Wrangling Wes

by Thomas, Jacquelin

  “You have me at a disadvantage, I’m afraid,” Wesley stated. “What brings you to Granger?”

  “I heard it was a lovely place to visit,” Lydia responded smoothly. “I thought I’d come see for myself, and it really is beautiful. It’s definitely one of Montana’s hidden gems.”

  “How long are you staying in town?”

  “I’m not sure,” she answered. “For a few weeks at least.”

  Wesley seemed to be peering at her intently, and Lydia was strangely flattered by his interest.

  “How does Saturday night work for you?” he inquired. “For our date.”

  She nodded. “I don’t have any pressing plans, so it’s perfect.”

  He sat down on the vacant chair beside her, and once again, when his gaze met hers, her heart turned over in response.

  This is so crazy, Lydia thought to herself. The man is just being nice to me. I just paid ten thousand dollars for a date with him. I would be nice to anyone who paid that much money to go out with me.

  All eyes seemed to be on the two of them, but Wesley didn’t seem to mind. He continued to gaze at Lydia, almost as if he were photographing her with his eyes.

  “You’re staring at me,” she murmured.

  “I can’t help myself,” Wesley said matter-of-factly. “You are beyond beautiful.”

  She laughed. “This is the first time I’ve been told that. I heard that cowboys have a way with the ladies. I’m beginning to believe it.”

  Lydia tried to throttle the dizzying current racing through her. She wanted to resist his charm, but she could not. She was powerless to resist.

  “Would you like to dance?” Wesley asked, gesturing toward the dance floor.

  “Sure,” Lydia replied with complacent buoyancy.

  She rose to her feet in one fluid motion, prompting him to follow suit.

  On the dance floor, Maggie brushed past her, gave a thumbs-up and winked.

  Lydia swayed to the music.

  “You’re a good dancer,” Wesley told her.

  “So are you,” Lydia responded.

  “Do you do any line dancing?” he asked.

  Lydia shook her head. “I’m willing to learn,” she responded with a grin.

  The next song that came on provided Wesley an opportunity to give her some instruction.

  “You’re a quick learner,” Wesley said as they left the dance floor.

  She laughed. “I don’t know about that. I was awful out there.”

  This time he did not take a seat when they returned to her table. Instead, he picked up her right hand and kissed it. “It’s been a pleasure talking to you,” Wesley said. “My mother’s over there glaring at me, so I need to make my rounds. My work is never done, it seems.”

  “I understand,” she responded. His family was a major sponsor, so this was a working event for Wesley. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “I will see you Saturday.”

  Lydia nodded. “It’s a date.”

  * * *

  Lydia hummed softly as she sat down on the edge of her bed and removed her silver high-heeled sandals. She rose to her feet and slipped off her gown, replacing it with a pair of knit shorts and a tank top.

  She strolled into the bathroom to remove her makeup and brush her teeth before settling down in the middle of the bed with her cell phone.

  “Hey, it’s me,” Lydia said. “I have some really good news to report. Everything went according to plan. Wesley and I have a date on Saturday.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  Smiling, she responded, “I knew you’d be pleased.”

  “So tell me, Lydia...is Wesley Broward really as handsome in person as he is in all the magazines?”

  “He is,” Lydia confirmed. “One thing’s for sure—he definitely seems to have a high regard for himself.”

  There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. “I’m sure he’s very charming.”

  Lydia settled back against a stack of pillows. “He was nice enough, but I didn’t get to spend much time with him.”

  “Why not? Lydia, that’s why I sent you to Montana. What were you doing all night?”

  “I couldn’t exactly monopolize his time,” Lydia stated. “He and his family cosponsored the fundraiser, so he was busy much of the night. I did exactly what you wanted. I won Wesley at the auction and we are going to have dinner together this weekend.” She paused a moment before adding, “Besides, if I’d come on too strong, that would’ve made him suspicious.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Just make sure you find out everything there is to know about Wesley Broward and his family. Speaking of which, did you get to meet his family?”

  “Briefly,” Lydia responded.

  “What were they like?”

  “They seemed nice enough,” she said, wondering yet again why her boss seemed so interested in the Broward family. “What is this really about?”

  “I pay you enough to not ask questions, Lydia. Just do your job.”

  Her employer disconnected the call before she could utter a response.

  She released a sigh of frustration. There were times when Lydia wondered why she ever agreed to work for someone so self-absorbed and demanding, but it was a prime opportunity. Lydia had dreams of getting into entertainment management, and her job could provide her a foot in the door.

  Her employer could be so sweet when she wanted to be, but then she could also be hard as nails, which probably served her well in her profession.

  The one question that remained in Lydia’s mind was regarding her employer’s connection to Wesley. It was pretty obvious that the two did not know each other.

  What’s really going on?

  Lydia knew she would remain in the dark until her boss decided to open up about her plans concerning Wesley.

