The Twins' Rodeo Rider

by Tina Leonard

  “Suz—”

  “Like you’re trying to save Bridesmaids Creek. And even Daisy. Cisco, saving us isn’t going to erase the fact that you’re not doing what your family wants you to do. Maybe even needs you to do. And honestly, I didn’t sign on for this.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I don’t know what I’m saying.” Suz closed her eyes, deeply fearful. “I think I’ll go to sleep now. I have to arrange for some cribs or something for the house. I have a couple of things I want to think about,” she said quickly, feeling herself retreat into a familiar shell, unable to help herself.

  “Do you need me to do anything before I leave? I may go sleep at the bunkhouse tonight, if you want to rest.”

  “That’s a good idea. And no, I don’t need anything. Thank you.” She didn’t open her eyes. It was all too much to think about. She needed to examine why she was suddenly so panicked.

  “I’m not ashamed of you and the girls, Suz,” he said quietly. “But you’re right. I’d rather fit into your world than be part of mine.”

  She opened her eyes. “You realize the two worlds really don’t fit together?”

  “They might not, but they will.”

  Suz looked at her husband, tears in her eyes. She told herself that she was overwhelmed and tired. Tender emotions were normal after a pregnancy.

  But they weren’t for her, and she knew it. The problem was, she’d married a man who wasn’t the man she’d thought he was—and never in her wildest dreams had she ever once wanted the kind of man he was. It sounded horrible, but it was true. She wasn’t royalty, she wasn’t born with wealth. Her parents had died, chased into an early grave by financial stress and a visitor to their haunted house who’d unfortunately died on their property, ruining their business.

  No, she would never have been comfortable marrying into a “very minor royalty” family who didn’t get along with their eldest son. She and Mackenzie had always struggled along, knowing they were doing the right thing, but never sure whether the struggle would pay off. To simply marry into money—some kind of aristocratic money—tied to people who could never understand her and would probably never accept her—and that’s basically why Cisco had never told his family that he was married—was something she wouldn’t have willingly done, had she known.

  It wasn’t the happily-ever-after ending one dreamed of all their lives, even in the magic-loving, theatrically dramatic, proud little town of Bridesmaids Creek.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cisco had stepped in it big-time, and he knew it, but there was very little he could do to change the problem. He was who he was. Suz was just a little worried, that was all, and two weeks after he’d moved her and the babies into the Hanging H, he was ready to move out of the nursery with the hideaway bed and back into his own bed.

  He hadn’t wanted to push the issue; he’d hoped to be invited to return. But Suz hadn’t invited him, and now, even if he did snore on occasion—getting up with babies off and on seemed to bring on a sleep apnea he’d never suffered before—he wanted back in her bed.

  Cisco headed out to the porch where Suz was sitting, rocking the babies in a baby swing Cosette had given them, listening to French lullabies. Suz loved the gift, and the babies seemed to really relax and listen to the beautiful music, too. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” Suz said, but she didn’t look at him. Not the way she’d used to.

  He sat on the porch swing next to her. “Suz, we’re going to have to work this out.”

  “I know. I’m trying to.”

  So maybe he just had to be patient. The problem was, he wasn’t the world’s most patient man. Cisco looked at his adorable daughters, peered close to see what they were doing. Just swinging, enjoying the nice day, which was a little warmer than usual for the month of December. Suz had bundled the girls up in white buntings, and they were snugly tucked under pink blankets, with only their little eyes and barely rosy cheeks peeking out. They were so darn cute. How could Suz think he wasn’t proud of her and their girls?

  Clearly he didn’t understand his wife the way he needed to. And now there was a small, yet obvious, canyon between them, which he had to bridge. He didn’t want to end up like Cosette and Phillipe. He most certainly didn’t want to end up like Phillipe, living in a small house with beads and incense, doing yoga poses, not that there was anything wrong with that. In fact, yoga would probably be very good for him, considering his bull-riding injuries that on occasion—like almost never now—still reminded him of his dunce-like attempts to avoid the lure of BC.

