A Cowboy's Homecoming

by Leigh Riker

  “And you’re his best man.”

  “I kind of make a habit of that,” he said, remembering her wedding to Rob. Now, it was his turn with Kate to make a life together, if not right now, then soon. “After Zach and Cass are married again, I’m staying for a while, making time for us. You and me. And about the WB...after this winter, I realized it’s still my home.”

  “You big...cowboy,” she murmured, then raised her face to his. “I love you too.”

  Noah kissed her, and to his vast relief, Kate didn’t hesitate. She kissed him back.

  * * *

  WELL, KATE THOUGHT. At least Noah would be a part-time cowboy. The next morning—after they’d talked half the night and he’d finally slept at Sweetheart Ranch, and they’d seen Meg and Mac off for Chicago with teary goodbyes and promises to see each other soon—he and Kate went down to the barn with Teddie, where Bandit, who’d come with them, scampered off to inspect some interesting smell outside.

  Kate was still smiling. Seeing Teddie’s face that morning when Noah appeared in the kitchen for breakfast had been the perfect cap to a perfect yesterday.

  He and Noah headed straight for Lancelot’s stall, as if they’d never been apart. Teddie jumped up and down until Noah gently reminded him to be quiet around horses.

  Then he gave her a pointed look. “What do you think, Kate? After this colt’s weaned, which won’t be for a while, he’d be ready to go back to the WB—”

  “No,” Teddie said emphatically, being careful to lower his voice.

  “Or,” Noah said, pausing, “maybe you’d rather keep him.”

  Teddie’s eyes widened. “Here? For good?”

  “I’ll ask Zach for official permission, but I’m sure he’ll agree.” Noah’s brother, he’d told her, didn’t object to much of anything these days. Kate was glad the two had reunited as brothers.

  “Thank you, N—Mr. Bodine!”

  He laughed. “I think you can call me Noah.” Teddie hugged him, then dashed over to fling his arms around Lancelot’s neck. “And after all, you did name him. In my book that means you own him. Okay with you, Kate?”

  “Okay,” she agreed.

  “Then I’ll have two horses!”

  “Yes, you will, and someday this whole place will be yours,” Kate said.

  Teddie was no longer listening. He was over the moon about the foal but also because Noah would be a true part of his life now. When Teddie had had enough time with his new colt, he dashed off to chase one of the barn cats, then Noah turned to her.

  Hands clasped, they walked outside to stand in the bright sun that bounced off the snow. They gazed at the land around them, their eyes tracking Teddie’s whereabouts. “I know we’re not ready to make this official—I’ve promised you can take all the time you need—but we should at least hash out the where of it that can get us there. You’re not about to give up Sweetheart Ranch—I wouldn’t want you to—and I’m in too deep with the business right now to think of selling out. Considering the fact that you were already packing last night, will you consider spending some time in New York now and then? I think Teddie would like the city, which is full of those ‘adventures’ he can have. There’s even horseback riding.”

  “In Manhattan? I didn’t know that.”

  “There’s a rental operation in Central Park.” He paused. “Can you see yourself there, Kate? A little?”

  She didn’t hesitate. “I’ve shut myself away on Sweetheart Ranch for far too long. Maybe I’d like some adventure too.”

  Noah broke into a grin. “Who are you? What have you done with the woman I love?”

  “She’s already changing. My mother leaving years ago, my dad flipping his tractor, even Rob... Bad things happen sometimes, horrific things, but we have to go on. Instead, as you said, I walled myself in. Teddie too.”

  Noah gazed up at the blue sky. “When I left the WB long ago, I didn’t intend to come back—except for the occasional family thing. My dad and I were done at that point. I wish we’d had a second chance, but we didn’t. My fault as much as his.”

  “Like me with Rob.”

