Sharp Shootin' Cowboy

by Victoria Vane

  Being honest with herself, she’d felt that way for a long time. No one ever challenged her because she only mixed with people who shared her beliefs. For five years she’d surrounded herself with all the “right” people who did all the “right” things. She lived in a closed circle of intellectuals, academics, and activists, people who outwardly espoused philanthropic and humanitarian concerns. They all talked a good game about saving the world, but so much of it was hollow posturing from hypocrites who gave “green” speeches while traveling in their Gulfstream jets.

  She suddenly realized the problem. She didn’t really like them.

  Although she didn’t agree with Reid’s convictions, she couldn’t help respecting him. She admired his courage and character. He had cared enough to risk his own life for a greater cause. They were still on opposite sides of almost everything, but at least he walked his talk. How many people really did that?

  Confused and growing depressed, she clicked off the television. It was time for some desperately needed perspective from the one person she could always count on. Yolanda.

  “Haley?” Her best friend picked up on the second ring. “Chica! It’s been so long. How are you?”

  “I was hoping you’d still be up.”

  “Yeah, I’m still up. Motherhood is a mixed blessing.”

  “How is little Sergio?”

  “Too much like his papi. They both keep me up all night. Is everything okay? It’s not like you to call so late at night.”

  “No, Yo. Everything is not okay.”

  “Tell me about it, chica.”

  “I did something incredibly impulsive and impossibly stupid… I left my job and came out to Wyoming.”

  “You’re in Wyoming?” Long pause. “But I thought your future was all set. And what about your professor?”

  “Jeffrey’s still there.”

  “I thought you and he were going to move in together.”

  “I thought so too, but he didn’t take to the notion when I brought it up. I’m really confused now, Yo. I always thought he and I would end up together, but we’ve been slowly drifting apart. I finally acknowledged that it was going nowhere… I wanted a new start, so here I am.”

  “In Wyoming.”

  “Yes.” Haley paused, then blurted, “I ran into Reid.”

  “Reid? The cowboy? Oh my God! Really? Is he out of the Marines now?”

  “Yeah. He’s out and back home now.”

  “It’s fate!” Yolanda declared. “It has to be.”

  “That’s kind of what he said, but nothing has changed, Yo,” Haley insisted. “I mean, I’m still me, and he’s still…well…him.”

  “But he still does it for you?” She could hear Yolanda’s smile.

  “Yeah.” Haley gave a dry laugh. “He does it all right. Maybe even more than ever.”

  “Then it is a second chance, Haley. If you think you want him and he still wants you, you have to stick it out and make it work this time.”

  Haley sighed. “That’s what I was afraid you’d say.”

  “That’s because I’m smart, chica.” She paused. “You don’t sound very happy about all this.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’ve already screwed it up, maybe beyond redemption. He went all possessive on me, and I panicked. You know I don’t go for that. I lashed out, and he walked out. I think I might have burned the bridge this time.”

  “I doubt that,” Yolanda said. “He was really into you, you know. I mean how many guys would have stuck around after the incident on the Ferris wheel?”

  Haley groaned. “Did you have to bring that up? It was only the worst moment of my life.”

  “Just helping you to put it all in perspective, chica. It’s time to ask yourself what you really want from life. You’ve put your heart and soul into your work for too long. I know you love animals, but they can’t love you back, not the way you need.”

  “But I’m scared, Yo. He confuses me…”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know how to describe it. He’s just so much.” She couldn’t begin to understand, let alone articulate her feelings for him.

  Yolanda chuckled. “That sounds like a good thing.”

  Haley gave a huff of exasperation. “I didn’t mean it that way…not that he’s deficient in that department. What I mean is that he’s so intense. He makes me feel too much.”

  “You’re afraid of that? Of falling in love?”

  “Well, yes. Of course I am. Weren’t you?”

  “No. Not really. I fell in love all the time. It just never lasted. But you and I are very different that way. You won’t let yourself love. Why are you so scared to let go?”

  “I don’t know. I just can’t… Maybe I’m afraid I won’t be loved back. It terrifies me to take that kind of leap without knowing.”

  “But we can never know. You just have to have faith. You’ve always confronted your fears before, Haley. Reid is the only thing you ever ran away from. Maybe it’s time you dealt with that. Putting all differences aside, do you think you could love him?”

  “I don’t know. What’s between Reid and me is nothing like my relationship with Jeffrey.”

  “Did Jeffrey really balance you, Haley? Sometimes we get so lost in what we ‘think’ we want that we don’t recognize what we actually need. I speak from experience.”

  “Do you still miss him?” Haley asked.

  “Yeah, I do, but Rafi wasn’t the right one. I thought I wanted my bad boy marine, but he loved the Corps too much. I could never compete with that. I always felt like second place.”

  “Any regrets?”

  “No. It was great while it lasted, but now I have the real thing in my sweet, loving pastry chef. Sergio is what I really needed. Maybe Reid was the one for you all along. So what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know yet. It all happened so fast between us. I need time to think. It feels like my brain stops functioning the minute he and I are even in the same room together. I’m done speaking at the convention. Tomorrow they have some big awards dinner for the outfitters, but I have zero interest in that. He was supposed to introduce me to some people, but I don’t know if I can face him yet. Maybe I’ll just check out early.”

