Christmas Cowboy (A Standalone Holiday Romance Novel)

by Claire Adams

  “Whoa, I’m not letting you do this, Mattie.” She huffed as I took the ladder and closed it up. “You’re set on coming here and working, that’s fine, but at least let me give you your old job back. And, you’re not to climb ladders. You hire someone younger to assist you. But, you live away from here. I don’t need a roommate.”

  “Sounds reasonable. Besides, I took that money you gave me and bought me a house. It’s not too fancy, but it’s a hell of a lot cleaner than this place.” She folded her arms and thought a moment. “You’ll have to get a gardener. You know Pete’s son is taking over his business. He might be willing to stop by and give the place a once over.”

  “I won’t need him full-time, but if you think he’d settle for a decent monthly contract, I think that’ll work. But I’m leaving you in charge of that.”

  She smiled big and gave me a nod. “I’ll take care of everything. Your mother and father would be so proud you finally came to your senses. You know this place was your father’s pride, but you children, you were your mother’s and mine.” She reached out and stroked my beard. “When are you going to shave this thing?” She shook her head and curled her lip.

  “I might think about it, but no time soon. I’m not ready for a full turnaround, which brings me to my other rule. I’m not having you trying to come in here and change my ways. So, I’d appreciate you not throwing out perfectly good beer.” I heard my phone buzz and took it from my back pocket. Layne again?

  One thing I hadn’t done the day before was call Layne. He’d given up on me around three, and I’d forgotten all about him.

  “I insist on cooking for you, too, Aiden. You’re not eating right, and you’re wasting money if you’re eating out all time.” To her and my mother, eating at restaurants was always only for a special occasion or traveling.

  “You don’t have to, and the way I am, I’m not likely to be here for dinner.” I spent most of my afternoons at the steakhouse in town and then I’d stop by the strip joint before going to see Glen at Jay’s Pub.

  “I’m going to. You can heat it up when you like, and I’ll feel better. Besides, I’m leaving at three every day. I want to get home in time to watch my talk shows and the evening news.”

  “Sounds good. You can show up any time you want, too. I’m not picky. Salary is the same as before. I better get upstairs and call Layne. He’s been trying to reach me, and I don’t think I can put him off much longer. Besides, I’m in a sensible mood today.”

  She placed her hand on mine and then leaned in to kiss my cheek, steering clear of the beard and opting for my ear at the last minute. “I’m glad things are looking up.”

  “You know, they might be, after all.” I’d had a decent workout the day before, and while I’d expected to wake up sore, that hadn’t happened. The weather outside was sunny, and I felt good about hiring Mattie back. The house being tidy helped, too.

  I stopped on the landing and looked back across my home; if it weren’t for the empty feeling in my gut, I might be fooled into thinking my family were living and breathing somewhere inside the place. As my phone went off again, this time I answered it.

  “Yeah, I hope it’s important.” I tried to keep my tone from being too shitty, though I wasn’t happy the man had been so damned persistent.

  A low growl of frustration came through the phone. “I was about to send a search party for you. I was afraid you’d hear the news from someone else.”

  “News?” I wanted so badly to ask if he was finally having his operation to remove his head from his ass, but I held my tongue.

  “You’re being sued.” He cleared his throat, and then I heard a door creak and shut.

  “What the hell do you mean? I’m being sued for what? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Get down here, now!” Layne’s end of the line went dead, and I gritted my teeth while I fished my keys out of my pocket.

  I thought about the staff and wondered if I’d failed to provide for someone or if I’d slept with some gold digger who was trying to ruin me. I didn’t even tell Mattie where I was going as I hurried out to my bike.

  I cranked her up and rode her as hard as I could until I hit the street outside the firm. I pulled into the parking garage and then left it in the space next to the elevator. Then I hurried up to the door that said: Walker & Connor, Attorneys at Law.

