Cowboy's Bride: A Secret Baby, Ranch Western Romance (Rainbow Canyon Cowboys Book 6)

by KC Crowne

  “After I did my time in the service, I came back home to Texas. Maybe the bug had bit me or somethin’, but all I wanted was to get back out into the fight, stand up for what was right like I had in the military. So, at the ripe age of twenty-four, I signed up for the Rangers.”

  I took another pull of the whiskey, a smaller one, and set it down before continuing.

  “At first, it was great. I got to put my skills to work, upholdin’ the law all over the state. And my bosses took notice, elevatin’ me through the ranks. At the age of twenty-nine, I was one of the most decorated Rangers in the institution’s history.”

  “Impressive,” Crystal murmured.

  “Thanks,” I said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I was all about protectin’ and servin’, and stupid me thought that was all I needed to do. But that all changed when I got assigned to a murder case outside of El Paso. A woman had been found dead, and me and my partner, a real roughnecked son-of-a-bitch named John Parsons, got assigned to it.

  “When it came out who the woman was, I knew it wasn’t gonna be any ol’ murder case – not that those ever were. Turns out she was a local waitress at a nearby country club where all the rich folk of the town liked to hang. I thought this was suspicious, but John told me to keep my distance, not get too involved. I should’ve known somethin’ was up.”

  I shifted in my seat, knowing I was getting to the hard part of the story.

  “But I was stubborn, wonderin’ why the Rangers and local cops were draggin’ their damn feet on such a case. So, I looked into it myself, poked around in the girl’s personal life.” I cleared my throat. “Turns out the woman had been havin’ an affair with this rich jackass whose family had made their fortune in oil a hundred years ago. He was married and it was no secret he liked to have some fun on the side.”

  It was about time for another whiskey pull. After I had it and put the bottle back, I went on.

  “Turns out he’d been tellin’ her all kinds of lies about how he’d leave his family for her, the two of them startin’ off fresh in Mexico or some such nonsense. Well, you don’t need me to tell you that was some shit he’d sayin’ to keep her placated. And she made the mistake of threatening to go public with their affair.”

  “Shit,” Crystal murmured.

  “Shit is right. Her friends told me the last time they saw her she was on her way to confront Stan. They never heard from her again.”

  “He did it, right?” Adie questioned.

  “Well, can’t arrest a man based on circumstantial evidence. I did a little more pokin’ around and found out that some evidence had been found at the scene – a class ring that belonged to none other than Stan himself.” I frowned. “But that evidence disappeared mysteriously.”

  “They got rid of the evidence for him?” Crystal asked, appalled.

  “Somebody did, and that somebody had to be a Ranger,” I explained. “No one else had access to the evidence locker.” I shook my head. “I was told to leave it alone by my partner and my superiors, that I would get no support if I pursued the issue.”

  “So, what did you do?” Adie asked.

  “That little incident broke whatever illusions I had about the Rangers being some kind of saintly organization. The next day I met with John, told him I wouldn’t say a word, but my time with the Rangers was over. I put in my notice, and they cut me loose on the spot.”

  I settled back in my seat, feeling like I’d just run a mile. “And that’s how I learned you can only trust yourself and your kin. No matter what the lofty goals of an organization might be, there’s always corruption. And that’s why I didn’t need Mayor Simms talking me into it when he told me that sort of shit was goin’ on here in Idylwood.”

  I swept my hand through the air, ready to dismiss the subject. “But that’s all in the past. What we need to worry about now is keepin’ you ladies safe.”

  “And how are we gonna do that?” Sabrina asked. “It kills me to say it, but I don’t feel comfortable stayin’ here.”

  “Yeah,” Adie agreed. “Who knows if they’ll come back?”

  My eyes flicked to Crystal, and I could tell she wasn’t taking the decision lightly. But she eventually nodded her assent. “It’s not safe here. Maybe we need to leave town, get away for a bit.”

  “Right,” I said, nodding. “Which is why I’m gonna call Rainbow Canyons.”

  “Wait, what?” Crystal asked, her eyes widening with her friends’. “You want us to stay with the competition?”

