Hometown Cowboy

by Sara Richardson

  As he neared the fence, he noticed Levi hanging out waiting for him. Knots of tension pulled tight in his shoulders.

  “So how’d things go with Jessa last night?” his brother asked, though he had to have some clue, given the fact that Lance couldn’t seem to focus.

  Damn. He whipped out his bandanna and mopped his face. Levi would love this, knowing he’d struck out. “She told me to take a hike.” Not like he could deny it. Levi would find out soon enough anyway.

  “Seriously?” he asked through a laugh. “What the hell did you say to her?”

  “I don’t know.” Wasn’t like he’d scripted out anything eloquent. He sucked at talking. “I said sorry.”

  “That’s it?”

  Thinking back, his words did seem inadequate. He’d been so desperate, but he had no clue what to say to undo the damage. That was the worst part, that he’d hurt her. He’d caused her pain. It definitely sucked that she’d rejected him, but he could take it. What he couldn’t take was the deep sadness in her eyes. “I get why she wouldn’t hear me out. It’s fine. I just wish I knew how to make her feel better. Even if she never wants to see my face again…”

  Levi whistled low. “Good thing I came back when I did.” Head shaking, he nailed Lance’s shoulder with his fist. “Come on.” Without an explanation, he trotted away.

  “Where’re we going?” he called, jogging to keep up.

  “To Jessa’s house, idiot. I’m gonna help you get her back.”

  Oh, sure. Like it’d be that easy. “She seemed pretty serious about not wanting me around.” All night he’d stewed on the whole mess, trying to think up a way to fix it, and so far he had jack.

  “Trust me.” Levi swaggered past his front porch. “Women only need to hear the right words. She’ll come around.”

  As they were climbing into the truck, Lucas rode up on his mountain bike. He leaned it against the garage and sauntered over. “What’re you two up to?”

  “We’re going to win Jessa back for Lance,” Levi said, turning the key in the ignition. “Wanna come?”

  “Hell, yeah.” Lucas ripped off his helmet and tossed it into the yard. “I could use some entertainment today.”

  “Great,” Lance muttered, reaching around to unlock the door for his brother. If he couldn’t even beg for her back when they were alone how was he supposed to do it in front of an audience?

  Lucas climbed in and belted up, just in time, as Levi gunned the engine and they were skidding down the driveway. He’d always been a shitty driver. Not surprising, given the fact that Lance was the one who’d taught him.

  “So what’s the plan?” Lance asked, hoping Levi could come up with something better than he had last night.

  “The first thing you gotta do is admit you were wrong,” his youngest brother instructed, as if he were some kind of expert.

  “Did that.” And it’d gotten him nowhere.

  “But did you justify it?” Levi revved the truck out onto the highway. “Or did you just tell her you fucked up and you were sorry?”

  He tried to think back. “I said, ‘I’m sorry, but—’”

  “But?” Levi and Lucas said in unison.

  His middle brother shook his head. “Man, even I know you never say ‘but’ after the word ‘sorry.’”

  “Why didn’t I know that?”

  “Because the women you’ve tended to surround yourself with don’t exactly expect apologies,” Levi said. “Jessa’s different.”

  “Yeah. I’ve figured out that much.” As painful as it was to let his youngest brother give him advice, that’s the only thing that made this worth it. The fact that Jessa was special.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll get her back. It’ll take some finesse, but I can help you out with that.”

  Lance shared an amused, albeit irritated look with Lucas. “And you know this how?”

  “I know women,” his brother bragged, in full swagger mode. “Trust me. When you see her, you take her hand, look into her eyes, and tell her you’re sorry. And that you love her.”

  Wait. Love? “What?”

  “Tell her you love her,” Levi repeated.

  “But…” Did he love her? “I shouldn’t say it unless it’s true.”

  “It’s true. You’re definitely in love with Jessa.” Levi glanced at Lucas in the rearview mirror as though searching for confirmation.

  “Yep,” their brother agreed. “Definitely.”

  He jerked his head to stare at Levi, the cocky prick. “How do you know I’m in love with her?”