  “Consider it very carefully, Haley.”

  “I will, Yo. I promise.”

  “Good. I truly want you to be happy.”

  “Thank you for always being there for me. I know I’ve been a sucky friend at times.”

  “Only sometimes,” Yolanda laughed. “But you’re you, and I wouldn’t change that. Let me know how it turns out with Reid, okay?”

  “I will. I’ll call again soon. Kiss the baby for me.”

  Haley hung up feeling only marginally better.

  She reminded herself that she’d made the right decision years ago to focus on her career, just as she’d promised herself, but that didn’t mean she’d never experienced any “what if” moments. They still came to her at random times, along with Gram’s warnings about putting her ambition before happiness. Although doubts about her decision had always lingered, she never allowed herself to dwell on them for very long. Until now.

  Maybe Yolanda was partly to blame. It was hard to see her best friend married with a baby while Haley, at almost twenty-eight, had no real prospects of either.

  Yolanda had voiced her own questions. Was it some kind of kismet that had brought Reid back into her life? If so, what did it mean? She’d broken up with Jeffrey because he didn’t want commitment, yet was terrified to take a chance on Reid, who did? She wasn’t ready to examine that too closely just yet. Not at all.

  * * *

  Reid beat himself up pretty good after leaving her last night. By the time he reached his room, he’d known she was right. He’d pushed her too hard, but
he was used to being in control. For eight years, he’d taken the bull by the horns every damn day. Maybe she’d have come around if he hadn’t been so heavy-handed, but damn it all, Haley seemed to balk just for the sake of balking. Now he’d come back with his tail between his legs, ready to apologize.

  He knocked on her door. She didn’t answer. He paced, and then knocked again, louder, drawing the attention of the housekeeper.

  “She’s gone.”

  “Huh?”

  “The little blonde lady. She checked out early this morning.”

  “Checked out? Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. She had her bags.”

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She’d bolted. Where the hell had she gone?

  He deserved the kick she’d given him in the teeth for being such a controlling ass, but he just couldn’t seem to help himself. All of his life he’d attained every goal he’d ever set his eye on. Every single one.

  Except her.

  Reid consoled himself that he finally held one advantage—time. Rather than his enemy, it was finally on his side. She was working here. Circumstances would eventually throw them together again. His gut told him to back off. The next move would have to be hers.

  Chapter 17

  Two Rivers Ranch, Dubois, Wyoming

  “Mornin’, Reid.” Krista glanced up in greeting as he entered the kitchen. He responded with a grunt and headed straight for the coffeepot. After pouring a cup, he snatched up a biscuit, shoving it into his mouth.

  “You don’t have to do that anymore you know.”

  “Do what?” he asked.

  “Eat like it’s gonna be your last meal.”

  He shrugged. “Eight-year-old habits are hard to break.”

  She buttered a biscuit, smeared it with honey, and pushed it toward him. “Sit down and enjoy them.”

  He picked it up and took a big bite. She was right. It was a whole lot more enjoyable to clog up his arteries. She handed him another. “Trying to fatten me up?”

  “No. Just trying to be sisterly,” she replied. “I can’t even tell you how happy I am that you’re back home. I really missed you, Reid.”

  He grinned. “Me too, Sis.” Growing up, Krista was always the tag-along-pain-in-the-ass youngest sister, but he’d missed her a whole lot, too. “Where’s everyone else?” he asked.

  “Mama’s supervising the spring cleaning of the guest cabins and the ol’ man and Jared had some business in Cody.”

  “What kind of business? Did I miss anything important while I was gone?”

  He’d been out on back-to-back bear hunts since the season had begun. Now that spring hunting was winding down, he’d have to switch gears and help ready the horses for summer clients.

  “Yeah. Well, sort of.”

  Her expression alarmed him. “What’s wrong, Krista?”

  “Tonya and I brought in the first group of horses from the winter range yesterday.”

  “And?” he prompted.

  “We’re missing one.”

  “You sure?” Reid replied. “Maybe you should count again.”

  “I’m sure, Reid. I know every single horse out there by name.”

  “Which one didn’t come in?”

  “The old-timer, Buckshot.” Krista blinked and looked away.

  Shit. Reid shook his head.

  “Something’s happened, Reid. He would have come in with the herd. I never should have let him go out on the winter range with the rest of them.”

  It was rare for his tough little sister to get misty-eyed about anything, but it was even hard for Reid not to get a bit emotional over it. It seemed like the gelding had been a member of the family forever. Although he was old as dirt, he was great with kids and still sound for the shorter rides.

  “Then we need to go out and look for him,” he said.

  “I’m worried it was wolves.”

  “What makes you think that? Have you seen any?”

  “No, but we’ve seen plenty of tracks around here over the past few years. They’ve been gradually getting closer to the stock, but this is the first time they’ve actually taken a horse. That’s why Jared and the old man went to Cody. They’re requesting a kill permit from WGF.”

