The Cowboy's Lady

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “I’m not that fussy,” she protested, shooting a glance his way. “I can wear…something else.”

  He glanced at the clothes she had on, and she blushed as she fussed with the tie of her blouse. “I don’t always dress up like this.”

  He frowned. “So why did you today?”

  She opened her mouth as if to say something, then gave a shrug.

  Had she dressed up for him?

  He hardly dared believe that and was about to ask her if that was true when the door behind him slammed open.

  “Cody. You gotta come out right now,” Grady called out, breathless. “The cows are all over the yard.”

  Cody’s heart jumped in his chest. Stupid cows and their lousy timing.

  “Sorry. Gotta go,” he muttered in Vivienne’s direction, dropping his hat on his head. He took a few steps backward, though, still looking at her.

  Their eyes met, and in that moment he felt it. That connection of something shared. Something deeper than attraction. He wanted to stay. To talk to her. Maybe even steal another kiss.

  But he had work to do. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  Then he turned and ran out of the kitchen to deal with this new disaster.

  As the door slammed shut behind Cody, Vivienne leaned back against the counter, her hand resting on her chest.

  And wasn’t that a scintillating conversation?

  She shook her head at her own foolish meanderings.

  Yesterday when she’d come back to the Circle C, she felt as if her talk with Arabella had made everything between her and Cody more real and immediate. It made her nervous, excited and wound up. The thought of facing him made her blush and overly self-conscious. So she retreated into her cabin and started planning his birthday dinner as a way of escape. Then she read her Bible and tried to lay everything—her feelings, her future and her plans—in God’s hands.

  This morning, knowing she couldn’t avoid Cody any longer, she’d spent almost an hour picking out her clothes, doing her hair and makeup. All in the hopes of catching Cody’s attention.

  But he took forever to come into the cookhouse, making her think he wouldn’t show up at all.

  When he finally made an appearance, she’d gotten herself into such a frazzle, she couldn’t think.

  She had hoped to thank him for taking her out riding the other day. And from there, she’d hoped to have a simple conversation with him. As she turned back to the mound of dirty dishes needing her attention, her mind wandered back to that kiss she stole, and she blushed again.

  What was she thinking? How could she have been so bold? She blamed her reaction to him on her silly move. He made her feel all giddy and flustered, that was all.

  Her cheeks burned as she thought of the kiss, but behind that came the memory of his finger trailing down her cheek.

  What was happening between them?

  Was she trying too hard to analyze and take apart? Was she trying to stay in control?

  Please, Lord, she prayed, help me, like Arabella said, to just pray for what I need for today.

  And in spite of Arabella’s advice, she added, And help me to know what I should do for the future.

  Chapter Twelve

  “So is this where the cows got out?” Ted asked as he got off his horse, leading it to where Cody and Bryce were working on a gap in the fence.

  “From the tracks in the ground, I’d say yeah. Not even that far from the yard. I can’t believe they didn’t get out sooner.” Cody hammered another staple into the fence post. “Pull that wire tighter,” he told Bryce.

  “Can’t figure why those cows would put that much pressure on a barbed-wire fence,” Ted said.

  Cody shot an annoyed glance at Bryce, who was supposed to be helping him but wasn’t paying attention. “Tighter, Bryce. Reef on that puller, would you?” He restrained his annoyance with the young boy, putting it down to a number of factors.

  His anger when he found the fence cut.

  And his growing confusion with Vivienne. One moment she seemed to ignore him, the next she was kissing him. One minute she was all city girl and perfume and pretty hair, the next she was sitting on a horse and letting him kiss her, then she was taking off and ignoring him.

  Wrapped around her little finger.

  He knew he cared for her more than he dared admit. And he also knew this was a dangerous proposition. In spite of the malice in Bryce’s tone this morning, he was only voicing something Cody knew for himself.

  Vivienne wasn’t here for the long haul. She’d made that pretty clear again and again.

  And yet…

  He glanced over at the cookhouse, where he knew she was busy, getting something ready for supper tonight so she could leave.

