The Cowbear's Summer 0f Love (Curvy Bear Ranch Book 7)

by Liv Brywood

  Greg watched him with sad eyes until he’d strolled around the bend toward the house. Maybe he would find someone else to be his wife, but right now he couldn’t believe he’d ever find someone like Daisy.

  He moped around the lake a few more minutes before lumbering back toward the house. There was one thing he couldn’t refuse, and that was his mom’s huckleberry pie. The closer he came to the house, the stronger the scent became. By the time he reached the porch, his stomach was grumbling.

  After shifting back into his human form, he walked in and headed for his room. He got dressed, then joined the rest of the family in the kitchen. Everyone was extra friendly and nice to him while they took their seats. His mom dished out an extra-large slice for him.

  “Thanks, Mom,” he said.

  “You hang in there, hon,” she said.

  He nodded before returning his attention to the pie. But no matter how many forkfuls he shoveled into his mouth, it didn’t take away the pain. When Daisy had left, she’d taken a chunk of his heart with her.

  Chapter 12

  Daisy hadn’t spoken more than a few words in the three days it had taken to drive to Canada. They’d crossed into the country using a set of forged passports they’d picked up in Chinatown before they’d left San Francisco. The border patrol hadn’t blinked at eye at the fake papers.

  Three hours later, they rumbled into Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The city sprawled out in every direction. She raised her head long enough to take a glance around, then dropped it.

  Cars honked their horns. Some poured gray plumes of smoke from their exhausts. She wrinkled her nose, already missing the clean scent of mountain air.

  “Where should we drop you off?” River asked from the driver’s seat. They’d taken shifts driving.

  “Let’s find a park. There’s got to be some hip people there,” Meadow said.

  “Okay,” Andy said.

  Daisy stayed silent. They’d finally gotten her brother to Canada. This leg of her journey was almost over, so why wasn’t she excited? Maybe because she dreaded never seeing her brother again. What if she couldn’t find him? They’d already agreed that when the war ended, he’d return home. But if he didn’t, she’d have no way of knowing where he’d gone. She wasn’t ready to lose the only family member she still had.

  They drove through the city past several parks before they found Central Memorial Park. Clusters of young men and women dressed in flowing garments dotted the grass. As they pulled up to the edge, a woman with long braids adorned with feathers approached them.

  “Groovy bus, man,” she said.

  “Thanks,” River said. “Is this your pad?”

  “Yeah, a lot of us live free here,” she said. “We’re always ready to welcome like-minded souls. Are you looking for a place to crash?”

  “Yeah, my friend’s runnin’ from the Man,” River said.

  “He got into a bad scene somewhere?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I’m River,” he said.

  “Shanti Blue Jay,” she responded. “You can chill with us for a bit. The land’s free, but the pot’s cash or ass. We don’t get electric until after dark. Too many pigs roll through here during the day.”

  “They hassle you a lot out here?” Andy asked from the back seat.

  “Nah, we scatter like pigeons if they roll up,” Shanti said. “You need help with your stuff?”

  “Nah, we got it, babe,” River said.

  Daisy glanced up to catch Meadow’s scowl in the rearview mirror. They’d been getting on her nerves a little more every day and she was starting to have second thoughts about traveling to Woodstock with them.

  River hopped out of the driver’s seat and then circled around to open the side door. Meadow and Andy jumped out. Andy stood outside her window.

  “You coming?” he asked.

  “In a minute.” She wasn’t ready to party. She couldn’t fake a carefree attitude right now. Her mind and heart were still back in Montana on the ranch.

  After an hour, Meadow appeared at the window.

  “They have some good weed,” she slurred. “LSD too. That’ll take your mind off your farmer boy.”

  “No, thanks,” Daisy said.

  “Whatever, man. Just don’t be a buzzkill for the rest of us.”

  Meadow wandered away. Another hour passed. The sun dipped below the skyline and the soft glow of lit joints buzzed through the park like fireflies.

