A Cowboy To Keep: A Contemporary Western Romance Collection

by Hebby Roman

  He spoke again, diminishing all doubt. “She’s starting to get wise.”

  “Then make her unwise. Your problem. Not mine. Take care of it,” Ramsey said with a snarl. “I don’t want the new foreman to get tangled up in this mess. I may need him to take the fall in case this all goes south.”

  Addison sucked in a deep breath. There was little doubt as to who she was. Plus Ramsey hired a new foreman? Damn. That little tidbit would have been helpful to know before risking her life on yet another stupid plan. She may have been able to fool a new ranch hand. Now it was too late.

  Holding her breath, she wished she could disappear into the galvanized steel bracing her upright. Trespassing on William Ramsey’s property was beyond risky, but desperation opened up a world of desperate choices.

  Of course Ramsey would never see it the same way. He’d probably call the sheriff. If he didn’t shoot her first. Knowing her luck, he’d shoot first, then call. What on earth had she been thinking to attempt such a dumb stunt? Hadn’t last night been proof she wasn’t cut out for undercover work?

  The voices stopped and the crunch of snow under boots replaced the conversation. They were leaving. She exhaled, releasing the air in a foggy cloud.

  Kneeling down, she picked up her hat, then rose again. Tonight she got lucky. She hadn’t been seen, but it was close. How many times could she push her luck…and get away with it? Didn’t matter. She’d had her fair share of this spying stuff. She’d be making her move soon. What she’d seen in the last two days had been proof enough.

  Her mind started to spin. She could ask a few of her ranch hands to help, but what if they were caught? Or worse? No, she couldn’t risk it. Although, if she cut a small section of the fence, she wouldn’t need the help.

  She’d be able to wrangle the expecting cows and heifers through with just a horse and Scout. Then she’d search for the rest of her stock. When they were all on her property, she could quickly repair the fence.

  As soon as she got home, she would gather supplies. A roll of barbed wire, a come-along to stretch it, hammer, fencing pliers, plenty of nails, and a shotgun…just to start.

  Success depended on timing. Though the cattle would be much easier to move after they finished eating in the morning, she couldn’t afford the luxury. She’d have to perpetrate the escape during the wee hours when all of the hands were sleeping.

  This presented a challenge. Yet, with a little perseverance and whole lot of determination, it could be done. Hopefully the overabundance of willpower could make up for what she lacked in patience.

  She slapped the hat against her thigh to knock the snow off, and started back toward her ranch. Scout released another bark, followed by a low growl. She froze. A shadow at the end of the barn caught her attention. Her heart lurched in her chest as a faint whisper inside her head screamed run, but her feet refused to move.

  A man stepped into the light. She could make out a fuzzy outline but couldn’t quite see his face. A few more steps forward and the details became clearer. Was this some kind of bad joke?

  Ramsey’s new foreman?

  Handsome, rugged features showcased a square jawline, unforgettable green eyes, and a mouth made for kissing. She should know. She’d kissed those lips last night.

  “Well, I’ll be darned.” His lips curved into a smile.

  An odd flutter stirred in the pit of her stomach as the memory of his kiss heated her skin. Speechless, all Addison could do was gape in shock.

  “Are you looking for me?”

  “What? No. I…uh...I was going for a walk,” she replied. Hoping he’d accept the excuse she started walking in the direction of her ranch.

  “No kiss before you run off this time?” he shouted after her.

  The smart comment stopped Addison in her tracks. She whirled around to face him, armed with an excuse to defend her actions, but his boyish grin turned her insides to mush.

  “I’m only kidding.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “Look …ah…hell…I don’t even know your name. I don’t care what you are doing here. It’s none of my business what you do...or who you spy on. I just wanted to talk about last night. That’s all.”

  “I wasn’t spying...at least not on you anyway. And I only kissed you so I wouldn’t get caught spying in the first place,” she attempted to explain. A thought flittered in and she wondered if he had any clue of Ramsey’s backup plans for him. The fall guy in case it all goes south.

