Dearest Cowboys Box Set

by Mia Brown

  “You’re going to do so well with this. You’re already good at this, so it should be fun to see how well you do with a bit of training behind you too. I’m happy for you.”

  “Thank you. I’m pretty happy for me, too. So, enough about me, tell me about the date last night.”

  I made a face. I would have much rather talked about cake than about the date. “Uh…I might have told him that I wasn’t feeling well and we left before I had even finished my burger.”

  “Oh no. That bad?”

  I sighed. “Yeah, I really wasn’t feeling it. He’s okay, but he’s not my type. He kept going on and on about how beautiful I was and how he had never noticed it before. And how I look so much better now that I’m making an effort. Sure, it might be the truth, but he doesn’t have to keep reminding me how ugly I am without makeup. Nobody really wants to hear that.”

  “You’re not!” Nicole said. “You’re gorgeous with or without makeup. Did he really say that?”

  “He implied it many, many times. He also seemed very put out by the fact that I wouldn’t sleep with him. He figured he was getting lucky that night.”

  “Gross.” She made a face.

  “Very gross. Not the sort of thing I expect from a third date. I know I’m not the most experienced dater in the world, but a bit of romance would be nice.”

  “So, did you break up with him?”

  I sighed. “No. I wish I had, but I never got the chance, really. As we were walking out of the pub, I saw Houston, and after that, the only thing I wanted to do was to go home and be alone. I felt depressed all over again.”

  “Houston? Ah, shit. Did you talk to him?”

  “Nope. He saw me, though. Then he abruptly turned around and walked off. So yeah, that was fun.”

  “Seriously? That’s rude,” she said.

  “Tell me about it. I don’t know what I ever did to him. We had such a nice conversation that day at my place, and then we slept together, and after that, he went all weird on me. Who knows. I’m seriously sick of trying to figure him out.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I need to move on. Although not with Tad. That is definitely not moving on. Anyway, I’m going to have to find a way to break the news to him now. I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday. Oh no. Uh…he just walked in. Tell me there’s a door behind me that I can quickly escape to?”

  I turned around and groaned. The only door was the one that he had just walked in, so the only way I could get out was to walk right by him. I just had to hope that he wouldn’t see me sitting there. Of course, that was not what happened. As fate would have it, he turned to look right at me, a big grin forming on his face.

  “Cassidy! This is a surprise. Hi, Nicole, nice to see you,” he said to my sister. He bent down and popped a kiss onto my cheek. Then he looked at the spread in front of us and grinned. “Cake for breakfast? I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better. So, how about I come over tonight? We can watch a movie or something?”

  “Uh, well, I…”

  “Great, I’ll be there,” he said, before I had even finished. “I have to rush off. See you later. I’m looking forward to it.” He grabbed his takeout coffee and headed out the door.

  I groaned.

  “Oh, I bet he’s looking forward to tonight. I like the way he just planned to have the date at your house tonight. You know what he’s hoping will happen, don’t you?” she said.

  I sighed. “Yeah, I know. But it’s not going to happen.”

  “I’m glad, actually. There’s something off about that guy,” she said.

  “Seriously? Now you tell me?”

  She held up her hands in protest. “Hey, don’t blame me. He’s the one who targeted you first. Come on, have some cake, you’ll feel better.”

  The evening came along far too quickly, and when Tad walked in, I wished that I had called him to tell him not to come. Breaking up with him over the phone seemed too rude though, and I wanted the opportunity to tell him face-to-face. I regretted that decision the moment I saw the eagerness on his face as he stepped into the house. He held up a bottle of wine and a bag of popcorn.

  “I’ve come prepared,” he said. Then he looked around. “Wow, nice place.”

  “Uh, thank you. So, how are you?” I cringed. Why did I sound so formal? “Coffee?”

  He frowned. “Don’t you mean wine?” he asked, and held up the bottle. “You take a seat; I’ll get some glasses.”