  “You thinking about taking off?” Andy said as he slid up to the door.

  “Maybe.”

  “Come out and get high with us,” he said. “You’ll feel so much better.”

  “Is that what you’re going to do with the rest of your life?” she asked. “Get high and hang out in parks?”

  “Maybe. Shit, I don’t know. All I know right now is that they have stuff here I’ve never tried before. It’s blowing my mind wide open.”

  “I’m worried about you,” she said. “What are you going to do when the scene gets old here?”

  “I don’t know. Alaska?”

  “How will I find you?” she asked.

  “I’ll find you.”

  “Where?” she asked, exasperated. “I don’t have a place to crash. Nothing permanent anyway.”

  “I’ll go check that farm,” he said slowly, as if he was having trouble forming words.

  “What farm?” She sat up straight in the chair.

  “The one with that guy you were humping in the woods.”

  “Greg?” she asked while ignoring his disgusting comment.

  “Yeah, that one.”

  “Why would you think I’d go back there?” she asked.

  “You’re in love with him, duh. We all see it. I just wanted to get to Canada, but that guy’s cool. Go back. He’ll take care of you,” Andy said.

  “You hated him when we were there,” she said.

  “Nah, I only hated that he might stop me from getting out of the country. I couldn’t risk it,” he said.

  “You selfish bastard,” she yelled.

  “Whoa, chill.” He held up his hands in protest before becoming strongly fascinated by them. “Do you see that? They sound like colors.”

  She shook her head. She’d given up a man who loved her and wanted to treat her right for this? Granted, Andy was blitzed out of his mind, but still.

  After she’d left without saying goodbye, would Greg even want to talk to her? Maybe she’d get all the way back there and find out that he didn’t love her after all. She shook her head. No. That wasn’t true. She’d seen the passion in his eyes the night they’d made love under the stars. He did love her and she was beginning to think she’d been a fool for ever leaving him.

  She pushed open the door and walked up to Andy. She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.

  “Pay attention,” she snapped.

  “The colors…”

  She swore, then slapped him.

  “What’d you do that for?” he grumbled.

  “Wake up. I need you to focus for two seconds.”

  “I’m with it, man.”

  “I’m going back to the farm,” she said.

  “Told you.”

  “Are you going to remember in the morning?” she asked.

  “Farm…” he mumbled.

  She shook her head and climbed into the back of the bus. After bundling the few clothes she had into a bag and grabbing her tent and sleeping bag, she pulled the door closed.

  “Far out,” Meadow said as she strolled over. “You’re really doing it.”

  “What?”

  “Going back to him.”

  “Yes,” Daisy said through clenched teeth. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with her wasted friends.

  “Right on,” Meadow said. “Give me a hug though. If you change your mind, meet us at Woodstock.”

  “I will,” she said. Who knew, maybe she could convince Greg to go with her.

  “I’m going to miss you, babe,” Meadow said before flinging her arms around her.<
br />
  “Me too.” Daisy hugged her back. “I love you. Stay safe.”

  “I’m with my people. It’s cool.”

  “All right. Take care of my brother,” Daisy said.

  “I’ll do what I do,” Meadow said while spinning in a circle. She stumbled a few steps before plopping down on the grass.

  River ambled over.

  “You taking off?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Here.” He pulled the keys to the bus out of his back pocket. “You can give it back to us at Woodstock.”

  “I might not make it,” she said.

  “If you don’t, we’ll just meet up on the flip side.”

  She didn’t know exactly what he meant, but she didn’t care either. She gave him a quick hug and found her brother leaning against a tree.

  “I love you, stay safe,” she said.

  “Bye, babe,” he said before returning his gaze to the sky.

  She shoved her stuff back into the bus and hopped into the driver’s seat. After consulting their tattered map of the US, she turned onto the highway and headed back toward the border.

