Craving a Real Texan--A Western romance

by Charlene Sands

  “You tell me,” he said, smiling. “Do I? Oh, you were talking about the food.”

  She chuckled. He was definitely loosening up, and she needed to do the same. “Looks like you do, both ways.”

  “Okay, then let’s get out of here so I can wow you in the kitchen. Among other places,” he whispered in her ear. He had turned out to be such a tease. And she loved every second of it.

  “Let’s try the kitchen first and see how you do.”

  “You mean if I get an A grade, I get to wow you in the—”

  She put two fingers to his mouth. “Shh, Cade.” She looked around. Those three girls were in the checkout line now, and one of them was staring again.

  “On second thought, I think we need a good bottle of wine for tonight.”

  “We have wine back at the cabin, quite a bit of it.”

  “I know, but you need to pick up cabernet sauvignon. It works best with your dish.”

  “Okay, you’re the chef.” He spun their cart around and headed to the liquor aisle. Harper gave one discreet look back at the checkout, noting the girls had left the market.

  “You know what, I forgot something,” she said. “You go get the wine, and I’ll meet you at checkout.”

  “What’d you forget?”

  She smiled coyly. “Body lotion.”

  His brows arched, and he smiled. “See ya.”

  She left him, grabbed some lavender body lotion down aisle nine, then rushed up to the check stand, scouring over the tabloids. Luckily, there was only a mention of One Last Date, but no photos of her. Apparently, she’d been relocated to page four. All good news.

  She breathed a sigh of relief.

  Now she could look forward to dinner with Cade tonight back in the safety of the cabin.

  “The thing is, once I start preparing the meal, you can’t come in the kitchen until it’s ready,” Cade said to her when they finally got back to the cabin.

  “Really?”

  “I’m doing this all on my own.” He began putting the groceries away. “And later you can tell me where I went wrong.”

  “Okay, but I have faith in you. You’re going to do great.”

  “You do? You have faith in me?” He set his handpicked potatoes out on the counter.

  “Of course I do.”

  He rubbed his hand over his chest, looking a bit perplexed. “I don’t want to let you down.”

  “You won’t.” She reached up to kiss his lips. “Just do your best. I’ll leave you to it.”

  “Enjoy your afternoon off. What’re going to do?”

  “I’ll be in my room, doing some research, but if you get in a bi—”

  This time, he gave her a quick shut-up kiss. “Go.” He pointed to the door. “I’m good.”

  “I’m going, and yes, you are good.”

  She went into her bedroom and caught her reflection in the mirror. The expression on her face could only be described as bliss. Pure joy, happiness like no other. What was in her heart was plastered all over her face. She couldn’t believe how much she cared for Cade, how happy he made her.

  She sat on the bed and picked up her phone. She’d gotten three text messages from Lily asking for a good time to talk. Since she’d been with Cade almost nonstop lately, she hadn’t had time to call. She punched in Lily’s speed dial, and Lily answered on the first ring.

  “Hi, it’s me.”

  “Harper? It’s good to hear your voice. It’s been a while.”

  “I know. It’s been...well, I’ve been spending a lot of time with your brother.”

  There was a pause on the other end of the phone. “Is this something we need to talk about?”

  “Maybe, but first tell me what’s going on. I feel so isolated here. In a good way, but what can you tell me about my situation?”

  “Well, the search for Harper continues. But it’s simmering down. I think. I mean, you’re still on the news, but not as much as when you first dumped Dale.”

  She blew out a breath. “Oh, that’s positive.”

  “It’s been close to two weeks now. But that’s nothing in tabloid land. They can milk a story for months. Especially a high-profile one like yours.”

  “We went to Bright Market today. I was fully disguised and I didn’t see my picture on any of the front pages. I thought that was something.”

  “We?”

  She ignored Lily’s question. “How’s your mother doing? And the rest of the family?”

  “Well, Mom is doing fine. But now she’s worried that she isn’t hearing enough from Cade. She thought he’d be checking in every day, bugging her about the business. Giving her grief for making him stay away so long. But he hasn’t been calling at all. So, what’s up with that?”

  “Lily, I, uh. I think you should know, Cade and I are getting along really well now.”

  “You mean he’s not busting your chops, not hating your healthy meals?”

  “No. He’s been...great. We’ve been spending time together. Hiking, boating, playing cards. Uh, keeping busy.”

  “Harper, what aren’t you telling me?”

  Harper squeezed her eyes shut. She scrunched up her face. “Oh, Lily. I want you to know, I came here with all good intentions. I take my profession seriously, and I was trying to do just that. Trying to be Cade’s personal chef and no more. But we’re pretty much alone here, and I’ve been isolated, trying to keep out of the public eye. It started out with us taking hikes together. Then, one day he surprised me with a boat ride, and now we go out on the boat a lot. We have this ongoing rummy game, too, and it’s been...”

  “What are you telling me? That my brother is having fun? That he’s not stressed out anymore?”

  “He asked me to teach him how to cook.”

  “Cade is cooking?” Lily’s voice rose to a higher pitch.

