Quick-Draw Cowboy

by Joanna Wayne

  But then, crazier things happened in the court system every day.

  “I’ve told you the insurance is in an untouchable trust and there’s no way I can come up with the amount of money you’re talking about.”

  “Then I guess I’ll just have to do that myself—once I have custody of Constance.” He started to the door, then turned and pointed at her as if he was pulling a trigger. “Next Friday. Before noon.”

  She waited until she heard the front door slam behind Haggard before she walked over and locked the door behind him.

  She looked out the huge front window and stared at the dance of light and shadows beneath the antique streetlights. Winding Creek was the ideal, small Texas town. Friendly. Safe.

  A place where Constance could heal from the ordeals she’d endured living with Amber and her addictions. A home where she felt protected and loved after years of neglect and frequent abandonment by her own mother. That had been the deciding factor in Dani’s going into debt to open her own bakery here.

  James Haggard had shattered that illusion.

  Dani went back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up. The cake she’d worked hours on meant nothing to her as Haggard’s vicious threats echoed through her mind.

  She was not convinced he was Constance’s father, but she was certain he’d told the truth about at least one thing.

  He would be back.

  Chapter Two

  Ten o’clock on Saturday in downtown Winding Creek, Texas. Not just any Saturday. This was the date Riley Lawrence’s older brother, Pierce, was giving marriage a second chance. Sounded downright crazy to Riley. He’d never had the guts to tie the knot even once and didn’t plan to remedy that any time soon.

  Riley figured it was too early for a beer even though he’d been driving since five that morning after a few hours of restless sleep. The motel bed had left a lot to be desired in the way of comfort.

  Not that comfort mattered all that much to him. He’d slept under the stars many a night with no more than a rolled-up jacket for a pillow.

  He turned onto Main Street. He’d expected at least a fleeting sensation that he was home again. Didn’t happen. The town looked almost exactly the same as when he’d lived here until just before his fifteenth birthday. It also looked completely different.

  Perspective changed everything.

  When he’d lived here, Winding Creek was all he really knew. Now he’d seen most of the country, at least the parts of it he was interested in seeing. Any place he hung his Stetson was home.

  He should probably just keep driving and head straight to the Double K Ranch, but as eager as he was to see his brothers, he wasn’t quite ready to dive into wedding chaos. He definitely wasn’t eager to start hiding his doubts about Pierce’s decision to jump into the fire again.

  He pulled his old black pickup truck into a parking spot, got out and stretched. The antique streetlights were familiar. So were the buildings. Even a few old hitching posts were still scattered along the curb.

  The storefronts were a different story. The old Texaco station was now a sandwich shop. The barbershop where he’d gotten his hair cut as a kid was now a candle shop. Who’d have guessed you needed a separate shop to buy candles?

  He glanced at the signs. An ice-cream parlor. A Christmas store. A toy shop. Even a jewelry store. Practically a shopping mecca compared to where he’d been living in Montana.

  He caught a whiff of coffee and followed the scent to a bakery. Dani’s Delights. The cookies, scones and cupcakes displayed in the window looked incredible, but it was the aroma of the day’s grind that lured him in.

  The dozen or so tables in the place were all taken. The line to order was at least ten people deep. He wasn’t sure any cup of coffee was worth that kind of wait.

  Easy to see the problem. There was only one person to take orders, collect money and mix the fancy coffee drinks. The woman behind the counter looked a bit harried and her smile was clearly forced.

  He continued to study her as he stepped into the line. A full head shorter than his six foot two. Heart-shaped face. Cute upturned nose. A mass of wild cinnamon-colored curls that hugged her cheeks.

  Maybe her coffee was worth waiting in line for after all. Marriage and commitment might scare him half to death, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the company of a vivacious woman every now and then.

  Women were in short supply on the ranch where he’d been living in Montana. Available women were nonexistent.

  Riley inched up when the line moved and glanced around the small shop. He recognized Dan Dupree, who was sitting in the back with who were probably his grandkids. Dan and his wife had been friends of Riley’s parents before their fatal car accident.

  Mrs. Maclean, Riley’s ninth-grade English teacher, was at another table with two women he didn’t recognize. Neither Dan nor Mrs. Maclean showed any sign of recognizing him.

  Fortunately, he’d changed from the skinny, awkward, pimpled teenager he’d been last time he lived in Winding Creek. He’d added a few inches in height and muscled up a bit.

  The door opened and four more people squeezed in and joined the line.

  A freckle-faced kid with braided red hair, eyeglasses and cut-off jeans ran noisily down some back stairs that led into the bakery. She maneuvered around the sign at the foot of the stairs that read Private. Do Not Enter. Prancing like a showy filly, she made her way across the shop.

  The youngster propped her elbows on the far end of the counter. “I’m bored,” she announced loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear.

  “Did you finish your homework?” the busy woman asked without looking up from the display case, where she was gathering raspberry scones for her customer.

  “Yes, except for the math. I hate word problems. They don’t even make sense.”

  “They make sense, Constance, but I’ll help you with your homework later. I’m really busy right now. Why don’t you watch TV upstairs until Sally and her mother pick you up for the movie?”

