Cowboy After Dark

“We’ll be quiet,” Lexi promised.

“That means you can’t make any noises, like gasping and stuff.” Liam positioned the blue bandana over Phil’s eyes and tied it behind her head. “Is that too tight, Phil?”

“No.”

“Can you see?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

“She doesn’t want to see,” Hope said. “She’s been really good about not looking.”

He glanced at her. “Did you look?”

“Nope.”

“She didn’t,” Lexi said. “But you might want to skip that question for the rest of us.”

“Yeah, I saw those faces glued to the window. I think we’re ready, Phil. I’ll hold your right hand until we’re out the door. Hope, once we’re out, why don’t you take her left? That way she’ll have support on both sides if she trips on something. The ground’s uneven.”

“Glad to.” Maybe he’d suggested it as a reward because she’d been the only person besides Phil who hadn’t peeked at the sculpture. Or maybe he liked the idea of sharing this moment with her. Whatever his reason, she was honored that he’d asked.

“I have a suggestion, Liam,” Rosie said.

“What do you have in mind, Rosie?”

“Why not let us go first? Then you don’t have to worry that we’ll give anything away, and we get to see her reaction, too.”

“Okay, that’s better. Go on ahead.” After everyone else had left the cabin, he looked over at Hope. “Let’s give them a little lead time. Grady’s excited about this moment. He’s been envisioning it ever since he got the wedding invitation.”

“I never in a million years expected something like this.” Phil took a deep breath. “Sure, I thought he might decide to give us something small for the coffee table, but never a large piece worth... I don’t even want to think what it might be worth.”

“But Grady doesn’t think in those terms,” Liam said. “He’s astounded at the kind of money people are willing to pay for his work. He’d sell it for less, but the galleries don’t want him to undervalue it and cut into their profits.”

“Considering he made it for you and Damon as a gesture of gratitude,” Hope said, “I’d say it’s priceless.”

Phil nodded. “Definitely.”

“I agree,” Liam said. “Ready for your special moment?”

“So ready.”

“Then here we go.”

Hope slipped out the door after them and took Phil’s other hand. Once she was on the porch, she could see the sculpture. She swallowed the gasp that Liam had forbidden.

Damon had chosen the perfect site, a level area that wasn’t blocked by trees. He and Phil would be able to see it easily from the porch swing. She knew the materials were recycled metal, but looking at the piece, no one would ever know it.

Set on a wide base, polished metal thunderclouds rose skyward. Above them soared a pair of eagles, their wingtips separated by mere inches. The image brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them quickly away, because blurred vision wouldn’t help her guide Phil down the steps and over to the sculpture.

Liam didn’t speak as they walked carefully toward the people grouped in a semicircle on either side of it. Grady stood on one side and Damon on the other. Hope couldn’t decide which one of them looked more joyous, the creator of the piece or the man deeply in love with the woman about to see it.

“That’s good,” Grady called out. “She can take off the blindfold now.”

Phil whipped off the bandana, gaped at the sculpture and burst into tears. “It’s beautiful!” she gulped. “Oh, my God, so beautiful!” Cameras and phones clicked as everyone recorded a moment they’d all remember for years.

Phil mopped her eyes with the bandana. Then Damon came over to give her a big hug and a passionate kiss, which brought catcalls from the rest of the guys. Eventually Damon slipped his arm around her waist, and they walked over to thank Grady for what would probably be their most spectacular wedding gift.

“I’d say it’s a hit.”

Liam’s voice startled Hope. She’d been so engrossed in the scene that she hadn’t realized he was still standing beside her. “It’s definitely a hit. Was that dramatic enough for Grady, do you think?”

“I’m sure. I doubt he’s ever reduced someone to happy tears.”

“Phil and Damon are the perfect people to give something like this to. They appreciate what goes into it more than most since they’re both carpenters.”

“I’m sure that’s true. They seem really happy together.”

“They do.” She viewed their devotion the way she’d admire a rare jewel. It was a precious gift enjoyed by a lucky few but out of reach for the majority.

“I’m glad you’re here for the wedding, Hope.”

She glanced up at him. “So am I.” Oh, yeah, he was sending all kinds of signals with those electric blue eyes. Love might be an impossible dream, but if she set her sights on lust, she wouldn’t have far to look.

