Fire On The Farm (Second Chance Cowboy Romance)

by Betty Shreffler

  "Save those thoughts for later."

  I licked at the remaining berry flavor on my lips. "Looking forward to it."

  My hand found hers and I tugged her with me to pick my hat off the dining table. I walked her out to my Nova and opened the door for her to take the passenger seat, giving her ass a squeeze. The playful look she gave me in return spread warm appreciation through me.

  I wasn't sure we were going to make it to the wedding if I'd let him continue. And now, the way he held his hand on my bare thigh and glanced over at me with affection and desire in his eyes had my stomach dancing with excitement.

  When we pulled up to his house and I saw the multitude of cars, trucks, motorcycles, business vans, and loads of people walking around, my excitement turned to trepidation. I was about to meet all of Brock's family and friends. I grew nervous, wondering if they'd like me and what kind of questions they might ask. He must have sensed my uneasiness. He gave my knee a tender squeeze, then when he parked, he leaned over to my side and kissed me.

  "Don't worry about a thing. They're going to love you."

  He came to my side of the car and opened the door for me. I put my hand in the crook of his bent elbow and walked with the handsomely dressed man next to me. He'd worn his black boots with dark denim jeans that fit his firm ass like a glove. Tucked into his jeans, and behind a leather belt, was a white, button-up shirt. Above that, a light caramel vest and of course, he'd worn his black cowboy hat.

  "I didn't get a chance to say it before. You look handsome."

  He leaned sideways and kissed my temple.

  "Thanks, gorgeous."

  He led me toward his house and my nerves swelled into a giant knot in my stomach. I could hear several women laughing, talking, and shouting over one another. The door swung open and a little boy dressed similar to Brock ran out, waving a garter in his little hand.

  "Troy! Stop right now!" a woman bellowed from beyond the closing door.

  Brock leaned down and scooped up the fair-haired little boy. He laughed and wiggled and clenched the garter in his fist.

  "I'm not giving it back," he whined.

  Brock poked his stomach and then quickly snatched the garter out of his hand.

  "This doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Bethany and you're old enough to know by now, not to antagonize the Baisdin women. Nothing good comes of it."

  At the end of his reprimand, a short, fair-haired woman with flushed pink cheeks, a curly up do and a coral, over-the-knee bridesmaid dress, lurched through the door.

  "Oh, thank God, you're here. Bethany is about to lose it," she jutted out her hip and frowned at Troy, "and he isn't helping things any."

  Brock let out an amused laugh, held Troy steady and turned his body toward me. "Lexa, this is my girlfriend, Amy."

  Lexa's attention snapped to me. Her already pink cheeks turned a shade brighter. "I'm so sorry." She outstretched her hand. "I'm Brock's cousin, Lexa." She shook my hand and then pointed to Troy. "That's my son. He's a menace."

  We both laughed and the knot in my belly loosened. She waved us in.

  "Come in, come in. Have a beer while we wait for the ceremony to start."

  We walked in to chaos. Bags, clothes, shoes, food, women, children, and a photographer were scattered about the open living room, kitchen, and dining room. Brock set Troy down on the floor and looked around for who I assumed was his sister. He took my hand and gave me a wink as he moved us farther into the chaos until he found the bride he was looking for.

  The tiny, curvy, black-haired, young woman squealed with excitement. "Brock!" He outstretched the hand that held the garter. "Found something of yours."

  Her eyes gleamed brightly. The love between Brock and his sister was obvious. I envied them in that moment.

  Bethany lifted her garter out of his palm and set it on the chair next to her. "Thank you!" She looked at me with a generous smile. "You must be Amy? We've heard great things about you." She eyed Brock with a knowing look. Something secretive passed between them.

  I outstretched my hand and she used it to pull me in for a hug. "If you're going to date Brock, get used to being man-handled by the whole family."

  Her hug was warm and genuine. I laughed and she let me go and took hold of my hands. She studied my eyes and face, then opened our arms so she could look over my dress.

  "You look beautiful, Amy. I'm so glad you came." She giggled and reeled me in for another hug.