  Obviously this man wasn’t the enemy. No. Just the dupe taking the blame if whatever Ramsey has planned falls through. Of course, her actions weren’t any better. Kissing him in the bar as a cover? In a way, the handsome stranger had been her fall guy too. “I guess you deserve an explanation.”

  “Nope. Not really. I’ve pretty much figured it out. For some reason you don’t trust Ramsey or Jacobs. Can’t say I blame you. But I would like to know how to address you. Just in case our paths ever cross again.”

  She studied his face. Even though she knew she’d regret it later, Addison blurted out her name. Perhaps it was the playful grin, or maybe the fact they’d shared a kiss, but for some reason she hadn’t been able to stop the words from escaping her lips. Didn’t matter. The way through Ramsey went through ranch hands, the drifter probably wouldn’t be around for long anyway.

  “Addison,” he repeated. “I like it. Sure beats kiss and run blonde.”

  Though his words had been in jest, warmth crawled up her neck, heating her cheeks. Kissing a complete stranger was something she’d never done.

  Until now.

  “And your four-legged friend?” He pointed toward the fence line.

  The question caught her off guard. She followed the line of his finger and centered her gaze on the cattle dog. “Sc…Scout,” she stuttered.

  What the hell was she doing? She was about to pull off a crazy cattle heist and here she is giving some stranger her name? Why not her address too? If that hadn’t been enough, she’d just thrown her innocent dog into the mix. Now, if caught, they’d both be headed to the county jail.

  Or worse.

  “Sawyer Dawson. In case you were wondering the same.” He tipped the brim of his hat. “It’s been a pleasure,” he drawled in a seductive tone. Rich and smooth like aged whiskey. A man like this could be dangerous.

  Without saying another word to the tempting cowboy, she spun away and raced toward the property line where Scout stood guard and her horse, Chesney, was tethered on the other side of the fencing.

  She placed the toe of her boot onto one of the threads of barbed wire separating the properties and slipped through to the other side, then held the line for Scout.

  With shaky fingers, she untied the reins stationing the chestnut mare in place. She spared a glance over her shoulder to see if she’d been followed, then mounted, and quickly spurred the horse into a gallop.

  The plan still stood. She knew without a doubt Ramsey had her stock. Now, all she had to do was steal the cattle back. Hopefully, a handsome stranger wouldn’t be stupid enough to stand in her way.

  Chapter Four

  Sawyer arrived early to start his new job. Everything he owned was stuffed in a pack on the seat of his truck. He parked the old Chevy by a large barn, then found one of the cowhands to direct him to the sleeping quarters. Glancing around the bunks, he tossed the bag onto an empty cot, then reported to duty.

  He found Ramsey fairly quickly. The tall man towered over most of his workers and carried himself in such an authoritative way, he was hard to miss. After a quick review of the ranch and of what was expected of him, Sawyer was directed to the stables.

  Within minutes, he was mounted on a dark gray mare named Sadie. With the help of two other ranch hands, he began the task of separating expectant mothers close to calving into another field so they could be checked on regularly.

  Nearing late afternoon, they’d finished the job. He glanced at the setting sun. The chore had taken far longer than he’d anticipated. Soon dusk would come, marking t
he day’s end.

  Though the air still held a little chill, his skin was clammy with sweat and he wished he had worn a light jacket instead of the heavy coat. He removed his hat and wiped the perspiration off his forehead with the back of his sleeve.

  One of the pregnant cows waddled by and he glanced at the brand on her right side. An R in a circle. Funny. He could’ve sworn Ramsey had mentioned his branding was a half-circle R, not a circle R. Must’ve misheard. Sawyer scratched his head, then replaced the worn Stetson.

  He scoured at the field of cows with a keen gaze. Time to call it a day. No use in all three of them standing around watching cattle get accustomed to new surroundings. He whistled shrilly to catch the attention of the other two cowboys, then waved one forward with his hand.