  I threw the door open and hurried inside the office. “Hello, Mr. Walker. Is Mr. Connor expecting-”

  “Yes!” I barged past the secretary and pushed his door open. Layne was behind his desk. He stood and walked over to the minibar he kept in the corner of his office and poured two drinks. “What the hell is going on? Who is suing me?”

  He extended the glass, but I didn’t want it. He took both and turned them up one by one before meeting my eyes. “The Patterson family is suing your parents’ estate for negligence. They say new evidence has come forward putting your father at fault.”

  I didn’t know what to say. The weight of everything that had happened came crashing down around me.

  “There will most likely be a trial, Aiden. I’m going to make sure things are handled properly for you. It makes me sick they’re choosing to do this now after so long. I made sure the insurance paid those people handsomely. It’s greed, Aiden, nothing more.”

  I held on to the back of the chair to steady myself as my entire world spun out of control. “I want to see this proof. The damn crash was investigated; how the hell are they coming up with new information now?”

  He returned the glasses to the bar and turned back to face me as he took a seat behind his desk. “I’m not sure, but I’ll look into it. You have my word those people won’t get another dime of your father’s money.”

  “But it’s not my father’s money. It’s my money, Layne. Mine. That’s what they’re after. Me. Dad doesn’t have to deal with anything.”

  I wasn’t trying to be cold, but the fact that this had all been settled already was the one thing that I could rest easy over; now, these people were coming after some false idea of an estate when that estate and everything in it and of it was mine. They were suing me for something I had no hand in.

  “You’re right. But he was my friend, Aiden. It’s still not easy to think he’s gone, much less that someone’s trying to put him at fault. I will not have your father’s name dragged through the mud, not only because of the business, but because he was my best friend.”

  “I know, Layne. I appreciate it.” I had always trusted the man to do right by my dad. They’d known each other most of their lives and had attended law school together. “I’m more pissed off at the audacity these people have after all this time.” My temper was growing worse by the minute.

  “So next time I call you, you’ll answer. I need you to keep a direct line of communication between us. You know how this thing goes. It could change by the minute, and the last thing I need to worry about is where the hell you are.”

  His tone had changed, and now he was starting to sound more like my father. It wasn’t the first time since the accident that he’d taken this approach with me and it hadn’t gone well any of the other times, either.

  “Fuck off, Layne; the last thing I need is you riding me. If you hadn’t been such a dick the last time we talked, I would have answered sooner, but you usually just hound me about this fucking office.”

  “Your father wanted you to be a part of this, Aiden. Why the hell do you think I bother?”

  My teeth gnashed so hard I feared I would chip a tooth and then my only other instinct was to throw something. As the papers sailed off his desk and floated to the floor along with his fucking nameplate, I stormed out of the room.

  I hurried to the bar, where Glen could tell it was not the evening to fuck with me. He served me beer steadily for a good two hours until after dark, and then he started getting stingy. I pounded my fist on the bar to get his attention, but he walked over shaking his head.

  “I’m all done serving you for the night. You can ha
ng out a little longer if you want, I’ll call Scott, your friendly neighborhood Uber man, or I’ll drive you home myself, but you’re too sloshed as it is.”

  I had more than enough of men talking down to me for one day. “Fuck. You.” I stood up as Glen hurried around the bar.

  “I’m not kidding, Aiden. I’m not letting you kill yourself tonight. I could tell when you came in that something was wrong. I’ve entertained your ass with booze all night, but you’re not leaving here on that bike.” He put himself between me and the door, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Okay, fine then. Call Scotty the fucking Uber. I’m going to take a piss.” I made like I was going to the bathroom as Glen walked around the bar and then I ducked out and was on my bike and down the road before he could catch up.

  The night was a blur, but then again, so was my life. I couldn’t believe those damned Pattersons and their greed. They were punishing me for something I had no control of. Guilt stirred in my gut.

