Captivated By A Cowboy (Canton County Cowboys 3)

by Charlene Bright

  Captivated by a Cowboy

  Canton County Cowboys

  CHARLENE BRIGHT

  Captivated by a Cowboy

  Copyright © 2015 by Charlene Bright

  All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dad, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Books by Charlene Bright

  Canton County Cowboys Trilogy

  A Cowboy Worth Loving

  Dare to Love a Cowboy

  Captivated by a Cowboy

  Cowboys of Courage Trilogy

  (coming September, 2015)

  Courage to Follow

  Courage to Believe

  Courage to Fall

  I Saw Mommy Kissing a Cowboy

  (Cowboy Christmas Romance coming November, 2015)

  Captivated by a Cowboy

  Carissa survives a childhood tragedy that shapes her life forever. She refuses to allow the grim memories to control her and when the opportunity arises to help similar victims, she can’t refuse. Still, meeting those challenges means getting out of her comfort zone and onto the back of a horse. An invitation to visit the Easy R Ranch puts her in the path of no-nonsense cowboy Trey Montgomery.

  Fighting a few demons of his own, the tempestuous and sexy Trey isn’t looking for romance but he can’t deny his attraction to Carissa. Her beautiful face and kind spirit could be the perfect combination that unlocks his heart.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Trey dug the arrowhead out of the peat and wiped away the dirt with his calloused fingers. Yep, he had found another one, just like the ones he used to find with his brother Chase when they were kids. He couldn’t count how many times they had run up through these woods, sometimes hunting squirrels or doves, other times just running. Trey felt a bit nostalgic today; it was the anniversary of his father’s passing. It felt only right to get out into the woods and do something that the old man loved, searching for arrowheads. He and Chase had spent many happy mornings out with Pop looking for the rare treasures. Some mornings they found nothing; others, like today, they found two or three.

  It was just Trey today in the woods, enjoying the smell of pine and fir and the wet dew that permeated the dense forest. He shoved the treasures into his front Levi’s pocket, pulled back his hat, and enjoyed the feel of the sun on his face. He was alive—he and Chase both—and Pop was gone. Well, it was what it was. He pulled his hat back on his head and made his way back to the Arctic Cat. He had to be at the ranch in an hour, just enough time to ride out of the woods.

  He swore a little under his breath, angry at Chase for not showing up this morning. This was something the boys promised they would do, but of course, Chase had not shown. Trey’s little brother had a chip on his shoulder about as big as a boulder. Pop had only been gone a year but Chase had blown through his half of the ranch, spending his inheritance on beer, easy women, and God knows what else. Now he wanted Trey to share what he had. Trey shook his head in disbelief, remembering that conversation. Trey wasn’t the kind of guy you’d cross but Chase didn’t seem to be aware of that. His brother always felt as if someone owed him something. At times, it was difficult for Trey to believe that the two of them were even brothers.

  Only a little over thirty, Trey had dark brown hair, a square jaw, and dark brown eyes. He knew he was attractive to women—hell, they’d been hitting on him since high school—but he never felt pressured to get involved with a girl just because it was the expected thing to do. He had a strong, muscular build from lifting saddles, tossing hay, and riding horses, but he didn’t let it go to his head. Being in good shape was just a benefit of hard work.

  He didn’t think much about love; it seemed like a distraction to him, not worthy of his valuable time or effort. He hadn’t known anyone that had a happy marriage except his parents—both of whom were dead now—and his Uncle Robert and Aunt Nancy, the owners of the Easy R where Trey was now employed. That was also because of Chase. He had cost them their dad’s ranch, The Easy R, by refusing to wait for his inheritance. The family ranch had been sold and the money divided between the two boys. Trey wanted to keep the ranch but he had never been one to beg. What was the sense of that and why would he? Did he want a partner that didn’t want to work hard? Nope.

  In the end, he’d quietly stepped aside and let Chase have his way. Not because Trey was weak but because in his mind, Chase had proven an unworthy partner. Brother or no brother. He simply wasn’t the guy Trey wanted to work with.

  No, instead, Trey had tucked his portion of the money in a bank and forgotten about it. One day, he’d have the ranch back, or one like it, and he would start again—without Chase. For now, Uncle Robert needed him. Easy R Ranch was a working ranch, and he loved getting sweaty every day. Today was going to be one of those sweaty days. Three new horses were scheduled to arrive and they’d need breaking. That old truck of Uncle Robert’s needed a new transmission and there were cows to herd from the Easy R to Mill’s Creek, only a hundred-mile run. That wasn’t today, thankfully. They were waiting on some new hands to come in before they went on that trip. Moving a large herd of cattle from point A to point B was always harder than it sounded.

  He pushed the stiff gas pedal on the Arctic Cat and drove out of the forest and back onto the Easy R. It was 6:30 now, just in time for Aunt Nancy’s big breakfast. That woman could cook. Trey parked the Cat, grabbed the keys, and jogged inside the dining hall remembering to remove his hat before he sat at the table. Aunt Nancy had a fine kitchen in the ranch house but she preferred cooking in the large bunkhouse they had turned into the dining hall on work days. She said it was simpler, but Trey knew that, like any woman, Aunt Nancy didn’t like the idea of a dozen cowboys stomping through her home. Easy to understand, he thought. He put his hat on the rack and grabbed a spot near Uncle Robert.

