The Cowboy Says I Do

by Dylann Crush

  “I’ll get your father. Meet us in his office in five.” Pops handed the partially carved animal to Bodie as he stood. “It’s a shame you never learned how to whittle.”

  Before Bodie had a chance to respond, Pops turned and ambled up the walkway leading to the house. Bodie turned the carving over and over in his hands, not looking forward to the talk ahead.

  By the time Pops returned, with Dad in tow, Bodie’s stomach had knotted over and over, turning his gut into a tangled mess of nerves. He’d faced down notorious biker gangs, held his own against drug ring members, and even managed to arrest Lacey’s dad without batting an eye. But facing down his own flesh and blood made him want to lose his lunch all over his mom’s formal succulent garden.

  “Shall we?” Pops gestured toward the door.

  Bodie got up and followed him into the office. “How are you feeling, Dad?” Asking about his dad’s recovery was a safe place to start. Then he’d move the conversation over to their cigar smuggling. Nice and easy.

  “So you’re here to bust our balls over the cigars, is that right?” Dad cut the end off what Bodie now recognized as the same brand of cigars he’d found in the warehouse.

  “Not exactly.” Bodie glanced toward his grandfather, who’d begun to clean underneath his fingernails with his pocketknife. A surefire act of intimidation. Bodie wouldn’t let it get to him though.

  “Then, what is it?” Dad lit up the end of his cigar, huffing and puffing to get it to catch.

  “Why didn’t you tell me what you were up to?” Bodie took a seat in the chair across from his dad’s desk. Pops continued to stand, leaning against the wall and working on his manicure like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “We didn’t know if we could trust you. Seems like you’ve forgotten about putting family first since you took on the deputy title.” Dad set his cigar on the edge of a giant Texas-shaped ashtray. The right side of his face sported a mottled mix of blue and purple. Bodie winced just looking at it.

  “You think your ‘accident’ was related?”

  “It was a message,” Pops said. “We sent one back of our own.”

  Bodie’s head jerked to look at his grandfather. “What are you talking about? Who are you working with on this?”

  “You ready to take sides?” Dad asked. “No sense getting you involved unless you’re going to back us up.”

  “Take sides against who? Y’all are lucky you haven’t been brought in for questioning yet. Suarez yanked me off the case so you don’t have to worry about me.” The little white lie rolled off his tongue as easy as if he’d been chatting about the weather. True, he’d been taken off the case, but he still intended to get to the bottom of things, no matter how deep he had to dig.

  “Well, that’s a relief.” Pops pushed off the wall and took the seat next to Bodie. “You had us trembling in our boots.”

  “It’s not a joke, Pops. Suarez suspects something. He’s going to be trying to figure out what’s going on. You’d be better off coming clean and letting me see if we can figure a way out of this rather than waiting for him to come down on you.”

  “We’ll take care of Suarez. He’s a sucker for that brand of whiskey, what’s it called again?”

  Bodie glanced from his dad to his grandfather. “You’ve got Sheriff Suarez in on this, too?”

  “Nah. He has no idea what’s really going on. We just keep him happy so he looks the other way. But once you’re elected sheriff we’ll have an ally on the inside.”

  Bodie funneled his hands through his hair. “What the hell are you up to? I’m not signing on for anything without knowing exactly what the two of you have done.”

  Pops spread his hands then placed his palms on his knees. “All right, all right. I suppose if you’re going to go all in with us you have a right to know.”

  As much as he wanted to figure out what his dad and pops were up to, Bodie wished for a half a second that he could remain oblivious. Once he had the information there would be no going back. He’d have to decide what to do about it. He swallowed the doubt that had formed a giant lump in his throat and nodded. “Tell me.”

  twenty-two

  Lacey groaned into her ice water. She thought maybe the party would have mellowed out a bit at the restaurant but instead, things had kicked into high gear. They’d been seated in a private room in the back and the trays of Cherry Blossom Chillers hadn’t stopped coming. Music blared over the speaker system, pounding into her head, making her wish she had a pharmacy of painkillers at her disposal instead of her ineffective ibuprofen.