  “That’s certainly jumping the gun. They aren’t going to get anything without proof, and we haven’t even found a carcass.”

  “The ol’ man thinks Jim’ll give it to him anyway.”

  “Then the ol’ man doesn’t realize there’s a new sheriff in town. Jim has to answer to Haley Cooper on this, and I guarantee with my last breath that she’s not going to allow any wolf kills without solid proof of depredation. You’re all jumping to conclusions anyway. He might still be out there. If not, we need to at least find his remains. At that point, we’ll be able to determine what happened.”

  “Why are you so damned quick to take her side on everything?”

  “Her?” he asked. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean Haley,” Krista said. “I heard about what you did at the Outfitters Convention. And while we’re talking about it, you’ve been a real bear ever since you saw her there.”

  “Really? I didn’t realize that.”

  “Yeah. Really. I don’t understand why you’re still so hung up on her.”

  He scowled into his cup. “Back to that again? I thought I told you to stay out of my personal life.”

  “I’m just saying that if it ever happens to me, I hope it’s at least someone I can like.”

  “That’s the thing, Krista.” He rubbed his neck with a sigh. “I do like her. She’s smart and spunky and stands up for her principles. I respect that, even if I don’t agree with her. Ever met someone who completely rubs you the wrong way, but you’re still drawn to them anyhow?”

  “No. Can’t say I ever have. But I don’t think I could ever be attracted to someone who’s against everything I stand for. I generally tend to avoid people like that.”

  “Sometimes we can’t help who we’re attracted to, and when it happens, it’s like a bad case of poison ivy. You know damned well you shouldn’t scratch, that it’ll make the itch a whole lot worse, but you just can’t help yourself.”

  “Sounds real appealing.” Her lips curled. “You should send that one to Hallmark, Reid. ‘I love you like a virulent rash.’”

  He couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Guess I’m no poet.”

  “But it’s off again between you, right?”

  “Yeah. It’s off… For now.”

  Almost two months had gone by, and they still hadn’t crossed paths again. He’d half hoped he’d accidentally run into her, but that hadn’t happened. He’d even bribed Jim Banks with an expensive steak dinner a few weeks ago just to get her phone number, but he hadn’t called her. Not yet. He was determined to stay the course and let her come to him.

  He’d kept tabs on her though. Last he’d heard, she’d set up her home base in Jackson to pursue some independent project on the wolf packs in the Teton Pass. According to his father and brother, they were causing a heap of shit for a big sheep outfit. The last thought brought him back to the present dilemma—wolves and livestock.

  Reid scarfed down another biscuit and then drained his coffee. “C’mon, little sister. Let’s go look for that lost horse.”

  * * *

  Haley had been working out of the Jackson regional WGF office for nearly two months without incident when the first call came in from Jim Banks at the Cody office. “We’ve got a reported livestock depredation,” Jim declared.

  “Really? Where?”

  “A ranch in Dubois. They’re missing a horse and claim it’s a wolf. They’re requesting a kill permit.”

  “Did they locate the carcass?”

  “Not yet.”

  “They came to you for a permit based solely on speculation?” Haley laughed outright. “Over m
y dead body. Have you sent anyone to investigate it yet?”

  “Not yet. Care to do the honors?” Jim asked.

  Haley hesitated. As the senior biologist and primary wolf researcher, she wouldn’t normally be the first to go out on a preliminary investigation, but she was beginning to go a bit stir-crazy sitting in an office all day monitoring collars and writing reports.

  “Actually, Jim, I’d be happy to go. Can you give me any specifics?” Jim rattled off some coordinates that Haley quickly jotted down. “Great. I’ll check the grid and see if any of my monitored packs are in the vicinity. Can you give me the contact info?”

  “It’s Two Rivers Ranch and Outfitters,” he replied.

  “Two Rivers?” she repeated. “Isn’t that the Everetts’ place?”

  “Yes. Jared and Boyd just came to see me about this.”

  “Do they know how long the horse has been missing?”

  “No. They did a range roundup yesterday and this one didn’t come in. He was the old-timer of the herd and getting lame.”

  “Which makes him susceptible,” she remarked. “But we still aren’t issuing any permits without proof. That means a carcass and a necropsy. I’ll check it out and report back with my findings.”

  * * *

  “Good morning, Reid,” Tonya greeted him with a brilliant smile. “Haven’t seen much of you lately.”

  “Nope. Haven’t been around much,” Reid replied, yanking his old roping saddle off the rack. He’d intentionally avoided her ever since Jared’s revelation. Part of him wanted to confront her, but he hadn’t known how to bring it up without creating an ugly scene, so he’d avoided it. Besides, what was the point now? They were done for good, and he still had to work with her. Sometimes it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.

  “I got a big Appy mare here if you’re looking for a challenge,” she offered.

  That caught his attention. “Do you now?”

  “Yup. I brought her over for the roundup. Keith dropped her off a couple of weeks ago, asking me to put some rides on her. He was contacted by this rich German lady who wanted a gen-u-ine Indian horse.”