Wild On My Mind

by Laurel Kerr

  “Josh is going to be coming to town for the festival,” Katie said.

  “Oh,” Bowie said.

  “He wants to check out the zoo. He’s been following all of our marketing.”

  “That’s nice,” Bowie said. He really didn’t want the guy on his property, which was crazy. There was no reason to act territorial, and he hadn’t even met Josh. He was being ridiculous. He knew that, but he couldn’t stop himself.

  “In fact,” Katie added, her face brightening, “he’s even shown some of my recent work to his clients.”

  “Which is a very big deal,” June interjected. “Josh consults for all kinds of tech firms on the West Coast.”

  “A couple companies even asked for my résumé.”

  “That’s great!” Bowie almost winced at the sound of his own voice. He sounded too enthusiastic, too eager. Even Katie picked up on his odd tone as she shot him a questioning look.

  But, hell, he didn’t want her to leave their hometown again. Not that he’d try to stop her. She’d made it clear that she wanted out of Sagebrush, and he wouldn’t want to persuade her to give up her dream job. He should be happy that her friend was willing to network on Katie’s behalf. Part of Bowie, though, couldn’t help but want to punch the bastard.

  “Josh said I could room with him if I got a job in the Bay Area. There’s no way I could afford living there otherwise.”

  “And Josh’s place is just drop-dead gorgeous,” June drawled. “It’s an absolutely darling Victorian…a lot like yours but on a sea cliff.”

  Of course, Josh would have a home that overlooked the ocean in one of the priciest real estate markets in the world. Bowie was beginning to really dislike this faceless Josh. He had it all. The house. The career. Money. Katie’s trust.

  And that. That last thing. That was why Bowie really resented the man.

  “Josh says he can’t wait to meet you,” Katie said.

  “I can’t wait to meet him either,” Bowie lied.

  * * *

  “Not to be as nosy as a blue tick after a coon,” June drawled as she and Katie sat on the floor with the cougar kits, “but what is that air mattress still doing in the room next door? I thought the cubs no longer required watching during the night.”

  Sometimes June’s attention to detail could be a nuisance. Katie shrugged in response. “Your point being?”

  June shot her a significant look as Fleur playfully batted her knee. “Makes things a mite more comfortable, doesn’t it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  June’s lips curved into a smug, knowing smile. “And a bee doesn’t know how to sting.”

  Katie sighed. Heavily. “Okay. Fine. We’re sleeping together. Have been since filming the pirate video.”

  “I knew he was the right guy for you.” Pure delight flashed in June’s green eyes.

  Katie did not share her enthusiasm. “We’re just friends with benefits, June. That’s all. I didn’t want to start something serious when I could be leaving any time.”

  “Katie, I swear you have a bigger commitment phobia than any guy.”

  “I’m choosy.” Katie crossed her arms over her chest. She knew she was acting defensive, but she couldn’t help herself.

  June lifted both eyebrows in patent disbelief. “Honey, I have known you for over ten years, and not once have you had a real relationship.”

  “Not true. I dated Steven for almost a year.”

  June delivered her most withering look. “He was a pilot, lived two hours away in Saint Paul, and was gone half the time.”

  “It worked for us,” Katie said stubbornly.

  “Katie, honey, you need to open yourself up to the possibility of romance. I’m afraid that you’re going to let a good thing go just because you’re too stubborn to be vulnerable.”

  “When I meet the right guy, I’ll settle down.”

  June arched one perfectly tweezed blond eyebrow. “Says the woman who just wants to be sex buddies with a deliciously attractive man who cooks, loves animals, and dotes on his adorable daughter.”

  Katie started to stand up in agitation, but Dobby chose that exact moment to pounce on her lap. He wiggled between her crossed legs, trying to use her body as a shield to crouch behind as he spied on his sisters.

  “June, he is not my Mr. Right. Can we drop this?”

  “Just give me one good reason, Katie, and cross my heart, I swear I’ll leave it be.”

  Katie lifted Dobby from her lap and gently set him on the floor. “Because Bowie’s the reason that I keep myself shut off. Okay, June?”

