Beau: Cowboy Protector

by Marin Thomas

  “The roads are slick.” Sierra walked with her employee to the door. “Be careful.”

  After locking up and flipping the sign in the window, Sierra dimmed the lights and stared at the softly falling snow. A truck turned onto Main Street and her heart skipped a beat then resumed its normal rhythm when she noted the vehicle didn’t belong to Beau. Her gaze shifted to Wright’s Western Wear and Tack. The store’s lighted display window illuminated Beau’s custom-made saddles.

  I miss you, Beau.

  Almost a week had passed since her bungee-jumping disaster—six miserable days of not hearing Beau’s voice or seeing his handsome face. She’d believed she’d had Beau’s best interests at heart, but after speaking with her aunt, she’d begun to doubt herself.

  When Joshua had arrived to eat with Jordan earlier in the evening, Sierra had been tempted to ask about Beau, but she’d chickened out. A knot formed in her chest when she thought of how happy Joshua made her aunt. Even though Sierra was glad Jordan had reconnected with her old flame, she envied her aunt.

  The chances of a man happening along after Sierra had lost her eyesight were zero to none—not that it mattered. She couldn’t imagine sharing her life with anyone but Beau. She was destined to remain alone. With that depressing thought in mind, she returned to the kitchen and began preparations for Sunday’s menu.

  Sierra had lost track of time when a knock on the back door startled her. She glanced at the clock—nine-thirty. “Who’s there?”

  “Beau.”

  Sucking in a quick breath, she fumbled with the dead bolt. Beau stood in the glow of the security light, a dusting of snow covered his hat and sheepskin jacket, which hung open because of the sling around his left arm. “You’re hurt.” She waved him inside and shut the door. He was such a sight for sore eyes, that it took all of Sierra’s strength not to throw herself at him. “What happened?”

  “Strained the ligaments in my arm. Nothing a little rest won’t cure.”

  The deep timbre of his voice sent a warm shiver down her spine. Each night she’d gone to sleep, her thoughts drifting to Beau. Eyes closed, she’d imagined him lying next to her, whispering in her ear. Lord, she’d missed the sound of his voice.

  Her gaze soaked in his face, noting his split lip. “Did you get into a fight?”

  He rubbed his thumb over the healing cut. “Tangled with a bronc earlier in the week.”

  “I thought you rode bulls.”

  “I ride bulls for money and broncs for fun.” He smiled but stopped short of a full grin. “I went a few rounds with Midnight. We’re getting him ready to compete in South Dakota on the seventeenth.” He glanced around the kitchen. “Is now a good time to talk?”

  “There’s still coffee left in the pot. Would you like a cup?”

  “No, thanks.” He laid his jacket over the chair at the bistro table and set his hat on the seat, then moved closer to Sierra. “I have a few things I need to get off my chest.”

  Sierra swallowed hard and braced herself.

  “I realize we haven’t dated all that long, but I felt—” he pressed his fist to his chest “—something right here the night I found you stranded on the road outside of Roundup. That feeling became stronger each time I saw you.”

  She clasped her hands together, squeezing until her fingers ached.

  “The news from your eye doctor wasn’t what you’d hoped for. I know you believe it’s changed the course of your life, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to.”

  Blindness most definitely changed a person’s life.

  “I’ve done a lot of thinking the past few days…mostly imagining what it would be like to be married to a blind woman. I’ve tried to guess how the loss of your sight would impact my life…my responsibilities at Thunder Ranch.

  “Don’t forget your rodeo career,” she said.

  “At best I’ve got another year or two then I’ll retire my bull rope.”

  “And what conclusion did you come to?”

  He shrugged. “The only thing I know for sure is that your going blind will affect every aspect of my day-to-day life, but how much and in what ways…only time will tell.”

  “That’s why I—”

  He pressed a finger against her lips. “Then I asked myself if I could walk away from you.” His finger caressed her lower lip. “The answer was no.”

  Sierra’s breath caught in her chest.

