His Heart to Have (Cowboys of Whispering Winds)

by Renee Peterson

  His Heart To Have

  Copyright © 2014 by Renee Peterson

  Cover Design by Syd Gil/ Syd Gil Designs

  Cover Photo by Jenn Leblanc/ Illustrated Romance

  Formatting by Indie-Vention

  1st edition Published January 2014

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people, living or dead are purely coincidental. All characters and events in this work are figments of the author’s imagination.

  “But Jase, we don’t have anyone else to be the groom. Pretty please, with a cherry on top?” Allie begged him. That girl just didn’t quit. Didn’t she know that he was seven years old, and boys his age don’t play wedding dress-up?

  “No. Scruffy and I are going hunting.” For emphasis, he patted the plastic cap gun resting in its holster on his hips.

  “You ain’t gonna catch nothing with that gun. It’s just a toy. Sides, Scruffy would bark and scare anything away before you got close enough.”

  “I never said I was going real hunting.” He huffed and turned away, full indignation. Allie might be his best friend, but there was no way he’d let her talk him into this again. Just last week, she’d promised him it was the last time he’d have to play wedding with them.

  He made it a whole two steps before Allie grabbed hold of his arm.

  “I’ll do your chores tonight,” she bargained with him.

  Darn it! She knew it was Scruffy’s bath night and how much he hated washing that dog. Scruffy would shake his shaggy hair, soaking him to the bone, then mom would insist he take another bath. He’d tried to switch chores with his older sister, Lanie, but she refused to bathe Scruffy.

  “Who’s the bride? You or Missy?” he asked, eyeing Allie cautiously.

  “Me, silly. Missy doesn’t even like you; how can she marry you?”

  “I ain’t got to really kiss you, do I?” he asked.

  “Eww, no. Kissing is for grown-ups,” Allie answered.

  “Fine, let’s get this over with so I can get hunting. There’s a bear out there with my name on it,” he agreed with a pout. The moment she asked, he knew he didn’t stand a chance against her; but, at least now, he didn’t have to give Scruffy his bath. If he was going to be miserable, he’d darn well get something from it.

  “Stand right over here under the tree. I’m going to walk down from the porch like it’s the aisle. When I stand next to you, you have to face me and hold my hand,” Allie directed.

  “Aww shucks, Allie. You didn’t say anything about holding your hand.”

  “It’s part of the game. You have to,” she insisted. “All husbands hold their wives hands.”

  “I ain’t going to and that’s that.” His arms crossed in defiance.

  “Boys,” Allie puffed. She turned to Missy, her other best friend. “We really need to find some more friends out here.”

  “I agree. And no more boys. They’re just stinky nincompoops who don’t know how to have fun,” she declared, glaring at Jase.

  Missy didn’t like him and he didn’t like her, so he figured that made them about even. Ever since her family moved to the ranch last year, she’d taken Allie away from him. Instead of going fishing or playing cowboys and Indians with him, all she ever wanted to do was girlie stuff now. Dress up dolls, play house and now a darn wedding.

  What was a boy to do? He almost couldn’t wait for school to be back so he’d see his other friends again. There was only so much a seven year old could take. He shuffled to the spot under the tree that Allie insisted he stand under. The sooner he got this done and over with, the sooner he could get on with his day.

  “Here comes the bride, here comes the bride,” Missy sang out, as Allie sashayed towards him. He’d almost swear they were both smirking at him.

  Allie stood beside him, rebelliously trying to grab his hand. With a firm shake, he removed it and stuck his tongue out at her. She glared back at him, sticking out her own tongue, then turned to Missy telling her to begin.

  Using words he vaguely remembered hearing from a cousin’s wedding last month, Missy had him and Allie repeat vows to each other. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” she announced with an impish grin.

  Before Jase knew what was happening, Allie leaned over and kissed him on his cheek, while Missy snapped a picture with a Polaroid he somehow hadn’t noticed hiding behind her. They didn’t even notice his glare as they ran off giggling. Dag gone it, he’d been set up again.

  Twenty years later

  A loud, roaring cheer came from a roulette table, signaling a big win. Flashing lights and sounds of spinning slot machines filled the area with an exited energy coursing through the air. Four friends sat at the bar, their final night in Vegas.

  “Next round’s on me,” Jase announced, walking to the other end of the bar, in search of the bartender.

  “What now?” Allie asked, turning to Missy and Charlie. “This is your weekend. You decide.”

  “Maybe we’ll go find a chapel and elope.” Charlie turned to his fiancé and wagged an eyebrow, teasing her.

  “I don’t think so, Mister. We’ve put too much into this wedding already.” Missy stood from her seat, moved to Charlie and looped her arm around his waist. “I dare you to marry a certain cowboy you’ve been in love with forever,” she joked with Allie.

  Her mind already on the same train of thought, Allie nodded absently at Missy’s suggestions. Her gaze intently followed Jase as he returned to the group and set down their drinks. “We’re in Vegas. Someone should be getting married,” an inebriated Allie insisted. “Let’s get married, Jase.”