  “The cows didn’t pressure the fence,” Cody said, pulling another staple out of the bucket at his feet. “Someone cut it.”

  “Cut the fence? Why would someone do this? And when did this happen?” Ted’s rapid-fire questions resurrected the anger Cody felt when he found the clipped wires. It wasn’t too difficult to see they’d been cut.

  “Last night, far as I can tell from the footprints by the fence,” Cody grunted as he hammered the staple onto the taut wire. He and the men had spent the whole morning rounding up the cows and all afternoon fixing the fences they had ruined in the rodeo that followed. They were doing the last bit of fence close to the main yard and were almost done.

  Cody straightened, easing a kink out of his back. “When the cows got out they didn’t show up on the yard until they got hungry and headed for the bales this morning.”

  “Do you have any idea who did this?” Ted asked, slapping his gloves against his thigh. “Can’t believe someone would cut our fence.”

  Bryce cleared his throat. “Well, if it’s any help, I saw Cade hanging around late last night. I asked him what he was doing. He said nothing. Thought it was weird.”

  Cody shot his hand a puzzled look. “When was this?”

  “Just before I went to bed. Then, this morning the cows were out.”

  Anger surged through Cody, but it was followed by uncertainty. He remembered the night he came back from finding that cow. Cade had been hanging around then, as well. What was he doing then?

  He quashed the uncertainties, reminding himself that Cade may be a son of Charley Clayton, that no-good layabout, but Cody was sure he was a decent kid. Didn’t make sense that he would do something like this. “Where is Cade, by the way?”

  “He went to fill out some forms for going to college,” Ted pushed his hat back on his head, leaning on a fence post. “You don’t need to do this, Cody,” he said. “Let Bryce finish up. You go talk to Vivienne.”

  Cody shot his uncle a puzzled glance, but when he caught his uncle’s eye, he realized what Ted was up to. Ted may be hard of hearing and maybe he was slower getting on and off his horse, but his wits were sharp and his keen eyes didn’t miss much.

  Cody was pretty sure his uncle had an idea of his feelings toward Vivienne.

  “That’s okay. I want to oversee this myself.”

  Trouble was, he didn’t entirely trust Bryce to do the work properly, and the other hands were either checking the herd or riding out, making sure all the cattle were accounted for.

  He picked up his bucket, and as he walked to the next post a movement caught his attention.

  Vivienne had come out of the cookhouse, her purse in one hand, a leather briefcase in the other, a coat over her arm. She still wore her skirt and shirt and fancy high heels.

  Heading off to town again. Just like Tabitha always did.

  She’s not the same. She isn’t. She’s only gone for a few days and she’s coming back.

  So why is she going to town again when she went yesterday? And why is she staying away a couple of days?

  She kissed you this morning.

  And now she’s going.

  A chilly wind blew across the yard and Vivienne slipped the long coat on, then picked her way toward where they were working.
r />   In spite of the chill in the air, a trickle of sweat worked through the grime on his face, on its way down Cody’s temple. His coat was dusty and his blue jeans caked with dirt from working the cattle back into the pasture all morning and fixing fences all afternoon.

  His grubby clothes and dusty face were a complete contrast to Vivienne in her white coat, bright red shoes and shining hair.

  He straightened as she came closer, hoping this time he could keep his reaction to her under control.

  She gave him a dazzling smile, and his stupid heart jumped up against his ribs so hard he was surprised his uncle and Bryce didn’t hear it.

  “Hey there, Cody,” she said, her voice holding that husky tone that sent goose bumps down his spine. “So, is it still okay to take one of the trucks this weekend?”

  He shifted the pail of staples from one hand to the other, overly conscious of how scruffy he looked. “Take my truck. It’s all fueled up and the keys are in the ignition.” He had made sure one of the guys got it ready. Just in case.

  She frowned. “Are you sure? I’m gone a couple of days.”