4

LIAM HAD NO idea why, but Hope had gone from wary to welcoming. Hell, it didn’t really matter why. He had a shot, and that was the important thing.

Because everyone wanted to hang around and admire the sculpture, they’d all worked together to bring out lawn chairs, several picnic blankets and a cooler for the beer. Bowls of chips and bottles of wine had come next, and finally the party was ready to settle down near the base of the sculpture.

Liam grabbed a beer and used one of the smaller bowls Phil had brought out to scoop up some chips. Then he waited until Hope chose a blanket before walking toward it. “May I?”

“Sure. Anybody bringing chips is my new best friend.” Her smile was friendly as she made room for him.

It was a smallish blanket, so nobody else decided to sit there. Or maybe people had figured out that he would like to have a semiprivate conversation with Hope. In any case, his fortune had changed for the better.

But the conversation he’d been planning was postponed while family and friends offered toasts—to the sculpture, the sculptor, the happy couple and life in general. Grady’s grand gesture had been properly appreciated, and for that Liam was grateful. His brother might not care how much money he made with his art, but he cherished every kind word.

And kind words were flowing this afternoon. The toasts went on so long that Liam had to get another beer for himself and a refill for Hope’s wineglass. When they emptied the chip bowl, he fetched more of those, too.

She thanked him for waiting on her. Then she smiled. “You know what? You’re a pleasure to have around.”

He knew that could be the wine talking, but he appreciated the comment nevertheless. And her smile made him catch his breath. She’d been subdued after the cops left, sure, but he sensed something deeper troubled her, something that had cast a shadow over her soul.

He was thrilled to see the sunshine peeking out. “I’m not such a bad guy when you get to know me.”

“I’d like to get to know you, Liam Magee.”

He almost choked on his beer. Before she’d seemed welcoming. Now she’d rolled out the red carpet. Talk about a dramatic turnaround. But he knew his lines. Carefully swallowing the mouthful of liquid, he held her gaze. “I’d like to get to know you, too.”

“That may not be so simple. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a crowd of people.”

“I noticed.” Her gray eyes were soft and dreamy, possibly compliments of the wine, but they were inviting him in. “A little quiet time together would be great, but I don’t know if that’s in the cards.”

“You never know. It might be. Where are you staying?”

“Since the Thunder Mountain Academy students are on break for Fourth of July, Grady and I are bunking in our old cabin. It’s been remodeled, but I’m sure it’s not that different. It’ll be nostalgic but it’s not...exactly set up for entertaining.”

“I’m staying at the ranch house in one of Rosie and Herb’s guest rooms.”

So close, and yet so far. “Then I guess I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

“I’ll be there.” She laughed. “Along with a cast of thousands.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing about weddings. Lots of people.” Then inspiration hit. He’d have to clear it with Rosie and Herb, but moonlit horseback rides had been one of his favorite things when he lived at the ranch. “Do you ride?” If she didn’t, his plan wouldn’t work. He didn’t want to take a novice out on the trail at night.

“I’m an average rider, but nothing like Lexi, for example. She’s amazing.” She glanced at him. “I’m guessing you ride well.”

“That was part of life at Thunder Mountain. We all learned to ride and care for horses. If we hadn’t considered ourselves cowboys before we arrived there, we were proud to say we were when we left.”

“It’s really great that Rosie and Herb taught you ranch life. They’re both such good people.”

“The best.”

“But I picked up on something that makes me curious. The other guys refer to Rosie as Mom, but you and Grady don’t.”

She’d been paying close attention. That was encouraging. “We call her Rosie because we have a mother and she’s terrific.”

Her eyes widened. “Your mother is alive and well? I thought everyone at Thunder Mountain was a foster kid.”

“They were. Grady and I were temporarily in the program after our mom had a bad car accident. She didn’t have any family to take over, and she had a lot of healing to do. We visited her, but she was in no shape to manage a couple of rowdy teenage boys. Rosie, who seems to know everyone in Sheridan, heard about us and invited us to live at Thunder Mountain.”

“Where’s your mom now?”

“At this very moment, she’s on a Fourth of July paddle-wheel cruise going up the Mississippi River. She and my stepdad booked it before they got the wedding invitation. Their tickets were nonrefundable, and they’ve talked about this trip for years.”

