To Tame a Texas Cowboy

by Julie Benson

  Discernment bolted through Cooper. In the time they’d been here, his father failed to express any empathy for Cheyenne. If someone didn’t serve his purpose or an issue didn’t affect him, the man couldn’t care less about the person.

  He’d taken the wrong approach with his father because something in his past had destroyed his ability to care for anyone in a meaningful way. Cooper’s only chance to convince his father to examine Cheyenne was in appealing to his ego. But how could her case compete with the accolades he’d receive from his study?

  “You’ve gone too far, and it’s time for you to leave.”

  Panic welled up into Cooper’s throat. They’d run out of time. Think. Lord, if you’re going to intervene, now’s the time.

  An idea materialized in Cooper’s mind. One with surprising potential. A sense of calm and strength hovered over Cooper, but before he could speak, Penny stood and circled Cheyenne’s chair again, this time whining. Then she pawed at Cheyenne’s jeans, but Cheyenne pointed to the floor. “Sit, Penny.”

  The dog refused, instead scratching Cooper’s leg. Then she returned to Cheyenne and pawed her. Damn. No doubt what that meant. “Cheyenne, she’s alerting you to a seizure.”

  Cheyenne paled. Her hands trembled. She clasped them together on her lap as she glanced at his father, her wide, beautiful green eyes pleading and desperate.

  “Don’t make us leave,” Sheridan begged from her spot against the far wall. “I can’t handle it if Cheyenne has a seizure while I’m driving home.”

  “Don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere. Cheyenne can rest on that couch until she’s recovered. Can’t she?” Cooper said, pinning his father with a don’t-push-me-old-man look.

  “Very well, but I have patients to see,” his father replied in dismissal.

  “Think about this before you go,” Cooper began, his voice calm and even. “From what I’ve read about your new technique, if anyone can remove Cheyenne’s brain tumor, it’s you.”

  His father’s chest puffed out at the compliment. “While that could very well be true, because my surgical study is crucial to the future of neurosurgery, I’m on a strict timeline. Once this technique is approved, I can teach others to perform it. Countless people will be helped, but to do that, my focus must remain on the clinical trials to the exclusion of everything else.”

  “The other neurosurgeon claimed Cheyenne’s surgery was too complicated to attempt. Rather than see Cheyenne’s case as taking energy away from your study, see it as a possible expansion to include tumor patients. Think of the article you could write if you’re able to perform her surgery.”

  His father leaned back in his chair. The leather creaked and groaned as he crossed his arms over his chest, while he stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

  Cheyenne opened her mouth to speak, but Cooper placed a hand on her arm and shook his head. She shrugged off his touch but remained silent.

  After a moment, his father said, “It’s an intriguing idea. My surgery allows for more precise removal of the seizing part of the brain without damaging or losing significant brain function. That very well could be applicable to brain tumors. I can’t believe the fact never occurred to me. I’ll consider it.”

  Then without another word, his father stood and walked out of the office.

  Cooper resisted the urge to let out an Aggie whoop as relief flooded his system. Thanks for the intervention, Big Man.

  Cooper exhaled long and hard, and all the anger and disappointment over being unable to earn his father’s love sloughed off.

  *

  After Dr. Abbott left, Cheyenne leaned back in her chair. Her hands shook. He was considering taking her case. Because of Cooper. She should at least thank him and boy did she owe him an apology for thinking he’d exaggerated about his father.

  How had Cooper survived his childhood? What would this hard, cold man have done to a child like her? One who struggled in school and went into barrel racing? Could she have withstood such cruelty growing up? She knew how tough her life had been, but at least her mom never quit loving her.

  Cheyenne’s chin quivered as pain for what Cooper endured swept through her. “I owe you an apology. I really thought you were exaggerating about your father, but he’s worse than you said. After meeting him, if he agrees to operate, I’m not sure I want him to.”

  “Don’t let his actions affect your opinion of him as a doctor. If I could pick a different father, I would, but if I needed a neurosurgeon, I wouldn’t want anyone else. Whatever he says about surgery, you can trust the information as if came from the Lord Almighty, and he’ll only perform surgery is he believes it’ll be successful.”

