The Irish Cowboy: Bear Creek Rodeo

by Jessica Marin

  “Ah, I remember now! She works at Bear Creek Rodeo. Her name is… Tessa! Tessa Mandel! She’s Caldwell George’s assistant,” Tate confirms as relief washes through me knowing she isn’t a groupie. “I wouldn’t get your sights set on her, Kearney. She makes it crystal clear to any man who even comes near her that she isn’t interested.”

  I smile at this, loving the fact that she doesn’t get involved with people at the rodeo. There must be a reason for this as someone like Tessa probably gets hit on daily working at a place like that.

  “Ryan, is Bear Creek Rodeo on our schedule?” I ask over my shoulder, keeping my eyes trained on her. If it wasn’t before, it will be now as my brain is screaming to go talk to her. There’s something about Tessa Mandel. Something… special.

  “Yes, it’s on our schedule,” Ryan says, amusement lacing his voice as he knows exactly what his big brother is up to. She doesn’t look like a psycho - in fact, she looks more like an angel. An angel I want to get to know better.

  “I think it might be best if I go introduce myself to Miss Mandel ahead of time.” I turn around and wink at the boys, who slap me on my back with encouragement.

  “Want my hat?” Casey offers his cowboy hat to me, which I politely decline while putting my beer down on the bar.

  “I don’t need a cowboy hat to get a woman,” I declare and turn my back on the hooting and hollering that is coming from the boys. With my heart pounding, I slowly walk over and pray that the intuition buzzing through my body is right.

  That this woman was made to be mine.

  Chapter Four

  TESSA

  I sit back in my seat in shock, still not able to digest what I saw by the title of my latest book release.

  That coveted orange flag.

  That flag that signifies my book is #1 in one of the categories that it’s listed in on one of the biggest book platforms in the world.

  That flag signifies that I’m a best-selling author.

  That flag signifies I’m one step closer to my dreams becoming a reality.

  “How much money do you think you’re making right now?” Adeline asks, her eyes bright with happiness for me. For us, because without her support and push, I honestly don’t know if I would be where I’m at today.

  “I don’t know. Just because I’m #1 in a category doesn’t mean it’s bringing me sales.”

  “You’re ranked in the top 100 in the whole entire store. Do you understand that? Top 100 out of millions of books!”

  I stare at Adeline, blinking occasionally as I try to digest her words. That’s the lowest rank I’ve ever gotten in my entire career and this is only day one of release week. There’s a chance my rank will go lower.

  “That’s it, Tessa, we’re celebrating. We’re getting rip roaring drunk and eating whatever the hell we want. We deserve to celebrate!” Adeline practically yells, waving at our waiter to get his attention. I laugh with her, because her excitement is contagious and damnit, I do deserve to celebrate. We deserve to celebrate as this means our dreams of getting out of Bear Creek will be happening as soon as the rodeo is over with. The wheels in my head start turning as we have a lot to do, starting with finding an apartment in Austin. All of this can wait as I need to live in the present and celebrate this moment. I take out my phone and search for my book, taking a screenshot of it with the flag. I then take a screenshot of my ranking. When the waiter comes around with our flutes of champagne, I put my phone away and raise my glass for Adeline’s toast.

  “To Tessa, my best friend, my inspiration, my sister from another mister! Congratulations to you on this huge accomplishment! You’re going to be an international best-selling badass author babe and I’m honored to be your forever assistant.” I laugh at her, because knowing Adeline, she will be my forever assistant. “Thank you for having me on this journey with you and never doubt your self-worth. You deserve all of this and more!”

  “I love you, Adeline Murphy. Thank you for always believing in me and we deserve this!” I smile through the tears that threaten to leak out of my eyes as we clink our glasses together and drink. I put my glass down and start to rapidly blink, praying that I don’t start crying in the middle of the restaurant. I look around to see if anyone is watching us when my eyes land on the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.

  And he’s coming straight toward me!