  That desire to avoid BC was long in the past. In fact, it was hard to remember why he’d fought BC’s charms so hard. Cisco looked around the property, breathing in the peaceful atmosphere. He completely understood why Suz loved it so much; it was a slice of heaven deep in its own special Brigadoon. The house was located several miles outside of Austin, on five hundred acres of land. It was tall and white, Victorian-styled with heavy gingerbreading. Four tall turrets stretched to the sky, and upstairs mullioned windows glinted in the sunlight. A wide wraparound porch painted sky blue held a white wicker sofa with blue cushions, and a collection of wrought-iron roosters sat family-style near a bristly doormat with a big burgundy H on it. Miles and miles of green pastureland, wrapped by white painted pipe fences, adorned the ranch. With around two thousand citizens, BC was a picture postcard in which the Hanging H was the crown jewel.

  And he’d been like Robert, he supposed, with his ham-handed rush to try to resolve the Hanging H and its vaunted haunted house for Suz. Robert wanted this piece of property—and as Suz had pointed out, if Cisco paid off the mortgage, he’d be the de facto owner of it. He hadn’t really thought through all the particulars of his offer. But the truth was, she hadn’t known anything about him. And once she had, she hadn’t wanted anything of his.

  He couldn’t blame her. Even he didn’t want to be much of a part of his family. Of course Suz wouldn’t want to feel beholden to them in any way—although that wasn’t the way he’d intended it.

  He had to tell her, explain his feelings to her. They had to get back to the place they’d been before, when it was just the two of them against the world, against the Donovans, against anything that worked to keep them apart. Even BC charms and legends.

  A motorcycle roared up the drive, and Cisco realized the time to make up with his wife wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. “Here comes trouble.”

  Suz got up. “I prefer to think of Daisy as an opportunity to learn better people skills.”

  He hoped he could be so generous. He still hadn’t forgiven her for the crazy charms Daisy had given his girls. The dirt and the Bridesmaids Creek water was long gone, dispensed capably no doubt by Cosette and Jane Chatham. He hadn’t forgiven her for the photos, either. He was darn lucky he was married to such a confident, spunky woman like Suz.

  But for him, the resentment remained.

  “Hello!” Daisy exclaimed, bounding up on the porch.

  “Hi, Daisy,” Suz said, and Cisco nodded curtly, resisting the desire to snatch his children protectively to him and take them inside the house.

  Daisy sank onto a chair, gazing over into the baby swing. “Aren’t they the cutest things?”

  “Daisy, why are you here?” Suz asked.

  “Squint said you needed me.” Daisy’s gaze was on the two girls, seemingly enchanted by them.

  “Needed you?” Suz asked.

  “Yes. He came to find me.” She turned her gaze to smile at Suz and Cisco. “He said you needed help. And so I said I’d come back to see what I could do.”

  Suz glanced at Cisco, and he couldn’t quite meet her inquiring glance.

  “Oh, I see,” Suz said, and Cisco winced a little. His wife had figured him out a little too quickly. He grinned at her sheepishly.

  She
raised a brow at him, letting him know that, later on, they’d discuss this new angle. “I could use some help, Daisy. There’s a lot to do around the Hanging H.”

  Daisy rose. “I’m happy to help out for as long as you need me. Let me park my bike in the barn. I hear snow is on the way. And freezing temps.”

  Daisy headed off, and Suz looked at him. “Freezing temps are indeed on the way.”

  “Let me try to head them off,” Cisco said. “You’re the one who said we needed to let bygones be bygones. In fact, I’ve been hearing that a lot all over this town. So I decided maybe we’d be well-served by adhering to that particular advice. I’d be well served by it. Or, to be more honest, I’m living by the keep-your-friends-close-your-enemies-closer rule. It seems best in this town.” He sat down next to her. “However, being in the doghouse with you isn’t my favorite haunt, so I hope you know that I wanted Daisy back here so we could neutralize her. Call me crazy, but I believe that she’s our best weapon against Robert.”