  That succeeded in silencing her. For half a second.

  “Why?” June asked. “Did y’all date before?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” Katie said stubbornly as she turned her attention to Tonks, who was brushing her back against Katie’s leg while Dobby wrestled with Fleur. “You said to give you one good reason. Well, I did, so the subject is closed.”

  “Katieee,” June said, drawing out the eee.

  Realizing that her friend wouldn’t let this go, Katie blurted out, “Fine. He pretended to date me in high school. Not only did he trick me into kissing a pig like I told you before, but his real girlfriend sneaked a video of it into the morning announcements.”

  June snickered. Actually snickered. Katie shot her a death glare.

  “What?” June said. “You have to admit it’s kind of funny, especially after he kissed that red river hog for you.”

  “June, he crushed my heart and made me the laughingstock of the school for two and a half years. Even my friends didn’t want to be around me because they thought they’d be targeted next.”

  The laughter left June’s face. “I had no idea it was that bad, Katie.”

  “It was, and he’s the last guy I would ever want to open my heart to,” Katie said. “I won’t deny that I am attracted to him or that he’s changed since high school, but he’s not dating material. At least not for me.”

  “Okay, I’ll let it go,” June said, “but you’ve got to start taking risks with your heart sometime, honey.”

  “Not today. Not with him,” Katie said as she turned her attention back to the tussling cubs.

  * * *

  Two weeks later, a copper-haired man with a welcoming grin on his annoyingly handsome face climbed from the sporty car in the zoo parking lot. Instead of the casual attire that sane people wore to zoos, Josh Calhoun sported a tailored suit that even Bowie could tell reeked of money. He embraced June and then Katie. Bowie tried not to glower. He wished like hell that Katie and June hadn’t decided to meet Josh at the zoo. At least they were on Bowie’s turf.

  Katie tugged on one of Josh’s lapels. “So why are you so spiffy today?”

  “I had a meeting near the airport. I’m thinking of expanding my consulting services beyond the West Coast,” Josh said.

  “Do you ever not think of business?” June asked.

  “Nope.” Josh grinned boyishly, reminding Bowie of a damn movie star. One of those Cary Grant debonair types.

  Then Josh turned in Bowie’s direction, and the man’s mouth flattened. When Josh extended his hand, the offer felt more like a challenge than a welcoming gesture. Sure enough, Josh practically ground Bowie’s fingers together. Bowie returned the bruising grip threefold. Josh may have a couple of inches of height on him, but Bowie was more muscular, and he didn’t sit in front of a computer all day.

  “Wilson,” Josh said Bowie’s last name, his voice flat and unyielding.

  “Calhoun,” Bowie returned in the same tone.

  Katie looked curiously at them. “Uh, did I miss something?”

  Josh dropped Bowie’s hand, the smile back on his face. “No. Why?”

  “For a moment there, I thought you were one of my brothers or my father meeting my da
te for the evening,” she said.

  “Anyone ever tell you that you can be paranoid sometimes, Underwood?” Josh asked.

  “Hmm,” Katie said suspiciously, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

  Josh slung his arm over Katie’s shoulder. “So let’s see this zoo you’ve been texting me about.”

  Katie studied her friend’s face closely and finally nodded. “What do you want to see first?”

  “The lovelorn camel,” Josh said. “And that dancing bird. Do you think it will head-bang to ‘The Imperial March’?”

  Katie laughed as she linked her arm through her friend’s. “Darth Vader’s theme really doesn’t have the driving beat that Rosie likes.”

  “Damn. I was hoping I could buy her a specially made black helmet. That would be fucking awesome.”

  June shook her head. “You are such a nerd, Josh Calhoun.”

  “Yep. And damn proud of it.”

  Bowie trailed after the trio. As much as he fought against it, that foster-kid feeling kicked in. He was the interloper. The kid on the outside, always looking for a way in and not quite finding it.

  Despite feeling like a stranger on his own property, Bowie still enjoyed watching Katie show off the zoo. Her face lit up every time she introduced an animal. And the zoo residents clearly loved her. Even Lulubelle perked up and came gleefully stomping toward Katie. When they visited the cubs, the cougars made a beeline in her direction, while Sylvia eagerly nudged Katie with her big snout, demanding and receiving pets.