  She could be getting what she’d wanted since she’d received her tumor diagnosis. She could be getting her life back. In a few months, she might be returning to the rodeo circuit and her life would be exactly as it had been before her seizures.

  And you think that’s a good thing?

  She waited for joy to bust through her, but instead the thought was mixed with a sense of loss. She loved riding and competing, but everything that went with being on the rodeo circuit? Not so much. Her life had been pretty barren.

  Unlike now.

  “Thank you for everything you did for me.”

  Cooper flashed her a weak smile. “Let me know what happens and if I can help further. I really do want the best for you. Hopefully, in a couple months, you’ll head back to the rodeo and this will all be a bad dream.”

  “That would be great.” But being in Wishing hadn’t been a nightmare.

  At least not after moving from her mom’s house.

  She wanted to return to the rodeo. She needed to. If nothing more than to prove she could and this tumor hadn’t bested her. It was her badge of honor, but besides that, she was good at what she did, and wasn’t ready to retire. But she wanted her life in Wishing too. She liked having a home base that actually was a home.

  Be honest. You enjoyed coming home to Cooper.

  But he sounded as if he was okay with them calling it quits. Cheyenne’s heart sank. What had she expected? That he’d get down on his knees and beg for a second chance? “You don’t have to stay. Sheridan and Penny are here with me. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She nodded and bit the inside of her cheek to keep her disappointment from showing. Thank goodness she hadn’t asked if they could pick up where they left off. That would’ve been embarrassing considering how easily he could walk away. Talk about awkward.

  Sheridan, who Cheyenne had forgotten was still in the room, coughed, swallowed, and then coughed so much she couldn’t speak.

  “Are you okay?” Cheyenne asked.

  “Need a drink. Be back,” she said between coughs as she scurried out of the office.

  Cheyenne swallowed hard. Great. She was alone with Cooper. Silence descended around them, as she shifted in her chair. Cooper cleared his throat. Muffled voices from the hallway occasionally broke the silence. She waited.

  Where was Sheridan? How long could it take to get a drink? Cheyenne glanced around the office, searching for something to talk about to fill the damn tense silence. Gee, they could talk about his father’s fascination with Japanese swords and daggers, or his awards both of which were practically everywhere. She tapped her fingernail on the chair arm until the click clack grated on her nerves.

  Why don’t you announce how uncomfortable you are around him?

  She sat on her hands to stop fidgeting. Had she ever been able to remain friends with a guy she’d dated? She thought. Nope. When the relationship fizzled out, she cut him from her life. But the thought of doing that with Cooper left her unsettled. A lot.

  Penny mumbled a soft woof in her sleep. Odd. Usually after alerting, Penny sat beside her on guard. Or, if Cheyenne laid down, she curled up with her. “Maybe Penny made a mistake. Maybe my stress level goofed up her radar,” Cheyenne said as her phone dinged. She dug it out of her purse and read the text.

  “On m
y way home. Have Cooper drive u. If u blow this ur an idiot.”

  She read Sheridan’s message again. Her sister couldn’t do this. Better not have done this. Jaw clenched, Cheyenne pounded out a text. “Get ur ass back here.”

  “No. Talk 2 him. I made a wish for you, and he’s the answer. Don’t look this gift horse in the mouth.”

  Sheridan made a wish for her? Why would her sister do that when they both knew the legend was nothing more than a brilliant marketing scheme? Cheyenne threw her phone in her purse. “I’m going to kill her.”

  “What’s wrong?” Cooper asked, his face lined with concern.

  “Sheridan left.” Cheyenne grabbed her purse and Penny’s leash. “As in started home. Without me. I have to catch her.”

  “There’s no way you can.”

  She knew that, but she couldn’t stay here with Cooper.

  “Wait, Cheyenne. We need to talk.” He placed a hand on her arm. The simple contact burned through her. She pulled away and sank back into her chair. She couldn’t take much more of this.

