Falling For The Younger Cowboy (Sage Valley Ranch Book 2)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  Was he really going to do this? If he told Lexi how he truly felt about her, it would turn their relationship upside down. But if he didn’t, he’d be stuck in the friend zone like a chicken in its coop, watching her in another man’s arms. His jaw clenched at the thought. It was now or never.

  He rushed toward the store’s front door with its sign flipped to Open. Through the window, he spotted the back of Lexi’s head. Oh, how he longed to take her into his arms, flush against his body. To caress the slender slope of her neck and weave his fingers into her thick black locks. He’d give her a kiss that would make all the cheesy rom-coms she liked to watch pale in comparison. Move over, Hugh Grant and Matthew McConaughey. Those actors had nothing on him.

  His hand on the knob, James took a last breath before pulling open the door. He stepped inside, and his eyes immediately traveled over a rack of postcards to the counter where Lexi stood. Her pink lips formed an O as she met his gaze. Her eyes lit up with delight and something else—relief, perhaps? Or maybe it was him who felt relieved to see her welcome him so happily. He walked over, ready to pour his heart out, until he noticed someone standing opposite Lexi. The man looked familiar, but James couldn’t quite place him. Next to him was a much younger blonde woman. City folks, no doubt. James could spot them and their clean, pressed outfits a mile away.

  “James!” Lexi called out. “There’s some people I want you to meet.”

  James reached the couple and dipped his head, touching the brim of his Stetson in greeting. “Hello. I’m James Scott. Welcome to our ranch.”

  “Ooh, a real cowboy! I can’t believe it,” the woman squealed as she looked James over from head to toe before offering her hand. “You look like you walked out of one of those westerns. I’m Tiffany. Could I get your autograph?”

  He took the woman’s hand with a soft chuckle. “I’m flattered, miss, but I’m not a movie star.”

  “Well, you certainly could be one.” She turned to the man beside her who stared at James with much less interest. “Don’t you think he looks like a young Clint Eastwood, Thomas?”

  Thomas? James’s ears perked up. This couldn’t be the guy who broke Lexi’s heart? He glanced over at Lexi who gave him a tight-lipped smile.

  Thomas scoffed. “Maybe if you squint.”

  Lexi stepped around the counter and placed a protective hand on James’s arm. “James has even better skills than acting. He’s our head chef. He makes a mean bowl of chili. If you’re nice, he might save you one,” she added with an overly sweet tone.

  “We’ll be nice,” Tiffany cooed, oblivious to the tension between the exes. “The two of you look so good together. Don’t you think so, Thomas? It’s great you found love again, Lexi.”

  Lexi’s face paled. “Oh, uh, James and I—”

  Thomas scoffed, cutting her off. “You think they’re in love? I would know if Lexi was in love. This is more than likely a rebound relationship.”

  A healthy flush filled Lexi’s cheeks. She glanced over at James with a mixture of hurt and desperation on her face. When she turned back to Thomas, she raised her chin with determination. “I’ll have you know that James and I are very much in love. Aren’t we, James?”

  James wouldn’t have been more shocked had he been thrown off a horse. Lexi was making this easier than he ever expected. “Y-yes, we are.”

  5

  Lexi

  If there was ever a moment when Lexi wished she were dreaming, this was it. Was it possible that she was still in bed, under her warm covers, and once she opened her eyes, she’d be staring at the wooden ceiling of her bedroom and not at her ex-husband’s skeptical face?

  Ever since he and Tiffany had walked into her shop, she’d been on edge. Thomas hadn’t changed at all; if anything, he was more arrogant now than before. Lexi wondered what she’d seen in him and why it had taken her so long to get over him. The only thing she wanted more than anything was to show him she had moved on. Even if it meant lying through her teeth about her current relationship status.

  Boy, was she in a hot mess. Hotter than a fresh pot of chili.

  Thomas eyed her and James. “So, how long have you two been dating?”

