The Rancher's Second Chance

by Leigh Riker

  “Okay, here are my business terms,” he said, cupping her face in both hands. “I’ll agree to playing your loving husband all day and working as hard as ever as your foreman. I’ll make sure you succeed in any way I can, helping you prove yourself to Ned—and winning out over Jesse. Frankly,” he added, “I think the ranch deserves you.”

  “Cooper, thank you.” Her eyes got even softer. “And what else?” she asked, her gaze riveted to his.

  “I’d like access to Ransom land whenever I want.”

  “You have that now.”

  He explained, “I’d want to work in my off hours there, fix up the house—get it ready for my mother.”

  “But—”

  The house doesn’t belong to her, he expected to hear, yet she didn’t say the words. “I want to make her wish come true. There’s no telling how much needs to be done on the house, but I want her to live there.” He remembered the afternoon they’d ridden to his old home, the rush of emotion that had come as he stood with her in his old room. Was Nell remembering that too? “I’ll rent it from you. Fair enough?”

  “You don’t have to pay me. I can surely understand how she must feel. If I couldn’t live at the NLS, my heart would break.” She probably didn’t realize, but Nell had moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his middle as she had before. “Then we have a deal? Once PawPaw makes it official that instead of Jesse I’ll inherit the ranch, we can...”

  “Not so fast,” he said, his hands still framing her face. “I mean, maybe we’re not compatible...” He paused while she made up her mind. To his satisfaction, she didn’t pull away, so they seemed to be on the same wavelength. Just as he’d hoped.

  His mouth covered hers, and Nell immediately responded. Cooper kept the kiss easy, testing until she flowed deeper into his embrace, and he felt himself start to smile against her lips. Okay, he thought, there it is. The rest of what I want. What he’d probably wanted for half his life—why deny it? He wasn’t about to tell her that though, and make her think of his offer to Ned. He could wait awhile longer.

  After another moment of standing close, kissing her again, he finally drew away, his hands slowly slipping from her cheeks to trail along the sides of her throat in a touch as light as a whisper. Her heart was beating as hard as a taiko drum. But then so was his.

  “All right.” He heard the tremor in his voice. “I guess I’m getting married.”

  “We are,” she corrected him.

  Cooper grinned. Nell didn’t know how true that was.

  * * *

  HAVING GOTTEN WHAT she wanted, Nell spent part of the next day at the hospital with Jesse. Her parents were there now, so later that afternoon she went back to the NLS to do evening chores and go over the day’s events with Cooper.

  In the barn, lit by strands of burnished gold sun that shafted down from the hayloft and snuck in between the outer boards of the stalls, they talked about mundane things. Nell sat on a hay bale, urging her calf to eat more of the gruel she’d prepared. She and Cooper were engaged but it was as if that had never happened. Their most recent kisses too.

  Cooper leaned against a stall door across the way. “Tomorrow, the boys and I will ride through the herd again. I doubt we’ll see many more late calves drop but you never know. You have a good bunch of cattle,” he said, his gaze wandering to the open barn doors. “Ned should be proud.”

  Nell focused on the calf. He no longer fit across her lap but stood, legs splayed, in the aisle, his head thrust toward her in eagerness and pink tongue lolling. A few beads of porridge ran from his mouth. “No sign of the coyotes again?”

  “Clete thought he heard some over by my place. Said he could be wrong.”

  My place. She could only imagine what her grandfather would say about that. About this engagement of hers too. He was probably still angry with her about Hadley Smith and for a moment, Nell wished PawPaw would stay away until after she and Cooper paid a visit to the justice of the peace in town. Which should happen as soon as possible. She was about to say so when he cut off her thoughts.

  “Fence on the north boundary needs attention. I’ll send someone out first thing in the morning.” His gaze slid from the doors at the end of the aisle, quickly over the calf that was slurping up the last of its dinner and skipped past Nell. “Doc Winslow’s coming over soon as he can to see to the mare that’s gone lame. While he’s here, he’ll take a look at that older gelding Clete rides. I’m afraid he has the start of some laminitis. I’ve assigned Clete the new chestnut you bought last month.”

