The Twins' Rodeo Rider

by Tina Leonard

  Suz gasped. “Cosette Lafleur would never!”

  “I assure you she did.” Squint nodded. “I overheard one of Daisy’s knuckleheads mutter something about it when they were standing at the finish line. I have excellent SEAL hearing.”

  Everyone took a stool to consider this new twist.

  “I just find it very hard to believe that Cosette would try to influence the results,” Mackenzie said. “She’s been our matchmaker forever. I can’t remember a match in this town she hasn’t had some hand in, either secretly or publicly. And she’s on the rules committee.”

  Suz met Cisco’s gaze, moving her head slightly in the negative. Theirs was one wedding that hadn’t had Cosette’s help—and maybe that was a good thing. He thought his little bride looked a bit guilty that they didn’t have the matchmaker’s blessing and magic wand waved over their marriage, but he wasn’t from BC. He could handle his own love life, and right now, he had exactly what he wanted, which was Suz. Secretly, Suz Grant. He grinned at her and she blushed, which he thought was darling.

  Tonight, he was going to make love to her until she blushed all over.

  “Well, believe it,” Squint said. “No one knows what resources matchmakers utilize to effect matches, I suppose. In this case, she chose to hire Daisy’s gang to put Frog and me out of the running long enough for them to win. They had a head start, but I wasn’t about to lose that race.” He looked at Cisco. “Why did you come back, anyway? You could have kept running and won.”

  “Because you’re my brother,” Cisco said, growling. “I’d never leave a brother behind. Never have, never will.”

  “All right, all right. Stand down.” Justin waved both men to cool their jets. “Let’s just figure out where we go from here.”

  Cisco glanced at Suz. His wife smiled at him, her gaze bright. God, he loved her delicate little face. He would have run from end to end of the entire United States if it meant he’d win her. “Why would we go anywhere?”

  “Well, some of us might be going somewhere,” Sam said, “since apparently one of us is married and didn’t share that with any of us.” Sam frowned, his face marred by an expression that rarely registered on him. “We served together. I think I’d know if you were married, bro.”

  Cisco shrugged. “I have a few secrets.”

  Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. “Well, I’m not going to talk about it now. It doesn’t change anything about the fact that I want to help BC. Just not as a dedicated bachelor.”

  “You realize Daisy’s really pissed,” Justin said. “She thinks she’s been gypped of her one true love.”

  “I leave that to Squint to figure out.” Cisco glanced at Suz, couldn’t help winking at her. “And I’ll pay for all the tickets that had to be refunded.”

  Mackenzie nodded. “Thank you. That’ll go a long way to soothing town feathers, although not Daisy’s. She spent three races hoping you were the one, Cisco.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not,” he said cheerfully, not looking at Suz just in case someone figured out that he couldn’t keep his eyes off his sexy lady. “I’m not Daisy’s ‘one,’ that’s for certain.”

  “She won’t get another race,” Suz said, “and she’s not happy about it.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Squint said bravely. “I won today.”

  “That’s right.” Cisco nodded. “After today, everything changes.”

  A knock on the back door startled everyone. Mackenzie opened the door, and Daisy blew inside, heading straight for Cisco. “You made a laughingstock of my big day, Cisco Grant, and I want you to know that I despise you. I despise all of you!”

  Even if he was glad to be out of Daisy’s line of fire, she could still hold up the Hanging H’s funding. “Daisy, I’m not your guy. You can’t be mad about that. There’s a better man out there for you.”

  “Yeah,” Squint said. “I did win today.”

  Daisy looked at him, as if seeing him for the first time. Cisco held his breath, his gaze on Suz.

  Then Daisy turned back to him. “The thing is, you cheated, Cisco. I’ve had three chances at the Bridesmaids Creek magic, and there’s not going to be another time for me.”

  No one in the room spoke up, and since Cisco wasn’t versed in BC lore, he kept his mouth shut.

  Fire flashed in Daisy’s eyes at his silence. “It wasn’t that hard to check up on your claim that you’re married. Turns out, you really are.”

