Her Lone Star Cowboy

by Debra Clopton

  Hello—the man was gorgeous, funny, and he practically fainted at the sight of his own blood! Cute. And Gabi knew she would come to Jess’s rescue any day of the week.

  For a gal who wasn’t planning on getting involved with someone, she sure was having a hard time remembering that. All the more reason for this to be done soon. She was here to work on herself. And no one but her and God knew just how much work she needed. Even her Gram didn’t know the whole truth.

  She didn’t trust herself in so many ways… .

  Especially when she let herself dwell on what Jess had been through as a kid. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop thinking about that. His dad had been an alcoholic. The word vibrated in her head like a migraine.

  Staring into his Jess’s eyes the day before, it had hit her—an image of the expression on his face when he found out she’d had her own battle with drinking. Her stomach soured with embarrassment just thinking about what he or anyone would think if they knew.

  Nope, anything between them was strictly business, because anything else—anything personal—was doomed.

  And she had no one to blame but herself.

  * * *

  “Toxic plants,” Applegate grunted. App was sitting at his usual table at the front of the diner, deep into a game of checkers with Stanley. “Ain’t that a kick in the pants,” his words bounced off the walls of the packed diner.

  “Shor is,” Stanley agreed, spitting sunflower husks like a machine gun. The shells hit the spittoon dead-on—and why not, the two old-timers had had plenty of practice. It wasn’t uncommon to see the small boys in town practicing their sunflower spitting.

  This morning though, Sam’s was booming with business as several tables were full of cowboys getting their breakfast before heading out to work. Jess was on his way to Oklahoma to deliver a load of cattle for Clint Matlock and he and Luke had met for breakfast. He had to get back by day’s end so he could deliver some rodeo stock for Luke to a small town almost to Houston the next day.

  “Yes, that’s what they suspect,” Jess assured the older man.

  “Got you one purdy gal helpin’ ya look,” App thundered.

  “Yup, it’s real nice of Gabi ta help you out like that,” Sam said, plopping two plates of eggs and bacon on the table in front of Luke and Jess. “She’s a peach.”

  “Yes, she is,” Luke agreed. “We owe her. Susan, too. But if Gabi hadn’t gone out there with Jess and searched, we’d have been several days behind and probably have more head die too.”

  “That’s the truth. I bet Susan is glad she hired such good help,” App boomed.

  “And did we say purdy, too,” Stanley added, hiking a bushy brow and grinning at Jess. “You noticed that, didn’t ya, son?”

  Luke grinned across the table at him as more than a few eyes turned his way. “Yeah, Jess. Did you notice how pretty she is?”

  He shot Luke a scowl. He didn’t need anyone egging on the older men. “I noticed,” was all he said.

  “Purdy, smart, sweet and a good girl too. Now that’s a winnin’ combination, if you ask me,” Sam said. “Of course I’m kinda partial to the kid. My Adela is so happy Gabi moved back here that I jest have ta thank God ever’ day fer His blessings.”

  Jess nodded. “Everything you’ve said about Gabi is true. I’m also pretty sure she has good teeth and has had all her shots, too.”

  Three sets of graying eyebrows dipped along with Luke’s hiked set.

  Jess held his hands up. “Hey, don’t look at me like that,” he huffed, feeling a little pushed in a corner and not liking it. “Y’all are the ones talking about her like she’s the best horse in the lineup.”

  Luke chuckled, bit off a piece of crisp bacon and chewed. After realizing the cattle were safe, he’d been highly excited to know that Jess and Gabi had spent so much time together.

  “She is the best filly in the lineup,” Sam said, defensively. “And one day soon some smart cowboy’s gonna come along and sweep that little gal right off her feet.”

  Jess downed a fork full of fried egg and made no comment. He did however flashback to him standing in the woods with her while she tended to his bleeding finger. She’d probably thought he was a wimp, but all he could remember was how much he’d wanted to kiss her. How great she’d smelled and how pretty her eyes were, looking into his.

