Her Unforgettable Cowboy

by Debra Clopton

  She was a tough cookie with a soft interior—and he had a weakness for cookies.

  Morgan struggled with wanting more from Jolie every moment he was awake, and even while he was asleep. After seeing her last night, he’d had a very restless night.

  “You sure do look like a man in need of a little distraction,” Rowdy said, drawing up beside him. Morgan hadn’t even realized Rowdy was riding over from where he’d been overseeing the action on the far side of the corral.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” he grunted, not happy that he’d been lost in thoughts about Jolie—and even more unhappy that he’d been caught.

  Rowdy laughed. “Morg, you’re in la-la land.”

  His eyes narrowed to slits. “The sun is in my eyes.”

  What a stupid thing to say, McDermott! It just made the goofy grin on Rowdy’s face get goofier.

  “So, you’ve got it bad again, haven’t you?” he asked, turning serious.

  “Last time I looked I felt fine. Didn’t know I had anything.”

  “You know what I’m talking about.” He thumped his heart with his fist. “Right here, looks like to me. I’m not sure how to react to it, either.”

  So his brother was a wise guy with eyes of a hawk. “Okay, so I’m a little messed up.”

  “A little. You better shore up those leaks in the dam if you don’t want everyone who looks at you to know you’re ‘a little messed up.’”

  Morgan rubbed his jaw, stubble stiff against his fingertips. “I’ve got my feelings cinched up tight, Rowdy. She’s going to leave again—there is no doubt in my mind that she will, come December. And I’ll be a big part of getting her ready to do that.” Morgan took a moment to look at her before he went on. “I’ve been praying about this and I know that she’s meant for bigger things. She’s reaching a multitude of folks out there. Last night I saw a video of her at a children’s hospital, encouraging kids who have stars in their eyes over her. A kid’s mother took the video and posted it because Jolie went there without an entourage or a camera crew. She went because she wanted to. She’s the real deal, Rowdy. Too much ability to be here wasting away on a ranch in the middle of Texas.”

  Rowdy shook his head. “Don’t belittle what you do here on this ranch with these kids. You’re not wasting away doing what you do, are you?”

  “No,” Morgan denied emphatically. “I love every minute of making sure the boys get what they need.”

  “Then why should it be any different for Jolie?”

  “It’s not the same. Here she’d have no spotlight and no chance to do the work she does, inspiring people. It’s just not the same.” And it wasn’t.

  Nope, come the end of this term, she’d be gone, and he’d have helped her get back out there where she belonged. It was time to head back to the river. And this time, she was getting in.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “It was awesome today!” Sammy gushed, pulling a feed bucket over to where the fellas were gathered at the back of the stables, covered in dirt, their faces streaked with sweat. He’d had more fun today than ever. And Jolie had hugged him and been so excited for him.

  “Sammy’s right, that was awesome. I loved it. But, so, what do y’all think?” Caleb asked, looking at Wes and Joseph.

  “I seen what y’all been talkin’ about,” B.J. said, rocking on his bucket, his face still red as an apple from all their hard work. “Morgan, he was watching Jolie a bunch. Does that mean he loves her?”

  Wes was chewing on a long piece of hay and he pulled it out of his mouth and grinned. “It’s a start. I was watching him, too, and he’s got it bad.”

  “Got what bad?” Sammy asked. “Love?”

  He pointed at Sammy with his hay. “I think so, my man. I think so. Don’t you, Joseph?”

  “I hope so. We’ve been trying hard to get them together on the quiet, and they seem to like each other most of the time. But I’m not sure about all the time. That worries me.”

  Tony hung his leg over the rung of the stall. “Then we just got to try harder. Keep it up, man. In them romances, love takes time. Morgan don’t look at anyone else like he looks at Jolie. Don’t forget the day by the truck after the volcano. They were seriously thinking about kissing. You all know it.”

  “And Jolie was all pink in the kitchen,” Sammy reminded them. “Remember?”

  “Love’s about more than just wanting to kiss or turning pink,” Joseph said. “But I agree with Wes—let’s keep finding ways to get them together. This fishing tournament is going to fit right in. Can y’all keep on keepin’ this a secret? Everyone raise their hand who thinks we should keep trying to help Jolie and Morgan fall in love.”

  Everybody raised their hand, and Sammy and B.J. grinned at each other.

  “Good,” B.J. said. “’Cause I want Jolie to be my mom. Even if she is scared of the water. I don’t care about that. I can still love her just as good. You can, too, right, Sammy?”

  Sammy nodded, his insides feeling all funny thinking about it. He knew he could love Jolie, but he wasn’t real sure she—or anyone—could ever really love him. If his parents didn’t stick around... He stopped himself. His parents would come back—they would. But until then, it would be nice to have Jolie and Morgan be his ranch parents.

  “Yeah, B.J., I can love her, too,” Sammy finally said.

  * * *

  Two weeks after they’d come up with the idea of the fishing tournament, Jolie headed to the newspaper office in town with the official advertisement in hand.

  Since they’d first thought of the idea, the tournament had morphed into a really big day—it wasn’t just about fishing anymore. There were going to be all sorts of competitions and events. And the boys also wanted to add a little arena fun for the kids who didn’t want to fish.

