Cowboy Brave

by Carolyn Brown

  Like a gentleman, he walked her to the car and opened the door for her. Tipped his hat and then turned to go back inside the house. She started up the engine and turned on the heat, then realized she was still wearing Cade’s coat. Leaving the car running, she jogged back to the fence surrounding the house and bunkhouses, opened the gate, and dashed up onto the porch. She rang the bell and waited.

  She held the coat out to Justin when he opened the door. “I forgot to give this back. Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

  “Darlin’, you can wear my brother’s coat anytime you want to visit the ranch.” He winked.

  Thank God he’d already gone back inside, because as she was walking from the porch to the car, she stepped in that same cow patty—again.

  “Well, dammit!” she swore under her breath. “Nobody rattles me like that.”

  She stopped at the back of her car and got out a reusable grocery bag. She sat down in the driver’s seat, put her shoes inside it, tied the top shut and tossed it to the back, and hustled her bare feet inside the car.

  She always talked to herself when she was agitated. Slapping the steering wheel, she was determined that she wouldn’t say another word, but it didn’t work.

  “I’m an independent woman. I paved my own way. I proved that when I left my folks’ ranch and made my own choice about life.”

  Her phone rang. She picked it up from the passenger seat and put it on speaker. It was crazy to think that it could be Justin calling to say that he’d made a quick phone call and everything was set on go, but she crossed her fingers anyway.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey, sis, I know you’re at work.” Her brother’s voice sounded agitated. “Are you in the car? I hear road noise.”

  “Yes, I am, Taggart.” She went on to tell him why.

  “You must be aggravated. You never call me by my full name unless you are,” Tag said.

  “I wanted this resolved right now,” she said.

  “Join the club.” Tag sighed.

  “What’s goin’ on?” she asked.

  “Matthew is driving me crazy. Hud and I think we should invest in the property up for sale right next to our ranch, but he won’t even hear us out. We even offered to manage it on our own. Our big brother wouldn’t have to do anything more than he does now. But oh, no, he says the ranch can’t spend the money,” Tag said.

  “Buy it on your own,” she said.

  “We could, but then we wouldn’t have operating capital,” he said. “When you come home next month for the reunion, will you talk to him?”

  Dammit! One of the many reasons she’d left West Texas was because she didn’t like being the only sister, who had to settle arguments among her three brothers. Matthew, the oldest, had always been the bossy one, and the twins, just a year younger than Emily, were always in some kind of trouble with him.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” she agreed. After all, she’d only be there for a weekend. Maybe she’d even enlist her parents’ help in settling the argument. They’d have a much better insight into whether the twins would be ready to take on that responsibility.

  “Thanks, sis. So you’re going to spend a whole week on a ranch? That doesn’t sound like you.” Tag chuckled.

  “Hey, I like ranchin’,” she said. “I just don’t like all the paperwork, and as the girl in the family, that was about to fall right in my lap. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that the rest of my life. I’m pulling into work right now so I’ve got to go.”

  “Will you talk to Matthew about buying the property while you’re here?” Tag asked.

  “I promise,” she said.

  “Lookin’ forward to seein’ you,” Tag said.

  “Me too. Bye now.”

  She hurried across the parking lot in her bare feet, leaving both pairs of soiled shoes in the back seat of her car. The Fab Five were waiting in the lounge for her.

  “So?” Sarah asked. “Did he say yes and knock your shoes plumb off your feet? I heard that both of them Maguire boys look like sex on a stick, but the older one is married. So which one did you talk to?”

  Otis sniffed the air. “Hell, no, he didn’t. She stepped in cow crap. I’d recognize that smell anywhere. Was it going in or coming out?”

  “Both,” she admitted.

  “Well, darlin’, when you live on a ranch, you learn to watch where you’re puttin’ your feet. I remember when we graduated from high school our principal told us that we could wear our cowboy boots to the ceremony but he’d better not get a whiff of bull shit or he’d send us home.” Otis’s round baby face beamed every time he got to tell a story about his past.

