The Cowboy's Second-Chance Family

by Jules Bennett

  Pulling in a deep breath and attempting some sort of control, Lucy addressed her friends. “Let me make this brief. Noah and I are friends. He’s new on the force and is still making an impression. He has a child to look out for who just lost her mother six months ago. Rumors aren’t something he can afford right now. So let’s get the chairs moved out of the way so people can mingle, and get the new pamphlets on all of the tables so people don’t have to hunt for them. We also need to get the music going so it’s not so quiet and awkward when the first guests arrive.”

  Kate and Tara exchanged a look, but Lucy was done with the grilling of her social life. How could she explain it when she truly had no idea herself what was going on with Noah Spencer? And, as much as she loved her friends, she also wanted to keep Noah to herself.

  Lucy ignored Tara and Kate’s quizzical stares and circled around them to start setting up. They were expecting quite the crowd this evening. Their flyers had been up all over Stonerock for the past month. Their regular attendees had invited friends and family. They were hoping to spread the word that everyone could benefit from Helping Hands. If someone wasn’t going through a rough patch now, it might only be a matter of time. As depressing as that sounded, it was the reality. Everyone would experience loss at least once in their lives.

  The main point of tonight was to see if there was a greater need. The loss of a family member or friend wasn’t the only thing that people grieved over. Sometimes it was the breakup of a marriage, the loss of a job, depression, anxiety. There was a host of problems people dealt with on a day-to-day basis, and Lucy didn’t want people to feel alone in their struggles.

  She’d invited Noah, but he hadn’t acted like he’d make it. As much as he flirted and pretended to be fine, Lucy knew there was hurt just beneath the surface. He didn’t talk about his wife’s death at all, which only proved that speaking about it was too rough. And all of that was understandable because everyone moved at the pace that was comfortable for them. But at the same time, she truly wished he’d quit being so strong for everyone around him. They were friends—a little more than friends, if she were being totally honest—and she wanted him to trust her with his feelings.

  As the first guests started to arrive, Kate, Tara, and Lucy greeted them. With a town as small as Stonerock, pretty much everybody knew everybody. Still, there may be some who brought friends from neighboring towns and Lucy wanted to make sure nobody felt left out. Wasn’t that the whole point of this group?

  With the holidays only a few months away, it was important now more than ever to have support.

  The St. John brothers came through with their wives and children. The dynamic family was a powerhouse in this town. Cameron was her boss, so she knew him well. His brothers were known because of their wild sides as teens and now for their involvement with the town.

  Eli St. John was the town doctor, having taken over after his father retired. Their brother Drake was the chief for Stonerock’s fire department. They were one dynamic family in the small community.

  Kate and Tara greeted the crew as Lucy refilled the coffee carafe. Lucy hoped this was a success in bringing hope to those who were struggling with loss, no matter how minor.

  “This is wonderful.”

  Lucy turned to see Tammy standing there with a wide smile on her face. “Thank you. I think it’s a great turnout.”

  “I wanted to introduce you to my nephew, Todd. He lost his fiancée a year ago.”

  The thirty-something man stepped closer to his aunt. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  “I’m glad you could come out,” Lucy stated as she shook his hand. “You’re not from Stonerock?”

  “I’m actually moving here soon. I’m from Nashville.”

  Tammy patted Lucy on the arm. “I told Todd all about how you started this group and what a wonderful woman you are. I thought with him moving here soon, he may need a friend.”

  Lucy saw exactly where this was going. This wasn’t the first time some well-meaning soul had tried to hook Lucy up with a family member.

  “I’m sure you’ll fit right in here,” Lucy told him, dodging the obvious setup. “If you’ll excuse me, I see some other guests I need to talk to.”

  “Maybe we can talk later,” Todd added before she could escape.

  Lucy merely smiled. “Thank you both for coming. Tara, Kate, and I are here if you need anything.”

  Okay, that kept things focused on the group. Lucy had never gone for being set up on a date. She’d been too busy with her job, her schooling and making sure Helping Hands served its purpose. She hadn’t even had the desire to date or even flirt with another man.

  And then Noah Spencer had stepped into the back of the meeting with that black cowboy hat tipped low. A man with that type of presence, all menacing and mysterious, begged for attention. Her stomach knotted in a ball at the mere thought of him. That giddiness seemed to grow the more she was with him and the closer they became.

  Lucy attempted to push aside her thoughts of Noah, though he always hovered near the forefront of her mind. She spoke with many people she recognized and met some new folks who were thinking of joining the group.

  As the evening wore on, she couldn’t help but glance around to see if Noah decided to make an appearance. He never did. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit disappointment. Not that she thought he’d come for himself, but she’d hoped he’d come for her.

  After all, they were friends, right?

  Perhaps she was asking too much. They weren’t actually a couple or anything, so there were no expectations...only hope.

  After everyone had gone and Tara, Kate and Lucy had cleaned up, Lucy headed out the back door to her car. Darkness had set in, but the community center parking lot was well lit with halogen street lamps.

