Craving a Real Texan--A Western romance

by Charlene Sands

“Not really, no. Just wanted to break the ice.”

  “Consider it broken,” she said softly. “And thanks again for agreeing to let me do this. It means a lot.”

  He gave her another nod. “Anything for Mom’s birthday.”

  The meaning wasn’t lost on her. He’d do anything for his mom, including enduring Harper’s presence at the estate for an entire week.

  “Goodbye, Cade.” She shut the door, but his arm came out immediately to stop her.

  “Wait.” He sighed and shook his head. “That came out wrong.”

  “Did it?”

  “It honestly did. I’m not here to hurt you.”

  “It’s okay, Cade. I’ve got to get dressed. I’ve got a meeting with your mom in a few minutes. So, if you’re through, I’d better be going.”

  He let go of the door. “Yeah, sure.”

  She closed it slowly and heard Cade curse under his breath as he walked away. “That went well,” she muttered before slumping against the door, trying to hold back tears.

  * * *

  The Tremaine kitchen was almost the size of a small house. There were three large workstations, long counters and two double ovens, not to mention the Sub-Zero refrigerators. Two sliding glass French doors led out to a wraparound patio shaded from the afternoon sun by an awning and a yard that would easily hold 150 people. A large stone fireplace sat in the corner of the patio, and the lawn furniture would be perfect for the guests to sit and have drinks and appetizers. She envisioned the scene in her head. It would be lovely when all was said and done.

  “Hello, Harper.”

  The sound of Rose’s gentle voice made her turn from the French doors. They’d met a few times and had had lunch once when she’d come to visit Lily at school and later at graduation. “Hi, Mrs. Tremaine.”

  “It’s Rose, please. Thank you for coming on such short notice.” She walked over to Harper and gave her a brief hug.

  The gesture meant a lot. She’d take all the hugs she could get lately. “Of course, it’s my pleasure.”

  “It’s good to see you, Harper. You’re looking well.”

  “Thank you.” But Rose Tremaine looked like the epitome of Southern grace and style. Her silver-pearl hair flipped at the shoulders and shone brilliantly in the daylight. Her eyes were clear sky blue, and so pretty. “It’s great to see you, too.”

  “Mom, Harper is all settled in at the guesthouse,” Lily said.

  “I hope you find it comfortable.”

  “It’s very comfortable. And this house, especially this kitchen, is like a dream come true.”

  “Can I get you two anything?” Lily asked. “Some iced tea or lemonade? Or something stronger?”

  “I’m fine,” Harper said.

  “Lily, why don’t you bring a pitcher of iced tea over with some glasses? And Irene made some fresh blueberry muffins this morning. Bring those, too.”

  “Sure, Mom.”

  “Irene is the family cook,” Rose said. “She’s been with us twenty years. She’ll be around all week to help with the party.”

  “Great.”

  “But before we talk about the menu, I need to apologize to you about the mix-up at the cabin.”

  Heat rushed up Harper’s throat, and her cheeks burned. She didn’t want to talk about this. She was trying to put it all behind her. “There’s no apology necessary, really.”

  “Lily and I put you in a bad spot. We realize that now.”

  “But you really helped me, too, since I had nowhere else to go. It was just an impossible situation. And, well, I never meant to hurt anyone.”

  “Cade’s a big boy. He’ll come around.”

  “He’s not happy I’m here.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure of that, Harper. But my meddling days are over. Now, shall we talk about the menu? I was thinking surf and turf. But I’m open to all of your ideas, too.”

  “Sure, I’m thrilled to talk about my ideas.” She opened the file folder she’d brought along. She had been writing down her notes ever since she accepted this job. “I have a list of five options for the meal plan. Or we can combine, as you fit.”

  “You’re organized—I like that.”

  “I love what I do. It helps.”

  She and Lily and Rose stayed at the table until every detail of the menu, including appetizers, drinks and desserts, was nailed down. Rose handed her a list of caterers in the area, many of whom would be willing to work alongside her as sous chefs. She would be calling them later today. And though Harper could do desserts, she opted to bring in a pastry chef. Once all their business was conducted and Harper was satisfied, she rose from the table. “Thanks for your input,” she said to Rose and Lily. She grabbed her folder filled with notes and tucked it under her arm. “I’m excited to get started on this. I’ll be at the guesthouse, in case either of you think of something we missed.”

  “Oh, I think we’ve covered everything,” Lily said.

  “Dinner is at seven,” Rose said.

  “Oh, but I can’t, uh...I’ll be working into the night.”

  “Nonsense, Harper. You have to eat. And while you’re here, you’re our guest. We wouldn’t dream of not having you for dinner.”

  “Yes, ma’am. But then there’s the matter of...”

  Lily took her hand. “Mom’s right, Harp. There’s no reason why you can’t have dinner with us.”

  “That’s right,” came the masculine voice from behind her. She turned and faced Cade, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, looking handsome as always. “You should have dinner with the family. I won’t be joining you.”

  The implication was clear. Cade was avoiding her, but he didn’t have to be the one doing the avoiding. She’d promised she would steer clear of him. “I don’t want to drive you off,” she said quietly. “It’s not what we agreed on.”

