My Favorite Cowboy

by Shelley Galloway

  Serena knew it shouldn’t bother her that Jarred never even thought about her in that way. But it did. “I’ve given you my answer, and it’s final.” Picking up a stack of DVDs from the return slot, she started scanning them into the library’s database. Though a child could scan, Serena did her best to look as if it took a lot of concentration. “Now, I’ve got things to do here. You need to move on your way.”

  “Well, thanks for nothing, Serena.” Just as he pivoted on one heel, he jarred the portable mystery book rack. Twelve neatly stacked mysteries flew to the floor. “Crap!”

  Every single person in their triple-wide trailer turned library looked up and glared. At her.

  Of course. Things never were Jarred’s fault. “Please leave. Now,” she hissed under her breath. “You’re disturbing everyone.”

  “I’m not giving up.”

  “You should.” Pointing to the door, she said, “Off you go, now. I’ve got things to do.”

  “I’ll be back,” he said, rushing out the door, the metal bar giving a hearty slap-slap as it opened and shut with the motion.

  Serena’s assistant, Hannah, wandered over and waved a hand across her rouged cheeks. “Lord have mercy but that Jarred Riddell is something else. No man should be put together so well. It’s almost sinful.”

  Serena wondered once again if she was the only one on earth who was immune to Jarred Riddell’s charms. As that pesky image of him stark naked flew into her brain, she privately amended that thought. She was almost immune. As she recalled just how aware of him she’d been, she corrected herself again.

  She wasn’t immune to his charms at all. Fact was, she was smitten.

  Not that anyone would need to know that. “He’s something else, all right.”

  Hannah’s permed graying curls bounced a bit as she fussed with a stack of biographies that were on loan from one of the bigger branches in their library system. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Are you going to help him with his predicament?”

  “Help him catch a snooty society girl? I don’t think so.”

  Still looking out the window at Jarred’s retreating form, watching him slide into the driver’s seat of his yellow Corvette, Hannah sniffed. “That is a crying shame, don’t you know. If I were younger, I’d do everything I could to latch on to him. My, but he is such a fine-looking man.”

  Yes, Jarred was, but that didn’t mean she was going to turn her life—and her heart—upside down to make him happy. She had enough to worry about without taking on Jarred’s bite-size problems.

  The fact that he was gorgeous and available didn’t mean a damn thing at all.

  Chapter Two

  “So I heard you got your butt handed to you by an extremely efficient librarian,” Junior said when Jarred pulled up next to him in their oversize carport.

  “I left Serena forty-five minutes ago. How’d you hear about that so fast?”

  “Good news always travels like lightning.”

  “Good news and embarrassments.” Looking around the area, things seemed suspiciously quiet. “What’s going on around here?”

  “Trent got in a few hours ago.”

  “That’s good.” With all the emotional upheaval of trying to get his manners fixed up, he’d forgotten Trent had a sizable break in between shows. “Where is he?”

  “Out in the barn, checking up on his horse. And I’m wondering how to get another year out of this pickup.”

  Though they could’ve bought ten new Chevys, buying a new truck when the old one wasn’t dead wasn’t Junior’s way. But as Jarred looked at the rusted fender he thought maybe even Junior would agree that it was time for a trade-in. “That may be a lost cause.”

  “Maybe.” With a look of irritation at the old truck, his brother stepped away from the old Chevy. “I’ve got to meet with the accountants this afternoon and Gwen’s got something going on with one of her grandkids. Do you mind looking after Virginia?”

  For the first time all day, Jarred felt genuinely happy. “Not at all. Where is she?”

  “In the house.”

  “I’m on my way.” Stepping into the house, he waved a greeting to Gwen, who was watering an assortment of plants she kept in fancy pots in the breakfast area. “Hey. Where’s Ginny?”

  The water pitcher paused. “She came home from a playdate and fell asleep after her snack,” she said with a smile. “They went on a walking field trip today. I’m starting to think she probably did more hop, skip and jumping than walking. She’s plumb wore out. Why?”