  “Yeah, but you know what? I did miss the WB. I’ve done a lot of thinking about that the past few days. My leaving then—Zach said I ran off—was just that. I didn’t know how to reach Dad, how to make things right except to knuckle under and do what he wanted—take over the WB. He sure couldn’t reach me. So I ran from the ranch, and from him.” He shook his head. “No, from myself too. It wasn’t only the ranch I was escaping. It was his judgment, but in my head that has followed me everywhere. I took refuge in the business, just like you did here, from the pain.”

  “Then I guess we both need to change.”

  “I can’t prove myself to Dad now, but I can stop running from those unhappy feelings. He did love me as he could. He left me part of the WB, a sign maybe, his hope that one day I’d come home, and—I felt this when I talked to Teddie about angels—I think Dad’s watching over me too.” Noah swallowed. “From now on, I can be a better brother, a better son to my mom. Prove myself not to him, but to myself. Maintain a better balance in my life—our lives.”

  Blinking, Kate twined her arms around his neck. “Speaking of mothers, remember when you told me that Teddie needs more mental stimulation? Instead, I wanted to keep him here, safe and protected, but that’s not always possible, is it? I could never homeschool him, Noah.” She’d seen him beat Noah at chess when Teddie had never played before. “So I’m thinking maybe that gifted program in Farrier might be right for him. The one you went to?”

  “It’s a great program. I’m pretty sure we can get him in. Don’t worry about the cost.”

  We, he’d said, and our lives. Kate liked the sound of that. It would mean driving Teddie to school every day, but they were already making decisions together. It seemed absolutely right that this should be one of the first.

  “We can do this, Kate. I’ll spend as much time as I can here, working as I did remotely from the WB. Helping Zach and you too. When I need to be back in the city, you can come with me—as my wife, I’m hoping, one of these days. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even want to get a passport.”

  Kate grinned. At last she would venture forth into Noah’s bigger world, not as scary a proposition as it would once have been, and she teased him. “I can’t wait. To see New York, I mean.”

  He laughed again. “Yes, you can. But I’m really glad you’re willing to try.”

  Kate moved closer and felt the strong, steady beat of his heart, the softer echo of hers. After a long moment when she couldn’t trust her voice, she lifted her face to his, and they kissed, then went back for another. From a few yards away, she heard Teddie make a sound of disgust. Bandit barked, and she and Noah drew apart, laughing.

  Years ago, he had made his escape to the city. Kate had hunkered down on Sweetheart Ranch. But if she had lost so much in her life, look now at what she had gained. Maybe she and Noah had both missed the point before. If the bad things in life couldn’t be avoided, or hidden from, then neither should the good.

  From now on, and always, Noah would be her safe haven.

  And Kate would be his refuge.

  * * *

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  CHAPTER ONE

  “And swipe right.” Ozzy Lakeman waited for a ping of excitement, a ping of...something as the app responded and added another name to his list of potential romantic matches. Even as he set his phone down to finish his breakfast, that something ne
ver materialized. Instead, amidst the aroma of frying bacon and brewing coffee of the Butterfly Diner, the anticipation he hoped for was replaced with an odd feeling of, well, dread.

  It was official. His dating pool had dried up.

  “Who’s today’s lucky lady?” Brooke Evans set the coffeepot on the black speckled Formica counter and leaned her chin on her hand, the gold band of her wedding ring glinting against the florescent lights. “Oh, come on. Let me see.” She mock-frowned and sighed at Ozzy paying meticulous attention to the last of his egg-white veggie omelet and fresh fruit. “You have to know you’re considered a hot commodity in town, Oz. Sheriff’s deputy turned firefighter, eligible bachelor. Homeowner.” Her grin had him chuckling. “Trust me, that last one is a definite plus. And you’re a nice guy to boot. That’s a pretty rare combination these days, my friend.”

  “Be careful, Brooke. Taken or not, you might end up on my wish list.” Fat chance. If there was one thing Butterfly Harbor, California, boasted about, it was their happily-ever-afters. And Brooke was newly married and very, very happy.

  Six months ago, six long months ago, after spending years bearing witness to most of his friends getting married and starting families, Ozzy had, after attending yet another town wedding solo, decided to take the full-on plunge into the dating scene. He’d been paddling ever since.