  “I’m tired of being upstairs by myself. I wanna stay down here, Aunt Dani.”

  Ah, aunt. Not the kid’s mother. Made sense. She didn’t look old enough for that. He checked out the busy redhead’s ring finger. No golden band. Looking better all the time.

  “Can I have a cookie?” the girl asked.

  “Not before lunch. You know the rules,” the aunt answered as she added whipped cream to a coffee drink.

  The kid’s hands flew to her hips. “Everybody else in here has a cookie, or a muffin, or something.”

  “We’ll talk about this later, Constance.”

  Constance rolled her eyes. Quite a performer and with an attitude. Call him crazy, but Riley liked that about her.

  The woman in line behind Riley began to complain. “I just came in here to pick up a birthday cake I ordered a week ago for my daughter. At this rate, the party will be over before I get the cake.”

  “Guess there’s a run on coffee and scones this morning,” Riley said. “But the woman’s working as fast as she can.”

  “Dani needs to hire more help for her shop on Saturdays. Then she wouldn’t have to do everything herself.”

  So the woman behind the counter was also the owner of Dani’s Delights. Interesting.

  The next person to approach the counter gave a to-go order for four cups of plain coffee, two-flavored lattes and a mixture of pastries.

  Dani was still smiling, but she had to be overwhelmed. At least the little girl was helping now, keeping the customers in line entertained with a series of funny faces.

  Riley stepped out of line and walked up to the counter. “You look like you could use some help.”

  “You think? I had two teenage workers not show up this morning without bothering to call in and let me know.”

 
“Big night in town last night?”

  “Not that I know of. Anyway, sorry for the delay, but I’m moving as fast as I can.”

  “I wasn’t complaining. In fact, I have a proposition that’s too good to refuse.”

  “I don’t know,” she said, without looking up. “I’m extremely good at saying no.”

  She bagged the pastries for the current order and started on the lattes. “What’s your offer?”

  “Behind-the-counter help. I can handle pouring coffee, but I could never concoct those fancy drinks you’re making. By the way, my name’s Riley Lawrence.”

  Dani looked up, a slightly surprised expression parting her full lips. “You must be Pierce’s brother.”

  “Yep, but don’t hold that against me.”

  “Never. Pierce is terrific and marrying my best friend. I’m sure he’s thrilled you made it here for the wedding,” she said as she went back to boxing pastries. “He was afraid you’d back out at the last minute.”

  “I was a bit afraid of that myself. Actually, I haven’t made it to the Double K yet.”

  “Then what in the world are you doing here?”

  “Saving your beautiful ass—pardon my French. That is if you want my help.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Serious as a bull on steroids.”

  “I have no idea what that means, but you’ve got yourself a job.”

  “How about we start two lines?” Riley suggested. “One for the people who want specialty coffees and-or want to pay with credit cards. Another line of the people who just want plain coffee or to pick up some bakery items and pay with cash.”

  “You’ll handle the cash line?”

  “Yep. I’ve had very limited experience with cash registers, but that one doesn’t look too complicated.”

  She sighed. “It would be a tremendous help, but I can’t let you do that.”

  “Afraid I’ll sneak too many cookies?”

  “No. Afraid Esther will kill me for delaying your arrival at the ranch.”

  The door opened again. This time a family of four came in, stretching the line around the corner.

  “If the line grows any longer, you may have a mutiny on your hands.”

  “Okay, but remember you asked for this. Prices are marked on the items on display,” Dani explained. “Preordered items are boxed and in the kitchen right behind us. Name of the customer and price are on the ticket taped to the top of the box. If you have any questions, just ask.”

  Dani raised her voice to get everyone’s attention and explained the new lineup procedures. Someone clapped and several more joined in. They moved into the two lines with amazing order and good manners.

  That was the Winding Creek he remembered.

  “By the way, my name’s Dani Boatman,” she offered.

  “Glad to meet you, boss.”

  His first customer spoke up. “I’m picking up a dozen cupcakes for Jamie Sandler. She ordered them yesterday.”

  “Coming right up.”

  And with that Riley was officially on the job. He’d never sold anything in his life, except horses or cattle at an auction and admission tickets once at a local rodeo in Wyoming. His cash-register experience was limited to gate ticket sales.

  Turned out this was much easier. Almost everybody was friendly and happier now that the line was moving a little faster.

  The guys gave him a howdy, several introducing themselves. It was the Texas way. Young women—and some of the older ones—flirted with him. A little boost for the ego.

  None of the females were as tempting as Dani Boatman. He might just be staying around Winding Creek a little longer than originally planned.

  * * *

  TWO HOURS LATER, the Saturday morning rush had come and gone. Only three tables were occupied and there was no one in line. Constance was off to the movie with her friend.

  And Dani Boatman was totally infatuated with the witty, personable, hunky cowboy who’d saved the day. But then he’d charmed almost every woman who’d walked into the bakery. Some men had a knack for winning hearts with just a smile. Riley had it in spades.

  “Whew...” Riley said. “Are Saturday mornings always this busy?”