  “In the end, it doesn’t matter if my plans for the future have to be altered to accommodate your blindness, because the one thing I can’t live without is you.” Beau cupped her cheek. “I love you, Sierra, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my days on earth without you.”

  Her heart melted at the warmth in Beau’s brown eyes.

  “Let me repeat myself.” He tipped her chin, forcing her to hold his gaze. “I love all of you, Sierra—the parts that work well and the parts that don’t work so well.”

  Beau’s heartfelt words made her eyes sting.

  “I know I can come on too strong and I tend to take over and do things for people before they ask for my help. I can’t promise that I won’t smother you from time to time. But if you ask me to step back, I’ll do my best to oblige.”

  Sierra fought valiantly to keep her tears from escaping.

  “And if you are determined to do everything on your bucket list then I won’t stand in your way, but if you’ll let me, I’d like to do them with you.”

  “Every one?” she whispered.

  “Yep. I’ll even take a ballroom dancing class with you.” He shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to learn the tango.”

  Sierra couldn’t picture the tough bull rider light on his feet. She laughed, but the sound emerged from her throat in a strangled sob.

  “Loving you is the easy part,” he said. “Living with your disability will be a challenge, but I’m ready and willing and eager to fight that battle.” The pad of his thumb caught a tear that dribbled down her cheek.

  “No matter what the future holds for you, honey, I want to be the guy walking at your side every step of the way. If you let me…if you trust me…I’ll be the light in your life when your world goes dark.”

  “I’m afraid,” she whispered.

  “Of what?”

  “Of becoming too dependent on you and then one day you’ll wake up and realize my blindness has stolen all the joy from your life.”

  “That won’t happen. Because I know you, Sierra Byrne. You’re as stubborn and willful as your aunt and you won’t let yourself become a burden to anyone.”

  Lord, how she loved Beau. She wanted to believe he spoke from the heart, but did she have the courage to take a leap of faith in herself? “You’re not looking at the big picture. There are things I can’t…won’t do in the future.”

  “Like what?”

  “I won’t have children.”

  “Why not?”

  Why was he making this so hard? “I won’t have children, because I’d never risk the safety of my child.”

  “Why would our children be unsafe?”

  Wasn’t it obvious? “If I can’t see where I’m going how will I see where my child is going?”

  “You might not lose your sight for several years and I’d be there to help raise our kids. You wouldn’t have to do it on your own.”

  “Good grief, Beau. Life will be difficult enough learning to run the diner when I’m blind, let alone care for children.”

  “You’re overthinking this, Sierra.”

  “And you’re oversimplifying it, Beau. You make raising children sound easy.”

  “And you make it sound impossible. The truth is probably somewhere in between.” Beau kissed her mouth. “It’s okay to be scared. I’m afraid, too, but not by your blindness, by the thought of not having you in my life.”

  “Beau, I—”

  “Do you love me?”

  Of course she did!

  “I held you in my arms…made love to you…felt the way you loved me back.” He pressed th
e palm of her hand against his thudding heart. “I know you love me.”

  Sierra didn’t deny it. “It’s because I love you that I refuse to take something beautiful between us and have it become ugly and hurtful in the end.”

  “You love me, but you won’t trust me with your heart.”

  No, it was herself she didn’t trust. “Beau, I—” What was the point? She’d already stated her case.

  He reached into his pocket and removed a ring. “I came tonight to pledge my love to you and ask you to marry me. I’m not a guy that runs at the first sign of trouble, Sierra. I stick.” He took her hand and slid the ring over her finger. “I picked this blue diamond because the color matches your eyes.”

  The ring was gorgeous. Heart pounding with love she yearned to shout, Yes, I’ll marry you!

  Beau swooped in and pressed a hard, desperate kiss to her mouth. “Don’t give me your answer tonight. Wear my ring and think about the next fifty years of your life. If you can envision me and you with gray hair holding hands while our rocking chairs face west, then you have your answer.”

  Too choked up to speak, Sierra watched Beau fetch his coat and hat and walk out the door. Her gaze dropped to the ring on her finger. Would she stand back and allow a disease to not only rob her of her sight but also her very own happy ever after?

