To Catch a Texas Cowboy (Wishing, Texas Book 2)

by Julie Benson

  “For the record, cowboy, I was the good guy,” she said. “The FBI wouldn’t have had a case without my help.”

  “If you’d told me this morning we could’ve skipped all this.”

  She laughed. The brittle sound swirled around her. “And if I believed that, you’d try to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge.”

  “Now who’s being suspicious?”

  “Let’s say I’m getting tired of law enforcement’s cynical attitude.” One she’d dealt with from the cradle. “Take you, for example. Tonight wasn’t the place for this conversation.”

  His eyes widened as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, and then a lazy grin spread across his face. “You’re right.”

  His quiet honesty stopped her in her tracks. Another admission that he was wrong? No man could be this good at stepping up and taking responsibility. The only other explanation was that the men she knew, including the three in her family, were a different breed. She’d learned early in life when a female confronted the male of the species about a mistake they grew defensive, with anger as the default setting. Anger she could deal with. This reaction put her in uncharted territory.

  “This afternoon, when I found the articles, I mapped out a strategy.” His voice trailed off, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’d call tomorrow, and we’d calmly discuss the issue. Then I saw you tonight, and my tongue started wagging before my brain knew what was happening. What is it about you that makes me lose half my common sense and most of my brain cells?”

  His low sexy voice wrapped around her, and her breath caught in her chest. Her heart pumped blood through her system at an alarming rate, along with a scary surge of feminine need. Excitement for a man, this particular one, heady in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time, left her almost high. Who’d have thought honesty would be such an aphrodisiac?

  Control started slipping away from her. The voice of reason in her head shouted to remain detached, fighting to be heard over her raging hormones.

  This man was so sure of himself. Life was black and white to him, and he said what was on his mind without pretense, and though she hated to admit it, she liked that about him.

  And that made him dangerous.

  Take control. Be smart. Get it together, girl, while you still can.

  Self-preservation and common sense won the battle against her surging female hormones. “Now it’s my turn to ask you a question.”

  “I’ll answer as honestly as I can.” The sincerity in his gaze overwhelmed her.

  No, he can’t be real.

  “What’re you going to do with what you know? When the news broke, and the company I worked for closed its doors, I turned to people I thought were friends for help finding a new job. They ignored my calls. A few of them actually crossed the street when they saw me.”

  “That’s damned cold.”

  To put it mildly. She’d never felt so alone. “Part of why I came to Wishing was for a fresh start. But if everyone here finds out what happened, I might as well head home tomorrow.” Her voice cracked. She could see what would happen. Strangers would stare at her with a look as if to say they didn’t know whether to pity her or guard their valuables. She’d lose her only haven. “People will look at me differently. I’ll have a black mark against my name I can’t erase.”

  Not wanting AJ to see her weakness, her loss of control, she glanced down to compose herself, and her hair fell over her face. She brushed it off her forehead, bumped her cut, and winced in pain as her strength waned.

  His footsteps thunderously loud, he moved closer until his scuffed cowboy boots appeared inches from her pumps. He stood close enough for his earthy scent to tickle her nose. His callused fingers tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. For a minute she thought he might wrap his arms around her. What left her shaking was the fact that she wanted him to.

  “I’ve asked what I needed to, and you’ve answered me,” he said, his voice matter-of-fact. “That’s it.”

  But do you believe me? The question sat perched on Grace’s tongue and she hated herself for thinking it. Six months ago she wouldn’t have cared what anyone except her boss or Cassie thought. For some odd reason she didn’t understand and refused to examine, whether or not AJ believed her mattered. Way more than it should.

  “As to what I know, that’s between you and me. That’s where it’ll stay. You have my word.” His answer, said in a low voice ringing with sincerity she didn’t question, threatened to crumble her dwindling self-control.

  Despite everything they’d said to each other, this man trusted her when many she’d counted on failed to. Without warning, he’d slipped past her defenses, leaving her oddly touched. She bit her lower lip, refusing to let his unexpected kindness and discretion throw her.