  “Cal’s got things to do, so I’m on Ginny duty.”

  “Are you sure you have time?”

  “’Course I do. You’ve got plans, right?”

  “I do. Little JennieLynn’s showing her pony this weekend for the first time, so we’re having a trial run at the barn.”

  Gwen’s people had shown their horses in shows for generations. “Hope she does real good.”

  “Thank you. Now you have a good time with our girl, but I better warn you, she wants to play zoo when she wakes up. She was gathering all her animals together when she fell asleep.”

  A wave of tenderness washed over him. “After what I’ve been through today, I’ll be happy to play zoo as long as she wants. Get on, now.”

  “All right. Um, I made a chicken-and-rice casserole.”

  Jarred gently kissed her on the cheek. “I know we’ll all appreciate that. Thank you.”

  “It probably won’t be as good as one of yours, but it will do.”

  “It will, in a heartbeat.” Jarred was no stranger to fussing around in the kitchen. When their mother had died, it seemed all of them had taken on as much as they could. His dad was a good man, but their mother’s death had hit him hard. He spent as much time as he could traveling or in seclusion in his office.

  His emotional departure meant that the rest of them had to pick up the slack. So, they’d each done their part. Junior was organized and book smart. Most folks said he was the one who’d inherited all the brains from their mother’s branch of the family. He was also a man of few words.

  Jarred, in addition to seeing to the day-to-day needs of the ranch, had become their domestic goddess. He didn’t want to let it be known, but he certainly knew his way around a laundry room and could throw together more meals than anyone imagined.

  Trent was the most like the rest of the men in the Riddell family. He could nurse horses, fix engines and understood the land as well as the back side of his hand. He was also near famous. He’d found a lot of success on the rodeo circuit, and had garnered more sponsors, buckles and women than Jarred could imagine.

  It was hard to believe. And hard to believe that the three of them were as successful as they were.

  ’Course, they’d had their challenges. Their stepmother, Carolyn, had been lovely in the beginning, and had given their daddy a girl. Luckily for the boys, they’d been too busy following their own pursuits to get too attached to the snake. Only their father had become bitter when she’d left.

  But their feelings for Carolyn’s daughter were a whole other story. From the moment he’d held Ginny in his arms, a fierce protectiveness had run through Jarred that was more powerful than anything he’d ever felt before.

  He knew he wasn’t alone in feeling that way. His brothers, too, were wrapped around her tiny fingers.

  Yep. He might never give his heart to a woman like his father had, but he had his little sister. Ginny, at least, was always easy to love.

  He used the hour she was sleeping to sort through the mail, return a few phone calls and read part of the paper. Then, just as he was getting ready to wake her from her nap, he heard her distinctive high-pitched voice.

  Without delay, he hightailed it to Ginny’s room. Her eyes widened when she saw him. Then she smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hey, sugar.” Gamely, he sat down on the floor next to her, spreading his feet out in front of him. “I heard you went on a big field trip today.”

  “I did. We saw all kinds of things. El
ectra’s clock tower and the ice-cream shop and the library and the auction block.”

  He laughed. “That would be the parcel of land where the mayor wants to put the new community center.”

  “Well, there’s a big stand there, so Mrs. Weaver called it the auction block.”

  “Were you a good girl today?”

  Quickly, she looked away. Picking up a toy tiger, she exclaimed, “Terry the tiger escaped from the zoo!”

  “Virginia Riddell, did you get in a fight?”

  “Almost.”

  “Virginia Ann?”

  “Yes, sir, but it wasn’t my fault. Billy said I ran like a girl.”

  “You are a girl.”

  “I know. But I don’t want to run like one. Anyways, Billy stopped teasing me after I hit him.”

  Jarred sighed. “And then what happened?”

  “Billy told on me. He’s such a sissy.” She picked up another toy tiger. “This is Jamal.”

  Jarred picked up Jamal. “Billy’s not a sissy for telling on you.”

