Captivated By A Cowboy (Canton County Cowboys 3)

by Charlene Bright

  “First shot, here we go.” Chase talked too much, Trey surmised. That would always get him into trouble. He wasn’t worried though. Unlike young Jessie, Carissa had a sixth sense for problem men. She worked with abused families every day. He was pretty sure she was getting some vibes off his brother. She won easily. Trey excused himself, setting his empty bottle down. He walked over to Carissa.

  “You ready to walk home, ma’am?”

  “Sure am. I’m tired. Thanks for the game, Chase. Better luck next time.”

  “Good Lord, where did you find this girl, Trey? In a bar? She’s got mad pool skills.”

  “Hardly, she’s a professional counselor for Audrey House. She’s here to train for a program they are offering their families this summer. They are riding the Painted Rock trail in order to graduate from the program.”

  “That sounds cool. You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.” He smiled his lopsided grin at Carissa.

  “I would be happy to. Goodnight, everyone! See you tomorrow.” Smiling up at him, Carissa was happy. Trey could tell because the smile reached her eyes. Her eyes were so expressive that if one looked hard enough you would always know what she was feeling. That might get him into trouble but he liked that.

  And he really liked her.

  ***

  Carissa left the ranch house feeling happy. The more she got to know Robert and Nancy, the more she liked them. They were good people—Trey came from hearty stock. She wasn’t sure what to make of Chase. He wasn’t like his brother at all; he was much freer with his attentions and didn’t have a problem speaking his mind but it was obvious that he wanted Trey’s attention. Probably his approval too, but the younger brother had not done anything constructive that would help facilitate that. She dealt with families in transition every week and she’d seen worse. Carissa’s professional instincts told her that some tension boiled under the surface between the handsome brothers.

  Chase Montgomery was a handsome man but unlike his brother, he knew exactly how attractive he was. Chase reminded her of a high school football star, too much success too soon.

  When Carissa got back to her cabin, she slid on her favorite cotton night shirt and flipped on the radio. Music played softly in the background as she made a cup of herbal tea before bed. It was early to bed, early to rise at the Easy R Ranch and she was determined not to be late in the morning. Her riding skills were getting better and she found that she was less afraid of horses. Sterling had proven to be a sweet and patient animal. No way she would ever ride a beast like Sampson, but her pony was perfect. Absently as she sipped her tea, she wondered how much it would cost to own a horse of her own.

  “Come on now, you are getting ahead of yourself here, Carissa,” she whispered to herself.

  ***

  The next morning, Trey retrieved Uncle Robert’s clipboard and headed to breakfast. Robert had asked Trey to “take the bull by the horns” and go ahead and start being the boss.

  With his new duties beginning today, Trey knew he wouldn’t have much time to work with Carissa. That made him frown. But it also meant he could avoid Chase, who was to be sent out with Coleman on a run.

  By the end of the day, Trey could barely manage having dinner before he fell in his bed. How did Uncle Robert and Aunt Nancy do this every day at their ages? One day of being in charge, and he felt like he could sleep for a week.

  He had been glad to see that Carissa had made herself very useful helping Aunt Nancy with the housekeeping and food preparation. He knew it must not have been a walk in the park with her as she had to work alongside Melody all day. But Carissa had somehow managed to bestow a glowing smile on him each time he ran into her.

  Trey closed his eyes thinking that he had gotten so much in place today that tomorrow would be easier for him to steal a few moments with her. Maybe he’d take her for a walk after dinner if it was cool enough. He smiled as his breathing deepened.

  ***

  Trey marched through Friday nearly as busy as he had been the day before. So much for making some time with Carissa. Tonight, for sure, he thought. After dinner, he took a quick shower and walked over to Carissa’s bunk, snatching up a few wildflowers along the way. Before he could reach her porch, however, he saw a man he didn’t recognize knocking on her door. He had medium-length blond hair and was taller than Trey by at least an inch. The man looked like a male model off the cover of one of those romance novels, down to the black jeans and the half-open white shirt.