  “Harper, I have dinner plans of my own tonight.”

  “Oh, uh, I see.” Was it the truth? Was he having dinner with a woman?

  “Well, I’ve gotta get to the office. See you all later,” he said.

  Everyone said their farewells, and after he was gone, Harper exchanged glances with Rose and Lily. Both had sympathy in their eyes.

  “Brothers,” Lily mumbled.

  Rose remained silent.

  “I guess I’ll see you in a few hours at dinner.”

  Lily and Rose both nodded.

  Harper walked out of the kitchen, an ache in the pit of her stomach. At the very least, Cade was missing time with his family to avoid her. At the very worst, he had a dinner date with another woman.

  * * *

  “Irene, this meal was delicious,” Harper told the Tremaine cook. She was a woman in her early fifties, a little bulky around the middle, with a pleasant smile and pale green eyes. “I ate up everything, and I usually don’t do that.”

  “Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you, Chef Harper.”

  “It’s just Harper, unless the sous chefs are around.” She and Irene exchanged smiles. “Which, I’m happy to say, are all lined up. We’ll have a staff of seven.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Rose said. “And yes, the salmon was delicious, Irene.”

  “It really was perfectly cooked. It’s hard to get just right,” Harper added.

  Irene beamed. “Thank you. I’ll bring coffee and dessert out now.”

  “Oh, none for me, thank you,” Harper said. “I’m so full, I couldn’t eat another bite.”

  “Are you sure?” Lily asked. “Irene makes a to-die-for caramel apple pie.”

  She patted her tummy. “I’m sure. Maybe I’ll grab a bite tomorrow. Thanks for dinner, everyone. I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”

  Lily walked her out, lacing their arms together like the true friend she was. “So, tell me. How was your first day here?”

&
nbsp; “Actually, it went pretty smoothly. Better than I expected.”

  “That’s good. You didn’t seem to react to seeing Cade again.”

  “That’s because he paid me a visit earlier today to break the ice. He didn’t want to have an audience when we first saw each other again.”

  “Is that right? You didn’t tell me.”

  “I’m telling you now.”

  “Hmm, he wasn’t as shocked as I thought he’d be.”

  Lily drew her closer and whispered in her ear. “I think I know why.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s been watching One Last Date. Mom let it slip one day, but she wouldn’t elaborate.”

  “Are you sure? I can’t see Cade watching the show. That’s not something he would do. He thinks the whole idea is ridiculous.”

  “I’m only telling you what I know.”

  They’d reached the front door. “Whatever. I’ve got too much on my mind to think about it.” She kissed Lily’s cheek. “Thanks for being the best friend ever.”

  Lily took a bow. “That’s me. Best friend extraordinaire.”

  They both giggled at her silliness, and then Harper walked out.

  The night was cool, and she decided to take a walk around the premises, partly because she’d eaten too much and needed to exercise, and partly to clear her head about Cade. Of all the millions who’d watched One Last Date, he was the one person she’d hoped never would. Goodness, she’d revealed so much about herself on that show, exposing her feelings, which she usually held inside. Those producers had a knack for drawing out her deepest emotions. And when she’d rejected Dale when he was down on one knee, all hell had broken loose.

  She closed her eyes, wondering when that memory would fade. The sound of horses snorting drew her gaze over to the stables, and she began heading in that direction. It wasn’t far from the main house, but the moon had vanished behind the clouds, so she made her way under the guidance of ground lights, crossing the road.

  A car came to a careening halt from behind, and she jumped back and turned. Headlights beamed in her face, and she squinted at the blinding light. Her heart pounded.

  Someone jumped out of the car, slamming the door. “Geesh, Harper. Are you okay?”

  She put her hand to her forehead to block the headlights’ glare. “C-cade?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.” He walked over to within a foot of her and looked her over from head to toe. “You sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine.”

  “I didn’t see you. Damn it, I could’ve hit you.” He ran a hand down his face. “What were you doing on the road all the way down here?”

  “I, uh, was taking a walk and heard the horses.”

  The gravity of what almost happened finally dawned on her. She swayed back, and Cade caught her arms. He stared at her and his jaw tightened, his eyes in shadow as he gave her arms a gentle up-and-down rub before letting her go. His gentle caress, though brief, touched every part of her body.

  “You wanted to see the horses?”

  “Yes, I just needed a little more time before turning in.”

  “Hang on a second.” He walked back to his car, a silver Beamer, and turned off the engine. Immediately the bright lights disappeared. “There, that’s better,” he said, coming to stand beside her. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  “Go?” She shook her head, confused.

  “I was heading to the stables. I like to check on my horses whenever I can.”

  She pointed in the opposite direction. “Maybe I should walk back to the guesthouse, let you go see the horses on your own.”

  Cade sighed heavily. “You want to see the horses. I want to see the horses. I think we can manage that.”

  “If you’re sure. I’d love to see them.”

  “Follow me,” he said, taking off and not giving her another chance to decline.

  She caught up to him on the third stride, and together they headed toward the stables. “How many horses do you have?”