  Movement to her right had her jumping, until she saw that it was Todd, the man she’d met earlier. He’d been sitting on the bench between the community center and the entrance to the park.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he stated.

  He kept his distance, which helped because it was a little odd that he was out here waiting on her.

  “It’s fine.” But still creepy, she silently admitted.

  “My aunt obviously tried to play matchmaker and I wanted to apologize if you were uncomfortable.”

  Lucy relaxed a little more. “Oh, it’s fine. I’ve been the target for many matchmakers.”

  “She means well,” he added, shoving his hands into his pockets. “That being said, I wouldn’t mind taking you out when I get into town. If you’re free, that is.”

  Todd was a handsome man, he seemed to be polite and Lucy adored his aunt. But—there was of course a but—she just wasn’t feeling anything toward him. Nothing at all in comparison to what she felt when Noah was near.

  “Don’t answer now,” he went on when the silence stretched between them. “I’ll look you up when I get into town permanently.”

  Lucy simply nodded and smiled as she headed on to her car. Todd turned toward the truck parked in the distance and pulled out of the lot. Even if Lucy were interested in Todd, she didn’t feel right about going out with him, not with the way Noah occupied her mind so much lately.

  As Lucy pulled in her driveway minutes later, her text alerts went off from Tara.

  Turning down a date with another potential new guy? Sounds like Noah is more serious than you let on.

  So what? Lucy wasn’t even going to reply. No need to add fuel to the fire of her friend’s comments. They may be true, but Lucy didn’t have to acknowledge them.

  Grabbing her purse and cell, she headed inside. She was due at work in a while and she wanted to go in and just relax until she had to leave again. She wasn’t positive, but she thought Noah was off tonight. Sometimes those nights dragged because she’d gotten used to hearing his voice over the ra
dio. But when he wasn’t there, she could think. She could try to figure out just what she wanted and where she thought this relationship would go.

  Because there was only so long she would want to stay in the friend category. And when she was ready to move forward, she hoped like hell he would be, too.

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’m five blocks away,” Noah reported into the radio.

  “I’m pulling in now,” another officer responded.

  Silence settled over the radio for a brief moment before Lucy’s sweet voice came back. “I’ve informed the caller you’re on the scene, McCoy.”

  Officer McCoy could handle it. They didn’t need two officers on the scene of a woman who’d locked herself out of the house. Apparently she’d gone out for drinks with friends and forgotten to take her keys. At least she was responsible enough not to drink and drive, so that was something.

  Noah turned down Pine Street and tried his best not to let his mind wander, but he failed miserably. He’d heard about Lucy getting hit on, about some new guy asking her out after the open house. Word traveled fast in this town, especially considering Lucy’s open house was only hours ago.

  Maybe that’s what he got for not attending, but he truly didn’t think that atmosphere was for him. He was getting along just fine. The hurt was something he’d live with for the rest of his life. He just figured he’d get used to that void.

  Lucy’s voice came over the radio once again, this time calling him to a fender bender in the middle of the park. Chances were good that whatever he was about to encounter was more than just a fender bender. Who would be in the park at one o’clock on a Tuesday morning?

  Noah soon found out there were two ladies arguing over a guy and one had ended up blocking the other car against a tree. Breaking up a catfight could be more dangerous than men throwing punches, in his opinion.

  Thirty minutes later when he’d cleared the scene without incident, Noah climbed back into his patrol car and radioed the status.

  “Everything all right?”

  “Fine,” he replied to Lucy’s question.

  “You didn’t check in for a while,” she replied.

  Noah gritted his teeth. “All clear now,” he told her. “Over and out.”

  End of conversation because he didn’t want to hear her voice right now. He didn’t want to think of how that nugget of jealousy over the other guy had turned into a ball of fury that had settled low in his gut.

  Honestly, Noah didn’t know what had been said between Lucy and the man. And why wouldn’t someone ask her out? Lucy was stunning, she was independent, she had a great career ahead of her helping so many people. She was giving, loyal and sexy as hell.

  He raked a hand down his face, smarting when his palm hit his bruised jaw. What was he thinking? He needed more sleep. Maybe then he’d be thinking clearly. Because right now all he could see was Lucy with another man and he absolutely hated the image that flooded his mind.

  That’s precisely how he knew he was ready to try moving on. He wanted Lucy.

  Did he want something more than a physical relationship and a friendship? Hell, he had no idea. All he knew was that he had an ache for her that was impossible to ignore and a jealousy that was overriding all common sense right now.

  The rest of his shift went by without any excitement, which was a good thing, but the quiet made for a long night. He was slowly adjusting to working nights, though he would jump at the chance to get back on days so he could have a better schedule with Emma.

  The sun beamed directly onto the blacktop as he pulled into the station lot. He was more than ready to get home and have the next two days off. After he rested, he planned on spending some quality time with Emma, maybe have a picnic in the park or see a movie and have lunch at their favorite little diner.

  When he stepped out of his patrol car, he realized he was either getting used to the weather or it was getting warmer...and considering it was inching closer to the end of fall, he knew it couldn’t be the latter.

