, I know. Mean mommy. Now come inside for dinner. I have a date with the TV remote.”

She wondered what Garrett was doing tonight. She imagined him curled up on a couch, reading to his kids. Did they look like him? Not that it mattered. She couldn’t go there. She made a point to avoid any personal involvement with a client. This was still a new business and she wouldn’t screw it up. There wasn’t room or time for dating.

She sagged against the kitchen counter. She’d never missed the touch of a man more than she did right now. And only one man would do. Garrett Slade. The most off-limits man she knew.

Chapter Three

The following morning, Jake beat Delta into the Silver Bells Ranch stables. Normally she wouldn’t have minded, but not knowing how Garrett would react, she quickly caught up to her over-curious dog. She didn’t want anything to rekindle yesterday’s tension.

Delta turned the corner and saw Garrett crouched down in front of Jake scratching his ears and talking to him. “Where did you come from?”

“I’m sorry. He’s with me.”

Garrett smiled up at her and then ruffled her pup’s long blue merle fur. “Let me guess.” Her dog panted happily at the attention. “This is Jake.”

“The one and only.” Delta patted her thigh, signaling for him to come to her side. “I hope it’s okay that he’s here. He goes to work with me on most days.”

“It’s fine. Dylan told me. I wish my daughter was here to see him. She would be in love. I keep thinking about getting a dog to help her adjust to the move.” Garrett took off his hat and raked his hand through his thick brown hair before setting it back on his head. “And I’m rambling again.”

“Good morning, Delta,” Dr. Lydia Presley said as she and her assistant exited Lightning Bug’s stall. “I’m glad you could be here today.”

“Hey, Lydia.” Delta was thankful for the intrusion. “No problem. I’m anxious to see how he’s progressing.”

“I just finished taking the x-rays. I got here a little early.” She held out a slender, deeply tanned hand to Garrett. “We haven’t met yet. I’m Lydia Presley, your veterinarian, and this is my assistant, Selena. I hope you don’t mind that we went ahead and got started.”

“Not at all. I’m Garrett, new co-owner of the ranch. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My brother speaks highly of you.”

“Same here. I’ve heard a lot about you, as well.”

Apparently, Lydia had heard more about Garrett than she had. She had known the brothers had partnered but that had been the extent of it. It would have been nice to know something about him before they met, not that anyone owed her that. But the man piqued her curiosity in the worst possible way.

“Garrett, how familiar are you with navicular disease?” Lydia asked.

He shook his head. “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never had to deal with it before.”

“Let’s begin with the basics, then. It’s a degenerative disease of the navicular bone. Don’t think of it as a disease the horse contracted. It’s more of a syndrome of abnormalities and it’s commonly misdiagnosed, which is why x-rays give a more definitive picture.” Lydia tugged her iPad out of her bag and flipped open the cover. Tapping on the screen, she opened a series of digital x-rays and pointed to a small bone located on the backside of the front hoof. “It also affects the tendon behind it, and this little sac between the bone and the tendon. It’s not something that happens overnight. While many times it’s attributed to incorrect shoeing, that wasn’t the case here.”

“Then what caused it?”

“We don’t know for sure. Quarter horses like Lightning Bug are more prone to it. They have large bodies on small feet. It was probably a trauma of some sort that resulted in an interruption of the blood supply. There’s no cure, but we can manage it with drug therapy, exercise and the use of a nerve block. We’ve already discontinued drug therapy due to his improvement. Today we’re looking to see what adjustments need to be made to his shoe.”

“Which is where I come in,” Delta said. “In this case, I used a light plastic and aluminum glue-on shoe with a foam insert, similar to our own running shoes. It’s critical the hoof angles and balance are correct so Lightning Bug has the correct foot support. That’s why we’re checking to see if any adjustments need to be made since the hoof is continually growing.”

“And you’re sure you can handle all of this?”

Delta ground her back teeth together. She knew he didn’t mean anything derogatory with his question, but somehow she doubted he would have asked it if he had been dealing with her father instead.

“I’ve been handling it,” she answered. “I have quite a bit of experience with corrective shoeing and navicular disease.”