  Nell decided he must be covering his true emotions with this laundry list of the day’s achievements. She felt a twinge of guilt. Maybe she’d come on too strong yesterday. “Good,” she said anyway, then rose to put the calf back in his stall. The baby Angus had gotten so trusting, and content, here she wondered if it would be wise to return him to the herd even after the coyote pack was no longer around. Certainly, the orphaned calf would find no protection from another cow as his surrogate mama. By now, he’d be on his own. Should she have tried to stick it out on her own too? “Cooper, if you’re having second thoughts about...us, say so. Now.”

  “A deal’s a deal,” he said, not looking at her. “I keep my word.”

  Her spirits plummeted to her boots. Was he reminding her of his vow to regain his land too? What else had she expected? She’d all but strong-armed Cooper into their agreement.

  “This won’t be an easy thing. With my family around, Jesse coming home...and PawPaw showing up any day, assuming someone can reach him... I mean, they’ll certainly try—”

  “I know all that. Are you trying to weasel out?”

  “No, I just—”

  “Business, Nell. Remember?”

  She hadn’t been wrong about his irritation but, oh, he had an edge about him today; Cooper wasn’t happy with the arrangement. “At the hospital, I told my mom and dad we’re planning to get married. Be prepared.”

  She didn’t get the last word of warning out before she saw her father’s car coming up the drive. It stopped first at the house, then halted by the barn while Nell was still preparing what to say. A door slammed and a second later, he appeared. Nell stiffened. So did Cooper. “Showtime,” he said under his breath.

  “If we’re going to do this, then—”

  Nell didn’t finish. Her dad marched up to Cooper, drew himself to his full height, which was still inches below Cooper’s, then glared at him. “My son is loaded up on painkillers today, and I’m not in the best mood. I hate to see my children suffer. You tell me why you’ve decided to marry my daughter.”

  Cooper’s gaze flicked to Nell. “The usual reason,” he said.

  “After fourteen years of not exchanging so much as an email as far as I know? Then you barge in here, take Hadley’s job and all at once you can’t wait to stand before a minister and take vows? I don’t buy it. I don’t trust you,” her father went on. “I haven’t trusted you since your family moved off this ranch.”

  “Our ranch,” Cooper said.

  Nell stepped forward. “Dad, be reasonable.” For an instant, she considered lying to him, saying she and Cooper had been in touch over the years. Instead, she mentally made a wish that Cooper wouldn’t throw her under the bus now. “We’ve made our decision. Please, can’t you wish us the best?”

  “I’ll tell you what I wish—that this didn’t have the feel of a shotgun wedding.” He glanced at Nell. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

  “Not unless it was the immaculate conception,” Cooper muttered. She could see his eyes change as his anger with her father increased.

  Her dad rounded on Nell. “This may be a new day for people your age and such things as tradition don’t matter anymore, but on the NLS they still do and at the house your mother is crying, which she’s been doing since you informed us of your decision. That matters to me, and in this family we still do
things the right way,” he said, his gaze returning to Cooper. “You didn’t answer me. Why do you want to marry Nell?”

  Cooper studied her for a long moment before he smiled, his eyes only for Nell. “I’ve wanted to marry her since I was nineteen years old.”

  “That would have happened over my dead body,” her dad replied. “You were both too young, and once John sold off his land—”

  “Not that he had much choice.”

  “—and you broke Nell’s heart, that was the end of it.”

  “Apparently not,” Cooper said. Nell couldn’t seem to speak. If he was playing a part, which he must be, he deserved an award for best actor. He moved closer to her, slipped an arm around her shoulders. “We’re not too young now, and we want to get married. As soon as possible. It’s as simple as that. I believe in doing things the right way too.”

  “In such a rush?” Her dad looked skeptical. “If you think that gives you the right to the land your family sold years ago, think again.”