  Patsy poked him on the arm. “Enough reminiscing. What did they say? Do we start packing?”

  “He has to talk to his family about it first,” Emily answered.

  Sarah clapped her hands. “That’s not a no, so we’ve got hope.”

  Patsy hugged Emily. “We’re goin’ to break out of this joint for a whole week. There’s no way he could refuse someone as beautiful as you.”

  “Break out,” Bess said. “Like you did when we were kids and you got thrown in jail for tryin’ to sneak in the window at daylight?”

  “It was your fault. If you hadn’t gone and called the police before I got inside, I wouldn’t have got caught,” Patsy argued.

  “Did you flirt with him a little?” Larry asked. “We should have told you to do that.”

  “I did not!” Emily exclaimed. “I just stopped back to tell y’all because I knew you’d be anxious. Hopefully, he’ll call tomorrow and let us know for sure. I’m going to gather up my stuff and go home.”

  “Fair enough,” Sarah said. “Let’s go pray.”

  Emily stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at them. “Pray?”

  “Yep, if all else fails then give it to God.” Sarah grinned.

  “Pray, nothing.” Otis moved over closer to Emily and inhaled deeply. “That smell of fresh cow patties is better than any women’s perfume in the world. If he says no, I’m going to offer to double whatever he wants to rent them cabins to us.”

  “You’d think they were in prison.” Nikki pushed a medicine cart around the corner and met Emily coming down the hall. “Where are your shoes?”

  “Smelling up my car. They’re probably ruined. I stepped in a pile of cow manure.”

  Her best friend for the past five years was stifling a giggle. “Before or after you talked to the Maguires.”

  “Technically, both.”

  “What?” Nikki’s giggle turned into a full-fledged laugh.

  “It’s not funny. I saved up for weeks to buy these shoes. And it was so humiliating. Here, Justin Maguire is waiting to invite me in and I have to kick off my smelly shoes at the door.”

  “Oooh, I hear Justin is pretty cute. What happened after that?”

  “I managed to step in the same cow pile on my way back to the car, but I was wearing my old work shoes. I can wash them,” Emily answered.

  “You really went inside in your bare feet? Did you get cow crap on your pantyhose, too?”

  Emily walked along beside her. “Yup. I didn’t wear hose today. I was there to get him to let the Fab Five stay on the ranch, not impress him. Besides, what choice did I have?”

  “Bullshit! You would’ve worn your scrubs and work shoes if you didn’t care about impressing him.”

  “I was trying to be professional.” Emily headed toward the break room to change into scrubs.

  “Whoa! Hold the horses!” Nikki laughed. “I’m your best friend. You’re all flushed. If just meeting him does that to you, how are you going to be when you are around him for a whole week if he does say yes?”

  “Very careful,” Emily threw over her shoulder.

  Justin heard the kitchen door squeak, but he didn’t look up until Levi entered the living room. Levi was like a second brother to him. His adoptive mother, Mavis, had been the ranch cook for years. And his father, Skip, was the ranch foreman before Levi took over the job.r />
  Levi leaned over Justin’s shoulder and pointed.

  “Claire wants a bigger closet and a bathroom big enough to put in a garden tub,” he said.

  “Yes, I do.” Claire looked down over Justin’s other shoulder. A short blonde with a big heart and a sassy attitude, she’d stolen Levi’s heart last November when she got stranded on the ranch during a winter storm.

  “I thought that if we extend this wall out six feet”—she pointed to an outside wall—“that should do it, and the rest of the room could be given to the kitchen for a bigger pantry. Is it doable?”

  “I don’t know. That will sure enough cause structural problems.” Justin slid a sly wink at Levi. “This started out as a little house and it just keeps growing and growing.”

  “Don’t tease me, Justin Maguire!” Claire shook her finger at him. “This is doable.”

  “Of course it is.” Justin grabbed her finger. “But remember, once the foundation is laid, you can’t keep changing your mind.”

  Her other small hand closed over his. “But you said we could knock out the closet at the end of the hall and add on later when we have a dozen kids.”