  Later, they spied Fluffy lurking near the concession stand as he polished off an ice cream cone a child must have dropped. Katie snapped a picture with her phone. Fluffy, being Fluffy, remained standoffish, but Bowie couldn’t shake the feeling that even the disgruntled honey badger had developed a soft spot for Katie.

  As they walked past Frida’s enclosure, the bear looked up from the ice block Bowie had given her. Normally, the old gal focused all her attention on gnawing the frozen fruit and vegetables embedded in the treat, but she sniffed in Katie’s direction before returning to eating.

  When Rosie caught sight of them, she squawked a greeting from her perch, her head bobbing happily. Bowie pulled her from her cage and placed the bird on his shoulder so she could show off her dance moves. She bopped along to “Sheila,” and Bowie swore that she purposely bowed in Katie’s direction when the song ended.

  When they’d finished the tour of the zoo, Katie and June started debating where they should take Josh next. They finally decided to stop at the Prairie Dog Café for drinks before heading out to Katie’s family’s ranch. Evidently, Josh was crashing with Katie in the geodesic dome while he was in town.

  “Why don’t the two of you head over to the Prairie Dog first,” Josh said, his attention fixed on Bowie. “There’s something I want to talk to Wilson about.”

  Katie frowned. She didn’t seem convinced, but Bowie didn’t mind some time alone with the jerk. Obviously, Josh didn’t trust him any more than Bowie did him. For Katie’s sake, they needed to resolve whatever dislike brewed between them.

  “Go on,” Bowie told her. “We’ll be fine.”

  Katie hesitated and then finally nodded. “If you say so. Just try not to kill each other.”

  Josh gave her a reassuring smile, which had the opposite effect on Bowie. “Don’t worry, Katie. I don’t want to get blood on my suit.”

  “How very comforting,” she said dryly.

  June tugged on Katie’s arm. “Let’s leave the boys to their caveman ways.” Then, looking over her shoulder, she gave Bowie and Josh a classic June smile. “Y’all play nice, you hear?”

  As soon as June and Katie disappeared from view, any vestige of geniality fled from Josh’s face, leaving it stone cold. Bowie swore the man’s golden-brown eyes even turned an icy greenish blue. Bowie had no idea why Josh apparently hated him, unless the man still had romantic feelings for Katie. Frigid silence descended. Bowie didn’t attempt to break it.

  When Josh finally spoke, the frost in his voice matched the chilliness in his eyes. “You may have June fooled, but I know exactly who and what you are.”

  Bowie stiffened at the damning words as a sense of unease trickled through him. “Yeah, and what is that?”

  “A bully,” Josh said succinctly.

  The disquiet in Bowie grew. Hell, maybe the guy had a legitimate reason to hate him. Bowie supposed he should have been prepared for this, but Katie had kept their past a secret from June and the rest of her family. It bothered him that she would have confided in this man when she hadn’t done so with anyone else.

  Josh watched Bowie for a moment. Then the man smiled. Smirked, actually. “What? Did you think you humiliated her so much that she wouldn’t tell anyone? Well, she did, and I’m not letting you hurt her again.”

  Guilt flashed through Bowie, hot and searing. He’d expected to be on the offensive, not the defensive. “How I acted toward Katie was wrong. I know that, and I’ve told her the same. I’ve changed since high school.”

  Josh pierced him with a flat, unyielding look. “You may have started to convince Katie, but you aren’t going to be able to trick me. Like I said, I know who and what you are.”

  Bowie crossed his arms. “You met me ten minutes ago. You couldn’t possibly know me.”

  “Oh, I know you,” Josh returned with another sneer. “You’re the same guy who shoved me in a locker, who forced my head into a toilet, and who duct-taped me to a urinal.”

  “I never did any of that. Ever,” Bowie growled.

  “So you’re just the type who picks on girls. Who humiliates them in front of the entire school with pig-kissing videos, by stealing and publicizing their diaries, or tying underwear to their car.”