  Thinking about him prompted the beginnings of a smile. Lydia found herself to be quite taken by his cowboy “Code of the West” charm. Her body tingled at the thought of seeing him on Saturday for their date. The memory of why she had come to Granger invaded her thoughts. She liked Wesley, but not only that, she just wasn’t comfortable with her role in this scheme. It bothered her that her employer was acting so suspiciously. Lydia vowed that she would not do anything that would hurt Wesley.

  She thought about the way he gazed at her upon her approach to the stage earlier. Lydia had not missed his obvious examination and approval. However, Lydia had not expected to be so drawn to Wesley. She had to find a way to maintain control over the situation.

  Sighing softly, Lydia settled into her bed. It had been an exciting evening, but she was tired.

  Tomorrow she’d be busy putting her employer’s plan into action.

  Chapter 3

  Wesley had to be up early the next morning, so he left shortly after eleven o’clock to return to the ranch. He’d agreed to drive his grandfather home on the way, since his parents and siblings were still at the hotel.

  “That was a purdy lil’ woman that wrangled you tonight, Wes,” his grandfather said as he removed his tuxedo jacket. “Right purdy girl.”

  He chuckled. “From the looks of it, you didn’t do too bad yourself, Grandpa.”

  “I just have to remember to have her home before her curfew.”

  Wesley threw back his head and laughed. “I noticed some of the women weren’t happy at being outbid by a twenty-year-old—especially Eugenia Maple. She’s had her eye on you since her husband died last year.”

  “She may have her eye on me, but I’m not interested,” Charles uttered. “I know for a fact she drove Henry to his grave. From what he used to tell me, Eugenia is not an easy woman to live with. I’ll tell you this, Wes. That’s not how I intend to live out the rest of my days—with a nagging woman.”

 
; “I want someone I can be friends with,” Wesley stated. An image of Lydia materialized in his mind.

  “Friends with,” his grandfather repeated.

  He nodded. “I want a woman I like being around and want to spend time with. I want a woman I can talk to about anything and she’s actually interested in hearing what I have to say. I want a woman who will be honest and trustworthy. Someone who won’t play games.”

  “Your grandmother was... She was a good woman. Outspoken and told the truth, even when you didn’t want to hear it. Lawd knows...I miss that woman.”

  “Grandpa, I miss her, too,” Wesley confessed. “Things aren’t the same without her.”

  He headed to the front door. “Don’t forget to take your medicine, Grandpa.”

  Charles waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Good night, Wes.”

  Laughing, Wesley responded, “I’ll see you in the morning.” His grandfather resented being treated like an old man. He was independent and intent on doing things his own way.

  Wesley drove from the main house to his own place, a three-bedroom cabin that had been renovated six years prior.

  Inside, he walked straight to his bedroom and undressed.

  As he prepared for bed, Wesley’s thoughts turned back to Lydia. His attraction to her was instant, igniting an interest in learning more about her. The fact that she had her own money was also attractive to him. He had long grown tired of gold diggers.

  Lydia was different from the women he was used to dealing with. Unlike in the past, Wesley found himself looking forward to Saturday night.

  Maybe it was because she wasn’t from Granger. Whatever the reason, his interest in her was piqued. He was looking forward to getting to know Lydia better.

  Wesley had no doubt in his mind that he would be seeing more of her after Saturday night. It was just the beginning for them.

  * * *

  Saturday arrived along with her long-anticipated date with Wesley. Lydia fingered her curls as she eyed her reflection in the mirror.

  I feel like an excited schoolgirl experiencing her first date. She giggled at the thought. It had been a long time since she’d felt this way. Lydia had to remind herself that this wasn’t a real date.

  The thought put a damper on her excitement. It was a ruse to get close to Wesley.

  The ringing of her cell phone provided a wonderful distraction for her. Lydia picked it up, looking at the caller ID. “I can’t talk to you right now,” she whispered.

  She tossed the cell on the bed and then turned her attention back to her appearance. Even though it was not a real date, Lydia wanted to look her best for Wesley. She had a feeling that it would be a night she would never forget. Wesley had been very secretive about their date and had given her no details. I can’t read too much into this, Lydia reminded herself. The only reason he was taking her out was because she’d donated ten thousand dollars to charity. It wasn’t even her own money that she’d used. She was not even being her true self.

  A thread of guilt snaked down her spine. Lydia liked Wesley, and deep down it really bothered her that she was not being completely honest with him.

  She kept trying to convince herself that it didn’t matter. Lydia was in Granger to find out everything she could about Wesley, and then she would be returning to Los Angeles.

  Yet, she could not deny the spark of excitement at the prospect of spending time with Wesley Broward, even if it was a job.

  A job, she acknowledged, she would find enjoyable.

  Lydia jumped at the sound of a knock on the door.

  She did a final check of her makeup and hair before opening the door.

  Wesley raised an eyebrow a fraction at the sight of her.

  Their gaze met and held.

  Lydia could almost feel the movement of his breathing. “Hello,” she whispered.

