Love Me Some Cowboy

by Lisa Mondello

  She spread her hands on top his desk and leaned forward. "You are a very proud man," she accused him. "You're proud of your businesses, proud of your wife and your son." She glanced at the framed photos on his desk. "You're proud of your grandchildren. Are there any great-grandchildren yet?"

  He didn't answer.

  "You want to leave them something they'll be proud to say you built. You want them to be proud of you. But how can they be proud of you when you turn your back on the Taylor name? On your brother, your twin? Robbie told me that the Circle Bar-T goes back a hundred and twenty-some years. A hundred and twenty-some years! That's a long time in one family. And you're ready to watch it crumble. It's one thing when you can't do anything about it. When you don't have the money like Robbie didn't have it. It's something else entirely when all it takes is the stroke of a pen. For something you don't even care about!"

  Ray, Jr., who must have seen them going upstairs, cracked the door open and came inside. He didn't ask what was going on.

  Ray glanced at his son, and then back at Cassie. "Are you through?" he demanded.

  "The situation at the ranch is getting worse," Cassie said. "Their prize bull has a problem with his leg. It's bad enough that the vet wants to do tests."

  "And why should I be interested in that?"

  Ray, Jr. stepped forward. "You know why, Dad. And you know what this means to them. You may be stubborn, but you're not a fool!"

  Ray's head jerked up.

  Before his father could say anything, Ray, Jr. continued, "I don't know what it is that you're holdin' out for. I don't know what you think you're going to gain, but it's not respect. People around town like Robbie and Sylvia and Will. And when they hear what you've done, about the way you wouldn't lift a finger to help them—particularly if they end up losing the ranch..." He shook his head. "It's not gonna be a pretty sight."

  Color rushed in Ray's face. Because of what Ray, Jr. had said? Or because his son had at last found the courage to stand up to him.

  Ray, Jr. hurried on, as if unsure how much longer his courage would last. "I don't want it to be that way. You've given so much of yourself to this town, helping it grow at a time when other small towns are dying. It's—it's beneath you, Dad. You're not the kind of person to be so petty. Even with all your disagreements with Uncle Robbie you don't want to watch him have to sell the ranch. Where would they go? What would they do? Will would find something eventually, but—"

  Cassie couldn't pull her eyes away from the older man. Each word his son uttered seemed to strike a chord deep within him. His color continued to heighten. His breathing quickened. Until finally, he slapped a hand down on the desk, the sharp sound exploding through the room, stopping the deluge of hard truths as it made both Ray, Jr. and Cassie jump.

  "That's enough!" Ray thundered. "That's more than enough." He looked from one to the other. "All right, you've had your turns, now it's mine. Miss Edwards, yes, I want my family to be proud of me and to be proud of what I've built. And you—" he fixed his son with a sharp appraisal "—do you think it would make me happy to see Robbie lose his place? Because if you do—"

  "I don't, Dad. I told you that."

  Ray sat in silence, his only continuing show of emotion the twitching of his hands.

  Cassie glanced at Ray, Jr. The younger man looked physically ill.

  "I love this town," Ray admitted, his voice gruff. "I've watched it grow from having only one stop sign to what it is today. From having a one-room schoolhouse, to having an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. I helped get us a public library, a playground, a movie theater. God help me, I do love it. And I love Robbie, too—in my own way—and Sylvia and Will. I don't want bad things to happen to any of them. But I can't—I just can't sign that damned contract!"

  "Why not?" Ray, Jr. pleaded. "Tell us why, Dad? Don't make us keep thinking…" He stopped, unable to go on.

  The answer seemed torn from Ray. "Because if I do, I'll be signing Love's death knell!"

  Cassie almost rocked back on her heels at the unexpectedness of Ray's answer. Ray, Jr. looked just as shocked.

  "I don't understand," Ray, Jr. said, groping for a chair. Once in it, he pushed one over for Cassie, too.

  Cassie sank into it. "I don't either," she breathed.