“And we’ve successfully managed it together on several horses.” There was a slight edge to Lydia’s voice. “It’s not that uncommon. We treated one of your sister-in-law’s rescues before Christmas. I want Lightning Bug to continue with daily light exercise to keep him moving. This is not something you want to baby, because stall rest will do more harm than good. I’ll be back to check on him midweek. Since Delta’s modifying the shoe, we like to make sure everything is doing what it should.”

Delta wasn’t upset but she appreciated Lydia’s support. If Garrett picked up on the women’s tension, he didn’t show it. The man had a lot on his shoulders now that he was the ranch’s co-owner. It had to be difficult being a single parent and starting over.

Delta checked her watch. It wasn’t even nine o’clock and she had already emptied her thermos of coffee. She left Lydia and Garrett to discuss the other horses in the stables and headed toward the new lounge area he’d told her about last night over dinner, praying there was a freshly brewed pot.

Delta yawned, cursing herself for staying awake half the night. It hadn’t exactly been her choice. She couldn’t get her conversation with Garrett out of her head. Every time she had closed her eyes, there he was. The man was good-looking, she’d give him that. But that didn’t mean she wanted him invading her every waking thought.

Jake trotted along next to her as she entered the lounge. She had expected one table and a handful of chairs, not several tables and a mini cafeteria setup. The mismatched furniture gave it a cozy feel. There were even Crock-Pots plugged in along the back wall, most likely courtesy of some of the ranch hands’ wives that worked up at the lodge.

“Great.” Delta looked down at Jake. “Now he’s given me a reason to like him. I don’t want to like him.” The dog nudged her hand with his wet nose. “Don’t you get too attached to him either.”

She’d met many widows and widowers over the last three years. She’d visited with children too young to understand what was happening to their bodies. Those were the hardest. But out of everyone she’d met, Garrett was different. The people she sat with were going through cancer or had gone through it repeatedly. Garrett had suffered through the ordeal long-term, and three years later the loss of his wife still haunted him. Maybe that was why she couldn’t get him out of her head.

“Delta, do you have a minute?” A shiver ran up and down her spine at the sound of his voice.

“Sure.” Delta reached for a tall paper cup and filled it to the top. “Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

She watched him shift uncomfortably from the corner of her eye. “Tell me when. I always take mine black so I never know how much creamer people use.”

Garrett waved his hand. “That’s good.” Delta handed him the cup. “About before... I don’t want you to think I’m questioning your abilities.”

“Aren’t you?” Delta faced him. “I’ll admit, I was a little miffed, but I realize you’re concerned about Lightning Bug. I don’t know how much Dylan told you about my experience, so I’ll fill you in because you should know who’s working for you.”

“Delta, you don’t have to do that.” Garrett set his cup on the table behind him.

“Yes, I do. It’s the only way you’ll begin to trust me.”

“If Dylan trusts you then I trust you.” He sighed and jammed both hands in his pockets. “But if it makes you feel better, tell me.”

“I’m a Certified Journeyman Farrier by the American Farrier’s Association. I have both my forging and therapeutic endorsements. I also make a point to continue my education on a regular basis and I consistently work closely with equine veterinarians and hospitals throughout the state. I’m a fourth-generation farrier and this is more than just a job to me. It’s my life. It’s been ingrained in me since I could walk. And if there’s anything I’m uncertain about, I have an extensive network to confer with.”

“Wow, no wonder my brother was afraid I’d run you off.” There was a nervous lilt to Garrett’s voice. For a man who had greeted her so cocksure yesterday, she rather enjoyed the softer side of him. Maybe too much so. He stiffened as if reading her thoughts. “I appreciate your understanding. And I wanted to thank you for last night. It was nice having a friend to talk to.”

There was that word again. She didn’t want to be in the friend zone. Friends did things together. Friends relied on one another. The only thing she wanted to rely on Garrett for was a paycheck.

“If you need to talk, I’m available to listen, but—”

“That’s what I had started to say before Dr. Presley joined us. I enjoy talking to you. I felt human for the first time in a long time last night. So, yeah, I’d like to take you to dinner sometime soon.”

