Tough Talking Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

  “I can’t see a single day ahead of me without her in it.”

  “Damn, man. I knew something sparked between you, but after Melanie, I thought you’d take your time or shy away from asking another woman to marry you.”

  “She’s not any woman. She’s the woman.”

  Declan sat back in his seat. “Wow. Okay. Congrats. I hope it all works out this time.” Declan’s sincerity touched him.

  “It will.” Because this time was different. He was different. If she wasn’t ready now, he’d wait. If there was something she needed, he’d give it to her. He’d say or do whatever it took to make her happy and want to stay with him.

  They had something special. They liked being with each other. And he’d never found it easier to open up and share everything with anyone.

  Having her there in the hospital after his surgery showed how much she cared and supported him. She encouraged him every day with his physical therapy and working with Dr. Porter and Jamie to let go of the past.

  He hoped he gave back to her as much as she gave to him.

  “Hire some people to help out here. Find some free time for yourself. I’ll keep pitching in while I work on turning my plans into reality. Thanks for understanding that I love this place, but I need something that doesn’t wear on my body.”

  Declan rolled his shoulders and grinned. “I totally get it.”

  “I also want to be there for Adria while she helps Juliana get back on her feet.”

  Declan’s smile faded. “How is Juliana doing?”

  “Really good. Adria says she’s enjoying working at the shop. The two of them have repaired the rift between them.”

  “Neither of them said what happened.”

  Drake didn’t want to talk about Adria’s horrible past, what happened to her, and how it affected her and Juliana. “They had a rough childhood. They both dealt with it in their own way. Juliana had a more difficult time putting it behind her than Adria did, though Adria had a hell of a lot more reason to fall apart. Juliana harbored a lot of guilt. It ate away at her.”

  “I guess she tried to numb it away.”

  “Believe me, that doesn’t work. You only wake up hung over and hurting even more and you still have your shit and more to deal with because you’ve continued to hurt the ones around you.”

  Declan nodded. “You’d know that better than me, but yeah, I get it.”

  Drake didn’t want to dredge up his problems. He’d put a lot of his stuff to rest and he wanted to keep it that way. “Juliana wants to hang out with Adria for a while.”

  “They’ve got a really close connection.”

  Drake didn’t need the reminder. He saw it in the way they talked to each other, the way they stood close, finished each other’s sentences, and anticipated the other in so many ways. He hated to admit it, but he sometimes felt jealous. He wanted that with Adria. He wanted to be the only one who knew her like that. They had years to get there, just like she and Juliana had built their relationship over time. He didn’t share her life experiences the way Juliana did, but they were making memories of their own. Maybe what they shared was different, but it was theirs.

  He didn’t know why he thought about losing her all the time. Probably the thing with Melanie and his quick-trigger temper, though that had dissipated over the last many weeks. And he never directed it at her.

  The fear that he’d lose the one thing in his life that worked and made him happy, yeah, that one worried him a lot.

  It shouldn’t.

  When they were together, everything seemed great.

  But he missed her and the time they used to spend together. He loved having her in his bed every night, but she spent far more time with Juliana these days.

  That close connection they shared made it hard for him to squeeze in between them and get Adria to focus on him.

  “Is Juliana planning on staying here? Because if you and Adria take the cabin and Juliana moves into the house, then Tate’s going to live out his fantasy, where the two of you are dating twins.”

  Drake winced, not liking that idea at all. “Juliana’s as big a flirt as Tate is, but Adria said Juliana wants to go to art school. She can’t do that anywhere around here.” Adria made it clear she and Juliana wanted to find their own separate lives. If Juliana stayed, she’d work for Adria in a job she didn’t really want. Their lives would remain intertwined. Juliana might grow to resent Adria for having what she wanted while Juliana didn’t have what she wanted.

  They both seemed to need to find their own success. A healthy choice for both of them.