  “I’m not marrying Nell for that reason. Sir,” he added, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “I’m not going to tell you how our relationship started up again or what we said to each other about making it official—except I proposed and she accepted.” He looked down at Nell, who edged even nearer to him, astonished at how easily he told the lie. “All I can say is, I’ll care for your daughter with everything in me, and if you love Nell as much as I think you do, you’ll give us your blessing.”

  Her father didn’t respond. He stood there in the aisle, in the fading light, assessing Cooper, then Nell with a steady look that seemed to bore through her. She tried to meet his gaze without flinching, but it was still true; they were both lying to him. And this wasn’t a movie or a Broadway play. The fate of the NLS was at stake. So was her integrity and Cooper’s. Still, her eyes didn’t shift at all from her dad.

  Maybe Cooper, not Nell, was the better liar. She was sinking into a pool of misery at prolonging this deception when her father spoke again. “Close,” he said, “but I’m still not hearing what I need to hear.”

  Cooper didn’t even try to misunderstand. He held Nell’s gaze and tightened his hold on her shoulder. Then he bent his head, and just ahead of taking her mouth with his, said, “I still want Nell to be my wife.”

  The kiss barely touched her lips before they ended it, but Nell had felt the surge of emotion through her whole body. Shaken, she leaned against Cooper. He hadn’t used the word love but...

  “Is this what you really want, Nell?” her dad asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then I guess you have my blessing,” he said. He looked a bit rattled too. “Get ready. Once your mother is used to the idea, she’ll want a full-scale blowout. No quick trip to the town hall will please her. And she won’t want to see cowboy boots under that fancy white gown, Nell.”

  She returned his smile, then drifted from Cooper’s arms into her dad’s and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  Wow. She was reeling. She had her father’s blessing, even when she would have to disappoint him all over again, and Cooper’s words kept tumbling around inside her, ricocheting like the bullets that had hurt him in Chicago.

  What if his words were not another lie? What if they were true?

  * * *

  “ARE WE LATE?” Olivia rushed into Nell’s bedroom four days later, at least as fast as her very pregnant bulk would allow. Right behind her came Shadow and Blossom with Annabelle. They wore matching sea-foam-blue dresses, and they’d all had their hair and makeup done.

  Nell had drawn the line at that much fuss. After all, this would be a sham wedding. In front of the long mirror, she surveyed the floor-length confection of tiered white silk that her mother had insisted they buy during a flash trip to Kansas City. No lace, which pleased Nell. Fortunately, there’d been no need for alterations either. Like an omen, the secondhand dress had been returned after another wedding failed to take place. But Nell’s hair hung straight and sleek, her concession to cosmetics a simple lip gloss, blush and the smoky liner her mom had applied to her eyes.

  “Nell, you look...bridal,” Annabelle said, blinking.

  “Gorgeous. I’m going to cry,” Blossom murmured, fanning her face.

  Nell felt more like a runaway bride, one foot poised to race off and avoid this whole thing. She would have offered them champagne from the bottle her dad had produced earlier, but only Shadow and Annabelle could drink any and Nell was afraid if she took one sip, she’d fall down the stairs in her high-heeled satin sandals. She settled for saying, “You’re all right on time. Thank you for being part of this...day.”

  Olivia brushed that away. “You’re an honorary member of our Girls’ Night Out group, even if you don’t attend every meeting,” she said with an arched brow. And when Nell had informed them she was engaged, there’d been a bigger outcry.

  “Why didn’t you say something before? How could you keep this huge news from us?” Annabelle had asked, for which Nell had no answer.

  From downstairs, she could hear the soft strains of music appropriate to the occasion, and her heart began to flutter. She shot her friends a panicked look. She was trapped.

  “You’ll be fine,” Shadow told her. “Everyone gets nervous.”

  But what if Cooper got cold feet? Nell was a blink away from doing so herself. She still felt guilty for lying to her parents. Was Cooper there now in the living room with Logan, Grey and Sawyer? And Finn? Nell couldn’t believe how fast her mother had pulled this together. As her dad had warned her, Nell’s mom had become a whirling dervish of focus. A few minutes ago, she’d hurried down the stairs to make sure everything below was perfect.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” Nell said, not meaning the same thing her friends had about nerves. She was deceiving everyone she cared about.

