A Cowboy’s Challenge_The McGavin Brothers

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “She is, too. She had a fabulous setup, but Quinn turned out to be the part she didn’t know she was missing.” She blinked. “Wait. I said we’d only do one dance. Now we’re—”

  “It’s a cool-down dance.” He linked his hands behind her back and gazed into her Caribbean blue eyes. “The other one was like a canter over the meadow. This is like a slow walk back to the barn.”

  “A canter over the meadow.” Her expression softened. “That sounds nice.”

  “It is. We should do it sometime.” His hips brushed hers, but the contact was subtle, just enough to keep his buzz going. Her blonde ponytail swayed gently in time with the music.

  “I don’t have a horse.”

  “I do. And we could borrow Clifford or Banjo.”

  “Does your dad have a meadow?”

  “A small one. Kendra has way more property. Cantering over her meadows would be a lot more fun.”

  “Have you ever done that?”

  “Too busy. Today was the first time I’ve been on Fudge since I got here.”

  “But you obviously love riding.”

  “Sure do. Nothing like seeing the world from the back of a horse.” He gazed at her. “Want to go riding with me?”

  She didn’t respond right away. A small line appeared between her brows, too. Maybe they weren’t on the same page.

  “All right.”

  Or maybe they were. “When?”

  “I have Sundays off unless Abigail and I have to do some emergency pie baking.”

  He smiled. “I’m picturing disaster sirens blaring as you grab your rolling pins and speed-roll those crusts.”

  “It sometimes feels that way. If the Guzzling Grizzly runs out on Saturday night, they’ll request additional inventory for their Sunday crowd. If our stash is low, we sometimes bake on Sunday morning. Abigail hates disappointing her best customer.”

  “Makes sense. I admire that kind of dedication.”

  “Me, too. I can’t believe you’re still upright after getting so little sleep, though.”

  “It’s a mind game. I’m visualizing being well-rested and able to last another couple of hours out here.”

  “How’s that working for you?”

  “Just great, as long as we keep dancing.”

  “I hate to tell you, but the song’s over.”

  “It is?” He paused. Silence. “Huh. That’s okay. They’ll—”

  “We’re taking a short break folks,” the lead singer said. “Be back in a few.”

  “Hm.” He was reluctant to let go of her. Losing that contact might make him crash. “Maybe I should get some coffee.”

  Ingrid smiled. “And maybe you should just give up and go home.”

  “But I—”

  “I should, too. I’ve been up since three and I’ll be up at three again tomorrow. Going home now would be a smart move.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yep. It’s been a fun day but a long one. I’m going to say my goodbyes and mosey on back.”

  “Then how about I walk you home?”

  “Okay.”

  After making the rounds to bid everyone goodbye, he walked beside her out to the street. “Sure is nice out.”

  “I like this time of evening when there’s still a tinge of pink in the sky. The air’s the perfect temperature.”

  “And nobody’s out here. We can stroll down the middle of the street if we want.”

  “Then let’s.” She walked along one side of the yellow line.

  He took the other side, leaving the space of the stripe between them. He had the strongest urge to reach for her hand. But if he did that, and she pulled away, that would be a sucky ending to a nearly perfect day. Why risk it?

  The street lamps flickered on and she let out a happy little sigh. “I love those lamps. I love this town. I’m so glad I moved here.”

  “Why did you?”

  “I was in culinary school over at U of M and decided to take a drive. Stopped in at Pie in the Sky and fell in love with Abigail’s setup. Owning a bakery like hers was my dream, so when she asked if I wanted a job, I took it.”

  “What about school?”

  “I figured I’d learn as much, maybe more, working for Abigail, plus I’d get paid for it. I also fell in love with Eagles Nest.”

  “Do you still want to open your own bakery?”

  “That goal’s changed some. This town’s not big enough for two bakeries. But I’ve paid attention to what Michael did over at the GG, working his way up from employee to co-owner.”

