Cowboy Hank (Cooper's Hawke Landing Book 3)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  “What are you worried about? No one in here, or in Tarnation, would disagree. The man definitely is a relative of Ebenezer Scrooge.”

  She wanted to disagree, but she’d had her moments when she too had wanted to throw her hands up and tell Buzz to take his building and shove it. She wasn’t sure how her mother had dealt with him for so many years, but her mom was a saint. Abriella wasn’t, yet she’d managed to dig deep and tolerate the man, even when he complained about senseless stuff like the restroom in Bluebonnet smelling like a flower garden…but now he was gone, and she felt more uneasy because what would happen to the bakery? Finding another place to rent, remodeling to accommodate the needs of the place, and the down time until reopening would burden her financially—more than she already was.

  “Have you heard the rumors?”

  “That Mrs. Pierre left her husband for the nanny? Yes. A hundred times.” She grabbed the cookie dough and laid it out on the floured work surface. She’d been tweaking a new recipe for the annual San Antonio bake off contest. She’d entered the challenge for the last three years and had never won the grand prize. Each year the cash prize had gotten bigger. It was worth twenty thousand dollars and the recipe would be showcased in a popular local magazine. The money would help tremendously with buying new equipment for Bluebonnet to help keep up with the growing demands and business expansion., which was best for the shop in the long term sense.

  A sigh reached her ears.

  “No, much, much better, and by far juicier. Apparently, Buzz Colt had sons. Five strapping, handsome cowboys. They all rode into town yesterday morning.”

  “Let me guess…on beautiful white stallions.” Abriella laughed.

  “Funny. Aren’t you the least bit excited that we have fresh blood in Tarnation?”

  “Mr. Colt had sons? And five? He never mentioned them.” Realizing she poked her finger into the tender dough, she hurried to fix her mistake.

  “It’s true,” Lanie nibbled more muffin. “I mean, I guess if a woman liked scowling, bitter cowboys like Buzz, he was kind of handsome in a John Wayne, tough guy, sort of way.”

  Abriella blinked. Who couldn’t think John Wayne was sexy? “Buzz never spoke of his kids. Why?”

  Leaning in, Lanie whispered, “I hear that he disowned every single one of them when they were children. Probably because the old man was afraid the sweet boys would melt his frozen heart.”

  With a groan, Abriella shook her head. “Lanie, let’s not be too hard on the guy considering he is dead and all.”

  With a shrug, her friend slid off the stool, reached into her bright pink purse to grab some cash and laid it on the counter. “I have to go, sweetie. I’ll talk to you after class. Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?”

  “I-I don’t know if I can get away.”

  Lanie narrowed her gaze. “Don’t even try it. You’ve rescheduled on me three times now. I won’t take no for an answer.”

  “Sure. See you then. Oh wait!” Abriella handed over the take-out coffee she’d prepared for her friend. “You’ll need this later.” She winked.

  “You’re the best friend ever.”

  Once her friend was gone, and Hank soon after, she could finally concentrate on her dough. She rolled it out to the proper thickness and used the metal antique cookie cutter that belonged to her grandmother to create the shapes.

  The shop was quiet, the only noise coming from the speakers in the corner that played a variety of satellite music. She hummed along but her thoughts meandered to the rumor floating around that the Colt sons were in town. Who were these men and why hadn’t they ever visited Mr. Colt? She’d know if they had because no stranger came to town without everyone being aware of their presence.

  What Abriella guessed was that the maniac in the truck that almost ran her down and soaked her with muddy water yesterday was one of the cowboys. She realized now she might have been on the rude side. Probably not the best way to meet the newest owner of the building.

  Although Buzz had his grumpy moments—grumpy months—maybe there was a good reason behind his attitude. A man would surely miss his kids. She had a hard time believing that he would walk away from his children, and yet her father had. The bottle had meant more to him than his family.

  Buzz wasn’t always the kindest man to other people, but he’d loved his horses like they were family. She’d always chose to believe the good in people, but sometimes the good was hard to find. Were the sons as bitter and angry as their father?