  He wore a starched white shirt and a pair of black denim pants with highly polished cowboy boots. The sight of Wesley standing in her hotel room made Lydia’s heart beat rapidly and her pulse quicken. A delicious shiver of wanting ran through her.

  She could barely tear her gaze away from him.

  Neither one said a word.

  After a few moments, Lydia burst into a short, nervous laugh to break the silence. “I guess we should get a move on.”

  Wesley nodded. “Yes, ma’am, but there’s one thing you need to do before we go.”

  Confused, she met his gaze. “What is it?”

  “You need to take off that dress.”

  * * *

  The heavy lashes that shadowed her cheeks flew up. “Excuse me?” What’s wrong with my dress? she wondered.

  Wesley eyed the silk dress Lydia was wearing and smiled. She looked exquisite—too exquisite for the evening he’d planned for them. His gaze traveled to her shoes. “You might want to wear something a little more comfortable,” he told her.

  She glanced down at her clothes and asked, “Why? Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise,” he murmured.

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Lydia responded.

  “Okay,” he said. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  She was quiet on the drive to the surprise location. Wesley drove to the last place anyone would think he would bring a date.

  When he pulled into the parking lot of their destination, he stole a peek at Lydia. Her expression was unreadable.

  “What’s the name of this place?” she asked.

  “Shank of the Evening Saloon.”

  “That’s quite an interesting name,” Lydia responded as she eyed the wooden shack. To most outsiders, it probably looked like an old eyesore, but not to her. “How old is this place?”

  “It’s been around for almost seventy-five years,” he told her. “And it’s a favorite of ranchers in the area.”

  Wesley noticed that she looked mildly surprised that he would bring her to such a gritty establishment whose interior walls were covered with old license plates, news clippings and photos of the past.

  But if Lydia was at all shocked by his choice of venue, she certainly hid it well.

  Lydia had no idea that the only reason he’d brought her to this place was to gauge her reaction. Quite a few women were interested more in his money than in him. Wesley wanted to get a feel for Lydia. He was curious as to why she’d bid so much money for a date with him. It had to be to get his attention.

  Lydia had no idea that she had already sparked Wesley’s interest in her. He cleared his throat, pretending not to be affected.

  “What would you like to drink?” he asked, fully expecting her to order some girlie drink.

  She glanced around the saloon, and then said, “I’d like a beer.”

  Wesley was surprised. He also noted that she didn’t flinch at the less-than-refined behavior of some of the patrons around them, and he was impressed. There was more to this city girl than he first thought.

  Their beers arrived.

  Lydia took a sip of hers.

  He smiled when she didn’t make a face at the taste. This was a woman who truly seemed to enjoy a beer every now and then.

  “You look surprised,” she said. “You’ve never seen a girl drink beer?”

  “I never thought a city girl like you would ever drink one, or be comfortable in a place like this.”

  “I’m an occasional drinker,” Lydia told him. “I may drink a beer once or twice a year. My drink of choice is a chocolate raspberry martini, but I’m pretty sure I won’t find that here.”

  Wesley chuckled. “You’re right about that.”

  “As for this place, this is nothing new to me,” Lydia stated. “I’ve been in places similar to this back home in New York.”

  She swayed to the music. “I’ve never been much of a c
ountry music lover, but it’s actually growing on me.”

  “I like some of it,” he responded. “I’m more of a jazz lover.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “There’s no better music than jazz. My favorites are the samba/bossa nova standards, especially if I want some soft, pleasant jazz to relax to.”

  “Wesley, what do you do for recreation?” Lydia asked. “Do you play any sports?”

  “I played football and basketball in high school,” he answered. “I didn’t do much in college though because of a knee injury. I focused more on my studies. As for now, I enjoy riding my horse in the evenings—it relaxes me after a long day. I play basketball every now and then with some guys I went to college with. What about you? What do you do for fun?”

  Lydia smiled at him. “Not much these days.”

  “Why is that?” Wesley asked.

  “No special reason,” she responded. “I guess I’ve been trying new things, such as coming to Montana.” Lydia met his gaze. “I’m glad I did.”

  “I have to say that I’m glad you decided to visit our lil’ town. I never would’ve met you otherwise.”

  “I have to say that I’m glad I decided to come to Granger. It’s beautiful here.”

  She took a sip of her beer. “I’d really like to know more about you, Wesley. I’ve never met a man like you.”

  “Call me Wes. Wesley sounds so formal.”

  Lydia grinned. “Okay...Wes it is.” She paused a heartbeat before saying, “Tell me something about you that most people don’t know.”

  Normally Wes would deflect this attempt at getting personal with some self-deprecating humor, but something about Lydia prompted him to answer honestly. “I want something more out of life. More than ranching.”

  His response was not what she would have expected him to say. “Then why don’t you go after whatever it is that you want?” she asked. “Life is short. Live every moment as if it’s your last.”

  Wesley met Lydia’s gaze and smiled. “You’re right.” It just wasn’t that easy for him, however. He had to think of his family and what his choices would mean for them.

  He leaned forward and asked, “Would you like to dance?”