  I should have been on that plane. Lord knows that there were times I wished I hadn’t slept late. That I’d been right there with the rest of them as that plane went down. And suddenly, as if fate was reminding me who was boss, my front tire hit something on the road, and I lost control.

  I was thrown off as my bike lay over on its side and then flipped through the air like a paper cup in the wind. I hit more like a rock across a placid lake, bumping and skipping along until I finally sank into the depths.

  Chapter Six

  Lexa

  “Lexa! I need you.” Dr. Rob rushed past me, but I was already on my way into the room with him. “Motorcycle accident; he’s unconscious. Let’s see what kind of injuries we’re dealing with.”

  “I’m already on it.” I could peel a person from their clothes faster than a supermodel during fashion week, but considering I used scissors, I guess I was cheating. I hadn’t looked at the man’s face yet, no need to waste time — though if his body was any indication, I knew he must have a pretty mug.

  I peeled away every stitch and then checked his feet and hands while Dr. Rob pressed against his abdomen to assess any internal injuries. The other nurses were working on vitals, and he’d gotten his IV in the ambulance.

  “I think he got lucky, but I still want to order up some scans to make sure, then I’ll let you handle the debridement, Lexa. You’ve got a hell of a rock collection, Mr…. Do we have a name for him?”

  One of the others found his wallet where the EMT had placed it and looked inside. “Aiden Walker.”

  “Okay, Mr. Walker the rock collector, we’re going to get you fixed up. Are you okay, Lexa?”

  I snapped out of my daze and nodded as I busied myself. “Yes, I’m fine.” I wasn’t about to have him send me out again, even though the name was ringing in my ears over and over. This was Allison’s brother — the man my parents were suing. I wasn’t going to let him out of my sight.

  One of the other nurses, Cindy, was lining out his IV and getting him ready for movement. “This guy is lucky. Most riders in his situation aren’t. Good thing he was wearing his helmet and all he got was some rash and a concussion.” She glanced over at his face and smiled. “He’s too pretty to be on one of those death traps.” A few of the other females made noises of agreement, and we continued to get him ready to move.

  The newer nurse in the room, Tasha, giggled, but stifled it quickly. “Maybe if we shave him; could we get away with that? What’s with all these gorgeous men hiding their faces with beards?”

  “He’s looking at a DUI. There’s a policeman hovering outside,” said another voice I didn’t look up to identify.

  “He’ll feel this tomorrow,” said Tasha, who was covering his body with a fresh sheet, so he didn’t flash the entire hospital.

  “Lexa, could I see you for a moment?” Dr. Rob waved me out of the room.

  I walked out into the hall, and he pulled me behind a curtain where there were no patients hanging around. I let out a deep breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “I was okay, really.” I held up a hand as if to swear.

  He narrowed his eyes and gave me a look that told me he’d heard better tales. “You know him.” He could read it on my face, so there was no denying it.

  “Actually, I only know of him. We’ve never met. He’s the man my parents are suing. The one I was telling you about.”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head as if he understood. “You feel responsible for him.”

  So, maybe he did get it. “Yeah, in a weird way I do. I mean, he’s obviously been drinking, and the news of the lawsuit is probably to blame. The man’s whole world has to be crashing down around him.”

  He rested his hand on my shoulder and met my eyes. “You should have excused yourself. I would have understood. You realize if you’re asked to go to court, you being involved in this incident might not help things.”

  “I hadn’t thought about that.” I couldn’t stop thinking about how much worse the accident could have been. “Please, don’t stop me from doing the debridement.”

  He shrugged. “If you feel that you need to be involved, I won’t stop you, but please be sure about it. Nursing him won’t change things. It could actually make things worse.”

  “I’m not worried about that. But I need to do this for his sister, Allison — and for me.”

  He nodded like he understood, but held up a finger. “If this gets to be too much, you come to me, and I’ll make sure you’re covered.”

  “Thank you!” I placed my hand on his arm and he gave me a wink.