  “Making me dinner as we speak. It’s all his doing. He wanted to learn.”

  “Wow, Cade is cooking. Having a good time. I think I hate you.”

  “Oh no, Lily. Please—”

  “Kidding, Harp. I couldn’t hate you. I love you for getting Cade out of his rut. Sounds like he’s coming out his grief. And the two of you are...”

  “We’re close, Lily. I’m falling for him and I think he feels the same way. I didn’t mean to take advantage of the situation. You have to know. It’s not a fling, Lil. It goes much deeper than that. I’m in love with Cade. I love him very much.”

  “Oh, Harper,” Lily said softly. “Are you sure? I mean, you just came off that roller coaster with Dale.”

  “I didn’t love Dale. Not like the way I love your brother. He’s...amazing.”

  “How does he feel about you?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. We don’t talk about feelings. At least not now. But he’s happy, and I’m happy. And I don’t know where this is heading. But I thought you should know.”

  “Honey, I’m ecstatic for you and Cade. But there are so many variables. Like, you’ve been lying to him since the day you met him.”

  “I know,” Harper whispered. Saying it aloud made it seem that much worse. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot. My conscience has been bothering me. I want to tell him the truth so badly, but I don’t want to betray your trust and screw things up. You’ve been such a loyal friend.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, Harper. Honestly, if Cade is happy now and you two have gotten close, maybe you should tell him the truth. I think he can handle it.”

  “You do?”

  “I mean, I hope so. But it’s up to you. Whatever you decide to do is fine with me.”

  “And your mom?”

  “I’ll talk to her. Make her understand. Hey, love is messy sometimes. Mom will be glad that someone new is in his life. That he’s come out of his grief. That’s big.”

  “This is happ
ening so fast, and it scares me. But I think I have to tell him.”

  “Whatever you decide, I have your back.”

  “Thanks.” She nibbled on her lips, contemplating the task ahead. “I’ll figure out a good time to tell him, Lil. When the time is right.”

  * * *

  The table by the fireplace was all set with the best dishes in the cabin. The wineglasses sparkled, and candles flickered from every corner of the room. Cade had laid out pillows to sit on, and a low-simmering fire burned in the fireplace. The meal was ready. So was he. He wanted to please Dawn; it mattered to him that he would. He’d done this for her, to be a part of her world and show her that he cared.

  He didn’t know when or why it happened, but he was in deep with her. He couldn’t imagine being here at the cabin without her. She’d pulled him out of his slumber and made him see light again. She was pretty and funny and sweet. It’d been his lucky day when she came into his life. She’d torn down his defenses, leaving him open and vulnerable, and he was falling hard for her. Nothing felt more right.

  He strode to her bedroom door and knocked.

  “Cade?”

  “It’s me,” he said, walking into the room. He grabbed her hand and lifted her up from her seat at the secretary desk. “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?”

  “Just close them and come with me.”

  He covered her eyes with his hands, just to be sure. They penguin walked out of the room with him behind her until they reached the table by the fireplace set for two. “Okay, open them.”

  He stepped to her side to gauge her reaction. She opened her eyes and peered at the table, the fireplace, the candles, and her loving expression told him all he needed to know. “Oh, Cade. This is beautiful.”

  “Like you,” he said, kissing her cheek.

  “I love it.”

  “Well, I hope you like the food as much as this.”

  “It smells wonderful.”

  “Have a seat,” he said. “I’ll plate up the meal.”

  She smiled. “You’re using all the right lingo.”

  “I should. I’ve been through three digital cookbooks today.”

  She laughed and then took her seat on the pillow.

  He strode into the kitchen, his chest puffed out a little. He’d made a good impression with the table setting—now he only hoped the meal was edible.

  The riced potatoes looked good. They were a breeze. All it took to rice them was a strong arm and some herbs and butter. It was amazing how much different they tasted than regular old mashed potatoes. He laid those down on the plate first, then arranged two of the braised short ribs on top. He crisscrossed the asparagus on a slant, so that the stalks towered above the meat on an angle. For an amateur, it wasn’t half-bad.

  He brought the dishes to the table, serving Dawn first. She was staring at the fire, watching the embers burn. “Here you go.”

  She turned a discerning eye on the food, and her expression changed. “Cade. Wow.”

  “You haven’t tasted it yet.”

  “I don’t have to. I can see you did this perfectly. The presentation is half the battle. I know it’s gonna be delish.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hope so.”

  Feeling accomplished, he took a seat. He hadn’t been this content since before Bree. He sighed and waited for Dawn to take the first bite.

  She managed to get a little portion of each dish onto her fork and then brought it to her mouth. She closed her eyes as she chewed, as if she could discern the different flavors that way. “Oh, yum.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s good, Cade. Really, really good.”

  He grinned. “Thanks.”

  She gazed at him, pride beaming from her eyes. “You did a great job on the meal.”

  “You didn’t taste the biscuits yet. They didn’t rise like I hoped.”

  She looked over at the basket on the table. The biscuits were flat and crunchy. “Making perfect biscuits is an art. I’ll still eat them.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  She grabbed one from the basket and chomped on it. She chewed and chewed. “Not bad for a first time.”

