Finding Her Cowboy

by Sarah Gay

  “Good, you’re open,” a middle-aged woman said to Becca, waving for a group of women who huddled around Becca’s recently painted table to come inside. “We’d just finished our monthly lunch at the Tavern for our book club when we saw you on Insta.” She motioned to the table on the sidewalk. “Love the art. And the mission.”

  Becca’s mouth dropped open, watching a dozen women pile into her little store and eliminate all personal space.

  “Let me show you some of my absolute favorites,” said Grace, stepping out from behind the counter.

  A woman in her forties, with bright white hair and smooth skin, brought her face to within inches of Becca’s. “Your video moved me to tears.”

  The woman’s sharp perfume caused Becca’s eyes to water. Becca concentrated on keeping her mouth from dropping open again. “Thanks,” she said quickly, then closed her mouth tight. So, they saw the video. No biggie, she told herself to calm her racing heart. None of these women know how self-conscious you are right now. Go with it! “Here at Positive Impact, our goal is to empower women with a voice they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

  “Love that,” said the woman. “Excuse me.” She stretched her neck as she scanned the store. “I need to find something to send my daughter in college,” she said, disappearing behind the hat rack.

  Anxiety grabbed hold of Becca’s chest, thinking about the orders that had come in today—and the copious packages that would have to go out. Today. She smiled and nodded to her customers as she hurried to the storage room to prepare the orders for shipment. She glanced down at her watch. It didn’t look like she’d be able to meet up with Jack, at least not for several hours. Considering he hadn’t called her yet; he’d most likely gotten caught up with work as well.

  Three hours later, Becca wobbled into the post office a few minutes before closing, heaving a box filled with packages of every size. Her eyes connected with Charlie’s. She didn’t know why, but Charlie had a calming effect on her. He was her favorite employee at the post office. He’d been there for years—longer than she’d had her business, anyway. Personal experience had taught her that if she wanted her packages to end up in the right place, at the right time, and in one piece, then Charlie was her man.

  Charlie welcomed her with a bright smile, displaying his distinctive crooked teeth. “Wow!” he said, staring into her box. “Business good?”

  “Best day yet,” said Becca, returning his smile.

  “That calls for a celebration,” he said, placing the first package onto the scale.

  “You’re right. What do you suggest?” she asked, amazed at how quickly he zipped the packages on and off the scale, labeled them, then set them onto the conveyor belt.

  “Spend time with someone special.” He nodded, as if agreeing with himself. “The garden store is around the corner. You could pick up a new plant.” He acted disinterested, focusing on his computer, but a smile tugged at his lips. “Heard you and Jack were a thing.”

  Becca blinked her surprise. “He’s a great guy, but…I mean…how did you…?” she asked, searching for the right words to explain her relationship with Jack; she’d obviously failed when she’d described it to Grace.

  “Small town,” he said, placing the last package onto the black conveyor belt, whisking it away toward the back of the post office. “Word travels fast.”

  “I’d say,” she said with a light laugh wondering why Jack hadn’t called her yet. She replayed the day in her mind to see if she’d missed something. She and Jack had planned to choose flowers and shrubs for her back yard from the nursery after they’d had breakfast and walked around the farmer’s market, but a business emergency had materialized, sending him sprinting. He’d told her he’d call her after his quick chat with the vine delivery guy, but he hadn’t. She sighed out her disappointment as her gut twisted. “Thanks, Charlie,” she said, thrusting her business credit card into the payment machine with more force than necessary.

  “Tell Jack he owes me,” Charlie said with a tip of his chin.

  “Owes you?” asked Becca.

  Charlie nodded. “He’ll understand.”

  I want to understand! she wanted to scream, but she didn’t. “Oh, okay, Charlie. Thanks again.” She waved her hand as she stepped in front of the door sensor, causing the glass to automatically slide open.

  “That way,” said Charlie, pointing across his body to his left. “The garden store is a five-minute walk in that direction.”

