No Ordinary Cowboy (Mills & Boon American Romance) (Rodeo Rebels - Book 6)

by Marin Thomas

  “Saving our only child from making a huge mistake,” her mother said.

  “After what I did, how can you—”

  “Lucinda.” Cal Durango stepped forward and reached for his daughter’s hands. “Tony’s right. If we could all go back to the night Michael died, each one of us would make different choices.” He stared at Tony, his mouth turned down in regret. “Tony would have stayed until Michael had finished his last drink and driven him home.” Next he moved his gaze to Lucy. “You would have agreed to pick Michael up at the bar when he called you.” His gaze dropped to the ground for several seconds and then he said, “And I would have answered my cell phone when it rang at two in the morning.”

  “Michael called you?” Tony asked.

  Durango nodded. “When I checked my phone the next day, I had a missed call from him.”

  Sonja Durango sniffed. “I’m the one who told your father to ignore the call and go back to sleep.”

  “We all have regrets, Lucy. Me, the most.” Her father cleared his throat. “I haven’t done a very good job showing my love for you. I’m sorry for that. But please believe me when I say that I am very proud to have you for a daughter.”

  Lucy flung her arms around her father’s neck and sobbed. Durango reached out to his wife, and her mother joined in their hug. After a long while Lucy pulled free and faced Tony. “I never stopped loving you, either.”

  “What do you mean, never stopped? How long have you two been carrying on behind my back?” Durango asked.

  “I’ll explain later, Dad,” Lucy said.

  Tony pulled Lucy into his arms and crushed her mouth beneath his. The kiss was slow and sweet and he didn’t give a damn if Cal Durango watched. When they broke apart he spoke to Lucy’s father. “Sir, may I have your permission to marry your daughter?”

  “Not if you’re going to move away and raise my grandchildren in California.”

  “We’re staying right here in Stagecoach where we both belong,” Tony said.

  “Then you have my blessing.” Durango pulled his wife close. “Michael would approve of his best friend marrying his sister, don’t you think?”

  Sonja Durango nodded. “I bet Michael’s smiling down on all of us right now.”

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the loud speakers as he introduced Lucy and spoke about the Pony Express.

  “You’re not riding, daughter.”

  For once Tony appreciated Durango’s stubbornness.

  “Listen to your father, Lucy. I couldn’t bear for you to get injured.” Sonja hugged her daughter.

  Lucy looked at Tony. “You don’t want me to ride, either.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t, but I’ll support you either way.”

  “I have to finish what I started,” Lucy said.

  “Sorry, no can do.” Shannon strolled up to the chute, wearing her bull-riding gear. She flashed a brazen smile at Lucy then climbed the rails and straddled Cruise Control as the announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers.

  “Folks, we’ve got a change in plans this afternoon. It appears that Lucy Durango broke her wrist in the Cibola Rodeo last weekend. Riding in Lucy’s place today is none other than Stagecoach native Shannon Douglas.”

  The fans cheered and the announcer continued. “You folks know Lucy’s been riding bulls to raise money for the Pony Express in honor of her brother, Michael, who died right after he’d moved into the top spot in the rankings two years ago. Wrangler would like to honor Michael’s bull-riding career today by matching the pledges Lucy has collected in her prior two rodeos, and if Shannon makes it to eight on Cruise Control, Wrangler will become a permanent sponsor of the Pony Express.”

  Lucy climbed the chute rails. “Are you sure about this, Shannon?”

  “Don’t worry, Lucy. I’ll make it to eight and your money worries will be over.”

  Lucy grinned. “Cowboy-up, girl!”

  Lucy, Tony and her parents moved closer to get a better view of the action. Shannon went through her pre-ride routine, then nodded to the gate man and Cruise Control leaped into the arena. The bull put Shannon through her paces, but her athletic ability held up against him and fans rose to their feet as the seconds ticked off the clock. When the buzzer sounded, an explosive noise rippled through the arena. Shannon launched herself into the air then scrambled to her feet and ran for the rails.

  “Folks, Shannon Douglas made it to eight on Cruise Control!”

  Tony swept Lucy into his arms and twirled her. Thanks to Shannon, and Wrangler’s generosity, the Pony Express would live to see another day. “From now on, I think you should stick to raising little bull riders instead of competing yourself.”

  “We’ll name our first son Michael, after his uncle,” Lucy said.

  Cal Durango cleared his throat. “I’ll make sure my grandson has the best equipment and coaches around.”

  “Cal, the baby hasn’t even been born yet.” Lucy’s mother smiled.

  “You two better get to work on that.” Durango sent Tony a meaningful stare.

  “Not before they’re married, Cal!”

  “Don’t be a prude, Sonja. You were two weeks pregnant with Michael when we got married.”

