“Oh, no, honey.” He shook his head as he drove away from the yard. “Hell ain’t even that hot.”
“Do you think things would’ve ever been different between us if we hadn’t gotten involved with this wedding stuff?” she asked.
“Never know now, but I doubt it,” he answered.
“Why?” she asked.
“I’ve always had a crush on you, Alana, but you’re about to inherit the second biggest ranch in the Panhandle. I don’t have a thing to bring to a table like that, and I felt that folks would think I’d married you for your money. I’m too proud for that, I guess,” he replied. “And besides you hurt my little heart when you slapped the hell out of my cheek when I kissed you behind the barn. Remember?”
“Evidently I didn’t do too good of a job, because you’ve been raisin’ hell ever since then,” she smarted off.
“I’ve been tryin’ to prove that some girls like my kisses,” he told her.
“Got that job done yet?” she asked.
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “I wanted to ask you to the prom when we were seniors but when I finally got the courage to even walk up to you in the hallway at school, you gave me a dirty look.”
“I did not,” she protested.
“Yep, you did. You glared at me like if I took another step toward you, you’d knock me square on my ass,” he said.
She clamped a hand over her mouth and giggled.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I remember that day now. Wyatt Downing was right behind you and he”—she suddenly got serious—“and he made a rude hand gesture. I was giving him the dirty look, not you.”
“Would you have gone with me if I’d asked?” Pax asked.
“Probably,” she answered. “That was a long time ago, and by the way, so was that kiss. I shouldn’t have slapped you, but you went right out and kissed another girl the next day, so…” She raised an eyebrow.
“I had to do something to restore my thirteen-year-old manhood.”
Even if it was years later, he felt like a king that she’d liked him enough even in those days to be jealous. “Did you go kiss another boy?”
“Hell, no!” she said. “I didn’t kiss another boy until I was sixteen.”
“Did you like it then?” he asked.
“No, he didn’t do much better than you did,” she teased.
“Ouch!” he groaned. “I’d been practicing for weeks on the back of my hand. I thought I had it down, and, honey, let me tell you something.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed each knuckle. “When my lips touched yours, my heart skipped at least two beats.”
“So did mine,” she admitted. “But we need to talk about the business of the ranch now.”
“Party pooper,” he joked.
“One of us has to be,” she told him. “Now then, you’re half owner of the Callahan Ranch, right?”
“That’s right, and, honey, it’s not a big ranch, so you’re sure not marryin’ me for my money,” he continued to tease her.
“How do you know? I might be wanting to add the Callahan Ranch to the Bar C,” she said.
“No way.” He shook his head. “That’s Callahan land. How many acres does the Bar C cover? How many permanent hired hands does the ranch employ? How many temporary kids do you hire in the summer?” he asked.
“You thinkin’ about suing me for half of my ranch when we get the divorce?” she asked.
“No, I’m making you see what I’m talking about.” He turned out of the lane and onto the county road.
“Well, the Bar C isn’t as big as the King Ranch,” she said, “or even the Rockin’ B. It’s not listed on the top ten biggest ranches in Texas by a longshot, but we’ve got ninety thousand acres, twenty hired hands who stay in the bunkhouse with Lucas, and we usually hire about fifty local kids in the summer. Does that answer your questions?”
“Yep, and it’s pretty close to what I figured. The Callahan Ranch has a little over a thousand acres. Maverick and I are trying to take care of it with only ourselves and a handful of summertime help. You get the picture?” He turned off the county road onto the highway leading into town.
She folded her arms over her chest. “No, I don’t and never will.”
It was his turn to ask, “Why?”
“Because no one should marry for money, but then again, no one should ever let money keep them from a happy relationship,” she told him.
“Not if you live by the Cowboy Code,” Pax said.
“I know that code as well as you do,” she asked.
“Then you know you should never let anyone take your courage, your strength, or your dignity.”
