The Cougar and the Cowboy

by Gloria Doty

  “The sales have been dropping over the past year…not free-falling but slowly and steadily declining. The staff and I brain-stormed for several months; throwing out ideas, rejecting them, then revisiting the same ideas but with a twist of some kind.”

  She paused for a minute. “Did I mention the audience for the magazine is middle-aged women…anywhere from age forty to ninety or older? So, my staff and I were exhausting our brains trying to come up with something interesting and fresh. We settled on the subject of online dating but with a twist. There would be a series of articles written ‘from the field’ so to speak. Someone would actually become involved in online dating, write of the experiences, good and bad and give the readers tips on how to do it safely and correctly, if there is such a thing. I was the only one on the staff of the correct age, so here I am…Emily Hasbro, online dating expert.”

  “So you’re telling me you had a date with all the men whose names I saw on your desk?”

  “No, not a date with all of them. But I did interact with all of them, either through texts, e-mails, phone conversations or yes, in some cases, an actual date.”

  Collier was silent. Camille didn’t know if he was thinking or if he was angry or disappointed or all of the above.

  “Say something, Collier…anything would be okay at this point. I didn’t sleep with any of them, if that counts as a plus in my favor.”

  “I don’t really know what to say, Camille. I mean, that was a long list of names. I don’t consider myself a jealous person but I cared for you and it seems to me, I was just another one of those names. The only difference was I knew your real name. Does Jace know any of this?”

  She shook her head. “No and he doesn’t need to. He believes my name is Emily Hasbro and I prefer we leave it at that. In a few more months, I’ll go back to St. Louis and be Camille Desmond again and everything will be back to normal…for me and for you. I’m sorry if I hurt you. I never intended to fall for you or anyone else. It just happened.”

  Collier stood and picked up his hat. “I need some time to think through everything you told me tonight, Camille. I’ll come by in the morning and we can talk some more.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out the door.

  “Bye, Cowboy,” she said softly as he left. Wiping a tear from her cheek, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

  “Yes, I need to schedule an early morning flight. Tomorrow. Yes, I realize it’s short notice and will be expensive…I don’t care.”

  ***

  The Branding Iron saw an even bigger crowd on Saturday evening than had attended Friday night. There was a line out the door and spilling onto the sidewalk with standing room only inside. Many of the people there were the same faces as last night but there were plenty of new ones, too.

  Ken grabbed Jace’s arm as he walked by his table and asked, “So tell me, buddy, how are you gonna top this? Got anything in mind for future weekends when Hubie and the band are back in Indiana?”

  Jace shook his head. “Not anything firmed up yet but one of the customers last night told me about a band he and his friends like. They play mostly in Billings but he thought they could be persuaded to come to Bozeman.”

  As he walked away, Jace had what he thought was a brilliant idea…he’d put Ken and his personable ways, in charge of soliciting entertainment. He would offer to pay him of course for his time and trouble but it might serve two purposes: it would give Ken something to do besides sit at the bar and he wouldn’t have to do it himself. Somehow, soliciting performers wasn’t high on the top of his ‘want to do’ list at the moment.

  As the night wore on, he saw Collier come in for a few minutes, look around the room and start to leave again. Jace caught up with him. “Aren’t you staying tonight? I’ll knock someone off a bar stool so you can sit down,” Jace told him, laughing.

  Collier shook his head. “Not tonight.”

  “What’s wrong? And where’s Emily?”

  “That’s what’s wrong, Jace. She’s gone. Disappeared. I showed up at her house this morning to tell her I was sorry about last night and the house is empty. She only brought two bags when she came and they’re both gone.”

  Jace was frowning… “I don’t understand. Where would she go? And why would she go?”

  Collier shrugged. “She told me some things last night after I took her home. I didn’t respond in the best way, for sure. But I was going to tell her this morning that I was sorry and I loved her, even if we haven’t known each other long. As for where she went…I would assume she went back to Missouri. She’s not planning on coming back, though. The only things she bought after she got here were jeans and cowboy boots. She left those at the house with a note asking me to give them to someone.”