  ***

  After driving a night and day with little sleep, she reached the farm. As she pulled alongside the barn, Mr. Grant stepped out. He swiped a dirty hand over his forehead before approaching.

  She hopped out of the bus.

  “Where’s Greg?” she asked.

  “I had a feeling you’d be back.”

  “I need to see him.”

  “I won’t have some hippie girl running around breaking my son’s heart. Now you go on. Go back to wherever you’ve come from,” Greg’s dad said.

  “No,” she said defiantly. “I’m not leaving until I talk to him.”

  “Suit yourself.” He shrugged. “He’s probably in his room.”

  “In the middle of the day?” she asked.

  “Yeah. You messed him up something good.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Save your whining and pleading for him. It’s wasted on me,” he said.

  She narrowed her gaze as she stomped past him. He didn’t know a dammed thing about their love. Of course Greg would be happy to see her.

  When she reached the front door, she almost just opened it and walked in. But she wasn’t living there anymore, so she knocked instead.

  Betty answered the door. Her eyes went wide.

  “Well aren’t you a welcome sight,” she said.

  Good, at least someone wanted to see her.

  “Hi, Mrs. Grant,” she said. “Is Greg here?”

  “You can call me Betty, dear. Nothing’s changed in that regard.”

  Daisy frowned. If that hadn’t changed, then what had? She was hinting at something.

  Betty stepped back to allow her to pass.

  “Greg’s not feeling so well these days,” Betty said. “He’s resting.”

  “Is he sick?” Daisy asked.

  “He’s sick all right, but you can’t cure what he’s got with a bowl of chicken soup. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

  “They why is he sick?”

  “He’s lovesick. When you ran out on him, it broke his heart,” Betty said.

  “I had to go, I had to—” Daisy stopped short. If she wasn’t careful, she’d reveal her brother’s secret. It didn’t matter that he’d already made it to Canada safely. If their father found out where he was hiding, he’d find a way to get at him.

  “I don’t know if Greg’s going to want to see you,” Betty said. “He only comes out for meals and even then I have to coax him out sometimes.”

  “I didn’t realize…”

  “I can see why he’s been so upset since you left. During the time you were here, you were always quick to help around the house and in the fields. You’re a hard worker, much harder than your friends,” Betty said.

  “They tried to work the best they could,” Daisy said, knowing full well that it was a lie. Well, maybe River put his back into it every day, but Meadow certainly hadn’t.

  “Would you like some tea?”

  “I’d rather go back and see if he’ll talk to me,” Daisy said.

  “All right. But don’t be surprised if he’s a little…hostile. Last door on the right.”

  Daisy frowned as she wandered down the long corridor. She’d never been past their living room. The overwhelming use of wood extended to the back of the house. It was a wonder they had any forest left. They’d had to have used half the trees in the woods to construct it.

  When she reached the end of the hall, she faced the door to Greg’s bedroom. It was shut tight, so she gently rapped on the frame.

  “Go away,” Greg bellowed from the other side.

  “It’s… it’s Daisy,” she said.

  Silence. The tick of the grandfather clock in the living room echoed down the hall. She waited, hoping that he’d at least let her speak to him.

  “I know you’re upset that I left,” she said. “But I came back.”

  She waited, but again, nothing happened.

  “Please open the door,” she called.

  She listened intently for any indication of movement inside the room. Nothing. Frustrated, she knocked again.

  “I just need a minute. I need to apologize for leaving without telling you goodbye. It was wrong. I know that now. I was so caught up in making sure that we got my brother to... that we took care of what he needed to do to keep him safe. I was blinded by my mission and I made a terrible choice,” she said.

  She sighed. He was so damn stubborn, but she wasn’t about to give up. If she had to sit outside his door for the rest of the day, she would. But before she could begin a vigil, Betty ambled down the hall.

  “While you’re waiting for him to come out of hiding,” she said. “Why don’t you join me in the kitchen for some huckleberry pie?”