  Cooper cleared his throat. “I was wrong not to tell you about my father, and for the record, I didn’t expect coming here would change anything between us. I’d hoped some day we could be friends again, but I realize I can’t do that.”

  Penny’s leash slipped from Cheyenne’s fingers as defeat swamped her. This couldn’t be happening. When she was mad at Cooper and broke it off, she’d been okay with that because she could change her mind if she wanted to. But faced with losing Cooper forever because he ended their relationship, nausea rolled over her leaving her weak.

  “What’re you saying?”

  Cooper moved to stand in front of her and shoved his hands in his front pockets. “Hi. I’m Cooper Abbott. I admired you the first night I met you at The Horseshoe when you said you didn’t need my help because you could take care of yourself.”

  She held her breath, afraid to hope. “Are you saying you want to start over?”

  He nodded. “We skipped a few steps along the way. I understand if you don’t want to give me another chance, but Cheyenne, I love you, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win you back.”

  The fist clenched around her heart loosened as relief flooded through her, followed by pure joy making her light-headed. Wait a minute. Cooper loved her? This brilliant, compassionate, sexy as hell man loved her—a redheaded, gangly tomboy with a GED. Who’d have figured that would happen?

  Wherever life took her, she wanted Cooper with her on the journey. Not that he was perfect, but he was a good man. One she could count on. With him, she’d never face life’s storms alone.

  Anyone who could survive a father who’d tried his best to destroy his son’s spirit had to be someone special. Her admiration and love for Cooper grew, as did her sympathy for what he’d endured. So, it took him a day to talk to his father. She wasn’t perfect either, and that wasn’t what she wanted anyway. She wanted someone real. A man honest enough to say what he thought rather than what she wanted to hear. A man she could love and come home to. She wanted it all—the rodeo and Cooper.

  “Considering how awful your father is and that your mother lets him be that way, how did you turn out to be such an amazing, compassionate man?”

  Cooper scooted his chair closer to hers and sat. “Did I tell you about my grandfather, the rancher?” When Cheyenne nodded, he continued. “I followed Grandpa Floyd around as soon as I could walk. Whatever he was doing, fixing fences, feeding the steers, or hauling hay, I didn’t care. Whenever my father rode my ass, I imagined myself on the ranch with Grandpa Floyd. Damn, I miss that old man. He was the one who said to never let anyone tell me what I should or shouldn’t be. He said parents get to live their lives. They don’t get to live their kids’, too.”

  “He sounds wonderful.”

  “He was. Funny thing is, my father never approved of him either.”

  “Well, I do.” She said a silent prayer of thanks for Cooper’s grandfather. “He made you the man I love.”

  Cooper’s bright blue eyes widened in surprise as if he couldn’t believe what she’d said. “Why would you love me? How could you when you know men who’re tough enough to ride bulls for a living? Me and my life have to seem boring in comparison.”

  “Losing my father taught me that life is filled with challenges. I want someone who’s there day in and day out. Someone who makes every day mean something. You, and what we can have in Wishing, are exactly what I want.” Her hand covered his, and their connection rippled through her. This, they, were so right. “But what about you? I don’t know about my future, and you went through so much with Olivia—”

  “I’ll be honest, you having surgery scares the shit out of me. I know brain surgery has come a long way.” His hand tightened around hers. He bit his lip, and his voice waivered. “I’m not sure I could survive losing you.”

  Despite the seriousness of his words and the pained look on his face, Cheyenne smiled. The fact that a man could love her that much boggled her mind. It had to be the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. “You said your father would only do surgery if he’s positive it’ll go well.”

  “Though it’ll be the longest, roughest day of my life, I hope you can have surgery. I want you to be able to return to the rodeo. I want to be there cheering you on, and when I can’t go, I’ll be at home waiting for you. All I have is one stipulation. You have to help me hire someone for the clinic.”

  She grinned. “Not that anyone can replace me—”

  “That goes without saying.”

  “Yes, but a girl likes to hear the words.”

  His thumb caressed the sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist. “You are irreplaceable in so many ways.”