  “Not long, but we’ve been friends since I moved out here. In fact, James is my best friend. We’ve gotten really close.” This much was true. Other than Charlie, she spent the most time with James. She edged closer to him and gave him a grateful smile. She only hoped she wasn’t putting their friendship on the line by dragging him into her ruse.

  “That’s right,” James chimed in.

  He surprised her by placing his arm around her waist and pulling her to his side. A masculine scent mingled with the delicious smell of kitchen spices filled her senses, making Lexi weak in the knees. She leaned against James, thankful for his firm torso acting as a wall—a very muscular wall. Her stomach dipped to be this close to the man she’d just started falling for. How was she supposed to keep her real emotions out of this now?

  “I know love when I see it. Just like how I knew you were the one for me,” Tiffany gushed as she batted her lash extensions at Thomas. “Tommy and I met on a singles cruise in Mexico. I was there with my girlfriends, and he was all by his lonesome self, nose buried in his phone. I bought him a fruity drink with one of those cute umbrellas, and we haven’t been apart since.” She flashed her ring in front of them. “We’re getting married next spring. We’re traveling around the country now looking for the perfect location for our wedding. I love animals, so I thought, what better place than a ranch? Horses, cows, chickens—you’ve got ’em all. Am I right?”

  Tiffany’s childlike enthusiasm was contagious. Lexi couldn’t help but grin right along with her. “We’ve got some stray cats roaming the place, too. I’d warn you to stay away from our rooster, Elvis—he’s a bit ornery—but you’re so sweet, you’d probably charm his feathers right off. I can see why Thomas fell for you.”

  “You are such a sweetie!” Tiffany waved her hands in front of her eyes as she sniffled. “I knew I’d like you the moment we met.”

  Thomas gave a strained laugh, his eyes flitting from one woman to the other. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have a call to make. You coming, darling?”

  Tiffany wrinkled her nose in disappointment. “But you promised we’d go horseback riding today.”

  “Someone has to make money to pay for this wedding,” he retorted as he lowered the sunglasses resting on top of his head to his face. With a smirk, he nodded toward Lexi and James. “Good to see you, Lexi. Nice to meet you, Joe.”

  “It’s James,” Lexi called out to Thomas’s back as he pushed open the door.

  Tiffany sighed as she watched Thomas leave. “That man works way too much. Sometimes I have to remind him to eat.” She paused, her blue eyes widening. “Let’s have dinner together tonight! Please say yes. It’ll be so fun. I love double dating. What do you guys say?”

  Lexi felt James’s body stiffen. It was one thing to say they were dating, but another thing to act it out. Having dinner with Tiffany and Thomas would require a whole evening of pretending. “I don’t think we can,” she began with feigned regret. “James has to work, and the shop doesn’t close until after sundown.”

  Tiffany’s face fell. “That’s all right. I suppose I can bring a book with me to dinner. Thomas gets so occupied with his emails, he’s not much for conversation.”

  “Oh …” Lexi knew her struggle all too well. Communication, or lack thereof, had been an issue for her and Thomas, too. Her heart went out to Tiffany, and she found herself making an offer she was sure she’d regret. “Maybe we could do a late dinner if that works for you guys. Say eight o’clock?” She turned to James and asked, “Would that be okay with you?”

  It took an extra beat for James to answer. “Uh, sure. We can go to The Cabernet. It’s a nice steak place in town about ten minutes from here.”

  “Yes!” Beaming, Tiffany jumped in place and clapped her perfectly manicured hands. “It’s a date! Text us directions, will
ya? I’ll go tell Thomas now!” She grabbed her bag of souvenirs from the counter and waved as she scampered toward the exit. “Toodles!”

  “Toodles?” Lexi shook her head in disbelief when the door closed. “What just happened?”

  James raised his brows. “Uh, I think you agreed to a double date with your ex-husband and his fiancée,” he answered with an uneasy tone.

