Cowboys Don't Buy Their Bride at Auction

by Jessie Gussman

  “Over there,” Roxie hollered. “Line it up with that one.” She motioned her hands in parallel lines.

  Bill seemed to understand because the tractor started going in the direction she wanted.

  Great. Every day, someone called and asked if they could add their equipment/cattle/other unspecified junk to the auction. She’d not turned anyone down yet. Probably because the more stuff that had to be sold before she was sold—how odd to think of herself as being sold, even though she’d known it was going to happen since her brother, Ryder, got married—the longer it would be before she actually had to stand on the auction block.

  Maybe everyone would go home before they got to her.

  She wasn’t sure what would happen then. She should sic her lawyer on that. He had the will with the twenty pages or more of contingencies. A legal solution for every loophole that could open. What happened if there was no buyer for her at the auction?

  Could she bid on herself?

  Possibly, but even the most modern thinkers wouldn’t say she could marry herself.

  Okay, maybe they would, but it wouldn’t satisfy the specific conditions in the will, so as much as she would be willing to become a modern thinker, in name if not spirit, just to get out of having to marry a man not of her choosing, there was no benefit, so she wouldn’t stoop to the degradation.

  The cowboy from Reina and Clay’s wedding flashed across her consciousness, as he’d done thousands of times a day for the last week. Nights were even worse. He took up residence in her mind and didn’t leave until she crawled out of bed, fumbling for her robe and coffee.

  He had a dimple in one cheek. A rather sexy cleft in his chin. As sure-footed and graceful as he’d been as he’d taught her to dance, he’d been slightly, adorably clumsy, although no less sure, later.

  She shivered and lengthened her strides, heading toward the barn where she’d been cleaning the hay off the floor and fixing up an area where her sister-in-law, Nell, and her friend Elaine and their children had agreed to sell refreshments at the auction.

  People might not care that the food was coming from a barn, but Roxie couldn’t stand the thought of the place being dirty.

  Plus, she needed something to do to take her mind off the cowboy from last Saturday. She was almost certain she could find out his name if she asked around enough. She almost had. After all, she was pretty sure he was with Preacher’s harvest crew. But what was the point?

  Yeah, he had a face she wouldn’t mind looking into for the rest of her life, an easy grin, and skin, weathered by the sun and wind, that eased into familiar lines when he smiled.

  He had the kind of integrity that said he’d keep his word if he gave it, and she was sure that what she’d talked him into on Saturday wasn’t an activity he normally engaged in.

  He had to have had girls make offers before. Which made her wonder why he’d changed his no to a yes for her.

  She gave the broom an extra hard push and tried to do the same with Saturday’s memories, even if they did make her feel warm and good in ways she’d never known were possible. Sure, the cowboy didn’t have the smooth moves of most of the men she’d ever dealt with, and he definitely didn’t have the arrogant knowledge of her ex-husband, but that was probably the pull.

  Every move the cowboy had made had been more about her than himself. She’d never felt more cherished in her life. He’d treated her like she was precious and what they were doing was sacred, even though she’d only meant it to be a one-time, temporary fling.

  He’d definitely given her the impression of a man who’d be looking her dad up—wouldn’t he be disappointed—and wanting to “do the right thing” by her.

  That wasn’t what she’d intended at all, and she’d texted Nell about her son before running out of the reception and to the ranch to hide, which was very out of character for her, and lick her wounds, all self-inflicted.

  The cowboy hadn’t found her, if he’d even looked, and she should have been happy.

  But, of course, she wasn’t.

  She’d done something stupid, and as happened every time, now she was paying for it.

  She’d pretty much resigned herself to going through with the auction and holding up her end of the bargain. The first time she’d gotten married, she’d fancied herself in love, and look how that had worked out for her. So, why not marry for convenience?

  But she couldn’t get that cowboy out of her head, because he’d given her the first inkling that what her heart had always longed for might actually be possible this side of heaven. And maybe she could have it.

  She only had a week before the auction, but she knew, as sure as she knew she’d die for her child, she knew if that cowboy came back, wanting to “do the right thing” by her...yeah. She’d let him.

  THE FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE the auction, Boone sat in Patty’s Diner, feeling more conflicted than he’d ever felt in his life before. Up until this point, the decisions he’d had to make had been fairly straightforward. Black and white. Easy.

  This decision didn’t feel like the others. Abner had come through with the money to buy Boone’s ranch. There were some final details and closing to happen, but he could bank on it.

  So, the money wasn’t an issue, unless the bids went way higher than he was thinking they would.

  No. It wasn’t the money. It was the woman. The one from Clay’s wedding. The one he couldn’t forget, couldn’t get out of his head, couldn’t walk away from.

  But he would. He’d be at that auction tomorrow, and he’d be bidding on that ranch and the woman that went with it. And he’d put the woman from the wedding completely out of his head.

  Except, he didn’t think he could.

  “Kinda nice that it decided to rain all weekend in Colorado.” Abner took a drink of his water and leaned back in his chair.

  Boy, Abner would never understand if Boone said he’d changed his mind about bidding at the auction. He’d either think Boone was unhinged, unable to make up his mind, or, knowing Abner, he’d guess exactly what was going on.