  And he didn’t mind the idea of having Adria mostly to himself again. Guilt over that thought burned in his gut. He didn’t want to interfere in the sisters’ relationship; he just wanted to be a bigger part of it.

  Which meant he needed to get to know Juliana better. If they were friends, did more things as a group, he’d feel like less of the outsider between them.

  “There’s a lot going on around this place. I just wanted to know where you stand and what you’re planning so I can make decisions for the ranch accordingly.”

  “I’m sorry if it feels like it’s all your responsibility. If you want me to focus on the ranch, I will.”

  “I want you to do what makes you happy.”

  “I want the same for you, and it seems like you’re restless here.”

  “Sometimes you choose your life, other times it chooses you.” Declan sounded resigned to that fact. “This is my life. I’ve accepted that. I want this ranch to continue succeeding and growing. To do that, I need help. So I’m going to put out some feelers, see if I can find someone qualified, or at least crazy enough to take on me and Tate, and move forward with my plans for this place.”

  “You know I’ll keep pitching in, doing my part.”

  “Drake, man, after all you’ve been through, I’m cool with you focusing on what you need to do and building the life you want. For what it’s worth, I like Adria. I like you with her. She makes you smile. For a while there, I thought I’d never see you do that again.”

  “Me, too. I can’t tell you what it’s like to be that messed up and in a dark place.”

  “I saw it. I hope I never see it again. So buy that business, marry Adria, make me an uncle, and just be happy, man.”

  Drake stood and went around the desk. Declan stood. Drake wrapped him in a bear hug. “Thanks for understanding and backing me up.”

  Declan smacked him on the back. “Always, bro.”

  Drake released his brother and walked toward the door, thinking about what they’d talked about and why Declan wanted help. “You know, Adria walked into my life when I least expected her. Maybe the same thing will happen to you.”

  Declan deserved to have everything he wanted. The ranch might be his domain now, but it didn’t have to be his whole life.

  Drake had learned these last many weeks that you didn’t have to stay stuck. One thing could turn your world upside down or right it.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Drake walked into Almost Homemade at closing and took in the near-empty counter and shelves. The refrigerators looked full, but he bet someone had restocked them recently. Trinity waved to him, pulled the till out of the cash register, and walked into the back.

  Juliana met him in the middle of the shop with a smile. “Hey there, handsome. Can I get you something?”

  “I’m good. Would you like to go out to dinner?”

  She scrunched her lips. “Um, I’m not Adria. She’s in the office.”

  “I know that. I mean the three of us. Since you’ve been here, I’ve barely spent any time with you and I thought we could get to know each other better.”

  Surprise and suspicion lit her eyes. “Really? I kind of thought you didn’t like me.”

  Drake didn’t like that one bit. “I’m not always the easiest person to be around. I’m trying to change that. You’re important to Adria, which means you’re important to me. I get that you two are close. I’m cl
ose with my siblings.”

  “But being twins is a different kind of close. Lately, I’ve dominated Adria’s time, and you want her back.”

  He shook his head. “I want to be part of her life, which means a part of your life. I don’t want to take her from you. I want to be included.” He hoped she understood that he really meant that.

  Juliana’s eyes took on a far-off look, then she focused on him again. “I’m sorry it seems like we’ve excluded you. That’s my fault. She talks about you all the time. She misses you when you’re not around. Especially when I try to keep her all to myself. I’m not very good at sharing. Ask her. She’ll tell you I won all the fights over toys.”

  “She’s too kind and giving not to let you have your way.”

  “Exactly. So whenever she said she was headed up to see you, I’d say stay. I wanted to be with my sister. I’m not good when I’m alone. I’ll work on that, because I see how happy she is when she’s with you. She’s never been serious about anyone. I don’t want to hold on so tight she loses you and I crush her.”

  “Not going to happen because nothing is going to keep me from her.” He wanted that and something else to be clear. “But I don’t want to take her away from you. Let’s be friends and share her.”

  “Deal.”

  He chuckled at the way she said that, so much like Adria and how she dealt with him.