  Suz looked frozen in place. He desperately wanted to put his arms around her, tell her it was going to be all right. “Yeah, well, a man doesn’t usually make up the M word, Daze.”

  Daisy looked around the room, her gaze settling on Suz. “Private investigators are easy to hire. It wasn’t a secret that was going to keep. Everybody knows there really aren’t secrets in BC.”

  “So, Daisy,” Sam said, “stop killing us with the suspense. If you think my buddy here is married, who dragged him to the altar?”

  Daisy’s eyes darkened with anger. “He married Suz last weekend. Which I should have seen coming, because honestly, the Hawthorne sisters will do anything they possibly can to make sure my father and I never belong in this town.”

  * * *

  SUZ STOOD STRAIGHTER, her back immediately up as Daisy made her announcement. Every pair of eyes in the room landed on her in astonishment, before traveling to Cisco, who grinned, not minding the spotlight at all. Suz shook her head. “I didn’t do anything to cheat you, Daisy. I don’t know what happened at the Best Man’s Fork run. It sounds like your gang was up to their ears in mischief, as usual, so you can’t lay that at my door.” She took a deep breath, her gaze going to Cisco. He smiled at her, tall and dark and handsome as always. He was sweet, but the man didn’t understand Daisy, he didn’t understand the workings of BC, and frankly, she was too nervous to return his smile. “Your dream guy is still out there, somewhere.”

  “Yeah,” Squint said, “you didn’t want my buddy Frog Legs, anyway.”

  Cisco laughed, not minding the razzing one bit. “She may not want a one-eyed squinter, either. Even if he can shoot the label off a beer bottle at a very distant range, which is how he got the name Squint. Not a bad talent in a man, you know.”

  “That’s all very well and good,” Daisy snapped, “but the fact remains, my big day has been stolen from me.” She looked at Suz, and Suz could feel her fury. “You and your sister have been queen bees ever since I came to this town. It’s time you learn that other people have feelings, too.”

  “Come on, Daisy. No one can help who they fall in love with. And you’re not in love with Cisco.” Suz was certain of this. Daisy had latched on to Cisco for some reason, but she wasn’t sure what. “I’m sorry we kept our marriage from you, and from everyone else, too,” she said, glancing around the room. “But actually, we wanted you to have your big day.”

  “So my father will stop the proceedings against your addition for the Haunted H.” Daisy tossed her hair. “That’s not going to happen. Better still, it turns out that you took a lien against the Hanging H for your haunted house business. Which means,” Daisy said triumphantly, “that before too long, this house, the ranch and your business will be owned by Donovan Enterprises. Better known as me.”

  Suz couldn’t bear the stricken look on her sister’s face. Her own heart felt like it was tearing in two. “Daisy, I’m sure we can work this out. If you want a husband, there are lots of men who would want to marry you, I’m sure. You just have to be patient with the magic.”

  “Yeah?” Daisy went to the door. “I intend to make my own magic from now on. Not silly, manufactured Bridesmaids Creek magic that seems to work for everyone but me. Anyway, all that crap is just that—crap. There’s no magic in this town. It’s just a pile of old, dusty buildings and elderly folk trying to hold on to the past. And you and your sister and Jade Harper tryi
ng to become the next team of biddies running the BC show. I don’t care,” Daisy said. “I’m going to be the BC queen bee from now on. Enjoy house hunting, Suz.”

  She went out the door, and Suz sank onto a bar stool. Mackenzie put her arms around her sister. A second later, she felt Cisco’s big warm hand on her shoulder, too.

  “I guess congratulations are in order,” Sam said, trying to kick-start some joy in the kitchen that felt peculiarly like all the happiness had evaporated.

  “Indeed,” Squint said. “Let’s have some cake to celebrate our newly married couple!”

  No one joined in his idea. Suz and Mackenzie sat together like a still-life painting.

  “Do you think she means it?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Of course she means it,” Suz answered. “Daisy feels like we made her a laughingstock. The worst part is, I can actually see her point.”