  "It's happening everywhere," Ray explained. "Big discount chain stores move in on little spits of land and the next thing you know, all the small businesses in the town closest to it have to close. All the money goes to the big store because they can afford to cut their prices. And they keep doing it, knowing that the town businesses can't compete with them. They don't care. And they don't care about the town either. Or the people in it." He looked pointedly at Cassie. "Neither does your boss. He's just out to make a buck."

  "Handy's wouldn't close, Dad."

  "It could," Ray contradicted his son. "Places like that sell groceries and hardware. They also sell greeting cards," he added meaningfully, "and clothes and shoes and…you name it, they sell it. All at prices we can't begin to match. And if the businesses go, so goes the town. We'll turn into one of those bedroom communities that folks just sleep in. The town'll die. It won't be Love anymore. I won't let that happen!"

  Ray rubbed the back of his neck, just as Will did when harried.

  Cassie's mind had begun to hum, trying to put together something that would make this work. Something that would allay the deep-seated fear that Ray had at last lowered his guard enough to divulge. Then she had it. "I don't know what Mr. Michaels' plans are at present," she said. "I believe he wants the land for investment. But…what if he'd be willing to add a clause to the contract that precludes him from selling it to any kind of large discount-store operation?"

  Both men looked at her.

  "Would he do that?" Ray, Jr. asked.

  "I'll talk to him. See if we can work it out."

  "You'd do that?" Ray asked. "After everything—"

  Cassie smiled. This was the first idea she'd come up with that Ray liked! "Of course I would," she said.

  Ray slowly extended his hand. "If you can get him to agree, we'll talk money next."

  "I'll call him right away."

  "Does that boss of yours know what a fighter he's got working for him? If you ever decide you'd like to move back to Love, you just let me know and I'll have a job for you. Isn't that right, Junior? We'd hire her in a second."

  "You're right, Dad. In a second," Ray, Jr. agreed.

  From where Cassie sat, she could see Ray looking at Ray, Jr. with different eyes. In a strange way, he seemed reassured that his son had stood up to him, and that he hadn't backed down.

  "Why don't we let Cassie have the office for a few minutes to make her call?" Ray suggested to his son.

  On the way to the door, father placed his arm companionably around son's shoulders, and son seemed to hold himself straighter.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CASSIE COULDN'T CONNECT with Jimmy. He was out of the office at a meeting and Diane didn't know when to expect him back except "some time later this afternoon." Knowing that Jimmy always switched off his cell phone when conducting business, she left a message for him to call her back ASAP. Then she went downstairs, gave that information to the two Taylor men and promised to get back to them as soon as she heard anything. She instilled as much positive confidence in her voice as she could muster. More than she actually felt. She had no idea what Jimmy's answer might be. Or if she had the ability to talk him around if he didn't like it.

  Still, it was difficult to contain a burgeoning excitement as she drove back to the ranch. With Ray, Jr.'s help she had found the key. But she couldn't say anything to Will or Robbie or Sylvia. Not yet. She didn't want to get their hopes up.

  As she passed through the front gate and conscientiously stopped to close it, she tamped down any feelings of elation. She had to pretend that nothing had happened.

  Once again, she found the Taylors in the kitchen, positioned much as they had been that morning. Robb
ie and Sylvia at the table, and Will leaned back against the counter. Each face held deep concern.

  "How's Traveler?" she asked quickly.

  "Well," Robbie said, "it's good news and bad. Good because it's not as bad as it coulda been, and bad because Traveler's gonna be out of commission for a couple months. Got a broken bone in his foot."

  "He was supposed to have another month out with the ladies," Sylvia said.

  "Traveler's calves mean a lot to us," Will explained to Cassie. "They bring higher prices at auction because of their bloodline."

  "But at least he'll be back in tip-top shape on down the road," Sylvia added.

  "Should be," Will said.

  "If we're still here." Robbie said aloud what the others must have been thinking. Neither bothered to contradict him.

