Lassoing The Last Dance (Double Dutch Ranch; Love At First Sight Book 4)
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Lassoing the Last Dance
Double Dutch Ranch Series:
Love at First Sight #4
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/WyOcn
http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com
Books by this Author
Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight
Cowboy Boss and his Destiny
Tristan’s Destiny, Bonus Book #1.5
Heartbreak’s Reward
Of the Cowboy’s Own Accord
Lassoing the Last Dance
Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series
Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas
Finding Kimber (2017)
BULL RIDER SERIES
Howdy, Ma’am
Hey, Cowboy
Christmas at Love House
COPYRIGHT
All Rights Reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, scanned, distributed, stored in, or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, either now known or in the future, is forbidden without the express written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
DISCLAIMER: The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his or her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms or accidents that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
First Digital Edition, April 2017 United States of America
Lassoing the Last Dance © 2017 by Mary J. Dressel
Publisher: Teel Blue Books
Cover Design: DusktilDawn Designs
Formatting: LK E-Book Formatting Service
Edited By: Ally Robertson
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Other Books by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Acknowledgement
About the Author
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my youngest son and his beautiful wife.
For Jim and Christie.
I love you two with all my heart.
Chapter 1
A golden sunrise peeking over the horizon welcomed Randy Drake to the morn. He no sooner took a sip, set his cup down, and wrote the first sentence into his notebook when the crunch of tires drew his attention away from what his muse had to tell him. Dust billowed behind the vehicle coming up the drive.
Dane Carlson rolled his window down and dropped his arm over the side of the truck. “Hey, what’s up, Randy? You look like you lost your best friend.” He opened the door to let out his retired military working dog, Boston. They both moseyed to the steps.
“Want some coffee? I’m ready to get a refill. Come on in.” Randy ran his hands over his uncombed hair, then picked up his notebook and pen to go inside. “What do you need, Dane?”
“Can you run over to an auction in Tucson with me today to check out a horse? He’s a rowdy one and has been through hell these last few months. Let me know if you think he’s trainable. I didn’t get a chance to call ya last night.”
He held the door from slamming on Dane and grabbed a cup from the cupboard above the sink. “Let me see if Tristan needs me at the Double Dutch.”
“Tristan will be tied up all day helping one of Nora’s friends move. I expect you and I will be in Tucson most of the day. Something going on?” Dane accepted the cup of coffee Randy handed him and pointed to the floor for his dog to lie.
Dane’s words kicked the morning fuzz out of Randy’s brain. Nora’s friend? Which one? Roxanne? “Aw, damn, it’s that Kim Davis hanging around and bugging me again. She can’t make up her mind what the hell she wants. I made mine up the day she said ‘I don’t need you anymore,’ three years ago.”
“Mom mentioned something about you and Nora’s friend. Rosemary? Roxanne? Whatever her name is. Didn’t that go anywhere?”
“I don’t know. I’m sick of women right now. Roxanne lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. It’s not like I can call her up for a dinner date. We faded apart. I contacted her months ago and got no response. What the hell am I supposed to do, chase her down?” His thoughts raced to the times Roxanne picked him up from the airport when he’d gone to visit. “She’s nice, and damn hot. If she didn’t live so far, I might still pursue it.”
“Dude, I don’t know much about her, but Roxanne’s moving back.” Dane took a drink of coffee, set it down, and peered at Randy. “You didn’t know she was moving back?”
He stopped what he was doing. “Well, she is from here. She moving to Canyon Junction?” His mental radar went berserk. Randy stirred milk into his coffee then leaned against the counter. To clear his head of Roxanne, he removed a skillet from the oven and got eggs, onions, and green peppers from the refrigerator. “Hungry?”
Dane chuckled while patting his stomach. “Uh uh. I got somebody who takes good care of me. Hey, I believe Roxanne is moving into Nora’s mom’s house. Hearsay. I get all the news after the fact. Email the hottie, dude. If she’s coming back—”
“Dane? Come on, I don’t want to deal with it right now.” He splashed a warm-up into his cup and held the pot up to Dane who refused more.
“Just saying—”
“What time you want to leave for the auction today?” Being matched up with someone was the last damn thing he needed.
“About seven-thirty. Just come over when you’re ready.” Dane gave a cocky grin. “I’ll pay you for your time since I’m kind of…um, your boss anyway.”
“It’ll be a good time. Not that I ever minded going to a horse auction.” Randy raised his cup for a drink before continuing, “I’ll be there on time with cash in my pocket.”
Dane set his cup down and headed for the door. “Catch ya later.” He called his German shepherd who beat him through the door when he opened it.