  The immediate area surrounding the four friends fell silent, until Jase laughed. “I think we need to cut you off, Allie Cat. Next thing you know, you’ll be declaring undying love through a text message to some sorry ex-boyfriend.”

  Allie laughed in return, but grabbed Jase’s arm, tugging him closer. “I’m serious. You’re my best friend. Can you name one reason why we shouldn’t?”

  A moment passed, glances passing between the friends in silent communications.

  Jase took a final swig of his Jack and Coke. “Let’s do it.”

  Allie Tyndale was in deep- deeper than when she fell in a mud hole last spring, as winter’s ice thawed across the land. She made her bed, and now she was going to have to lay in it. And that wasn’t just a figure of speech. Looking over, she attempted to stifle a groan. Sure enough, Jase was in the bed next to her, naked as a jaybird. The previous night’s memories flooded her bleary mind, and she prayed it was all a bad dream. Not that God would have listened to her after last night.

  Whose grand idea was it anyway, to come to Vegas for Charlie and Missy’s pre-wedding party? That’s right, Missy. Well she’ll be hearing a mouthful. They weren’t city people; they were perfectly content living in the middle of nowhere, miles from the heart of their small town in Bumblton, Wyoming. A simple bachelorette party should have been sufficient; but no, Missy wanted her chance at a wild weekend before settling down. And a wild weekend they had had. To be fair, they had all agreed it did sound like a lot of fun; especially because vacations didn’t come around very often. Except, she never anticipated returning to Wyoming a married woman.

  Jase Callahan was her best friend; he had
been since they were both in diapers, and now he was her husband. How were they ever going to explain this one to their parents? Better yet, how were they going to get themselves out of this mess? She stood up, her legs still wobbly from drinking more than anybody had a right to last night. Go figure, the one time she drank too much, she’d gone and do something stupid like this. Reaching down, she picked up her denim skirt and the halter top she had worn the night before. Before she could put them on, the smell of cigarettes and alcohol on them assaulted her stomach and she went running for the bathroom.

  “Never again,” she vowed to the silent room. With her stomach purged, she felt much better; at least, physically. Somehow, she still had to get back to her own room. Even though it was just across the hall, she didn’t want to risk being near her clothes right now. Now; their stench, alone, was enough to send her stomach rolling again. And with her luck, if she made a run for it wrapped in a towel, someone would walk through the hotel’s hallway in the few seconds it took to open her door.

  Not ready to face Jase yet, she had to get out of the room before he woke up. In typical Jase fashion, his suitcase was still on the floor with clothes spilling out. If the situation wasn’t so serious, she might have laughed. How many times had she cleaned his room, as a child, to keep him out of trouble? Granted, he did his fair share of keeping her out of trouble for other reasons. They’d grown up together on the Whispering Winds, a working guest ranch. Before they were born, their parents each ran a division of the ranch. When the previous owner died with no heirs, he’d left the entire place to the Callahans and Tyndales. Now, their parents jointly own the place with each family living on a separate side of the massive log cabin. Her entire childhood, and life, was intricately tied to the man she’d married last night.

  She grabbed a plain white t-shirt and a pair of his jeans. Swimming in his clothes, she felt ridiculous, but it was better than the alternatives. Quietly, she opened the door and slipped across the hall to her own room, a suite with two bedrooms that she was sharing with Missy. When they first reserved their rooms, they were supposed to have separate rooms, but a glitch in the reservations system gave Missy and her the more spacious suite.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Callahan,” her best friend’s voice greeted her, full of amusement.

  “Not a word,” Allie replied, shooting daggers toward her friend.

  “Honeymoon over already?” Missy teased.

  “I’m glad you’re finding humor in this,” she replied sarcastically.

  “It’s not every day my best friend gets married.”

  “It’s not funny, Missy. This is a disaster. Ugh, I feel I like a fell off a horse, climbed back on and fell again.” Allie walked to the minibar and grabbed a bottle of water, gulping it down to ease her dry, cotton mouth.

  “What did your husband have to say about it this morning?”

  “Stop that! He’s not really my husband, at least not for long. Who’s to say the marriage was even legal?”

  “Oh, it was legal all right. Jase and you, insisted that Charlie and I sign as witnesses,” Missy confirmed.

  “I guess there is nothing else to do but face the situation head on.”

  “It could be worse. After all, you married your other best friend. A lot of intentionally married couples can’t even claim that.”

  “That’s what makes it so bad! This will ruin our friendship. Why did we go and do something so stupid?” What she didn’t say, was that the situation was so bad because she loves him. She loved him since before she’d even known Missy, and that was a long time. It was her most guarded secret; even if Jase did decide to show further interest than their friendship, he was not the marrying type. He’s never had a girlfriend. He was a love ‘em and leave ‘em type of guy. After last night, she’d probably lost her best friend and the only man she’s loved forever.

  “You need to calm down,” Missy chided. “What’s done is done, and honestly, if two people were ever meant to be together, it’s you and Jase. Now, go take a shower, get cleaned up and go talk to Jase; figure this out.”