  He wanted to ask where she was going and why, but fear simmered below his unspoken questions. His feelings for her were changing a lot, but he still harbored doubts and concerns. “It’s okay.”

  She looked past him to the fence he’d been working on. “So you got the cows all back in? How did they get out?”

  “Someone cut the fence.”

  “What? Why would anyone do that?”

  Cody shrugged. “Don’t know. I hope we find whoever did it. Caused me a lot of trouble and time.”

  Uncle Ted cleared his throat and Cody shot him a frown, wondering what he wanted.

  “I want to take Bryce over to the tack shed. I need him to help me fix my saddle.”

  “You should get a new one,” Cody said absently, his attention on Vivienne.

  “I might. I know of a guy north of here who has one for sale. But for now Bryce and I can work on this one.” Ted caught the boy by his arm and led him and his horse away.

  Then Cody and Vivienne were alone. He took a step closer, his doubts fading in her presence. She seemed glad to see him and happy to be around him.

  “Breakfast was really good this morning,” he said quietly. “I really enjoyed it.”

  “Thank you.” She fidgeted with her briefcase as if she wanted to get going.

  “Um, so you make sure you drive safely, okay?”

  “I will.”

  “Where are you going?” The question slipped out before he could stop it. He wasn’t going to ask, but he had to know.

  She pressed her lips together and looked away, as if she didn’t want to tell him, and immediately he was sorry he asked.

  “Actually, I need to go to Denver,” she said. “I have a good friend there…” Her words faded away and her hesitancy raised all the questions he thought he’d dealt with. “I hope that’s okay,” she said, still not looking at him. “I know when I asked for the truck, I never told you where I was going.”

  “None of my business, really,” he said, hoping he sounded more casual than he felt. He wanted to ask why but kept his questions to himself.

  But at the same time, he couldn’t let her leave like this. He let go of his pride and the pail, took a step closer and brushed a kiss over her lips. “Make sure you come back safely,” he murmured.

  Her startled look made him wonder if he had done the right thing or if he had said too much. But in spite of his confusion, he needed her to know that he wanted her to come back. That he’d be waiting.

  She gave him a tentative smile, then walked away without another word. Just before she got into the truck, she turned and waved at him.

  Then she drove away.

  Cody waited until she was out of the driveway, fighting down an eerie sense of déjà vu. The day Tabitha died, he watched her drive away, as well.

  It’s not the same, he told himself. Vivienne wasn’t leaving. She was just going on a short trip.

  Please, Lord, watch over her, Cody prayed, as the truck made the last turn in the bend. Please bring her back.

  It was all he could do.

  Because deep in his heart, he knew what he felt for Vivienne was different than what he ever felt for Tabitha. His feelings for Vivienne were deeper, more profound. They fit together in a way he never felt with Tabitha.

  And Vivienne had the potential to hurt him more deeply than Tabitha ever did.

  “Whatcha got cookin’?” Bryce strolled into the kitchen, his hands in the pockets of his down jacket. “Smells good.”

  Vivienne looked up from the soup she was stirring, frowning at the young man. “What can I do for you?” she asked, putting the lid back on the pot with a clang. She had been back from her trip to Denver a few hours already but hadn’t seen Cody yet. Though she was disappointed, his absence was a good thing because she could work on Cody’s surprise birthday dinner.

  “Just thought I’d let you know I gave Cody your message when you called the other day from Denver.”

  “Why are you telling me this now? I gave you that message a couple of days ago.”

  Vivienne had planned on coming back to the ranch Sunday but her girlfriend had a medical emergency and no vehicle, so Vivienne brought her to the hospital. Then she stayed an extra day just to make sure she was okay. She had called the ranch to ask if she could have the truck another day, but Bryce answered the phone. So she asked him to pass the message on to Cody.

  “Just thought I’d let you know.”

  “Okay. Thank you,” Vivienne said, distracted by all the work she had to do yet. She knew she had cut things close by coming home today, but she still had time.