  They’d decided to have the tournament the week before Thanksgiving, which didn’t give them long with the weeks flying like they were.

  As she pulled up in front of the newspaper building, Chili and Drewbaker were sitting on the church pew outside.

  “Stupendous idea about the fishin’ tournament, Jolie. Folks are talkin’, excitement is abuildin’,” Chili commented as she closed her door and stepped up onto the sidewalk.

  “That’s the truth.” Drewbaker sliced off a sliver of soft wood from the elaborate bird he was carving. “I even heard we’re having a competition on who’s got the most decorated boat. Whoever thought about decorating a boat?”

  “Well,” Jolie chuckled, “that came from Nana, actually. She thought it would add a little something to the pot to have a bit more competition. She thought she’d put you fellas on the spot with decorating.”

  “Sounds like something she’d do.” He scratched his chin with the knuckles of his hand, holding his knife. “I bet ol’ Jo and Mabel are gonna have a doozied-up dingy.”

  “Don’t you know it,” Chili grumbled. “I ’spect they’re already patting themselves on the back in congratulations on winning that part of the tournament.”

  Jolie saw the competitive wheels turning behind the two men’s watchful eyes. “Well, you know them, I’m sure they have big plans.”

  Drewbaker squinted, drawing his bushy brows together, his face the picture of a man who loved a good contest. “I hear there’s a paddle rule. No motors. I’m thinking y’all need to renege on this no-motor policy. Maybe give the teams whose ages add up together to be more than, say, a hundred and twenty-five, the opportunity to use a trolling motor.”

  Jolie laughed. “Boy, you’ve got this all figured out, don’t you?”

  That won her a hoot from Chili. “When two old codgers like us are fighting for our lives with the young studs you’ve got out there on the ranch, then you betcha we’re getting things figured out. This takes strategy.”

  “And I can tell you’re good at t
hat.”

  Two wide, mischievous smiles spread across their faces. Jolie loved that everyone was having a good time with this, and she was thrilled that folks wanted to help out the kids. Many ranches around had offered the use of their boats because they knew that the ranch wouldn’t have enough for all the boys to be on the water at the same time.

  Morgan had teamed the boys up so that those with less experience had someone more experienced in the boat with them. Morgan himself was competing with Sammy and Jolie was very thankful for that.

  Wes and Joseph had been disappointed that they hadn’t gotten to team up together, but they made her proud by being good sports about helping out the younger fellas. Plus now they had their own competition going—Jolie was holding her breath to see which of the two would bring in the largest bass.

  “Don’t you be giving away any secret tips to the likes of them,” Ms. Jo hollered from across the street. She’d come outside and was glaring their way with her fist on her hip.

  “I’m not, I promise,” Jolie called.

  “Hey, you just stay over there and let the woman talk to us all she wants about this,” Drewbaker returned. “Y’all are goin’ down.”

  Chili hooted again. “Like a lead tank.”

  Jolie shook her head. “Boys, you do know Mabel and Ms. Jo fish together out at Patrick Lake all the time. They even have an alligator they’ve named.”

  “We know. That don’t mean we’re scared of them.”

  “Surely don’t, Drewbaker,” Chili agreed. “It surely don’t.”

  Jolie excused herself before she got into any more trouble, and made her way to the newspaper office to drop off the ad. A little while later she was headed back home with plans to work out. She nearly drove her Jeep into the ditch when she saw Morgan’s truck parked in her driveway with him leaning against the tailgate, boots crossed at the ankles and a long strand of grass sticking from between his teeth as he waited with arms crossed. Her pulse skittered to life as if it had been dead to the world until right now.

  “Well, hey, there, mister,” she said, hopping from her Jeep. “You sure are lookin’ lazy all propped up by the tailgate.”

  A slow smile eased its way from one corner of his lips to the other beneath the shade of his hat.

  Her toes curled and her stomach tilted.

  “If you think I need something to occupy my time, then you need to give me something to do,” he drawled.

  “Hold on to your hat, bucko, or I just might do that.” Not in any of the ways that were flying through her mind, of course. No hugging or kissing the cowboy. Nope, none of that.

  “Sounds like a plan. Or if you don’t have one, I’ll tell you what mine is.”

  “I’d be willing to hear yours,” she said, slamming the door. She strode to lean against the tailgate beside him, forcing herself to be at ease. His husky chuckle did nothing to help settle her butterflies.

  “I’m here to see if you’d like to go down to the river for a rematch.”

  She gave him a grimace. “Talk about messing up a perfectly good afternoon.”

  He leaned so that his shoulder was pressing against hers. “I come in peace. You realize it’s been nearly a month since we tried this? You’re sleeping better, I think.”

  “That’s true. Not always, but for the most part I am. The nightmares are only a few times a week now instead of a few times a night.”

  “So don’t you think it’s time to push yourself some more?”

  Jolie took in some air—it was time to tell Morgan about the decision she’d made. “Morgan, maybe we should talk.”

