Captivated By A Cowboy (Canton County Cowboys 3)

by Charlene Bright

  “And he apologized to me when he got here. I thought that at least was very mature.”

  “That’s how it works. He makes women feel comfortable and then he takes advantage of them. That’s his M.O. or whatever you call it.”

  Carissa’s counseling skills let her know that there was more to this story. She didn’t need a PhD to know that Trey was insecure about Chase. “You have nothing to worry about, Trey. I’m not Jessie.” She took a guess at who this Jessie person was—obviously someone who had foolishly and cruelly come between two brothers. It had been the right guess.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Trey’s body language demonstrated his stress. He stood rigidly now, his jaw popped.

  “It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just expressing that it’s not fair to compare me to someone else, and you should give your brother the benefit of the doubt from time to time.”

  “Well, Miss Counselor, you don’t really know what you’re talking about, but thank you anyway.” He turned and walked out of the room.

  Carissa stood staring after him. What just happened? Well, she knew that Mr. Perfect had to have a chink in his armor somewhere. She sat on the edge of the bed suddenly feeling winded by the whole encounter. Everything was fine one minute and screwed up the next. What in the world was going on? It was enough to make her want to pack up and go home. But she wouldn’t do that. She was dying to show the kids, Ernesto and Fallon, this place. Carissa was anxious to put Fortunato and Holly in situations where they could bond with their children again.

  “Hey! Come check this water!” She’d forgotten that Chase was even here. She walked into the kitchen and found him hanging out of the cabinet.

  “What do you need?” Carissa squatted down to look him in the eye.

  “Would you mind trying the water? I’d like to make sure everything is flowing okay. Check both taps, please.”

  “Sure.” She turned on the hot water and then the cold water. “Runs perfect. Thank you!”

  Chase slid out of the cabinet and wiped his wrench on a rag. “That was pretty easy. Not much of a challenge but I’m glad I could help.”

  “Well I sure do appreciate it.”

  “So you like my brother, huh? You must be a glutton for punishment.” He rubbed the tool one last time and tossed it in the toolbox.

  “Um, it’s true that I am fond of him.”

  “Trey is being a jerk right now but it’s not because of you. It’s me. Don’t let him fool you. He likes you—I can tell.”

  “What? I mean, I never said he was a jerk.”

  “You didn’t have to. I know Trey Lee and this cabin has walls made out of papier-mâché.” He winked at her flirtatiously but she didn’t take the bait. “I’m not a bad guy, Miss Carissa, but I’ve done some rotten things. Cut Trey some slack. I’m sure he’ll be around in a little while trying to apologize. He blows up quick but he doesn’t stay mad long. I mean, usually. Except for me. He’s always pissed at me.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think Trey is the apology type, and don’t you think having sex with employees in his office might have something to do with that?”

  He laughed and closed his toolbox and stood on his feet. “Maybe, maybe, ma’am.” He put his hat on his head and said, “You know him better than I thought. My advice to you, not that you’ve asked for it, is to keep on doing what you’re doing. Pretend that nothing happened. Like I said, he blows up quick, like a summer storm, but he’s never mad long.”

  “Except when it comes to you,” Carissa finished for him.

  “Yes.” Chase’s light eyes appeared sad, but it could very well be the sadness that a thief displays when he knows he’s been caught. She wasn’t sure.

  “Tell me about Jessie, Chase.”

  He rubbed his hand over his face, a nervous tic that his brother had also demonstrated on other occasions. “Jessie was Trey’s high school sweetheart and probably the only girl that he ever liked, well, besides you. He’s pretty damn, particular, pardon my language.”

  “If he was your brother’s girlfriend, how did you end up with her?”