  “More sushi?” Celeste dropped into the seat next to her. “The spicy tuna rolls are really good.”

  Lacey couldn’t stomach raw fish right now. She wanted to get to the hotel, check in, and take a long, hot soak in the tub. “No thanks. So, what’s the plan after dinner? I know Adeline’s got a full day of shopping planned for tomorrow. Are we turning in early?”

  Celeste smiled, the kind of patronizing smile she might give to a child who’d asked a crazy, stupid question. “We’ve got entertainment on the way. Then we’re heading to Ice Blue, it’s one of the best dance clubs in Dallas.”

  “Right.” Lacey twirled her straw around in her glass. Time for another refill of H2O. “So I’ve got a monster headache coming on. Do you think you could drop me at the hotel on the way?”

  “Don’t be silly.” Celeste bumped her shoulder into Lacey’s. “You’re not going to want to miss what we have planned.”

  Oh, don’t bet your push-up bra on it. Lacey stopped herself from actually uttering those words out loud. Maybe she could sneak out and grab a cab. Or download one of those ride apps she’d never had the chance to use. She was about to excuse herself to find a quiet place to make a call when the door to the dining room opened.

  Three men walked in, dressed in dark blue uniforms. Sunglasses shaded their eyes. Lacey’s first thought was that they were being busted for drugs. She’d seen the joint Celeste had tucked into her purse. When the tallest guy flashed a badge and held out handcuffs, she cradled her head in her hands. They were going down. All of them. She never should have agreed to come to Dallas with Adeline.

  Celeste nudged her in the side. “Here comes the fun.”

  Lacey looked up. Two of the men sandwiched Adeline between them. The guy with the handcuffs spoke. “I hear you’ve been some naughty, naughty girls.”

  Strippers. That might be even worse than the bride-to-be getting busted. Lacey’s head went from throbbing to pounding as Adeline squealed, her smile giving her away that she was all in on this particular turn of events.

  The men fanned out. One settled Adeline into a chair and started doing things to her that Lacey had only heard about. She couldn’t stick around for this. No amount of ibuprofen would be a match for the headache she’d get from witnessing a room full of bridesmaids shrieking over a muscled man whipping off his pants.

  She stood, intent on making her way outside to call that cab she’d thought about. The tall guy blocked her path.

  “Going somewhere?” He arched a brow.

  Lacey glanced up at his face. It was a nice face. Looked like he’d shaved recently, probably to cut down on leaving scruff marks behind when he nuzzled his chin between some unsuspecting woman’s breasts like his buddy was doing to Celeste. Blue eyes appraised her, his mouth curling into a smile.

  She nodded, attempting to keep her cool. “I’m going to head outside and get some fresh air.”

  He reached for her wrist. “But the party’s just getting started.”

  Lacey pulled away. “Not my kind of party. But y’all have fun.”

  The giant dropped to his knees in front of her. “You mean it’s not your kind of party yet.”

  “What are you doing?” Lacey tried to take a step back but he caught her around the waist.

  “You can’t go before I get a tast
e of your T-shirt.” His mouth closed in on her navel.

  She couldn’t move. His lips moved closer and closer as his arms wrapped tighter and tighter around her hips. Stomach knotting, palms sweating, Lacey watched the tip of his tongue slip out, heading straight for the scratch-and-taste circle in the center of her breastbone. She put her hands on his shoulders, pushing him away. Her knee flew up, connecting with his nose. His head snapped back. Blood flowed down his chin.

  His fingers went up to his lip. “You busted my nose.”

  Red dots spattered across the front of her Lick Me T-shirt. Lacey’s eyes widened as her hands began to shake. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no.