  “Would Abigail consider something similar and make you a partner?”

  “She might. I haven’t mentioned it to her, but she keeps giving me more responsibility. For now, I’m happy with things as they are.”

  “I considered looking for a partner when I decided to go the mobile vet route. But I wasn’t positive that Eagles Nest could support one vet, let alone two.”

  “What do you think, now?”

  He laughed. “I think Kendra’s beating the bushes to find me jobs. I want to believe all those folks really need dental checks on their horses, but I suspect a few have made appointments as a favor to Kendra.”

  “Then you’ll have to let things settle out before you know what your true income will be.”

  “Exactly. Which is another reason to take every appointment that comes my way, in case I end up with some dry spells.”

  “Just don’t run yourself ragged.”

  “Ah, I won’t. I’m healthy as a…” He paused. “I never thought about it before, but that expression makes no sense. Horses are more delicate than most people realize.”

  “Like Scooter.”

  “Um, yeah, like Scooter. Anyway, speaking of appointments, I have one for nine in the morning. I happened to see our landlady today, so I asked about the shower. She won’t be able to get a plumber to look at it until tomorrow afternoon. Could I—”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll bring my own soap and shampoo this time. That was lame of me.”

  “No problem. You were in a hurry.”

  “I tried to be neat, though.”

  “I’m sure you did.” She smiled. “Hey, we’re here already.”

  “Let me get the door.” He fished out his key.

  “It feels like it’s been such a long time since the parade.”

  “Probably because we did a lot, today.” He opened the door and motioned her inside. An overhead fixture in the entry and another in the upstairs hall lit the stairs as she began the climb, her footsteps on the wooden steps echoing in the silence.

  He supposed they’d been alone in this building lots of times, but it hadn’t registered the way it did tonight. Abigail had held onto the front apartment even though she, Luke and Delilah spent most of their time at his house adjacent to Wild Creek Ranch. Every so often they spent the night here, and he hadn’t kept track of whether there was a routine to it.

  For now, it was just Ingrid and him. And the poster on her wall. A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. He’d laughed at it this morning. After spending a wonderful day with her, he’d lost his sense of humor concerning that piece of art. He followed her up the stairs.

  She waited for him at the top as he mounted the last couple of steps. “Thank you for inviting me to ride down to the park with you today.” Her mouth tilted in a soft smile. “I had a really good time.”

  “So did I.” He nudged back his hat and cleared his throat. “I just have to ask. What’s that poster on your wall all about?”

  Her smile faded.

  Way to ruin the mood, idiot. “Never mind. Shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” She took a breath. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it tonight.”

  “You don’t have to talk about it, ever.”

  “I wondered if Roxanne might have—”

  “No.”

  She nodded. “I should have known she wouldn’t. She’s a g
ood friend.”

  Terrific. He’d just turned a sweet moment into an awkward one. “I should let you go, then. I’ll…see you around.” He started to turn away.

  “Wait.”

  He glanced at her. Those gorgeous blue eyes had lost their sparkle, damn it. “Listen, I’m sorry I mentioned the poster. It’s just that I didn’t remember seeing it the first time I was in your apartment.”

  “I put it up three weeks ago. It’s…a long story, one better told another time.” She stepped closer. “Thank you for a great day.” Without warning, she lifted to her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. Then she spun around and hurried down the hallway. Her door closed behind her with a soft click.

  He stood where he was for a while, lips tingling from her drive-by kiss. What the hell did that mean?

  Chapter Six

  Ingrid closed her door and leaned against it. An impulsive thank-you kiss had not been smart. Yes, she’d had a lovely day and she was grateful for that. It didn’t justify kissing him.

  The festivities had interrupted or at least grayed-out the endless loop of regrets and heartache she’d been slogging through ever since flying home from Boston. That might have happened without Wes being such a big part of the day, but maybe not.

