Home to the Cowboy

“Now you know how it feels.” Shane stormed through the kitchen door. “You’re such a pro at doing things yourself, I guess you came by it honestly.”

“Shane, don’t—”

“Don’t what, Cole?” Shane shrugged. “Stand up for my share in Bridle Dance?”

“Stand up all you want but don’t talk about Mom like that.” Cole sat at the table next to Kay. “Why did you bring Tess into this?”

“We need her.” Kay folded her hands around Cole’s. “Look at the corporate websites she’s created. She’s good at what she does and she knows this family. No one can put the personal touches on our marketing campaign like she can.”

“Chase and I won’t agree to this.” Shane strode across the room. “You’re setting yourself up for a big disappointment and then everyone will blame me. Why are you doing this, Mom?”

“Because I’m hoping, by the grace of God, you boys will honor your father’s wishes. This was his dream.”

“A waste of a dream if you ask me.” Shane removed a white porcelain mug off the shagbark hickory cup holder he’d made in Cub Scouts. “Of course, no one gives a hoot what I think.”

“Knock it off, Shane,” Cole said. “Mom’s been through enough and she doesn’t need any more.”

Shane slammed the mug on the counter with such force, Cole was amazed it didn’t shatter.

“We’ve all been through a lot!” Shane was dangerously close to the table. Cole rose to confront him, a breath separating the two men. “I find it laughable that you and our hypocritical, wayward brother, who never cared one iota about this place, are trying to take control. It’s throwing good money after bad and I’ll block you at every turn. I’ve already informed Henry about your continued plans, and as coexecutor of the estate, he’ll make sure the corporate bylaws are enforced.”

“You called Tess’s father?” Kay pushed her way between her sons. “There was no reason to put him in the middle of this, Shane. This is a family dispute and I don’t appreciate you involving him.”

“He has every right to be involved, Mom. Dad made both of you coexecutors so Henry could handle the business side of Bridle Dance and you wouldn’t have to. All I’m doing is keeping him in the loop so he can legally watch out for the ranch’s best interest.” Shane’s expression turned smug. “This is what happens when you continue to move forward with these plans without a majority vote.”

“I really wish the two of you would keep the Daltons away from here.” Cole threw his arms up in defeat.

“Listen, I have no idea what’s been going on with you and Tess, but the Daltons are always welcome in this house,” Kay said. “And whether either of you approves of my hiring Tess, you’ll just have to deal with it, because she’ll be working here with me. You boys may own the ranch, but I own this house and the land, and you’d be wise not to forget it. The Lord’s not the only one who can giveth and taketh away around here.”

Cole shook his head. “Mom, I don’t mean to imply they aren’t welcome. But I don’t think they need to be involved in this—this battle.”

Kay left the room, dismissing her sons with a wave of her hand.

Shane snickered. “Under normal circumstances, I’d pity you for having to tolerate being in the same town as Tess after that stunt in Vegas. But, considering you, Mom and Jesse are trying to force my hand with the ranch, I’m okay with Mom forcing yours with Tess. Payback’s a bitch.”

Cole had had more than enough of the constant bickering over the ranch’s future. It had started the day they elected officers based solely on age and Cole, being the eldest, assumed the role of president. Trying to convince Shane it was nothing more than a title was next to impossible and the power struggle began from that moment forward.

Neither Shane nor Chase appreciated the fact that when Cole retired from the rodeo to take the reins of the expansive ranch, he’d allowed them the extra time to remain active on the circuit.

Cole did have to agree with Shane, however, about their mother hiring Tess without consulting them, even if Tess was the best person for the job. Hopefully she would work remotely, because her close proximity might push him over the edge in more than one way. Just knowing she was back in town was occupying more of his thoughts than he’d believed possible. The woman might be a blessing to his mother, but she was a curse to him.

Chapter Three

The following morning Cole parked his truck in front of the Daltons’ house, debating whether to go inside. Why was he so nervous? He felt like a teenager on his first date. An unannounced visit first thing in the morning might not sit well with them, especially since his mom and Shane had thrust Tess and Henry on opposite ends of the Langtry spectrum. That could easily pit father against daughter if Henry blocked Kay from continuing with the hippotherapy facility and pushed Tess out of another job.