  "You're a beautiful bride. Your dress is gorgeous."

  She jiggled her hips and the long, sequined, strapless, ball gown swished over the tile floor.

  "Ah, I'm so excited!" she beamed.

  Brock's own smile was wide as he looked down at us with pride and adoration in his eyes. His smile sagged slightly when he looked past us. I turned my head to see an older woman, who no doubt was their mother, based on her similar dark hair and features. Her large, brown eyes studied me as she neared. I held my breath as her eyes bored into mine. In my periphery, it appeared the entire room had gone still, watching us.

  The woman tilted her head, judging me. The fight or flight instinct kicked in. Part of me was ready to bolt. Brock's large, comforting hands took hold of my shoulders and some of my fear settled. She glanced up at him and then a forced smile eclipsed her discerning stare.

  "I'm Johann. Brock and Bethany's mother. You must be Amy?"

  "It's a pleasure to meet you." I outstretched my hand and she clearly debated taking it, and then glanced at Brock, before ultimately shaking my hand.

  Two women joined her, standing on each side. The woman on the left had short, shiny, black hair and was taller than Johann, yet had similar features to her and Bethany. The third woman had auburn hair, pulled back into an up do with pretty green eyes and a pleasant smile.

  The taller, black-haired woman waved her hand in the air. "Don't mind Johann. It takes her a while to warm up to, well, any woman Brock shows an interest in."

  Brock let out a breath. "Amy, this is my aunt, Victoria." He pointed to the woman who had spoken. "And my Aunt Susan." He pointed to the woman with auburn hair and a kind smile.

  Susan eyed Johann sideways. "By marriage," she added.

  Apparently, there was underlying tension between the two women. Johann rolled her eyes and then her face lit up when she looked at Brock.

  "Brock, darling."

  She nearly shoved me out of the way to get to him. His expression silently scolded her and then transitioned into one of affection. He pulled her in for a hug.

  Bethany leaned into my ear. "Brock's her favorite. He can do no wrong." She winked at me.

  Johann's eyes narrowed at Bethany.

  "What? It's true."

  "All right, ladies. It's time to get in procession," Lexa announced, as she approached with Troy on her hip, a little girl by the hand, and three more young women in matching bridesmaids dresses.

  Susan gave my arm a gentle squeeze. "I'll walk out with you."

  Brock pulled me in close and kissed me in front of all the women of his family before Susan and Victoria escorted me out to the gazebo.

  Rows of chairs filled the interior. At the end of each row sat a mason jar with coral and yellow daisies jutting out. Bows of the same colors were tied to each chair along the aisle. Mason jars with tea candles hung from the ceiling, giving a romantic ambiance to the scene and an arch with coral and yellow daises adorned the front of the gazebo, facing the lake.

  I sat next to Susan and her husband, who she introduced as Johann's brother, Carl. She pointed out several other family members while we waited for the ceremony to start. I hoped she wouldn't quiz me later. Names and faces were blurring together as the memories of my wedding filled my mind. I pushed those emotions aside and focused on Bethany and her fiancé's special day. Thankfully, I was distracted by the music beginning to play.

  Couples walked down the trail of jars and flowers before ascending the stairs onto the gazebo and lining up on each side of the wedding arch. Troy and the flowe
r girl paraded down the aisle, followed by Brock and Bethany. Everyone rose when they saw them coming. Brock searched for me among the crowd. His handsome smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he kept his focus on me. Several emotions filled me in that moment and one of them stood out the most, terrifying me with the knowledge—I was falling in love with the handsome cowboy coming down the aisle.

  I tried to keep my eyes on getting Bethany safely down the aisle so I could hand her off to her soon-to-be husband, Luke, but I couldn't pry my eyes off the most beautiful woman standing in the gazebo. Amy stood out like a stunning ray of sunshine in her yellow dress and long, shiny, golden-brown hair. When the moment came to hand Bethany off to Luke, I reluctantly peeled my eyes off Amy and gave my baby sister a kiss on the cheek, before leaving her with a man I trusted would take good care of her.