  Was she attracted to him? Well, yeah. What woman wouldn’t be? But she could squash that, no problem. Her battered heart couldn’t take any more blows right now. And she certainly didn’t want to get involved with her best friend’s brother.

  She’d made a mistake by kissing him, but not a huge one. First chance she had, she’d give him a quick overview of her situation so he’d get it.

  * * *

  Until three weeks ago, Ingrid had been a champion sleeper. The disastrous trip to Boston had changed that and she’d been plagued with restless nights and bad dreams. Theoretically a whole day spent outdoors with plenty of exercise should have allowed her to sleep like a baby.

  Instead she tossed and turned. When she did sleep, conflicting images of Wes and Mark filled her dreams, batting her emotions back and forth like a tennis ball.

  Groaning, she turned the pillow to the cool side, but that didn’t help. She climbed out of bed at three with a sigh of relief. Thank God for this job. It was her saving grace.

  Since the Boston trip, kneading dough, and occasionally pounding the heck out of it, had become therapy. Pulling fragrant loaves and pastries out of the oven lifted her spirits, as did mixing her favorite coffee drinks. She couldn’t wait to get down there.

  Her morning shower was a little weird, though, since Wes had been the last one to use it. She liked to leave the soap propped on its narrow side so it drained better. He’d left it flat. He’d switched the position of the shampoo and conditioner bottles, too.

  In general, though, he’d been extremely neat considering how rushed he’d been. He’d respected her space. And he’d be back again this morning. That thought was a little unsettling, especially after the dreams she’d had.

  She tidied up more than usual before leaving the apartment. Then she crept softly along the hall and down the stairs so her footsteps wouldn’t disturb him. Until now she’d been oblivious to the noise she made leaving her place. A sleeping Wes hadn’t been on her radar.

  He was certainly on her radar now. Good thing she was heading down to the bakery. Work would jolt her away from her unwelcome thoughts regarding her neighbor.

  Luke dropped Abigail off as Ingrid unlocked the bakery’s front door. She waved at him and he flashed his headlights before pulling away from the curb.

  “You were smart, going home when you did.” Abigail followed her inside and locked up after them. “Luke and I stayed too late and I’m going to pay for it today.” She flipped on the lights.

  “Then how about if I crank up the espresso machine and make us each a Firecracker?”

  “I’d be all over that. While you make it, I’ll prep for the first round.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Ingrid adored the shiny espresso machine. Specialty coffee paired beautifully with her first love—baked goods. Abigail used to serve only basic brewed coffee. Thanks to a suggestion from Luke, Pie in the Sky now offered a wide range of coffee drinks, with a signature brew for each holiday. Ingrid’s former barista experience had come in handy.

  The Firecracker wasn’t for the faint of heart, though. Ingrid had created it partly for herself, to offset her recent insomnia. It included three shots of espresso laced with a cinnamon flavoring that tasted like red-hots. She’d located a supply of flag-themed mugs for serving the foamy concoction. Customers who drank it swore they saw stars.

  When she brought two mugs over to one of the bistro tables, Abigail was already there.

  At each place, she’d set a cheese Danish on a plate along with a neatly folded napkin. “I figured if we were going to do this we might as well do it right.”

  “I’ll go along with that.” She took her seat and picked up her mug. “To a power breakfast.”

  Abigail laughed. “A caffeine and sugar high that should carry us for at least…an hour?”

  “Maybe longer. The cheese counts as protein, right?”

  “Absolutely.” Abigail took a mouthful of coffee and swallowed. Then she gasped and waved her hand in front of her face. “Damn, that’s potent.”

  “That’s the idea. There’s a reason we have a warning posted.” Ingrid approached her drink with caution. She’d invented it and she also respected the heck out of it. Proceeding one tiny sip at a time, she allowed the coffee to sweep the cobwebs from her brain. “Ah, that’s better.”

  “Bad night again?”

  “Not great.”

  “Damn. I’m sorry.” Abigail’s jaw tightened. Despite her short curly hair and soft features, she was intimidating when she was angry. “Mark’s lucky he’s so far away.”