What am I doing? Cole didn’t care if Tess was employed or not and he certainly wasn’t about to let Shane or Chase kill this project. He simply didn’t want outsiders involved in their personal dispute.

Cole laughed to himself. This had gone way past a dispute. It had become an all-out family feud and now the Daltons were smack-dab in the middle of it.

Henry Dalton was the Langtry family’s attorney, although Joe had kept a bevy of legal representatives for a myriad of reasons. The most recent addition was Cole’s old classmate, Jonathan Reese.

Jon had become an unfortunate victim of Joe’s machinations when he inadvertently came between Cole’s brother Jesse and their father before they had a chance to make peace. Good ol’ dad was well-intentioned when he set Jon in motion to block Jesse from buying Double Trouble after the owners died. His plan was meant to force Jesse home to Bridle Dance.

Joe didn’t count on his son taking off in the other direction and accepting a cutting horse trainer position in Abilene. Fortunately, that plan changed when he fell in love with Miranda, Double Trouble’s new owner. And even though Jesse was only a few miles away, Joe wanted his boys home, on family land. But that was their father—a man who stopped at nothing to keep his family together. Ironically, his death had now torn the family in half.

Cole hated the situation his brothers had forced him into, but at the time he’d figured if they wanted to play, he’d toss his Stetson in the ring. He’d immediately retained Jon as his attorney. Since he moved back to town, Jon was a worthy adversary for Henry Dalton, thanks to his involvement in Joe’s constant scheming to keep Jesse on Langtry land and the resulting intimate knowledge he’d gained of Joe’s future plans for the ranch. Through the Daltons’ leaded-glass door, Cole saw Tess and her father eating breakfast at the kitchen table. Maggie’s car wasn’t in the driveway, which he assumed meant she was already at the luncheonette. After a slight hesitation, he rapped on the mahogany frame, not wanting to presumptuously walk in.

“Cole.” Henry wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Since when do you knock around here? Come on in, sit and have something to eat. Tess rustled up a mess of food.”

“Morning, Henry,” Cole said. “I didn’t want to barge in not knowing where things stood with us, especially since my brother has you fighting his battles against me.”

“Nonsense, business is business and this is breakfast. No shoptalk here.”

“You heard my dad,” Tess said. “Sit.”

Tess laid an extra place setting before him and filled a mug with fresh coffee. Her hair was slightly shorter and more tamed than it was yesterday. The length suited her, even though he was used to the long waves she’d had since grade school. The auburn locks graced the nape of her neck, leaving the delicate skin exposed above the edge of her heather-gray sweater.

Shift focus, Cole. She’s the enemy. The enemy in matters of the heart, that is. Even though he hated the thought of his mother hiring Tess, she might prove to be one of his strongest allies. She was a webmistress genius and a master at convincing people to see things her way through her designs. He needed her on his side, no matter how much of his own peace of mind he had to sacrifice.

“Thank you.” Cole helped himself to a spoonful of scrambled eggs, pancakes and some odd-looking baconlike strips. “Everything looks great.”

“It’s low-sodium turkey bacon.” Henry leaned over and whispered to Cole, “Maggie has me on a restricted diet since—well, since the summer.”

“It’s all right, Henry.” Cole understood his meaning. “Since my father died my mom blames herself every day, wondering if her cooking contributed to his heart attack.”

Tess stood beside the table, listening intently while Ricky walked between her ankles in a figure-eight pattern. “I’m sorry, Cole.”

“Stop apologizing.” Cole placed his hand over hers, immediately wishing he hadn’t when he felt the silkiness of her skin. “We’ve asked ourselves the same question. Jesse blames himself for the stress he caused Dad over the years. I wonder if I’d been around more, maybe he would’ve had less of a workload. Then I tell myself Dad had enough money to hire more help if things became too much for him to handle. It’s speculation and we’ll never know. We just have to move on from it.”

Guilt was a hard pill to swallow. Cole talked until he was blue in the face, trying to reassure everyone in his family that his father’s death wasn’t their fault. He wasn’t so sure he believed it himself. Many things should have been handled differently, but regardless of how he felt, he was damn certain he’d finish what his father started. He owed the man that much.