“Garrett.” One of the ranch hands poked his head in the door. “We have a grain delivery coming in.”

“Okay, be right there.”

“Thanks for understanding about earlier.” Garrett slapped a plastic top on his coffee. “I’ll call you and we’ll make plans.”

And then he was gone.

“What the heck just happened?” She slumped in one of the chairs and began scratching Jake’s scruff. “Did he just ask me out on a date?” Jake lifted his paw and rested it on her thigh. Delta groaned and closed her eyes. This was not how she planned to start the morning.

* * *

BY THE TIME Kacey stepped off the school bus, Garrett was ready to call it a day. He still had a few hours of work to do, but it would have to wait until tomorrow morning. He wanted to spend a few hours with Kacey before they went to his brother Harlan’s house for dinner. Over Christmas, he had promised Kacey and his seven-year-old niece Ivy that once they moved to town they could have regular weekend sleepovers. This was supposed to be his turn to host, but the girls were staying at Harlan’s since Garrett wasn’t finished unpacking. That was next on his agenda.

Emma had offered to babysit Bryce on Saturday while Dylan helped him finish setting up the house. By the time Kacey got home on Sunday night, he wanted their place looking like a real home. They hadn’t had a home of their own since Rebecca died. He loved living close to family again. They could support him when he needed it. He’d missed that in Wyoming. Rebecca’s family was wonderful, but it wasn’t the same as having his own nearby.

Instead of embarrassing Kacey again on the snowmobile, he opted to pick her up in the SUV. Surely that had to be okay. In spring, he’d allow her to walk from the ranch’s front gate to the house, but it was just too cold in mid-January.

Kacey slammed the passenger door and glanced in the backseat at Bryce. “Are we going to Uncle Harlan’s now?”

“Not until later.” Garrett stared at his daughter. “You could try saying hello first.” Once again he was met with radio silence. “Kacey, look at me.” When she refused, he cut the truck’s ignition.

“What are you doing?” she screeched and looked toward the school bus pulling away from the ranch. “Just drive.”

“Listen, young lady. I realize you’re having a difficult time accepting this move. But this is home now. I suggest you find a few things you like about it and focus on those because we’re not moving back to Wyoming. And from now on, when you get in this car you say hello to me and your brother. And you need to stop yelling and slamming things. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes,” she murmured, still facing the window.

“Can you look at me, please?”

Kacey turned her body slightly toward him, and stared at the floor.

“Looking at me involves me seeing your eyes.”

Slowly she lifted her gaze to his. Tearstains streaked her cheeks and her eyes were pink-tinged and puffy.

“Have you been crying?”

She blinked once as her bottom lip began to quiver. “I’m just tired, Daddy.”

Garrett wasn’t buying that excuse. “If you’re too tired, then maybe we shouldn’t go to Uncle Harlan’s tonight.”

Kacey’s eyes grew wild. “You said every weekend Ivy and I could have sleepovers. You can’t break your promise.”

“Well, honey, if you’re so tired that you were crying on the way home from school—”

“I just need a nap.”

His daughter had never once asked for a nap. When she was little, she always fought her mother when she tried to get her to take one. Something was wrong and he wanted to know who or what had upset his daughter.

“I wish you would talk to me and tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Can we go home now?”

Garrett wanted communication with his kid that went beyond one-line answers. A few weeks ago, this hadn’t been a problem. Now it had become their normal routine and he hated it.

“Yeah, we can go.” Garrett started the truck. “Do you have homework this weekend?”

“A little.”

“How about you start on it before we go to your uncle’s house.” At least that would keep her in the kitchen where he could help her.

“Ivy and I were going to do it together.”

“Together better mean you do your homework and she does hers. Not you do one subject and she does another, then you copy off each other like you did last week.” That was a problem with having cousins in the same grade.

“We won’t copy.” Kacey already had her fingers wrapped around the door handle as they pulled up in front of the house. No sooner did he park than she was out of the truck and up the stairs and jiggling the knob. She would just have to wait a minute because the door was locked and he still needed to get Bryce out of his car seat. “Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom. Can I have the keys?”

