A Cowgirl at Heart

by Christine Lynxwiler

  He waved his free hand as he turned the key in the lock. “I mean, why didn’t you just report it to the authorities?”

  “Oh.” Now it was her turn to feel sheepish. “I thought it would take too long.”

  He held the door open for her, and she stepped inside. Cool air hit her in the face. He motioned to a small plaid couch that ran the width of the camper.

  She sank down gratefully. A small painting on the wall by the couch caught her eye. It was a bird’s-eye view of a man breaking a horse. The way the artist had perfectly captured both the humor and the humanness in the scene reminded her of Norman Rockwell, but at the same time the style was unique. She looked around. The whole camper was sort of like that, unique and cozy.

  Without asking, Andrew pulled a bottle of water out of the small fridge and tossed it to her. “So you make a habit of this? Rescuing mistreated dogs?”

  “No! Not usually.” A slight grin teased at her lips as she thought of her menagerie at home. “Most of the time people just bring them to me.” She looked up to see Andrew regarding her strangely.

  “How many dogs do you have?” he asked.

  “Three right now.”

  “So you find them good homes instead of keeping them?”

  She nodded.

  “You have a cape and an alter ego? Wonder Woman, maybe?”

  She laughed. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I’m just a simple dog groomer who does some training on the side.” As she said it, she knew it wasn’t the whole truth. In her heart—and according to the certificates that hung on her wall—she was a dog trainer. The grooming business came because she didn’t have to deal with people as much when she just groomed their dogs. But that wasn’t something to tell a stranger. Even one who made her feel so relaxed.

  “And risks your life performing rescue missions in your spare time.”

  In spite of the frigid air blasting over her, her face grew hot again. “This was the first time I rushed in unprepared.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.” A crooked smile broke across his tanned face. “At least until today’s adventures hit the Channel Six news.”

  “I don’t even want to think about that. New subject. What about you?” she asked. “That was pretty impressive back there. Are you some kind of Walker, Texas Ranger?”

  His smile died as abruptly as it had come. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” He parroted her earlier words back with no inflection. “I’m just a simple house painter.”

  “Who rescues damsels in distress on the side.”

  He turned back to the refrigerator and retrieved another bottle of water. “Only when I can’t get out of it.”

  His words had a ring of truth to them.

  ***

  “So where’s your TV?”

  He jerked his attention back to the brunette on his couch. “I don’t have one.”

  Her arched brows drew together. “What about the satellite dish?”

  He shrugged. “Computer.”

  She wanted to question him—he could see it all over her face. But her mama had apparently raised her not to be nosy.

  She took a long drink of her water and set the bottle on the small side table. “You know, I can call someone to come help me get Pal. You’ve done enough. First rescuing me from Zeke, then from Blair.”

  He cleared his throat. “A princess is never really rescued until she’s back home in her castle.”

  She pushed her thick brown curls back and raised one arched eyebrow. “Did you learn that from fairy tales?”

  “Video games,” he said dryly.

  Laughter erased the tension from her face. “Never let it be said that Elyse McCord stood in the way of getting to the next level of the game. Do you get extra points if you rescue the princess and the dog?”

  “No doubt.” He snatched his truck keys from a hook by the door and led the way out of the small camper before she changed her mind. He opened the passenger door of his bright red four-door truck and waited until Elyse was seated before heading around to the driver’s side.

  “Do you think she’s gone?” Elyse’s voice as she spoke from the passenger’s seat was small.

  He gripped the steering wheel and glanced across at her. “I think you’re more worried about the press still being there than you are the possibility of Zeke coming back.”

  She leaned forward in her seat. “Drive slowly by to make sure the van’s gone.” She looked over at him. “If you don’t mind.”

  He nodded and did what she asked. “Looks like the coast is clear.” He backed up and eased into the now empty driveway.

  Elyse unbuckled her seat belt and slipped from the vehicle just as he came to a complete stop. She was wasting no time getting to the dog.

  Andrew sprinted along behind her and caught up when she had trouble opening the wooden gate. He lifted the latch easily and stepped into the dusty backyard.

  The yellow dog shuffled to its feet, and Andrew winced at how skinny it was. He took a step forward, and the dog growled low in its throat.

  A touch on his shoulder stopped him. “Let me go first, if you don’t mind.”

  He glanced back at her, keeping a cautious eye on the dog. Her gentle tone belied the note of authority in it. He stepped back, and she slid past him.

  She walked slowly toward the dog. “Hey, Pal.” Her voice was like a soft breeze. “I told you I’d come back.” She squatted and held out her hand. “C’mere, Pal.”

  The dog ambled over to her, his tail wagging.

  “Good boy.” She retrieved something from her pocket and let him eat it from her hand.