  Justin chuckled. “Levi, I see why you married this woman. Those big blue eyes are irresistible.”

  “Don’t I know it.” Levi slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead.

  “Hey, we got news!” Retta yelled from the front door.

  Cade’s arm was draped around Retta. “We had the ultrasound done and…” He smiled.

  “There’s going to be a little girl on the ranch at the first of summer,” Retta said.

  “Mama is going to be over the moon.” Justin beamed.

  Claire moved away from the plans and tiptoed to hug Retta. “Congratulations! Have you started thinking of names yet?”

  “I want to know when we’re buying her a pony,” Levi said.

  “Longhorn Canyon hasn’t had baby girls in years,” Justin said. “I’d buy her a pony for her first birthday, but I bet her daddy brings one home when she’s born.”

  “I’m already thinking about the quilt I’ll make her,” Claire chimed in. “Maybe something in gingham with an eyelet lace border.”

  “That sounds adorable,” Retta said as she eased down into one of the recliners.

  “We had a visitor while you were gone,” Justin announced.

  “Who? Oh, that woman from the retirement center, right?” Cade sat down on the arm of Retta’s chair.

  Justin shifted his focus from the drawings to Cade. “That’s right. Emily something from that Oakview Retirement Center in Bowie for elderly folks.”

  “You plannin’ on checkin’ into a nursing home?” Retta teased.

  “Would you please finish our house plans before you check into the retirement place?” Levi said in mock seriousness.

  Justin set his jaw. If they were teasing him this much just because a woman came to the ranch, the week she was there they’d really act up. “Y’all don’t deserve to know what she wanted.”

  Cade laid a hand on his shoulder. “Oh, come on, brother.”

  Justin went on to tell them, ending with, “I told her I’d have to talk to the family before I gave her an answer.”

  “Why would these elderly folks want to visit a ranch?” Levi asked.

  “Some of them are former ranchers or farmers and they miss the life. I thought we could hire Mavis to come out and help with the cookin’, but if y’all don’t think this is a good idea, then…” Part of Justin wanted them to nix the whole thing right then. The other part wanted them to vote unanimously to say yes. The downside was that Levi and Cade were so happily married that they’d immediately start playing matchmaker.

  Justin could sidestep all of that for a week. At almost thirty, he still had a few years left in him to sow lots of wild oats. He liked hitting the Rusty Spur bar on weekends and bringing a different woman home with him. If a woman even mentioned anything longer than a one-night stand, he jerked on his boots and got the hell out of Dodge.

  Besides, as soon as he finished the plans for Claire and Levi’s place, he intended to draw up a set for his own house. There was plenty of room in the ranch house, but a new baby would sure enough cramp his love life. Nothing would send one of his weekend women running quicker than a baby’s cries through the whole house. Not that he didn’t love kids—he couldn’t wait to be an uncle. But Cade and Retta needed the space to be parents, and it was time for him to move out.

  The cabin! He thumped a palm against his head when he thought of the little house on the back side of the ranch. Why didn’t I think of that before? It’s plenty big enough for a bachelor, especially since it’s so private. It wasn’t a five-star hotel, but it was livable. Claire and Levi had stayed in it for a day or two during that bad snowstorm a few months ago. And sometimes friends of the family used it for a hunting cabin. It would be perfect for him until he could get his house built.

  “Are you listenin’ to a word I’ve said?” Retta raised her voice.

  “I’m sorry. I was thinking about house plans,” Justin answered.

  “Cade thought we could ask Mavis to help out that week, but I can manage breakfast and lunch for six extra people.” She glanced over at Claire. “Could you help out with supper after you close up shop too?”

  “No problem. I can even make the dessert for each evening and bring it with me,” Claire said.

  Justin looked at his brother and Levi. “So what do you two think?”

  “I want to know what Emily looks like,” Levi said.

  “Tall as Retta.” Justin frowned, trying to think of details to give them. “Remember Gretchen, the bartender at the Rusty Spur until last year. Well, give her brown hair, blue eyes, a curvy body, and take away about thirty years.”