  “The ranch has over twenty. We’re breeding them. It’s a small operation that our wrangler, Nathan Haines, heads up. I have three horses, Pepper, Cinnamon and Sage.”

  “I see a trend here. I like it.”

  “Bree named them,” he said. “She didn’t like power names. Said they were cliché.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, Storm is big around here. So is Bolt or Thunder.”

  “I see what she meant. Is it hard talking about her?”

  Cade’s mouth twitched, but then he shook his head. “Not so much anymore.” He gave her a look, one she couldn’t quite grasp. “You helped me with that.”

  She swallowed a big lump in her throat. So, she was his rebound girl, who came before the one who would hold his heart for good.

  They entered the stables, and they were magnificent. The facilities were clean, and it was obvious the horses were well taken care of in the large stalls. Somehow, she figured if Cade had anything to do with it, it wouldn’t be any other way. She followed him to where his three horses were kept, and as soon as they spotted him, their ears perked up and they rushed to greet him, hanging their heads over the gate. He grabbed a bunch of carrots and handed Harper a couple. “Here, feed Sage. She’s real gentle. Don’t be afraid to show her some love. She eats it up.”

  “As long as she doesn’t eat my hand.”

  He laughed, and the sound was beautiful to hear.

  “I’ll get the other two.”

  She watched him feed and love up his mares, stroking them and speaking sweet words in their ears. It almost made her jealous, if one could be jealous of such regal animals. But she had no right to be jealous. She’d blown it with Cade, and though he was civil to her, that ship had sailed.

  “You know, if you ever want to ride her, I’ll let Nathan know. He could take you out one day.”

  “Oh, thanks. But that isn’t happening. I have too much work to do for the party.”

  “Yeah, I heard you have a great menu planned.”

  “Thanks. It’ll be a challenge.”

  “You’ll do fine. Better than fine.”

  “That’s nice of you to say.”

  “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”

  She smiled, and he blinked a few times. Tension mounted between them. She could feel it in the way he looked at her, the softness in his eyes, the way he’d touched her earlier. It was murder standing here, with him being nice to her like this.

  She couldn’t hope.

  She wouldn’t hope.

  “I’d better get some sleep,” she told him. “It’s getting late.”

  “I’ll drive you back.”

  “No, I feel like walking.”

  “I’ll walk you back, then.”

  “Cade, why?” she implored him.

  “Why what? Why do I want to see you safely back home? Maybe it’s because I almost ran you down tonight. It sorta freaked me out. I can’t lose anoth—”

  “Cade, I can walk back by myself. Thanks, but I think it’s best for us to keep our distance. This...this is hard for me, too.”

  She gave Sage one more pat on the head, turned and walked out of the stable. Hoping Cade wouldn’t follow her.

  * * *

  His mother and Lily were sipping coffee in the kitchen when Cade came downstairs the next morning. They were the last people he wanted to see right now. They’d caused all this trouble, and now he was feeling the brunt of seeing Harper and wanting her when he should be keeping his distance. The irony was, he’d set the terms that they were to steer clear of each other, and he was the one wanting to break the rules.

  For no other reason than he missed her.

  She was all wrong for him, he knew that, but she was like a magnet, pulling him toward her, and he couldn’t seem to break free.

&n
bsp; He turned to leave before his mom and sis spotted him. “Hey, Cade. Where’re you going?” Lily asked. “Come have coffee with us.”

  “Yes,” his mother said. “Irene made your breakfast. Don’t let it get cold.”

  “I’m not hungry,” he said, turning and walking over to the table. He slumped into the chair, put his elbows on the table and ran his hands through his hair.

  “You look awful,” Lily said. She was a master at saying the obvious. “Bedhead and bloodshot eyes.”

  “I didn’t sleep much,” he said.

  Lily poured him a cup of coffee and placed it in front of him.

  “Hope you’re not coming down with something, Cade.” His mother’s face crinkled for a second, the way it would when he was a kid and had a fever.

  “I think he is. I think it’s called Harper syndrome.”

  He slanted his sister a look. “Very funny.”

  “I thought things with you two were running smoothly,” his mother said. “I mean, my goodness, you’ve barely seen each other.”

  “Maybe he’s seen her more than we know.” Lily was prodding him, trying to pry information out of him.

  “Lily, give it a rest. I almost ran her down last night with my car.”

  “What?” Mom and Lily both chorused in disbelief.

  “How?” Lily asked.

  “What happened, son?”

  “I was coming home from my dinner with Madeline and her dad when—”

  “You went out with Madeline?” Lily jumped in.

  “Yes, and her dad, Martin O’Shea. It was business—my business and none of yours.”

  “If Madeline was there, it wasn’t all business,” Lily pronounced.

  His sister could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. “Okay, whatever you say.” He wasn’t about to explain his relationship with his ex-girlfriend right now. Her dad and the Tremaines had been doing business together for over a decade now. Martin O’Shea owned a chain of hay and feed stores throughout the Southwest. Cade hadn’t dated Madeline in over four years, though he was surprised to learn she wasn’t seriously involved with anyone right now.

  “Hush, Lily. Go on, Cade. Tell us about last night.” His mom had had a way of breaking up would-be fights ever since he and his siblings could talk.