  Or…would she find the courage to accept Beau’s love?

  * * *

  “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, turn your attention to chute seven.” The announcer’s voice boomed over the sound system Saturday afternoon at the Badlands Bull Bash and Cowboy Stampede in Spearfish, South Dakota.

  Beau ignored the hoopla and spoke to Colt. “You ready?”

  “I’d better be or I’ll disappoint our cheering section.”

  Beau followed Colt’s gaze. Except for Dinah, who’d remained behind to safeguard the citizens of Roundup, the entire family had made the five-hour drive to the rodeo, even Flynn, whose due date was less than two weeks away.

  After Colt walked over to his chute, Duke said, “Dad’s still not here.”

  “I hope he doesn’t miss Midnight’s performance.” Earlier that day after Beau had hit the road with Back Bender and Bushwhacker, his father had called to tell him that Jordan had forgotten something in Roundup and they’d be late to the rodeo.

  “Any sign of your dad?” Ace asked.

  “Nope. And he’s not answering his phone,” Beau said.

  “You don’t think they had car trouble, do you?” Austin joined the group.

  Ace shook his head. “Uncle Joshua would have phoned Mom if something serious had happened.”

  “Up next is the final ride in the saddle-bronc competition,” the announcer said. “Colt Hart from Roundup, Montana, will be ridin’ King of Spades—a two-time national champion bronc!”

  Ace, Duke, Austin and Beau approached the chute where Colt prepared for his ride. King of Spades had a reputation of rallying in the final seconds and throwing his rider. Duke and Ace made sure the rigging was adjusted properly while Colt played with his grip on the rope.

  A few seconds later Colt signaled the gateman. The moment King of Spades entered the arena he kicked high and followed the move with a tight spin that would have thrown a seasoned cowboy into the stands. Colt held on and the crowd cheered its approval.

  “He’s slipping,” Beau said when Colt’s butt shifted sideways. Four…five…

  “Hang on, Colt!” Ace shouted.

  Six…seven…

  The buzzer sounded and not a second too soon. Colt went flying over the bronc’s head but managed to tuck his body and roll when he landed.

  “I’ll be darned! Colt Hart is the first cowboy to make it to eight this season on King of Spades!”

  Colt got to his feet and saluted the crowd.

  “Hart scored an eighty-seven! That’s good enough for first place.”

  Beau glanced at his family cheering in the stands, wishing Sierra sat among them. He felt like the odd man out…all his cousins had special ladies in their lives and Beau wished Sierra was his. He’d poured his heart out to her two weeks ago, but feared he’d come up short. The only thing giving him hope was that she hadn’t returned his ring.

  “Rodeo fans sit back and get ready for the next event of the day—bareback ridin’!”

  “Midnight’s turn to shine.” Duke watched Ace lead Midnight into his chute. The stallion didn’t balk, as if he sensed his behavior and performance would determine his rodeo future.

  When Colt returned to the cowboy-ready area, Beau congratulated Colt on his win. “You’re a hard act to follow, cousin.”

  Duke and Austin slapped Colt on the back.

  “Is this the famed Midnight?” The question arrived before the cowboy.

  Beau shoved his elbow into Colt’s side. “Keep your eye on Kendall. He’s got a reputation for provoking horses in the chute.” Beau had run into Wesley Kendall over the summer and wherever the cowboy went controversy followed.

  Kendall climbed the rails and raised his arm in the air as if preparing to slap Midnight on the head. Ace’s hand shot out, blocking Kendall’s arm. “Watch yourself, cowboy.”

  “Just playin’ with him.” Kendall sneered. “Can’t blame me for wantin’ to rile him when he stands there like a docile mare.”

  Ace leveled a hard stare at Kendall and the cowboy walked off. “I’m watching Midnight from the stands.” Ace pointed to Kendall’s buddies standing nearby. “Make sure no one gets within ten feet of this chute.”

  “I’ll check Kendall’s spurs to see if the rowels turn freely,” Colt said before Ace walked away.

  “Rodeo fans, we’ve got a great group of broncs for our bareback competition!”