Waiting on the skillet to heat, Randy hung his head and gave a sidelong glance at the kitchen. It needed some repair like windows replaced, and a screw tightened in the bottom cupboard door. He sliced onions and green peppers into olive oil and butter in the skillet. It sizzled like his brain did sometimes. He picked up his phone and ran through the contacts to Roxanne Connor’s number but hesitated. Instead of Roxanne, he called Tristan. “I’m taking off with your brother to an auction if you don’t need me around the Double Dutch today.”
Tristan answered, “Nope, you go ahead. Dane said he’d ask ya to go along.”
Randy stood at the window a minute to observe the desert landscape surrounding his non-working ranch. “So you’re helping Roxanne move today, I hear. How come you didn’t tell me she was coming back, Tristan? Ain’t that what friends are about? Huh?”
Never came up. He was royally pissed, and if they were face to face, he’d slug him. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter anyway. See you tomorrow.”
“Sure, but tomorrow the real moving starts. Today we’re working around Nora’s mother’s house before Roxanne’s furniture gets here. Stop by tonight if you—”
“Can’t do it. Talk to you later.” He hung up then slammed eggs against the side of the bowl to crack them, making a mess to clean up he didn’t need. I’m done with women. For now, anyway. She was moving into Nora’s mom’s house? Weird. How the hell had that happened? He never heard Nora’s mom had passed away. Then again, maybe they didn’t tell him that news, either.
What had happened between him and Roxanne? They were off to a magnificent start. Those good-bye kisses at the airport before he left to come back to Arizona didn’t lie. Neither did the warm hugs and sweet sighs against his lips when she’d leave for Broken Arrow after she had visited here. He threw the paper towel into the trash. “Screw it.” He must’ve misunderstood. For over a year?
He poured the egg mixture into the skillet to make one of his special omelets. Nonetheless, he’d like to see her again. Maybe it’d work now that she was back in Canyon Junction.
***
Randy pulled up to Dane’s barn on the edge of Double Dutch property bordering his land. Dane waited outside the barn door with Gracelyn.
“Good timing. You know I don’t like to be late, but I remembered something,” said Dane with a flip of his hand. “Jase has the trailer keys. I watched him stick them into his pocket and thought nothing of it.” Dane snickered in the casual way of his. “Don’t suppose you’d mind going over there with me to get them, eh, Randy?”
“Jase’s house, you mean?” Randy removed his hat and nodded to Gracelyn, a pretty woman—no surprise. Dane always got the pretty ones. “Will’s getting big.”
Gracelyn smiled while brushing light hair from her son’s face before standing him on his feet. “He’s growing so fast I can’t believe it myself. You should try keeping him in clothes.”
Dane dove for Will’s hand when he put his little toddler legs to the test to run off, and he lifted him to his shoulders. “Randy, about the keys. Jase is helping Tristan over at Roxanne’s new place. I swear to God I didn’t plan this.”
Randy peered off into the desert, the heat of the sun rippling across the sand. “Too bad you hadn’t thought of that earlier, huh? Before I got here would’ve been good.”
“Hey, it’s on the way out of town. I’m not making you go. You’re a big boy.” Dane kissed Gracelyn farewell and wiggled his boy’s hand. “Take care of Mama, big guy.” Turning back to Randy, he bumped his shoulder. “Come on and stop pouting.” He hopped into his truck and Randy got in, too.
Randy’s attitude matched the sunbaked interior of the truck. Dane turned up the air conditioner while Randy sulked. “I’ll try to believe you didn’t do this on purpose. Roxanne and I haven’t seen each other in eight months, and you pull this on me.”
Dane gave him a firm glare. “I didn’t pull nothin’. My brother walked away with the keys. It’s that damn simple.”
If he did see Roxanne, this wasn’t the way he wanted it to be the first time in all these months. Randy never had a weak bone in his body, but when it came to women, sometimes he did. Especially this one, and for the love of God, he had no idea why he still felt so attracted to Roxanne—an older woman as a matter of fact. Older than him by two years. He had to get his head back together before he let memories get the best of him. “What is it about this horse I need to check out, Dane? He’s had a bad time?”
“Yeah, if anybody can figure him out, you can. It sounds like it from what I read in the auction papers.” Dane lowered the volume on the radio. “Neglected and left alone to fend for himself while stabled with a couple big appaloosas who didn’t much want him there. I’ll probably pick him up anyway. I don’t have to saddle-break every damn horse I get, or so says Gracelyn.”
“She’s right. It won’t be soon if he’s bad off. He needs some tender loving care for a while. Not coerced into wearing a hunk of leather on his back.”
“Don’t we all?” Dane snorted.
Randy knew where Nora’s mother had lived. He dated a girl who lived not far from there in earlier years. He kept alert all the way down the road. As far as he was concerned, this wasn’t the time to make conversation with someone whose kisses he could still taste if he concentrated on it long enough. There was no sign of Roxanne’s mid-size pickup.