  At the words double date, Lexi jumped out of James’s reach. Her body cooled from the absence of his touch, but her face felt like it was on fire. “James! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you into this. The words came out of my mouth before I could stop to think about the consequences. Thomas’s comment about me being on the rebound just ticked me off. I can’t believe he’d say such a thing when he’s the one running around with a woman practically half his age. But I shouldn’t have involved you—”

  “Hey, hey, hey.” James placed a hand on her back, rubbing comforting circles on it. “It’s okay, I get it. You wanted to prove a point. I’d do the same thing under the circumstances.”

  “You mean to tell me you’d lie and fake a relationship to save your pride?”

  One side of his mouth curved up. “Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t do the exact same thing. But I wouldn’t want someone making assumptions about my friend the way Thomas did about you. I’m glad you put him in his place.”

  Lexi felt her insides melt. If she thought she was falling for James before, she was in over her head now. The way he was holding her gaze, concern darkening his blue eyes, made her heart skip a beat. “Thanks for being on my side, James. What I said earlier—I meant it. You really are my best friend.” She repeated the sentence in her mind, willing herself to believe it. He was going along with her plan because of their friendship. It was a lot to ask of him though. “Are you sure you’re okay with dinner? We could still cancel—”

  “It’s fine, really. It’ll be good to get out. Anyways, friends don’t let friends face their exes alone.”

  His words brought a genuine smile to her face. “Hey, you’re using my line.”

  “I hope you don’t mind. It’s a good one.”

  “Of course not.” She sighed happily. “You’re so good to me, James. I owe you one.”

  “You don’t owe me anything but to have a good evening. We’ll make the most of it, all right?” He dropped his hand and took a step back. “I better go start dinner early, so I have time to wash up before we go. I’ll pick you up at a quarter ’til eight?”

  “Sounds good.” Lexi nodded and returned to her stool behind the counter. Gratitude washed over her as she watched James walk away with long strides. She suddenly had an urge to do something to thank him. She sprang out of her seat and ran over, grabbing his arm before he pushed open the door. Standing on her tiptoes, she placed a soft kiss on his face. “Thank you again, James.”

  James stayed silent, but his cheeks spoke volumes. They resembled two shiny ripe tomatoes ready to be plucked. He ducked his head shyly before mumbling, “It’s no problem. I’ll, uh, see you later.”

  The door closed behind him, leaving Lexi alone in the store once again. She touched her lips and smiled behind her hand. She had to admit she was looking forward to going on a date with James, even if it was all pretend.

  6

  James

  James glanced at his reflection in his bathroom mirror and ran his hands through his freshly washed hair. He had about fifteen minutes to spare before he needed to pick up Lexi, and he wanted to use his time wisely. It wasn’t every day he dressed up for a night on the town, and even less often that he got to bring a date.

  Date—yeah, right. Maybe in his dreams. He sucked in a breath as he splashed some aftershave on his face, the liquid burning his skin. The cooling sensation served a dual purpose in waking him up to reality. Tonight was not a romantic occasion. He was only going to dinner to help Lexi out. There was nothing going on between them.

  As much as he wanted to believe the kiss she had given him meant more than friendship, he doubted she felt the same. He recalled how she had stepped away from his touch as soon as Tiffany left the store. She had only needed him to play a part. Without an audience watching, he remained a friend. Her best friend, but still only a friend.

  A knock on the door pulled James out of his thoughts. He opened it and found Chris on the other side, grinning like a fool. “Hey, man, thanks for lending me your coat.” He reached out to grab Chris’s tuxedo-style black sports coat that he planned to wear with his nicest pair of blue jeans and black boots. “I’ll return it to you tomorrow.” Hoping to escape his friend’s inquisition, he hurriedly closed the door … only to have Chris stick his boot in the doorway.

  “Not so fast, mister.” Chris nudged the door open, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “All you said over the phone was that you’re going to town for dinner. Spill it. I want details. Who are you getting dressed up for?”

  James groaned, walking past Chris to get to the end of the hall. He stepped inside his room, which suddenly felt crowded with his queen-sized bed, a dresser, and the presence of another six-foot man. Or maybe it was the intensity in his friend’s eyes that made him feel like there wasn’t enough air in the room. He knew he’d never get any peace if he didn’t provide the answers Chris wanted.