  “Oh, well, okay, the kitchen is that way. Glasses are…”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll find them,” he said.

  I sat in the living room, wondering how I was always getting myself into these awkward situations. I had already messed up so much with Houston by not talking about my feelings, and now I was doing it all again. I should’ve called Tad, or broken up with him on the date. This was going to be so much harder now.

  I heard him banging away in the kitchen, and I wondered what on earth he was doing in there. I realized that I didn’t like the feeling of him in my house. It didn’t feel natural to me. If I were to live on gut feeling alone, then I would most definitely know that he was not the one for me.

  “Sorry about the wait,” he said as he walked in with a flourish. He had a bowl of popcorn and two glasses of wine with him on a tray that I didn’t even know I had. He put it all down and sat next to me with a smile.

  “Thank you,” I said. “I won’t have too much wine, though. Still not feeling great,” I said. Why was I delaying things? Why was I lying again?

  He laughed. “Nah, you’re fine. You had that cake this morning. You must be all better. Anyway, wine always makes me feel better. So, did you have a good day?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, it was nice. A day is always good when it starts off with coffee with my sister.”

  He smiled. “She’s quite the looker, too. I didn’t realize that the Thomas family was so beautiful. So, if it doesn’t work out with you, then I know where to go.”

  “Seriously?” Was I just suddenly really seeing the true Tad? He hadn’t been like this when I had first met him, but lately all I saw were his bad sides.

  He chuckled. “I’m just kidding. You should know I only have eyes for you.” His hand went to my leg then, and I jumped.

  He frowned. “Why are you being such a prude?”

  “A prude? Tad, listen, we need to talk.”

  He groaned. “When a woman says she wants to talk, you know it’s going to be something bad,” he said.

  “I don’t think that things are working out between us.”

  “Oh come on, what are you talking about? I thought we got along well.”

  “We do,” I lied. “And I’ve had a good time. But the two of us are not compatible, and I don’t want to string you along. I would rather you find someone else. You’re a nice guy, and you deserve someone else.”

  “So, you’re breaking up with me?”

  “Well, we’re not really going out in the first place. I mean, we just went on a few dates,” I pointed out. “I just don’t feel like there’s any connection between us.”

  “So why go on those dates in the first place? Were you just trying to be a tease or something?”

  “No, I was not trying to be a tease. I was trying to see if you and I had a connection. The only way we could figure that out was to go on a date. But there’s nothing there, and I really don’t appreciate the way you are talking to me.”

  “A connection, huh? Well, how do you know there’s nothing there? Why don’t we sleep together and see?” he asked.

  “I’m trying to tell you that things aren’t working out and you’re trying to get me into bed? Is this seriously happening?” I asked. I couldn’t believe it. “I take back what I said about you being a nice guy. I can’t believe this. I think you should leave.”

  “You’re such a tease. Why did you think I was coming over here? Did you really think I wanted to watch a movie with you? Come on, you knew I wanted to come here for sex, and
you obviously wanted it, too. What’s going on? Are you hormonal or something?”

  “Get out,” I said as calmly as possible.

  “You know, at one stage, the whole town was talking about you. We all know you slept with Houston and that you were so drunk at that wedding. You’ve got quite the reputation at the moment.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.

  He grinned. “I notice that you didn’t deny that you slept with him. Oh, Cassidy, you should be so thankful that I was even willing to be with you after all that drama.”

  “Thankful? You think I should be thankful to you?”

  “Yes, I do,” he said. “So come on. Be a darling and take off that dress.”

  “Not going to happen. And if you don’t get out of this house right now I will scream.”

  “You’re crazy,” he said to me, but I was glad to see that he seemed like he wasn’t going to try and force the matter.

  “Oh, you haven’t seen crazy yet.”

  At that moment there was a knock on the door, and we both jumped up in fright. I had no idea who was visiting me at this time of the night, but I was more than happy for the intrusion. I didn’t think that Tad would actually do anything to me, but I couldn’t be certain. I wanted him out of there, and at least this was my opportunity to make sure it happened. I stormed to the door and opened it. Then I stopped, my heart pounding in my chest when I realized who it was.