  “Because you care more about her than what you’re missing out on,” his brother pointed out. “You said you didn’t care that she’d rejected you. You only care about making her happy. That clearly means you’re in love.”

  “Okay, Dr. Phil,” he mumbled.

  “Lucas? Back me up?”

  “I don’t know what he’s talking about, but I do see the way you look at Jessa.” Lucas stared out the window. “I recognize that look.”

  Of course he would. He still got it every time he saw Naomi. “You ever sit down with Naomi? Go over any of the numbers?” Maybe have the conversation they both seemed too terrified to have?

  “That’s difficult when she doesn’t want to be in the same room with me.”

  “Yeah, I guess it would be.” The woman had definitely been avoiding him. “I’ll talk to her.”

  “Not a lot of good that’ll do either one of us. I don’t belong in Topaz Falls anymore.” He said it like it was a fact.

  Lance would have to keep working on that, too.

  The truck bounced down Main Street, but instead of heading to the shelter, Levi took a fast left and parked in front of the KaBloom Flower Shop and Boutique.

  Despite living here his whole life, Lance had never stepped foot in that store. “What’re we doing?”

  Levi uttered a long-suffering sigh. “Getting flowers, dumbass. You can’t expect to get her back without flowers.”

  “Really?” He eyed the shop windows.

  “Come on.” Lucas put a hand on his shoulder and dragged him to the door.

  Ten minutes and one bouquet of colorful wildflowers later, they pulled up at the shelter.

  Nerves lit him up the same way they did before he got into the arena. “Her car’s not here.” Maybe he should come back later. Alone. So his brothers didn’t hear him sound like a fool.

  “Let’s go in and see where she is,” Levi said, cutting the engine.

  Since when was he the boss? Gathering up the bouquet, Lance got out of the truck and led the way inside.

  Cassidy was sitting behind the reception desk. She looked up, but then turned to focus on a computer screen as though determined to ignore him.

  “Hey,” he said, snagging her attention back to him.

  “Can I help you with something?” she asked as though she’d never met him before.

  Damn. She’d obviously heard what had happened. He tried not to let her glare ruffle him. “I need to talk to Jessa. Do you know where she is?”

  She refused to look at him. “Of course I know where she is.”

  “But you’re not going to tell me.” That much was obvious. Jessa must’ve informed her little group what he’d said to her.

  “Why would I tell you?” Cassidy asked with a chilly glance.

  “Because I care about her?” Love. He loved her. Why did he find it so hard to say out loud?

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and went back to the computer screen. “Maybe you should call her,” she suggested.

  “Right. Okay.” He retreated to the doors, ready to hightail it out of there, but Levi blocked him.

  “Leave this to me,” he whispered, then nudged him out of the way and strode to the counter. “Hey there, Cass. How’s your mom?”

  Her eyes narrowed into dangerous blue slits. “She’s not so good. But you wouldn’t know that, would you? You don’t exactly check in anymore.”

  Whoa. Lance winced.

  “Ouch,” Luca
s whispered.

  “Oh. Uh. Well…” Levi sputtered. “You know how it is out on the road.” The fact that Levi didn’t have her swooning under the power of his signature smile seemed to throw off his confidence.

  Cassidy glared at him, hands stacked on her hips. “Yeah, I know how it is. No time for the people you knew before. So you’d better get going, Levi. Rush on back to that spotlight before it gets too dim.”

  Lance hid a chuckle behind a hearty throat clearing. He wondered how long she’d been waiting to say that.

  “Can you at least tell us when Jessa will be back?” Levi asked meekly.

  “No,” she shot back without missing a beat. “I can’t.” Without another glance in his direction, she stood and stalked into the back room.

  Levi turned to them, a stunned expression flattening his normally charismatic eyes.

  They stepped out the door single file.

  “Smooth,” Lucas said, giving their youngest brother a cheerful pat on the shoulder. “Real smooth.”

  Levi sulked his way to the truck while Lance and Lucas laughed behind him.

  “We can swing by the Chocolate Therapist,” Lucas suggested.