  Panicked over her weakening defenses, she said, “Just when I thought you were a complete ass you say something like that. Maybe you’re human after all.”

  He chuckled, the sound rumbling out from deep in his broad chest. “Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt.”

  His slow Texas drawl tinged with humor almost made her smile. Almost, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. Then she noticed the relief mixed with guilt in his gaze. Her heart tripped. Now she was scared. “It was touch and go there for a while.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Was the FBI concerned about your safety?”

  He couldn’t be worried about her. Could he? No one, not her NYPD father, not even Cassie, had asked if she was in any danger because of Derek’s crime. But AJ, who’d known her less than twenty-four hours, very little of which had been amiable, had expressed concern.

  A tiny edge of her heart cracked. Mouth dry, she rocked back on her heels. Warm fingers reached inside her, squeezing her heart, sending blood pounding through her system.

  Damn him.

  She had to stop this. Now. She closed her eyes and envisioned her crushing these warm, fuzzy feelings for AJ under her heel, grinding them into the Texas dirt.

  “No, they were never concerned about my safety.” Or any consequences resulting from her helping them.

  “Good. Now, I don’t know about you, but much longer and I might pass out from hunger.” None of the tension that had lined his face earlier remained. The conflict that filled the air earlier had disappeared as if it never existed. At least, it appeared to on his part.

  She found that hard to believe. Growing up, her house had been filled with conflict. Between her and her older brothers. Between her and her mother. Between her father and everyone, especially her mother. Tension covered the Henry household in an inescapable and elaborate web. And when issues had been dealt with, waters churned below the surface. Ones that threatened to overflow at the slightest disturbance.

  Once she’d broken free and left for college, Grace discovered she valued a drama-free life. She’d also learned most people she came across took more than they added to her life, and weren’t worth the effort.

  If AJ wasn’t Ty’s best friend, she’d slide the good chief of police into that category, and move on without a backward glance, but she couldn’t do that with the upcoming wedding. She refused to risk ruining Cassie’s big day.

  “As long as we declare the ranch and the inn neutral zones, and you keep what you know to yourself, I say we’re fine.” With her anger depleted, her voice sounded emotionally drained in a way she never dreamed existed.

  “Agreed.” He opened the front door, and held it for her. “Now let’s eat.”

  “It’s about time you two got back,” Cassie snapped when AJ and Grace returned. “Have you worked things out?”

  They both nodded dutifully. As they strolled into the dining room and settled around the large oak table, Grace asked, “Where’s Ella tonight?”

  “She’s with Ty’s mom. They’re baking cookies and watching movies.”

  AJ only halfway listened to the conversation swirling around him as they filled their plates with lasagna and salad. Instead he tried to wrap his b
rain around his discussion with Grace. From what she’d said about her interaction with the FBI, no wonder she’d been leery of him calling the police. Once burned, a smart kid became wary of touching the stove again.

  The wounded look in her soft brown eyes had hit him hard as a sucker punch, making him think about the times he’d questioned suspects’ friends or girlfriends. Grace said the agents treated her as if she was guilty and she needed to prove otherwise. Had he treated people harder than he should have? Solving the case, obtaining the evidence to convict someone, had been his top concern. He hadn’t worried if a possible source’s sensibilities got bruised.

  As he handed Cassie his plate for a piece of lasagna, he realized seeing the investigation process from Grace’s perspective left an uneasy feeling gnawing at his insides. If she hadn’t moved away earlier when he reached for her, he’d have taken her in his arms and whispered he’d help however he could. Damn. Why did he keep doing that?

  Part of it was his parents’ fault. They’d taught him if someone needed help he should step up and do what he could. That was how he started rescuing damsels in distress, but the fact he kept gravitating to them now rested squarely on his shoulders. But no more, and not with this woman. Grace had Cassie and Ty to rely on. She wasn’t alone. She’d be fine without his help.