  Jace put his hand on Collier’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, friend. I didn’t know you felt that strongly about Emily but obviously, you do. In time, you might decide it’s for the best.” He looked in the direction of Lorna and said, “She left me high and dry once upon a time too, but as I look back on it, I’m glad she did.”

  Collier nodded and left. He would never believe it was for the best. That woman had crawled under his skin and he wouldn’t forget her soon.

  ***

  Missy’s rendition of ‘My Church’ and ‘Earl Had to Die’ and Travis and Hubie’s duo performances brought the people to their feet. The crowd loved every minute of it.

  They never took a break, but Hubie did take the time to announce the next day’s scheduled ‘family friendly’ concert in the park. He introduced the gentleman who hired the band to add Sunday to their schedule and handed him the microphone.

  “Okay, my friends. The concert is at 1pm at Bogert Park. Bring the kids, bring your picnic lunches…heck, bring the dogs…on a leash, of course.” Everyone laughed as he then continued, “Let’s show these great people how we appreciate them with a Montana Sunday, okay?”

  ***

  Jace knew he couldn’t put if off any longer. He asked Lorna to come with him to his office as that was the only space available to have a conversation. Maggie saw them going that way and frowned. As soon as he closed the door, Lorna immediately put her arms around his neck and kissed him with every ounce of passion she could muster.

  He was taken by surprise but recovered quickly. He removed her arms and placed them by her side. “Listen to me, Lorna. I have no idea what brought you back to Montana but you and I both know it wasn’t just to kiss me, okay? What we had when you were here for your week in the wilderness experience was just that…a wilderness experience. We didn’t know each other and still don’t, really.”

  “I’d like to remedy that situation, Jace. We could get to know each other much better if you’d give it a chance.”

  She brought her arms up again but he caught them this time. “No, that isn’t going to happen, Lorna. What we had was a small infatuation…nothing more. And, the minute you found out I had no money, you disappeared. I suspect you thought when you saw the crowds out there, that The Branding Iron was more than successful now but that isn’t true. In fact, a friend loaned me the money to bring that band here to try and raise awareness of this place.”

  She pursed her lips into a pouty little girl face and whined, “But Jace, I do care about you.”

  The door opened and Maggie stuck her head in. “Sorry, Boss but there’s a situation out here I think you need to take care of.”

  Jace left immediately, envisioning a bar fight. Maggie stepped into the room and closed the door behind her when he left, blocking Lorna’s exit. She put her hands on her hips and looked at Lorna. “Now listen and listen good, you money-grubbing bitch. You are never going to get your hooks into that man, do you understand me? He’s a good man and deserves a good woman and that isn’t you. Now I want you out of The Branding Iron in the next ten minutes and if you ever come back, I will kick your ass all the way back to California. Consider yourself lucky I’m only using words right now.” She walked behind Lorna all the way to the front door, escorting he
r out into the night.

  Jace couldn’t find any problem to take care of but he did see Lorna storm out the door. Maggie came back to the bar and smiled at him. “It’s all good, Boss. I just took the trash out.”

  CHAPTER 35

  ON THE FLIGHT Camille had a thousand thoughts running through her head. It made her unbelievably sad to know she would, in all probability, never see Collier again. Her fake phone number and email address would be eliminated and he would not be able to reach her, even if he wanted to…which she was sure he didn’t.

  She would continue writing the articles using the name Emily Hasbro. She had experienced enough different kinds of scam artists, genuine people and just plain wierdos that she should be able to fictionalize most of the columns.

  ‘Why did you ever think this would work in the first place, Camille? You’ve never considered yourself to be an accomplished liar so what possessed you to think you could pull this off? You should have turned around and headed right back home the minute you met Collier and realized he knew who you were. Woulda, shoulda, coulda…the story of your life.’