  I took the empty seat next to Amy and immediately wrapped her in my arm and kissed her cheek. Her eyes lit up with something new, something I hadn't seen before. It was an incredible feeling to see adoration in her eyes. I'd been waiting for a moment like this, to know her feelings were the same as mine. I raised her chin and pressed my lips gently over hers. She leaned into my arm and chest and watched the ceremony of my sweet baby sister and her fiancé.

  By the end of the ceremony, Amy wiped at the tears that welled up in her eyes. Even I felt sentimental by the display of Luke and Bethany's excitement and love. I couldn't help imagining Amy being my wife and what our lives would be like together and what our children would look like. I kissed her head and pulled her up from the chair as everyone followed the newlyweds out of the gazebo.

  We took our seats at our designated table and chatted with my family while the salads were delivered and our champagne glasses were filled. I couldn't keep from touching Amy and having her body close to mine. Seeing her comfortable and enjoying her conversations with my family had my chest about to burst with pride and joy. She fit right in and everyone was eager to get to know her. Her hand squeezed my knee when she saw the way I was admiring her. Was I that obvious? Probably. This woman had me wrapped around her finger and I'd fallen worse than a school-boy crush, but to know she was feeling it too, gave me incredible gratification.

  As the last of the glasses were poured, I kissed Amy's cheek and then stood to give my toast to a magnificent union. I lifted my glass and everyone followed.

  "Bethany isn't just my baby sister, she's my best friend, my confidant, and a very important person in my life. I've watched her grow up into a beautiful, kind woman who deserves a man that will respect her, protect her, and make her happy. When I met Luke and saw the love he had for her, the effort he put into ensuring she was cared for and happy, even when the Baisdin temper came out…" After the laughter settled I turned to my sister and Luke, "I knew Luke was the man for you. Love like yours is special, and meant to be cherished in the best times and the hardest. I know the both of you will fulfill every promise you've made today. I couldn't be prouder of this union or happier for the both of you. Congratulations Bethany and Luke."

  I tried to control the emotional knot in my chest as Bethany shed tears down her sweet face. Luke proudly nodded to me and wrapped his wife in his arms. The tables around me clapped and I sat down and admired the soft, damp eyes of the beautiful woman in front of me.

  "You're an amazing man, you know that?"

  I pulled her chin up to me and kissed her. "I'd like that to be us someday."

  The words slipped out and there was no taking them back. My muscles clenched as I awaited her negative reaction. Different emotions transitioned over her face and then a soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth. She leaned in and kissed me. Relief filled me that she didn't clam up and avoid eye contact, yet her silence left room for questions.

  It was becoming clear to me how serious Brock was about our relationship. From practically moving into my house, to the silent words between him and his sister, to the hint of marriage in the future. I was falling for this man, but I couldn't help wondering if something was wrong with me. My feelings evidently were not moving at the same pace as Brock's. He was picturing our future, and I was just catching up to the present. I ate the wonderful-smelling food brought out to us, but barely noticed the flavor. The knot in my stomach grew throughout dinner, and it didn't help that Brock's mother kept a watchful eye on me as though I was going to claw out her son's heart at any moment.

  I drank down the glass of wine in front of me, hoping to settle my jittery nerves. Brock too started watching me with concern in his eyes. I needed air. I excused myself and rushed to the house in search of the bathroom. Using a washcloth, I dabbed my flushed cheeks, then held onto the sink counter and took several breaths. Was I having an anxiety attack? Couldn't be. I was fine, just a little overwhelmed with the day's events and the amount of emotions in the air. After collecting myself, I used the bathroom and stepped out, surprised to find Johann standing there waiting for me.

  "Sorry. I hope you weren't waiting long." The jittery nerves settled by the wine sprung back.

  Her hawkish eyes narrowed in on me. "What are your intentions with my son?"

  Good God, the woman was forward, aggressive even.

  "I'm not sure what you mean?"

  Her arms folded over her chest and she let out a breath as though my comment annoyed her.

  "You know exactly what I mean. I've seen the way my son looks at you. He's in love with you. Brock is an incredible man. He deserves a woman who will give him the same kind of love he will give, and by the looks of it, you don't seem to share the same feelings he does."