  Sighing, James laid the coat on the bed and crossed his arms over his chest. The fabric of his white button-down shirt stretched across his upper arms, squeezing his biceps. The tightness was nothing compared to the constricted feeling in his chest at being put on the spot. “If you must know, I’m going with Lexi.”

  Chris slapped his thigh. “I knew it! You got up the nerve to ask her out. I’m proud of you, man—”

  “Not so fast. It’s not what you think,” James confessed. He grimaced, certain he’d get an earful from Chris once the truth came out. “Lexi and I are only pretending to date, so her ex, Thomas, thinks she’s moved on. We’re meeting up with Thomas and his new fiancée.”

  It took Chris a full five seconds to pick up his jaw. “Say what? Whose bright idea was this, because let me tell you, it’s a horrible one! You can’t be going on a fake date with the woman you like.”

  “I hadn’t planned for this to happen. I was going to ask her out for real, but her ex was at the shop, and one thing led to another …” James shrugged helplessly. “I think this could work in my favor though. Lexi will see how good we are together, and when I ask her out for real, she’ll have to say yes.”

  Eyeing James dubiously, Chris placed his hands on his hips and sighed. “I don’t know about that. This is an awfully strange way to start a relationship. Why don’t you just come clean to Lexi and tell her how you feel? Then the both of you can actually enjoy a real date tonight.”

  James hesitated. A part of him knew very well why he wasn’t going to confess his feelings—at least not yet. It was easier to play pretend where there was no risk of rejection. “It’s better this way. She’s already on edge with Thomas around, I don’t want to stir things up even more.”

  “You know what, man? You’re pulling an Elvis.” Chris brought his hands to his armpits and began flapping his arms like a bird. He added a few cock-a-doodle-doos for emphasis. “You’re too chicken to tell Lexi.”

  “Tell me what?”

  The sweet feminine voice calling out from the doorway made both men turn around. It wasn’t uncommon for Lexi to stop by their two-bedroom suite unannounced, but James wasn’t in the mood for surprises today. His mouth grew as dry as if he’d just chewed on a mouthful of saltines.

  He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lexi as she walked over, looking breathtakingly gorgeous in a dark red dress under a black wrap. The lacy fabric hugged her curves and flared out at her hips, giving James a good eyeful of her shapely legs that ended in a pair of brown and turquoise boots. She wore more makeup than usual, with glittery eyeshadow and her lips painted a bright red shade. A pair of long dangling silver and turquoise earrings in the shape of feathers swung about her dark hair that framed he
r face in soft waves.

  Lexi’s sweet floral perfume gave James a heady sensation as she neared, her brow quirked curiously. It took him a moment to realize she was waiting for an answer, but he couldn’t remember what the question was. “Huh?”

  “What are you too chicken to tell me?”

  A smile played on her lips, mesmerizing him with their fullness. He drew a blank and stood there looking like a fool.

  “What the secret ingredient in his chili is,” Chris piped up as he gave James a hearty slap on the back. “Yep, our boy James here is afraid you’ll be shocked to learn what he uses. It’s such a secret, even I don’t know what it is, and I know everything there is to know about him, including the type of woman he likes.”

  James spluttered, suddenly consumed by a coughing fit. He had been playing it cool, making a mental note to thank Chris later for coming to his rescue. That was until he heard Chris’s last line. He shot his friend a wide-eyed look, feeling his face heat up. Great. If Lexi hadn’t been suspicious before, she sure was now. He caught his breath and smiled nervously at Lexi. “Uh, what are you doing here? I was going to pick you up.”

  “I was ready early, so I thought I’d save you the trip.” Lexi glanced from James to Chris and back again. She shook her head with a chuckle. “I get the feeling I missed out on something good.”

  “No, nothing at all.” James grabbed the sports coat off the bed and nodded toward the door. “Ready to go?”

  “Sure,” Lexi answered. “The sooner we get to the restaurant, the sooner we can get this double date over with.”

  James stepped aside to allow Lexi and Chris to exit the room. He followed and closed his bedroom door behind him.