  All three looked so downcast, it was everything Cassie could do not to reveal her secret.

  Then Will said, "I saw Tim Hassat today. He says he might know someone who might be interested in a lease this fall. He kept sayin' "might" a lot, though. So I'm not holdin' my breath."

  "Tim Hassat?" Sylvia's head lifted. "Tim wouldn't say anything he didn't think was pretty close to fact."

  "He said he'd call when he heard more."

  A musical theme played enthusiastically inside Cassie's purse, making them all start. She quickly reached for her cell phone, hopeful the caller was Jimmy. It was. His voice cut in and out, though, so, excusing herself, she moved swiftly onto the porch and the spot she'd previously found best for reception.

  Keeping her voice lowered, she greeted him. "Jimmy! I think I've done it! Ray Taylor's started to come around. There's just one thing. He's worried about the land being sold to some kind of big discount chain-store operation. Terrified, is a more accurate description. That's what's been holding him back. He's concerned for his business interests, but also for all the town's other small businesses."

  "And?"

  "And I've told him I thought something could be done about that. In the contract."

  She sensed Jimmy's quick frown. "What kind of something?"

  "You agree that you won't sell the land to any corporate entity having that intention."

  "Ever?" Jimmy questioned.

  "Well…yes."

  "That's tyin' my hands, Cassie. I'm not sure I'm willing to agree to it."

  Cassie was silent. She let Jimmy think. As the moments stretched, her nerves stretched right along with them.

  "All right, I'll do it," he said at last. "I never had that kind of thing in mind for the future anyway. That strip has a lot goin' for it. Direct access by both highway and rail. Close proximity to a growing employee base. There'll be somethin' nice come along on down the line. Something that will make Ray Taylor very happy."

  Cassie silently released a breath. "If you overnight the amended contracts to me, I can have everything sewn up by tomorrow evening."

  "Where are you at on the price?"

  "The second level, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to go to the third."

  "Then do it. Let me know and I'll amend that as well."

  "And you'll overnight it to me at the ranch?"

  "I can do better than that. I'll bring 'em to you! I've been itchin' to get out of Houston, and I think I'd like to meet these two stubborn old goats face-to-face."

  "I'll tell Sylvia Taylor you're coming. She'll probably want to fix a big meal."

  "You do that! It's been a long time since I've had some good home cookin'."

  After Cassie clicked off, she instantly dialed Ray Taylor's number.

  "Mr. Michaels has accepted," she said as soon as he answered. "When would you like to talk money?"

  ~~~~

  CASSIE HURRIED BACK into the house. "I, uh, I need to go back into town. I'll see you all later."

  She did her best to contain her mounting exhilaration. Some of it must have slipped through, though, because Sylvia watched her with questioning eyes and Will, pushing away from the counter, murmured, "I'll walk you to your car."

  Cassie wanted to run, not walk, to the car, but she held herself back. Will was already suspicious. Yet he said nothing until she was about to slip behind the wheel.

  "What's up, Cassie?" he asked, his tone as serious as his expression.

  "I told you. I…need to go back into town."

  "Why? Who are you goin' to see?"

  She couldn't tell him. It would be too cruel to hold out salvation for the ranch and then snatch it away if Ray were to have another change of heart.

  "Does it involve Uncle Ray?"

  "Will—"

  "It's just a simple question."

  Cassie looked up at him. He was a good four or five inches taller than his mother, which made the difference between his height and Cassie's height striking. So, with purpose, she stepped up onto the car's lower door frame, placed her hands on each side of his face, and guided his lips to hers. It was the only thing she could think to do to deflect his questions.

  To say her action surprised Will was an understatement. But it was a surprise he instantly accepted. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against him.

  Cassie hadn't meant for the kiss to be anything more than a brief caress. But it went on and on, moving, deepening, sending a sweet fire through her being. Her urgent need to return to town quickly evolved into another. His hard-muscled body strained against hers, his arms crushing her closer still. The taste of him, the feel of him, the scent of him...

  But she had to break away. She had to!

  She struggled to free herself. Stopping herself as much as she was stopping him.

  He loosened her and drew back, his breaths unsteady, his eyes alive with desire for her.

  "I have to go," she whispered.

  Somehow she managed to settle into the driver's seat in a smooth motion that gave no hint of her inherent weakness.

  "Don't be long," he said.

  His low husky voice rippled along her nerve endings.

  "I won't," she breathed.

  He stepped away and shut the door.

  Cassie was trembling so much she could scarcely start the car. She didn't want to leave him! She didn't want to put so much as an inch of space between them, much less miles. It was as if he was the soul mate she had been searching for her entire life!

  The engine finally caught. She reversed and backed around. This was something she could do for Will, and for Sylvia and Robbie. She could ease their lives. She had come to the ranch a virtual stranger, looking upon the land negotiation and sale as a task to be accomplished as quickly as possible so she could hurry away. Now the ranch and the people who called it home mattered to her.

  She was unaware that Will had jogged out to the gate until, as her car drew near, he swung it open for her to drive past.

  Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at him. His long, lean body braced against the metal, his right hand lifted in an abbreviated wave, his sky-blue eyes following her.