  “Sure he is. You and Trent and Cal never go tell Daddy if one of you hits the other.”

  He winced. He and his brothers did have an awful habit of hitting first and talking later. “We shouldn’t be fighting. Neither should you.”

  “Can we just play tigers now? Jamal knows a secret spot by Princess Virginia’s bed. Come on!”

  He was tempted to chew on her, but he knew it would do no good. What she needed was feminine instruction. And he was working on that.

  Together, they crawled on the carpet, moving their tigers along make-believe deserts and jungles.

  Virginia giggled and he smiled.

  And an hour later, when she crawled up into his lap for a cartoon break, he leaned his head back against the couch and counted his blessings. This little girl was a piece of work, and that was a fact.

  Too bad all women weren’t as easily pleased.

  A bit of uneasiness floated through him as he imagined what life with Veronica Snow would be like. He imagined only the best would make her happy.

  He had gobs of money, so that was no problem. Heck, he’d gladly buy her diamonds for all her fingers if that meant she’d show Ginny a thing or two.

  He’d learn to speak a little bit better and learn about table manners if she’d consider going out to eat with him.

  He’d try his best to watch his cussing and wash the dirt off his clothes five times a day if she’d ever consent to tilt that perfect face up to his and agree to let him kiss her.

  Surely those lips would be as sweet as they looked from afar. They had to be.

  And then, well, then he’d have it made. He’d have a beautiful woman in his life and Ginny would stop trying to cuss her way out of kindergarten.

  Serena Higgins was just going to have to come around to his way of thinking and help him win over Veronica. Soon.

  Chapter Three

  “There she is,” Hannah said with awe in her voice, as if she was announcing Miss America. “That there is Veronica Snow herself crossing this very parking lot in a fuchsia silk skirt and extremely sexy high heels.” After pausing a moment to admire the woman’s fashion sense, Hannah whistled low. “Isn’t she something?”

  “She is, at that,” Serena agreed. From their pair of chairs in front of the Electric Dip—the town’s somewhat hippie-inspired ice-cream shop—Serena licked her chocolate cone and wondered what Veronica did all day that warranted so many fancy clothes.

  Why, the last Serena had heard, the Dallas socialite spent most of her time on the internet and on her cell phone, chatting with all the people who’d never heard of Electra. Serena figured Veronica could have saved herself a whopping dry-cleaning bill for that.

  Serena had always felt more comfortable in her usual attire of jeans, cotton blouses and occasional broomstick skirts. She owned two pairs of boots and they got her through just about anything.

  Her feet probably wouldn’t know what to do in four-inch heels.

  Hannah was eyeing those high-heeled pumps as if she wanted to rush out to Neiman Marcus and get a pair. “Serena, how much do you think shoes like that cost? Eighty dollars?”

  Serena wasn’t sure, but she could have sworn she’d read something in People magazine about prices of shoes. Each pair highlighted had been at least three digits. “More, I’m thinking.”

  As Veronica gracefully walked alone on the sidewalk, her expression a cool mask, Serena started to feel a bit guilty. After all, Veronica Snow was new in town and beautiful and rich, but she had problems, too. “How’s her mother doing? Have you heard?”

  In a split second, all traces of shoe envy vanished from Hannah’s face. “Last I heard, her mama wasn’t doing too well at all,” she said with a frown. “Her blood pressure is spiking something awful. I guess that blood disease she has ain’t doing her no favors.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “Uh-huh. Pete Ross over at the bank told me that Veronica was trying to find someone to come in part-time and help with that big old house. Seems Midge gets all weepy and nervous every time Veronica mentions the idea of selling that big old place.”

  “It’s got to be tough, caring for a mother who’s ailing like she is.”

  “You said it, Serena. Well, at least they discovered what was wrong. Used to be, I thought what she needed was more to do. But rumor has it that she won’t be around for too much longer.”

  Serena was just about to suggest that they pay a visit to Midge, or offer to help in some way when a slight breeze flicked Veronica’s skirt a bit. The hem fluttered a few inches north, revealing a perfect pair of long lean legs.