  Celeste took one look at the blood then ran out the door on her stilettos. The two other strippers stopped what they were doing, leaving the theme song from Cops booming through the speakers. If it hadn’t been so horrifying Lacey might have burst into laughter. As it was, she fought like mad to beat down the beginnings of a panic attack.

  “Ice. Here, put some ice on it.” Celeste returned with a napkin full of ice with two more uniformed officers in tow.

  “Is there a problem here?” one of the men asked.

  Great, more strippers to join the fray. “Not unless you want to try to lick me, too,” Lacey said, stepping in front of them.

  “Excuse me?” The officer who’d entered first looked her up and down. “Are you responsible for the assault on this man?”

  “I suppose so. And there’s plenty more where that came from if you don’t get out of my way.” She wasn’t sure where her instant confidence had come from, but there was no way another man was going to try to lick her tonight, not even if her raunchy shirt practically demanded it.

  “Are you threatening an officer, miss?” The other uniformed man stepped beside his buddy.

  “If that’s what it takes to get out of here.” Lacey clamped her hands to her hips.

  “I think you need to come with us.” Officer Number One took her arm.

  “Don’t you think you’re taking this too far?” Lacey jerked her arm away. “Just take off your pants and be done with it. I’ve got a headache the size of Texas and I’m heading to the hotel.”

  “You’re not going anywhere.” Officer One nabbed her arm again.

  Lacey groaned, then rolled her eyes and stomped on his toe with the heel of the stupid strappy sandals she’d worn. At least they’d been good for something.

  “That’s it.” Office Number Two spun her around, took both of her wrists in his, and clamped a set of cuffs on her.

  “Very funny.” Lacey struggled against the handcuffs. Solid. Not like the kind her boyfriend in college had given her as a gag Valentine’s gift one year.

  “Let’s go, miss.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you. Let me go.”

  “You assaulted an officer.”

  “I stepped on someone’s toe.” She cast a quick glance to where Officer One hopped on one foot, his shoe with a hole in the toe held in his hand.

  Officer Two put an arm on her shoulder and spun her toward the door. “You have the right to remain silent . . .”

  He continued to read her her rights. Or at least she thought they were her rights. She tuned out right about the time she realized this wasn’t part of the entertainment. She was being arrested. For assaulting an officer of the law.

  “So you’re not here to take off your clothes?” She winced as she realized the mistake she’d made. “Adeline? Celeste?”

  “You ruined my bachelorette,” Adeline shrieked. She must have finally realized what was going on. It didn’t take her but a few seconds to storm across the room and step in front of Lacey. “You’ll never make this work. I should have known better than to try to work with you.” “Me?” Lacey tried to cross her arms over her chest, forgetting they were secured behind her back. “All I’ve done is try to help you.”

  “I’m done. Find someone else to do your story on.” She took one more look at Lacey, letting her dark brown eyes slide up and down Lacey’s pathetic attempt to fit in. “Just go.”

  Lacey’s heart did a slip and slide all the way down to her toes. “Adeline, wait. We can work this out.”

  Adeline and Celeste turned their backs on her, probably afraid she’d contaminate them with her sheer awkwardness and stupidity. Great, just great. Four hours from home and it looked like she was on her own. Surely they’d follow behind in the limo. Someone would come bail her out. She couldn’t spend the night in jail. She was the mayor.

  Suddenly, the sheer severity of her actions crashed down on her. She’d failed herself. She’d failed her family. But most important, she’d failed her hometown.

  twenty-three

  Bodie stared at his dad from across the desk and waited for him to start talking.

  “We didn’t intend to get into the cigar-smuggling business.” Dad gestured to where his cigar sat on the edge of the ashtray. “You know how much I enjoy them.”

  “Go on,” Bodie said, his nerves coiled tighter than a spring.

  “Last time I was down in Mexico I was sitting on the beach, minding my own business. We were at that resort your mom likes so much, what’s it called?”

  Bodie let out an exaggerated sigh. “Doesn’t matter what it’s called. What happened?”

