The Cowgirl's Forever Family

by Helen Lacey

  Hate and love...

  Ha! Not a chance, she thought as she grabbed the pitchfork by the door. She could never fall in love with someone who was so filled with self-importance that he couldn’t see how very wrong he’d been.

  It was unconscionable.

  And unforgivable.

  Sure...it was a dream offer. But Brooke hadn’t even made the decision to sell the small strip of land to Frank Pritchard, let alone just sign the contract and take the money. There was a history of resentment. There was the fact his daughter had been involved in the accident that had killed her parents and sent Matthew running from his guilt and Frank Pritchard’s arrogant assurance that nothing would ever be done about it. Now, the very idea that Pritchard would own another small piece of her ranch, especially after the recent rezoning issue, made her sick inside. And angry. And confused. Tyler didn’t understand. He was all about winning. About deals. He didn’t understand how important it was to stand by her principles, and her family. Hadn’t he cruelly sought emancipation from his adoptive parents and never looked back? He obviously lacked heart and the ability to care deeply.

  No...that’s not true.

  She’s witnessed firsthand the way he was with Cara. That kind of affection couldn’t be feigned. But still, he’d gone too far. As for Werner Stewart, Brooke would be dismissing him as her lawyer as soon as she could. She didn’t want deals made behind her back. She didn’t want to feel so out of control about her own life. Damn Tyler and his interfering ways.

  Jerk.

  She hated him.

  No, I don’t.

  Her cell pealed, indicating a text message. She swiped the screen and stared at the text. It was from Matt.

  Love you, sis. Merry Christmas.

  Gah! Was every man in her life out to make her crazy?

  It was Christmas Eve, normally a time when she would be with her friends or at her cousin’s ranch, wrapping gifts for Grady’s kids or hanging out with Brant or her aunt. But Grady was newly married and it was the first holiday he would be sharing with his bride and three daughters as a family. And with Brant just engaged to her friend Lucy, Brooke didn’t want to encroach on their happiness. She’d see them all tomorrow on Christmas Day, as planned. Anyway, she had Cara to think of.

  And Tyler.

  Brooke did her best to shake off the irritation settled on her shoulders. She didn’t want Cara picking up on any tension between them. She stayed outside for a while longer, checking on the hens and the horses. The dogs were playing chase with a stick and she joined in for a few minutes before she locked up the stables and headed back to the house. More snow was forecast overnight and since the evening chores were done a little earlier than usual, she had the luxury of time to hang out with her niece and savor every moment.

  Because in two days he would be taking Cara away.

  It was clear that Matthew wasn’t going to return and, as she trudged back to the house, Brooke decided that if he hadn’t called by the following evening, she would have to go against her better judgment and tell him exactly why he needed to come home. She’d tell him about Cara and let the chips fall where they may.

  She headed for the shower and once she’d dried off, she slipped into a pale blue knee-length cotton dress that had tiny little white flowers printed on it and teamed it with a soft white sweater, found some comfy shoes, brushed her hair and applied a little lip gloss and left the room. When she reached the living room, she spotted Cara scrambling around on the floor, tossing stuffed toys and grabbing the edge of the sofa. Tyler sat on the edge of the love seat in front of the window, watching the baby. He looked up when he realized she was standing in the doorway and their gazes clashed, and as always, feelings churned through her system, making her more confused, and more vulnerable than ever.

  “Hey,” he said and placed the laptop on the side table. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded a little. “I’m still mad at you.”

  “I figured.”

  “But I don’t want to waste any of the time I have left with Cara being angry. And I’ve decided I’m going to tell Matt about her when he calls.”

  “Okay,” he said quietly.

  “And if my brother does come back, you did promise you would stay longer so he can get to know her?”

  Tyler shrugged one shoulder. “I know what I said. We’ll see what happens.”

  “Fair enough.” She moved into the room and managed a tight smile. “Truce?”

  “Sure, truce. Friends even.”

  Shame licked at her heels. “I shouldn’t have said we weren’t friends. I didn’t mean it.”

  He smiled and was about to get to his feet when both their attentions zeroed in on Cara. Because she was walking, arms outstretched, taking her first, real, wobbly steps by the sofa as she chanted “Dada” over and over and made her way toward Tyler.

  Brooke’s heart caught behind her ribs and she quickly pulled out her cell phone and began filming the moment, her breath caught on every step, every wobble and every laugh until finally the baby reached the man sitting by the window. Tyler scooped Cara into his arms the instant she connected with his knee and hauled her against his chest.

  “Did you see that?” Brooke said with a tiny squeal as she came around the sofa, knowing that of course he had, but unable to contain her excitement.

  “I certainly did,” he said and stood. “That was quite the expedition for her first time,” he laughed with a grimace as Cara tugged on a handful of his hair. “I think our girl has been holding out on us.”

  Our girl...

  His words made her heart ache. Because, more than anything else, Brooke wished they were true. She wished Cara was their child. And she wished they could watch her grow and nurture her and be a family together—the baby she’d grown to love, and the man who had captured her heart.