  As Becca stepped out onto the sidewalk and stared down the busy road, Charlie’s voice repeated in her head five minutes; that would make it a mere ten-minute walk from her shop to the garden store. How had she never seen the nursery before? Never met Jack? She glanced at her phone. No missed calls. She set out at a brisk pace. With every step, she stretched out her tight back and leg muscles, the byproduct of having carried a heavy box to the post office.

  When she arrived at the nursery, she grabbed a flat metal shopping wagon from the parking lot. Curling her fingers around the cool metal handle, a ting of excitement zipped through her with the thought of exploring a part of Jack she didn’t know yet.

  Humid air, filled with the scent of wet dirt, settled onto Becca’s arms as she pulled the wagon through the greenhouse section of the nursery. Hanging flowerpots, similar to those outside the coffee house, dangled above her head. To her sides spanned rows and rows of assorted flowers and herbs, lining every inch of the gardens and overwhelming her senses. She hadn’t the slightest idea where to start.

  “Becca.” Her name echoed across the room.

  She turned to find Harlan walking toward her. He looked back and to the side with an expression of concern.

  “Hey, Harlan.” Wondering who he was searching for, she stared past him and asked, “Is Jack here?”

  “No, no,” he stuttered out. “He’s still in Dallas, working through a few pressing matters at the nursery, but it’s so good to see you.” Harlan’s eyes shot to the corner of the greenhouse and his face blanched.

  “You okay, Harlan?” she asked, turning her head to look over her shoulder. “This might sound silly, but you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  He laughed nervously. “It’s nothing. Can I help you find something?”

  “Sure. This place is amazing,” she said, sucking in a long breath. “And it smells so fresh, like the forest after a rainstorm. I do need something.”

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “Help,” she said in a playful voice. “I couldn’t tell a weed from an herb if my life depended on it.”

  Harlan chuckled. “That sounds dangerous.”

  “Harlan.” The store’s speaker blared above their heads. “You have an urgent call on line one.”

  “Excuse me,” said Harlan, holding out his palm to her, signaling for her to stay put. “Don’t wander off. I’ll be right back.” As he bolted away, his eyes did a quick scan of the store.

  Three tall trees wheeled down the next aisle over, blocking out the sun momentarily, thus darkening the greenhouse beneath their leafy branches. Becca caught part of the conversation of two young men as they moved the trees. “What’s the trailer for? Are we doing lawns now?” asked the taller one.

  The heavyset young man responded, “I overheard Harlan sayin’ it’s for a gal Jack’s sweet on.”

  “No way,” the tall guy snorted. “Jack?”

  Becca ducked behind a stand that held an assortment of vegetable seed packets as she listened in on their conversation.

  “Yeah. Some girl’s got up in his head so bad he’s makin’ all sorts a mistakes. Mistakes that’s messin’ up his new store. I heard the bank ain’t happy because it don’t look like Jack’ll open his store when he’s spose to.”

  His store?

  “Dang,” the tall one said, wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “I’m glad no girl’s up in my head.”

  “Keep telling yourself that,” said the pudgy one with a hearty laugh.

  They disappeared int
o the outdoor section of the store as quickly as they’d appeared, leaving Becca with a pit in her stomach, wondering why Jack hadn’t told her he owned the garden centers and how imperative it was for him to stay focused. She felt the presence of a man behind her. Jack’s familiar tiger grass scent warmed her senses, but there was something in the mix she’d never smelled on him before—the essence of black pepper and sandalwood. Breathing in his manly scent dissolved the pit in her stomach, causing a shot of excitement to heat her core.

  She turned around with a hop in her step. “Jack!” she exclaimed with delight, lifting her arms to hug him. Instead of Jack, a tall, well-dressed man stared down at her with amusement. Her heart raced as she jumped back, throwing her arms down at her sides.

  “Hi,” the man said in a deep, sultry voice.

  She tripped, tumbling backward. The man wrapped his arms around her waist, catching her and lifting her back onto her feet.

  “Thanks,” she said with a hard swallow.