  “Pretty, then?” Cade asked.

  “Yep.” Justin nodded.

  “Lookin’ back over the last year, you got to be one crazy cowboy to invite a woman here, even for a week,” Cade said.

  “Just because you fell in love with Retta and Levi did with Claire when they came to the ranch don’t mean—”

  Levi butted in before he could finish. “Be real careful. Fate has a way of kickin’ a cowboy in the seat of the pants when they say never.”

  “All teasing aside,” Cade said. “I’m for it. But we won’t charge them for anything,” Cade said. “We don’t make the kids pay, so I wouldn’t feel right making the elderly pay. I just don’t want them to be disappointed in their little trip.”

  “Why would they be?” Levi asked.

  “This is a busy season with calving going on, so we won’t have much time to entertain them,” Cade answered.

  “Emily says that they won’t need to be entertained. I imagine that they’ll eat, sleep, maybe walk out to the barn to see the animals, and then come back for another nap.” Justin laughed.

  Chapter Two

  Excitement filled the Oakview van that Monday morning as the Fab Five found seats behind Emily, who was serving as the driver. Derek, the orderly who often assisted Emily, had loaded their luggage, and Emily had given him a few final pointers for the next week’s activities. So now the trip was a reality, and Emily was the only one who had reservations about spending a whole week on a ranch.

  “Wagons, ho!” Otis shouted from the middle of the van.

  “Wagons, my royal butt,” Patsy said. “We’re on tour and this is our tour bus. We’re off to do shows.”

  “And what are you going to do?” Bess poked her sister in the arm. “You never could carry a tune, so it can’t be anything musical.”

  “Oh, but, honey, I can dance, and I’ve been practicing my striptease dance. I bet Larry can figure out a way to fix me a pole so I can do my best work,” Patsy shot back.

  Larry’s grin deepened the wrinkles. “I’ll get my dollar bills ready to stuff inside your under britches, darlin’.”

  “Everyone buckled up?” Emily called out as she started the engine.

  “Yep!” th
ey all said in unison.

  Emily put the van in reverse, popped the clutch, and spun out, leaving a skid mark on the concrete parking lot. “Then get ready for a ride. If you see flashing red lights, yell at me and I’ll go faster.”

  “This ain’t a tour van, it’s a race car. When we get to the ranch, we should do some street racin’ in the pasture,” Sarah yelled from the back. “I love to drive fast.”

  “You love anything fast. Did you take your heart pills this mornin’?” Patsy said.

  “Did you?” Sarah shot back. “I just have to take one to keep my ticker goin’. You have to take three, so don’t be fussin’ at me.”

  “Both of you hush and enjoy the fast ride,” Bess demanded.

  “You got it, darlin’.” Sarah’s blue eyes glittered. “I’m like fast food. Hot, cheap, and ready in a minute.”

  “That’s like Patsy in college,” Bess said.

  “Oh, the sweet memories.” Patsy sighed.

  “Turn on the radio,” Larry called out. “When I was workin’ in construction, I’d play it even louder than the teenagers did. Only they liked rock music and I like country.”

  “That’s probably why you have to wear hearin’ aids,” Sarah told him.

  “Worth every minute of it.” Larry chuckled.

  “I wish we could roll down the windows and pretend we’re in a convertible,” Patsy said.

  Emily intended to give them the best time she could. She found a country music station and turned up the volume. Then she opened the window next to her, so some of the brisk morning air could flow into the van. Maybe when it blew Sarah’s gray hair around in her face, it would make her happy.

  The DJ on the radio said, “And now it’s time for our five-in-a-row contest. After I play the songs, the fifth caller who has the song and the artists of all five will win two tickets to see Blake Shelton at the Win Star Casino next month.”

  “Remember When” started to play.

  The whole bunch of them yelled out the name of the song plus, “Alan Jackson.”

  “If one of you win, who are you takin’ with you to the concert?” Emily asked.