Catching the Cowboy

by Kennedy Fox

  “I’m pretty sure it’s the bearings. They need to be replaced before this thing burns up. We’ll need to look in the supply room and see if we have a few extra.” I pull out my cell phone and take pictures of the model number and type of pump it is. “And we’re gonna have to hurry. This storm’s movin’ in quickly.”

  Grayson unties the horses as thunder rumbles in the distance. After hopping on, we decide to gallop for a while and run into my ranch hands, who are moving the cattle to where we just were. We don’t have time to stop and chat but exchange words in passing.

  “I’ll catch y’all at the B&B for lunch,” I yell, and several of them give me a thumbs-up. The Circle B Bed & Breakfast has been around for decades on the Bishop’s ranch. It’s an old farmhouse Riley’s grandparents converted into a secluded Southern getaway. It’s known for many things: the rooms are named after colors, they serve the best damn food in this part of Texas, and horseback riding lessons are offered. Riley and Rowan’s cousin Maize is the chef now. She uses all of Grandma Bishop’s homemade recipes, and a kitchen staff prepares every meal fresh. John has been in charge of it for years and gets his panties in a knot anytime us ranch workers come in and overstay our welcome. But just thinkin’ about Maize’s buttermilk biscuits makes my mouth water. The B&B’s booked year-round with repeat guests who love visiting the ranch and animals.

  I can’t blame anyone for wanting to return because I’ve been obsessed with this place since I met Riley. During my high school summers, I started at the bottom of the barrel doing grunt work and all the shit assignments. I hoped after years of busting my ass, I’d get promoted, and once Herbert announced his retirement, Alex offered me the job.

  The only thing that would’ve made things better is getting promoted earlier so I could rub it in Fisher’s face. He’s Riley’s cousin who lives in California and worked on the ranch during the summers and busted my balls on a daily basis. He conveniently started dating my ex Gretchen and constantly pissed me off and pushed my buttons. While we had a small rivalry for years, we ended our feud and became friends. After Fisher got married, he took a full-time job in Sacramento and stopped working here. If only he could see me now.

  “What’re you smiling about?” Grayson asks when we climb off the horses.

  “Nothing.” I quickly change the subject. “I’m gonna run to the shop and see if I can find the parts we need. We’ll take the side-by-side so we can get out there quicker if you wanna put the horses up before the storm hits.”

  “Sounds good,” he says, leading them into the barn.

  Running to my truck, I haul ass to the storage building where the spare parts are kept. After digging around, I find an extra pump that’s the same model and quickly disassemble the housing and remove the bearings. I stuff them in my pockets and head back. By the time I meet Grayson, he’s finished and waiting for me. We hop in the side-by-side and take off.

  Less than ten minutes later, the bottom falls out of the sky, and when we finally make it to the pump house, we’re both soaked. Grayson isn’t amused as he parks and follows me inside. I pull some tools from my pocket, turn off the pump, and change the bearings as fast as I can because lightning’s striking too close for comfort. Thunder booms, making us both jump.

  “Hurry the hell up,” Grayson urges, looking out the door as the rain pours down around the little shack we’re standing in. It takes every bit of strength I have to loosen the bolts, and the constant rumbles have my nerves on edge. For us to be out here like this is dangerous, and I can tell Grayson is just as unhinged as I am. The storm seems to have stalled right above us, and we’re already soaked from head to toe, but in this part of Texas, we pray for rain, especially during the brutal summer months. There have been too many years when we’ve suffered droughts, so we never take it for granted. After tightening everything and replacing the casing, I start the pump and thankfully, the loud squealing noise is gone when it comes on.

  “Thank fuck,” I mutter, wiping my greasy hands on my jeans. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”

  We run to the side-by-side and hope we don’t get struck by lightning as we rush to the barn. Though it’s nearly impossible to see the trail, when the building comes into view, I let out a sigh of relief and feel better once we’re inside. Grayson turns off the engine and shakes his head at me.

  “If you wouldn’t have been late this morning, then we would’ve finished earlier.”

  “And if you would’ve told me that shit was rattling like that last week, we wouldn’t have had to do it in the rain.”