  “The perfect storm I’d say. He blew her off for a fishing trip with Dad. She was pissed about that. We happened to see each other at a party. You know it’s funny, she was hitting on this guy, a guy Trey hated, named Shane. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I mean, he was my brother, right? Couldn’t let his girl end up with some guy he hated. I got her out of there, we drank some cheap bottled wine together, and we laid on the hood of my car looking at the stars. One thing led to another, I brought her home. Couldn’t go to hers, her daddy was super protective of her. I think maybe that’s why she rebelled so much. We didn’t actually do the deed, but I can’t deny that we didn’t come close.”

  “I see.”

  “Like I said, I’m not a nice guy. It happened and I can’t change it. Neither could Jessie. After that, Trey wrote her off like she’d never meant a thing to him. Took down all her pictures, wouldn’t let her come over—nothing. I don’t think they’ve spoken since then and that was years ago.”

  “That’s how some people deal with emotions—they shut the people that hurt them out completely.”

  “Hmm … that would definitely describe Trey. You’ll have a good time diagnosing him, Miss Counselor. “What about me? What’s my problem, Counselor?” He flashed his lopsided grin at her in his flirtatious way. He couldn’t help himself really, she could see that. He asked for it so she gave him her diagnosis.

  “I’d say that you want very much to be like your brother, so much so that you are willing to break your own moral code to measure up. On top of that, you have a low opinion of yourself. You over-compensate for your pre-conceived lack with promiscuous encounters, often inappropriately, thereby further isolating yourself from any potentially healthy and satisfying relationship with Trey or anyone else.”

  Chase opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. Carissa was again surprised when Chase left her standing in the kitchen without saying a word. Well, she’d managed to successfully tick off two Montgomery boys this afternoon. She wondered how tonight’s date would go. If it was still on. She guessed she wouldn’t know until she showed up at Trey’s door. In the meantime, she pushed them both out of her mind and began to tidy up the cabin.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Trey didn’t know what to make of Carissa. He’d gone out of his way to check on her and she decided to throw Jessie in his face. And why was she defending Chase? She saw what a jerk he’d been this morning. Trey wished he could get the image of Melody sprawled out on his desk out of his mind. He went back to work, focusing on his tasks just as he promised Uncle Robert. He’d think about all this later. Carissa made it clear that she could take care of herself.

  Nobody gave him a hard time and he was relieved. There was a kind of somber tone over everything they did—he knew that the guys were thinking about the old man. The herds were inspected and everything was ready to roll. A few minutes before dinner, he said, “Alright fellows, you guys can leave at dawn. Ames, make sure you have everything you need for supplies. One of you guys help him out.” Coleman volunteered to assist him and they went to wash up for supper. Trey started to go to but remembered he had a dinner date—if Carissa still wanted to go with him. He’d been a jerk earlier. He was about to find out.

  Trey walked back to his cabin feeling anxious. He looked at his watch; he had about thirty minutes. He remembered that he needed to bring Aunt Nancy’s pillow too. He walked inside, hung up his hat, and slid off his boots. He tossed the cedar blocks he kept by the front door into his boots. They kept unwanted critters from invading his shoes and it kept the sweat smell down. He pulled his sweaty shirt out of his jeans and went to take a shower. Trey decided that if she didn’t show up, he’d walk over and apologize to her for blowing up. It wasn’t her fault that his brother had stabbed him in the back. Carissa had a point—she wasn’t Jessie.

  Twenty minutes later Trey was almost ready to leave
when he heard a faint knock on his door. Thinking it might be Carissa, he opened it. It was Chase. “Hey, sorry to bother you. Just wanted to chat, if you have a minute.”

  “I don’t really, but come on in. You talk while I finish getting dressed.”

  “So what’s the deal with you and Carissa? You have a date? Never mind, you don’t need to answer that. I know you do because that’s the only time you wear cologne.”

  Trey reached for his boots and slid them on his feet. “What’s this about, Chase? Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Will you please stop what you’re doing? I’d like to talk to you.”

  “If it’s about Melody, forget about it. I’ve fired her.”

  “What? For hooking up with me? That seems kind of low, dude.”