  Allie sighed in resignation. Missy was right about one thing: she needed to calm down so she and Jase could discuss this rationally. But first she had to go find something for her headache. She dug through her purse until she found some pain reliever and swallowed it down with a large gulp of water. Escaping to her room, she shed Jase’s clothes and hopped in the shower.

  Scorching hot water beat down on her, working out the kinks of her hangover. Not until her skin started to wrinkle, did she turn the water off. Even then, she sat in the bathroom, enjoying the therapeutic effects of the steam. At long last, she left the bathroom and put on her own clothes; a pair of jeans and worn t-shirt displaying the logo of Piggles Grocery. Comfort at its best. With her hair still wet, she pulled it back in a pony-tail and slipped on a pair of socks. Grimacing, she realized her boots were still over in Jase’s room. She’d only brought one other pair of shoes and dug them out from her suitcase.

  Back in the common room, a note waited for her on the table. Picking it up, she read the quick scrawl telling her Missy was at breakfast with Charlie and to feel free to meet them downstairs. Allie’s stomach rolled at the mere thought of food. Her head might be feeling better but her stomach was an entirely different matter. Maybe some toast in a little while. First things first- she had to face Jase. She grabbed her keys, purse and the clothes she borrowed from him and went across the hall, back to his room to face the music. Best to get this awkward conversation out of the way no.

  ***

  Jase rolled over in bed, keenly aware that something was different. He was alone. Just a few hours ago, he’d lain in his hotel bed staring at his new wife. In her sleep, Allie had murmured words of love, and he caressed her hair, soaking in those first moments as newlyweds.

  Okay, so they hadn’t gotten married under traditional methods. But they were married, good and legal, and he would never regret it. If she wanted to plan a big, fancy wedding when they got home, that was fine by him. He’d been in love with Allie for as long as he could remember. Anything she wanted, he’d give her. That’s how it had always been and always would be. But her disappearance had him worried. Why’d she leave this morning without a word? Someone knocked on the door.

  “Jase, it’s me Allie. Are you in there?”

  “Just a sec.” He threw the sheets off and stood up. A cold rush of air reminded him he was naked, and he went to pull some clothes out of his suitcase. Where’d his last pair of clean jeans go? He could’ve sworn he had another pair in there, along with another clean t-shirt. Not wasting any more time, he threw on the pair he’d taken off the night before and went to the door.

  “It’s about time,” Allie snapped when he opened it.

  “Good morning to you too,” he answered. This wasn’t a good start. His stomach clenched with a forming fear.

  “We need to talk,” she said simply, her tone straight with no inflection to indicate what she was thinking.

  “Yes we do,” he agreed. Man, did they need to talk. He took a seat on bed, patting the space beside him in an invitation for her to join him. Instead, she pulled out the chair at the desk and sat in it, maintaining her space. “Why’d you leave this morning?” he asked.

  “Can’t you put a shirt on?” she asked, her eyes averting his.

  “Really Allie? It’s not like you haven’t seen me a hundred times without a shirt on. And you saw me with a whole lot less on last night,” he couldn’t help teasing.

  She threw a bundle of clothes at him. “Stop it, Jase. This isn’t funny. What are we going to do?”

  He pulled a shirt over his head. “About what?” he asked.

  “This marriage. How could we have been so stupid?”

  Jase felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Sure they were drunk when they’d decided to get married, but he’d been sober enough to know he wanted to marry her for real. He’d thought she felt the same. He’d seen it in her eyes when she first said
last night that they should find a chapel and get married. However, her words, just now, made it obvious that they weren’t on the same page. He remained silent, trying to form a response.

  “What are we going to tell our parents? They’ll never forgive us for a drunken marriage. But a divorce, in their eyes, would be worse. This is a nightmare. I’ve got it! An annulment- that’s it!” she exclaimed. “We’ll quietly get this annulled and no one will ever know. Charlie and Missy won’t breathe a word to anyone.” Allie rambled on, unaware that each word was driving the knife further into his heart.

  “I hate to break it to you sweetheart, but there’s no annulling this marriage,” Jase told her.

  “Why not?” she asked, her face paling.

  “Once consummated, it can’t be annulled,” he answered.

  Allie’s face turned a bright red, no doubt remembering the wild night they’d shared after the ceremony. It wasn’t all wild though. As the drunkenness wore off, they became more passionate. More like making love. Or so he thought. Slowly, he stood and walked around to the edge of the bed. Sitting back down, he was directly in front of Allie. He put both of his hands on her shoulders and asked the question he didn’t want the answer to.

  “Why are you so intent on ending this marriage before it has barely begun?” His eyes bore into hers, searching for the answers behind her words.

  “You’re my best friend, Jase. We drank too much and didn’t know what we were doing. Everyone knows you’re not the type to settle down,” she answered.

  Jase knew his reputation, unfortunately. Some of it was justly deserved from his younger days; but, the truth was, all this time, he’d never become seriously involved with anyone because his heart belonged to her. All these years of looking after her, being there for her- couldn’t she see how he felt?

  “How’s this,” she began again. “Let’s go back and act like we meant to get married and have been thinking about it awhile, realizing we were in love. Our parents will never know we were drunk. After a few months we’ll separate, telling them we recognized we rushed into this,” she said.