  Serena bit into her cone and tried to recall if she’d ever had slim legs like that. Maybe in sixth grade?

  Hannah gasped. “Ooh, I think she’s coming this way.”

  And sure enough, there she was. Taking refuge in chocolate, Serena swiped an errant drip with her tongue. She’d just crunched on the rim of her cone when Veronica stepped right up to the walk-up window that Paula McCall, owner of the Electric Dip, had installed last summer.

  “Do you have anything low-fat today?” Veronica asked, her voice all soft and low and kind of musical.

  Paula shook her head sadly. “I told Gavin about your low-fat idea, but he’s not sold on it yet. The lowest-cal item we have at the moment is still just sherbet, Miss Snow. But it is raspberry and we made it fresh this morning. Want a scoop?”

  “I suppose. I’ll take it in a cup instead of a cone, though.”

  When she held a cup loaded high with raspberry sherbet, Veronica turned their way. Every chair in the little stone patio was taken.

  Serena waited for Veronica to take the hint and move along.

  But then Hannah—being Hannah—waved a hand. “Veronica! Veronica Snow! Would you care to join Serena and me?”

  “Oh, thank you,” Veronica said, looking relieved as she took a seat. “I really didn’t want to eat this standing up. I’d have dripped on my new blouse for sure.” Before Serena could take a furtive glance at her own top, Veronica turned her way. “I’m sure we’ve met but I’m afraid I can’t remember your name.”

  “This here is Serena Higgens,” Hannah interjected quickly. “Serena and I are librarians. Well, actually, Serena is the real librarian. She went to college and got her degree on scholarship. I’m just her assistant.”

  Veronica held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Veronica Snow. I just moved here from Dallas. Maybe you know my mom, Midge? She grew up here, then moved back a few years ago.”

  Hannah smiled. “I know your mother well. She used to visit the library quite a bit. Oh, how she loved those cat mysteries!”

  “She always was a reader.” Looking glum, Veronica spooned some sherbet into her mouth.

  Hannah smiled gently. “So, how is she doing?”

  “All right, thanks for asking.” Her perfect features cracked. “Actually, my mother’s not doing very well at all. Little by little, she’s slowly fading fr
om me. Some days it’s real hard to try and find the woman who raised me inside the shell that seems to have surrounded her. But she does seem to be happier now that I’m here. At least, that’s what the doctor says.”

  “You moved out here for her, right?” Hannah asked.

  “Right. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but this place isn’t really my style.”

  “I imagine it’s not.” When Veronica looked at her in surprise, Serena attempted to explain herself. “I mean, I heard you used to model in Dallas.”

  Hannah leaned forward. “Is that true?”

  “I did. Well, I modeled for Neiman’s and a few other department stores. I made a lot of friends that way. Then, when I got a little old, I started working with some of the women’s groups.”

  “I imagine the shopping here is a far cry from what you’re used to.”

  “You would imagine correctly,” Veronica said around another spoonful of sherbet. “But it’s all right. I don’t need much, and, well, Hebron is less than an hour away and has a lot of cute shops and a very good hair salon. I figure if I can just get over there one or two days a week, get to Dallas for another few days once a month, why, I’ll be able to survive living here for a while….”

  Unspoken was that Veronica was obviously only going to stay until her mother passed on.

  Something about it all made Serena uncomfortable, though she knew that was the exact opposite way she should be feeling. What Veronica was doing was commendable. Here she was, giving up pretty much her whole life to see to her mother’s comfort.

  But, unfortunately, Serena was also very aware of Jarred’s feelings. He was crushing on the girl in the worst way, dreaming about a future with her, but he truly had no idea that the town he loved could never stay his home if he hooked up with the beauty.

  “Survive?”

  “Sorry. I guess I sound like I’m putting this place down. I don’t mean to. This little town is real nice. It’s just not me, you know?”

  Looking at Veronica’s diamond earrings and perfect posture, Serena nodded. “Oh, I know.”