  ***

  Dani didn’t go back to the bar on Saturday evening, choosing to stay home with her dad and Luke. After the concert in the park on Sunday, the Frasier family really was leaving for Texas and she wanted to spend some time with Luke while Cal and Lucy went to enjoy the band one last time. Luke and her dad had developed a special bond during the weeks he was visiting and she knew Dean would miss him.

  “We are going to the park tomorrow, right?” Luke asked. “I want to hear the band too so I know what Grandpa and Grammy are talking about all the way home,” he confessed.

  “Of course, we’re going, aren’t we, Danielle?”

  She looked at her dad and made a face. “I know what you’re up to, Dad and it isn’t going to work, but yes, we’ll pack a picnic lunch and go to Bogert Park.”

  Dean and Luke gave each other a conspiratorial grin. Dani didn’t know for sure what that was all about but she was certain it had something to do with her and Jace.

  ***

  When Cal and Lucy were dancing, she whispered in his ear, “That woman I said I didn’t know but was putting the moves on Jace…she left in a huff. That’s one down.”

  “What in the world are you talkin’ about, Lucy?”

  “Oh Honey, you’re so unobservant sometimes. The way I have it figured, there’s three or four women wanting to get closer to Jace. The blond who just left…I think we can consider her gone. The one who was with the man named Collier, last night…mmm, I think she kind of liked him too. Then there’s the bartender, Maggie. I like her a lot and she confided in me last night that she’s been after Jace for a few years but strictly on a ‘go to bed’ mission. Then there’s Dani who won’t admit how much she cares for him. I’m praying for Dani. How about you?”

  “I’m still trying to figure out how you surmised all that just by watching people.”

  ***

  Will had a flight back to St. Louis in the morning so he decided to spend some time at the bar he went to the first time he was in town. He was amazed at the crowd. The last time he was there, it was fairly empty. He found a seat at the bar when someone moved.

  The same bartender waited on him. “Hey, good to see you’re back,” she said with a beautiful smile.

  “I’m flattered you remembered me,” he told her.

  “I never forget a handsome face and a good tipper,” she joked.

  “And I never forget a beautiful redhead, either. It’s Maggie, right?”

  “You, sir, have a fantastic memory. What can I get for you tonight?”

  Will ordered and watched her as she moved around the busy bar area. She was good at her job for sure and easy on the eyes, too.

  When she came back to see if he needed a refill, she told him, “Y’know, you left a magazine here. I kept it for a while but then I took it home and read it. It’s still at my place so I’m afraid I can’t give it back.”

  He shrugged. “No problem. I know the editor and owner and occasionally I buy a copy just to see what’s being published for women who are close to my age.”

  Maggie squinted at him. “And that would be about…hmm…forty or forty-five?”

  “You flatter me, Miss Maggie. There would have been fifty candles on my last birthday cake, if I’d had one. A cake, that is.” She chuckled at that.

  “You know, I was thinking my friend might be here in Bozeman. You don’t recall hearing the name, Camille Desmond, do you?” He glanced around the crowded room.

  Shaking her head, Maggie said, “No, I haven’t and I do know a lot of people in Bozeman and surrounding areas. It’s one of the perks or drawbacks of my job, depending on how you look at it.”

  Mitch hurried around the end of the bar, almost colliding with Maggie.

  “What are you doing, Mitch? Somebody chasin’ you?”

  “Oh my gosh, Maggie. Larry was working at the grill when he suddenly said he felt dizzy. If I hadn’t caught him, he would’ve ended up on the floor. His cousin was here tonight and volunteered to take him to the after-hours clinic but we’re gonna have to shut the kitchen down and there’s still a bunch of orders hangin up waitin’ to be made.”

  “Well, crap!” was Maggie’s undignified reply. “I am not a grill cook by any stretch of the imagination. Go ask Jace if he can fill in. Hurry. We don’t want to lose the new customers we just found.”

  Will watched all the commotion and debated if he wanted to get involved. ‘You said you wanted to return to being a good person.’