  Trey sat on the couch and reminded himself to be reasonable. “Actually, it wasn’t about you, but finding you two in my office was the final straw. She’s been doing a lot of crazy stuff recently and I’m sure if Aunt Nancy knew about all of them, she’d have fired her too.”

  “What did she do? I mean besides have sex with me. You know, I half wondered if you two had something going. She mentioned you a few times.”

  “I have no feelings for Melody and I have never given her a reason to think that I did. She was totally free to do what she wanted, Chase. I fired her because she assaulted our guest and did some other things that were questionable. Is that it? I’m sure Amanda has her forwarding address if you want to get a hold of her.”

  Chase made a noise with his mouth. “Shoot, I don’t want to look that girl up. Like I told you about four times now, I want to talk to you about something.”

  “About what?” Trey slid his wallet into his back pocket.

  “About Jessie, Trey. I want to talk about Jessie.”

  “You pick the worst times. I’m about to leave to have dinner with Carissa and you want to talk? You didn’t want to talk last week or month or year. Now all of a sudden you want to talk?”

  “That’s how it is with you, Trey! You’re such an ass! You think everything has to be convenient and just for you. I didn’t want to talk last week, or month. I want to talk now, damn it!”

  “Say what you got to say, Chase.” Trey clenched his jaw. Here it was, the moment of reckoning. The moment he’d been hoping for, dreaming of, and now he felt obliged to shut up and listen. Trey wanted to tell his brother what a jerk he was for making them sell the ranch, for kissing Jessie, and for a thousand other things. But he didn’t.

  Chase blinked back tears. Trey could see his eyes turning red. “You know what, you go to hell, Trey Lee. I should never have come back here.” His younger brother stormed out of the house slamming the door behind him. Feeling conflicted, Trey walked to the screen door and opened it. He was about to call after his brother, maybe even chase him down the drive but Carissa was standing there.

  “Was that Chase?”

  “Yeah, that was him.”

  She arched her brows and said, “Oh dear. Should we make this another night? Maybe you should go after him.”

  “No, it wouldn’t do any good. There’s nothing to say, really.”

  “Oh, I think you two have a lot to say one another but I’ve ticked y’all off enough for one day. Still want to go to dinner?” Carissa wore a pair of white dress pants and a short-sleeved pink sweater. At her neck was a petite strand of pearls, and she had left her hair down. She was a pretty sight and he couldn’t help but smile at her.

  “Yes, I still want to go to dinner. Have you changed your mind?”

  “Not at all. I’m looking forward to it, but let’s leave the Beast at the ranch tonight.”

  “Yeah, I guess we could. Come on, I’ll get my car.”

  “You have a car?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and pushed the button. A black Dodge Charger flashed its lights as he unlocked the doors. “I’m not always riding in that hunk of junk.”

  She beamed at him. “I love it. Not that I don’t love your hunk of junk too.”

  “I’m not offended. We all know the Beast is a waste of money, but it’s a sentimental thing.”

  “I can see that.” She smiled as he opened the door for her. She climbed in and instantly fell in love with the tan leather interior.

  “I have to make one stop at Uncle Robert’s and then we’ll head out.”

  “No problem.”

  A half-hour later, they were sitting at Cactus Jack’s, Canton County’s most popular hangout. It was a small place but the service was stellar and the food was delicious, though mostly typical bar and grill food. They chitchatted about the upcoming trail ride with the Audrey House families and he even asked if she’d heard from Devon. She confessed that she had not and that she wasn’t crying about it.

  “Well, he wasn’t all bad. He did a lot for Audrey House and according to my boss, he hasn’t backed off his plans to help us. I’m grateful for that.”

  “You see the good in everyone, don’t you?”

  Carissa seemed surprised by that question but answered thoughtfully. “In fact, it’s no longer my natural instinct to trust and see the good. I have to work at it, but I find doing the opposite drains my soul of happiness. I have to look for the good, especially in people.”

  The server came back and removed the empty plates and offered to refill the glasses. Both said no and Trey watched the server walk away. “Chase wanted to talk this evening. I guess I didn’t treat him too kindly.”