  “Houston?”

  Thirty-Two

  Houston

  My talk with Brad had bolstered me. I’d almost gone straight to Cassidy’s that night, but after the whiskey and the very long walk back home, it was too late. I figured I would lose my nerve the next day, but I woke up even more determined to see her. I knocked on her door that morning, but she was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t want to camp out all day in her driveway, so I left and returned that evening.

  Unfortunately, the moment I arrived, I saw another car there, and I figured it belonged to Tad. She was on yet another date, and it was probably not the best time for me to see her. But if I walked away, I was sure that I would not attempt to come back again. It was now or never. If she didn’t want to talk to me, then at least I would know that my chance with her was gone.

  Brad had been right, though; I needed to at least know if there was a chance of us ever being together. Tad would probably hate me for this, but if Cassidy ended up choosing him over me, then he would be happy and I would be the one left looking like a fool. Either way, someone was about to get hurt. I just hoped it wasn’t me. I inhaled deeply and knocked.

  Cassidy opened the door quickly, and when she did, she looked completely overwhelmed. I noticed Tad sitting on the sofa and two glasses of wine on the table. He was pink in the face, so either he was very unhappy to see me, or else I had walked in on an argument.

  “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you like this,” I said.

  “You aren’t bothering me,” Cassidy said. Something in her tone made it sound like she was actually happy to see me. “Come in. Uh, Houston, this is Tad. Tad, this is Houston.”

  “Hi, Tad,” I said awkwardly.

  “I know who he is,” Tad said. “He’s your ex-husband,” he said, and then laughed. “What’s going on? Miss your old wife over here?”

  I looked at Tad and then back at Cassidy. I hadn’t expected him to be so rude.

  “Charming,” I said to her.

  She chuckled, which surprised me. “Delightful,” she said back, and I arched my eyebrows. If she didn’t like the guy, then why was she with him?

  “What are you both saying?” Tad said. “Houston, I hope you don’t mind, but the two of us are on a date, and we don’t appreciate you barging in like this and interrupting us. It’s rude of you to be here, and a very strange time for you to suddenly pop in to say hello.”

  “No, you were about to leave, remember?” Cassidy said. She turned back to look at me. “He’s leaving.”

  Tad stood up then. “No, I’m not.”

  “Uh, what’s going on? Are you okay?” I asked Cassidy.

  “She’s fine,” Tad answered for her.

  “Tad, come on, I’ve had enough of this. I was kind enough to tell you to your face, but I really think that you should go now,” Cassidy said.

  Tad groaned. “No wonder you divorced her. I had no idea that our dates would be so dreadfully boring. I thought she would be a lot more fun than this. I heard that the two of you had a lot of fun at that wedding you went to. Even sharing a bedroom together. I’m not stupid. I know what goes on at a wedding when you’re sharing a room with someone.

  But little Cassidy here is being all shy with me. How long did it take you to get her into bed, because it sure is taking me a whole lot longer than I would like. Although maybe if you didn’t arrive like this, I might’ve actually gotten somewhere with her.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stared at Tad, almost expecting him to laugh and tell me that he was joking. It became clear quite quickly that he was not. I looked at Cassidy, who was standing there open-mouthed and speechless.

  “How dare you speak to her like that! I want you to apologize right this instant, and then I want you to get the hell out of here,” I said.

  Tad laughed. “I’m not going to apologize, and I don’t know why you are even here or why you are angry. You don’t have any claim over Cassidy. That marriage was fake, remember? You weren’t her real husband. I’m her real boyfriend.”

  “You’re not my boyfriend,” Cassidy said. “I already told you that things didn’t work out between us.”

  “Oh, come on, Cass. You didn’t mean that. You’re just acting up now because Houston is here. You were just joking. The two of us were getting along fine.”