  While they ate, they chatted about the new tours Cassie and Ty offered on the Bar 7. That conversation led into a discussion of how to increase bookings at the inn. As Grace and Cassie brainstormed ideas, Grace impressed him with her sharp business mind. Even though she’d just arrived she’d already started developing a marketing strategy.

  “I was thinking if we’re not completely booked at the beginning of a week, I could send an email to previous guests offering a special last minute weekend getaway rate. Even with fifty dollars off we’d make more than having an empty room. What do you think?”

  “I wish I’d called you the minute we decided to hire a manager. I wasted so many hours reading resumes and interviewing people,” Cassie said. “Everyone I spoke with said ‘tell me what to do and I’ll be glad to do it.’ You already have more vision than everyone I interviewed put together.”

  “That’s because I’ve listened to you talk about the inn, the problems and the ideas you and Ty have for it, since you started running it.”

  “Now I feel guilty for thinking you were only half-listening to me complain how hard it was to run the inn. I take it all back.”

  Grace’s brows furrowed in confusion. “You never said anything nasty.”

  “I didn’t say them to you, but some of them were doozies,” Cassie said as she stood. “I think it’s time for dessert. Grace, come help me.”

  When the women left for the kitchen, AJ turned to Ty, and shook his head. “Except for the topics, their conversations sound so much like ours it’s scary.”

  “I know. It’s a weird out-of-body experience listening to them talk.”

  “But they’re prettier to look at.”

  Ty nodded toward the kitchen. “I’m glad you two worked things out. Cassie wouldn’t have let me hear the end of it if you didn’t. You had me worried, though. You should’ve seen the look on your faces when Cassie and I returned with the wine. You looked like you needed a referee.”

  “I’ve never met a woman so prickly. Most everything I say rubs her the wrong way.” And she possessed the knack for short-circuiting his brain.

  “From the looks of it, the feeling’s mutual.”

  AJ flinched. He and Grace did push each other’s hot buttons. Ty stared at him as if waiting to see what he’d say.

  Before he could comment, the kitchen door opened, and feminine voices floated toward them. “You might have to take Lulabelle back since I’ve got to move out of my house for a while.” As AJ explained about his house’s plumbing problems, Grace and Cassie returned.

  “That has to be grounds to break your lease,” Grace said as she handed him a slice of strawberry pie piled with whip cream. “Why don’t you move?”

  “You’d think as much as I’ve moved, I’d be used to it, but I hate it more each time.” Thunder rumbled outside. Sounded as if the storms Marjorie had warned him about had rolled in. Returning his focus to his goal of searching Jack’s effects, AJ looked between the women at the table. “Who do I need to talk to about staying at the inn?”

  “Since Grace officially hasn’t started yet, it’s me,” Cassie said.

  “Do you have a room for me? Jerry’s turning off the water Monday, and I’d rather give you my money than Howard at the Wishing Motor Lodge.” He scooped up a forkful of pie.

  “We blocked out from now until after the wedding, except for Zane and Cooper,” Cassie said. “You can stay in the Carriage House, if Grace doesn’t mind.”

  While Grace’s expression remained emotionless, almost too much so, she used her fork to spread the whip cream over her pie. “That’s fine.”

  Sure it was. Having grown up with a three women in his house, he recognized fine meant something was anything but. Considering how well the evening had gone once they cleared the air, and how comfortable Grace appeared since then, her reluctance to have him around the inn stung. So much for making up for their rough start.

  Manners dictated he offer her a last out, but what if she took him up on it? He needed to search the inn for Jack’s notes. He’d have to count on her manners declining his polite offer.

  You sure you want to risk it? In the short time you’ve known Grace has she shown any tendency to bite her tongue?

  How could she do otherwise with the three of them staring at her? He waited for the last round of thunder to die down. The storm had intensified. “If it bothers you, I can stay somewhere else.”

