Coulda Been a Cowboy

by Brenda Novak

  Dakota’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the baby. “What’s going on?” she asked, completely bewildered.

  “Looks like they’re ready for us.” Getting out, Tyson came around to help her. “Can you manage on your ankle?”

  She could barely feel the pain. “It’s just a sprain, I’m sure, but—”

  “Dakota, I’m so pleased about all this.”

  Hearing a familiar voice, Dakota looked around Tyson to see Reverend Hernandez approaching. The fatigue showing in his face indicated he’d been dragged from his bed, but he was dressed in his customary tweed jacket and slacks. Only, tonight he had on a tie. “All what?” she said numbly.

  “Your marriage to—” He glanced uncertainly at Tyson, and Tyson cupped her chin in his hands.

  “To me. Will you do it, Dakota?” he asked. “Will you marry me?”

  Dakota didn’t know what to say. Gabe, Hannah and her pastor were all watching, smiling as widely as she’d ever seen them. But it was hard to believe that Tyson could be serious.

  “I’ll take good care of you,” he promised. “We’ll take good care of each other.”

  “And look at this baby,” Hannah added temptingly.

  Gabe rolled a little closer. “He’s stubborn, but he’s a good man, Dakota.”

  She shook her head. “But this isn’t what he wants!”

  “Yes, it is,” Tyson said. “I think it’s what I’ve wanted all along. I just didn’t know it. Will you do it? Will you take a chance on me?”

  Dakota gaped at him and his supporters. He was serious; so were they. “We don’t have a marriage license.”

  “We’ll get one tomorrow, along with the rings. And we’ll redo the ceremony in Vegas on our way home. Unless you want a big wedding here in Dundee.”

  “No, not on the heels of my father’s funeral.”

  “That’s what I thought. We’ll make it official later, then. But I wanted to share this with Gabe and Hannah and thought you might like Reverend Hernandez to do the honors. I know I can’t offer you any of the trimmings right now, but I’m offering what really counts. As far as I’m concerned this is the real thing—this is where I make my promise.”

  His promise to love her and her alone…“But I—” Everything was happening too fast. All she could think about was Rita, sitting in Seattle, waiting to hear that she’d arrived safely as far as Boise. She had to tell her.

  “Can I borrow your cell phone?” she asked.

  Tyson seemed a little confused by her response but handed it to her, and she dialed.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s me.”

  “Have you reached Boise yet?”

  “No, I—” She felt Tyson’s hand, warm and strong, holding her elbow. “—I guess I won’t be coming, after all.”

  “Why not? Is it the car? I should’ve sent you money.”

  Tyson leaned down and spoke into the mouthpiece. “Don’t worry. She’s with me.”

  “Who’s that?” Rita demanded.

  “Tyson Garnier.”

  “Garnier? As in the wide receiver?”

  Dakota stared up at the man she loved. “Yeah.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No.”

  “What are you doing with him?”

  “This is that good call you’ve been waiting for.” Dakota let her lips curve into a happy smile. “We’re getting married.”

  “You’re marrying Tyson Garnier, the Tyson Garnier?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you even know him?”

  “I’ve been living with him for the past two months.”

  There was shocked silence. “You didn’t even mention that when we talked before. When’s the wedding?”

  “Right now.”

  “Oh, my gosh! I don’t believe it. Dakota, I’m so happy for you—”

  Dakota didn’t hear the rest because Tyson passed the phone to Reverend Hernandez, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  “It’s true,” she heard the reverend say. “I’m going to marry them right now.”

  EPILOGUE

  DAKOTA SAT with Braden on her lap in the stands of the Los Angeles Stingray’s home stadium, next to Elaine and several of the other player’s wives, nervously awaiting Tyson’s first game. The Stingrays hadn’t played him during preseason. They’d wanted to give his knee a little more time to heal. But yesterday they officially moved his name from the list of injured reserve to the active roster and told him he’d be starting today.

  She saw Tyson turn and look for her from where he stood with the other players along the sideline. “There’s Daddy,” she said, and lifted Braden’s little arm to wave at him.

  Tyson’s grin widened when he spotted them, but Dakota could tell he was nervous. His endorsements wouldn’t last long if he couldn’t continue to perform.