“Then I’m glad they didn’t cancel it. So she’s okay now?”

“More than okay.” There was a time when it had hurt to talk about his mom. She’d tried so hard to make a life for her boys, and then a guy in a delivery truck hadn’t been paying attention and she’d ended up in a coma. “She finally found a man who appreciates her. My dad obviously didn’t, although I never knew him. I remember Grady’s dad, though, and he was a piece of work. She was well rid of him.”

“So that’s why you and Grady don’t look alike.” Hope squeezed her eyes shut in obvious embarrassment. “I’m sorry. That didn’t need to be discussed. I’m afraid I’ve had too much wine.”

He was touched by her apology. He’d met people who thought nothing of asking rude questions about his and Grady’s parentage. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not the first person to wonder why we don’t look like brothers. Actually, Grady has my mom’s coloring. Apparently I take after my dad.” Years ago he’d hated that, but it wasn’t something he could change, so he’d decided to accept it.

“Did you ever try to locate your father?” Then she waved her hand as if to erase her words. “Inappropriate question. Forget I asked.”

“I’m glad you asked.” He smiled at her. “It means you’re interested in me.”

“As it happens, I am.”

“So if I arranged a moonlit horseback ride tonight after dinner, you’d be willing to go?”

“Sounds like fun.”

“Yeah.” He gazed into her warm gray eyes. They revealed a depth of emotion that called to him. “I think it will be.”

* * *

LIAM’S PLAN HAD everything going for it except the moon. After dinner at the ranch house, a rambunctious meal during which he exchanged only a few words with Hope, he excused himself to go saddle the horses. The temperature was perfect for an evening ride, but a quick glance at the sky told him he was stuck with a scrawny sliver of a moon that wouldn’t give them much light.

“Want some help getting the horses ready?”

He turned back to see Cade coming down the porch steps. “Sure, thanks.” They started toward the barn, their boots crunching on the gravel. “I was hoping for more moonlight.”

“You may not have much of a moon, but the stars are spectacular.”

“I know. I just don’t want Hope to be spooked because it’s so dark. I get the impression she doesn’t spend a lot of time in nature.”

“Then you’re in an excellent position to introduce her to the great outdoors, Mister Whitewater Rafting Guide.”

“But a full moon would have helped.”

“A full moon always helps, but you don’t happen to have one.”

“So I see.”

Cade chuckled. “Hey, here’s a thought. Ride double. That would be cozy.”

“Don’t know her well enough to suggest that. Nice idea, though.”

“Hey, I’m all about promoting romantic encounters for my brothers.”

“Speaking of romance, what’s up with you and Lexi? Rosie said Lex still has her apartment in town, and you’re living in a brand-new cabin out here.”

Cade sighed. “Yeah, and it’s not optimal. You do know that I’ve handed the decision over to her, right?”

“Hadn’t heard that. I live in Cody. Word doesn’t always travel that far.”

“Maybe that’s a blessing. Anyway, last summer she turned me down flat. So I told her she has to propose to me when she thinks we’re ready for that step.”

“Interesting concept. Do you feel ready?”

“Bro, I feel more ready than you can possibly imagine. But she’s holding off. It’s been subtly suggested that I need to show signs of domesticity.”

“Such as?”

“I think I’m supposed to spruce up the cabin, put pictures on the walls, stuff like that. Maybe buy a fancy holder for extra toilet paper, hang a sun catcher in the living room window. Cook some meals there. I never use the kitchen.”

Liam couldn’t help smiling. “For what it’s worth, my mother had that kind of discussion before she agreed to marry my stepfather. They trade off cooking the meals and cleaning the house. I know you can clean. Rosie made us all do it.”

“I can and I will. But I can’t cook worth a damn, and choosing artwork is not my area.”

“Not mine, either, but it’s Grady’s. Get him to help you find some stuff while he’s here.”

“Great idea.”

“And cooking just takes practice.”

Cade blew out a breath. “I suppose. I hate wasting food I ruined, but I hate not being married to Lexi even more, so I might as well burn some lasagna for the cause.” He slid back the bar holding the barn’s double doors. “Am I right that you and Hope have never gotten around to dating, even though you both live in Cody?”