  “Of course you can.” Annabelle straightened Nell’s skirt. Shadow handed her the bouquet of white roses. Olivia placed the veil on Nell’s head with Blossom’s help, making the other women gasp at the effect. “Talk about a beautiful bride.”

  Nell had more than bridal nerves; she wanted to fly down the steps, stop the music and tell everyone the party was over before it started. Come clean with the people she loved. Let Cooper off the hook. And if her grandfather showed up...

  “I saw Jesse on my way upstairs, but is Ned here?” Shadow asked, as they ushered Nell toward the door.

  “No,” she said, saddened by his absence, even when she knew he wouldn’t be at all pleased by what she was about to do, and especially with whom. “Dad left messages, but PawPaw and Will must still be fishing. No one’s heard from him.”

  Maybe she should have waited, thought this through again. Nell hated lying to her parents and Jesse. She even hated being unfair to Cooper. He understood their bargain, had agreed to it, yet...

  The music changed. Nell’s ear picked up the first notes of Pachelbel’s “Canon.” As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, it would change again. She had no memory of being herded to the top of the flight, of taking that first step and then the others. She scarcely heard “Here Comes the Bride” begin, her heart was pounding so loud.

  Years ago, she’d dreamed of this moment, of that first glimpse of Cooper standing at the makeshift altar by the front windows, his face grave, watching his expression the instant he saw her.

  Which he did now. And Nell’s heart filled with unexpected wonder.

  He didn’t appear regretful in the least. Looking more handsome than she’d ever seen him, wearing a white shirt, dark suit and a silver tie, he smiled a little. His eyes shone, as if he were saying I love you.

  As if he really meant it.

  Behind bridesmaids Annabelle and Olivia, and matrons of honor Shadow and Blossom, on her father’s arm Nell glided into the room full of everyone who mattered to her, except PawPaw, as if she were walking on a cloud.

 
And, for the sake of the NLS, she told herself, she walked along the makeshift aisle’s white silk runner to be married.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “I NOW PRONOUNCE you man and wife,” the justice of the peace intoned. He glanced at Cooper. “You may kiss your bride.”

  For an instant, Cooper froze. They were married! He’d sure wanted to hear those words as soon as he saw Nell at the bottom of the stairs in her white dress, her eyes soft and seeking him behind the filmy veil she wore. For a second, he’d choked up. So beautiful, and almost...almost his.

  But because he’d been part of the ritual this time, not standing by while one of his friends or family or one of the guys he’d worked with on the force in Chicago got hitched, the traditional service had seemed to carry even more weight than it normally would. He couldn’t believe how short their exchange of vows had seemed. With a faint tremor in his hands, he finally framed her cheekbones, lowered his head and joined their mouths in a brief warm kiss, Nell’s face lifted to his, as moments before they had been joined in matrimony—for Nell, a temporary state of affairs.

  Hours later, he was still trying to wrap his head around the whole event. In the white shirt, his neck itched and the silver tie seemed about to strangle him, or was that due to reality closing in? He hadn’t much cared for being one of the two centers of attention, surrounded by Nell’s parents, her brother and all of their friends. The only person missing was Ned Sutherland. Just as well for today. Cooper didn’t relish having his wedding or the reception disrupted by another furious set-to with Nell’s grandfather. Wasn’t she afraid he’d snatch the NLS from her just because of Cooper? But she hoped she could make Ned see her way.

  At dinner, there’d been toasts. A long rambling exposition of Nell’s girlhood from her father and his wish that she’d be happy (he’d given Cooper a pointed look). Decent words came from Jesse with his one arm in a cast and a few teasing ones from Grey, then Logan and Sawyer. Finally, as best man, Finn gave the last toast, saying he was more than glad his ex-partner had survived that Chicago ambush to become a happily married man, even though Cooper had beaten him to the altar. And when Nell had danced with her dad in the small square of cleared floor that was normally the den to “My Little Girl,” everyone had gone misty-eyed. She’d cut short her first dance with Cooper to return to her guests.