  “Are you regretting that?”

  “Yes, I guess I am.”

  “That’s good to hear. It would be good for both of you to be friends again.”

  He leaned back in his chair and smiled at her slowly. “I don’t know. How does that old saying go, ‘Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice …’?”

  She didn’t smile back; he could tell she took this seriously, probably more seriously than he did right now. He was so used to not talking about feelings. This was unnerving, to say the least. “Like I tell my families, there is a big difference between moving on with some forgiveness and permitting the craziness to have access back into your life. Forgiving Chase doesn’t mean you have to forget everything he’s done. Trust has to be earned.”

  “You think that’s what he wants? Forgiveness?”

  “I sure do, absolutely. He said as much today.”

  “Did he now?”

  She didn’t say anything else about it but looked at her watch. “What time are visiting hours over? Shouldn’t we be going?”

  “Yes, I think you’re right.”

  “Dinner was wonderful. Thank you, Trey. This seems like a great place to sit back and have a drink.”

  “My pleasure, Carissa.” They walked out, and Trey was pleasantly surprised when Carissa reached over and took his hand. He didn’t make a big deal out of it; he liked that she’d taken the initiative.

  “You know what I like about you, Trey Montgomery?”

  “Let me guess … my horse?”

  She laughed. “No, you know how I feel about horses and Sampson is huge.” They stood beside his car and Trey pulled her close. He loved feeling her soft sweater under his hands.

  “Well, what is it then? It can’t be my people skills.”

  “I don’t know, so far you’re doing okay.” Trey couldn’t wait for her answer; he bent down and kissed her, like he’d been wanting to all night.

  “Wow, you are full of surprises.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “Not at all.”

  He unlocked the car door and opened it for her. After closing it behind her, he walked to the other side of the Charger silently reminding himself to act like a gentleman. It was harder than he thought; he’d been a gentleman for so long. While they were in Cactus Jack’s the sun had gone down and some of the early evening stars had come out. He hardly ever noticed them anymore but tonight was different.

  “Okay, so what is it you like about me? I don’t think I let you answer.”


  “I like your strength.”

  He put the key in the ignition and chuckled. “So you like the way I move hay around?”

  “Not that kind of strength, although your skills with a pitchfork were impressive. I mean your strength, as in your character. You’ve been strong through so much but you didn’t let it change you, not as far I can tell. It takes a special person to be the rock for everyone else.”

  “Why, thank you, Carissa.”

  “For the record, I like your smile too although I rarely get to see it. You do tend to frown when you’re thinking about something.”

  “You act like you know me. My mother used to tell me the same thing. Stop frowning, Trey Lee. I’d say, ‘I’m not frowning—I’m thinking.’” He laughed and put the car in gear. “The hospital isn’t far. Thanks for going with me.”

  “I don’t know if you’ve ever seen anyone who’s had heart surgery before but the results can be shocking. Don’t judge his progress by what you see. Clare’s husband had bypass surgery and that was the hardest thing for her, seeing him looking so helpless.”

  “Thanks for the heads up. I did know that he was sedated but I hadn’t thought about what he might look like.” Trey parked the car in the hospital parking lot and the couple got out and walked inside the cool lobby.

  “He’s on the sixth floor, I believe.” Trey hadn’t felt nervous until now. Here they were, about to see his uncle. The only father figure he had left. They stepped off the elevator and into a busy hallway.

  “Excuse me,” a nurse shouted as she wheeled a short squatty machine down the hall. Half the medical staff must be on this floor, he thought, then he felt a ball of worry rise in his stomach.

  He walked faster now, leaving Carissa behind. She’d understand that he had to see what was happening. Aunt Nancy was leaning against the wall. She saw him and froze. Trey could never remember his aunt crying, even when her Annette had gotten in trouble with the law and they raided the ranch. Even when her sister-in-law, his mother and her best friend, died. She’d always kept her tears to herself but now here she was crying like the worst had happened.