  My breath hitches in my chest when his smile ignites the flapping of butterfly wings in my stomach. My brain, wanting to see more of him, directs my eyes up and down his body. His dark blond hair is buzzed on the sides and spiked on the top, his black t-shirt stretching nicely across his muscular body. His dark denim jeans are like gloves over his tight thighs and he’s wearing black boots.

  And for once they’re not cowboy boots.

  This man oozes sex appeal and I’m not the only woman whose eyes are drawn to him like magnets. Heads are turning his way as he inches closer and closer to our table.

  Breathe, Tessa! He’s just a guy probably coming to talk to Adeline.

  I try to calm my breathing down and glance at Adeline to see if she has noticed him yet, but she is busy looking at her phone. I’m about to whisper her name to get her attention when out of the corner of my eye, I see him standing next to me. My eyes meet his, my lips parting at the beauty of their color - bright, emerald green.

  “Excuse me ladies for interrupting your dinner, but I had to meet the woman who has the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen and a laugh that is music to my soul.”

  I stare at him with wide eyes, waiting for that disdain feeling of disgust to overcome me at his corny pick up line, but instead I’m mesmerized by his low, husky voice with an accent that is clearly foreign and not from this country. I continue to stare at him, feeling the heat stain my cheeks red as I look at his full lips, wondering what those lips would feel like against mine.

  Wait, what?

  “Tessa, aren’t you going to say thank you to this kind gentleman?” Adeline chides, looking at me as if I’m some crazy lunatic.

  If she only knew that I feel like a crazy lunatic with the kind of thoughts I’m having over a complete stranger.

  “Right,” I clear my throat from the dryness he has caused and shake my head, hoping to get control over myself. “I’m sorry… and um, thanks.”

  For a best-selling author, I’m a bumbling idiot right now.

  “No, I’m sorry, I sounded like a total creeper just now. What I meant to say is that your beauty and laughter caught my attention and I just had to come over to say hello. Also, I heard your friend say in excitement something about an orange flag and you’re reaction to it was priceless. So, what does an orange flag mean?” He cocks his head to the side in curiosity and I can’t help but bite my lip at how damn adorable he looks doing it.

  And hot.

  And sexy.

  And I’m in trouble.

  Get control of yourself, Tessa! This man is a complete stranger and could even be a serial killer.

  No distractions!

  I look over at Adeline, her brown eyes twinkling in amusement at my sorry state. She raises her eyebrows at me, daring me to tell him the truth since she knows I want my author life kept private.

  “An orange flag is what the referees throw out at football games,” I pathetically reply, my brain still not in its full, functioning state. How stupid did that just sound? I couldn’t think of an answer fast enough and I’m just not ready to tell a complete stranger my news.

  His eyes light up in amusement, his lips moving into a wicked smirk. Laughter rumbles out of him, causing me to tighten my legs together and clench my core muscles at how delicious it sounds. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s a yellow flag that they throw in American football games.” I refrain from closing my eyes and sighing at the sound of his voice. I could listen to this man talk every minute of every hour for the rest of my life.

  What in the hell is wrong me?

  “Oh for crying out loud, Tessa! He’s harmless!” Adeline says, clucking he
r tongue at me as if I’m a chicken. She gives Mr. International Hottie her undivided attention, ignoring me when I tap my foot against her shin in warning. “This amazing woman right here is an author and an orange flag means she’s a best-selling one to boot!”

  This time I spare her no mercy and kick her shin hard underneath the table. Her eyes widen in pain and then narrow at me, telling me I will pay for that later.

  “Wow, you’re an author? That’s remarkable. Congratulations!” he says with sincerity, looking at me with even more interest. “What type of author are you?”

  “I write romance books,” I mumble, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes when I tell him that. I have nothing to be ashamed about, but for some reason, I don’t want to see any ridicule coming from him.

  “Do you write from experience?” My head snaps up to look at him to see if he’s mocking me. His eyes are intense, the seriousness in his voice making me believe that he wouldn’t make fun of me for writing the type of books I write.

  “No, I don’t,” I answer him, shocked at my honesty. “I like to write other people’s happy endings.”