  So, this brought her to how this would affect her business. Would she have to move? Would they sell the building? Would they barge in and demand an increase in her rent as Buzz had every time the lease was renewed?

  She concentrated on moving the cookie rounds to a prepared pan and placed them in the antique professional oven to bake. Within minutes the shop filled with a symphony of vanilla and sugary aromas that lifted her mood.

  She was using a piping bag to frost cheesecake cupcakes, their bestsellers, when the bell dinged above the door.

  “Hello, Miss Abriella. It’s a lovely morning.” Hannah swept in, her usual bright self. “It smells amazing in here.” She placed her items under the counter and put her long curly hair into a topknot. “The rain has moved on and the sun is shining.” As she washed her hands, she sang along with the music.

  “I’m glad you’re on time. Lots to do.”

  After Hannah donned her apron, she turned, smiling. “What can I do?”

  “I have cookies in the oven. Take them out when the timer goes off and then finish frosting the cupcakes. Shasta will be picking up a dozen later. I’m running to the bank to make a deposit.” She removed her own apron and hung it up, grabbing the bank bag from the register. “Oh, and if I’m not back before the Coopers come in for the birthday cake, I have their order already boxed up and in the refrigerator.”

  Stepping through the glass door, Abriella breathed in the day. It was a lovely one.

  The sun was shining, and townspeople were bustling to and from. Several people greeted her as she passed. Moments like these made her realize how grateful she was to be in a close-knit community with people who still waved at others on the sidewalk. How nice it was to see small businesses thriving. A group of women were playing cards outside in front of the embroidery shop. Fresh produce was set up in wooden carts in front of the market and she stopped. “Hi, Alvin. I’ll take an apple.”

  The tall, thin man smiled. “Hello there, Abriella.” He searched for the perfect apple, polished it with his towel and handed it over. “On the house.”

  She placed it into her purse for later. “Thank you. Come in for free coffee later.”

  She made it halfway to the bank when her cell buzzed. She grabbed it from her sweater pocket and read the screen. It was a voicemail from her mother’s nursing home. She clicked ‘talk’, and listened to the recorded message, a friendly reminder that the monthly installment was due in three days. Hanging up, her phone dinged. DJ had texted her. He needed to speak to her and it seemed important. Was it about the study abroad opportunity?

  Tapping away at the keyboard, she brought her chin up just in time to see a flash of a white hat and blue eyes before she slammed into a rock-solid body that smelled like leather and sunshine. Her phone shot out of her hand, flying through the air as she squealed in protest. She awkwardly tried to catch it, but it bounced off her fingers then landed in the street.

  “Oh no!” She scrambled off the sidewalk to snatch up her phone when she heard a loud honk about the same time she felt a strong arm circle her waist to drag her back against a broad chest. The car continued to beep as it passed, crunching her phone under the tires. Abriella couldn’t believe her eyes. “Oh no, no, noooo!” She slumped her shoulders, staring at the broken phone.

  “You should watch where you’re going, lady,” a rich, husky voice with a prominent Texas drawl said next to her ear.

  She’d almost forgotten the strong arm that still held her.

  Pivoting on the
heels of her sneakers, she met the gaze of the tall, broad shouldered cowboy with clear blue eyes that were upon her in irritation. He was irritated? “Excuse me?”

  “Your nose was in your phone and because of that, it’s now trashed. Not to mention you almost got yourself killed trying to save it.”

  Trying her best not to focus on his nice lips or that firm jaw covered in a layer of dusky whiskers, she gritted her teeth against the wave of awareness in her body. “Maybe you should try and watch where you’re going, buddy! The sidewalk is plenty big enough for the both of us unless you count that ego of yours. Why were you walking on my side? You destroyed my phone!”

  He chuckled. “Lady—”

  “My name isn’t lady!” she snapped.

  “Fine. What should I call you?” He pushed back the rim of his white Stetson, showing off the fringe of dark, silver-peppered hair around his ears. Her gaze naturally fell to his neck and the unusual looking fleshy mark.