  “Maybe.” Suz seemed to consider that. “Don’t bring up haunting. It doesn’t feel the same around here now that we’ve closed the Haunted H again.”

  “It’s just until we get Donovan to give up on the idea of buying this place.” He looked around, taking in every detail of the wonderful farm. “Listen, Suz, I’m sorry as hell I mentioned paying off the loan. I was trying to help, but I totally see how it would seem like I was pulling a Donovan of my own.”

  “I overreacted. But I’ve always figured I could solve my own problems. You’re my prince for trying to help, though. Absolutely my prince.”

  He wasn’t much of a prince. And Suz was a lot less annoyed than he figured she might be with his excuse to get Daisy back in Bridesmaids Creek. The truth was, Squint needed a reason to be chasing after her, so he didn’t appear like a love-struck hothead—which he was, in the nicest way. It was embarrassing, really, to see his buddy gone all to mush over the town wild child. But there wasn’t any changing that particular reality, so Cisco figured they’d all just have to hang on for the ride.

  On the other hand, he didn’t really know what he was going to do with Daisy now that she was part of their responsibility. His wife was taking that very well. Didn’t seem angry in the least.

  In fact, if anything, he’d sensed a distinct warming on her part from the second she’d realized he was behind Daisy’s sudden return home. She had, after all, wanted him to go after Daisy.

  Maybe he wasn’t going to end up with a tiny hut next to Phillipe’s, with multicolored beads hanging in the doorways and Birkenstocks on his feet. Yet Phillipe would rather be with Cosette in her warm, darling home, Cisco felt certain.

  And I don’t want to be anywhere but with Suz and my daughters. Even if I have to live the BC way—sucking up to every snake charmer and fake fortune-teller around.

  * * *

  SUZ LEFT THE babies and went into the kitchen, Daisy following close at her heels. Cisco wasn’t telling all behind the reappearance of Daisy—she wouldn’t have returned to BC just to “help out” with the babies. Not while Daisy was so angry with Cisco’s ruination of her chance at BC’s magic, her big moment in the sun. And not while Daisy and her father were threatening to take over as much of BC as they possibly could.

  No, there was more to the story. Her handsome husband hadn’t told all.

  “So, what really brings you back to BC?” Suz asked.

  Daisy took a bar stool, smiled at Suz. “Cisco said you needed help. Well, he sent that message through Squint. So here I am.”

  “Where’s Squint?” Suz found it highly unlikely that Squint, as hot for Daisy as he was, wouldn’t be here right now.

  “He stayed at Branch’s place.”

  “Do they even know each other?”

  “They know of each other, is how I understand the story. Branch is a really nice guy. He probably needed to finish whatever Cisco didn’t get done there.”

  Suz felt herself bristling slightly. “I’m sure Cisco wouldn’t have left—”

  “Oh, he had to leave. He’d just learned you were pregnant.”

  “I’m still waiting to hear why you felt like you needed to be the one to tell him.”

  Daisy lifted her chin. “Look, Suz, you have every right to be mad. I was convinced for a long time that Cisco was supposed to be mine. That once again you’d stolen something that was meant for me. I wasted three chances on Cisco.”

  “And so? What’s changed?”

  Daisy shrugged. “I’m going back to Montana to be with Branch as soon as you’re squarely on your feet and don’t need any more help with the babies.”

  “I don’t— Did you hear something?” Suz looked at Daisy.

  Daisy shrugged. “Wind? The news said snow was on the way.”

  Suz walked into the front room and peeked out to check on Cisco and the babies. He was snoozing under his hat, and the babies slept snugly, tucked up under each of his arms like tiny footballs wrapped in pink blankets. “Maybe I was just hearing things.”

  Daisy followed her back into the kitchen. “Mommy hormones. Makes you jumpy, probably.”

  She didn’t feel jumpy, she felt a tingle of apprehension she couldn’t explain. Justin and Mackenzie had taken their four babies into town for some early Christmas shopping, so the house was empty except for her and Daisy.

  Suz plunked down a glass of tea for Daisy as it felt like the right thing to do. “I just have a feeling you’re here for a reason you’re not sharing.”