  “And what about your own?” He inches closer to me, holding my gaze so intently that I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. I gulp down the huge lump that is stuck in my throat, wishing I had the power to tell this man to leave me alone even though I don’t want him to.

  “I haven’t had mine yet,” I finally say, my answer rewarding me with another one of his beautiful smiles.

  “Good.”

  Good? What in the world does that mean?

  “What’s your name, Miss Best-Selling Author?” I can’t stop the giggle that bubbles up at his compliment while I shake his awaiting hand. My fingers rub up against his calloused palm and I wonder what he does for a living to have such rough hands. His firm, warm grip has my mind envisioning his hands roaming other parts of my body. I quickly retract those thoughts, trying to re-focus my attention to his question.

  “Her name is Tessa. What’s your name, Mr. Sexy Foreigner?” Adeline answers for me and for one moment, I forgot that she was even there. For him to make me forget my best friend’s presence is a sure sign that this man is dangerous for my mental state.

  “So wait, you are Tessa Mandel?” he asks, giving me a puzzling look and I immediately freeze, not understanding how he knows me.

  How does some stranger in Austin know who I am?

  “How do you know my last name?” I question, looking at Adeline for any clues, but she looks just as confused as I am.

  “My buddies over there know you. Said you work for Bear Creek Rodeo. You are an author and work at the rodeo?” I look around him to see three familiar faces watching our interaction. All three of them wave and give me a thumbs up, acting as if I’m their little sister and they’re playing matchmaker.

  Crap!

  “Yes, I work at the rodeo,” I say, my excitement turning to nervousness at the news that this guy knows Tate, Luke, and Casey. I don’t need to be with anyone who knows those three. Cowboys gossip just as badly as girls do and I refuse to be the talk of the dressing room, nor do I want Mr. George finding out about my alter ego. I grip his hand tighter and cover our hands with my free one. “Please, they don’t know I’m a writer. Please don’t say anything,” I plead with him, my eyes begging for his silence.

  He studies me for a long second before responding. “Your secret is safe with me, Tessa.” He squeezes my hand back and I remove my hands from his just as Tate and the rest of the boys come up to our table.

  “Fancy seeing you here, Tessa. I see you’ve met our new friend,” Tate says, throwing his arm around Mr. Sexy Foreigner’s shoulders. My ears perk up at the word “new”. If this is a new friend to them, then there’s a chance he’s not close with them…yet. Hope makes me sit up straighter in my chair. Maybe I can persuade him to not hang out with cowboys, especially at rodeos. He doesn’t even look like he would hang out with them with the way he dresses. Although his clothes are simple, they look expensive. Austin’s a big music town, so maybe he’s a musician or in the music business.

  “Where did you two meet?” I ask, but out of the corner of my eye, I see some other stranger introducing himself to Adeline. He’s also very handsome and as I look at little bit closer, he’s wearing the same type of clothing as Mr. Sexy Foreigner.

  What in the hell is going on here?

  “Tessa, do you not realize who you’re talking to?” Tate asks me, but looks to see Mr. Sexy Foreigner shaking his head.

  “No, we were at introductions when you so rudely interrupted.” I don’t mean to be a bitch to Tate as he is actually one of the nicer guys on the tour. In fact, him, Casey and Luke all have been nice to me, never once trying to hit on me or make me feel uncomfortable. I immediately regret my tone of voice with him, but I wish it was just me alone with my sexy stranger now.

  Since when did he become mine?

  “Well, let’s not waste another minute longer. Tessa, this is Gerard Butler. Gerard, Tessa Mandel.” Everyone laughs at his joke because clearly, Mr. Sexy Foreigner looks nothing like Gerard Butler.

  “Personally, I think I should be the one called Gerard Butler as I have his coloring more than my brother does. I’m referring to the younger, buff Gerard Butler in the movie 300,” the other sexy stranger winks at Adeline, his accent just like Mr. Sexy Foreigner’s. He has dark brown hair and is smaller in build, but when he looks my way, I gasp at the same emerald green eyes.