  “My pleasure.” His eyes never left hers as he continued to hold her. “I overheard you could use some help picking out herbs. I’m a chef and thought I’d offer you my assistance.”

  She scanned his face as he stared down at her; the perfect symmetry of his high cheekbones and full lips had her mesmerized. His beauty was something she’d only seen on a billboard, advertising men’s jeans, the one where the advertisement is only a headshot, the jeans not even being part of the photoshoot. She tilted her head to the side and stared back at him, searching for a flaw.

  His eyes sparkled with curiosity seconds before his lips enveloped hers.

  Her eyes flew open and her temperature spiked from a shot of adrenaline. She pressed her palms against his chest and pushed him back.

  “What are you doing?” she said, biting back a sling of curse words. “I don’t even know you.”

  “I can fix that,” he said with a slow blink of his dark lashes. “Want to join me for dinner at one of my restaurants? I own six, five-star establishments in Dallas. Come with me,” he said, holding out his hand to her. “We could hit each one for a different tapa.” His confident speech and trendy metro outfit told her he was telling the truth. Money and looks? This guy must have the girls eating out of his hands, but not this girl.

  She gasped at his boldness and tenacity. “I’ll pass, thanks,” she said, thrusting her hands into her pockets.

  “But that kiss?” he said, begging her with his hazel eyes.

  “Like kissing my brother.” She wrinkled her forehead. “And I don’t even have a brother.”

  The man smiled in a thoughtful way as he tapped his pointer finger to his closed lips, then rubbed his chin and nodded as if pleased with himself, or the situation, which didn’t match what she was telling him, how she’d rejected him.

  She threw a hand in the air to make her point. “I wasn’t joking.”

  Harlan ran up the aisle toward them. “Joking about what?” He bent over to catch his breath. “What are you up to, Rob?” he asked in an insinuating tone, his face flushing red.

  Rob motioned to Becca. “We were just getting acquainted.”

  “Is that what you call it?” Becca said with a raised brow. “Rob?”

  Rob extended out his hand.

  “Becca.” She took his hand to shake it, but narrowed her eyes, letting him know she didn’t trust him. Harlan knew this guy and didn’t show any signs of alarm, other than mild irritation, so he couldn’t be too horrible.

  “This is Jack’s brother,” said Harlan with an exaggerated sigh.

  “Oh,” Becca said with a tsk of her tongue. “The ugly one.”

  Rob smirked. “Right. I get that a lot.”

  “I bet the children scream when you come near them,” Becca said with heavy sarcasm, causing Rob and Harlan to chuckle.

  “Gotta go,” said Rob, grabbing Harlan by his shoulder as he walked past him, in the exact way she’d seen Jack greet Harlan. Rob smiled at Becca, but not in a sultry way like he had before; he smiled at her the way a teacher would beam at their star student. “Pleasure,” he said, disappearing into the main part of the store with every woman’s eyes trailing him.

  “Are you and Rob…?”

  “We’re cousins,” Harlan said. “Rob’s got this weird thing about Jack’s girls.”

  “Excuse me?” she said with a hard blink, not sure if she was more offended to be one of several possible love interests, or that Rob had come on to her only because of Jack.

  Harlan’s eyes bugged. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to call you…Jack doesn’t have…” His eyes left hers, dropping to the floor as he scratched the side of his head.

  Her heart went out to Harlan, even though a question still lingered in her mind about being one of Jack’s girls. “It’s okay, Harlan. I’m not upset, but I’ve got to ask you something, and I need you to be completely honest with me.”

  Their eyes met and he nodded in agreement.

  “Am I distracting Jack from work?” She feared the answer but had to ask.

  Harlan relaxed his shoulders and looked at her with tenderness as he touched her arm. “He couldn’t ask for a better distraction.”

  She placed her hand over his and gave it a light squeeze. “Thanks, but it sounds like he needs space to concentrate until the store opens. Don’t you think?”

  Harlan whistled, taking a step back. “If I answered that question, Jack would kill me.”

  “He’ll never even know I was here,” she said, hoping to calm Harlan’s rising anxiety.