  “Maybe Darla won’t be so mean to you,” Lance badgered as they all climbed into the truck. But Levi didn’t grin. It seemed Cassidy had gotten to him.

  After a quick stop at Darla’s, where she’d flipped them off from behind the locked glass door, they stood on Naomi’s porch.

  Lance was almost afraid to knock. “Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman’s friends.”

  “No shit,” Levi said, shaking his head. He obviously didn’t know everything about women. In fact, he seemed as clueless as the rest of them.

  “Naomi will talk,” Lucas said, raising his hand to knock. “She’ll know how important this is.”

  It took a while for the door to open. Lance wondered if she’d seen them through the window and had to prepare herself. She said nothing, simply watched them all walk through her front door. Not surprisingly, her gaze lingered on Lucas, but when he came near her, she retreated to the other side of the small entryway.

  Man, she wouldn’t even stand next to him…

  “What’re you doing here, Lance?” she asked as if she already knew. Cassidy and Darla had likely warned her.

  Guess that meant he had to level with her. “I need to talk to Jessa. Where is she?”

  “Does it matter where she went?” Naomi’s cheeks looked rosier than normal and she completely avoided Lucas’s gaze. “She left. Because of what you said to her.”

  “It matters.” More than she realized. “I’m leaving and I need to see her before I go.” He needed to know she was okay. He needed to see her smile and hear her laugh and he needed to tell her he loved her.

  “Jessa doesn’t want to be found right now,” she said, leaving them behind while she walked into the kitchen.

  “Wait. Hold on.” Lucas followed her.

  The woman’s eyes instantly went soft, like she saw some warm glow haloed around him. Man, talk about love.

  “I know you’re trying to protect her,” Lucas said gently. “But I’d hate for her to miss out on something because she’s too afraid to hear what he has to say,” he murmured.

  Naomi’s tense shoulders collapsed under a sigh. “She’s at her mom’s. In Denver.”

  “Thank you,” Lucas almost whispered. Their eyes held for a moment before Naomi turned to the counter and snatched a plate out of the dishpan, drying it with frantic motions. “You didn’t hear that from me,” she said, her voice shaky.

  Lucas shoved his hands into his pockets, leading the way to the front door. “See you later, then.” His tone was as subdued as hers.

  Lance was tempted to drag Naomi over there and force her to talk to Lucas. They were obviously still hung up on each other. Before he had the chance, Lucas slipped out the front door. Guess that confrontation would have to wait. He could only manage one relationship crisis at a time.

  On the porch, Levi turned to face him. “What’re you gonna do?” Seemed like his younger brother was all out of good ideas.

  But Lance had one more. “I guess I’m going to Denver.”

  * * *

  If Jessa had learned one truth in her life, it was that you are never too old to bake cookies with your mom. There was something so comforting about it—being in the kitchen together, measuring out the ingredients, whipping and stirring while a sweet little pig dozed contentedly in a dog bed at her feet.

  Jessa’s mother had never been much of a domestic diva, but she’d always baked the best cookies, and somehow she did it in heels and a lovely fitted dress, which she’d covered with an apron, of course. Jessa, however, was still in the I don’t feel like showering phase of wallowing, so she’d opted for sweats. Elastic waistbands always came in handy after a breakup.

  She dumped an extra handful of chocolate chips into the dough and went to work folding them in with a spatula.

  “Wow.” Her mom peered over her shoulder. “That’s some serious chocolate therapy.”

  “I need it.” Though they’d already managed to fit in a lovely breakfast at a local café and pedicures, her heart still drooped with sadness. During the last few hours, she’d filled her mother in on the latest romantic debacle. And, surprisingly, her mom hadn’t resorted to any lectures. She’d simply listened and asked her questions about Lance. It made it sort of hard to forget about him while talking about how wonderful he was.

  “The oven is all preheated. Here.” Carla withdrew a cookie sheet from the cupboard and set it on the counter. “Make them as big as you want.”

  “Don’t mind if I do,” Jessa said, pulling out a spoon and scooping up a huge blob of dough. These babies were going to be her lunch. Maybe her dinner, too. She was wearing sweats, after all.