  ~~~~

  YET AGAIN, CASSIE had to pull herself together during her ride into town. By the time she reached Handy's, she wanted no one to think that she hadn't just taken a relaxing drive into the country, and then a relaxing drive back.

  She found Ray alone in his office. Ray, Jr., he said, was at work in his card shop. Then, in a return to his gentlemanly manners, Ray saw her into a chair, offered her a refreshment—which she refused—before they got down to business.

  The process didn't take long. After a little dickering back and forth, Ray, much to her relief, seemed pleased to settle at her third authorized level. When she told him that Jimmy himself would be bringing the new set of contracts tomorrow, he was pleased by the personal attention. Afterward, he shook her hand. Like Robbie, he was a man of his word.

  Cassie called Jimmy from the parking lot, gave him the agreed-upon amount, and clicked off after he told her he would see her at the ranch the next morning at around eleven. Then, once again, she set off for the ranch.

  By this time, she thought whimsi
cally, her car would likely know the way on its own! There was no reason for her to steer! She giggled, until reality struck her. This would be her last night at the ranch! Tomorrow, after the signing, she would return to Houston.

  What had seemed the most important goal of her life short days ago now seemed a punishment. She would be leaving Will. And Sylvia. And Robbie. And the ranch. And her mother…

  The joy she had expected to feel surging through her veins from the great news she carried with her was muted by her jumbled emotions. She didn't want to go back to Houston. Not now, not this soon! But she couldn't stay. She had no reason. She had accomplished her purpose.

  She parked the car in a mental fog, but as she stepped out, she did her best to appear gratified.

  ~~~~

  A MUFFLED CLANKING in one of the outbuildings caused Cassie to bypass the house. When she gave the family the good news, she wanted them to be together.

  Will was in the workshop, doing something with a strip of metal that involved a vice and a hammer. The clanking was louder and sharper the closer she drew.

  He looked up, the hammer poised.

  "I have some news," she said. "Would you come into the house?"

  Will set the hammer aside.

  They walked along the path together in silence. Cassie was so aware of him it hurt. But since her position beyond tomorrow was unclear, she kept herself under strict control.

  Robbie was deep into his afternoon siesta when Cassie and Will entered the kitchen, but upon hearing that Cassie had some news, Sylvia hurried off to wake him.

  "What's doin'?" Robbie asked, blinking sleep from his eyes as he took his chair. The stiffness in his body seemed more pronounced upon awakening.

  Sylvia stood beside Will and caught hold of his arm while they waited.

  Cassie looked at each of them, then announced with a smile, "Ray has agreed to sign the contract."

  "Whoop!" Robbie exclaimed, jumping to his feet, all stiffness and sleepiness forgotten.

  "At a dollar amount higher than the one you agreed to," Cassie continued, "so your amount will be higher as well."