Redeeming the CEO Cowboy

“My life’s different now, that’s for sure. Mostly, thanks to you.”

Austin Brown was a man to be feared, or so Casey had thought in those early years, when the older man had personally hired him in the rodeo off-season to work on a construction crew. Casey had been green around the ears and desperately in need of work to support Audrey. He’d learned a lot about construction during that time. Austin didn’t like mess ups and Casey proved himself a valuable worker. After Casey hit it big as a rodeo rider and made a fortune in endorsements, he invested in Sentinel Construction and through the years, shared in the profits. Less than eighteen months ago, Austin retired and Casey jumped at the chance to buy him out with only one condition: that he remain as his consultant and advisor.

“You’re the son he never had,” Elizabeth had told him once. “He wouldn’t want the company in anyone else’s hands.” Being parentless for most of his life, Casey was moved to tears by her comment and now he and Austin were as close as two people could be that weren’t blood-related.

“How about you, Austin? That arthritis still giving you fits?”

“Ahh, I’ve got nothing to complain about.” Austin’s palm landed on his beer belly. “I’ve put on a few pounds since I retired though. Elizabeth’s put me on some dang new-age regimen. Claims it’s a way of life and not so much a diet.”

Casey laughed. Austin on a diet? That he’d like to see. Austin loved food. Only his love for Elizabeth, his childhood sweetheart and wife of fifty some odd years, could get him to abide by new eating rules.

Casey removed his hat as they entered the home. The cool interior walls of natural stone and wood were just as he remembered them. Casey felt warmth and love every time he entered the Browns’ home. It wasn’t picture perfect. Elizabeth’s half-knitted blanket lay on the sofa in the great room, her spools of yarn cozy in a basket beside it and a few issues of Cowboys and Indians magazine lay open on chairs and on their signature rock and glass coffee table. Miss Caroline, their black and white tuxedo cat, lay stretched out on the window sill as if she owned the place. Missy, as they called her, was going on eleven years and was the apple of Elizabeth and Austin’s eyes. If it weren’t for Missy, Casey would’ve brought the pup out to the ranch.

Casey lifted his nose to heavenly scents of tangy sauce and garlic and onions coming from the kitchen. “Something smells mighty good.”

“That’ll be lunch.”

The housekeeper stepped out of the kitchen and approached him. “Hello, Mr. Thomas. Would you like me to take your hat?”

“Oh, sure.” Casey handed it to her. She took Austin’s hat as well. “How you doing, Bessie?”

She smiled. “Well, thank you. Miss Elizabeth wouldn’t let me touch a thing in the kitchen. She’s making you one of your favorites.”

“I told you,” Austin said.

“Well, now that’s incentive for me to come by more often.”

“Wish you would. C’mon now.”

Bessie moved on and Austin led him into the kitchen. Elizabeth was leaning over the oven, pulling out a roasting pan. She was dressed impeccably in a pair of beige slacks and a cream and brown printed blouse. Even working in the hot kitchen, not a hair on her silver-gray head was out of place.

The second she spotted him, she set her oven mitts down and lifted her arms to him. “Casey, it’s good to see you.”

He walked into her arms, giving the petite woman a gentle squeeze. His eyes closed to the tenderness swelling in his heart. Then he cleared his throat and backed away to look into her bright amber eyes. “Same here. You’re as pretty as ever, Elizabeth.”

“You’re a charmer, Casey.”

No, he wasn’t. Mostly, he was gruff and rough around the edges. “I’ll thank you for that.”

“I hope you brought your appetite. I made you pulled pork with your favorite peanut coleslaw and fried onions.”

Casey looked at the pan of steaming, fork-tender pork shoulder roast oozing with barbeque sauce, just waiting to be shredded. “I brought an appetite and a half. Can’t wait to dive in.”

Casey did the honors of forking the meat from the roast, working alongside Elizabeth, who was arranging plates for all of them. She gave Austin half the portion size she’d given Casey and left off the sourdough bun from her husband’s plate.

She ignored Austin mumbling under his breath and smiled wide. “Okay, boys, looks like we’re ready to sit down.”

An hour later, after a delicious lunch spent shooting the breeze with the Browns, Casey sat in an extra-wide chocolate-leather chair facing Austin in his study, a tumbler of Scotch gripped in one hand. With its lived-in chairs, paneled fireplace and beige Italian sofa, the study was one of Casey’s favorite rooms in the house. Walnut bookshelves banked two opposing walls. There were five hundred books if there was one on those shelves. Austin probably speed read through every danged book in here. Mesh window shades dimmed the sunlight but still allowed a stunning view of Crystal Canyon.

“So you’re thinking of expanding the business?” Austin asked, eyeing Casey seriously. The older man had worked his fingers to the bone building the company from scratch and had a keen sense of business.

“Yeah, I’ve been shopping around Reno looking for office space. We’re bursting at the seams in Tahoe and ready to branch out. But you know I wouldn’t make that decision until I talked it out with you.”

“Yes, well. I’m glad you did.” Deep in thought, Austin scratched his chin, his fingers clasping the skin underneath. “You know that Nartoli nearly went belly up when he expanded too quickly. That’s why I always tried to grow the business slowly.”

“I’d take it slow, too. But I think the time is right.” Casey put his lips to the tumbler and sipped Scotch.

“Do you have enough business in the area to warrant opening a division in Reno?”

“We’re getting requests all the time and bidding on several big projects. Since the moratorium on commercial building has been lifted, the area is taking off.”

“Smart of you to want to get in on the ground floor of that. Actually, you’re young enough to do it. By the time those thoughts entered my skull, I was looking at retirement.” Austin leaned into the arm of his chair and leather squeaked under him. “Tell me, Casey, do you have a girl? Any thoughts of settling down?”

Casey frowned. It was a question he didn’t expect. A picture of Susie baking up those doggone delicious muffins popped into his head. “None at the moment.”

None ever. But he kept that to himself to stay away from scrutiny or friends and family trying to change his mind. Casey had grown up really fast, raising Audrey and raising hell on the rodeo. When Audrey wasn’t around, he’d led a wild life. There was always a woman around to keep him company. Funny, how a spill from a horse could change all that. He’d found out who his friends really were. Suddenly, the rodeo champion was a broken man facing months of rehab with no future to speak of and no hope of a family of his own. He’d faced that reality dead on and reinvented himself. It had been a large learning curve, but finally he was in a good place again.

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