Dating the Cowboy

by Ann B. Harrison

  “Congratulations. You deserve everything you’ve worked so hard for. I’m immensely proud of you, Alice.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Why? You got the job. Your dream is finally about to be realized.”

  “I’m a wimp.”

  He frowned. What on earth did she mean?

  “Before we get into that, what on earth have you done with Nash and Sandy? They were going fine and then I got a panicked call from her saying—”

  “Wow. Stop. I fixed it. They’re together and working out their differences.” It’d been some honest talking that was quite close to the bone, but Crease had invited them to a quiet dinner last night and told them what he’d done wrong—the advice that hadn’t sounded the way it should have. The pain he’d caused them. It wasn’t his brightest moment, but he felt relieved that he’d managed to make them understand and get them back together again.

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, I did. I’ve never messed up so badly before. It made me wonder if I should be doing this job.”

  “But you’re so good at it. All you’ve ever wanted to do was put people together.”

  “I thought I did, but here’s the thing. I never should’ve let my own personal relationship get mixed up with our clients. Keeping them apart is harder than I thought it would be, and I made a mess of things because I was focused on what I wanted and not what was best for Nash.”

  The light in her eyes dulled and Alice stepped away. “Guess you won’t make that mistake again.”

  “No, I won’t, because I’m going to clear this up here and now.” He let go of the red heart-shaped balloons and cupped her cheeks. The balloons floated up and over the roof of the terminal, but he only had eyes for Alice. “I want you, Alice Winter. If that means moving the business to Seattle so we can be together, so be it. I’ll gladly do it, but I’m not letting you go.”

  Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Crease took the opportunity to kiss her, hoping with everything he had that she’d respond favorably. He was willing to beg if necessary, but he wasn’t going to let her go again. The last few days without her had been hell. It was the longest they’d been apart for ages.

  Alice leaned into him and gave him all the encouragement he could ask for. Her fingers toyed with the hair on the nape of his neck and her tongue danced with his. He reveled in the smell of her perfume, so familiar to him. Crease blinked as a man walked toward them, ducking around them to get to the door they were blocking. “Get a room.”

  Alice giggled and broke the kiss.

  “There’s something else I need to say to you.” He blew out a breath. “The guy you got to know in college isn’t me. It’s who I thought I needed to be to have a chance with you.”

  Alice looked at him. “I don’t understand.”

  Crease wiped a finger down his jawline and put the words straight in his mind. “I’m a fake. When I arrived in college, I was the country kid who didn’t have a lick of personality. The clumsy conversationalist. The guy who couldn’t get a date with you, the only girl who made my heart flutter. So I made it my mission to learn to be the guy you would want to be with, and one thing led to another and here we are.”

  “Exactly how does that make you a fake?”

  He bit the inside of his cheek. She wasn’t making this easy for him, but Crease expected no less. He had to make it up to her and honesty was the best way forward. “Because the guy I am now isn’t the real me. I’m living a lie, and moving to Marietta was a mistake too. I was scared if I moved to the city, I’d fail, you’d see the real me, and everything would come crashing down. I know we should’ve gone with what you wanted and moved to Seattle, but I just couldn’t face it.”

  Alice crossed her arms. “Because?”

  “It would’ve made more sense business wise to be in a big city. But after being in college, I knew I couldn’t stand to be somewhere so busy. It took all my time to stick to college and not rush home. I’m a homebody, a small-town guy, and that’s not fair to you.” He tried to smile and failed. “I forced my ideas on you to get my way, lied about how great Marietta is so you’d move here with me.”

  Crease picked up her luggage and pushed her toward his truck. “Sorry. But that couldn’t wait. I needed to tell you how I feel.” He clicked open the door and held it for her, then put the suitcase in the tray. When he was in the driver’s seat, he reached for her hand. “Don’t say anything now. Let’s get home and we can talk about things then.”

  “No. I want to do it now. Get it out in the open. It’s been a terrible few days thinking about what I want, Crease.”

  She was going to turn him down. He’d tried to ignore that little niggle and only focus on what he wanted to achieve, but she’d turned him down years ago saying they were only friends and she wanted to keep it that way. The kissing was good, but there’d always been a small charge between them. After baring his soul and admitting he was wrong, why would she change now?

  He turned toward her. “Okay. Let me have it.”

  “First off, I’m really pissed at you for what you said to Nash. Where the heck was your brain when you told him there were more fish in the sea?”

  “Alice, drop it. They’re back together.”

  The fire sparked in her eyes. “I don’t care. It was a stupid thing to say. You need to address this and analyze it so you don’t make the same mistake again.”

  “You’re right. I let my own emotions get in the way.” Crease looked away. “I missed you, but I kept telling myself that it was what you wanted and I had no right to stand in your way. I told myself there were plenty of women out there I could date. Maybe I’d find the one I wanted.”

  Alice sucked in a breath but didn’t say anything.

  “It made me bitter because I knew I was lying to myself. There is no one out there better for me than you. I figured if I couldn’t fix my own love life, what right did I have to fix anyone else’s? I let that trickle over into my advice to Nash. Stupid now that I look back on it, but I’m as human as the next guy.”