  From internet dating sites that required sign-up fees and hours spent filling out his profile, to cell phone apps with fifty character description limits, he’d gone all in. The results had eroded his bank account and left him wondering if he should accept the final challenge of letting his now-married friends start setting him up.

  Nope. He wasn’t that desperate. At least, not yet.

  “You only love me for my coffee,” Brooke teased. “You’ve worked hard to improve yourself, Oz. I’m just saying you should maybe enjoy the dating game a little more. It should be fun. Not a chore or obligation.”

  Ozzy swallowed the sour thought. “Improving himself” was town code for his having lost seventy pounds over the past two years, which allowed him to move into a career—and life—that not so long ago he’d have thought impossible. The only thing missing was having someone to share that life with. His friends all had someone to go home to at night and were adding children to their happily-ever-after equation. Was it so wrong for Ozzy to want the same thing? “Who says I’m not enjoying it?”

  “That expression on your face, for one.” Brook circled a finger in front of his nose. “Potential romance should bring out a smile. Hope. Excitement.”

  “My excitement is internal.” Not to mention buried under twenty-seven years of insecurities and reality. Even at his heaviest, he’d dated occasionally, but he’d never experienced much of a spark. There had been crushes, of course, aptly named as that’s what had inevitably happened. Nothing crushed a heart faster than being put in the friend zone.

  That said, the friend zone was a very safe place to reside. Easy. Comfortable, actually.

  Friends meant romance wasn’t involved and the chance of getting romantically hurt was zero. But now? He glanced again at Brooke’s engagement and wedding rings and sighed. He was really tired of playing it safe. “I like to save it up,” he added with a forced smile.

  Brooke glanced around the smattering of sunrise customers. The main breakfast crowd would start trickling in around seven-thirty, but for now, the orange upholstered booths and stools were occupied by early risers, postexercisers and, in Ozzy’s case, a firefighter just off a twenty-four-hour shift. “You know,” Brooke continued, “I heard a rumor there’s more than one single lady in town hoping for an invite from you to Monty’s wedding next month.”

  “You don’t say?” Appetite extinguished, he dug through his wallet for cash. It was like the universe was reading his mind. He really hoped Brooke wasn’t about to offer to play matchmaker.

  “I do say. I bet you heard the same rumor, didn’t you, Urs?” Brooke stood up straight and called back to Ursula, the diner’s longtime cook, who slapped her metal spatula on the bell with her trademark scowl. “Something about a bet or a pool or something?”

  “Might’ve heard something like that.” Ursula’s suspicious eyes were barely visible behind the counter as she slid a bacon breakfast special onto the pass-through window. “Order up. Table four.”

  “On it.” Brooke offered Ozzy an encouraging smile. “I mean it, Ozzy. Try to enjoy yourself a bit more with this. The right woman’s out there. Probably where you least expect to find her.”

  Brooke moved off, her blond ponytail swinging behind her. Ozzy swallowed his standard response. Despite a rather drastic change in appearance, he was still the same Oswald Lakeman he’d always been: the same Ozzy who had been born in Butterfly Harbor and had grown up here. He knew everyone and everyone knew him. On the one hand, there was no hiding anything given he’d lived in one place his entire life. On the other? It was more than unnerving to suddenly not be quite so...invisible.

  His cell phone buzzed. After tossing money onto the counter, he picked it up, saw that his latest swipe had counter-added him to her “check me out” page. Ozzy’s shoulders sagged.

  The howdy bell over the door chimed as a new early breakfast devotee strode in.

  “Hey, Oz.” Fletcher Bradley, co-deputy at the sheriff’s office, offered a warm, if not tired, smile. “You just off shift or heading on?”

  “Off, actually.” Ozzy’s last shift had been relatively uneventful. Other than rescuing Mrs. Hastings’s new cat, Blinky, who had taken refuge in the tree in the front yard because of her neighbor’s half-blind retriever, his shift at the Butterfly Harbor Fire Department had proceeded without much fanfare or drama.