  “Did you find any?” Robert whispered to him as he slathered butter on a cathead biscuit.

  “One or two of them.” He grinned, showing perfect white teeth. He dug them out of his pocket and slapped them on the table.

  “Hey, get those dirty things off the table. Come in here and grab the coffee pot, Trey. Since you’re last, you get to serve everyone.” Aunt Nancy picked on him playfully. Normally he would wave her away or pretend he didn’t hear her, but today he listened. He poured coffee into mugs and listened to the guys make comments like, “That’s a might pretty waitress you got us this morning, Miss Nancy
.”

  Trey took it goodheartedly, on account of the special day. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down to eat his meal in peace. Seeing that they wouldn’t get a rise out of him, the other hands left him alone.

  As the meal of bacon, fried eggs, grits, and hash browns came to an end, Uncle Robert pulled out his clipboard. He took one last sip of his coffee and said, “Okay, we’ve got quite a bit to do today and I’m going to need everyone to step up. I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but the Easy R is doin’ somethin’ special this summer. We’re working with a local family shelter, offering those families the opportunity to come down and see how a real working ranch operates. You all know the trouble my daughter had a few years back. This shelter saved her life. Nancy and I have always wanted to do something good for these people so now here is our chance.”

  There was some murmuring but not too much. Everyone liked Annette, the daughter of Robert and Nancy, so if it helped the shelter, why not? Trey didn’t pay much attention to what was being said. He was thinking about that transmission. The rusty pipe needed some help coming loose from the housing and if he weren’t careful, he’d end up breaking the damn thing. That would be a pain in the …

  “Trey, have you been listening? Quit playing with your arrowheads. You ain’t a kid anymore. Listen, I need you to help this Carissa Wood. She doesn’t know how to ride a horse much less take care of one but she’s going to need to know that. She’s the gal who’ll be heading this thing up. Once she gets trained, she can take the families by herself.”

  “Take them where?” Trey asked, confused.

  “Take them through Canton Canyon. That’s the weekend excursion we’ve promised them.”

  “Wait! What? I’m not teaching some social worker how to ride a horse. That’s not what I do. I got a transmission that needs replacing on the old Ford, the back fences need repairing, calves keep slipping out, and we’ve got new horses coming in.”

  “Yep, you got all that to do and you get to teach Miss Wood how to ride a horse, and care for one.” The other men were gathering their empty plates, raking off any scraps into the dog’s dish. There were plenty of dogs on the ranch, and they were always hungry. A couple of the cowboys grinned at Trey, but none offered to take his place.

  When it was the two of them, Trey tried to reason with him. “Uncle Robert, this isn’t what I do. Why can’t Billy or Coleman do it?”

  “Because they’re both crazy and they think they’re some kind of Romeos. I don’t need them embarrassing me or the lady. I know you will be a professional and you will keep your hands off the merchandise, right nephew?”

  Trey sighed. No arguing with Uncle Robert when he makes up his mind. “Fine but I hope it don’t take up a lot of time. I do have a lot to do.”

  “Well, you’ve got today. She won’t be here until tomorrow sometime. That should give you plenty of time to check off that list.”

  Trey laughed at the idea. “I’m good but I’m not that good. That transmission is going to be a b—”

  “Watch that language, son. Ladies are present.” Aunt Nancy and her helper, a young woman named Melody, came to clear the rest of the dishes and start the dishwasher. The younger lady smiled and batted her eyelashes at Trey but he pretended he didn’t see her. Aunt Nancy met him at the door and handed him his hat.

  “In case he didn’t say it, thank you, Trey. This means a lot to your old aunt.”

  “You ain’t old, Aunt Nancy. You just married an old man.”

  “I heard that,” Uncle Robert shouted from the table, filling up his coffee cup one more time.

  “I figured you did.” Trey laughed and walked out the door. He sure didn’t want to babysit some weekend warrior wannabe but what choice did he have? His aunt’s and uncle’s hearts were in it. He couldn’t let them down.

  He took a deep sigh and eased his hat onto his head, one hand at the front, one at the back. Yeah, this was going to be an interesting week.

  Chapter Two

  Carissa left the morning planning session feeling conflicted. What a great idea, incorporating recreational activities into the therapy programs for Audrey House, but horseback riding? Carissa could run a mile easily; all those mornings in the gym had paid off. She was in the best shape she’d been in in years, but the thought of riding a horse made her skin crawl.

  She admired the animals and would agree with most people—they were majestic and beautiful, but they were also strong. Strong enough to stomp you to death or hurl you to the ground if the animal took a mind to. Still, this was an opportunity like none other. Now was the time to conquer her fears—face her giant and get her behind on the back of a horse.