  “Devon? What in God’s name are you doing here?” Carissa said when she swung open the door.

  “Surprise! I came to see you, of course.” He dropped a heavy bag on the ground. Trey noticed a slight accent on a few words, but it wasn’t one he recognized. He threw the flowers behind him and continued up the steps, saying “Good evening, Carissa. I see you have company.”

  “And who’s your friend?” Devon asked, turning toward Trey. Devon stretched out his hand, offering it to Trey. Trey stared at him. He didn’t know if he wanted to shake his hand or not.

  “Devon, this is Trey Montgomery; he’s my trainer.”

  Trey winced. Her trainer? That was all he was?

  “I don’t think you can stay on the ranch. I’m here for training. I told you this on the phone.” Carissa’s usual easy tone seemed to be pitched a little higher. Trey could hear annoyance in her voice.

  “Training? Oh, for the riding? Yes, well, I can help you with that.”

  “Sounds like you two have things to talk about, if you will excuse me.” Trey turned back to his bunk to leave them to their discussion. Hopefully they wouldn’t have it too loudly. The cowboy didn’t have to worry; they left toward the main house with Devon’s hands all over her like she was his property.

  He didn’t like that guy and not because he had an accent. He worked with immigrants all the time. No, there was something else. Trey wasn’t sure what that was but he’d figure it out. He brushed his teeth and checked the doors and windows. Not because of potential robberies—he had a gun for that—but they were in the wilderness, here on the edge of the desert and a nearby forested canyon. Some of the canyon animals didn’t mind sharing a nest with a human. Better to keep the pests out than let them in. He should remind Carissa of that fact, he laughed to himself. About the time he was going to bed, the bunkhouse phone rang. It was Aunt Nancy.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yes, everything is fine here. Listen, we’ve got a little situation here.” Trey could tell by her whisper that she was attempting to be as quiet as possible. “Carissa has an unexpected guest and we need a place to stash him for the weekend.” Trey heard her say quietly to an individual, obviously Carissa, “No, it’s okay, dear. We’ll make room.”

  “Yes, I met him.” The cowboy didn’t like how this conversation was going.

  “Well, hold on a second,” she placed her hand over the mouthpiece but Trey could still hear her. “No sir, we don’t allow coed bunking here unless you’re married. That’s the rules of the ranch.” She moved her hand. “Okay, I need you to make our guest welcome. You have the only empty bunk on the ranch.”

  He paused, wondering what it would cost him if he refused to let the blond guy stay with him. Trey had manners, more manners than to refuse his aunt. Easy R wasn’t his place; it was hers and he was a guest here. How could he say no?

  “I’ll unlock the door.”

  “Thank you, son.”

  He hung up the phone and trudged to the door to unlock it for his unwanted guest. Trey thought, I might as well open all the windows and let all the varmints in now. He waited for Devon to walk up the steps and opened the door.

  “Devon, right?” His visitor’s aggravation was apparent. Bunking with Trey hadn’t been the plan, had it? The cowboy couldn’t help but grin at seeing him so out of sorts. “I’m Trey, this is the kitchen; that’s the living room through there. Down the hall is the restroom and your bunk is on the right. You should find what you need there.”

  “Thanks.”
Devon lugged his bag through the kitchen and down the hall. Trey heard the bedroom door close and he sighed. This wasn’t how we had wanted his evening to end. He locked the door and finally went to bed.

  ***

  Carissa paced the floor of her cabin chewing on a fingernail. She couldn’t have predicted this chain of events. Why in the world had she tossed out Devon’s name that day? Now everybody would believe they were an item when that’s not what her heart wanted. When she left Dallas she had had every intention of breaking it off with him upon her return but that had been a mistake. She should have picked up the phone and called him immediately after hearing that message, but it was too late now. No sense in crying over spilled milk.