  “You two can grab some grub.” He shifted his weight in the saddle. “I’m going to stick around for a while until they’re all settled. There’s one or two I want to keep an eye on.”

  The cowhand gave a curt nod and Sawyer watched them leave. As both men rode out of the pasture, his thoughts drifted to the spunky blonde who’d never quite left his mind.

  “Addison Reed,” he said out loud, liking the way the name rolled off his tongue. He cast his stare in the direction she’d run off to. Perhaps he’d take a little stroll later. See how neighborly Montana really was.

  Or not.

  The last thing he needed was woman trouble. He returned his gaze to the field of pregnant cows. He had plenty of those at this moment. And more to come, as he spotted a young black heifer.

  Aloof and staggering away from the herd, she seemed a bit antsy, lying down only to get back up again a minute later. Obviously new to the birthing game, she’d be the one he’d keep an eye on. He pulled his gaze to scan the rest of the herd before returning back to her. She also looked as if she’d be the first to go into labor.

  Not far from where she lay, a headgate had been stationed on a chute. Good. He may need it. He urged his mare toward the heifer. Once near, he slowed his pace as to not cause the animal any anxiety, and then dismounted.

  She was close. Closer than he’d first thought, noting the yellowish water sac hanging from her vulva. The tips of two feet protruded, followed by a nose. The base of both feet pointed to the ground. A good sign, the calf wouldn’t be born breach.

  Sawyer stepped back giving her a wide berth in hopes she wouldn’t need assistance. However, she was starting to show signs of distress. He decided to give it a few minutes while keeping her under close watch. If her condition worsened, he’d be forced to go for help.

  The faint bark of a dog in the distance drew his attention. He glanced up as a blurry movement off to his side caught his gaze. Squinting in an attempt to adjust his eyes to the fading daylight, the figure became clearer. He blinked, not sure he could trust what he saw. The woman he was unable to forget was rushing toward him. A grin pulled at the corners of his mouth.

  “Damn, girl. You just can’t get enough of me, can you?”

  “Ha. Ha. Funny. I saw you when I was dropping off barbed wire for fencing…something didn’t seem right.” Addison pointed toward the animal.

  He glanced at a pair of calving chains in her hands.

  “Where’d you get those? Good Lord, did you steal them out of Ramsey’s barn?”

  She silenced him with a steely gaze. “I had to. Like I said, I saw you needed help and no one else was around. His barn was closer than mine.” She inched closer, nearing the back end of the laboring animal. “She’s a first-calf heifer. This will probably be a hard birth for her. We may need to get her over to the headgate.” She pointed toward the holding chute. “Either help or get out of my way.”

  Her demanding tone struck a nerve. “Just for the record, I have this under control. I’m well aware of how to birth a calf,” he barked back, then snagged the calving chains from her grasp. He swiftly attached the chains to the emerging calf’s legs in a half hitch knot; one loop around each of the fetlocks, another below the knees.

  “Oh sorry. I didn’t realize your feelings trumped an animal in labor,” Addison returned snidely, stepping to the side.

  He ignored the comment and focused on the cow. As the heifer strained, he pulled out and down, then rested when the cow did. After a few repetitions, the calf was born.

  Not wasting any time, Addison plunged her fingers into the calf’s nose and cleared a goopy handful of amniotic fluid from its nasal passage. She then kicked at the snow to clear a spot and grabbed a blade of frozen grass to tickle its nostril so the animal would breathe on its own. A second later the newborn took his first breath.

  Sawyer scooped up the calf and carried him to the small shelter in the middle of the field already stocked with fresh straw and water to make the mother comfortable, who happened to be following close on his heels.

  They watched for a moment as the mother settled in the lean-to and then the calf began to nurse. A good sign. A sense of relief swept through him. No matter how many times he’d witnessed the birth of an animal, it always amazed him. Apparently Addison was in just as much awe.

  He grasped her arm. “They both seem fine now. We should leave them alone. I’ll walk you home. This is the way to your property, right?” He pointed toward the direction she’d ran yesterday.