“I guess it would take a strong cowboy to follow his heart and not let what other people say influence his decision to fall in love with a woman because she owns more dirt than he does,” Alana said.
He pulled the truck into the parking spot at Mama’s Little Ice Cream Parlor and turned off the engine. “Yep, it would, but I’m not so sure we’re really made for each other—not for the long haul. You can outdo me in everything, including ranchin’. I’d kind of feel like a kept man.
“Hey, don’t say that,” she scolded. “If we were really engaged and getting married, you’d be bringing a lot to the partnership. You’re the kindest man I know, and there’s not a rancher out there who takes his job as serious as you do. No way in the world would you ever be a kept man, and believe me, you are my equal in everything, Paxton Callahan.”
“Oh, really,” he countered, “who won the most trophies in bareback bronc riding?”
“Who got thrown the most in practice and has back trouble now?” she asked right back. “And if we’re throwin’ around stuff, who’s been known to haul hay by the light of a truck so he can get it in before the rain hits the next morning, or who’s come over here more than once to help Daddy when the hired help couldn’t make it to the ranch because there was a foot of snow on the ground.”
“This is all a crazy conversation anyway,” he said. “If we weren’t getting married already, neither of us would even begin to think about the M word on the basis of one hot kiss.”
“I sure wouldn’t.” She opened the truck door. “And, Pax, thanks for being honest with me.”
“Hey, that’s my job,” he told her as he got out and went around the front of the vehicle to extend his hand to help her out. “Want to try another of those kisses again right here to see if maybe that was beginner’s luck?”
She shook her head and tucked her hand into his. “Nope. I still need ice cream to cool down that last one.”
“Rain check?” he suggested as the automatic doors into the store swung open.
“Maybe.” She went straight to the counter and looked up at the menu. “I want a double dip of chocolate almond and a glass of sweet tea.”
“And you, sir?”
He pointed at the menu. “I want a double fudge brownie sundae like that picture right up there, and a big glass of ice water,” he answered, as if he was oblivious to her charms.
“I want to change my order.” Alana laid her left hand on the counter. “I’ll have the same thing as my fiancé.”
“Congratulations,” the gray-haired woman said. “You might not remember me, but I took care of the nursery when you kids were babies. This one is on the house from me to celebrate your engagement.”
“Well, thank you,” Pax said.
“You’re Wilma,” Alana said. “I didn’t recognize you without your red hair.”
“I got tired of dyeing it and let it go natural,” Wilma told them. “I’ll have that ice cream out to you in a few minutes.”
“Thank you so much. That’s sweet of you.” Alana smiled.
“Small world,” Pax said as he ushered Alana to a booth.
“Yep, and speaking of that, did you notice that Trudy is sitting right over there with Billy Ray?” Alana asked.
Pax glanced over his shoulder and waved at the mother and son. “Anyone else?”
“The place is packed.” She slid into a booth. “And some of them already have their cell phones out.”
Pax took his place across from her and reached across the table to hold both her hands. “Ignore them and look right into my eyes. We’ve come out of hiding, and we’re so much in love that we can’t get enough of each other.”
“Do you really think this is the way that engaged couples act?” she giggled. “We’re almost thirty for God’s sake, not sixteen.”
“Yep, we are.” He laughed with her. “But think how much gossip fodder we’re giving Trudy right now. She doesn’t know that you basically told me that I’m full of crap. She thinks we’re really making eyes at each other.”
“And here they come,” Alana whispered as she slipped her hands away from his and looked up at Trudy. “Well, hello there. Did y’all have a cravin’ for ice cream tonight too?”
“Ice cream is always good on a hot night,” Billy Ray said.
“I wanted to come over and congratulate you in person,” Trudy said. “I’m so excited about your engagement, and so is your dad. I could hear it in his voice when he called to be sure the church was available for that day. I’ve already got half a dozen ladies who are going to help with the wedding shower. Have you registered for gifts yet?”