  “It’s a big property and more spread out than I expected. In fact, that’s one of the features I plan to emphasize.” Grace flashed AJ a smile as bright as the lightning outside, but he couldn’t help notice her smile failed to light up her eyes and contradicted her still rigid posture. “I imagine with its layout, even if the inn is completely booked, guests aren’t likely to run into each other, except at breakfast. Each area is its own little haven.”

  Message received. With him in the Carriage House and her in the Main House she could easily avoid him. The ding to his male pride turned into a dent. At least what she said wouldn’t derail his plans to search the place.

  “I’ll be there Monday night after—”

  The civil sirens blasted through the night over the raging storm cutting him off.

  “What’s that? Are we under attack?” Despite Grace’s wide-eyed look, she worked to keep her voice light.

  “It’s a tornado warning,” Cassie said.

  “Tornado?” Grace clasped her hands in front of her, as the color drained from her face. “What do we do? We don’t have those in New York. Guess I’m not on the Lower East Side anymore. I hope today isn’t an omen of things to come.”

  The rain pounded against the windows. The wind howled like lonely coyotes as the storm picked up energy.

  “There’s nowhere to go but up,” Cassie joked.

  “With my luck, I’ll go up all right. In a tornado like Miss Gulch in The Wizard of Oz.”

  “That’s better than getting a house dropped on you,” AJ replied.

  “Thanks. I feel much better.”

  “Anything to put the public’s mind at ease,” AJ teased, glad to see her irritation at him erase some of her fear. “You three get somewhere safe. I’m off to warn folks out of the siren’s range. First stop, Mabel Cantor’s place.”

  The first thing Grace did when she woke up the next morning was head outside to check the storm’s damage. Other than a few broken tree branches, leaves everywhere, and overturned patio furniture, they’d come out unscathed. She hoped the rest of the town fared as well.

  What a first day. Rear-ending the chief of police, a lively discussion where she inserted not one, but two feet into her mouth, and a tornado warning. Now that was an eventful day.

&nbs
p; Despite all that, Grace found herself with a renewed purpose, and a hopeful attitude as she returned to the kitchen and scrounged around for the items to make coffee. Determined to look on the bright side, she reasoned at least now she knew what to do in case of a tornado. Last night as they waited out the storm in an empty walk-in closet in a guest room, she and Cassie had discussed where she could ride out a storm at the inn. She learned she should seek an area without windows and outside walls.

  Coffee cup in hand, Grace wandered through the house noting safe places to take shelter before going to her office. Seated at the antique oak desk, she fired up the computer, and searched Chloe’s file to check for an emergency sheet for guests. She located one, but it didn’t include where guests should go if a tornado warning was issued. After updating the information, she worked on the inn’s brochure, but her attention drifted back to AJ.

  When she’d stormed out onto the porch last night to talk to him she’d been sure nothing he said would change her opinion of him as a stubborn, arrogant, typical police officer. Then he’d admitted he was wrong. Again. He’d been reasonable, and she’d been forced to reconsider. A little, at least.

  The other result she hadn’t expected was how talking with him would purge her of the resentment and anger she’d been carrying. This morning she felt as if she’d cleansed her system. She’d failed to realize how the negative emotions had acted like a toxin, festering in her body, making her sick. Bitterness and hopelessness had started changing her into someone she didn’t like.

  All her life she’d worked to control her emotions, trying to keep them from running amok the way they did with the majority of her family, because nothing good came from that. Early on she’d learned when she gave them free rein, the males in her family labeled her overly emotional, or too sensitive. Or they grew angry with her for being upset, as if she lacked the right to. She learned to use calm reasoning and a sarcastic wit instead.

  But all those qualities plus her sanity deserted her when she talked with AJ last night. She’d unleashed a monsoon on him, and instead of retaliating, he’d understood. Talking with him had helped her process what she felt in a way she hadn’t known she’d needed.