  The simple, affectionate gesture paired with his words sent her pulse racing. “Of course I’ll help you find someone for the clinic to help out when I can’t be there.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “I know. I want to stay involved with the clinic.” Her hand tightened in his, knowing they had to talk about the other option. “What if I can’t have surgery?”

  “Then I’ll help you figure that out, too. I love you and I want you in my life. Now, Cheyenne Whitten, how about we get out of here and go on a first date?”

  She blushed and chewed on her lower lip. “That would be nice, but can’t we just stay home?”

  *

  Cheyenne had barreled into Cooper’s life, rearranging it, and made him happier than he ever imagined possible. Now here he stood, hands once again clenching the rails of a hospital bed as he waited for a woman he loved to be wheeled off for brain surgery.

  I can’t do this again. I never wanted to be here again. I can’t lose Cheyenne. My heart can’t survive it.

  Your heart? What about Cheyenne? She needs you. Pull it together.

  He would do this, face losing her because of her. He would do this, would cope no matter what he had to endure.

  He forced his sweaty, trembling hands to relax and he smiled at her, hoping she wouldn’t sense the panic tormenting him. When she gazed back, nothing but confidence and love registered on her beautiful face. She was by far the strongest person he’d ever known.

  Please, Lord. Get Cheyenne through this.

  “I wish we’d get this show on the road. The sooner we start, the sooner I get rid of this tumor and start having a normal life.”

  “Patience isn’t your strongest character trait,” Cooper teased, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Thankfully I have so many other wonderful ones.”

  “That’s true. You have too many to count,” he said and kissed Cheyenne’s forehead.

  “Are you sure about surgery, Cheyenne?” her mother asked, worry lining her face, as she stood on the opposite side of the gurney from Cooper. “There’s still time to change your mind.”

  Cooper’s jaw cracked from clenching it so hard. Why the hell would her mother say that? This was about Cheyenne and what she wanted and needed. Their j
ob was to support and reassure her.

  Sheridan gasped. “Mom, why would you—”

  “I know this is hard for you, but I have a world-renowned surgeon who’s positive the surgery will go well,” Cheyenne said, her voice strong and even. “And he’s very conservative when it comes to performing surgery, isn’t he Cooper?”

  He squeezed Cheyenne’s hand despite the blood pounding in his ears. “My father wouldn’t perform the surgery if he wasn’t sure Cheyenne would come through fine.”

  Cooper had to believe that. During Cheyenne’s consultation, his father estimated her operation would last approximately five hours. While the tumor resided close to her speech center, he insisted the risk of blindness or Cheyenne being unable to process speech, either understanding it or producing it was less than 10 percent.

  “See, Mom—”

  “It’s time to go. Everyone give Cheyenne a kiss,” the nurse said as she walked into the room.

  Mrs. Whitten burst into tears as she collapsed against Cheyenne, who patted her mother on the back. “I’m going to be fine.”

  “That’s right,” Cooper said, and prayed the Lord was listening. “We’ll see her in a few hours.”

  Sheridan pried her mother off Cheyenne and gave her sister quick hug. “See you soon, Sis.” Then she put her arm around her sobbing mother’s shoulder and guided her from the room.

  After they left, Cheyenne said, “Keep an eye on Mom so she doesn’t drive Sheridan crazy or have a heart attack.”

  “Will do.” Cooper kissed Cheyenne, trying to pour his strength into her. He loved Cheyenne more than he imagined possible, had so much to tell her, but he couldn’t put the words together.

  Despite his confidence in his father’s ability, Cooper hated turning Cheyenne over to someone else’s care. The helplessness and lack of control terrified him. Panic consumed all the space in his head, leaving no room for words. “I love you, so much I can’t put it into words. I wish I could—”

  “I’ll be fine. We have too many plans for me not to be.”

  Cooper sighed. So much for hiding his fear. He should’ve known his strong, brave warrior would see right through his act. She knew him so well, and no matter how hard he tried, he’d never deserve her. “Every day you amaze me more. I don’t deserve you.”