  Daisy bit the edge of her lip. He’d have to come out at some point. She hadn’t eaten much since she’d left Canada. The rumble in her belly made the prospect of some of Betty’s delicious pie even more appealing.

  She trailed her down the hall and into the kitchen. As she settled into a chair, Betty pulled a fresh-baked pie from the oven. Bubbling purple huckleberries pushed against the thick crust, breaking through and spilling over the sides in places.

  “This one’s a bit of a mess,” Betty said. “I think I overfilled it.”

  “It looks wonderful,” Daisy said.

  “I hope this doesn’t spoil our lunch.” Betty placed the pie on a pair of trivets in the center of the table. “But how can I resist it when it’s just come out of the oven?”

  “I know what you mean,” Daisy said. “A good home-cooked meal is something I used to take for granted. Now I know how much of a blessing it truly is. I guess I take a lot of things for granted.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Greg is acting like a kicked puppy. He’ll come around.”

  “You seem so sure of it,” Daisy said.

  “Of course I am, dear. A man wouldn’t put himself through that much suffering over someone he didn’t truly love.”

  Daisy blushed as she pushed a piece of crust around on her plate. If his mom was right, then she still had a chance with him. The tension in her body released. She just had to wait him out. She’d get him to forgive her and they could talk about a future together.

  As she forked another mouthful of warm, gooey huckleberry filling into her mouth, footsteps sounded in the hall. She choked down the pie as she spun to find Greg storming into the kitchen. When she saw the fury in his eyes, she dropped her fork. It clanged against the side of the plate before landing on the floor. She shrunk back as he placed his palms on the table and leaned across to glare at her.

  “Well?” he demanded.

  Chapter 13

  Greg seethed with anger. How dare she come flitting back here pretending everything was okay? She’d abandoned him. She’d acted like the night they’d shared in the forest had meant nothing. That his confession of being completely in love with
her wasn’t worth his breath.

  He clenched his fists.

  “I…”

  “What?” he demanded.

  “I’m sorry that I left. But I won’t leave again. I’ve spent the last few days alone and it’s given me time to think about what’s important in my life. You’re the sweetest, most caring, most interesting man I’ve ever met. I can’t lose you,” she said.

  “You should have thought about that before you took off,” he said.

  “I know. I can’t do anything about that other than to tell you that I’m sorry and I was wrong to leave you. Please,” she pleaded. “Please give me another chance. Haven’t you ever made a mistake? Haven’t you ever loved someone but then done something thoughtless?”

  He dropped his gaze to the floor and studied the intricate pattern in the wood. A part of him wanted to forgive her, to pull her into his arms and never let her go. But another part couldn’t get over the betrayal. If he gave in to her now, was he setting himself up for more pain?

  What if she decided a week from now, or a month from now, or a year from now that she didn’t like living on the farm? Would she pack up and leave in the middle of the night? Would he wake up one morning only to find himself completely alone again?

  He shook his head. He wasn’t ready to forgive her and he wasn’t sure he ever would be. Maybe his dad had been right. Maybe he should wait for a woman who showed that she could uphold her commitments. Being a farmer’s wife wasn’t an easy life, and if she couldn’t focus one hundred percent of her time and energy to helping him run things, then it would never work. He didn’t just have his own life to worry about; he had a family legacy to uphold.

  There was so much he wanted to do. So many ways he hoped to transform the land. Eventually, he wanted to run a bed and breakfast so they could get income from all the tourists visiting Yellowstone. He’d like to get some cattle and try his hand at creating a ranch. It would be hard work, but nothing like the back-breaking work of farming. He wasn’t convinced she would be able to adapt and he couldn’t take that risk.

  No. It would be better to cut ties now. He’d have to find a way to stop thinking about her all the time. Even now, as she stood across from him, he could smell her earthy scent. He’d never forget how her silky skin felt under his hands and he’d carry their night of lovemaking with him forever. But he couldn’t give up his future dreams for her.