  Juliana held her arms wide. “Can we hug it out?”

  “Why not.” They shared a quick hug that solidified this next step in their relationship.

  “Juliana, you’ve got to stop pretending to be me.” Adria stood behind Juliana, frowning.

  Drake took a huge step away from Juliana, so Adria didn’t get the wrong idea.

  “Drake knows it’s me. We were just coming to an understanding.”

  “What’s that?” Skepticism filled Adria’s words and eyes.

  “That we both love you and want you to be happy. And Drake’s buying dinner tonight.”

  Adria looked to him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Probably because he’d complained about Juliana more than he accepted her. He wanted her to see that changed now. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m taking you and Juliana out to dinner tonight.”

  “Are you sure? Trinity can probably drop Juliana at the cabin if you’d rather it just be us.”

  He appreciated how hard she tried to give both of them her undivided attention. But she shouldn’t have to do it all the time. “I invited Juliana so we could get to know each other better.”

  A bright smile finally bloomed on Adria’s lips. “You did?”

  He should have shown Adria sooner that he wanted to get to know Juliana, the person she loved most. “Yes. Grab your stuff. Tell Trinity to close up. Let’s go.”

  Juliana gave Adria a disgruntled look. “Does he always order you around like this?”

  “I issue a lot of my own.” Adria smiled up at him. “Kiss me hello.”

  He had no trouble following that order. He hooked his hand around her waist, hauled her body up close to his, and kissed her like he hadn’t seen her all day because he hadn’t. He broke the kiss and stared into her laughing eyes. “Hello.”

  “Hi. I missed you today.”

  “Then stop leaving me alone in bed at the crack of dawn.”

  “You two are too cute.”

  Drake glanced over at Juliana. “Go get your stuff. Give me a minute with her.”

  Juliana smiled. “Sure thing.”

  Adria focused on him. “Are you upset?”

  “No. I had a talk with Declan before I came here to see you.”

  Her head tilted the way it did and her eyes filled with concern. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes and no.” He loosened his hold on her.

  She put her hands on his chest and stared up at him, ready to listen and offer him whatever he needed.

  “Declan wants to hire someone to help at the ranch.”

  She immediately tried to soothe his ego. “That doesn’t mean he thinks you aren’t contributing.”

  Leave it to her to understand that’s where his mind went, too. “I know. He got the vibe that I’m not all in at the ranch and making it my life’s work.”

  Adria’s head did that tilt thing again. “Okay. So what are you thinking about doing?” She seemed open to whatever he decided.

  Juliana came back with her purse and Adria’s draped over her shoulder.

  “We’ll talk about it later. Right now, I want to have dinner with you and your sister.”

  Mike rushed out of the kitchen. “Jules, where are you off to?”

  Juliana handed Adria her purse and smiled over her shoulder. “Out to dinner with my sister and her boyfriend.”

  Drake liked the sound of that, but wanted to talk to Adria about his plans for the future and a much more permanent place in her life.

  “Sounds good. I’ll come with you—that way you’re not the third wheel.”

  Not exactly what Drake had in mind, but he left it to Juliana to make the decision.

  Juliana hedged. “Um, Drake and I were kinda working on getting to know each other better.”

  Mike blew that off. “We’ll have fun. He knows your sister. You’re pretty much the same.”

  Juliana and Adria exchanged identical eye rolls. They may look alike and have a lot of the same mannerisms, but they weren’t exactly the same in personality. They were individuals. They deserved to be treated that way.

  Mike didn’t get it and steamrolled right over Juliana’s attempt to be nice about turning him down. Mike took her hand and pulled her toward the door.

  Juliana gave Drake a half frown and shoulder shrug as she passed.

  Adria took his arm. “Looks like it’s the four of us.”

  Drake went with it, because he got to spend the evening with Adria and her sister no matter what. He’d get to know Juliana in a much more casual way. Maybe it was better to have another person to keep things fun and easy.