  “Yeah, but I don’t need an escort.” She pulled free from his hold. “And just so you know, I’m not a thief. Your boss is. I have a personal stake in some of these cows.”

  Now suspicious, he stared at her skeptically. “Care to explain?”

  “No,” she snapped and started walking. Suddenly, she paused and spun to face him. “Did you by any chance happen to see the heifer’s brand? An R surrounded by a circle? The mark stands for the Circle R Ranch. My ranch. She’s my cow. And trust me, when she’s able I’ll be taking her home. As well as the others who belong to me. There’s a whole slew of my stock over here...but not for long.”

  She whirled back around and marched toward the line separating the properties. Sawyer didn’t try to stop her. He simply watched Addison go as her parting words circled continuously in his head.

  Either the girl was crazy or he was standing knee-deep in manure.

  Chapter Five

  As soon as Addison neared the house, she knew something was amiss. For starters, Jacob’s rusty Ford pickup was gone. Good thing too. All the way home, she’d been thinking of the many ways to send him packing—setting his belongings on fire, blowing up his truck…bodily harm. Perhaps the man leaving without a word was a blessing.

  She stabled Chesney, then entered the house and ventured downstairs to the former foreman’s room. Moving him into the home after her parents’ death had not only been practical, it’d been a necessity. Having the man around had literally been her lifeline. She glanced around the empty space.

  A turmoil of emotions hit her at once as a heavy feeling of loss took center stage. She made her way to the bed and sat on the edge. In hindsight, opening her heart and house to Jacobs had been a mistake. This was like losing her parents all over again.

  Bitter tears stung her eyes. His actions made little sense. Why would he betray her so? She allowed her gaze to skim over the room again, settling on a piece of paper stationed on the man’s dresser. The stark whiteness a sharp contrast against the dark wood.

  She rose and walked over to the chest of drawers. Grasping the note with a shaky hand, she read her name pasted on the front. Frustrated, she wiped at the tears blurring her vision with the back of her hand, then unfolded the paper.

  My dear Addy,

  Maybe one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

  ~ Jacobs

  Forgive him? She didn’t even know why he sold her out. Was it money? Did she not pay him enough? She ripped the note into a thousand pieces and let the torn shreds fall to the hard wood floor. Angry, brutal tears streamed down her face. Though blurry, she stared at the remnants of the note.

  Guilt swirled in the pit of her stomach as doubts circled in. Maybe she
should’ve paid him more, but with the high cost of running the ranch, raising his pay would’ve been nearly impossible.

  She shook free of the self-blame. Why was she second guessing herself? All Jacobs would’ve had to do was tell her he needed money. And she would’ve…what? More than likely sell some of her stock, or whatever it took, to keep him happy. Jacobs would’ve known this, making his betrayal ten times worse.

  She kicked at the tiny pieces of paper on the floor, then stomped from the room, slamming the door behind her on the way out. Her thoughts spurred toward the newborn calf and how she’d transfer it, and the rest of her cattle, home.

  Sawyer popped into her head and she tried to blink away his image. She damn sure didn’t need to start thinking about him. However, sharing such an intimate experience made it hard.

  The moment the calf was born, she’d almost hugged the drifter. Though she should be used to the sight, a new life never failed to pull at her heart strings. Now she had to get the animal back here, where he belonged.

  After pacing a track in her living room floor, Addison ventured to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine, in hopes the alcohol would relax her. At the very least, maybe it would stifle the pins and needles of anxiety poking beneath her skin.

  Once she retrieved her stock, things would get ugly. No doubt Ramsey would come after her with a vengeance. She needed to be prepared for the worst. Not having the money to hire extra security, Addison would have to keep her cattle grazing away from Ramsey’s land. Relocating to the pastures on the north and closing off the field separating their properties would help.

  A faint memory surfaced of a meeting she’d had with her neighbor a little over a year ago. Ramsey had suggested she sell her land to him…at a price well below fair market value. When she had adamantly refused the offer, he’d suggested becoming partners of a sort, and joining ranches.