  Carissa had suggested that Paulette or Emily go in her place but Clare wanted it to be her. The older lady would be retiring soon and the plan was for Carissa to take her place. If Clare had been younger or in better health, she’d have been the one headed to Collinswood for the weekend but no such luck. Clare had been sick for a while and what kind of friend—what kind of leader would Carissa be if she refused to go? No, she’d go and represent Audrey House to the best of her ability—even if it killed her. She laughed to herself wondering if her insurance covered falls from horses.

  Now she had to go home and pack for this exciting week. “What to wear?” she wondered absently. She only had one pair of blue jeans and she barely wore them. Her wardrobe consisted of pant suits and skirt suits in black or neutral colors. With a sigh, she drove her Honda to the outlet mall for some light shopping. Carissa made a mental checklist of the clothing she would need. Blue jeans, T-shirts … what about a hat or boots? She picked up the phone to call Clare for advice.

  “You miss me already?” she coughed into the phone.

  “No, I mean, of course, but I need your advice.”

  “You can’t get out of this, Carissa. I need you to go. Lover boy will have to miss you for one week.”

  Carissa rolled my eyes. She knew who Clare was referring to. Devon wasn’t her lover boy, not anymore at least. “It’s not that. I’m at the mall to do some shopping for this trip. I’m figuring I need jeans and T-shirts but do you think I need boots or is that just something from the movies?”

  Clare coughed again and Carissa realized that wasn’t a cough but a laugh. Clare didn’t sound so good.

  “Yes to the jeans and T-shirts. You can wear boots or tennis shoes. Make sure they cover the entire foot though. You’ll need a hat like a ball cap or a cowboy hat too. Expect you’ll spend quite a bit of time outdoors. Listen, you are going to do great. I know you and you always rise to the challenge. You’ve got this, Carissa. Now have a good time and learn something!”

  “Yes, ma’am. I plan on it. Thanks for the advice.” Carissa yawned into the phone.

  “Carissa, have you been having trouble sleeping?” Clare asked, concern lacing her voice. “Is it the nightmares?”

  Carissa cringed. The nightmares had indeed been getting worse lately. Carissa suspected it was because the fifteenth anniversary of her sister’s murder was this month. But she had told Clare that the nightmares had pretty much stopped. With Clare being sick, Carissa didn’t want her to worry about her. “No, nothing like that,” she said. “Rudy was doing an awful lot of talking in his sleep last night.” She laughed. “Don’t you be worrying about me, Clare. I have the best friends and best counselor anyone could ever ask for.”

  “Well, you got that right.” Carissa could almost hear Clare’s grin in her voice. “And I’m not your counselor anymore. Anything I ask you is because I’m a friend and I love you.”

  “And I love you. Now go worry about someone else,” she replied. “I need to hit the road now. I’ll call you from the ranch with an update in the next day or so, okay?”

  “Okay!” Clare hung up and Carissa spent the next hour or so trying on jeans, shirts, and shoes. Although this wasn’t the trip of her dreams, it felt good to wear a smaller jeans size than before. She looked good in a size 6! She smiled, her thinking a little more pos
itive now. Yes, she could do this—absolutely.

  She left the mall skipping the pretzel stop she’d planned and headed back to her apartment. She needed to get on the road before noon. It was a two-hour drive from Dallas to Collinswood and she wanted to get there before nightfall. Nancy Montgomery would meet her—she would be staying in a bunkhouse on the ranch. She’d pulled up pictures of the ranch on her work computer. The rooms featured online were rustic and comfortable-looking. She hoped the photos represented where she’d be staying too.

  Carissa navigated the traffic with caution. The traffic was dense even though it wasn’t rush hour. Finally making her exit she headed home and drove into her apartment complex. The guard waved her through and she smiled back at him. It was nice living in a guarded community. She’d been an apartment dweller all of her adult life but the idea of spending time in the country appealed to her. “It might make a nice change of pace,” she thought. “God knows I need a change of pace.”

  Grabbing her bags and purse, she walked up the steps to her apartment and slid her key into the lock. It felt good to be home, even if it were only for half an hour. Her only pet and companion, a monk parakeet named Rudy, greeted her with an excited, repetitive bob, “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!”

  She smiled at him. “Yes, yes, yes! I see Rudy! Just a second.” She dumped her bags on the couch and walked over to his cage. “Hello, Rudy! How are you this afternoon?”

  “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!” She continued to talk to him, handed him a honey seed treat, and spent a few minutes with him. At least until he stopped yelling his name, which he always did when she first came home.

  “Rudy, I’ve got Angela coming over to spend time with you this week. Momma’s gotta go ride a horse.”

  “Rudy! Momma!”

  “Yes, Momma loves Rudy and I’ll be back in a week, okay?”

  Angela, the neighbor below her, was a college student. Her major was veterinary science and she adored Rudy. Carissa occasionally gave Angela some cash to hang out and interact with the bird when he seemed particularly lonely. The younger woman had agreed to stop in each day this week and give Rudy some one-on-one time. She picked up her cell phone and sent her a text to remind her. She thought about calling her but figured Angela was probably at school.