  “Okay,” Daisy said. “The honest truth is that Squint asking me to come back here opened up a chance to tell you something that’s been on my mind.”

  “All right.” Suz tried not to worry about what might pop out of Daisy’s mouth. “I’m listening.”

  Daisy shook her long locks, fixed the leather skirt that gave her a gypsy-like appearance. “I never really wanted Cisco. I’m glad he’s yours.”

  Suz stared. “I hope you won’t be offended when I say I’m dumbfounded to hear you say that.”

  “I knew you would be. But I think it’s important to tell you the truth. The three chances at the magic I had were right. As they always have been. Cisco isn’t my kind of guy at all. The magic knew that.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Suz thought quickly, wondering if there was a trap she couldn’t see. “How did you come to this realization?”

  “It was Branch who helped me see it,” Daisy said, sounding a little humble. It was the first time Suz had ever heard that particular tone in her voice. “He’s such a loner that he has lots of time to think deeply about stuff. He listened to my situation, and pointed out the obvious that I was too stubborn to see.”

  “I must meet this miracle of introspection one day,” Suz murmured. If the man had actually steered Daisy—stubborn, wild Daisy—onto a new path, he was clearly some kind of amazing muse.

  “I’m going back as soon as I can. There’s a lot of things in my life I’m working out, and Branch provides a new perspective.”

  “I’m so happy for you, Daisy.” Suz hardly knew what to think of the changes she saw in her. “Do you have a soft spot for Branch?”

  “Oh, no.” Daisy laughed again, the sound happy and carefree. “Once upon a time, I thought he might have been falling for me. But then I realized Branch isn’t that way. His place is a refuge for many people. Even Cisco went there for sanctuary at one point.”

  “I know,” Suz said, not wanting to be reminded of the time they’d spent apart.

  “He just sees things differently. I felt sort of stuck in my life. Branch freed me. And then it hit me that I’d just wanted Cisco in a competitive sort of way. The way I feel like I’ve always competed with you and Mackenzie and Jade.” She smiled, and Suz couldn’t detect any snark in her expression. “I don’t think it’s any secret that I’ve never felt like I
fit in Bridesmaids Creek.”

  Suz nodded. “I know. You’re being very honest, and I really appreciate that.” Cisco walked in, both babies in his arms, and Suz smiled at her husband. “Ready for a break?”

  “Nope. The babies are happy, I’m happy. I’m going to go sit by the fire in the family room with my girls and enjoy the Christmas tree. Can I talk you into getting me a plate loaded with Christmas cookies?”

  “Sure.” Suz smiled and got up, placed a few cookies on a plate. After a second’s thought, she made a plate for Daisy, too.

  “Thank you,” Daisy said, sounding surprised.

  “So now what will you do?” Suz asked.

  “I’m going to ride my motorcycle across the United States. I’d like to see both coasts and parts in between.”

  “Won’t that bother your father? He seemed very upset that you were going back to Montana.”

  Daisy looked at her. “Suz, I love my father. But the fact is, it’s time for some space.”

  Suz hesitated in the act of taking the plate of cookies and a cup of cocoa to Cisco. “Can you hold that thought? I’ll be right back.”

  She scurried off to deliver the snack to Cisco. He was sexily arranged with both babies near him in their Moses baskets, had a cheery fire going and was reading a book—as if he wasn’t concerned in the least that something weird was happening in the kitchen.

  “Somebody’s kidnapped Daisy,” Suz whispered in a rush.

  He smiled. “You wish.”

  “No, I’m serious. There’s a body in the kitchen, and it talks and looks like Daisy—but I promise you, it’s not the Daisy we know and haven’t always loved.”

  “So give her a chance. Change is forced on all of us sooner or later. It’s up to us to make those changes positive or negative.”

  “Santa Philosopher,” Suz muttered, dropping a kiss on his forehead. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. The woman who wants my property and to raze BC to the ground is in my kitchen, and there’s a great possibility she’s trying to lure me into a sense of false security.”