  “You judging that blackberry cobbler contest at the fair this weekend?” App asked Jess. He jumped one of Stanley’s black checkers and smiled triumphantly.

  “Don’t be smilin’ like that, ya old goat,” Stanley warned as he studied the game. “Ah-ha!” he moved his piece from the edge and took out an unprotected king. “That’s what not payin’ attention’ll get ya.”

  Jess wasn’t sure if anyone was paying any attention but he answered anyway. “Yes, this dumb cowboy doesn’t turn down berry cobbler and y’all know it.”

  Sam had gone to the kitchen for more food but paused beside his table. “I’m sick of hearing those women boasting about their cobbler. Ever’ year it’s the same thing. Norma Sue and Esther Mae kin jest get plumb ornery about it.”

  Jess laughed. “Yeah, but I get all I want. And y’all know I’ve never, ever met a berry I didn’t like. I like blackberries, strawberries, blueberries—”

  Sam grinned like it was his last hurrah. “How about Newberrys?”

  Luke shook his head. “You walked right into that one, little brother.”

  Jess gave up. “Yes, Sam. But come on, what’s not to like? She’s a nice girl. Y’all like her, too.”

  “Yup. But if you ain’t noticed, we’re old as dirt and already had our turn at love,” App said, almost at a normal volume. “We’re tryin’ ta help you out. But sometimes I thank you young bucks are short some important wires or somethin’.”

  “That’s fer dad-gum shor,” Stanley grunted, grabbing more sunflower seeds from the half-empty five-pound bag. “We’re tryin’ ta do our Christian duty and set you on the right path.”

  “And you ain’t cooperatin’ too all fired well,” Sam snapped, then strode to the table by the jukebox where he plopped the plates of food in front of the hungry bunch of startled cowhands.

  The old dudes were a little touchy today!

  Jess met Luke’s watchful eyes over the brim of his steaming coffee. His brother was having too good of a time with this.

  But Jess wasn’t falling for the bait. His mouth was shut.

  If these fellas knew how much Gabi was on his mind, there would be no hope for him. He’d been thinking about her nonstop for the last few days.

  He’d had to fight himself not to make up excuses to go by the clinic. But he wasn’t going. No matter how much he was tempted.

  Nope. He might have gone weak in the knees from the sight of his own blood before, but he’d never gone weak in the knees for a woman.

  It had him feeling like his saddle had slipped and he was riding sideways. Gabi Newberry made him feel things he wasn’t used to feeling, and he wasn’t real sure what to do about it.

  One thing he did know—keep his mouth shut around these three old codgers.

  They’d get a guy in trouble and enjoy every minute of it.

  Nope, where Gabi was concerned, he was going to proceed with caution.

  Chapter Ten

  “Smell that cotton candy,” Gabi said, inhaling deeply as she and Gram walked toward the County Fair on Friday morning. “I could eat my weight in that.”

  “Yes, but then you wouldn’t have room for the cobbler.”

  “True.” Gabi sighed. She’d agreed to be a judge in the Best Berry Cobbler contest and she’d been a bit nervous about it. Women took their cobbler dishes seriously in these parts. But, hey, she loved cobbler.

  Excitement bubbled all around the fairgrou
nds that were alive with activity. Kids of all ages, shapes and color swarmed here and there, their laughter mixed with the bellows and neighs of goats, halter heifers, commercial heifers and more.

  As they were nearing the chicken pens, shrieks and laughter broke out when chickens suddenly escaped and began flying everywhere.

  Startled, Gabi and Adela paused as a little boy of about ten grabbed one chicken, tripped and fell face-first into a wet spot on the dirt floor.

  Gabi started forward to help him, thinking he was going to be upset. But before she could get there, he popped up, grinned and raced after the escaped chicken.

  “I guess that means he’s okay,” Gabi told Gram, smiling. “This is going to be fun,” she added, excitement filling her. There was action everywhere.