  She wasn’t sure how it had all happened so quickly. Brooke wasn’t an impulsive person. She lived a quiet, solitary life, had a few friends and never did anything rash. If anything, she was overcautious, taking her time to get to know people before she let them in. But inside of a week she’d fallen head over heels for the two other people in the room, and was devastated knowing they would probably be ripped from her life in a mere forty-eight hours.

  “Brooke?”

  She blinked away the emotion burning her eyes. Tyler stood only a few feet from her, watching her, his gaze blazing into her. “We should trim the tree,” she suggested and smiled.

  He nodded slowly, still watching her. “Sure,” he said and passed Cara to her, as if knowing it was exactly what she needed in that moment.

  The next few hours flew by in a blur. They trimmed the tree while Christmas music played softly in the background, ate a makeshift dinner of ham and cheese sandwiches, drank coffee, watched Cara play and wobble as she walked some more, and she talked with Tyler about everything from sports to their first high school crushes. Later, they stayed out on the porch and watched the snow begin to fall. Once Cara was fed and tucked up in bed, Tyler stayed with the baby for a few minutes while Brooke wrapped a few birthday presents on the coffee table in the living room.

  When he returned, she detoured to the kitchen to wipe down the counters, happy but desperate to not let him see how much the afternoon had meant to her. She certainly didn’t want to be caught out making puppy-dog eyes at him. All she had to do was get through the next couple of days...then she could wallow in her broken heart once he was gone.

  She checked on Cara and saw her niece was sleeping peacefully, then headed back to the living room. Tyler was on the couch, reading a book. In jeans, a dark green sweater and loafers and dark-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, he looked so sexy her mouth turned dry.

  “I didn’t know you wore reading glasses?”

  He looked up and grinned, and her belly did a
loop like she was riding a roller coaster way too fast. He removed the glasses and placed them on the coffee table along with the book.

  “Do I seem less than perfect to you now?” he teased, his green eyes seeming darker than usual.

  Brooke came around the sofa and sat down on the other side. “Perfect? That’s a stretch.”

  He chuckled and the sound hit her way down low. “You look pretty tonight,” he said softly. “Actually, you always look beautiful, but tonight, especially so.”

  Heat smacked her cheeks and she gave a brittle laugh. “You really do need glasses.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Has some man somewhere along the way told you that you weren’t beautiful and you believed him?”

  Brooke shrugged, embarrassed that he could read her so easily. “Doyle said that—”

  “Doyle’s gone,” Tyler said, cutting her off and saying her ex-fiancé’s name as though it left a sour taste in his mouth. “And he was obviously a faithless fool who didn’t appreciate you.”

  Brooke almost fell into Tyler’s arms. How many times had she thought that but had never been able to voice it, too afraid of sounding like a jilted woman scorned? Doyle had told her she wasn’t beautiful. Her personality, he’d said, made up for her lack of beauty. Not maliciously, she was certain, but he’d said it often enough to make her believe it.

  “Thank you,” she said tremulously, almost holding her breath. “It’s very sweet of you to say so.”

  His eyes glittered brilliantly. “Sweet? I don’t think I’ve ever been called that before.”

  “When you’re not being a complete jerk, of course.”

  He chuckled and then regarded her more soberly. “You know, about today, I didn’t mean to overstep the boundaries of our...” He paused, clearly thinking about how to define them, then sighed. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry. As for Pritchard’s offer—do what feels right for you, pride and principles included.”

  Emotion lodged in her throat. He got her. Understood her. Maybe more than anyone ever had before. “I will,” she promised. “And...thanks. I probably overreacted a little this afternoon, but I guess I’m not used to having someone go to bat for me.” Admitting how alone she was made her insides ache. But there wasn’t pity in Tyler’s eyes, only understanding. Perhaps because he was alone, too, and knew how it felt. “I heard from Matthew,” she said quietly and settled back into the sofa. “He sent a text wishing me a merry Christmas.”

  “With no mention of returning?”

  Brooke shook her head. “Like I said, I think it’s time I actually told him about Cara. It might force him to come back.”

  “It might,” he replied. “Or it might make him stay away permanently.”

  She dropped her shoulders resignedly. “Honestly, I’m not sure what to do. I love my brother, and want him to come home so he can meet his child, but I’m not sure if that’s the best thing for Cara anymore. Anyway, before you leave on Saturday I’ll give you his number and the last address I had, which was somewhere in New Mexico. I’m certain he’s not there now, but you can have it, just the same.”

  “I’m sorry it’s turned out this way, Brooke. I know you’d hoped he would contact you.”

  She sighed. “Have you booked your flight home?”

  “Yes.”

  “And do you think you could let me know about Cara...about her being adopted? I’d like to be considered,” she added softly. “If that’s possible.”

  He reached out and grabbed her hand. “I know you want to care for her, Brooke. And I know it would be what’s best for Cara. This past week you’ve developed a strong bond with her and I can see that it’s genuine.”

  Her heart skipped a beat and she looked to where their hands linked. “Are you saying...are you saying you would consider leaving her here with me?”

  He met her gaze levelly. “I can’t do that.”