  He cleared his throat and she lifted her eyes.

  Did she really want to tell him her name? Probably not. “I assume you’re one of the Colt men, aren’t you?”

  Some of the creases on his forehead disappeared and he shook his head. “News travels fast here in this three-stoplight town,” he said with notable agitation.

  “Actually, there are five lights.” She tilted one hip and turned her attention back to her smashed phone. Now what would she do? “You owe me a phone, Mr. Colt!” She crossed her arms over her chest and held her chin high.

  “I owe you a phone?” His gaze dropped to her bakery shirt, then came back up. “Bluebonnet, I’m afraid you’re sadly mistaken.” He settled his hat lower on his forehead, shading those amazing eyes. “My advice is to invest in a smash resistant cell if you plan on keeping your nose buried in it.”

  “I didn’t ask for your advice. I asked for reimbursement of my phone that you demolished. Where was your head buried, Mr. Colt?”

  “It’s just a phone, ma’am. Not the end of the world. You should be thanking me that I saved your ass,” he smirked.

  Anger swarmed its way through her veins and slammed into her toes. She’d tolerated a lot from Buzz Colt over the years, and she refused to deal with one of his arrogant sons who had just arrived in town and was already acting like he owned Tarnation! He might very well take over the building she rented, but she couldn’t hold her tongue—not for another second! It was as if all the pent-up anger she had toward Buzz flowed like water. “Listen, Mr. Arrogance,” She emphasized his name with a harsh tone she barely ever used. “Apparently you don’t understand what manners are. I’ll be on the party wagon when you and your kin leave town and head back to the cave where you came from.” First, she was almost run over by a Colt and now this…

  “Whoo-wee.” He whistled through his teeth. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” He smiled wide enough to show off deep dimples and it made her tremble.

  She slammed her fists to her hips, looking up at him—way up—and seething. “How dare you mock me! You definitely are your father’s son.”

  That smile he’d been blaring disappeared and the corners of his lips dipped into his whiskers. Obviously, he had buttons and she’d pushed a few of them with her accusation. Guilt swarmed her, but why should she feel anything but justification?

  “Excuse me, ma’am. I’ve got better things to do today than cater to an uptight fireball.” He dipped his hat and stepped passed her.

  Abriella turned to watch him, gliding her gaze down his broad back covered in plaid to his slender waist and Wranglers, and then she saw it…

  Her throat tightened.

  “Is that your truck by chance?” She stabbed a finger through the air, pointing at the red four-by-four with large tires and, in the window, a decal of a cowboy silhouette with the words, “Cowboys are irresistible trouble.” She huffed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, that has to be yours.”

  “Now you’re going to complain about my ride too?” That frown deepened.

  Taking the necessary steps that took her closer to him, she poked her finger in the middle of his chest, trying her best not to get sidetracked by the steel wall that her finger met. “It was you that almost ran me over yesterday!” How had she not noticed that it was him? Of course, yesterday she’d had rain in her eyes and her mind had been exploding with a dozen other things.

  Several expressions flickered across his face before settling on one of pure humor. “Ms. Bluebonnet. Are you always this imaginative? Losing your phone is your fault, and yesterday too. It was raining a waterfall and you thought you could cross outside of a crosswalk. I have a feeling you think everyone should cater to you. Well, I don’t have time for this, or you. Good day!” He dipped his hat and continued down the sidewalk.

  Fuming, she marched in the opposite direction, almost forgetting where she was going until she realized she was gripping the bank bag like it were a stress ball. How dare that…that cowboy for causing her to drop her phone! And blaming her for his careless driving! She wanted to look back over her shoulder, but ultimately refused the need. He was just another cowboy in a hat and dusty boots. What Tarnation didn’t need was another Colt pushing his weight around.

  Stepping into the bank, she finally managed to seize her mood and take a deep relaxing breath, but it only lasted a few minutes when she remembered that she’d been in the middle of a text to her brother when her phone took a dive.