  “Sure is. Clay couldn’t have planned that better.” Boone took a bite of his mashed potatoes.

  “Next week looks clear the whole way through the weekend.” Abner gave Boone a serious look. “Guess it won’t matter to you, since you told Preacher you’re done.”

  “I might not win the auction.”

  Abner pursed his lips and raised his brows.

  Boone resisted the urge to squirm. Man, Abner had the dad look down. He didn’t even try to play innocent. With that look, Abner could make him start confessing to things he didn’t even do.

  Bonne shrugged instead. “I told Clay I might not be back. And he was fine with it. He doesn’t exactly have people beating the doors down to take my place.” He tried for a bit of a subject change to take the focus off himself. “Are you going to the auction?”

  “Planning on it. Might be some equipment in my price range.”

  “Cattle?”

  “No. Not this winter. I might head to New Zealand again. I’ve got a spot on Luke’s crew if I want it.”

  Boone nodded. Anyone would hire Abner. No one could outwork him.

  “You know,” Abner started then paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “You can tell me to stuff it if you want, but the girl that you were dancing with at Preacher’s wedding...” His voice trailed off.

  Boone froze but was cognizant enough to try to act like he hadn’t frozen, which probably made him look even more stiff and frozen.

  “You just looked pretty natural with her.” Abner lifted a shoulder. “I know you kind of fancied yourself as holding a torch for Angela. Don’t judge every woman by the ones that are shallow and fake.”

  Boone’s lip pulled back, but he didn’t say anything. Abner hadn’t said anything but the truth.

  “It’s not too late to change your mind about selling the ranch. I don’t have my heart set on it, although I’d love to have it.” He pushed a piece of meat around on his plate. “Some
people never find that person that’s the perfect fit for them. Some people let the chance slip away. Some people have it ripped away from them.”

  Boone figured he knew which category Abner belonged in.

  “I’m not doing a very good job of saying it, and you weren’t with that girl very long, but you were looking at her like a man should be looking at his wife. And she was looking at you like she didn’t notice how ugly you were.”

  “Which is saying something,” Boone said dryly.

  “Sure is. If I hadn’t seen that, I wouldn’t be saying anything at all and figure you might as well roll the dice and marry a stranger. But you really want to give that up?”

  Boone looked down at his plate. Advice from Abner wasn’t something he’d take lightly.

  Finally, he tilted his head back up. “You bidding on Sweet Water if I drop out?”

  “Heck no.” Abner’s mouth closed in a straight line.

  “If there wasn’t a marriage clause?”

  “I’d never have given you the money for your ranch.”

  “So, you’ve got a girl somewhere?” Boone felt he should at least be able to ask the question after the way Abner had just butted into his business.

  There was a long pause while Abner looked over his shoulder. Finally he said softly, “No.”

  “Then why not bid?” Boone would step out if Abner wanted the ranch. Gladly. He’d wait until after harvest then find the woman from the wedding even if it took the whole winter. Except...she might be married.

  This time, Abner was quiet so long, Boone was almost certain he wasn’t going to answer.

  “You ever love someone and hate them at the same time?” Abner finally said.

  “Strong words.” Love and hate.

  “No,” Abner said. “I don’t have a girl. But it wouldn’t be fair to bid on someone else.”

  Abner hadn’t moved, but Boone felt his words like a line drive to the forehead. Abner wanted Sweet Water, too, but he was too honorable to bid on it because he wasn’t free to give his heart. Even if the marriage didn’t require it, it should at least be available.

  Boone wasn’t under the impression that he’d committed the unforgivable sin, but he was sure that he wasn’t ready to walk into a marriage with what he’d done at Preacher’s wedding so fresh. Plus, he was barely a believer in love at all, let alone love at first sight, but the way he felt about the woman whose name he didn’t even know was the closest thing he’d ever come to it.

  Abner had helped him put things into perspective. There’d be other ranches and other chances. He didn’t need to push for this one. Not with the messed-up way he was right now.

  He scraped the last of the potatoes off his plate. He hadn’t completely decided, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to the auction tomorrow night.

  He stood, throwing some money on the table. “Pay my bill. I’m taking a walk.”

  Abner didn’t even look surprised.

  Chapter 4

  “So, does that mean that this guy, um, whoever he is, is going to be my dad?” Spencer looked at Roxie uncertainly.

  Her heart squeezed like a wrung-out sponge. How did she answer that question? How did she do this without setting a bad example for her son, anyway?

  It wasn’t too late to back out.

  Should she? Should she give up the family’s ranch, Spencer’s heritage, and wash her hands of it all?

  “You have a real dad.” Bryan. Even if he never called or visited. She was absolutely glad that he never wanted to take Spencer himself. “You won’t need to call him anything you don’t want to. Someone doesn’t earn the title ‘Dad’ just because they marry a woman who has a child.”

  There. She didn’t feel particularly wise, but she had to try. Maybe someday, she’d have enough wisdom that she’d stop making stupid mistakes.

  Like the one at Preacher’s wedding.

  Yeah, definitely to the point where she was chalking that up to a massive mistake.