  “You are. So how did you fix it?”

  “After Troy tore a strip off me, Nancy gave me a talking to as well.” He grinned. “I accepted her advice. Not having a mother of my own, it sounded like she knew what she was talking about.”

  “Sounds like she’s very wise then. I can’t wait to catch up with her.”

  “She is. She’s the one who told me to move the business. Actually, so did Nate, but it carried more weight coming from Nancy.”

  “Why?” Alice asked.

  “Because she stands to lose her job. I figure she’s onto something. But I agree with her, Alice. I’ll move the business if it means we can be together.”

  She looked out the window. “Take me home please, Crease.”

  Chapter Twenty

  It was a lot to take in. She wanted desperately to tell him it would be all right. That they could take the business to Seattle and be happy together. But there was something niggling Alice that she had to settle in her mind before she said yes to him. Or no to the job offer.

  Crease drove in silence to Main Street and parked outside the office. Everything looked the same. Comforting and steady. People went about their business as always. Children ran along the pavement, pausing to giggle or ask their parents something.

  The tension eased from her shoulders and she felt herself relaxing for the first time in days. This was home, where she wanted to be. Alice was sure of it now. What Crease told her about Marietta was true. It was a nice place to live. Comforting and friendly. After Seattle, it felt more like home than any place she’d been in years. Before she went for her interview, she’d started to find her feet in Marietta, to make friends. Alice even had her favorite shops already. How was she going to let go of that? She reached over for Crease’s hand. “I don’t want you to take the business to Seattle.”

  His eyes darkened and the corners of his lips turned down at her words.

  “I want to stay here, Crease. My d
ream has changed. I don’t want to go to Seattle to be a numberless clone in that huge corporation. I saw what people in those cubicles looked like. As if the joy had been sucked out of them and they were working on autopilot. Empty shells of people whose dreams had gone up in smoke. That’s not me. Not how I see my future. The last thing I need is to be a carbon copy of everyone else. I want what we have already. I want you and me and the business we’ve built together.”

  Crease grinned and moved toward her. “But what about what I said?”

  “About being a fake and lying to get me to Marietta?”

  He nodded.

  “You’re not a fake. Learning new ways to do things isn’t wrong. We all move forward as we grow. Staying the same isn’t human nature. We adapt to our environment, and that’s what you did.”

  “I’m not convinced I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Alice smiled. “Why do you think I turned you down so often?”

  Crease shrugged. “Because I was a jerk and had no sense, I guess.”

  She ran a hand up his arm. “No, dear man. It was because you weren’t the man you are today. I knew you had to find your own feet before you committed to a relationship, and I was prepared to wait and let that happen. You’ve grown so much over the time I’ve known you, Crease. I always wanted us to be together, but the timing had to be right. Even you figured out for yourself how important that is.”

  “It doesn’t take away from the fact I lied to you.”

  “If it made you fit in and happy, why is it a problem? Let it go, because I have. It’s not even worth talking about.”

  “And dragging you to Marietta?”

  “You suggested and I came willingly. I could’ve said no, but I didn’t. I’m glad we moved here, too, because it turned out to be a great choice. And you’re right about small towns—I love it here. The people are lovely, the pace of life is just what I need, and our business is doing well. Why would we want to be anywhere else?”

  “Are you sure? You really mean it?”

  She laughed and buried her face in his neck. “Yes, I really mean it. I missed you like crazy.”

  He kissed her hair, his breath racing. “I missed you too. I was so scared you were going to come home just to pack up and go away again.”

  Alice sat up and ran a finger down his cheek. “I thought for a while there that you had someone else and were trying to get rid of me. That maybe Ebony had managed to score a date with you after all.” She rolled her eyes, embarrassed at how much she’d doubted him. “I was prepared to tell you as soon as I saw you that I loved you and wasn’t going anywhere, but I think I needed to see the street, feel the pull of Marietta before I decided that we were staying here. Is that okay?”

  Crease wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “Yes. So long as you love me, I don’t care how much you made me hang on. I love you, Alice.”

  “I love you. More than you’ll know.”

  A tap on the window tore them apart. Carol Bingley stood beside the car. “Alice, I’ve been waiting for you two to get back.”

  Alice opened her door and climbed out. “How are you, Mrs. Bingley?”

  “Good now that you’re back. That shampoo you like, the one with the lavender oil. We have it on sale at the pharmacy so I thought I’d let you know.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  Carol Bingley blushed. “Listen, I need you to do me a favor. I want you to find a date for my nephew. He’s lonely and hasn’t had an ounce of success doing it on his own.”

  Alice glanced at Crease over the hood of the truck. “I know just the person to help him out. Crease hasn’t been dubbed the love doctor for nothing.”

  The End

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  Thanks for reading Dating the Cowboy by Ann B. Harrison!

  Discover your next romance at TulePublishing.com.

  If you enjoyed Dating the Cowboy, you’ll love the other books in….

  The Hansen Brothers series

  Book 1: Cowboy to the Rescue

  Buy now!