  He shifted to face her, still leaning against the tailgate. In the past few weeks they’d worked together to get the fishing tournament in order and they’d relaxed around each other somewhat. Jolie was certain that Morgan felt the anchor load of attraction that she felt, and had always felt. And yet they’d never mentioned the kiss they’d shared on the banks of the river again, not since the night in his office.

  She thought that was probably the way he wanted it.

  There was still a no-trespassing sign on his heart, and she was trying her hardest to mind the sign. But she knew it was useless. Her heart belonged to Morgan McDermott, even though she’d trampled his years ago. What Ms. Jo, Mabel and Nana said was true—Morgan had never been the same after her. It hurt knowing what she’d done to him.

  She was praying that time would heal the wound between them. God could handle this, even if she couldn’t.

  “I decided last week that I’m retiring from competition.”

  Morgan looked like she’d hit him with a soggy fish, he looked so shocked. “That’s a mistake and you know it, Jolie. I’ve told you before you would regret doing something rash like that. You’ll always know you let fear have its way with you. What kind of example is that?”

  His words were what she’d expected, to a degree. “I didn’t say I wasn’t getting back in the water. But I don’t want to compete anymore.” She took a deep breath, preparing herself to reveal the next part of her decision to him. “I want to be here on the ranch. I’d like an extended contract.”

  “No.”

  For a moment, Jolie wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

  “Haven’t you been pleased with what I’ve been doing?” she asked.

  He looked torn for a moment and she felt her heart sink. She’d been working her hardest, trying to do a great job because the boys deserved it. She’d also wanted to prove to Morgan she could do it. She’d been hoping for a firm “You’ve been doing a great job, Jolie,” but that was most definitely not what she was getting.

  “Well, that was eye-opening,” she said. “Not sure what you expect out of your teachers, but when a girl gives it her whole heart and that’s not good enough, that’s pretty rough. Especially when I know I’ve been doing a knock-out job—the boys’ grades and their attitudes reflect that.”

  “There is no denying you’ve done an excellent job. But this is about you, Jolie. I won’t be a part of your not doing what you need to do.”

  “Excuse me, you don’t know what I need to do and what I don’t need to do.”

  “That so?”

  “That’s so.” They’d moved within inches of each other, which is what always happened when they argued. How it happened was beyond Jolie, but it always did.

  He searched her eyes. “I know you,” he said, his breath warm against her skin, sending a shiver racing down her spine.

  She shook her head, both to clear it and to deny what he was saying. “Not so. Or you’d know being here with these boys means the world to me. Being here...with you.” There—she’d said the truth. It was barely audible, but she’d said it. “It means the world to me, Morgan.”

  He lifted his hand and it hovered for a moment, then gently touched her hair. Like a featherlight kiss, his gaze rested on her lips, making her step toward him.

  “No.” The word flew from him as he stepped back, breaking the pull between them. “I won’t let you do this. You love what you do. You’re afraid to admit it, though, and I won’t let you use me and this ranch as a crutch.”

  “I love you, Morgan.” It was true—she’d never stopped loving him. She was certain that what she felt for him now was the love of a grown woman who knew her own mind. “Coming back here and being near you, seeing the man you’ve become, watching you with the boys and witnessing the dedication that you have to them and this ranch, it just makes my heart ache with regret that I wasn’t here to help build this with you.”

  Her heart felt swollen inside her chest.

  Morgan’s eyes flashed. “This would never work, Jolie.” Grabbing his hat, he tore it from his head and slapped his thigh. “This will not work,” he said again, and in one swift motion he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his, stealing her breath. Joli
e could feel the years of loss in his kiss, in the iron clasp of his embrace as he crushed her to him. And she returned his kiss with all the regret of lost years and the joy of homecoming. She trembled in his arms and was glad to have them for support. Her heart thundered in time with his and when he suddenly broke free and backed off, it felt as if a part of her had been ripped away.

  He glared at her, swallowing hard as if there was a boulder lodged in his throat, his chest rising and falling. “I watched you leave once and had to pick up my heart.” His voice was gruff. “I tried to be fine with it. Even thought I was in love with Celia. But she called me on it the night before we were to marry. Did you know that? She didn’t marry me because she realized I was still in love with you.”

  She shook her head. “I knew the wedding had been called off, but I didn’t know why. I’m not sure anyone did.”

  Are you still in love with me now? she wanted to ask, only the words wouldn’t come. His glare held them off like a shield.

  “She was right. But Jolie, I picked up my life and I’ve moved on. I was happy finally. And then you came back.” He shook his head again, and bent and picked up his hat from the ground where it had fallen, forgotten in the midst of their embrace.

  “I won’t be renewing your contract, Jolie. You need to get back to the life you love. I’ll help you all I can, but I can’t do this—I can’t go backward.”

  She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak as she watched him stalk to his truck and slam the door behind him. He was already halfway out of the driveway before she could move.

  Numb, she walked to the porch and sank to the step, too dazed to do anything else.

  Chapter Seventeen

  He’d really done it this time. He had completely lost his mind.

  Yes, sir, no doubt about it, he was a raving lunatic. Why else would he have been fool enough to kiss Jolie after she fired a bombshell right at his heart?

  Crazy—therein lay the problem.

  Crazy and a fool.