  Taking care of her business at the bank, thankfully the red truck and obnoxious cowboy were gone by the time she made her way back toward the bakery.

  Hannah was scrubbing pans when Abriella stepped back into the bakery. The younger woman looked up from her task, smiling. “You won’t believe who came in to get coffee.”

  “Try me. I’ll believe it. Anything’s capable of happening today.” She put her purse and bank bag away, then put her apron on. What she needed to ease away the tension was to pound some dough out. Nothing made her feel better when life was rough than creating a bakery masterpiece. Her mom had taught her everything she knew and all the secrets to tender crusts, sweet filling as light as air, and sinful cakes that brought people coming back for more. Although she truly wanted to “pound” the dough, she realized that would be counterproductive. No one wanted tough crust.

  “Did you see the brawny hunk in the Stetson? You couldn’t have missed him. He’s almost seven feet tall and has the eyes of Delphinium flowers.” Hannah blinked longingly.

  Abriella looked at the other woman, now smiling too. “Have you been dipping in the rum vanilla cakes again? I saw the target of your lust. He’s barely six-foot-tall and his eyes weren’t that amazing.” She busied herself at the counter. “Remember we have the Oxford wedding order to work on.” The last thing she wanted to do was talk about the man who rubbed her the wrong way on the sidewalk. She wished she could just wipe away the last hour.

  “Don’t you even want to know what his name is?”

  “No.”

  “I’m going to tell you. Baxter. Isn’t that a great name?”

  “If you say so.”

  Hannah sighed. “Who would have guessed that old man, Buzz, had a son that looked like that? Do you think all the sons are just as good looking? I might have to visit Grinning Spurs to check out the scenery.” She winked, then grabbed a stick of licorice from an open package and bit off the end.

  Frustrated and still smarting from the phone incident, Abriella looked up from where she kneaded the dough and said, “What I’m hoping for is that the whole Colt bunch can take care of business fast and find their way back to their caves.”

  “Whoa! Did I miss something? Something that you’re taking out on that poor dough?”

  Realizing she was acting out of control, Abriella picked up the ruined dough, dumped it into the trash and wiped her hands on the towel. “I’m sorry. I forgot to pay the nursing home again. And DJ’s tuition is due too, and it just so happens that Baxter Colt just made my phone road kill.”

&nbs
p; “Here, let me pour you some coffee and grab you one of those delicious marshmallow peanut butter ooey-gooey cakes that you love so much.”

  “Han, you love them.”

  Her friend laughed. “Yes, I do. Take a break for a minute and I’ll start a new pot of coffee.”

  When she had her coffee and cake, Abriella did something she rarely did during her shift. She sat down at the counter to take a break. The stool creaked in resistance. “How long have we needed new stools?” She adjusted her bottom to get comfortable.

  Hannah shrugged. “Only for a few years.”

  Abriella slumped her shoulders and sipped her coffee, hoping the caffeine hit her bloodstream soon before her emotions got the best of her. “New stools. I’ll add that to the ever-growing list.”

  “I know what you need, Abs,” Hannah said energetically. “You need to go out on a date. Take some time to think about something else besides running this place and the bills.” She floured the work space and began making the dough that Abriella had ruined.

  She watched her friend work deftly, finding it in her to smile. Her employee had come so far in the last few years.

  Taking a nibble of the cake, she relished in how good it actually tasted. That was something else that she didn’t do often. She didn’t eat her sweets except to test them.

  “A change of subject. Why don’t you tell me about your date with Hart last night? You seemed pretty excited about it.” Abriella would much rather hear about another’s life experiences than talk about her own dull reality. Here lately it had been one issue after another. Before Buzz had died, he’d bumped up her rent yet again. She’d threatened to move her shop, but he’d laughed at her. Where would she go anyway?

  “Dull. By dessert I was ready for bed, to sleep.”

  “I’m sorry. I know you were hoping he would be the one.”

  “Don’t think you can successfully change the subject from your own dating life. I’m serious. You need to get out and experience life some.”