  Harlan shook his head. “He already knows. I spoke to him after I responded to that page—which ended up being bogus.” His face hardened. “It was Rob’s way of…” He shook out his hands. “Anyway, Jack wants you to call him before you leave the store.”

  “Okay.” Her voice faltered, hating what she’d have to do, but she didn’t have a choice—she wouldn’t be the reason for Jack’s business faltering. “You still good to show me around first, maybe help me pick out a few things for my yard?”

  Harlan rubbed his hands together. “Come with me.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Congratulations!” Rob’s upbeat voice blared into Jack’s ear through his cell phone. “She passed.”

  “Passed? What are you talking about?” Jack asked, sprinting between a row of raspberry bushes and flowering perennials in the new store’s five thousand square foot outdoor garden area. “I don’t have time for this, Rob. I’ve got a call with a prospective client in ten minutes.”

  “She’s a keeper. If I can’t turn Becca’s head away from you, then no man can.”

  “Don’t tell me I sound that cocky,” said Jack with a grunt.

  “No, sir,” replied Rob. “You’re cockier.”

  “Yeah, right,” said Jack.

  Rob sighed into the phone. “But it worked somehow…she didn’t kiss me back. Congrats.”

  “What!” yelled Jack, skidding to a stop as every muscle in his body tensed, wondering if Rob was messing with him. “When did you? Rob, I’m warning you, leave Becca alone.”

  “Calm down,” Rob said with a laugh that set Jack’s nerves on fire. “She’s all yours, and I’m happy for you. Catch ya later.”

  “What did you do?” Jack asked, but Rob had already hung up.

  Jack stared down at his phone, his blood pressure skyrocketing. First Becca has a chummy conversation with Mark, now she and Rob kiss? Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a few employees stopping to stare at him. He’d been too loud, even for the open outdoor space—at least no customers roamed the garden shop yet to witness his tantrum. He set out for the corner of the lot, dialing Becca’s phone. During his brisk walk, he prayed fervently, pleading with the powers above that Rob hadn’t already messed things up with Becca for him. He’d reached the far corner of the property when she picked up.

  “Hey, Jack,” Becca said in a cheery voice.

  He leaned against a cool stone wall that separated his property from his chocolatier
neighbor, the decadent scent of melted chocolate filling his senses. “It’s so good to hear your voice,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Sorry I didn’t call earlier. I got slammed.”

  “No worries. It’s been crazy here too. Business boomed today.”

  “That’s great!” Jack exclaimed. “How does it feel?”

  “So good. But, um.” Her tone dampened. “After I mailed off the packages, I came to your garden shop to look around.”

  “Everything okay?” He braced himself.

  “Yeah,” she responded. “It’s beautiful. And kinda overwhelming.”

  “Wish I could be there with you right now to give you the grand tour.”

  “Me too,” she said, causing his nerves to quiet. “I met your brother.”

  He cleared his throat and balled his hands into fists. He tried to keep his voice calm and steady. “Do me a favor. Don’t go anywhere with him.”

  “Why would I leave with him?” she said with a light laugh. “You know I don’t go for the preppy type anyway. I prefer the impetuous bad-boy cowboy in a white T-shirt and jeans who knows how to wear a hat.”

  Jack threw his hands in the air and danced in a circle like he’d just scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the same dance his younger brother had done when he’d made that epic touchdown. “I’ll be finishing up here after a quick phone call. Can I take you to dinner tonight?”

  “About that,” she drew out.

  Ever since Rob had shown up, Jack’s sense of urgency had escalated, but he didn’t want to risk going too fast and losing Becca because he couldn’t rein in his horses. “So, you like the cowboy, but you still want to stay friends, keep him at arm’s length for a little longer?”

  “With my business kicking up right now, I’m going to have to work like crazy to restock my shelves, and you’re killing yourself to get your store prepped for its grand opening. How would you feel about us postponing our dinner date until then?”

  “Horrible.”

  Becca released a soft laugh.