  “I still owe you a date. Don’t think I’ve forgotten. Things have been busy, but soon?” I nodded. “Good. I think he’s been sent to X-ray. I want to peek at him before I go.”

  “Thank you; I’m going to get things ready for the debridement. I know it’s best if he wakes up, but I really hope he stays asleep for that. He’s suffered enough.”

  “You’re a kind heart. But I’m hoping he remembers this pain, so he will stay off of the road while drinking.” He turned to walk away, and I headed off to find where they were taking him and to collect supplies.

  *

  It was eight in the morning when I decided to check on Aiden again. I had left him shortly after midnight, and it was my hope that he’d get plenty of much-needed rest. His debridement had gone well, and there weren’t as many pebbles embedded as we thought. His biggest problem was a few patchy abrasions, and I’d scrubbed him the best I could to avoid infection and so his scarring would be minimal.

  His angular face was perfect, aside from a small wound near his eye that was no bigger than a pencil eraser. I’d cleaned it, too, and gotten a really good look at his face. There was a handsome man hiding behind the scraggly beard. I wondered how long it had taken him to grow it, wondering if he’d shaved since the accident.

  I hadn’t even approached his door when I heard the cursing. I hurried in, and he was struggling with one of the orderlies over his IV. “I’m not staying here all day!”

  “I’ve got it, Tabitha. I’ll handle it.” She threw her hands up and hurried out of the room.

  “Don’t think your pretty little ass is going to convince me otherwise.” He ripped the tape from across his IV, and his eyes widened as if he only just realized it was stuck in him. “Get this shit out of me.” He held up his arm, turning pale.

  He seemed to relax a bit as I walked up and took his hand, his shoulders resting back against the pillows. “How about you calm down and let me tape it back up. I can order you something to eat if you’re hungry.”

  “I want to go home. Other than this damned thing and you people playing vampire at four a.m., I’m perfect.”

  “And, a considerable amount of road rash.” I straightened his covers and then adjusted his bed to a better upright position.

  “Stop fucking with me and get this thing out of my arm. I can’t even get up to take a piss without getting tangled in tubes.” He clenched his jaw and held out his arm again.

  “Let m
e fix your tape, and I’ll show you what to do if you have to get up.” I kept my voice calm, although I wanted to scream. His mood was contagious.

  “Take it out!” His voice was a low growl, but I leaned down and met his eyes, showing him I wouldn’t be intimidated.

  “You want it out; you pull it out. I’m not touching the damned thing.” I lifted my chin with the challenge.

  The muscle in his jaw feathered as he kept his eyes fixed on mine and then after a deep breath, he pulled the IV from his arm and tossed it to the floor. Then he threw the covers back and sat up in such a hurry, he wobbled and held his arms out. He grabbed the bed rail to steady himself.

  “You have to move slower than that, or your blood pressure will spike and you’ll end up on your ass.” I held his arm to help steady him, but he jerked it away.

  “I’m fine. Once I get my land legs, I’ll be out of your hair.”

  “You’re no trouble. As a matter of fact, I came down here to check on you. I’m the one who cleaned your wounds.”

  “What happened? Did you fall in love?” His smirk made me want to slap him, and I reminded myself that this was the man my parents were suing. He wasn’t at all as pleasant as his sister had been. She was the sunshine, and he was a storm.

  “I’m sure you have some wonderful women in your life.” I was trying hard to be pleasant, but he was wearing me down.

  “Just you at the moment. Were you here when they brought me in?”

  “As a matter of fact, I was. I’m the one who cut your clothes off. And considering I threw them away, you’ll have to walk out of here naked.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He met my eyes directly.

  He wasn’t going to give up. I walked over and checked his recent vitals. He was more than stable and only hanging around for observation. “If you’re nice, I could speed things up for you. But I only have an hour, so I can’t promise a miracle.”

  His gaze slid down my body. “Are you being nice to me because it’s your job or did you like what you saw when you stripped me down?” He scratched his beard and laughed.