  An hour later, he wanted to plant his fist in Mike’s face. Four beers in, all the guy did was dominate the conversation and talk about fixing up old cars.

  “How come you’re not a mechanic?” Juliana seemed happy to go along with Mike’s jovial conversation, then try to include him and Adria, though Mike only had eyes for Juliana.

  “Like I said, I used to work on cars with my dad and grandpa. I love it for fun, but doing it day in and day out . . . I like working in the shop. It’s easy.”

  In other words, Mike didn’t like to work hard or have to think too much.

  “I get bored easily. That’s why I tend to move from job to job every few years. Keeps things interesting.”

  Drake tried to engage Juliana again. “What do you plan to do after art school?”

  “Art school? What a waste of time. You’ll never make any money.” If Mike liked Juliana and wanted to be with her, disparaging what she loved didn’t seem like a great way to make her like him.

  Juliana ignored Mike and answered Drake. “I’m not sure yet, but I’ve been thinking about doing book illustrations or getting into graphic arts and working in advertising. I know, they’re very different things, but that’s what art school is for, to learn and discover what I really like and what other options there may be for me and the kind of drawing I like to do.”

  Drake nodded, thinking that a great idea. Both jobs seemed like good options and viable ways to make a living.

  Mike set his hand on Juliana’s back and squeezed her neck. “Working in advertising will probably pay the most. You should do that. Then you’ll have the money to go out, party, and have fun.”

  Juliana winced at the force of Mike’s . . . affection? “My partying days are behind me.”

  “No way. You look like you know how to have fun.”

  “Oh, I do.” Juliana gave Mike a mischievous smile. “But I’m looking for some tamer fun these days.”

  Mike’s hand landed on Juliana’s thigh. “Tame is for when you’re old. Now i
s the time to have some real fun.” Mike had to be closing in on thirty, yet didn’t have a plan for his life and career. When did life get serious in Mike’s mind?

  None of Drake’s business.

  Juliana played along, but he bet Mike wasn’t someone she’d want to keep for the long haul. She may not have the healthy dose of practicality Adria had, but she wasn’t looking to repeat her past mistakes either.

  Mike looked like a mistake waiting to happen.

  Drake’s phone rang. He checked caller ID just in case it was one of his siblings. He picked up after the first ring for his buddy. “Chase. How are you?”

  Adria and Juliana started a discussion of their favorite children’s books and which had the best illustrations.

  Mike rolled his eyes and downed the last of his fifth beer.

  “Hey, Drake, I’m glad you picked up. I’m kind of in a bind. I need your help.” Chase’s frazzled voice set off Drake’s internal alarm.

  Ready to assist, he assured Chase, “Anything I can do. What do you need?”

  “A place to crash and lay low for a couple of days. I’d go to a hotel, but . . .”

  “No way.” Drake wouldn’t leave a friend hanging. “I’ve got you. Hold on.” He touched Adria’s arm to get her attention.

  She smiled and tilted her head, giving him her full attention. “How’s Chase?”

  “I’m not sure. He needs a place to stay for a couple of days. Mind if he uses the apartment?”

  “Not at all. In fact, I’ve stored some things up there that I could use both your help setting up to make the place nicer.”

  Drake smiled, knowing Adria had probably bought everything Juliana would need to live there if she wanted to. “Chase, meet me at Almost Homemade downtown.” He rattled off the address. “It’s Adria’s place. She’ll let you have the apartment upstairs, but it’s going to cost you a little muscle to move some stuff for her.”

  “Sounds good. I really appreciate this. I know it’s last minute and all . . .”

  “No worries. I’ve got your back.” He meant it. He hoped Chase took it to heart.

  “When can you meet me there?”

  Drake didn’t want to make Chase wait if he needed a friendly ear to go along with a place to crash. “We’re about ten minutes away. Let me pay the check, then we’re out of here. See you soon.” Drake ended the call and waved to their waitress.