  “Yeah, me, too.” Fletcher smothered a yawn. “I’ve been getting in some overtime before Paige has the baby. Hoping to grab a jolt of caffeine before I head home to take Charlie to school.”

  Ozzy frowned, thinking of Fletcher’s active and independent ten-year-old stepdaughter. “It’s not raining, is it?” He glanced out the window just as the sun began glinting off the ocean that lay beyond the stone retaining wall across the street. “I thought Charlie always rode her bike to school.”

  Fletcher grimaced and wiped a hand down the side of his face. “Usually. She had a bit of a wipeout the other day.”

  “She okay?”

  “Skinned her chin pretty badly. Thank goodness she was wearing her helmet. But the bike’s totaled. Poor kid’s heartbroken. It was the first thing Paige bought her when they moved to Butterfly Harbor.”

  Ozzy remembered. Charlie had been an instant bit of spark for their little Pacific coast town. No one could be cranky or have a bad day with the little spitfire around, but for Ozzy personally? Ozzy’s heart tilted. Ozzy would always have a special place in his heart for Charlie. If it hadn’t been for her impulsive actions a few years ago, he might not have changed his life—and his health—for the better. “Bikes can’t be that expensive to replace, can they?”

  “Charlie does not want just any bike,” Fletcher declared in a formal tone as if a new law had been passed. “She wants her bike. Never mind she pretty much outgrew it last year and that I’ve spent the last two days scouring online marketplaces to find one identical to it. Looks like for now, or until I find one she approves of, I’ll be driving her to school.”

  Ozzy finished his coffee, slapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You’re a good dad, Fletch. I can’t wait to see how you’re going to juggle two kiddos.”

  “Well, our good Sheriff Saxon will be my role model in that area. If he can manage his three...” Fletcher trailed off as he looked outside. “Hey, that’s something you don’t see every day.”

  Ozzy followed his friend’s gaze toward Monarch Lane where a substantial blue pickup was towing what looked like a house down the street.

  “What the...” He moved past Fletcher and pushed open the front door. Sure enoug
h, a plank-sided structure with a slightly slanted roofline rolled its way through town behind a large pickup truck.

  Ozzy blinked. It wouldn’t take more than a few minutes for its arrival to be the main topic of conversation not only in the diner, but all around town.

  “It’s like one of those home improvement channels is coming to visit,” Ozzy said as other morning diners peered out the plate glass windows as the truck and cargo made their way slowly out of sight. “I’ve never seen one of those in real life. Any idea who that might be?” Fletcher shook his head. “Brooke?” Ozzy asked as Brooke joined them at the door.

  “Afraid not. I’ve been off the last few days. Ursula?” Brooke called. “Have you heard anything?”

  “Might’ve.” Ursula rose up on her tiptoes. “I bet it’s the new construction supervisor here to do damage control with the butterfly sanctuary site. Word is the town council overrode the mayor’s choice and hired someone Leah Ellis recommended. Joe something.”

  “Really?” Brooke’s eyes were still wide when she looked back at Ozzy and Fletcher. “I bet that was an ego blow for Gil.”

  “More like a wake-up call.” Ozzy couldn’t muster much sympathy for their mayor. But Brooke was right about one thing. If the town council had gone with the suggestion made by Gil’s only rival in the upcoming election, there was probably trouble brewing in more ways than one.

  “I guess I should head up to the construction site and see if they need help.” Fletcher glanced at his watch. “I don’t have to be home for a bit yet.”

  “I’ll go.” Ozzy grabbed the coat he’d hung up on one of the hooks by the door. “Get some coffee, relax. Anything comes up or I need help, I’ll call you.”

  “You sure?” Relief shone in Fletcher’s tired eyes. “That’d be great. I’ll owe you, man.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll add it to your tab.” All Ozzy was going to do was sleep, anyway. Fletcher had people waiting at home for him.