  A part of Bowie recognized that Josh had a point. Bowie knew how he’d react if some jackass did that to Abby and then tried to date her years later. He probably wouldn’t let the man live. But he was Abby’s father. This guy wasn’t even related to Katie. Bowie would grovel to her brothers or father, but he wasn’t about to let this man judge him or his relationship. His past with Katie was something he and Katie needed to work through without this man’s interference.

  “Yeah, I was a douche bag. I won’t deny that,” Bowie said. “But I don’t need to explain myself to you. This is between Katie and me.”

  “There are very few people in this world who I care about,” Josh said. “Katie is one of them. I’m making this my business.”

  “So what, you’re jealous of our relationship?”

  Genuine surprise flickered in Josh’s otherwise glacial eyes. “Katie and June are the closest thing to family that I have, and I won’t let either of them get hurt, especially by someone like you.”

  “Someone like me,” Bowie repeated. “You keep coming back to that, but you don’t know me. All you know are some stupid, idiotic things I did years ago. You don’t even know why I did them.”

  “Oh, I know why,” Josh said. “I know your type. Golden boy. Jock. The most popular guy in school.”

  Yeah right, none of those things had ever described Bowie. “Golden boy?”

  “The apple of Mommy and Daddy’s eyes. A precious little tyrant who can’t do anything wrong, who the teachers love. When you caused trouble, people either laughed or used the excuse that ‘boys will be boys.’”

  It was Bowie’s turn to smirk. “Katie might have told you a little about high school, but she mustn’t have told you much. None of what you said is accurate.”

  Although Katie didn’t know about his parents or foster care, she certainly wouldn’t describe him as a golden boy. He’d never played a sport or participated in any extracurricular activities—unless detention counted. Some days, he’d spent more time in the principal’s office than in the classroom.

  Josh’s expression didn’t change. His eyes bored into Bowie. Finally, the man rel
axed a fraction—just a fraction.

  “Come. I have something I want to show you.”

  Oh goody.

  Still, Bowie didn’t protest. He’d gained some ground with Katie lately, and he didn’t want to lose it. If he wanted to forge a real relationship with her, he couldn’t afford to alienate one of her closest friends and the guy helping her find a new job. As much as Bowie wanted to punch Josh’s smug face, he needed to remain civil.

  “Lead the way.”

  Less than a minute later, Bowie found himself back at the man’s showy rental. Josh popped open the trunk and pulled out a briefcase. “You got a private place where we can talk uninterrupted?”

  “My office,” Bowie said, unable to stop a wave of curiosity. What the hell was the man up to? Bowie led the guy back through the zoo. For once, the sight of the animals didn’t give Bowie the peace it generally did. Guilt, anger, and a trepidation that he couldn’t shake mixed inside him like a Molotov cocktail ready to explode. He just hoped Josh wouldn’t light the wick.

  * * *

  Fluffy was not sure how to feel about the copper-haired male. He did not like him as well as he did the tall, blond female. This biped was too full of himself.

  Fluffy scurried across the parking lot to explore the man’s vehicle. It was clean. Much cleaner than the Black-Haired One’s truck. Even in the twilight, it shone. The sparkly quality annoyed Fluffy.

  He tried to get into the car but could not. He settled on placing tracks all over the surface. Very wet, very muddy tracks.

  * * *

  When Josh and Bowie entered the zoo’s office, Josh shut the door firmly behind him. As he flipped the lock, Bowie raised an amused eyebrow. He hoped the guy didn’t want to fight him. He could probably take down the lanky desk jockey with one well-aimed punch. It might have been years since Bowie had last exchanged blows with someone, but he’d spent his middle school and high school years getting into one fight after another.

  Instead, Josh walked over to Bowie’s desk and started spreading out newspaper and magazine clippings, along with a few computer printouts. He nodded his head toward the pieces of paper. “When we were in college, Katie and I coauthored and drew a comic for our student newspaper. It made fun of things around the school. Later, I asked her to draw some comic book–style advertisements for my business. A lot of my clients are geeks and loved the concept, so she does a monthly comic for my web page.”