  Midnight and Kendall were up last, and each time Kendall wandered closer to the chute, Beau and Austin blocked his path. Beau was torn between wanting Kendall to get thrown on his ass at the one-second mark and wanting him to go six or seven seconds on Midnight before being thrown, so the judges got a sense of the stallion’s real talent.

  “Out of my way, Adams.” Kendall made a move toward the chute but Duke and Colt closed ranks with Beau and Austin, preventing Kendall from passing. A stare-down ensued. Finally Kendall backed off and waited until the announcer called his name.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the final ride in the bareback competition pairs Wesley Kendall from Sioux City, South Dakota, and The Midnight Express, the famed offspring of Five Minutes to Midnight—a Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame bucker!”

  The crowd erupted in applause. After Kendall had hopped onto Midnight’s back, Colt climbed the rails and reached for the cowboy’s boot.

  Kendall jerked his foot away. “What the hell are you doing, Hart?”

  “Checking to make sure your spurs are legal.” Colt spun the spur, satisfied the tips were blunt.

  “Sit back and cry, Hart, ’cause this so-called famous horse your family owns is going to bite the dust.” Kendall adjusted the rope around his hand then signaled the gateman.

  Beau didn’t know who was more surprised when Midnight shot out of the chute like a bullet—the gateman who scrambled to get out of the way or Kendall who almost lost his seat. Midnight’s first buck was high and tight, interfering with Kendall’s spurring rhythm. The stallion added a spin, which threw Kendall off balance at the four-second mark. The cowboy fought to stay alive, but Midnight showed no mercy. His bucks proved too powerful for Kendall and the cowboy flew off. Midnight continued to buck, adding insult to injury when he stomped on Kendall’s hat. The fans came to their feet, roaring their approval.

  Beau, Colt, Austin and Duke met Midnight when he was escorted from the arena. The dang stallion pranced as if he’d just won a world title. Colt whispered to the stallion and Midnight settled down, allowing Colt to walk him to the livestock area.

  A few minutes later Beau’s aunt, his father and Ace met them at Midnight’s stall.

  “He was amazing,” Aunt Sarah said.

  “Haven’t seen a horse perform like that in years,�
� Beau’s father chimed in.

  “What do you all think?” Colt asked. “Is Midnight ready to make a run for another NFR title?”

  “After that performance, I agree that it would be a shame to allow his talent to go to waste,” Ace said.

  Colt patted Midnight’s rump. “You hear that, big guy? You’re going on the road next year!”

  Beau tugged his father’s sleeve. “Everything okay with you and Jordan?”

  “Meant to get here sooner but we had to go back to town and pick up something.”

  “What did you forget?” Beau asked.

  His father and Aunt Sarah stepped aside to reveal Sierra standing a few yards away. Beau’s knees went weak when she flashed him a hesitant smile. “We’ll be watching you from the stands, Beau,” Duke said. “Good luck with your ride.”

  His family walked off, leaving him alone with Sierra. Beau’s gaze dropped to her hand and his heart thudded hard at the sight of the diamond ring on her finger. He was riding in less than a half hour—no time to beat around the bush. “You’re wearing my ring.”

  “I may not have any choice when it comes to losing my eyesight but I do have a choice who I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

  “You’re choosing me?”

  “I love you, Beau, and yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “As my wife?”

  “As your wife and God willing as the mother of your children.”

  He grasped her hands and squeezed gently. “Once you say I do there’s no turning back.”

  “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life regretting that I didn’t have the courage to trust in our love for one another.”

  Beau wrapped his arms around Sierra and for the first time in fourteen days he felt as if he could take a deep breath without his chest pinching. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

  “I’ll ask one more time and then I’ll never ask again,” she said. “Are you sure, Beau? Really sure?”

  “Honey, I’m a bull rider. I live for challenges.”

  “But marrying me will last a lot longer than eight seconds—I hope.”

  “No worries, darlin’. Marriage to you is one ride I refuse to get thrown from.” Beau ignored the rowdy whistles of the cowboys nearby when Sierra threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.