  “Unfortunately, no. They’re my busiest day of the week, but not usually this kind of crazy. The sunny day and the wildflowers in full bloom brought out the tourists.”

  “I get that. I’m not much of a flower man, but even I noticed the sea of bluebonnets driving in this morning. Damned impressive.”

  “You’d be amazed how many people visit the Texas Hill Country every spring just for the scenery.”

  “Scenery in here looks pretty good to me.”

  “Thanks. I try to make the pastries too tempting to resist.”

  He smiled seductively. “I wasn’t talking about the pastries.”

  A flush of heat crept up her face. She turned away quickly, hoping he hadn’t noticed the blush. He’d think she was either incredibly naive, or had never had a man casually flirt with her.

  Tough to admit, but neither was that far-fetched.

  “Did you bake all this?” he asked, motioning to the display cases full of her cookies, cupcakes, scones and other pastries, as well as loaves of bread.

  “Yes.”

  “And you babysit your niece. When do you have time for a life?”

  “This is my life. And I don’t babysit Constance. My sister died this past year. Constance lives with me.”

  “So it’s just you and Constance?”

  “That’s it.”

  “Instant motherhood. That must have thrown your life into a tailspin.”

  “It’s been an adjustment, but I’m loving it. We live above the shop so I can be with her as much as possible.”

  The door opened again and Sandy O’Malley rushed in, her short skirt swinging around her thighs, her long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. “I’m so sorry, Miss Boatman. My alarm didn’t go off this morning. I mean I know I set it, but it didn’t go off and Mom had gone into work early and I guess I got to bed late and...”

  “Take a breath, Sandy,” Dani said, stopping the onslaught of excuses. “We’ll talk later. For now, you can start clearing the tables.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right to it.”

  “Guess I’m officially replaced,” Riley said.

  “Yes, but you saved me from total chaos this morning. If there’s anything I can do to thank you for jumping into the madness...”

  “Let me give it some thought. I’m sure we can think of a way. Will I see you at the wedding tonight?”

  “Can’t miss me. I’m the maid of honor.”

  “How ’bout that? I’m one of the two best men. Pierce had to give his brothers equal billing. I’ve yet to meet the bride, but according to Pierce, she hung the moon and outshines most of the stars.”

  “And she’s just as crazy about him. They’re a perfect couple.”

  “More than a couple,” Riley said. “They have Pierce’s five-year-old daughter, Jaci, at least part-time. They’ll be an instant family with all the complications that can bring. Glad it’s him and not me.”

  Which was in perfect agreement with how Pierce had described his brother. Riley was a rambler, never stayed in one place long enough to get serious about any woman. The love-’em-and-leave-’em type.

  “I’ll see you tonight,” Riley said. “Save me a two-stepper. I hear there’s going to be a country-and-western band.”

  “Sure.” As if he’d notice a short, plump pastry chef once he was besieged by every other woman there.

  “Thanks again for helping out,” she said. “If you ever need a steady job with long hours, low pay and lots of work, give me a call.”

  “I appreciate that generous offer, b
ut unfortunately I start to rust if I spend more than a couple of hours indoors. See you tonight.”

  She watched Riley walk away. That was when she saw James Haggard staring at her through the window. She braced herself to deal with him, but he made no move to enter the shop. He just continued to stare, every muscle in his face stretched taut.

  There was no doubt that he meant to intimidate her, to make her shudder in fear and realize that he’d meant what he said.

  She’d lain awake for hours last night, considering his threats, trying to decide what her next move should be. She’d told the truth about the money being in a trust fund—it had been at Dani’s insistence. That didn’t mean that as Constance’s father, Haggard couldn’t challenge her decision.

  If he was her biological father.

  All she needed was a sample of his DNA to prove him wrong. Or prove him right.

  If she could somehow get a sample of his DNA, she could have the testing done without his cooperation. But then why wouldn’t he cooperate? He didn’t want Constance. He wanted to basically sell her for a million dollars.

  If he wasn’t her biological father, Dani would report him and his rotten scam to the sheriff. If he was... She couldn’t bring herself to go there now.

  She was closing at three today, an hour earlier that her usual time to make the sundown wedding without too much of a rush. She’d search paternity testing labs in San Antonio before she left for the Double K Ranch, to get the facts about how to go about the testing.

  And then she’d insist Haggard provide a DNA sample. If he refused, that was as good as an admission that he was lying.

  No matter what the results, she had to keep Constance out of the hands of James Haggard. If it came down to it, she’d protect her niece from scum like him with her life.

  Chapter Three

  Riley propped a booted foot on a bag of feed. It was the first time he’d managed a few minutes alone with Pierce and their younger brother, Tucker. They’d taken a walk out to the barn to get some privacy.

  “So you’re serious about staying on here at the Double K?” Riley asked. “As a hired hand?”

  “Not exactly. Esther and I have been talking. She’s willing to sell me the ranch as long as she can keep her house, her gardens and her chickens. I’d never dream of taking those from her anyway. As you know, Grace, Jaci and me are living with her now and it’s working out fine.”