  Sonja gasped, and Lucy’s father led her away. Left alone, Tony pulled Lucy close. “Living with your father won’t be easy, but living without you would be impossible. I love you, Lucy.”

  “I love you, too, Tony.”

  Epilogue

  Lucy stood at her open bedroom window on a Thursday morning and watched the sun rise in the east. The swath of pink-and-purple light across the horizon reflected the warmth filling her heart. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh, cool desert air. “Are you here, Michael?” she whispered.

  The lace curtain fluttered then one panel flew into the air, hitting Lucy’s face. She swatted the linen away and laughed. “You always were a big tease.”

  The bedroom door opened and her mother waltzed in, carrying Lucy’s wedding gown. “Honestly, I don’t understand why you couldn’t get married on a Saturday like normal couples.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom, this is going to be a beautiful wedding and a beautiful day.” Lucy hugged her mother then escaped to the bathroom to shower. Her parents, especially her father, had come a long way in accepting a marriage between her and Tony, although they didn’t understand Lucy’s desire to honor a Mexican tradition.

  When Lucy learned about the holiday El Dia de los Muertos—The Day of the Dead—she chose the holiday to include Tony’s father and Michael in their wedding day. According to Tony’s mother, the souls of the dead returned each year to visit their relatives from October thirty-first to November second.

  When Lucy broached the subject with her parents, they’d balked at first but relented when she’d told them that the greatest gift they could give her and Tony was Michael’s presence at their wedding. The Day of the Dead was a celebration, and that’s what she wanted for her special day and for Michael’s memory.

  Twenty minutes later Lucy emerged from the bathroom in her robe. Her mother was sitting on the end of the bed holding the stuffed teddy bear Michael had given Lucy for Christmas when she was eight years old.

  “Lucy,” her mother whispered, “I think Michael’s here.”

  “I know. I felt him earlier.” She joined her mother on the bed and held her hand.

  “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”

  “I’ve loved Tony for a long time. He’s the man I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with.”

  “You know, when you were a little girl I used to imagine planning your wedding.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes, and I can tell you right now that I did not have a cake with a skull and crossbones on it.”

  Lucy laughed and hugged her mother. “
You’re a good sport, Mom.”

  “I believe it’s a tradition for the mother of the bride to impart some words of wisdom to her daughter.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “One day you’ll be a mother.” Tears shone in her eyes. “And the best advice I can give you, sweetheart, is to love your children with every breath you take, because you don’t know how long they’ll be with you.”

  Lucy’s eyes burned, and she squeezed her mother’s hand.

  “Discipline your children and expect a lot from them but never let a day go by that you don’t tell them how much you love them.” She caressed Lucy’s cheek. “I love you, sweetheart. Know that I’ll always be here for you, your husband and your children.”

  “I love you, too, Mom.”

  A knock at the door interrupted them.

  “Come in,” Lucy said.

  Her father poked his head around the door. “Where’s Tony supposed to put the bucking machine?”

  “Behind the barn,” Lucy’s mother said. “I had Pete set up a table for Michael’s things.”

  According to Maria, the family was supposed to gather and display favorite foods and belongings of the deceased. Tony wanted the bucking machine brought back to the ranch in Michael’s honor, and Lucy’s father hadn’t protested. Her mother had baked a peach cobbler—Michael’s favorite dessert—and Lucy had added Michael’s lucky boots, his black Stetson, his bull rope, the photograph of him riding Chicken on a Chain and Maddie’s princess water bowl to the collection of memorabilia honoring his life.

  Her father pointed at his watch. “There’s a lot to do between now and two o’clock. You’d better get moving, ladies.” The door closed.

  “Dad’s taking all this Mexican tradition stuff pretty well, don’t you think?”

  “That’s because I threatened him with no sex for a year.”

  “Mom!” Lucy clapped her hands against her ears and shared a laugh with her mother.

  “I suppose we better get moving.” Her mother crossed the room to the door. “Maria said her relatives will be over at noon. I’m looking forward to visiting with them before the rest of the guests arrive.”

  Lucy and Tony’s guest list included over two hundred people, and in lieu of wedding gifts they’d asked for donations in Michael’s name to the Rider Relief Fund, which provided financial support to injured bull riders and bullfighters.

  “I’ll be down in a little while.” After her mother left, Lucy went across the room to the window facing the barn. Tony and two other men dressed in border patrol uniforms were unloading the mechanical bull from Tony’s truck.

  Lucy soaked in the sight of Tony in his worn jeans, scruffy boots and T-shirt. He must have sensed he was being watched, because he glanced up at her window. Standing against the backdrop of the Bryon Mountains and a sparkling blue sky, he waved at her. In that moment, Lucy saw the ghostly outline of her brother standing next to Tony. He looked in her direction and smiled and Lucy knew that Michael’s gift to her and Tony was the sense of peace that had been missing from their souls since her brother had passed away.