  “But he’s going to live with us?”

  “He has to. That’s part of your Uncle Edward’s will.”

  “Can’t you just tell the will no?” Spencer had a bit of a mulish look on his face. He had faults, like any child, but stubbornness wasn’t usually one of them.

  “Not really.” She put a hand on each of his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Do you have a problem with this?”

  He’d known about the auction, of course, because he’d seen them getting ready for it. This was the first time that she’d told him she’d be getting married tomorrow night.

  There’d been about ten potential bidders who had come to look the ranch over. She’d given Bill the job of showing them around.

  Not one of them had asked about her.

  She was sure of it, because she’d asked Bill after each one of them left.

  No. They’d all been here for the ranch.

  Spencer toed the ground with his sneaker.

  She gave a light shake on his shoulders. “If you have a problem, I will stop everything. Right now. But we won’t have Sweet Water anymore.”

  Spencer’s lip pulled back. He loved the ranch. He didn’t want to leave. “I want you to marry someone nice. Who doesn’t yell at us. Someone who would take me fishing or let me drive the tractor, like Mr. Clay did sometimes. Someone fun. Like that guy who taught you to dance.” Spencer shoved his hands in his pockets.

  Roxie felt like he’d slapped her. How could she have thought that just any man would do? She should have listened to herself—just because a man married someone with a child didn’t mean they became an automatic “dad.”

  But which was more important—the ranch or having the perfect dad, like such a thing existed?

  She wasn’t naïve. Perfect people weren’t real. She, if anyone, should know that well. She’d been one of the people who looked perfect on the outside—perfect house, perfect car, perfect spouse and family—but it had all been show.

  “You’re my most important concern. Every decision I make is with your best interest at heart.”

  From the look on his face, he didn’t believe her. There wasn’t anything she could do to force him to, although it was entirely true.

  Well, except for that really bad choice she’d made at the wedding.

  She needed to forgive herself for that and move on. Except sin had a way of finding one out.

  Her stomach curled, and she took a deep breath to clear it. She needed to get away and think. Somewhere where the panic would leave and she’d stop feeling physically ill every time she thought about how stupid she’d been.

  What had possessed her? She’d never, ever done anything like that in her life before. Ever. Even in her younger, wilder days, when she’d lived the rich girl life to the hilt, she’d never been that bold.

  Honestly, she’d never even been tempted.

  It made her wonder what kind of person she really was. The first time temptation reared its seductive head, she gave in. Not only did she give in, but she became a Jezebel and led an honorable man astray, too.

  The urge to throw up almost overcame her.

  She dropped her hands from Spencer’s shoulders. She needed to get away from the equipment and the people that were scurrying around, bringing last-minute items in and tagging equipment. People who’d stopped by and were now using their phone flashlights to check out the machinery lining the drive.

  She swallowed, forcing her stomach contents down. For now.

  “Mrs. Sprouse said she had a snack for you on the counter,” Roxie said, referring to the housekeeper-nanny she’d hired several months ago. “She’ll make sure you take a shower and brush your teeth, then you can play video games in your room until I get back home.”

  “Where’re you going?” Spencer asked, a line appearing between his brows. Roxie very seldom left the ranch and almost always took Spencer with her.

  “Well, I have some big decisions to make, and I need some space to think.” That was true. She wanted space where she wouldn
’t have to be face-to-face with what was supposed to happen tomorrow. She also needed to get a grip on the nausea-inducing anxiety that burned in her gut.

  Roxie waited until Spencer walked up the back steps and into the house before pulling her phone out and texting Mrs. Sprouse, telling her of her plans.

  She waited for a response before she slipped her phone in her pocket and got in her car. Where could she go that she wouldn’t be bothered? That she would have time and space to think? She just wanted—needed—to be alone.

  The perfect place came to mind, and she pointed the car toward town.

  ROXIE BREATHED IN THE quiet peacefulness of the sanctuary. She’d remembered the church was never locked. It was perfect.

  She’d thrown up in the bushes before she came in, which had helped to settle her stomach. Although it still felt tight, twisted. Probably a normal reaction for anyone who was expected to marry what would probably be a stranger tomorrow.

  Her friend Michelle had told her that she’d heard Bryan bragging to a friend that he was thinking of coming out and buying her. She supposed that wouldn’t be worse than a serial killer. Maybe equal.

  Definitely it’d be better for someone to only want the ranch, although Bryan, so far, had been the only one who’d been interested in the auction solely for her.

  She almost jumped out of her skin when the heavy back door creaked. A shaft of light brightened the vestibule, then it dimmed and the definite sound of the door closing reached her.

  She took it back. She’d rather have Bryan than a serial killer.

  If it were a friendly lady coming to decorate her Sunday school classroom or the pianist coming to practice, she’d hit the lights any second.

  The sanctuary stayed dark. The only sound was Roxie’s heart, desperately trying to escape her chest.

  Then footsteps.

  Not wanting to be interrupted, Roxie had left her cell phone in the car. It seemed like every time she set foot off the ranch, she became an idiot.

  The opposite end of the bench she was sitting on creaked and moved slightly. Whoever it was weighed enough to move the pew. A man?