  “Hey!” Cisco sat on the stool next to her, smoothed her hair back from her face. “Marrying you was the happiest moment of my life. I’m still in awe that I landed such an amazing woman.”

  “Me, too,” Sam said, his mouth full of cake. “So is everyone else. The question is, what are we going to do to fix this problem?”

  Suz could hardly wrap her mind around what had just happened. “I can live anywhere. I’ve lived in lots of remote locations with bare minimum comforts. But Mackenzie has four babies.” She looked at her sister. “I’m so sorry, Mackenzie. I didn’t think what my marriage might do to you.”

  “Hey!” Cisco took her hand. “Let’s not make it sound like we’ve done something we shouldn’t have.”

  Suz shook her head. “I should have known better. I didn’t consult Madame Matchmaker, and I cheated our system here. Even Ty remembered to respect the town when he won Jade’s heart. I was thinking about having a baby, and being a wife.”

  “I’m still trying to figure out how our town matchmaker comes to tie people up to effect her matchmaking credentials,” Sam said, cutting himself another slice of cake. “This is a wacky little town.”

  “I don’t think Daisy’s ever going to have me.” Squint looked around the room. “I don’t even think she knows my name.”

  Suz took a deep breath. “Daisy’s too mad right now. And honestly, I don’t blame her a bit.” She got up, hugged her sister. “Somehow we’ll find a way to undo this. It’s my mistake, and I’ll figure it out.”

  She took herself up to her room, feeling like she’d let everyone in BC down—including her new husband.

  She hadn’t thought this through, that much was clear. Her fast, secret marriage had been an impetuous mistake. She’d hurt her sister and her family, the townspeople and BC, too. Why? Because she’d fallen for Cisco.

  He didn’t even know that she’d hurt him, too.

  Chapter Eight

  “Hey, little lady!” Cisco said, following his wife into her room. “You and I are meant to be, beautiful. I don’t want to hear you rethinking what we did and I definitely heard you rethinking it downstairs. I want that train of thought stopped. Immediately.” He took Suz in his arms, kissing her, holding her the way he’d been dying to ever since Daisy’s unfortunate entrance.

  Suz pulled from his arms. “You don’t understand, Cisco.”

  She sat on the end of her bed, and he sat next to her, taking in the rose-patterned drapes and white bedspread, white furniture and girlie accoutrements at a glance. “Explain it to me.”

  “Remember when I told you I was taking medication to help me get pregnant?”

  “Dimly. Very dimly. I’m pretty sure I was in the throes of passion and wasn’t listening to the fine details.” He took a deep breath. “My God, Suz, I had you naked in my arms. You could have told me you were playing on Daisy’s team and I doubt it would have registered.”

  “That makes it even worse, then. I should have made sure you were listening.”

  “Okay, I’m listening now. I’m all ears. Get it all off your chest.” Cisco didn’t touch his wife, recognizing that Daisy’s visit had upset her far more deeply than he’d realized—and the fact that she was clearly so devastated was killing him.

  Suz took a deep breath. “I’m on the same medication Mackenzie was taking because the chances of me being able to conceive are very low. My sister and I have some similar issues.”

  “Clearly it doesn’t matter. She’s got four. I’m pretty sure I can duplicate some success in that department. Considering how much I adore your body, I’m looking forward to the challenge.” He tweaked her hair, trying to rouse a smile from her.

  “And if I can’t get pregnant?”

  He shrugged. “So? I married you, not your ovaries.”

  They sat silently for a few minutes. Cisco struggled to think how he could explain his feelings to Suz better, set her free from whatever was bugging her. “Listen, I had a bunch of good buddies who didn’t get to come home to their families, Suz. Their wives, their children. It’s real hard for me to sit around and cry about what might or might not happen with pregnancy in our marriage.”

  “I needed to hear that,” Suz murmured.

  “All right, then. Let’s not sell me short just yet, beautiful. I may not be the Prince Charming BC was looking for, but I’m probably pretty close,” he said cheerfully, feeling confident about that.

  “Cisco,” Suz said, looking into his eyes, “you’re going to have to leave BC.”