  “I thought we could go shopping a little later,” her mother suggested. “If you—”

  The doorbell twinkled a lovely tune. Good lord. Even Carla’s doorbell was elegant and refined.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said, untying her apron and pulling it over her head. God forbid anyone see her looking the least bit frumpy. If only Jessa’d inherited that gene. The one that cared what people thought about her appearance.

  She glanced down at her attire. Nope. She hadn’t. “Trust me, sweats are way more comfortable,” she informed Ilsa as she continued scooping huge mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet. She’d already bought too many new clothes, but shoe shopping could be fun. At least it would momentarily distract her. And she always loved to people watch at the mall…

  Her mother rushed back into the kitchen and ripped the spoon out of her had. “Lance is at the door,” she whispered. “He’d like to talk to you.”

  “Lance?” She shot to the other side of the kitchen—as far away from the front door as possible. “What is he doing here?” How the hell did he find her?

  “Maybe you should ask him,” Carla said, ushering her toward the hallway.

  She dug in her heels and stopped, looking down at her clothes again. They seemed to scream You broke my heart! and I’m too pathetic to even get dressed! “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t talk to him. I can’t see him.” Her heart fell to pieces just thinking about it. “Tell him to leave me alone,” she said, her voice wavering.

  Her mother smoothed a comforting hand down her hair. “Are you sure?”

  It was so tempting. He’d driven all the way down from Topaz Falls. Topaz Falls! But this is what she did. She always gave in. She never stood her ground. “Please. I can’t.” Yes, she was being a coward, but they’d both already said everything there was to say. “Tell him to go.”

  “All right,” Carla said uncertainly before she walked briskly down the hall.

  Jessa held her breath, but she couldn’t hear anything. After checking on Ilsa, she crept down the hallway and hid around the corner closest to the front door.

  “I’m sorry,” Carla was saying. “Jessa’s tired and not up for company.”
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  “I won’t stay long.” The sound of Lance’s voice struck her. It was polite, but firm, too. “I just need two minutes.”

  “Well…” Her mother hesitated.

  Come on, Mom! Jessa almost yelled. Though she understood how hard it could be to resist Lance Cortez.

  “I’m sorry,” Carla said again. “She seemed adamant, and—”

  The pig chose that moment to come barreling down the hall, squealing like she’d been stuck with a pin, her dainty little hooves skidding on the polished wood floors.

  “Ilsa!” Jessa screeched, lunging to catch her as the pig shot by. But she missed and ended up sprawled on the floor in full view of the front door.

  Lance bent and somehow captured the pig while holding on to a bouquet of flowers.

  Ilsa grunted and thrashed, her little legs trying to run away.

  “Simmer down, Pork Chop,” Lance said, subduing her in his arms. “Not gonna hurt you.”

  Jessa lay on the floor looking up at him, and he seemed so broad and powerful that he made the pig look like a stuffed animal.

  “Hi,” he said, gazing down at her.

  “Hello,” she managed. Not like she could avoid him now.

  “I’ll go ahead and take Ilsa,” her mother offered, reaching out her hands. “And we’ll give you two a minute.”

  Before Jessa could latch on to her ankle and beg her to stay, Carla hurried down the hall, calmly soothing the poor pig.

  “I know you don’t want to see me.” Lance reached down and took hold of her hand, pulling her up effortlessly.

  She glanced at her frumpy attire. “I’m not really dressed to see anyone.” Especially Lance. Especially looking like this. God! Why’d she have to eavesdrop?

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, his eyes seeming to take her—and all of her frumpiness—in. He held out the wilted and battered bouquet of wildflowers—daisies and wax flowers and snapdragons.

  She took them, focusing on the vivid colors so she didn’t have to look into his eyes.

  “I just came to tell you I love you,” he said quickly, as though afraid she might slam the door in his face. “You might not believe me, and I might not be great at showing it, but I do. I know I do.” He handed her an envelope that had been tucked in his pocket. “This is everything you need to come to Vegas. If you decide you want to. My flight leaves soon, but if you decide to come, there’s a flight and hotel voucher in there. And I put in special passes to the events.”