Garrett sighed, not knowing whether to believe her or not. She did have an hour-long bus ride home. Deciding he’d had enough battles with his daughter for one day, he tossed her the keys. “Leave them on the kitchen table, please.”

By the time he got inside with Bryce, she had firmly shut herself behind her bedroom door. Just as he figured. He wanted to knock. Hell, he wanted to drag her out of her room and hug her until she opened up to him, but he knew she’d have no part of it. He missed his sweet little girl.

She used to be the perpetually happy kid. He always knew where she was by her laughter. That all changed when Rebecca died. The anniversary was eleven days before Kacey’s birthday, and his in-laws always made such a production of the date, it clouded Kacey’s special day. This year he had decided his daughter deserved to have a happy birthday. Maybe then he’d hear her laugh again.

* * *

THREE HOURS LATER, Garrett helped his brother clear the table while his sister-in-law tried to teach Bryce how to eat and not wear his dinner.

“Good luck with that, Belle.” He laughed. “I used to think it was a hand-eye coordination issue, because he appears to miss his mouth, but he’s been tested for everything under the sun. One doctor told me he thinks Bryce likes the feel of the food, that’s why he wears it. It’s also the reason we never eat at a restaurant.”

Belle held a forkful of food out to Bryce. “If you can eat this nicely, then you’ll get another.” Bryce frowned and reached for the plate, but Belle pulled it away. “One mouthful at a time, sweetheart. Finish this first.”

“Daddy, can we go play in my room?” Ivy asked. Kacey hadn’t said two words to him since their talk earlier, but she’d chatted nonstop with her cousin since they walked in the door.

“Go ahead, but be back in a half hour for dessert.”

“No copying each other’s homework,” Garrett reminded them.

“You seriously don’t think they went upstairs to do homework, do you?” Harlan asked.

Garrett waited until he no longer heard the girls’ footsteps on the stairs before answering. “Has Ivy mentioned anything about Kacey being upset in school or on the bus?”

“Not to me.” Belle wiped Bryce’s face with a napkin and handed him a spoonful of baked beans. “Did something happen?”

“When she came home today, she had obviously been crying. I tried to talk to her about it, but I couldn’t get anywhere. I just thought maybe she had said something to Ivy.”

“No, but I’ll see what I can find out,” Harlan said.

“Just don’t let on that I put you up to it.” The last thing Garrett wanted was his daughter thinking he was spying on her. He was, and owned that, but she didn’t need to know about it.

“Please.” His younger brother nodded to the sheriff’s hat hanging by the back door. “I have my ways of getting people to talk without them knowing it.”

“Yeah, that’s why you were so successful getting Ivy to confess to taking the neighbor’s bunny last year.” Belle shook her head. “Kids are complicated. I was one of the worst.”

“You sure were,” the men said in unison.

“Now, that’s not right.” Belle wadded up her napkin and threw it at them. “Let me tell you, growing up around you two was no picnic. Now hand me a dish towel. I think I’m getting somewhere with this one.”

Garrett admired Harlan and Belle. They had grown up together, gone their separate ways and then found their way back to each other last year. Now they were expecting a baby in May. Despite their playful digs at one another, they were the happiest couple he knew, outside of Dylan and Emma. Garrett had been the first of the five Slade brothers to get married, and he’d never been more sure of something in his entire life. And he’d thought it would last at least fifty years, if not seventy-five, considering they married straight out of high school. He missed that companionship. He missed those knowing glances across the table. Having someone to hold all night long. He missed his old life, and if Kacey felt a fraction of the way he did, he understood where she was coming from.

“In all seriousness,” Harlan began, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I’ll see what I can find out and let you know. How’s it going at Silver Bells this week?”

“Better. I think I’m finally getting to know everyone’s names and what they do. I need to get creative on where we can save on the renovations. I think the biggest savings will be in sweat equity and bartering. Maybe a week or weekend at the ranch in exchange for services rendered.”