  Now was the time for a backbone if I ever needed one.

  "I'm sorry, Johann, but we just met, and I've barely had time to get to know you. You have no idea what my feelings for Brock are, nor do I deserve to be cornered and questioned like this."

  Her tongue clicked against her cheek. "You better not hurt my son." She started to add to that comment, but stopped when Lexa rounded the corner with the flower girl on her hip. Her eyes moved back and forth between us.

  "Sorry to interrupt. Is the bathroom free?"

  Glancing at Johann's threatening stare, I nodded. "Yeah, excuse me."

  I stepped around them and stopped outside on the porch, gripped the railing and attempted to control my whirlpool of emotions. Johann glared at me as she walked past me, headed toward the wedding tent. Brock saw the interaction and intercepted his mother on his way to me.

  I was already concerned about how long Amy had been gone, then I saw my mother and Amy eye each other with heated stares across my deck, and I knew my mother had opened her big mouth and said things she shouldn't have. I'd probably scared Amy with my comment earlier; I didn't need this too.

  I placed my hand on my mother's shoulder and looked into her large, brown eyes.

  "What did you say to her?"

  My mother stepped forward in an attempt to get me to walk with her toward the tent. She let out an annoyed breath when I didn't budge. "She's not good enough for you. I can see she doesn't share the same feelings you do. That woman will break your heart. I'm trying to protect you."

  My head tilted back as I gathered my patience. "Don't try to chase her off like you have the others. Amy is different. You don't know what she's been through. She lost her husband at the same age Bethany is now. I'm the only man she's dated since her husband passed, and dammit, Ma, I'd like to keep it that way."

  In the corner of my eye, I saw Lexa walk out of my house and set Lily down. Lily ran back to the tent for the cake that was now being served while Lexa spoke with Amy. Relief filled me when Amy's shoulders relaxed and she smiled.

  I gave my mother a pointed look. "I mean it. Amy is here to stay. I'm serious about her. She deserves to be treated better. Give her the same respect you do Luke."

  "Brock—"

  I shook my head. "Don't make this an issue between us." I kissed her temple before making my way to Amy. As I reached the top of the steps, Lexa looked over at me, nodded and made for a quick
exit.

  One look in Amy's eyes told me she was about to flee at any moment. I knew I had to put all my efforts toward damage control.

  I stepped up to the railing and leaned my ass against it. I wrapped my hands around her hips and placed her between my legs. Her eyes softened when they looked at me.

  "You know when you get that pouty face the first thing I want to do is love you 'til it's gone, right?"

  She laughed, and I put my hat on her head and placed my hand on her jaw, bringing her in for a kiss.

  "I know today has been a lot for you to absorb, and I know my mother can seem crude, but she means well. I can see there's a lot going on inside that beautiful head of yours. Wanna talk about it?"

  She leaned into my body, resting her hands on my shoulders. I was pleased to feel her body lax in my arms.

  "Not right now. We're at your sister's wedding, and I don't want any of that time wasted. We should get back."

  She started to move her body in that direction, and I stopped her. "I don't care that it's my sister's wedding. If something is bothering you, I want to fix it."

  She smiled and kissed me. "You already have." She took my hand and pulled me back toward the tent. Whatever had been bothering her, she'd clearly made her choice about it. I accepted it for now, wanting to make the best of tonight's celebration. I pawed her ass as she walked down the steps. She leered her gaze toward me and arousal caused me to swell.

  I wrapped my arm around her as we walked toward the tent. "Have I told you how good you look in my hat?"

  Her beautiful, bright smile lifted her lips. "I think you might have mentioned it before, but I still like hearing it."

  Lexa's words repeated in my head as I walked with Brock back to our table. She'd told me not to let Johann get under my skin. She'd shared a little about Johann and how Brock had become her anchor when her husband left, that he'd looked after all the Baisdin women. Since Brock's heartbreak, Johann had become overly protective of him and quick to run off any woman he brought around, but with me, it was different. With me, he stood his ground and told Johann and the others to welcome me with open arms. She said it was obvious how much he cared for me.