  Bryce shifted closer to her, then lowered his voice. “Thought you should know somethin’ else,” he said quietly. “You know that cut fence from the other night? When the cows got out? Know what we found there?”

  “I have no idea,” she said, giving the soup another stir, adding a smidgen of salt.

  “Boot prints. Just like yours.”

  The insinuation sent a shiver of dread through her. She lowered her knife, staring at Bryce. “What are you saying?”

  Bryce gave an exaggerated shrug, followed by a smirk. “I’m saying Cody thinks you were hanging around that fence that night it got cut. Funny thing, huh?” His smirk grew and he shot a glance past her to where Bonnie was working. “Hey, Bonnie. You’re looking good.”

  Bonnie blushed and Vivienne’s heart grew cold. She wanted to leave, get away from this little weasel. He couldn’t be telling the truth, could he? But she left the day Cody was fixing the fence and she hadn’t talked to him since.

  Bryce angled his chin toward the china sitting out on the butcher-block counter. “You want me to help you set the table?”

  “No, thank you. Bonnie and I will do that.” She put the lid back on the pot and wiped her hands on her apron, glancing over at Bonnie, who was looking Bryce’s way. “Bonnie, let’s go.”

  She handed Cody’s little sister a stack of plates, took some dishes and cutlery out and headed out of the kitchen, determined to get away from Bryce and his nasty insinuations.

  Ted was in the dining room when they came out.

  “When are we eating?” he asked.

  “In an hour.” Vivienne wiped her hands on her apron, glancing around. “Is Cody back yet?”

  “Still gone, which don’t make sense. He said he would pick up your car and come right back.” He gave a shrug. “Maybe he had something else to do. But meantime, I’m gonna grab me a cookie.”

  Vivienne just shook her head. Ted had a terrible sweet tooth. She knew it would be more than a cookie he was helping himself to in the kitchen. As long as he stayed away from the desserts…

  An hour later, candles flickered on every table, all covered with cloths that Vivienne had scrounged together. The places were all set, and everyone she had asked to come was waiting, but Cody still wasn’t back from town.

  Vivienne hov
ered, darting between the dining room, looking out the window to see if Cody was coming, then back to her slowly deteriorating birthday dinner.

  Bryce came into the kitchen once to check on the progress of the food and announce that he was really hungry. One time Cade was sent in to check on things, as well.

  An hour later, the soup was shrinking, the salads were getting soggy, the potatoes were drying out and the people waiting for their dinner were starting to grumble. Cody still hadn’t made an appearance or even phoned.

  Vivienne stilled her own nervousness. She had tried a number of times to call his cell phone but was sent directly to his voice mail.

  “I’m starving,” Dover said, pressing his hand to his stomach when she came back into the dining room. “Can we eat now?”

  Vivienne bit her lip, thinking. Sure it was supposed to be Cody’s special dinner, but the meal was getting ruined the longer she waited.

  She glanced at Bonnie, who simply shrugged, then Vivienne made a decision. “I guess we’ll eat,” she said, disappointment lacing her voice.

  Vivienne started with the soup and then served the rest of the meal. Instead of sitting down, as she had figured she would, she brought the food out and cleared the plates, unable to eat, wondering where Cody was. Half an hour later, dessert was done and everyone was sitting around, complimenting her on the food, all complaining they had eaten too much.

  “That soup had a unique flavor,” Grady’s wife said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “I’d love to get the recipe.”

  “Good luck with that,” Bryce said with a laugh, then he coughed. “Though Cade might have an idea ’bout it.”

  Vivienne ignored his silly ramblings. “I can get you the recipe, no problem.”

  She got a few more compliments, which made her feel better, but as she cleaned up, disappointment dogged her every move. She had worked so hard to make Cody’s birthday meal special, and he hadn’t even been present.

  Two hours later the stove gleamed, the countertops shone, the dishes were all put away and the only remnants of the meal was a bowl of soup and a plate of food she had saved for Cody to heat up in the microwave. She hadn’t eaten a bite herself, blaming her lack of appetite on nerves.