“We have not.”

“Then I guess we need to make sure this evening ride is extra special. You could take a couple of our nifty battery-operated lanterns and hang one on each saddle horn. There should be some spares in the tack room.”

Liam breathed in the nostalgic mix of scents—horses, oiled leather and fresh straw. He’d missed this. “I noticed a lantern in our cabin, on the shelf where we used to keep the flashlights. How come? Don’t the kids all have flashlight apps on their phones?”

“I’m sure they do. But we found out real quick that if we let them keep their phones, we’d get nowhere.” Cade put the lanterns, constructed to look like old-fashioned kerosene ones, by the barn door. Then he and Liam transferred the necessary tack out to the hitching post.

“Couldn’t they just turn their phones off?”

“Oh, sure.” Cade handed Liam a lead rope, and they headed for the stalls. “We tried that. They’d shut them off during class, but every break they were texting and checking their social media.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve had kids on my rafting trips carrying on because they couldn’t get a signal. They’ve missed seeing an eagle or a bull moose because they were fiddling with their phones.”

“I feel your pain. And it wouldn’t be so bad if it only affected the breaks between classes, but that’s not the case. They have trouble concentrating during the next class with all that junk in their heads. So now Rosie keeps all the phones at the house, and every night they get thirty minutes of phone time.”

“That’s strict. Do they pitch a fit?”

“You know, I thought for sure they would, but so far, no. We tested it on the first group in January, and after the shock of withdrawal, they seemed a lot less stressed. They’re relieved of the responsibility of constantly updating their status.”

“Bingo. Who came up with the solution?”

“Rosie, of course. She was willing to gamble that the kids would actually enjoy a break from their phones. New students are warned of the policy in advance, and nobody’s canceled because of it.”

“Some parents might enroll their kids just for that.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” He paused in front of adjoining stalls. “If you’ll take Navarre out first, I’ll follow with Isabeau.”

“Got it.” He spoke gently to the gelding as he went inside, clipped the lead rope on his halter and walked him out of the stall.

“These two have benefitted from having the students here,” Cade said as he followed with Isabeau. “Rosie and Herb weren’t riding them much, and now they get plenty of attention and exercise on a daily basis.”

“Looks like everybody’s benefitting from the academy.” He tied Navarre to the hitching post and picked up a brush to give the horse a quick grooming. “Rosie and Herb seem ten years younger. They need teenagers around.”

“And as a bonus, these kids are mostly well-adjusted.”

“Unlike us?” He worked through the familiar routine of saddling Navarre in the glow of the dusk-to-dawn light hanging over the barn door. Because he’d been trained years ago, he didn’t have to think about it much.

Cade laughed. “Sometimes I wonder how Rosie and Herb survived those years. The crap we pulled.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“You were no choir boy, either, bro.” Cade tightened the cinch on Isabeau’s saddle, and the mare snorted in protest. “Let’s not forget the fireworks you set off that damn near started a forest fire.”

“But they didn’t. And it was the only prank I ever tried. I wasn’t constantly putting rubber snakes in guys’ bunks like present company.”

“Harmless fun.”

“Says you. When my bare toes came in contact with that snake, I jumped out of bed so fast I whacked my head on the top bunk. Much harder and I would have been in the emergency room.”

“You did have a pretty nifty goose egg. Good thing Rosie had her traditional bag of frozen peas handy.”

“We went through a lot of frozen peas. We either ate them in Rosie’s tuna casserole or used them for an ice pack.” Resting his forearms on the saddle, he looked over at Cade and grinned. “Those were the days.”

“Yeah, they were. Do you miss ’em?”

“Maybe a little, but I wouldn’t want to be that age again. We were so clueless about everything.”

“No kidding. Especially women.” Cade grimaced. “Apparently I’m still pretty clueless in that department.”

“Ah, you’ll get there.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather not be ninety when it happens.”

“You won’t be.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Eighty-five, tops.”

“That’s such a comfort.”

Liam walked around Navarre’s hindquarters and clapped Cade on the shoulder. “If you get Grady to help you buy some art, and if you burn a few batches of lasagna, you might walk down the aisle sooner than that.”