  Brothers.

  With an accent that I can only assume is Irish.

  “In all seriousness, Tessa, you’ve been talking to the Irish Cowboy this whole time! I know you know who I’m talking about now, right?”

  “Just because Gerard Butler played an Irish man in P.S. I Love You doesn’t make him Irish. He’s Scottish, you jackasses,” Adeline says in her signature sassy tone, shaking her head at Tate’s mistake.

  While the guys debate about the heritage of Gerard Butler, my gaze travels back to Mr. Sexy Foreigner, my Sexy Foreigner, and my stomach starts to ache at the knowledge that this was all too good to be true. Of course he has to be a cowboy! Why couldn’t fate for once put someone that wasn’t a cowboy in my path? Sadness starts to wash over me like a slow, steady mist of rain. I’ve never reacted to a stranger like this before and for a brief instant, I thought maybe I found someone that was special.

  Why couldn’t he be different?

  Why did he have to be a cowboy?

  I’ve never had a good poker face, so I feel the disappointment settle into me. It’s hard for me to even look him in the eyes anymore. I know he senses the change in me and with most guys, they would get the hint. But it seems like Mr. Sexy Foreigner is anything but ordinary. He places one hand on the back of my chair and the other hand on the table. He leans down, bringing his face only inches from mine, his lips hovering close to my ear.

  “Let me formally introduce myself to you because this moment is one I don’t want you to ever forget. My name is Rhett Kearney and you’ll soon be typing ‘The End’ to your singlehood once you realize that I’m going to be your happily ever after.”

  Chapter Five

  RHETT

  What I said to Tessa was the ballsiest thing I have ever said to a woman. Scratch that, the craziest thing I’ve ever said to a woman. How can I tell a woman I just met that I’m going to be her endgame? But when I saw her demeanor completely change once she realized who I was, I had to do and say something drastic in order to get her attention back on me. The idea is crazy, but for some reason, the words felt so right. My words rendered her speechless to the point that she stayed quiet the rest of the evening. At Adeline’s invitation, we joined the girls at their table, ordered food and continued talking. Tessa made small talk when needed, but for the most part, she sat quietly in her chair, silently brooding over my declaration while continuing to imbibe more alcohol. I switched to water once it was apparent that she was drinking her emotions, the roller coaster ride she was on written all o
ver her face. Adeline, being the astute best friend that she is, also switched to water and continued to monitor her friend when Ryan didn’t have her undivided attention. Ryan was talking Adeline’s ear off, which isn’t his normal mode of operation when picking up women. Usually it’s the women talking off his ear and while they’re doing that, he’s assessing whether he’s taking them home or not.

  My attention is brought back to Tessa, who’s half listening to a story Casey is telling about his most recent performance. Any time Bear Creek is mentioned, her lips curl slightly in disgust. What has happened at Bear Creek to make her feel so negatively about it? When she isn’t listening to someone talking, she’s staring off into space. I know my words are still having an effect on her because when she thinks I’m not looking, I catch her staring at me, looking at me as if we’re in a faraway place alone in her mind. What I wouldn’t give right now to know what is going on in that gorgeous head of hers.

  The chemistry between us was electrifying and we haven’t even physically touched each other besides a handshake. Despite the desire that I saw in her earlier, I can tell Tessa is going to be resistant to giving me a chance. Something has happened in her past for her to have this thick wall of ice up around her heart. But I’m always up for a challenge and from what I can see so far, Tessa Mandel is worth fighting for.

  Besides her outside beauty, Tessa has showed that she’s smart, has character, is strong-minded, and has a fire burning bright inside her to make something of herself. For her to have a secret career as an author on the side tells me she wants more than what she has at Bear Creek Rodeo. Her disdain for cowboys, whom she’s around 24/7, proves her plans don’t include relying on a man to get what she wants. The love I saw shining through her eyes at her best friend before I interrupted their celebration tells me that when she loves hard, she loves fiercely.