  “I want you to stay with my family. There’s more to worry about now than competition,” I reminded her. “And I know for a fact we can trust my family. There’s plenty of them there, along with my two brothers, several dozen staff, and state of the art security – no one’s gonna come mess with us there.”

  “He’s right,” Sabrina added, watching Crystal’s stubborn expression. “It’s the safest place to be.”

  “I agree,” Adie chimed in. Finally, Crystal looked at me and nodded.

  “I’ll call them,” I offered. “Let them know what’s goin’ on. Ladies, pack whatever you can and let’s get moving.”

  They didn’t need me to talk them into it. The three of them left the room in a pack, Crystal giving me a long, lingering look before she did.

  Once they were gone, I took out my phone and dialed my cousins.

  Chapter 20

  Crystal

  We arrived at Rainbow Canyons well into the night. Only Gerald’s cousin Chance had been up. He greeted us warmly, leading us to our rooms in the massive main house – a place more like a mansion than any cabin I’d ever seen – and letting us know breakfast would be at seven-thirty the next morning. All we had to do was listen for the bell and that’d be our cue to come down and eat.

  Staying with the competition. It didn’t sit well with me, despite knowing it was, like Gerald had said, the smartest move to make. But as silly as it might’ve sounded, I wasn’t crazy about the Walker family knowing we were in dire straits. Rainbow Canyons screamed money, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind the Walkers would have been pushed to the brink of closure by something as silly as a code violation.

  But we had been. Though with each day it was looking more and more like it wasn’t as simple as it had first sounded.

  When I got up the next morning, stretching my limbs and gazing at the sun that poured into the bedroom, I rolled from the bed and wandered to the window.

  “Wow.”

  Rainbow Canyons was gorgeous – a massive property spread out on acres and acres of flat, grassy land, with a dense forest in the far distance. Clouds were sparse, the sky a brilliant blue.

  Our place on the Rio Rica was beautiful, but Rainbow Canyons wasn’t anything to sneeze at.

  I wasn’t there to stare at the view. I wanted to use it as a temporary base, a place to not have to worry about safety while we figured out what the hell was going on.

  When seven-thirty rolled around, a bell chimed through the house the moment the second hand went over. I met the girls in the hallway, and we walked to the dining room, a large wooden farmer’s table where a handful of the Walker clan, Gerald among them, was seated.

  A spry older woman with silver hair tied into a ponytail, an apron wrapped around her wiry body, greeted us with a big, warm smile. “Well, hey there!” she said. “Y’all must be the new guests.”

  “Somethin’ like that,” I mumbled, feeling heavy from my night’s sleep.

  Sabrina, Adie, and I introduced ourselves, and the woman and the rest of the family replied with their names. Her name, or at least what she told us to call her, was Mama G. Chance, Gerald’s cousin, was at the table, along with Wyatt and Silas – more cousins. The men in the family were just as strapping and handsome as Gerald, tall and built strong with gorgeous golden eyes and kind smiles.

  As strange as it was to be there among the competition, I felt safe and welcome.

  Had I been wrong about the Walkers? I’d been several years younger than any of the
m in school, so I’d only known them by reputation once I wanted to open my business. I put it out of my head as we ate a breakfast of scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and grits. All was homemade, along with some freshly picked apples and pears.

  Conversation was light, with the family asking us about ourselves, what brought us to the area – that sort of thing. If they had any apprehensions about us being competition, they sure didn’t show it.

  “Good eatin’?” Mama G asked as we finished up.

  “So freakin’ good,” Adie answered after swallowing a big bite.

  “Yeah, thanks so much,” Sabrina chipped in.

  I shook my head in disbelief at how much I’d eaten. “I just realized I’ve gotten way too used to eating at my desk at the B&B. Can’t even remember the last time I’ve had a home cooked meal like this.”