  Grayson rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” he mutters, knowing I’m right.

  Lightning cracks in the distance, and we leave. Once we’re inside my truck, I pull out my phone and text Bradley, one of the guys who works for me, to check in with him. Considering it’s pouring, I don’t expect a text back anytime soon, but I hope he and the other ranch hands are being safe. While I’d never admit that Grayson is right, I am actually annoyed I overslept because it really did fuck up our schedule.

  Instead of immediately pulling away and heading to the B&B, I tell Grayson I want to wait a few minutes to see if the guys come back. He doesn’t care because he’s getting paid either way, so he pulls out his cell and scrolls through his phone. After thirty minutes, they ride up on horses and once they’re in the barn, I get a call from Bradley.

  “Hey boss, first herd of cows are moved. What do ya want us to do now?”

  “Thanks. Unsaddle the horses and I’ll call Alex. Don’t want you out there with all that lightning. Meet you at the B&B once y’all are done.”

  “Yes, sir. See you there,” he tells me, and I end the call.

  “See, now that’s what you call respect. He called me sir.” I crank the truck and glance at Grayson.

  He rolls his eyes. “I’m not really into stroking your ego. It’s big enough.”

  On the way there, Grayson does nothing but chat about Maize’s cooking, and it makes me even more hungry. We park on the side of the large house and walk up the steps of the porch. As soon as we enter, John shakes his head when he sees us dripping wet. We should’ve changed clothes, but my stomach is rumbling, and I didn’t want to wait.

  I suck in a deep breath, and the hearty smell fills my nose. I can’t grab a plate fast enough. Grayson and I sit and immediately dig in. I look around, and laugh because there are more ranch hands than guests in the dining area. If Maize comes out and sees us eating up all her food, she’s gonna lose her shit. Honestly, though, she should be used to it by now. It’s been a longtime tradition among the workers, which was started by John, Jackson, and Alex themselves, not to mention it’s Grandma Bishop approved.

  The next morning, I’m up before I get a text from Riley because I’m so damn nervous to be around Rowan. It’s time for us to drive to Houston to help her move all of the shit she’s accumulated while at college back home. The last time she was in town was spring break two months ago, and even then, we both worked, so I didn’t actually see her that much. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited for her to be here permanently.

  I meet him at the B&B, then we hook up the lowboy and get going. It’s a six-hour drive to the campus, and Riley calls Zoey almost every hour to check on her. It’s disgustingly cute.

  After all the boxes are loaded, we immediately drive back. Rowan’s following us, and Riley notices the smug grin on my face. If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under.

  We don’t stop to eat a proper lunch, just some shitty fast food to go because Riley wants to get home before dark.

  “You know this ain’t gonna tame the beast,” I tell him, unwrapping and nearly devouring the burger within three bites. I can barely hear him scolding me for making a mess as I sip my Coke.

  Though we’re not supposed to speed while hauling a trailer, Riley doesn’t follow the rules. He goes as fast as he wants and takes curves like a bat outta hell. Rowan’s boxes are sliding around, and I know if any of them fall off, she’ll kick someon
e’s ass. And for once, it won’t be mine.

  We finally make it back to Eldorado, and Riley nearly flies down the long dirt road that leads to his parents' house. He parks, hops out, and already has a box in his hands by the time Rowan catches up with us and gets out of her car.

  “Seriously? I’m telling Zoey how you were driving.” She throws Riley a glare with a hand on her curvy hip. Soon, the two of them are going back and forth as we carry the boxes. Rowan’s trying her hardest to ignore me, but each time I pass her, our eyes meet.

  After thirty minutes, we’re still unloading. Her shit is heavy, as if she packed the boxes with bricks, so I peek inside one and see a few romance books and souvenirs from her college life. I walk into her bedroom she had when we were kids, and it brings me back in time. The walls are still purple, and some posters of her favorite boy bands are still hung. It’s like a time capsule of Rowan’s teenage years.

  “I plan to have a life, thank you very much,” I hear her say.

  “Yeah, hanging out with me,” I interrupt, hauling in an oversized box and dropping it.

  “Hey! That could’ve been fragile!” She stands and gives me a scowl. She’s so cute when she’s mad.