  Today would be a celebration of life…death…and rebirth.

  And the beginning of the rest of her life with Tony.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Cowboy for Keeps by Cathy McDavid

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  Chapter One

  The tie choked worse than a pair of hands around his neck.

  Conner Durham yanked at the knot, loosening the tie, and then ripped it off altogether. He flung the offensive garment onto the passenger seat beside him, where his rumpled suit jacket already lay. The interview, his third with this particular company, had been a complete and utter waste of time.

  He wasn’t getting the job; the hiring manager had said as much before dismissing him with the dreaded “Thanks, we’ll be in touch.”

  Turning his truck onto the long drive leading to Powell Ranch, Conner slowed his speed to the posted ten miles an hour. He’d have to find a different way to vent his frustration other than pressing his pedal to the metal.

  Maybe he’d take Dos Rojo out, work the young gelding in the arena. He and the mustang, named for his distinctive red coloring, were still ironing out the kinks in their relationship, deciding who was in charge. So far, they were even, with Dos Rojo coming out ahead some days, Conner on others.

  Driving past the main horse barn, he headed for his quarters, a four-hundred-square-foot efficiency apartment. Hard to believe a mere six months ago he’d owned a five-bedroom house and spent money as if it did indeed grow on trees.

  No more, and not again in the foreseeable future, unless his luck drastically changed.

  Luck, the lack of it, had to be the reason he couldn’t find a decent job. It certainly wasn’t his qualifications. According to the one-in-twenty prospective employers who’d bothered to contact him after receiving his résumé, he had qualifications coming out his ears. Usually more than the job required.

  Little did they know Conner was already downplaying his education and experience in order to make himself more hirable.

  Inside the apartment, he swapped the rest of his dress clothes for a well-worn work shirt and jeans. Threading his belt through the loops, he fastened the gold buckle. It was one of his most cherished possessions and proclaimed him Arizona State Champion in steer wrestling. He’d won the buckle in college, before abandoning his cowboy ways in order to earn double MBAs and make his mark in corporate America.

  Which he did, for six years, only to fall victim to a massive layoff and departmental downsizing. In the five minutes it took Human Resources to inform Conner that his good pal and fellow manager would take over his position and absorb the few remaining members left on Conner’s team, his entire life had changed.

  A knock sounding on the door provided a welcome distraction. Another minute and Conner might have started feeling sorry for himself.

  Yeah, right. Who was he kidding?

  “Door’s open,” he called, pulling on his boots and standing.

  “You decent?” Gavin Powell, Conner’s lifelong friend and current boss, barged inside. His glance went straight to the sleeping area, where Conner stood in front of the haphazardly made bed. “Good, you’re ready.”

  “You need something done?”

  Instead of answering, Gavin sniffed around the kitchen counter.

  “Hungry?”

  “I missed lunch. How’d the interview g—”

  “Don’t ask.” Conner strolled into the kitchen, adjusting his Stetson till it fit snugly on his head. “You live in a house full of people. Didn’t one of them fix you some food?”

  “Sage and the baby are taking a nap, since someone kept us up last night, crying. Dad’s down with the flu. Between laundry and helping the girls with their homework, the afternoon got away from me. Do you have any idea how many
papers parents are expected to read and sign? Three, just for Isa to go on a field trip.”

  Last spring, Gavin and Sage had married, joining them and their two daughters, each from a previous relationship, into one big happy family. Now they had a two-month-old son, making their family even bigger and happier.

  “Never mind,” he complained. “I’ll grab some crackers in the office. Which, by the way, is where I need you to be in an hour.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I finally hired a photographer. She’s meeting with us at four-thirty.”

  “Us?” Conner quirked a brow.

  “You heard right. I need someone to act as a guide. Who knows the story of Prince and is familiar enough with these mountains to lead a day ride. You’re the only one I can spare fitting that description.”

  Conner didn’t argue. He owed Gavin for the roof over his head and the food on his table. Literally. If Gavin hadn’t rescued him a few months ago, when his severance pay ran out, he might now be living in his truck.

  “What about Dos Rojo?” Conner asked. “I want to work him in the arena before the equestrian drill team arrives for their practice.”

  “Then I guess you’d better get started.”

  They parted ways on the porch. As Conner crossed the open area and headed toward the horse barn, the many changes occurring at the ranch during the last two years struck him anew. His own apartment was once a bunkhouse, back in the days when the Powells had owned and operated a thriving cattle business. The smaller of the two horse barns had been expanded to include stud quarters for Prince, the Powells’ pride and joy. And the cattle barn, now a mare motel, housed the many horses brought to the ranch to breed with Prince.

  Like Conner, Thunder Ranch and the Powells had suffered a grave financial setback, a combination of the economic downturn, loss of their range and encroaching housing developments.