  Andrew grinned. “You keep treats in your jeans pocket?”

  She tilted her head without breaking eye contact with the dog. He could see the corner of her mouth tilt up. “Doesn’t everyone?” She pushed to her feet and patted Pal’s head. “Let’s go meet Andrew.”

  Andrew took a step forward, but she put her hand up.

  “Let him come to you, if you don’t mind.”

  “‘If you don’t mind?’ Is that your way of covering up the fact that you’re telling me what to do?” He grinned.

  Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth then shut it again. She chuckled. “Maybe. But it really would be the best thing if you would wait and let him come to you.”

  He squatted down and held out his hand.

  Pal took a couple steps toward him.

  “Will he bite me when he finds out I don’t have a treat?” he whispered.

  “I’ve got your back.” She patted her pocket.

  He turned to the dog. “Wanna go for a ride?”

  Pal bounded toward him, his skinny body wagging all over.

  Andrew jumped to his feet and threw up his hand, just in time to keep from being knocked over. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Down,” Elyse said, that note of authority back in her voice.

  Pal stopped leaping and sat, his tail thumping against the dusty ground.

  “I think he wants to G-O,” Andrew whispered. “Should I carry him?”

  “Why don’t we check in the house and see if there’s a leash? I think he’s up to a short walk, aren’t you, boy?”

  Pal pressed his head against her hand in a nodding motion. Andrew did a double take. For a second, it looked as if the dog was directly responding to what she’d said.

  “Long day,” he muttered then suddenly realized she’d handed him a golden opportunity. “I’ll get a leash.”

  She nodded, already engrossed in the dog.

  His heart pounded as he walked around and up the porch steps. Did he dare do a quick search for Melanie’s jewelry? If he found it, he’d know that Zeke was his man. His search would have a real purpose again.

  His footsteps sounded loud in the foyer, and he hurried through the living room to the first door in the hallway. He yanked it open. Steps led down to a dark basement. He flipped on the light by the door. Everything had a fine covering of dust. Definitely not lived in.
He turned off the light and shut the door then walked on down the hallway. The next door was open. A small bathroom with floral wallpaper. And Maxine’s room was at the end. That left only one door. Closed tightly. He felt positive that this was Zeke’s room. He put his hand on the doorknob and twisted it slowly.

  “Hey, I found a leash.” Elyse’s voice in the living room flooded him with guilt.

  He dropped his grip on the knob. The question in her brown eyes could have been his imagination, but he quickly shifted his gaze to Pal, still emaciated but looking happy to have the leash on.

  “Oh good.” His gaze fell on something in her right hand. “What’s that?”

  She opened her hand to reveal three pieces of an electronic device. “My cell phone. Zeke threw it on the ground earlier. The good news is that it looks like the battery just came out.” She shoved the pieces into her pocket. “I may not have a car, but at least I won’t be completely cut off from the world.”

  “Got to keep our priorities straight,” he said, grateful she hadn’t questioned him about the room he’d been about to go into.

  They walked outside toward the truck. “You need to call your vet?”

  “Great idea.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and popped the battery back in then carefully slid the back plate on. As soon as the phone powered up, she hit one button and mashed it to her ear.

  He opened the truck door for her. “You have your vet on speed dial?” He remembered the dog treats in her pocket and grinned. “Oh wait. Let me guess. Doesn’t everyone?”

  She helped Pal in and turned back to him with twinkling eyes. “Thanks,” she mouthed.

  He walked around the truck and climbed in just in time to hear her say, “Matt?”

  The male voice on the other end resonated through the cab, every word plain. “Elyse! Where are you?”

  Andrew frowned. This vet took it a little too far looking out for his patients’ owners.

  “I’m sorry,” Elyse said softly. “I didn’t realize the news would travel so fast. I’m on my way home to tell you in person.”

  On her way home to tell him in person? She was married to a vet? That would explain so many things. Yet ... Andrew looked across at her. She hadn’t given off a married vibe. His gaze fell to her hand. No ring. He started the truck motor, the muscle in his jaw jumping. What difference did it make to him?

  The man’s voice on the other end of the phone had muted, but Elyse glanced at Andrew. “Jack was right. I’m with him now. We just got the dog in the truck, and we’re heading there.” She paused. “No, you don’t need to come. See you in a few minutes.”

  She flipped her phone shut and turned to Andrew. “Apparently everybody and their brother heard on their scanners about the incident with Zeke and a blue Jeep Wrangler being stolen. All it took was a phone call to Jack to confirm it was me and that I was with you.”

  Andrew nodded. If she was his wife, he’d be looking frantically for her, too.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t call home first thing,” Elyse murmured. She gave him directions to her place. “You might want to let me out at the end of the lane.”