  “Relax, princess. I looked inside, and it wasn’t.” I flash her a shit-eating grin.

  She pushes her finger into my chest, but I don’t move an inch. “Don’t look through my things, you weirdo!”

  I chuckle as Riley interrupts our moment. “She literally just moved back. Can’t you two be adults and stop antagonizing one another?” he asks, then laughs.

  “Between Diesel and me, there’s only one adult here,” she says, narrowing her eyes at me.

  I press a palm to my chest. “Now that just hurts. You wound me.”

  She rolls her eyes and pushes past me, all worked up.

  “Alright, children. Let’s get this shit done so I can get back to my pregnant wife.” Riley scolds, following her. By the smile on his face, I can tell he’s thinking about Zoey. I take a few minutes to look around her room and remember coming in here when we were kids. Before she gets weirded out that I’m lingering, I leave and pass them as they continue bickering.

  I look at the boxes and see one has clothes written on it in black Sharpie. If she was worried about me looking through her romance books and pictures, this will really get her fired up. Happily, I grab it, walk inside, then set it down.

  “I went through this one too.” I smirk at Riley, knowing he’s going to be annoyed at our banter, but I don’t care. “You have a thing for red thongs, huh?” I tease Rowan.

  “You ever gonna grow up?” she snaps at me.

  Shaking my head, I shoot her a wink and grin. “Never, baby.”

  Rowan heads outside, and we’re on her tail. As she bends over, I stare at her plump ass, imagining her completely naked and in my bed. Riley’s glaring at me, and I can tell he’s getting pissed, but I just can’t help it. For years, he’s warned me how off-limits his sister is, but it hasn’t stopped me from finding ways to antagonize him. They walk past me and continue their conversation, but I’m too busy laughing to care.

  It takes nearly an hour for us to put all of Rowan’s stuff in her room. She gives her brother a hug and me a firm handshake accompanied by a glare.

  I lean down and point at my cheek. “I’ll take a kiss and a thank you.”

  “Will you turn back into a toad if I do?” She playfully slaps my arm, and a jolt of electricity streams through where she touched me.

  “No, sweetheart. I’m already your prince.” I pucker my lips, which only causes her to groan and walk away. I deserve a medal for trying.

  As we climb into the truck, I’m beaming with joy. Once we’re inside, I turn to Riley. “I think she likes me.”

  He snorts. “I think you’re still drunk from last night.”

  “Nope, totally sober,” I say, giving him my mini version of a sobriety test by touching my nose with the tip of my finger.

  “Don’t forget I’ll kick your ass if you fuck with my sister. She’s off-limits,” he warns, being completely serious. Rowan deserves the world, and I wish I could be the one to give it to her.

  I snicker. “What you don’t know won’t hurt ya, Daddy.”

  “Dude! It’s sick when you call me that.”

  When I start the engine, my mood shifts, and Riley notices my frown. I’m trying not to sound like a jealous stalker, but I’m not happy. “I might’ve seen who she was texting earlier.”

  Riley looks at me.

  “You’re not gonna like it.” Hell, I don’t either.

  “Who was it?”

  “Trace. That guy she hung around a couple of years ago.” Just knowing Rowan is chatting with him again makes my stomach turn. He’s old as dirt, at least ten years older than her, and I hated when she hung out with him.

  “That fucking thirty-year-old?” Riley’s livid, and as I recall the memory of when she brought him to the Fourth of July party, it has me seething all over again. At least Riley hates the guy as much as I do.

  “I think he was twenty-seven at the time, so almost, I guess.”

  Riley lets out a growl and grips the steering wheel even tighter as he drives me to my truck that’s parked at the B&B. “What the fuck is he doing texting her?”

  I suck in a deep breath, growing more agitated with every passing minute, but Riley needed to know. She won’t listen to me if I say anything, but she might listen to Riley if he tells her he doesn’t approve of him. “The message said ‘Can’t wait!’ so it sounds like they’re planning to meet up,” I explain, agitated as hell over it.

  “Over my dead body,” Riley hisses. “No good can come from her dating an old fart like him, especially after the last guy cheated on her.”