  Mama G shook her head sadly. “Now, if there’s something no one should go too long without, it’s a home cooked meal.” She raised a skinny finger. “If you ladies are ever swamped over at the B&B and don’t got time to eat proper, you give me a ring. I’ll send one of the boys over with leftovers to tide you over.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “She’s serious,” Wyatt said with a smirk. “Nothin’ gets Mama G more heated than the idea of someone not eatin’ right.”

  Mama G smirked and raised her eyebrows, letting us know she was serious.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, ma’am.”

  She grinned. “While I appreciate the manners, Mama G’s just fine.”

  “Alright, Mama G.”

  Her smile let me know this pleased her.

  “So,” Gerald said. “You ladies relax, get comfortable. Take a shower or a bath, hit the pool, go for a walk – whatever suits you. I’ll make some phone calls and figure out our next steps.”

  The rest of the family shared a look that suggested they knew what we were talking about but didn’t want to bring it up.

  “Sounds good.” I got up, Sabrina and Adie doing the same. “And thank you all so much, again.”

  “Can I help clean up?” Adie offered. “I run my own little diner, so I know a thing or two about efficient cleaning.”

  “Well, I’m all about guests relaxing and avoiding work,” Mama G said. “But I won’t say no to a helpin’ hand. Especially from a fellow cook.”

  “I’ll help too,” Sabrina offered. She looked at me pointedly. “Crystal, you wanna talk with Gerald?”

  I nodded and glanced at him. He’d said he’d plan the next step, but not a chance would I let him do it on his own.

  He nodded at me when our eyes met. “Go on and get washed up. I’ll grab us some coffee and we can meet in the back, talk about all this.”

  “Sounds good.”

  There was still a tension between us on account of our other undiscussed issue. It was thick in the air, and I knew it was only a matter of time before we had to talk about that, too. But as we went up the stairs, my phone shook in my pocket. I slipped it out and checked the screen, the number not one from my contacts.

  “Who is it?” Gerald asked.

  “Not sure.”

  The expression on his face suggested he had ideas. “Let’s take this up in your room.”

  I nodded, and we hurried to my room. I answered the phone as Gerald shut the door. “Hello?”

  “Good morning, Ms. Peterson. This is Michael Diaz. How are you?”

  I put my hand over the receiver and mouthed the name to Gerald. His eyebrows rose and he stepped closer to me so he could listen.

  “I’m fine,” I said, trying my best to play it cool. “You call to insult me with another pitiful offer for my business?”

  He chuckled quietly. “I did call to talk about your business. I’ve recently come into some information about your B&B, mainly some news that your establishment is dealing with some, how can I say, hardship.”

  “You could say that.”

  “I’m sorry to hear. But in that case, I have some good news for you.”

  “Is that right?”

  “You’re an independent business owner, and I appreciate that you likely have interest in maintaining control over your establishment, meaning you’re probably not too keen on the idea of selling.”

  “As I’ve already stated on our last call.”

  He kept talking as if I hadn’t said a word. “And business owners like you are the exact sort I like to work with. I prefer a…hands-off approach to ownership, preferring to let my owners do what they do best. With, of course, a little guidance from some trusted advisors of mine who can help you turn your business from one running in the red to the black.”

  “Oh, really?” I was saying as little as possible, trying to keep him talking.

  “Does this arrangement sound like something you’d be interested in?”

  “Quite possibly, Mr. Diaz. But I’m not exactly the type to make a decision like this over the phone.”

  “Of course not, which is why I want to meet with you in person.”

  The phone was loud enough that I was sure Gerald could hear every word. He nodded enthusiastically. “When were you thinking of meeting?”

  “How about tomorrow at nine o’clock? I can email you my information, as well as my address.”

  “Uh, sure.” I gave him my email.

  “Perfect. I’ll have all the necessary info sent to you after we hang up. Looking forward to meeting you, Ms. Peterson.”

  “Likewise, Mr. Diaz.”

  The line went dead. I was in something of a daze when I lowered the phone, knowing the man on the other end was likely the one responsible for all I’d been through since the troubles started. And I had to talk to him like he was just a man interested in my business.

  “You alright?” Gerald asked, sensing my strange mood.