  “I was hoping you’d think so. Remember when you showed a pig and dressed him up in that little black tuxedo the night of the sale? You really seemed to love it back then.”

  Gabi remembered. “Homer was very handsome and went on to father a nation of little piglets with great genes.” Somewhere along the way Gabi had started looking for more excitement than that found in the simple things in life. She’d picked a career that dealt with animals because she’d loved it. But somehow she’d gotten off track.

  Adela’s warm gaze drew Gabi and she knew Gram was thinking similar thoughts. “I think there could probably be some of his family competing here this week,” she said, moving past the shared moment of understanding.

  “I’d like to believe that.” Gabi laughed. It wasn’t unthinkable. Her hog had been a great one. Passing through the arena area they stopped here and there to speak to people they knew. About twenty minutes later they made it to the annex building where the art and food competition was being housed. The building was about fifty feet from the livestock barn, on a slight hill away from all the action. Rolled up garage doors were open on both sides so it was easy to see the buzz of activity going on down the hill.

  Inside were tables set up with various cobblers already displayed. The aroma of the room was ripe with sweetness, and it had Gabi’s stomach growling immediately.

  “Yoo-hoo!” Esther Mae hustled up to them. Her cheeks were as pink as the shirt she wore—somewhere between fuchsia and plum. “Just in time. We’re gearing up to get started. Rose Cantrell is heading up this competition but had to run down to the office for a minute and will be right back.”

  Then she saw Norma Sue and Jess from across the room. She hadn’t seen him since Wednesday, and despite how it irritated her, wishing it wasn’t so, she couldn’t deny that she’d missed him.

  His magnetizing gaze caught hers. She was certain that the sound of her heart banging in her chest could be heard by everyone.

  There was nothing abnormal about this. Like this kind of feeling happened every day! But as he walked toward her, she knew this crazy connection between them was not like anything she’d ever felt. A week! She’d only known the cowboy for a week… .

  “I hear we’re judging the berry cobbler contest together,” he said, giving her that cute smile of his, the one that made him look as if he knew a secret that no one else knew.

  “We are?” she managed to say, trying not to fall under the power of that smile. She glanced accusingly at Gram.

  Adela, looking unbelievably innocent, smiled serenely.

  Like a brick to her forehead, Gabi knew then and there that the conspiracy was on. Full steam ahead.

  “I’ve got them!” Rose Cantrell called, hurrying into the building waving papers. “Sorry about the delay, but now that we have the score cards we can get started.”

  Not contrite at all about her deception, Adela introduced Gabi to Rose. Rose Cantrell owned a small, prickly pear jelly company and was married to the town deputy. Who had been a Texas Ranger and once protected Rose in the witness protection program. In less than two minutes, Gabi learned all about Rose’s history as Ester Mae chattered away. Practically without taking a breath!

  Rose blushed slightly. “Esther Mae, Gabi isn’t here to learn about me.” To Gabi she added, “Don’t worry, there won’t be a test later.”

  “Okay, but I’m ready if there is,” Gabi teased, glad to have anything that would distract her from the man standing patiently beside her.

  “Let’s get this ball rolling,” Norma Sue called from where she’d opened a closet door. “Y’all need to get in here while we get things ready.”

  “Excuse me?” Gabi said, certain she’d misunderstood. “In there?” Gabi crossed to Norma Sue and Jess followed.

  “That’s a new twist.” Jess sounded as leery as she felt.

  Rose looked apologetic. “The ladies decided on this part. Sorry it’s so cramped. But it won’t be for long.”

  Jess leaned over her shoulder and peered into the room, a weird expression on his face.

  “Don’t tell me,” Gabi whispered, all too aware of him. “You’re claustrophobic, too.”

  His tanned cheeks tinged a soft pink. “No.”

  “Sorry,” she mumbled then bit her lip to hold back a chuckle.

  “After we have a small bowl of each entry scooped up and numbered,” Rose was explaining, “we’ll call you out and you will sit at that table and begin your tasting.” She pointed to a long table in the center of the room.