  Noah passed the dispatch area and didn’t see Lucy at the desk. The part-time guy who filled in as needed sat there taking a call.

  He did find Lucy in the break room putting on her jacket and gathering her things. She turned to flash that megawatt smile and he wondered if that’s how she’d smiled for the newcomer to her meeting.

  Get over it, Noah. She’s a beautiful woman and she’s not going to be single forever because you can’t get your head on straight.

  “Everything okay?” she asked, the same way she’d asked over the radio hours ago.

  Noah nodded, not trusting himself to say much else. He was too angry with himself for the jumbled-up emotions battling for prominence inside him.

  Her brows drew in as she adjusted her scarf. “You’ve been quiet all night. What’s up?”

  “Nothing,” he mumbled as he poured a cup of coffee to take on the road. “Just ready to head home.”

  He turned to get out of the tiny room.

  “Did I do something to make you mad?” she asked.

  Noah glanced over his shoulder and cursed beneath his breath. Damn it, he didn’t want her to think she did anything wrong. Everything that he had issues with was solely on him.

  “Just need to get home,” he replied.

  He tried to get out the back door, and succeeded, but she was right on his heels. As he reached his truck, Lucy’s delicate hand settled on his arm.

  “If I did something, I deserve to know,” she insisted. “Look at me.”

  Noah spun around. “You didn’t do anything, all right? I’m pissed at myself for letting the rumor mill rule my life.”

  “What?”

  “The guy who asked you out...” Noah cursed himself once again. “Forget it. It’s none of my concern if you want to go out with someone. I have no claims and I have no right to ask you not to.”

  Lucy stood there, her golden hair dancing around her shoulders in the wind. It almost hurt him to look at her. There was such innocence about her, but he knew she’d seen so much heartache. And he wasn’t helping either of their situations.

  “Forget it,” he muttered. “Forget I said anything. Head on home, Lucy.”

  Her hold on his arm tightened. “I said no.”

  Noah closed his eyes and couldn’t suppress the relief that swept through him. “It’s not my business.”

  “You sure about that?” she countered, releasing him. “Because you’re acting a little territorial when we haven’t agreed to anything. You can’t even admit you have feelings for me.”

  Another officer pulled into the lot just as Noah was about to grab her and show her just how much he was feeling right now.

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” he gritted through his teeth.

  “So you wouldn’t care if I went out on a date with another guy?” she threw back. When he remained silent, she shook her head. “Guess not. I thought this attraction went both ways and you might actually give up the friend notion and see where we could go.”

  She got in her car and started the engine, not once looking his way as she pulled from the lot.

  Fury bubbled within him at the way he’d handled things, not just this morning, but from the moment they’d met. It was a push-pull relationship and he was a jerk.

  Damn it, he wanted her. So why was he torturing them both? The stakes weren’t the same as before he was married. Now he knew full well going in exactly what to expect. They were adults who couldn’t keep going on like this.

  Noah turned onto Lucy’s road and pulled into her driveway right behind her. As soon as she stepped from the car, she turned to face him. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but a second later, she started heading toward her back door, still ignoring him.

  He hopped from his truck and mounted her steps. He
managed to reach the door just before she closed it in his face.

  “Will you stop for one second?” he demanded, following her inside.

  “I think we’ve said enough.” She jerked the scarf off and laid it on the kitchen island along with her purse before she turned to face him. “Unless you had something else to discuss, the topic of us is closed.”

  Oh, that’s what she thought? Like hell. He crossed the narrow space between them and gripped her shoulders. Her body arched against his as a gasp escaped her.

  “Consider the topic back open,” he growled as he crushed his lips to hers.

  Lucy stilled and he worried he’d pushed too far, but then her fingers threaded through his hair as she opened for him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her as he headed toward her bedroom.

  “Tell me to stop if you don’t want me to take you to bed,” he muttered against her lips. “But I need you, Lucy. I can’t keep going on like this.”

  Her eyes met his as she licked her lips. The subtle nod she gave was all the green light he needed.

  “I want you,” she murmured.

  He backed her down the hall, but she put a hand on his chest as she stared up into his eyes. “Not my room.”

  When he wasn’t in such a hurry later he’d realize just how fragile she was. The image of that picture on her nightstand mocked him, but Noah was here for physical reasons only. Nothing more would come from this because once they were out of each other’s systems, they could move on.

  Noah threaded his hands through her hair and backed her against the wall just outside the spare bedroom. When his mouth captured hers once again, she opened for him, arching her body and sighing into him.

  Lucy’s arms banded around his waist as she lined up her hips with his. Noah hadn’t felt a need like this in so long, he wasn’t sure how long he could hold on to his control here.

  As if her thread snapped as well, Lucy reached for the front of his shirt and started frantically working his buttons loose. Pulling back from her lips, Noah pushed her hands aside and finished taking his shirt off. As soon as the uniform was on the floor, he toed off his shoes, unfastened his gun belt, and gently laid it on the floor.