  He stopped cold, something strange seeping into his chest at the serious look in her eyes and the tone in her voice. “I’m not going anywhere without you, babe. I know we said we’d live apart, but now that our secret’s out, I’m going to be an attentive husband. That’s how we’re going to achieve that pregnancy you’re hoping for.”

  Suz’s shoulders slumped a bit. “You’re going to have to give me some time to sort this out. And you being here is just going to make Daisy mad on a daily basis. A sore that isn’t going to heal.”

  He got it. Daisy definitely believed that they’d married secretly to rig the charity run—and she was right. But he could have run a thousand races and it wouldn’t have mattered. BC didn’t have enough charms, powerful enough charms, to make him love anyone but Suz. She was the woman of his heart. He felt like he’d come to BC just to find her, as if she’d been waiting for him.

  Or maybe his heart had been waiting for her.

  “Whatever I have to do to win you for good, I’ll do it.” Cisco wrapped his arms around her as they lay on the bed together. “I don’t pretend to be wise in the ways of BC. I don’t understand a town whose supposed matchmaker cheats with the best of them.” He still felt outraged about that incident on the trail, but since he hadn’t “won” the race—by BC standards, anyway, though it was still a win in his book, a reverse win—he wasn’t going to probe too deeply into Madame Matchmaker’s machinations. “I can go away for a week or two.”

  Suz rolled up onto his chest, gazed down into his eyes. “I’m thinking longer. Memories are healthy here in BC. And if I have any prayer of Daisy cooling off and deciding not to take our house and our land, she needs to not be reminded daily that she feels like we made her a laughingstock.”

  “I guess we kind of did.” He didn’t want to, but he could see Daisy’s side. A little.

  “Actually, she’s not too far off when she says BC never really embraced her and her family. We never went out of our way to invite her to things. I hate to say it, but I think on that she’s right. It wasn’t that we were trying to be mean. Daisy just didn’t fit in BC. Her father was loud and rude, rubbed everyone the wrong way. It colored our feelings about Daisy.”

  He could see how that had happened. “I haven’t seen any overt sign that folks look down on Daisy since I came to BC. I do see that she and Robert are pretty unlikable characters.”

  “But I think she was trying to change.” Suz looked at him.
“I honestly believe she was making an effort. After we started inviting her around here more, she seemed to be trying to get along better. I feel bad about that.”

  “Let’s beat ourselves up about one thing at a time. Right now, we have to deal with the major problem, which is that apparently Robert owns the bank that has your note? Did I understand that correctly?”

  “If not Robert, then his cronies. Remember, he’s been buying up BC land and buildings and offering them to government entities.”

  “Yeah, but I thought Jade made Robert promise he wouldn’t levy any further action against the people of this town, especially if he wanted to see his grandchildren. Supposedly everything changed when Robert found out that Ty Spurlock was his son, and when he and Jade had children. Didn’t it soften Daisy up, too, becoming an aunt?”

  “I’m guessing Daisy thinks we cheated her, so all past promises are off.” Suz’s eyes were sad. “I knew better than to do what we did, Cisco. Nothing that happens in secret is probably ever going to turn out optimally.”

  An arrow of pain shot into his heart. “You don’t regret marrying me, do you?”

  “I don’t regret marrying you, but I wish we’d taken other people’s feelings into account. Even my sister was a little hurt that we didn’t have a traditional wedding she could attend. And I totally understand.”

  “We agreed we’d have a regular wedding later. And that there’d be no secrets kept between us. I’m still good for that on my end, doll.”

  Yet no matter how much he wanted to fix the situation for Suz, Cisco also knew that hurt feelings and broken promises weren’t mended overnight.

  In fact, healing took a long, long time.

  * * *

  A WEEK LATER, Suz sat in Cosette’s office in the cozy tearoom-like atmosphere of Madame Matchmaker’s Premiere Matchmaking Services. A floral teapot graced a small coffee table between the flowered chairs, inviting conversation. Cosette gazed at her, her pink-frosted hair somehow looking completely perfect in the delicate room.