  “Oh well,” she said to no one, turning off the television and the living-room light. She was here to do a job, to learn something, and that was what she would do. Nobody, not even Devon, would interfere with that. She had been getting more and more pleased with her confidence with Sterling. The fear was still there but not as intense. That was thanks to Trey. The handsome, brown-haired cowboy with the intelligent eyes had proven to be a wonderful teacher. She remembered his hand boosting her bottom up on to the saddle on that last try the other day. Carissa had done her best to pretend that she didn’t notice it but she did. Now Devon was here. No way would she flirt with Trey with Devon here. She wasn’t that kind of girl—not that he acted as if he were the least bit interested.

  She sighed and flopped down on the couch grabbing a throw pillow made from quilt scraps. The little cabin was homey. “I wonder what Rudy would think about this place.” She made a mental note to call Angela tomorrow to check on him.

  About the time she thought about going to bed, she heard a soft tap on her door. Her heart skipped a beat. Could it be Trey? Hopefully, it wasn’t Devon. She opened it and there he was, his hair down and his arms crossed as if he were posing for a magazine.

  “Oh hi, I thought you would have been in bed by now.” She quickly closed the door behind her, not wanting to let Devon inside. Better to talk on the porch since Nancy had made it clear that the cabins were not for hookups, not that she was interested in one, but knowing Devon, he had something in mind. Carissa wondered how she ever found him appealing at all. He seemed oblivious to the world around him. Nothing mattered but his own needs. That was a good description of their relationship, if you could call it one, she thought sourly. Carissa sat on the front porch step and made room for him to join her.

  “Bed? It’s only nine o’clock and I can’t help but notice you are not happy to see me. Should I have not come?”

  Guilt washed over her. Maybe he was just trying to make up for standing her up—had it really been two weeks ago? “I told you not to come, Devon. I’m here to work, not to play. I’m glad you are trying to make up for missing our date but it wasn’t necessary to make the trip down here.”

  “Is it the guy you were talking to? Trey? Is he the reason why you don’t wish me to be here?”

  “There’s nobody else, Devon.” At least, not officially. Carissa didn’t want to open that discussion. It really wasn’t any of Devon’s business. “But like I said I am here to work, not play.”

  “Okay, then I will help you work. What time do we start tomorrow?”

  “We’re riding the trail tomorrow, that’s like a four-hour ride, round trip. Are you up for that?” He had attractive features, a straight nose, almond-shaped eyes, a wide, full mouth. Any woman on the planet would be happy to be with him, but not me. “Breakfast is at six. See that big building over there? That’s the dining hall. I’ll meet you there.”

  Carissa stood up and dusted off her bottom. “We better get to bed. I know I’m tired.” She faked a yawn and hoped he would get the hint. Now what should she do, stretch out her hand? Give him a hug? He pulled her close and kissed her before she had a chance to say or do anything.

  She offered him a half-kiss and stepped back. “Goodnight,” she said with a weak smile and went inside her cabin. She leaned against the door, her heart pounding. There was no way she could lead him on like this. It was really unfair. She’d talk to him tomorrow, hopefully after breakfast so he could leave without too much fuss. It wasn’t fair to him or to her. She had to be the grownup and let him go.

  Carissa slid out of her slippers and went to bed. Surprisingly, sleep came easily. She’d gotten in a lot of physical activity throughout the week, and it now combined with the stress of having Devon arrive unexpectedly to knock her out, even though she was worrying about this new turn of events.

  She woke up at five without the help of the alarm clock. This day wouldn’t be a piece of cake but thanks to her physical training she should be able to handle it—she hoped.

  By 5:30, she was dressed and out the door, headed to the dining hall to offer Nancy her help and an apology. She would never have dreamed that Devon would make the drive down here. There had been no invitation but now she just wanted things to go as smoothly as possibly. At least with Nancy who’d been kind enough to offer Audrey House this unique opportunity. Carissa walked through the empty dining hall into the busy kitchen. Nancy wasn’t there. Melody looked up at her, a devious-looking smile curling her lips.

  “Hey, Melody. Is Miss Nancy around?”

  “Yeah,” Melody’s hands were covered in flour so she used her elbow to point to a far door. “She went into the pantry.”