  The thought of any man using Rowan in the way Nick did has me ready to bust my knuckles against his face. The thought of Rowan being with another man drives me insane, and it’s something I try to ignore, though it’s hard as hell. No one will ever be good enough for her. At times, I don’t think even I can spoil and treat her the way she deserves, but I’d damn sure try.

  He parks next to my Chevy and hops out, still thinking about Trace. “I’m lookin’ quite good now, aren’t I?” I waggle my brows, knowing I’m a better fit for Rowan than Trace or any man in a five hundred mile radius could ever be. “At least you know I wouldn’t cheat on her.”

  With furrowed brows, he tenses. “No, because you don’t date. You just bang ’em and bail. And I’d really hate to kick your sorry ass if you touch my sister. So, don’t even think about it.”

  After I give him a cocky salute, I walk to my truck. Riley honks his horn, grabbing my attention long enough to see him shooting me the bird. He’s more than amused with himself over it too. I expect nothing less from my best friend, an asshole extraordinaire who's determined to protect his little sister.

  Riley Bishop has no idea how much I want and have always wanted Rowan, and I need to figure out how to keep that shit to myself, which may be more challenging than even I realize. Especially now that she’s home, looking so goddamn beautiful, giving me all of her sass and side glances. It’s not the attention I want, but hell, I’ll take anything from her.

  Flirting with Rowan might be a death wish from Riley, but damn, she’s more than worth the risk.

  Chapter Two

  ROWAN

  Graduating from college was a dream come true, and I learned a lot that’ll help with the family bar and ranch. It’s been a week since I moved home, and I’m still trying to get used to it. It’s been weird living back with my parents and staying in the bedroom I had growing up. The walls are the bright purple we painted them when I was thirteen, and all my old posters are still hung, just a tad faded by the sun. I’m temporarily brought back to being a kid without a care in the world.

  While I’ve come home during my breaks to visit and help out, I wasn’t here long enough to want to redecorate. Now that I’m staying with my parents until I get my own place, I might change
it up a bit, make it more stylish. It’d be for no reason, though, because I won’t be bringing a man home with me. My dad would murder him, and not to mention, I’m more single than a dollar bill.

  My parents haven’t enforced a curfew yet because I’m helping at the bar, which closes at two a.m. on the weekends, but it doesn’t mean they haven’t been in my business. While they mean well, I’m ready to have some privacy outside this house.

  Mom knows Nick and I broke up, but I didn’t give her the details about how dirty he did me. Cheating bastard. Just the thought of him has me raging all over again. I suck in a deep breath and exhale slowly, trying to calm down.

  Nick never liked a woman who didn’t know her place. I was always too much sass and dominance for him to handle, so he found a replacement—a woman who’d do whatever he said. The moment I caught them in bed together, it took everything I had not to murder them both. All I remember was walking across the room and pulling the bimbo by her hair before Nick hopped out of bed and rushed toward me. With all my strength, I pushed him, nearly knocking him down on his bare, cheating ass before leaving.

  He immediately apologized, making up some stupid excuse for his mistake, but I told him to go fuck himself. I hate liars. A man who can’t be truthful, especially one I loved and trusted with my whole being, has no business being in my life. I don’t do second chances when it comes to cheating. After graduation, I was more than ready to come home even though I knew Nick was moving back to San Angelo, which is only an hour away. I’m grateful Dad made Riley and Diesel help me because I would’ve had to hire a company. It wouldn’t have been cheap, but I would’ve paid any amount to get the hell away. Over the past four years of being in Houston, I’ve accumulated way too much stuff.

  I look around my bedroom and see boxes stacked against the wall. Each one is marked with what’s inside, but I’m not feeling motivated to unpack. I’ve put up all my clothes and attempted to go through my things, but I can’t bring myself to do it. My heart still hurts from what Nick did a month ago and many pieces of our life together are packed in those boxes. I’d almost rather the memories of him stay there for eternity. While I’d love to forget about him, he’s moving back to San Angelo to help with his family’s business. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to erase his dumbass from my life soon enough because he’s literally forty-five minutes away from me. Running into him is still an unfortunate possibility.