  “You heard what she said,” I said as calmly as possible. I did not feel calm at all, though. I felt a rage inside me that I hadn’t ever felt before, but I was trying hard not to show it before I did something I regretted. I knew from experience that getting mad was not the solution. One of my strengths had always been that I managed to keep calm in tense situations, and I was going to have to use all my strength to keep that up now.

  “Yes I did, but did you hear what I said?” he asked.

  I decided to do my best to keep things civil, and because of that, Tad got the impression that I was just joking around. He suddenly seemed to see me as one of the boys, as if it was us against Cassidy. The guy was a complete joke, and I was glad to hear that Cassidy wasn’t sticking up for him. In fact, if I had read the signs correctly, it sounded a bit like she had been trying to get him out the house when I arrived.

  I shuddered to think what would’ve happened if I hadn’t arrived. Fake marriage or not, I still felt highly protective of her. I noticed that she was now sitting on the sofa with tears in her eyes, and the very sight of her so upset just made me want to get rid of this guy even more. I reminded myself to stay calm before I stated, in a very pleasant and somewhat joking tone to not rile him, that he should probably apologize and just leave.

  “What should I apologize for? Shouldn’t she be the one saying sorry to me? She’s the one that lured me in with her promises.”

  “I didn’t promise you anything, Tad,” Cassidy cried out. “Why are you being like this?” She seemed surprised, and I had a feeling that dear old Tad here had been acting nice to her up until he realized that he wasn’t going to get anywhere with her. The whole thing infuriated me.

  “You give guys a bad name,” I said to him.

  “Are you really standing here telling me that I’m the one who gives guys a bad name? Me? Uh, I’m not the one who pretended to be married to a girl just so I could sleep with her.”

  “We all know that’s not what happened,” I said as calmly as possible, but I could feel my nerves begin to fray. I was having a hard time keeping it together.

  “Oh, my apologies, you just strung her along and pretended to like her. Yes, of course, you’re right. That is so much better. You messed w
ith this girl’s head, and you don’t even like her. You had to get drunk just to sleep with her.”

  I stepped forward. He was taking this too far. I knew there was a reason why I didn’t like this guy. He had obviously been hiding this wonderful part of his personality all this time, but it was there all along just waiting to come out. I had a feeling this was the first time that Cassidy was seeing it, too. She wouldn’t have agreed to date a guy that was like this. I was just glad that she hadn’t slept with him yet. Thank goodness for small favors.

  “I think you better watch your mouth,” I said to him.

  “Why? You afraid that she’ll hear the truth? That you never liked her? Honestly, I don’t think it matters. She knows that she’s a farm girl, it’s what she is and what she always has been. I was just hoping she’d give it up easily, but clearly, she has to be drunk to do that first. You can put lipstick and a nice dress on a pig, but at the end of the day it’s still a pig.”

  “Excuse me?” I said.

  This was it. I could no longer control myself anymore. I knew without a doubt that if Tad didn’t run out that door now then there would be trouble. Apparently, he was finding the whole situation very amusing though, and he was chuckling at what he said. He didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.

  I stepped forward, and before I knew what was happening, I had punched him in the nose at full force. I barely remembered doing it. All I knew is that one minute I was standing in front of him talking, and the next minute my fist was making contact with his face. It hurt like hell, but it felt good at the same time. I would feel that pain over and over again if it meant getting to hit him.

  “Jerk,” I said.

  Tad jolted back in surprise and then lunged at me, hitting me square in the chest. I was bigger than him and definitely angrier, so it didn’t take long for me to regain control of the situation. I punched him again and he flew across the room, landing square in the middle of Cassidy’s glass coffee table. The table shattered, with wine and popcorn falling to the floor. The wine looked like blood, and I sure hoped that some of it was mingled with his. Tad wasn’t about to give up, though. It took him some time, but he managed to get up. He found a chair and threw it at me, but I ducked so that it hit the wall instead.