  Gabi had spent hours searching pastures with Jess, feeling this attraction building over the week. And now, she and Jess were expected to step inside this closet and wait.

  Just the two of them.

  Suddenly Gabi wasn’t laughing.

  Looking into Jess’s eyes, she knew that the joke was on her.

  * * *

  Apples. That was what Gabi’s hair smelled like. It tickled his nose like the scent of a fresh-baked apple pie. He swallowed hard and tried to think about cobbler, not Gabi. But he’d had her on his mind for days.

  And now, in a room the size of a saddlebag, it was hard to focus on anything but her.

  Norma Sue grinned from the doorway. “Y’all relax. I’ll come get y’all in about ten minutes,” she said and then she slammed the door!

  Gabi lifted sarcastic eyes to his. “They do it up nice for their judges, don’t they?”

  “Funny,” he grunted. The fact that he was locked in a closet with a beautiful woman was not lost on Jess. Not after thinking about kissing her for nearly a week now. It was all he could do to fight off the urge to lean closer—not that getting any closer was an option. He’d missed seeing her. He’d almost tripped himself up getting across the room to talk to her when she’d walked in. And his knees were feeling kinda wobbly and this time it had nothing to do with seeing his own blood.

  He was standing with his shoulder touching the door while she was facing the door with her shoulder touching his chest. She turned suddenly in the tight space and caught him with his nose practically buried in her hair.

  “Um, you smell great,” he blurted.

  Her eyes, as green as a polished apple, held his. “If you’d have smelled me earlier, I can promise you, after what I did to sixty head of cattle today, you wouldn’t have been pleased to be locked inside a football stadium with me.”

  He laughed. “Then I guess today is my lucky day.”

  Her lips curved into a smile, that dimple saying hello. She glanced pointedly about the closet. “Now that depends on how you look at it.”

  Oh, he was looking at it all right. Looking at her. They were face-to-face and six inches apart. He had room to back up or move sideways, but he stayed put. Feet planted firmly where they were.

  He’d thought about her all week. Couldn’t shake her from his thoughts no matter how much he tried.

  Jess wasn’t much into chick flicks but he’d seen a few, and there had been plenty of dramatic long pauses where the camera moved in close as
the two main characters stared longingly into each other’s eyes. Until this moment he’d thought that was just plain weird.

  But he’d felt the same way in the woods. He fought off the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around Gabi and kiss her—just like in the movies.

  What was going on?

  The question jolted through him. What is going on?

  The reality of the situation had him trying to step back. Gabi did, too.

  Before either of them could say anything, Norma Sue yanked the door open.

  If his expression was anything like Gabi’s, they both looked like deer caught in the headlights.

  “Okay, judges. Do your thing,” Norma Sue demanded, grinning at Jess like she knew exactly what he’d been thinking about.

  Which of course she couldn’t know.

  Jess needed space. He didn’t want to fall for Gabi.

  Storming to the table, he sank into the metal folding chair and stared at the twenty small paper cups of various colored cobblers. Even the temptation of berry cobbler couldn’t clear his head.

  His stomach rolled, his palms were sweating, his nerves shaken. He had never—and he meant never had a reaction like the one he’d just had inside that closet with Gabi Newberry. Every time he was around her this thing, this attraction, got bigger and bigger. It was taking on a life of its own.

  * * *

  Jess put a spoonful of entry number six into his mouth, closed his eyes and savored the blackberry cobbler. He looked as if he’d just stepped through the pearly gates.

  Gabi had to laugh. “I can see why they want you to do this. You are having entirely too much fun.”

  He popped one eye open and grinned. “I look forward to this all year long. And I can tell you the benefits aren’t bad either.” His other eye popped open. “I get cobbler samples all through the year.”

  “Get out of here,” Gabi gasped. “You take bribes?”

  He looked insulted. “Not bribes. Just preliminary taste testing.” He shrugged. “All I do is thank everyone and eat the pie.”