“What brings you by?” Henry asked, breaking the heavy silence.

“I’m afraid you’ll consider it shoptalk.” Cole nervously laughed and leaned down to rub Ricky between the ears.

“Ah.” Henry rose from the table. “In that case, I will leave you two alone. I’ll be late to the office if I don’t get a move on. Thank you for a wonderful breakfast, sweetheart. It’s good to have you home.”

Henry kissed his daughter on the cheek and shook Cole’s hand before he left.

“Refill?” Tess asked, the coffeepot hovering above his mug.

“Yes, please.”

“What did you want to talk to me about, or shouldn’t I ask?”

Cole sensed Tess’s trepidation. They needed to settle what happened in Las Vegas, but she clearly wasn’t ready to get into it yet. Not wanting to drive her away when he desperately needed her help, Cole pushed the subject to the backburner.

“There’s someplace I’d like to show you.” Cole rested his fork on the edge of the plate. “And someone I’d like you to meet.”

“This isn’t a trap or anything, is it?”

“What?” Cole feigned offense. “I wouldn’t think of leading you astray.”

“Hmm,” Tess said. Ricky jumped into her lap, giving him a questioning look himself. “And the croissant incident was one hundred percent innocent, I presume.”

“I plead the Fifth.” Cole munched on another piece of turkey bacon. “This stuff isn’t half-bad. I could get used to it.”

“Oh, you must really want something from me if you’re complimenting fake bacon.” Tess shook her head. “Where are we going?”

“Someplace you won’t soon forget.”

* * *

THE DRIVE WAS pleasant enough and Tess was thankful she’d brought along her camera. Between the radio and the autumn landscape, she managed to sing, talk and photograph her way around the topic she knew Cole wanted to discuss. She figured he wanted to show her the hippotherapy facility Joe had patterned his plans after. And on the way there, in a vehicle moving at seventy miles an hour, she could no longer avoid the issue looming over them.

She would have succeeded in doing just that if the DJ hadn’t started blathering on about the local rodeo champions heading to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next month. Instantly transported to the scene of the crime, Cole gave her no alternative.

“I never meant to hurt you,” Cole said. “But I swear to you, I didn’t cheat on you.”

“It’s in the past.” Tess clenched her teeth. “Please leave it there.”

“I didn’t have the chance to say my piece then and I think you owe me at least that much.” Cole continued without waiting for her response. “I walked out of that arena with you on my arm. It was plain as day for everyone to see I was with you. I know it looked bad when those women showed up, and yes, I had been with them in the past, but I thought you knew me better than that. I may be many things, but a cheater isn’t one of them. Our relationship was turning serious and I think you were looking for a way out. When one appeared, you ran with it.”

Tess bit back the words she almost uttered. What he said was half-true. She knew the kind of man she thought Cole was. It was the stupid grin on his face that night that told her this type of thing had happened before, and he’d enjoyed it when it did. She heard the rodeo cowboy stories and knew a man could only take so much teasing before he gave in to temptation. The absurdity of the situation was that she’d immediately started dating Tim and he wound up cheating the exact way she figured Cole had. Another lesson learned. Don’t date men you meet in an airport bar.

But looking for a way out? No, she wouldn’t admit to that—at least not completely. Tess thought she’d wanted more from Cole, but once she saw the buckle bunnies, she knew it was a mistake. Long-distance relationships didn’t last and Cole’s first love was working on his family’s ranch, not living in New York City and sitting in a stuffy office building all day long. And she wouldn’t think of asking him to change.

In the same regard, Tess loved her independence. She traveled around the country on business, came and went when she wanted and didn’t concern herself with pleasing anyone except her cat. She had no intention of moving back to Texas. It wouldn’t have worked and she was justified in leaving.

As an acquisitions analyst, Tim traveled extensively throughout the world. He’d accepted her business trips and she’d accepted his. Personal vacations were another story altogether, resulting in them never going anywhere. When Tess suggested flying home to see her family, he shot down the idea. She would have enjoyed rubbing her fiancé in Cole’s face, at least once.