  Uh-oh. Was he about to have to deal with a gun-wielding maniac and a jealous husband in the same day? “If that’s what you want. I don’t want to make things hard for you.”

  She smiled. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

  “I can take care of myself.” He turned down the road she directed.

  “Your martial arts won’t help you in this situation. I’m just trying to warn you there might be a lot of people there.”

  “So it’s not that your husband will mind me bringing you home?” In spite of what she’d said, he didn’t want to make her already difficult day worse.

  She jerked her head around to stare at him. “My what?”

  CHAPTER 4

  He kept his eyes on the road. “Your—Matthew. The vet?” What had he told himself a million times about jumping to conclusions?

  She put her hand to her mouth but not before he saw the smile. “I’m sorry if you misunderstood. Matthew—the vet—is my brother. One of four. And unless I miss my guess, at least two of them will be at the house. And so will one of my sisters and her fiancé. And Mama and Daddy and the ranch hands and no telling how many neighbors. But no husband.”

  “Okay then.” His face burned. How long had it been since he was embarrassed? He hadn’t even known it could still happen.

  “My lane is the next one on the left, but we might as well go on to the main entrance. Everybody is waiting at Mama and Daddy’s house.”

  He glanced down the little lane as they passed and could see a small house with a fenced-in yard and a couple of weeping willows. “So you don’t live with your parents?” Was it his fault that she was so confusing?

  She shook her head. “I have my own place next door. Still on the ranch but all mine.”

  “Cool.” He pulled into the wooden gates and drove down the long driveway.

  The front door to the sprawling ranch house flew open, and people began streaming out.

  Elyse handed Pal’s leash to Andrew. “Will you hold him here for a minute? I don’t want him to be overwhelmed.”

  “Sure.” He took the leash, grateful for an excuse to get his bearings before he met her family.

  Elyse climbed down and ran around the truck.

  An older, sandy-haired man scooped her into a big hug and held her tightly then passed her to a pretty petite woman about the same age.

  After everyone gathered had hugged her and she’d talked to them for a minute, she came back over to his truck window. “Why don’t you leave Pal in here while you meet everyone?”

  He stepped out of the truck, and Pal moved over to the driver’s seat.

  The older man stepped forward and stuck out his hand. “I’m Jonathan McCord, and this is my wife, Lynda.”

  Andrew nodded at the blond woman and returned Jonathan’s handshake. “Andrew Stone.”

  Jonathan smiled. “My daughter tells me you’re quite the hero.”

  Elyse cleared her throat and quickly introduced him to her sister, Crystal, and Crystal’s fiancé, Jeremy. Crystal smiled at him. “We’re so thankful you were there this morning.”

  The tall, dark-haired man behind Elyse spoke up. “Wish I’d been there.”

  Elyse turned around. “I should have called you, Luke. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m just saying...”

  “You would have gone with me, I know.” She turned back to Andrew. “This is my brother, Luke, who is going to be hurt for the rest of his life that I didn’t call him before pulling such a ‘stupid stunt.’”

  Luke shook Andrew’s hand then touched his knuckles to his sister’s shoulder. “Sorry. We were just worried about you.”

  “Besides, Luke never likes to be left out of stupid stunts,” the brown-haired man said and stuck out his hand. “I’m Matthew.”

  Elyse’s smile grew broader, and her eyes twinkled as she looked at Andrew. “Yes, my brother Matthew who is just waiting for the results of his exams to hang out his veterinarian shingle.”

  “Nice to meet you, man.” Andrew clasped Matthew’s hand, not caring that Elyse was needling him. Anybody would have been glad to avoid a run-in with a jealous husband.

  Matthew looked a little confused. “You, too. So, sis, let’s go check on your newest project.”

  As they walked toward the truck, Andrew heard her say, “His name is Pal....”

  He looked to her family. “It was nice meeting all of you.”

  “Thanks again, man.” Luke turned to his dad. “I’m going to run down to the bunkhouse and tell Slim and the guys that everything’s okay.”

  “We’d better get going if we’re going to keep our appointment with Mama Ruth,” Crystal said.

  “It’s not too bad if you’re late to the wedding planner’s, as long as you’re not late for the wedding,” Lynda said and hugged her daughter. “Love you,” she murmured.

  Andrew’
s heart clenched as Crystal turned to tell her dad good-bye. Elyse probably had no idea how blessed she was to have been born into a family who hugged and spoke of love so easily. Maybe things would have been different at his house if his father had remarried after his mother died instead of pinning all his hopes and dreams on Andrew. That had proved to be a bigger burden than a seven-year-old could bear.

  His mouth twisted into a grimace. Who was he kidding? Even at twenty-seven, he couldn’t be what his dad wanted him to be. But he’d learned to live with it. Sort of.