  “Thanks.” Carissa smiled and walked through the kitchen to the pantry. She spotted her right away; the older woman was leaning over a freezer, her kitchen towel over her face. Her shoulders heaved, like she was crying. “Miss Nancy? Are you alright?”

  Immediately Nancy straightened up and wiped her face with the flour-dusted towel. She didn’t know it but she’d left a smattering of the white residue on her face. “Yes, what is it?”

  Carissa went into counselor mode without even thinking about it. Carissa didn’t think Nancy was the kind of person who liked displaying her emotions. Carissa was fairly sure that Nancy was not an abused person but the emotional walls were definitely the sign of someone who didn’t like talking about how they felt. She knew first hand that Nancy was a caring person, so this wasn’t about her. It was about someone else. In cases like this, it wasn’t wise to initiate a conversation about feelings. Things worked better, at least in Carissa’s experience when the hurting person reached out first.

  “You’ve got some flour there on your cheek. Sorry for disturbing you but I wanted to apologize for my friend showing up like that. I know it was an inconvenience to take in an extra guest. I hope you know that I wasn’t expecting him. Thank you for being so gracious.”

  Nancy rubbed at her face with her hand. “Did I get the flour?”

  Carissa took a step forward and examined her face. “Yes, looks like you did.”

  “Good, can’t walk around looking like I bathed in flour, can I? As far as your friend goes, it’s fine. I like feeding folks, which reminds me. I’m going to need to know if any of your Audrey House guests has allergies or special dietary needs. With Robert going into convalescence, I’m trying to get everything ready for the next few weeks.”

  “I’ll get you that as soon as I’ve confirmed who will be coming. Thanks again. I’m sorry Devon has caused such an inconvenience.”

  “Honey, that’s the least of my problems.” She shoved the towel in her apron pocket and plundered a nearby shelf for jars of what looked like canned Sterling.

  “If you ever want someone to talk to, I’m available. It’s what I do. I listen.”

  Nancy laughed. “Oh dear, people my age don’t talk to counselors, do they?”

  Carissa smiled and took the jar she handed her. “Yes, they do, ma’am. I’m always around if you want to talk. No strings attached. All confidences kept.”

  She sniffed and smiled. “I’m ready to feed these hungry rascals. Did you tell your boyfriend that breakfast was at six o’clock?”

  Carissa followed Nancy into the kitchen to open the jars. “Oh, he’s not really my
boyfriend. We’ve gone out on a few dates, that’s all.”

  “Really? And he drove all the way down here? That’s something else, ain’t it? He must like you something awful to make that trip.”

  “Who’s that? Who are y’all talking about?” Melody slid the last tray of biscuits into the big oven and turned the heat down.

  “Carissa’s friend who surprised her last night. He’s quite a hunk too. Who does he look like? I can’t quite place him.”

  “Really? I’ll have to take a peek. Got to be better looking than this group of hands, except Trey and maybe Billy, although Billy is kind of young—and short.”

  Nancy laughed and said, “Okay, that’s enough of the gossiping now. Carissa, pour these Sterling into the bowls there and set them around the table. Space them out so they don’t have to fight over them. Oh no, I smell my bacon burning on the griddle.” She ran out of the kitchen with a big metal tray and began pulling bacon off the griddle. That’s what smells so wonderful, Carissa smiled. Devon won’t like this too much; he hates pork. She hoped he was smart enough to keep his half-hearted attempts at veganism to himself. Bashing beef, pork, or any kind of meat on a cattle farm was kind of suicidal.

  The guys were already coming in, including Robert Montgomery. He looked frail, but he smiled at everyone and took his seat at the head table. Carissa spotted Trey when he walked in and couldn’t help but smile at him. He looked like the perfect cowboy with his faded blue jeans and red button-up shirt. He returned her smile and said, “Good morning,” but didn’t waste any time getting to his uncle. He took his chair beside him and the two talked quietly about some projects they were working on.

  “Good morning, Miss Carissa. How has your stay been? Are you learning a lot?” Mr. Montgomery waved her over. She set the last bowl of Sterling in front of him and sat on the long bench beside his seat at the head of the table.