“If you felt that way, why didn’t you pick up the phone and call me?” Tess asked. Cole pulled off the road and into a gas station. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like? Getting gas,” Cole snapped. “Why should I chase after you when you didn’t stick around long enough to ask me what was going on? I had no reason to call. It’s not like we were getting married or something.”

“That’ll be the day.”

“Damn straight.” Cole hopped from the truck and slid his credit card into the pump.

“So what, I’m not good enough to marry?” Tess shouted through the cab’s open window.

How dare he think that!

Furious, Tess scampered from the truck and confronted him. Two men thinking she wasn’t matrimony material in the course of one week ticked her off. “I’d make the most amazing wife!”

Tears stung her eyes, but she fought them back. She refused to allow him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Cole took her face in his hands and drew her closer to him. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss that was about to come. A kiss she didn’t think she’d wanted until this very moment.

The warmth of Cole’s breath on her lips heightened her unexpected desire. “I know, and don’t let anyone say otherwise.”

He released her, without even a peck on the cheek. Unprepared for the disappointment she felt, Tess retreated to the passenger’s side of the truck. Why was it so easy for men to walk away from her? Slowly, she opened the door, uncertain if it was the gas fumes or anger that made her light-headed. Certainly, it couldn’t be his rejection.

Cole finished filling the tank and slid into the seat beside her. With his hand on the ignition, he opened his mouth to speak then checked himself before the first words left his lips.

“If you have something to say to me, I’d appreciate you getting it over with so we can reach this place before lunch,” Tess said.

“I promised myself I wasn’t going to bring any of this up today,” Cole said.

“This was your plan all along.” Tess leaned against the headrest. “Confine and confront me.”

Cole inhaled and exhaled slowly. Tess rolled her head to the side, expecting to see cockiness in need of an attitude adjustment. But when he shifted in his seat to face her, his pained expression puzzled her.

“You deserve better than this.”

“And what this are you referring to? Because from where I sit, the list is getting pretty long.”

“Better than a kiss in a gas station parking lot to show you how I still feel about you,” Cole whispered.

“What kiss?” Tess asked.

“This one.” Cole leaned across the seat and tugged her to him. The slight firmness of his lips on hers sent a little tremble through her body, down to her toes. Warmth radiated from his mouth as the kiss deepened until she opened for him, their tongues lightly touching in unison. Cole’s hand rested gently at the base of her throat while she draped her arms around his neck, urging him closer.

Thoughts swirled around each caress as she lost more of herself to him with each passing moment. Almost two years later, the familiarity of his touch and their last kiss in Vegas returned.

Dammit! That blasted city ruined everything.

Tess pushed Cole away, straightened her spine and reached for the seat belt, clicking it across her chest.

“That can’t happen again.” Her lips still tingled and she fought the urge to run her tongue over them. “It definitely can never happen again.”

“At least you didn’t haul off and hit me.” Cole laughed.

He started the engine and headed onto the highway without further conversation. Tess dug into her bag for her sunglasses, allowing a quick glance at him. There it was—that arrogant I got one over on her smirk. She’d give him this one. Well, actually, she’d love to give him another one and another after that.

What are you thinking?

This wasn’t going to happen. Tess refused to allow herself to fall in love with Cole again. Not that she’d been in love with him to begin with. She’d had feelings for him at one point, but she was certain those were in the past. If she knew Cole Langtry, she’d bet he was testing her with that kiss, and in that case, she wouldn’t let him win.

“We’re here.” Cole broke into her thoughts when he turned off the highway. A small green sign with white painted letters read Monkey Junction.

“Seriously?” Tess giggled. “This place is called Monkey Junction?”

“Sure is.” Cole laughed. “Since it caters mostly to children, the name suits it. You’ll understand in a minute.”

There it was, larger than life, the head of a giant two-story sock monkey painted on the side of a hunter-green barn.

“Oh, my stars!” Tess jumped from the truck the moment it stopped, the shutter of her camera snapping away furiously. “I love it!”

“Morning, Cole.” A man nodded as he walked past pushing a hand truck full of boxes. He was wearing a green T-shirt with a full-length sock monkey design across the front.

“Morning, Jeff,” Cole said. “Is Eileen around?”