  “Hey Maggie, if your boss won’t mind a stranger in the kitchen, I could help you out. I was a grill cook in high school and college. I wield a mean spatula. By the way, my name is Will.”

  Before he was done talking, Maggie had him behind the bar and was tying an apron around his waist.

  “At this point, I don’t care if your name is Attila the Hun…you’re hired.”

  When the kitchen closed, Jace thanked Will. “You saved our butts tonight. How can I ever thank you?” He pressed some bills into Will’s hand, which he promptly returned.

  “I can’t take your money. I had a blast. I haven’t had to physically work that hard or that fast for many years. It was great fun. I should be paying you.”

  “If you ever come back through Bozeman, make sure you stop in to see us.”

  Will smiled and handed Maggie his card. Then he looked at Jace. “If you give this beautiful creature a vacation, send her to St. Louis, okay?”

  He grabbed his jacket from the bar stool where he left it and slung it over his shoulder. Then he quickly kissed Maggie and walked out the door.

  ***

  When the evening drew to a close, Cal invited Jace to attend church with them again in the morning. Glancing at his watch, he said, “We can attend late service and then head straight to the park. What do you say? Luke will be looking for you and I think you enjoyed it last week.”

  Jace didn’t want to go. He was whipped after three days of non-stop activity, if you counted the day the band arrived and set up. The thought of seeing Dani again went through his mind and he agreed. “You twisted my arm, Cal. I’ll be there.”

  ***

  Maggie slept in on Sunday morning. She might wander over to the park in the afternoon just to take pictures of the crowd she was certain would show up but this time, she could enjoy the music without having to take orders for drinks. She made herself a cup of tea and lounged around in her pajamas, enjoying the solitude. It took half the night and into the morning before her ears stopped ringing from the crowd last night and before she stopped thinking about that last-minute kiss. She took her tea and a piece of toast to the porch. As she glanced at the pile of mail she had tossed onto a chair for the last two days, she remembered the magazine she ordered from Amazon.

  ‘You might as well read the rest of the information about being a cougar and enjoying the company of a younger man, Maggie. You’re not getting any younger and Jace isn
’t getting any more willing.’

  She turned to the inside cover and table of contents. While scanning the names of articles to find the page number for the dating one, she noticed this issue had the picture of the editor-in-chief along with her name. She looked at it and then looked a second time…unless Emily Hasbro had an identical twin, that was her in the picture but the name was Camille Desmond. ‘What the hell?!’

  CHAPTER 36

  SUNDAY MORNING DAWNED bright and sunny; it was going to be a good day for a concert and picnic in the park. Jace looked at his alarm clock and in his head, he listed all the reasons he did not want to get up and go to church. His leg and hip were causing him pain with every move he made. The extra activities of the past few days and the lack of rest were doing a number on the damaged nerves. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. There were so many thoughts going through his sleepy brain this morning.

  ‘I have to retrieve Emily’s check from the bank but if she’s gone, I can’t return it…guess I’ll just destroy it. I feel bad for Collier. I wasn’t aware he had been that interested in Emily. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when Maggie was talking to Lorna…whew. The weekend was phenomenal…better than I could have hoped for in my wildest dreams. Receipts from the first night were better than a month’s receipts formerly and there were even more people last night. Thank you, Lord and thank you, Cal and Lucy. I guess if I want to say goodbye to them and Luke, I’d better get my butt out of bed and take a shower.’

  Jace arrived at church a few minutes late and slid in the pew next to Dani’s father. It was the only seat left but he wished it had been next to Dani instead. The sermon was about acceptance…acceptance of our fears, our hurts and our circumstances, whatever they might be. Jace realized he had never accepted his injuries although they were the consequences of a lifestyle and occupation that he chose, knowing full well what the dangers were. The longer he listened, the more things he knew he had not totally accepted: his mother leaving, his dad remarrying, his loneliness and the fact he would, in all likelihood, never have the family he craved. It was time to accept all of those things and his responsibility for his life…and God’s forgiveness and acceptance of him…just as he was.