“That’s a great idea. I did quite a bit of that when I built the rescue center.” Belle’s Forever Ranch opened last year on the other side of their property. The nonprofit rescued animals and provided desperately needed medical care. Once they were rehabilitated, they helped give comfort to abused and neglected children who had suffered similar fates. “I can give you some of my construction contacts. Maybe they can help you, too.”

“I’d appreciate that, thank you.” Garrett poured a cup of coffee and sat across from Belle at the table. She had the patience of a saint and didn’t coddle Bryce the way his mother-in-law had. Dawn had blamed his messy eating on Rebecca’s death, and she’d taken to spoon-feeding him at every meal over the past three years. Garrett had repeatedly asked her not to, but she insisted on feeding him the way Rebecca had. His son had been sixteen months when Rebecca passed. It didn’t matter that he’d grown old enough to eat by himself.

“Dylan told me you and Delta had dinner together last night.” Harlan grabbed another dish towel from the drawer and set it on the table for Belle. “I really like her. I’m glad you’re getting out.”

“You’re seeing Delta?” Belle’s face lit up brighter than the sun on the horizon. “Just in time for Valentine’s Day. She is so nice. I can’t even begin to tell you how much she’s done for my rescues.”

“Whoa!” Garrett pushed away from the table, almost taking his coffee with him. “I am not seeing Delta. I made that clear to Dylan last night. Let’s not perpetuate that rumor.”

“Calm down, bro.” Harlan wiped up the coffee that sloshed onto the table. “No need to get all defensive. I’m just telling you what Dylan told me. But if you enjoy being around one another, why not see where it goes.”

“Because I’m married.” Garrett hated that people automatically assumed that because his wife died the marriage was over. Maybe it was in the eyes of the law, but it wasn’t for him. He’d always hated the phrase “’til death do us part.” He didn’t believe in it and had asked the minister to remove it from their wedding vows fifteen years ago. They vowed to love each other for all eternity instead, and he would never break that promise, even though she had told him she hoped he would find someone new one day. There wasn’t room in his heart to love another woman. “We’re just friends.”

“Okay, fine.” Harlan shrugged at Belle. “Just make sure she knows that.”

“Of course she does.” Garrett shook his head. “I didn’t even know she would be at the Iron Horse when I went there. I saw her at the bar, and we ate a meal together. It’s not like I asked her out.” Garrett froze, remembering his earlier conversation with Delta. “Oh, no.”

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked.

“I think I accidentally asked Delta out to dinner.”

Harlan slapped his brother on the back and laughed. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

Garrett closed his eyes. This couldn’t be happening. How could he have been so cavalier with his dinner invite? Maybe she hadn’t taken it that way. He replayed the conversation in his mind. What exactly had he said? Something along the lines of wanting to take her to dinner. Shit! He had asked her out and hadn’t even realized it. He scrubbed his hands down his face. He needed to straighten that out and fast.

Chapter Four

“Why do I get the feeling you’re avoiding me?” Garrett startled her as she exited Lightning Bug’s stall.

“Good Lord.” Delta flattened herself against the wall before realizing who it was. “You would have been in for the surprise of your life if I’d been carrying a hot shoe.”

“I knew you weren’t since your truck is outside and the back was shut.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “No forger, no hot shoes. I also saw Jake waiting patiently behind the wheel for you.”

Okay, so he was observant. “I’ve been here almost every day to check on Lightning Bug, except for Sunday when I visited my family. I was only stopping in for a minute.”

“I know you’ve been here.” He widened his stance and tilted his hat back. “I got your notes, Delta. It’s just I haven’t seen you in a week.”

Five days, but who was counting. But he was right. She had been avoiding him. Luckily for her Garrett was a creature of habit and it didn’t take long to figure out his routine. She’d been able to get in and out without running into him, except for today, when he beat her at her own game.

“Listen I think we should—”

“I have to tell you—” they both said at the same time.

“Ladies first.” Garrett removed his hat and bowed slightly before her. The gesture, however goofy, was actually charming in a Garrett Slade sort of way.

“Look, I—I like you,” she began, trying to find the words to let him down easy.