“I saw her near the office a minute or two ago.”

Across the parking lot, they walked past a truck with what had to be a thousand sock monkeys stenciled on it. They really took this monkey thing to heart.

“There she is.” Cole grabbed Tess’s hand and pulled her in his direction. “Eileen, I want you to meet Tess, longtime friend and the web designer for our facility.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Eileen was an attractive woman, in her late fifties with short-cropped dark hair. “Please, feel free to look around if you’d like and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.”

“Thank you,” Tess said. “Do you mind if I take some photos of your place? Oh—hello there.”

A black Lab mix with short legs nudged her calf, taking her off guard.

“This is Shorty. He comes and goes around here. Pay no mind to him and feel free to take all the photos you’d like, and Cole, if you happen to see Bingo, tell him I’m looking for him. He took off on that golf cart an hour ago and I haven’t seen him since.”

“Will do,” Cole said.

“Why is she so nice if you’re going to be the competition?” Tess asked.

“When it comes to helping people with disabilities, you can’t have too many facilities, especially since we’re going for our PATH International certifications. Not every place you come across is accredited. Plus it’s a hundred miles between here and Bridle Dance and Eileen and Bingo are more than happy to support us and offer their expertise. They’re good people.”

“What’s PATH International?” Tess asked.

“PATH stands for Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship and the Premier Accredited Center certification will allow us to provide the best equine-assisted therapy we possibly can.”

Tires crunched on the dry dirt parking lot as a faded powder-blue minivan drove up to the wheelchair accessible ramp. Cole left Tess’s side, a huge smile splayed across his face. He strode to the van and slid the door open, revealing a raven-haired beauty of a child with two ponytails tied with pink bows.

“CC!” Small arms stretched out toward him while Cole bent down to unfasten her seat belt. “I can walk, CC! Watch me!”

The girl reached beside her seat and pulled out two tiny crutches with forearm supports. When she swung herself around, Tess could see that braces encased her legs up to her knees.

“Slow down, Ever.” A woman came around to the van door. “All this child’s been able to prattle on about is showing you she can walk.”

“Hello, Lorraine.” Cole moved aside, allowing the woman to seat the girl on the floor of the minivan so her legs dangled over the edge.

“Look, CC!” With calculated precision, the child focused on Cole, who knelt down on the ground a few feet in front of her. She took one precarious step, followed by a much steadier one.

Tess covered her mouth to keep from gasping at the child’s determination and pride with each small movement. The entire staff watched the girl walk toward Cole. When she finally reached him, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her up and swinging her around.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetie.” Cole hugged the girl, his eyes glassy, making Tess think a tear would spill over at any moment. “So proud.”

“I wanted to call and tell you, but I was told to wait and maybe you’d be here this week so I could show you.”

“Lorraine, you know you can call me anytime,” Cole said. Tess figured the woman must be Ever’s mother. “You still have my number, right?”

The woman nodded. “We didn’t want to bother you.”

Cole’s eyes narrowed, and Tess guessed he held his tongue due to the child’s presence. The conversation didn’t seem new, but rather a familiar one.

“I want you to meet a friend of mine,” Cole said. “Ever, this is Tess. Tess, meet Ever, my little cowgirl in the making.”

“Hi, Tess.” Ever’s twilight-blue eyes sparkled when she spoke. “CC has a girlfriend.”

Tess felt the heat rise to her cheeks at Ever’s reference. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m just a friend of Cole’s, though.”

“And you’re a girl.” Ever pulled at Cole’s hat until it came off his head, and placed it on top of hers, covering most of her face. “She’s pretty.”

“I can’t argue with you there.” Cole winked at Tess.

“Put me down, CC, I want to walk.”

“Well, look at you, Super Girl.” A woman with the name Caitlin embroidered on her shirt pocket approached. “Are you ready for your therapy?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ever replied. “Will you watch me?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Cole said.

Tess had never seen Cole so intently fixated on someone as he was this moment with Ever. Bracing his arms on the round pen’s fence rail, Cole watched the slip of a girl astride a light bay-colored mare. Ever sat absolutely straight, holding on to the two side handles on the royal blue clothlike saddle.