“Thank you, and no, ma’am. We met with the wedding planner tonight. Since things are moving so fast, you could wait a few weeks to give us a shower, maybe after the honeymoon, even.”
“Oh, no!” Trudy talked with her hands. “We’ve already got the ball rolling, and we’re so excited about giving y’all a shower. I’ve talked to your granny, Iris, several times and the other ladies in the church group.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Don’t forget to register with Amanda’s Gifts, since she’s local or it’ll hurt her feelings, and besides she’s one of the shower hostesses.”
Billy Ray stepped up from behind his mother. “Got your best man all picked out?”
“Maverick, of course,” Pax answered, “and the guys out at the ranches where we worked are going to be groomsmen.”
“Well, if y’all need me for anything, holler,” Billy Ray said.
“We’ll sure keep that in mind.” Alana smiled up at him. “And thanks so much, Billy Ray.”
Trudy patted her on the shoulder. “Here comes Wilma with your ice cream. Y’all better get after it before it melts. We’ll be in touch the first of the week to get your colors for the shower.” Mother and son turned and made their way back through the crowd.
“Cravin’?” Pax’s green eyes twinkled. “Don’t pregnant women get cravin’s? Are you tryin’ to tell me something here tonight?”
“Dammit!” Alana gasped.
“And here y’all are.” Wilma set the two sundaes and the ice water on the table. “If y’all need anything else let me know.”
Pax picked up a spoon and dug into the ice cream. “Want me to call her back for a side order of dill pickles? And what was that about not wanting a shower?”
Paxton had thought that she’d blush, but instead she ran the back of her hand down his cheek and whispered in a seductive voice, “Not yet. I think I have to be in the second trimester before the pickle craving starts. And I feel guilty about getting gifts for a sham wedding. We’ll have to give them all back when we get the annulment.”
The sensation of her touch and the sound of her voice sent another wave of heat through Pax’s body. He might need to spill the ice water in his lap if she did that again.
Chapter Seven
Pax was hot, sweaty, and out of sorts when he made it to the house on Saturday evening. Three of their weekend hired hands were off to a baseball tournament, so he and Maverick had worked double-time with the two who remained. The sun had already set, and he wished that he and Alana hadn’t made plans to go to the Wild Cowboy that night. Every bone in his body ached from stretching barbed wire fence from early that morning until now, and it was dusky dark.
“I’ll sure be glad to see those boys get back to work next week,” Pax groaned.
“Are you tellin’ me that you’re too old at twenty-nine to be ranchin’?” Maverick teased. “You do realize that you’ll have a helluva lot more to do after y’all are married.”
“I kept up with you all day, didn’t I?” Pax said. “And now, the most strenuous thing you’ll do this evening is stack up blocks for Laela to knock down. I happen to be going to the Wild Cowboy to dance until they close the place down.”
“Does Alana know?” Maverick asked.
“She’s going with me,” Pax shot over his shoulder as he headed down the hallway to the shower.
He let the cool water beat down on his tired shoulders for a long time and wondered how the evening would go at the bar. He and Alana were both regulars there, right along with lots of cowboys, cowgirls, and bar bunnies in the area. But tonight would be different—being engaged changed everything. No flirting with other women, very little dancing with other gals, and for sure no going to a motel with one of them or bringing one of them home.
He’d stood under the water longer than he’d thought, so he had to hustle to get ready. He got out his lucky Saturday night boots, the black ones that hardly ever let him down.
Alana was supposed to be ready at eight o’clock, and he knocked on her door with five minutes to spare. No one answered, so he rapped harder.
“Hey.” Matt came from around the end of the house. “Alana told me to tell you to meet her in the barn. I’ve got a cattlemen’s meeting I can’t miss tonight over in Tulia. I’m already going to be a few minutes late, so I’ll let her explain.” Matt hurried over to his truck, settled in behind the wheel, and sped off.