  Book 2: The Convenient Cowboy

  Buy now!

  Book 3: Dating the Cowboy

  View the series here!

  Enjoy an excerpt from

  Cowboy to the Rescue

  Ann B. Harrison

  Book 1 in The Hansen Brothers series

  Keep reading below or buy now!

  “Jethro Hansen, meet Sadie St. Martin.”

  The woman he’d seen a few weeks ago when he dropped off some paperwork for Layla. Interesting that she turned out to be the new assistant.

  Layla Cox cupped her swollen belly and reached for the edge of her desk. “Sadie used to work for me in Denver. Out of all my so-called friends, she’s the only one who’s kept in touch, and that means something. And being the good friend that she is, she’s kindly offered to spend three months here while I go on maternity leave and she works out where her future lies. Works well for both of us.”

  Layla paused for breath, grimaced, and wiped a hand across her cheeks. He reached for her, but she brushed his hand away. “I’m fine.” Layla took a shuddering breath. “As I said, Sadie used to work for me, and there isn’t anyone else I’d trust while I’m away. She’ll be around to take care of anything that troubles you. I’ve told her the situation, and in the few weeks she’s been here, she’s pretty much read every file in the office.”

  He glanced at the petite blonde standing beside his lawyer. Her pale blue gaze flickered over him and she quickly looked away. Was she dismissing him or merely uncomfortable in his presence? Not everyone who came from the big city fit in right away or felt at ease in such a rural town. It took longer for some than others to find their feet.

  “Miss St. Martin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand and engulfed her slim fingers in his. Her skin was soft under his calloused grip, and Jethro wanted to hold on longer than necessary, but he let go before she could withdraw herself. The less embarrassment he caused her, the better, in his opinion. She was going to see a fair bit of him while Layla was busy being a mom, and, from the first time he’d seen Miss St. Martin, she’d cropped up in his thoughts more than once or twice.

  “Thank you. I’m sure it’s going to be an interesting few months.”

  Layla groaned again and leaned forward, her knuckles pale on the edge of the desk.

  “Layla. Are you okay?” Sadie’s voice wobbled and a hint of fear reached Jethro’s ears.

  He moved forward, slipped his arm around Layla’s shoulders, and she leaned into him. “You’re in labor, right?”

  She nodded and moaned again.

  “How far apart?” He had helped at many an animal birth on the ranch, but this was the first time he’d been around a pregnant woman in labor. How different could it be?

  “Three or four minutes.” Beads of sweat appeared on her top lip.

  Heck, that was close from what he remembered. He really should’ve paid more attention to that recent documentary, but his mind had been on other things when the television was blaring in the living room. Wasn’t she due in a few weeks, not now? Maybe he had it wrong.

  He turned to Sadie. “Can you call Emily, get her to come help, and maybe let Tyson know?”

  Sadie stared at him with panicked eyes. “It’s too early for the baby. We still have another three weeks and four days to get me up to speed on the cases I’ll be dealing with. I have it all written down on my calendar.”

  Seriously? “Well, we’ve got no say in the matter. Call Emily. She’ll know what to do.”

  Sadie flapped her hands in front of her face as she looked at her watch. “Emily’s out getting her hair done. She won’t be back for an hour or more.” She chewed her lip and stared at her boss, whose face was pale and pinched. “I’ll call Tyson, but he hardly ever picks up, according to Layla.”

  There was nothing for it. He’d
have to get his lawyer to the hospital himself. “Well, try anyway, and I’ll start walking her out to my truck. I don’t think we have any time to waste.” He tried to help Layla to walk out of the office, but she managed only a couple of steps before she stopped and leaned against him. Beads of sweat broke out on her brow, and she screwed up her eyes, lips taut across her clenched teeth. Jethro scooped her up into his arms and held her against his chest. “Bring your cell phone and try on the way to the hospital. This baby isn’t going to wait for him.”

  Sadie ran to the next room, grabbed her handbag, and opened the front door for Jethro. He hustled past her and nodded to the truck at the curb. “Door’s unlocked. Open it for me, please, and then get in the back.”

  “You want me to come too?” Her face paled. “Shouldn’t someone stay here in case Tyson calls back or a client comes by?”

  “Sadie, I need you with me.” Layla gripped her hand and dragged her along. “Don’t you dare leave me now!”

  “But, I… surely I should be doing something in the office. Schedule meetings or something.”

  “Please, Sadie, send him a text message.” Jethro slid Layla into the front seat and reached for the seat belt, locking it in place around her. “I need help with this one. I owe her, you know, and I’d feel better if there was a friendly face with me.”

  “You don’t even know me.”

  “No, but she does, and from what I’ve seen, she trusts you more than anyone. Pretty sure a woman needs someone she trusts at a time like this.”

  A roar of frustration came from Layla perched in the truck. “You two together, with me—now!”

  “Get in. We can argue how much we know each other later.” He shoved Sadie to the back of the truck and ran around to climb in the driver’s seat. Damn lawyers. Always wanting to do things by the book instead of stepping up when the going gets tough. This woman had better not let Layla down or she’ll have me to deal with. Friend or not!