“Appreciate the advice, bro. Now let’s get you situated for an excellent first date.” He headed back into the barn. “I suggest taking a blanket along.”

“I’ll go with that suggestion.” Lying with Hope and gazing up at a million stars sure sounded like an excellent first date to him.

Cade located a blanket in the tack room and handed it over. “You packing condoms?”

That startled a laugh out of him. “No. For crying out loud, Gallagher. I’m just getting to know the lady.” He didn’t admit that he’d thought of it and discarded the idea as being too crass this early.

“Apparently you haven’t noticed the way she looks at you.”

“And you have?”

“Sure. After you told me that you’d had your eye on her for weeks, I decided to spend the dinner hour watching her watching you.”

“And how does she watch me?”

“Like she’s buying whatever you’re selling, bro.”

His body tightened at the thought. “Nice to hear. Thanks for the info.”

“Sure you don’t want to take a couple of raincoats?”

“I’m sure. Then it’ll look as if I assumed we might have sex, and that sends the wrong message.”

“Your call, but don’t blame me if you end up with an itch you can’t scratch.”

5

“I CAN’T SEE very well.” As Hope bobbed along on Isabeau, she peered into the woods on either side of the narrow US Forest Service road. The extremely dark and scary woods. Any one of those shadows could be a bear, maybe even a grizzly. They’d have cubs this time of year, right? That made them more dangerous.

After several glasses of wine this afternoon, she’d convinced herself that an evening horseback ride with a handsome cowboy was a great plan. Now she longed for the cozy and very safe ranch house. Uh-oh. Something rustled in the bushes.

Liam kept moving forward, but he turned in his saddle to glance back at her. “Can you see the light on my saddle?”

“Shh. I hear something.” She went very still and tried to separate the various sounds—the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves, the creak of the saddles, the wind sighing through the top branches of the pines. The rustling had stopped.

No, there it was again. Just a little rustle, though. No branches breaking or stones knocked aside. Probably something fairly small like a skunk or a raccoon. In the distance, an owl hooted.

She focused on the indistinct shape of Liam up ahead on his horse, Navarre. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

“I was just going to say that if you can see my light, that’s all you need. Really more than you need. Isabeau will follow Navarre, and they both have this route down cold. We could loop the reins around the saddle horns and let them take us out and back.”

“What would they do if they saw or smelled a bear?”

“They’d let us know, but I—”

“How?” She pictured Isabeau turning her head and saying, Bear at three o’clock. Check it out.

“They’d get fairly agitated. Horses are prey animals, so they won’t like it if a bear shows up.”

“Or a cougar?”

“That, too.”

“So they’re like an early warning signal.”

“They are, but I don’t expect to see any predators tonight. If someone had spotted a bear or a cougar around here in the past few weeks, pictures would be on the internet. Nobody said a word at dinner, and they would have since they knew we were going out riding.”

Some of the tension eased from her body. “Good to know.”

“Sorry if you were worried. I should have said something earlier.”

“And I should have remembered that you’re an experienced wilderness guide. You wouldn’t bring me out here if you thought there was a chance I’d be eaten by a bear.”

“Good Lord. Were you really picturing that?”

“We established earlier today that I have a vivid imagination.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose we did.”

“And it’s very dark out here. You can’t see what might be going on in the woods. Anything could be lurking there, ready to spring. The trees are pretty close.”

He turned a fraction more toward her. “Do you want to go back?”

Now was her chance to spend the rest of the evening chatting on the front porch with Herb and Rosie plus whoever else was still hanging around after dinner. All she had to do was say the word.

“Listen, we don’t have to do this if it makes you nervous.”

But then she wouldn’t have a chance to be alone with Liam, and that opportunity might not come along again anytime soon. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me a little nervous.”

“Then let’s turn around.” He wheeled Navarre in her direction.

“No, wait.”

“I don’t want to scare you to death.” He rode toward her. “After I go past, just neck-rein Isabeau, and she’ll turn and follow.”

“I don’t want to go back.”

He stopped Navarre right next to her. On the narrow road, their stirrups were inches apart. Light from both lanterns illuminated his face, and he looked worried. “If you’ll be embarrassed about showing up so soon after we left, we can cook up a plausible story.”