  He’ll be fine, Dakota told herself. She wasn’t so worried about the endorsements. She knew she and Tyson could live off the money he’d already made for quite some time. And they were capable of doing other things if they needed to. She was more concerned with how much Tyson’s ability to come back meant to him.

  The excitement humming all around them made Braden kick his legs and squeal. He seemed to love the atmosphere almost as much as his daddy did.

  “Tyson’s amazing,” Elaine said confidently. “That knee won’t put him out of the game.”

  Dakota nodded. She was actually more frightened that he’d get hurt again. But she never fretted about that aloud. Tyson said it invited bad luck. He always mentioned the things that caused bad luck with a crooked smile, as if he knew he was sounding too superstitious, but there was some underlying belief there that she chose to respect.

  Why tempt fate? he’d say.

  The 49ers fumbled on third down, and lost their first possession of the game to the Stingrays. With a final glance in her direction, Tyson slipped on his helmet and jogged out onto the field.

  “Wow! Look at your wedding ring,” the woman on Dakota’s left said. Seemingly more interested in socializing than in the game, she reached over to admire it. But Dakota was too intent on what was happening on the field to answer.

  Come on, baby. You’re fine now. You’re going to be just fine when this is over, too.

  The Stingrays snapped the ball and used a running play for their first down. Peter Cohen, the running back, managed to gain three yards, but downfield, Tyson was picking himself up after trying to block the outside linebacker. He’d mentioned that the other team would know of his vulnerability and would be trying to exploit it, to put him out of the game.

  “Don’t you dare,” she muttered.

  Elaine patted her right leg. “He’s okay. Look, he’s getting up.”

  Drawing a deep breath, Dakota waited for the next down. This time Tyson sprinted to the thirty-yard line, easily beating his defender, and waved for the ball. The quarterback saw him and passed it, but it hung in the air just a little too long, giving the defensive back a chance to catch up. They both jumped at the same time, the defender’s back to Tyson’s chest as he fought to intercept the ball or at least knock it away. But somehow, it was Tyson who managed to come up with it. The 49er came down off-balance and fell, but Tyson found his feet, dodged the safety who was coming over to help and ran for the end zone.

  The official signaled a touchdown, and the roar of the crowd nearly deafened Dakota. “Wow! Tyson Garnier with his first catch of the season,” flashed across the scoreboard. Then the band started playing.

  Their hero was back, Dakota realized, blinking against the tears filling her eyes.

  Only now he was her hero, too.

  * * * * *

  If you liked this story, you won’t want to miss Brenda Novak’s acclaimed Silver Springs series, set in a picturesque small town in Southern California where even the hardest hearts can learn to love again…

  Keep reading for a sneak peek at Brenda’s upcoming novel, Christmas in Silver Springs, available soon from MIRA Books!


  * * *

  CHRISTMAS IN SILVER SPRINGS

  * * *

  After Tobias ordered his coffee, someone stood up to leave, enabling him to snag a seat at a small corner table near a window that had a Christmas wreath hanging in the middle of it. The guy who’d just walked out had left his newspaper behind, which was lucky. Tobias wanted to take a look at the sports page and hadn’t thought to buy one on his way over, but before he could even turn to that section, he heard the barista call out a name that made him look up.

  “Harper!”

  He’d only ever heard of one Harper.

  A quick glance at the faces lingering around the counter confirmed it was Harper Devlin, the woman he’d noticed at the Eatery last night.

  What were the chances that he’d run into her again, especially so soon?

  She didn’t hear the barista. At least, she didn’t react when he called her name. Standing to one side, out of the way of the line that snaked out the door, she stared off into space, obviously a million miles away.

  That was when Tobias realized there was a song by Pulse playing on the sound system. He could hear Axel Devlin singing, “I will always love you.” Had he written those lyrics for her?

  “Harper?” the barista called again.

  Still no reaction. She was completely lost in thought.

  Dropping the newspaper, Tobias got up and claimed her drink for her. But even as he approached, she didn’t seem to see or hear him.

  “Hey, you okay?” He gave her arm a slight nudge as he held out her beverage.

  Startled, she looked up and, as her eyes finally focused, he noticed the shimmer of unshed tears—which she immediately blinked away. “You,” she said, recognizing him.