  Tears burned the back of her eyes. “Oh, I thought—”

  “I’m Cara’s legal guardian,” he said and squeezed her hand gently. “I have a legal and ethical responsibility to follow due process, which means I have to take her back to New York. I’ll talk to Ralph, and if he agrees, I’ll support your application if you wish to seek custody.”

  She wanted to weep because it was as though he’d given her the moon. “Thank you.”

  “I think you’ll make a really good mom.”

  She almost blurted out that he would make a good dad, but she held her tongue. The moment was about Cara, not the silly fantasies Brooke had about the man holding her hand so tenderly. But there was such blistering awareness between them. A connection that defied the short amount of time they’d known one another. Time didn’t matter. It was feeling. It was chemistry. It was alchemy and attraction and a deep rooted respect. And she wanted more of it. All of it. All of him. Even if it was only for one moment. Or one precious night.

  Brooke met his gaze. “It’s been a nice afternoon. Trimming the tree, seeing Cara take her first steps... I’ll treasure the memory of it.”

  “Me, too.”

  She garnered her courage and stroked the inside of his palm and he tensed instantly. “Tyler... I...”

  He dropped her hand and shifted. “We should turn in,” he said and got to his feet.

  Brooke remained where she was, looking up at him. “Yes,” she whispered. “I think we should.”

  He nodded and stepped away, grabbing his book and glasses. “Well, good night.”

  She said his name, watched him pause midstride and then met his gaze head-on as she curved her mouth in a soft smile. “I think we should go to bed,” she said as she rose to her feet. “Together.”

  Chapter Ten

  Tyler swallowed hard as the meaning of her words sunk into his brain. He stared at her, into her, through her. Her eyes were dark and slumberous. He was drawn into them, mesmerized and stirred at the same time. The room seemed smaller and suddenly Brooke was closer, close enough to touch, close enough to take in his arms.

  Good sense should have sent him to his room to take a cold shower. But in that moment, he was all out of good sense. He remained where he was and waited for her to move, to walk from the room and away from temptation. But she didn’t. She spoke again, saying his name in that way only she could.

  “Tyler...unless my brother returns, you’re leaving in two days,” she said, reaching out to lay a hand on his chest, where his heart thundered. “Let’s not waste the time wondering if this is a good idea or not. We’re both cautious. We’re both sensible. Maybe...maybe this is about throwing caution to the wind...just for a couple of crazy days.”

  Uncomplicated, hassle-free, no-pressure sex. A week ago it was all he craved. Now...it seemed as complicated as it could get. Because Brooke wasn’t the kind of woman he could love for a night and then leave.

  To love...

  Damn. He couldn’t. He didn’t. Did he?

  That would be plain old stupid. He was a lot of things, but he’d never considered himself to be a stupid man. He’d always thought romantic love was nonsense, anyway. Friendship and desire were what he believed to be the foundation of a successful relationship. But, somehow...he’d changed since they’d met. She made him think, she made him wonder about his future, about what was important. Being at the ranch, walking the streets of Cedar River, spending time with her and Cara, meeting her family, and even visiting her useless attorney had made him realize how empty his life in New York had become. Within six months he knew he’d be made partner...after that, his life would be set. He’d stay in New York, marry a woman who could deal with the seventy-hour weeks he’d certainly work and then he’d have a couple of kids who would be enrolled in the right school even before they were born.

  And in the moment, standing in Brooke’s living room, he knew that life was nowhere near as appealing as the
offer from the woman in front of him.

  He placed his hand over hers. “I thought you said you didn’t do crazy and impulsive?”

  “I don’t,” she replied. “But I don’t want to have regrets, either. I like being with you. I like the way you make me feel about myself. And I want to keep feeling that for as long as I can.”

  His blood stirred. Dropping his book and glasses onto the sofa, he pulled her closer, felt her eagerness as she pressed against him. Tyler kissed her, gently fisting a handful of her beautiful hair as he slanted his mouth over hers possessively. When he lifted his head she was breathing hard, her lips full and pink and utterly irresistible.

  “We should take the baby monitor with us,” she said and pulled back a little.

  Tyler nodded and released her, smiling to himself at her practical thinking. He’d meant what he said to her earlier—she’d make a good mother to Cara, and if Ralph agreed, he’d help her gain custody. The ranch would be back on its feet after she signed Pritchard’s offer and Cara would be loved and cared for. It was a win-win. Strangely, he still felt hollow inside thinking about it and couldn’t figure why.

  “Give me a few minutes, okay.” He picked up the baby monitor and followed her down the hall, watching as she disappeared into her room. Striding back to his own room, he grabbed the birth control tucked into his suitcase pocket and then headed to her room. She was by the bed, sweater and shoes gone, simply standing there in her pretty dress, hair flowing over her shoulders, her skin dappled in the lamplight. Her bedroom was what he’d expected, neat and tidy with a few pieces of furniture and a sensible blue quilt on the bed.

  He placed the baby monitor and the foil packet on the bedside table and met her gaze. “Okay?”

  She glanced at the contraception and nodded. “Yes...only, you don’t really need that.”

  “I know you don’t sleep around, Brooke,” he assured her. “Neither do I. But I also don’t play roulette with birth control.”