Jase Carlson headed toward them. “Sorry, man. Habit to stick the keys into my pocket.” He leaned down to peer through the window at Randy. “How ya doing?”
“Good. How you doing?” Randy replied with a neutral tone to his voice.
“Making my muscles bigger than little brother’s here,” he teased, giving Dane a poke in the biceps.
“You can stop trying now,” Dane riddled in return, typical banter for the Carlson brothers.
“Smartass. Randy’s got us both beat, anyway. Well, I have to get back to the garage. Nora and Roxanne will be here shortly with coffee.” Jase backed away from the window. “Good luck with the horse, little brother.”
“We won’t be back until late. Don’t hurt yourself, old man.” Dane rolled up the window and backed out of the driveway.
On the way back to the main road, a horn blew as Nora drove past in her pickup truck. Randy peered into the side mirror as she and Roxanne went on their way. They had just missed them. Getting Kim out of his life again was going to be bad enough, let alone thinking about letting another woman in. A woman who never should’ve left.
***
Roxanne sat silent but glanced into her side mirror. Seeing Randy hadn’t got past her. She’d recognize him anywhere. No matter where he was, he seemed to take up more than his selected space in such a confident way. Her heart ached over Randy Drake. She had reluctantly put a halt to what might have been. Randy had been willing to go along with their long-distance relationship, to share occasional weekends at each other’s places, though she couldn’t allow it anymore.
Thoughts of them getting back together had to stay out of her mind, which would be hard now that she was home. Would she be able to stay away from him? The time they had was enjoyable and could’ve led to so much more. No, stop, Roxanne. A song she had liked to warm up with while rehearsing a dance routine, came on the radio. She didn’t tap her foot to the rhythm this time. She had lost the momentum for dancing. “Did you say you were going to invite Dane for lunch or dinner one day?” she asked Nora.
Her best friend glanced over. “Maybe for lunch in a couple days. Then we’ll get back over to Mom’s. I mean your new house and finish getting it ready.”
“All right. I’m excited to see them again.”
“I can’t promise Randy won’t come by, Roxy. After all, he works at the Double Dutch for Tristan when he isn’t helping Dane with his horses, or training another rancher’s horse.”
With an inner sigh, Roxanne closed her eyes to focus and keep her words steady. “Let’s hope for the best.”
“Roxanne?” Nora patted her hand gripping the edge of the console. “Why not—”
Roxanne pulled her hand from under her friend’s. “Don’t go there, please. I’m not ready and neither is Randy.”
Nora slowed down on the street home. “You shouldn’t speak for Randy. He’s a grown man and can make his own decisions.”
“This is one decision I don’t want him to have to make. Can we change the subject?” Checking the outside mirror again, a part of her hoped they would’ve turned around, but the sensible woman knew it was best they hadn’t.
Nora huffed as she pulled into the driveway at her mom’s old house. “It’ll take a while to get used to you living here since Mom agreed to sell the house.”
Roxanne’s words came out slowly. �
��How’s your mom doing this week? Is she dealing with the lung condition?”
“Yes, in her own way, but you’re funny saying this week. She’s back to her same old self. Now, she’s trying to catch up with her bucket list. She’s going to Greece with the senior center over there in Tubac where she lives with my brother, Brody, if he doesn’t have her committed first.”
“Greece? How can she?” She hated seeing her friend exploited by her mother. “It’s her loss if she doesn’t want to see those darling little girls.”
“I don’t know how she can, either, since she gets tired out so easily, though she is supposed to exercise. She’s living on oxygen, of course. Her lungs are scarred due to the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. She does go to a support group, which helps with her negative outlook. I called her doctor and told him of our concerns with the trip. He’ll talk to her.”
Roxanne felt compassion for Nora, but also for stubborn Sandy, who didn’t realize how much hurt she had brought to her daughter. “Let’s go visit her at Brody’s once I get settled.”
Nora turned the motor off in the driveway and faced her. “We will go visit. I’m happy to have you back.”
“It’s the right decision. Now, if only jerk will leave me alone.” Jerk. Roxanne was being too kind by using that name for her ex-husband, Nate Evers, and she hoped to never see him again except for when he got hauled off to prison.
“He’s done enough damage. I’ll grab Tristan’s .45 and shoot him myself if I have to.”
Roxanne laughed. Nothing was funny, though. Nate was the reason she was in this predicament. “It’s time for me to move on, Nora.”
“That’s for sure, and exactly what you’re doing.” Nora opened her door to get out and so did Roxanne who went around to the other side. “Let me mention lunch to Tristan before we make real plans. Neither of us ever know what he might be up to on the ranch from one minute to the next. Let’s make it dinner instead.”