  “Guy saw me enjoying a stogie. Started up a conversation. Next thing I know we’re making cash hand over fist by just bringing in some shipments for him occasionally.”

  Pops grunted. “Easiest money we ever made.”

  “Too easy. You had to know you’d get caught.” Bodie rolled his eyes.

  “We wouldn’t have if your dad hadn’t gotten so damn greedy.” Pops narrowed his eyes as he flipped his knife closed.

  Dad put his hands out, palms facing Bodie. “I’ll admit, we got in a little over our heads.”

  Bodie’s phone rang. Tempted to ignore it, he glanced at the screen. Dallas area code. Probably someone trying to sell him something. He dismissed the call and set his phone on the desk.

  “Go on, Dad.”

  Before Dad could say a word, the phone rang again. Same number. Dammit. He couldn’t even sit and have a conversation without someone bothering him. Ready to give whoever was on the other end of the phone a piece of his mind, Bodie barked, “Hello?”

  “Bodie? It’s Lacey.”

  He pulled the phone away from his ear to check the number.

  “Are you there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. What’s wrong?” Something had to have happened. Why else would she be calling from a strange number? Come to think of it, why would she be calling at all?

  She took in a ragged breath. Her voice came out shaky. “I’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding.”

  It didn’t take a cop’s intuition to know something was wrong. Very wrong. “Are you okay? Where are you?”

  “Well, that’s the thing”—she let out a shaky laugh—“I’ve been arrested.”

  “Arrested?” The chair screeched on the tile as he stood. She had his full attention. “What the hell happened?”

  “Um, I’ve only got three minutes so I don’t think I can cover it all. Is there any chance . . .” She paused, clearing her throat.

  Bodie’s entire body tensed while he waited for her to continue.

  Her voice came out quiet and small. “Do you think you might be able to come get me?”

  His pulse thudded through his temple as he tried to wrap his head around what she said.

  “I’m so sorry. Never mind. I shouldn’t have called. I just didn’t know who else to try. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Wait.” The line went dead. Now what was he supposed to do? How did Lacey go from dress shopping with Adeline to sitting in a jail cell in Dallas somewhere?

  “Can y’all excuse me for a minute?” He left his dad and pops sitting at the desk. As he made his wa
y to the door, he tried to call back. After too many rings to count, the call flipped into an auto-answer. Bodie navigated through the voice mail system until he found someone to talk to. After verifying his credentials, the clerk on the other end of the phone line was able to confirm that Lacey was being held in a station on the west side of Dallas. Bodie called to let them know he was on his way. What else could he do? She didn’t have anyone else. It’s not like Luke would swoop in and save the day. And Mr. Cherish was restricted to house arrest.

  Dammit, arrested. The one thing Lacey was most ashamed of—her dad’s arrest—had happened to her. She must be going through hell. Which meant the sooner he got to her, the sooner he could figure out what had happened and how to get her out of the mess she must have found her way into.

  He ducked back into the office. “Can we finish this later? I’ve got to go.”

  “Cherish girl got your boxers in a wad?” Pops asked.

  Bodie didn’t have time to argue with him. Not with Lacey waiting. “This conversation isn’t over.”

  * * *

  * * *

  Over four hours later Bodie sat on a plastic chair in the soulless lobby of the Dallas police station, waiting for Lacey to be released. He’d gone over the details of the night with the arresting officer. She wasn’t going to face charges as long as Bodie promised to take responsibility for her until she left the Dallas jurisdiction. He stifled a yawn as he cut his gaze from the door to the clock. The second hand ticked. It was after one in the morning. The smell of burned popcorn hung in the air from someone’s late-night snack. If she didn’t come out soon he might fall asleep right there on the unforgiving, bright orange chair.

  A door squeaked open. Lacey emerged, arms clamped around her middle like she’d just survived a traumatic experience that would haunt her for days.

  “You okay?” He jumped to his feet and rushed to her side.

  She nodded.

  “Okay, let’s get out of here.” He put an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the parking lot.