  She took her drink, and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt. “Yes, me. But don’t worry, I’m not following you. When I heard the barista call your name, I looked up and there you were.”

  She didn’t so much as smile. “Thanks.”

  “Are you okay? Because it looks like you could use a minute to sit down and relax, and I just happen to have a table.” He motioned to where he’d left the paper.

  She seemed as lost or bewildered as she’d been last night. “Do you know my sister or my brother-in-law?”

  “I’ve only been in town for five months, so I doubt it. What are their names?”

  “Karoline and Terrance Mathewson. He’s a podiatrist. She’s a housewife who gets involved in about every good cause that comes along—even helped out with the tree-lighting ceremony downtown a week ago. They have two twelve-year-old daughters, identical twins—Amanda and Miranda.”

  “They sound like stellar citizens, so I’m sorry to say no, I’ve never heard of them.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “You have no frame of reference where I’m concerned. I’m a total stranger to you.”

  “Last night the waitress told me you were Axel Devlin’s wife. I guess that’s a frame of reference.”

  Glancing away from him at the crowded coffee shop, she took a sip of her drink. “Is that why you bought me the rose? Because you thought I was married to someone famous and that makes me more desirable by extension?”

  She wasn’t wearing makeup. She had on a pair of yoga pants and a parka with ear warmers and looked as though she’d just rolled out of bed. But he couldn’t see how fancier clothes or makeup could make her any more appealing. He loved her golden, dewy-looking skin and the cornflower blue of her eyes. He could all too easily identify with the pain he saw inside them.

  Actually, that was what drew him more than anything else.

  “Your connection to Axel had no bearing on it whatsoever,” he said. “I just thought you were beautiful, and it seemed as though you could use the encouragement.”

  Tucking the fine strands of blond hair falling from her ponytail behind her ears, she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m—I’m not open to a relationship.”

  The compliment had spooked her, as he’d known it might. But he was only being honest. “That’s good.”

  She seemed taken aback. “It is?”

  “Yes—because I’m the last guy you should ever get with even if you were.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Why’s that?”

  “Never mind. Now that you have your drink, I’ll leave you alone.”

  She caught him by the sleeve as he turned away. “You’re leaving?”

  “Isn’t that what you want me to do?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know. You’re…confusing. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you.”

  He couldn’t imagine she’d associated with many ex-cons. No doubt she’d be horrified if he were to tell her he’d done time. Chances were good she wouldn’t even be willing to talk to him.

  He’d met other women like that, who thought he must be the devil incarnate, especially here in Silver Springs where so many people knew Jada’s family. Some women were drawn to the “danger” of associating with a “bad boy” like him but, sadly, those who were drawn to him were often a mess themselves.

  “That’s probably a safe assumption,” he said with a grin.

  She seemed further confused by his response and the fact that he not only accepted her words, he agreed with them. “So let me get this straight—what, exactly, are you offering me?”

  He gestured at the table. “A seat.”

  “That’s all?”

  “What more do you want?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know anything right now. I feel like I’ve just been put through a meat grinder.”

  He’d never experienced heartbreak on the level she seemed to be experiencing it—not the romantic kind. But pain was pain, and he was well acquainted with that. “Well…I’m a good listener, if you need to talk.”

  She kept her gaze fastened to his as she took another sip of her drink. “A man who looks as good as you do is never quite that harmless.”

  He heard the barista call his name above their conversation and that of everyone else in the shop. His coffee was ready. “How long will you be in town?” he asked.

  “Not long. Just a few weeks.”

  “How much damage could knowing me do in such a short time?”

  “I’m already a wreck. I doubt knowing you could do any more damage,” she admitted.

  “Then what do you have to lose?” He held out his hand. “Can I see your phone?”

  She pulled her cell out of her purse and, somewhat skeptically, let him take it, watching as he added his name and number to her contacts. “I’ll leave you alone for today. You can even have my table. But if you need a friend while you’re here, you’ve got someone to call,” he said and claimed his drink before walking out.

  Copyright © 2019 by Brenda Novak, Inc.

  * * *

  Christmas in Silver Springs—now available for preorder.

  ISBN-13: 9781488058202

  The More I Love You

  First published as Coulda Been a Cowboy, by Harlequin Books S.A. in 2007

  This edition published in 2019

  Copyright © 2007 by Brenda Novak

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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