  “I’m fine.” I was eager to change the topic from my emotions. I didn’t want to dwell on them. “Did you hear all that?”

  “I heard it all. You’ve got a meetin’ with the man himself tomorrow at nine.”

  “Right. And I’ll need to get my head right for it.”

  He shook his head in disagreement. “No. That ain’t gonna happen.”

  I was confused, my brow furrowing. “What’re you talkin’ about? You want me to just blow it off?”

  “Not exactly. I’m gonna go. You’re stayin’ here.”

  My eyebrows lifted to my hairline. “Wait, what? He wants to meet with me, and you think I’m gonna let you go in my stead? What kinda sense does that make?”

  His expression was grim and severe, like he’d set his mind to something and there was no talking him out of it. “It’s simple – goin’ to that meeting’s too damn dangerous for you by yourself. God only knows what kinda shit he’s gonna try. For all we know he might be there waitin’ with a posse of armed men, ready to threaten you or…” He didn’t finish, as if the idea was too much for him to even think about. He shook his head, putting himself back on track. “You ain’t goin’, and that’s final.”

  I scoffed, more than a little angry “And that’s final?” I asked, my tone bold. “Gerald, you ain’t my daddy tellin’ me I’m not allowed to go to some party. You’re helpin’ me, and I appreciate that. But you’re not, and I mean absolutely not, gonna tell me what to do. Understand?”

  “Darlin’, I appreciate that you’re not scared – hell, it’s pretty damn admirable, to be honest. But you don’t know what I know. You haven’t seen the things I’ve seen. I know how vicious and ruthless men like him can be, and what I’m doin’ is for you own good.”

  “You’re not doin’ anything, because I’m goin’ to this meeting. That’s final.”

  “Wrong. You’re stayin’ here where it’s safe. Rainbow Canyons is the best place you and your friends can be, and if anyone’s gonna go out there and risk their neck, it’s me. Understand?”

  Between his attitude and his looming, immovable presence, the argument felt like talking to a brick wall in more ways than
one. Gerald wasn’t budging. Neither was I.

  “You remember what I told you at the bar? What you said to me?” I asked, not expecting an answer. “I’m not about to let any man control me, Gerald, no matter what his motivations. This is my business, and I’m gonna stand up for myself.” I sucked in a breath and reminded him, “You agreed with me at the time. And I thought you were a man of your word.”

  This gave him pause. Gerald didn’t shoot back with anything, instead taking his time to think of what to say. He sighed. “It’s…you’re right.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s your business, and it’s your fight. And I did give you my word that I wasn’t gonna control you or tell you what to do.”

  I said nothing, letting him continue.

  “But the danger…you know I’m right about that – you know it. You have to understand that these aren’t men you can just stroll in and reason with.”

  I wanted to dispute him, but he was right. There was a good chance I was walking into the middle of a dangerous situation; one I might not be able to handle.

  He put his hands on my shoulders. The effect was calming, putting me at ease. Gerald stared at me with eyes that burned with anger, as if he were thinking of the idea of something happening to me and it made him so damn mad, he couldn’t handle it.

  “I told you I’d give you space, not control you. And I meant it,” he assured me. “But I also swore I’d protect you and keep you safe. And you best believe I meant that too. If one of those miserable, money-grubbin’ little fucks ever even thought of puttin’ his hands on you…” He glanced away and paused, like the rage inside at such an idea was enough to make him want to wring their necks. “It ain’t gonna happen. I care about you, Crystal. And I’ll never let anything happen to you. Understand?”

  Emotions were high, and my heart thudded in my chest. Standing in front of Gerald, seeing how much he meant the words just by the look in his eyes, I felt something I couldn’t quite understand. Almost like…I needed him. And the idea scared the living hell out of me.

  “I’ll do anything for you. And if I’ve gotta put my life on the line to make sure you’re safe, then that’s a price I’ll happily pay and not think twice about it,” he swore. “It ain’t about controlling you, about bossin’ you around and tellin’ you what to do. It’s all because you’re really special. It’s because I…” He trailed off, whatever he was going to say next left in the air.