  “You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

  “No, I’m not.” She gave him an adorable wink. “I’m saving that for later, in the bedroom.”

  “Well in that case, I’ll make you dinner every night.”

  She smiled as he poured wine, and then she raised her glass. “To you,” she said, giving his glass a clink. “And your new cooking skills.”

  He went along with that, but secretly he toasted Dawn coming into his life, saving him from sinking into the quicksand of grief.

  * * *

  Cade sat on the bed, glancing down at Dawn. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful sight than the brunette lying there, her hair tousled, her expression so serene. She opened her eyes and immediately reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Mornin’,” he said, bending to give her a kiss.

  “Hmm.” She sighed. “Why are you getting up so early?”

  “Babe, it’s not early. It’s ten o’clock already.”

  They’d had quite a workout in bed last night. Just thinking about it made his body tighten and his pulse race.

  “Ten o’clock?” Dawn popped up, the sheets covering her delicious body falling off her. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “Because you looked like Sleeping Beauty. Snored a bit, too.”

  “Cade, you know I don’t snore.”

  “If you say so.”

  She tossed a pillow at him, and he went down laughing.

  She laughed, too, as she scrambled off the bed. He reached for her, but she was too fast; she wiggled right out of his arms. “Oh no, you don’t. We’re late. I still have to put together lunch and we haven’t even had coffee yet.”

  He gestured with his arms. “Look around and show me who cares?”

  “I care. I’m being paid to feed you. And we’ve planned that trip around the lake. We were supposed to get an early start, remember?”

  “Yes, but that was before we tripped all around the bed last night, remember?”

  “So, you don’t want to go?”

  The disappointment in her voice tortured him. That, and the fact that she was buck naked in front of him, her lips in a pout. He’d rather spend the day in bed with her, but he wouldn’t go back on his word. “Of course I want to go. We’re not on any time schedule. Why don’t you get ready and I’ll meet you in the kitchen? I’ll make coffee.”

  She smiled, a big, wide grin that warmed his heart. “Okay. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

  “Oh, and wear those denim shorts—you know, the ones that are all torn up.”

  “You mean my Daisy Dukes?”

  He swallowed hard. “Yeah, those.”

  She blew him a kiss. “I sure will.”

  He laughed and walked into the kitchen, shaking his head. He was in deep with Dawn, and it was the best place to be. She lightened his mood and made everything fun. Somehow, after all this was over, he’d find a way for them to be together.

  He set coffee brewing. As he reached into the cabinet, bringing down two mugs, he heard a car pull up on the drive, and he frowned slightly in confusion. Who could that be? He walked over to the window and found three more cars pulling up behind the first one. Then a Channel 10 news van pulled up. “Oh, crap.”

  He knew what this was about. He wasn’t gonna let these guys intrude on his vacation.

  He opened the front door and walked out onto the porch. Cameras snapped his picture, and questions were immediately slung at him. He held up a hand, gesturing to stop, and leveled them all a hard look. “Not a step farther,” he said, standing his ground at the foot of the porch. If he allowed them, they’d be shoving their micropho
nes in his face.

  What on earth did his brother, Gage, do now to warrant the paparazzi seeking him out for a comment? Hell, he’d been down this road before, too many times.

  “Where’s Harper?” one reporter asked.

  “Are you hiding out together?” another one shouted.

  “Do you know the entire country is looking for Harper?” The questions were hurled at him, one right after the other.

  “Who the hell is Harper?” he replied. “I think you’ve got the wrong guy here.”

  “Harper Dawn,” a reporter shouted. “The woman you’re living with.”

  “What?”

  Just then, the door creaked open, and Dawn exited. “Go back inside,” he told her. “This isn’t about you.”

  Dawn didn’t heed his warning, but instead stepped up next to him. Color drained from her face, her expression dire. She put a hand on his arm. “It is about me, I’m afraid. Cade, I’m so sorry.”

  “Sorry?” He blinked and blinked again. What was she talking about?

  But at her appearance on the porch, the entire crowd started shouting questions at Dawn. His mind muddied up. What was happening? The reporters kept calling her Harper. Harper Dawn.

  “When did you dye your hair?”

  “Is it for your disguise?”

  “Does this mean you don’t love Dale Murphy anymore?”

  “Yes, I’d like the answer to that myself.” A man walked up, slender with blond hair and deceptively cool blue eyes. As if he were a god, the sea of paparazzi separated to let the guy through.

  It was like a freak show gone bad, and Cade was right in the middle of it.

  * * *

  Harper silently prayed for guidance. The reporters were relentless. And Dale? Now, that was a surprise. Where had he come from? Why was he here looking forlorn? Her heart pounded hard against her chest.

  She turned to Cade. He was...oh dear God, he stared at her with a mixture of confusion and panic. As if he was hoping for all of this to be some giant mistake that she could explain away. “Dawn?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry, Cade. My name’s not Dawn. Well, it is, but I’m Harper Dawn. And I was going to tell you—”