Pax crawled back into his vehicle, picked up his phone from the passenger seat, and called Alana. She was breathless when she answered. “I’m so sorry, Pax, but I can’t go to the Wild Cowboy. I’ve got two heifers having trouble delivering. I’m in the first barn, and I could use some help.”
“Be there in five minutes,” he said and ended the call.
He drove down the rutted path to the barn closest to the house. He got out and jerked off his good boots, grabbed his old black rubber boots from the bed of the truck, and shoved his feet down in them. His jeans and shirt could be washed, but he sure didn’t want to ruin his lucky boots.
The barn door squeaked when he slid it open, and Alana yelled, “I’m back here.” She came out from a hallway between rows of stalls and met him in the middle of the floor. She wore jeans with holes in the knees, a chambray shirt over a dirty white tank top. Strands of blond hair had escaped her ponytail, which had a piece of straw dangling from the end. “I’m a mess, but I can’t leave the heifers, and all the hired hands are gone, and Daddy has a meeting…”
He took her in his arms and said, “We’re ranchers. This is what we signed up for. There’ll be other Saturday nights when we can dance at the Wild Cowboy. Let’s check on those two heifers.”
“You’re a good man, Paxton.” She led the way back to the stalls. “I did so enjoy the thought of dancing with you all night, but I’m sure glad that as ranchers we understand each other.”
“I was feelin’ the same way about you,” he said as he opened the stall and checked the first heifer. “First calf, right?”
Alana nodded. “She and the other one are both out of my personal herd. They belong to me, not the ranch. I’ve raised them from babies. I probably shouldn’t have bred them to our prime bull, since he always throws big calves.”
“This ain’t my first time pullin’ calves.” Pax went over to the other stall and dropped to his knees. “This one will come first. If we’re lucky, she won’t need much help. She’s a little bigger than that one over there. Now, all we can do is wait, and I had a mind to do some dancin’. I got to warn you, I’m not nearly as smooth in rubber boots, though.”
“Here in the barn?” She frowned.
“Come on now, Alana.” He stood up, took her by the hand, and led her out into the middle of the barn.
“You got a country music band hiding in the bed of your truck?” she asked.
“Nope, don’t even have a jukebox.” He laid his phone on a bale of hay and hit the playlist that he listened to when he was plowing. “But I don’t need either one to make enough music so I can dance with a pretty lady.”
“So you think I’m pretty?” She wrapped both her arms around his neck.
“No, Alana, I think you’re beautiful.” He pulled her close to him and dropped his hands to her waist. Having her in his arms set off the same jolts of desire that he’d felt every time he touched her—crazy thing was that even though he’d been with lots of women, he’d never gotten such a feeling with any one of them.
They swayed to Kenny Chesney and David Lee Murphy singing “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.”
“You really believe what they’re saying?” she asked.
“You don’t?” he shot right back.
“No, I do not. My daddy won’t be with me at Christmas. By then I’ll be divorced, and everyone in town will be saying that I wasted his money on a lavish wedding instead of using it to find a cure for him,” she muttered.
“This wise woman, a tall blonde to be exact, told me that we shouldn’t care what other people say. Besides, honey, I’ll stick by your side until the baby is born anyway,” he teased.
“Oh, you are so funny,” Alana said. “I bet Trudy is already making notes about a baby shower sometime this fall.”
“Well, you did say you were cravin’ ice cream.” He did some fancy footwork when Travis Tritt started singing “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.” Pax swung Alana to one side, brought her back to his chest, and together they did some fancy swing dancing all the way through the song.
Alana was giggling when that song ended, but before another one began, one of the heifers let out a bellow loud enough to rattle the sheet metal siding on the barn. Alana whipped around and ran back to the second stall with Pax right behind her.
She peeked over the top of the gate in time to see the hooves of the calf come out. The cow’s sides bunched up with another contraction, and a big black head popped out. After that the rest was easy, and in minutes, the mother was on her feet, taking care of her newborn.
Cowboy Strong - Includes a bonus novella Page 7