  “He’s not worth thinking about.” She told herself that every day. So far the concept hadn’t taken hold.

  “True, but I want to see him suffer. I want to see him squirm and beg for mercy.”

  “Karma will get him, right?”

  “I suppose, but how will we know? I want to be right there when that cheating bastard gets what’s coming to him.”

  “Thank you for that.” Ingrid reached across the table and squeezed her arm. “Especially when you’ve never met him.”

  “I’ve never met him, but I’ve met his kind—the face of an angel and a black hole where his heart should be.” She shuddered.

  “I’m well rid of him.” Something else she told herself on a regular basis. Her head knew it but her heart hadn’t gotten the message yet.

  “You absolutely are, but that doesn’t make me any less furious.” She polished off her coffee and brushed the cheese Danish crumbs from her fingers. “Ready?”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Ingrid lost herself in her work, one of the many benefits of what had turned out to be the perfect job. She and Abigail had teamwork down to an art. Surrounded by the sparkling kitchen surfaces and the aroma of bread, pastries and pies baking, Ingrid gave thanks for the road trip that had brought her to Eagles nest and Pie in the Sky. She belonged here.

  The other two employees, Yolanda and Doug, arrived a little before six. They sailed in just ahead of eager customers who’d begun filling the diagonal parking spaces in front.

  Ingrid met Doug over by the espresso machine. He loved it as much as she did and had become a talented barista in only a few months. Good thing, because early mornings they were usually swamped with coffee orders.

  Before Ingrid could blink, another two hours had flown by and customer traffic had tapered off. She had a moment to catch her breath and make herself another cup of coffee, a regular latte this time instead of a Firecracker.

  She’d nearly finished her coffee when Kendra came in and hurried over to the bistro table where she was sitting. “Oh, good. I caught you when it’s slow.”

  Ingrid left her chair. “Want some coffee? I can get—”

  “Thanks,
but I have a bunch of errands to run this morning and I told Quinn I’d bring him lunch. Taking yesterday off put him behind on his latest scratchboard project.”

  “Is it another big one?”

  “Yep. Somebody bought the one hanging in the GG and he didn’t have anything to put in its place. Anyway, I came in to ask if I can have some of your pictures from yesterday. I saw you with your phone out, especially during the pie-eating contest.”

  “I did. What are you doing with them?”

  “I’m gathering them to post on the town’s website. I’ll get permission from everyone, first, but I thought it would be a fun way to share memories of the day.”

  “People will love that.” Ingrid called over to Abigail in the kitchen. “Do you have your phone? Kendra needs some pictures.”

  “It’s in the office. Let me get it.”

  Ingrid stood and walked behind the counter. “I have a great one of Wes with his face covered in red cherry juice after he won the pie-eating contest. You said you’d check with people before using anything, right?”

  “Right. I’ll just email them the picture and they can email me back with permission.”

  Ingrid glanced at her. “You have everybody’s email?”

  “Just about. A couple of years ago the Whine and Cheese Club made it our project to gather them up. The directory is on the password protected part of the town website.”

  “That’s awesome.” She looked for her phone in its usual spot tucked under the counter but it wasn’t there. “You know what? I left my phone in my apartment.”

  “You can text them to me later.”

  “When are you posting them on the website?”

  “Roxanne and Quinn are coming over this afternoon to help me curate them and I want to make sure I—”

  “Let me run up and get it. Then it’s done and I know I won’t forget.” She grabbed her keys and left. The shot of Wes was hysterical. It needed to be on the website, assuming he was okay with it.

  She’d climbed the stairs and started down the hall when Wes barreled out of her apartment…wearing only a towel.

  He skidded to a stop and gulped. “Oh, hey. I…uh…running late…I’ll just…get…out of your way.” Holding the towel around his hips with one hand and clutching his shampoo and soap with the other, he walked quickly past her trailing the scent of fresh pine.