by Linda Warren
A truck honked then pulled off the road and stopped next to her. The passenger window lowered. “Destiny?”
The driver was Buck’s brother, Will.
“Is Buck here?” she asked.
“Follow me.”
She shifted gears and drove behind the pickup along a dirt road lined with pecan trees. When they entered a yard, she saw a farmhouse, barn and large metal shed. A black Lab slept on the roof of his doghouse beneath a tree near the porch.
If she were Buck, she’d never want to leave this place.
Will got out of his truck, and Destiny set the kickstand on her bike. “Buck might be in the bunkhouse,” he said.
Destiny walked with him to the shed then Will opened the door and motioned her to go inside first. “Guess who dropped by the farm,” he said when the door closed behind them.
The Cash brothers playing cards at the table spoke simultaneously. “Destiny.”
“Porter and Mack.” Will pointed out each brother. “Where’s Buck?”
Mack glared at Porter. “Didn’t you tell Will?”
“I thought you were gonna tell Will,” Porter said.
Will waved his hand. “Tell me what?”
“Buck’s not here,” Porter said. “He went back to rodeo. Left yesterday.”
“Do you know when he plans to return?” Destiny asked.
“Not anytime soon,” Mack said.
Will stared at his brothers. “Is he still upset with what happened between us earlier in the summer?”
“His leaving had nothing to do with you, Will,” Mack said.
“It’s me, isn’t it?” Destiny whispered.
“Buck said he needed time to think.” Porter flashed a sympathetic smile.
Destiny felt like crying.
“Where’s his first rodeo?” Will asked.
“Winslow,” Mack said.
“You could call him, Destiny,” Porter said.
“I have. He’s not picking up or answering my texts.” She couldn’t stand seeing the pity in the brothers’ eyes. She reached for the door.
“Where are you going?” Will asked.
“To find Buck.”
Porter grinned. “You go, girl.”
If she wasn’t so scared Buck would reject her, she might have laughed at Porter’s comment.
“Please don’t warn Buck that I’m coming for him.” She didn’t want to risk him being a no-show at the rodeo in Winslow because he knew she was on her way there.
Mack grinned. “Mum’s the word.”
Destiny walked over to her bike and put on her helmet—a baby shower gift from Melba. Now that she was going to be a mother, Melba had insisted she take her safety into consideration when she rode the Harley. While she buckled the strap, she heard Will say, “I’d give a month’s wages to see the look on Buck’s face when Destiny shows up at the rodeo.”
Depending on what that look was, Destiny would give her soul for it, too.
* * *
“FOLKS THAT WAS All-Around Cowboy C. J. Rodriguez who made it to eight on Red Devil! Looks like the judges are gonna give the cowboy an eighty-four for his effort. Eight-four puts Rodriguez in second place.”
Buck ignored the announcer’s voice as he rubbed resin on his riding glove. He was second-guessing his decision to enter the bull riding event—not that a rank bronc was any easier, but at least the horses didn’t try to freight train their riders.
“‘My Heart Skips a Beat,’ it’s Buck Owens Cash.”
Rodriguez. The man was a cocky son of a gun with a shady past who loved to pick a fight. If he wasn’t so talented in rodeo, he’d probably be in prison right now.
“Did I hear right? You wanna be a bull rider today?” Rodriguez stepped in front of Buck, making it impossible to ignore the jerk.
“You heard right.” Buck wondered if his brother Johnny had challenged Rodriguez to a ride-off, because it had been the only way to shut the man up.
“How’s married life treating the Man in Black?”
Buck stared Rodriguez in the eye. “You ever get tired of mocking people?”
The bull rider grinned, then when he realized he didn’t have an audience he lost the smile. “How’s Shannon? Is she ready to compete again?”
Buck laughed. “I don’t think she has any plans to get back into bull riding—at least not for a while.”
“Is the leg she broke bothering her?”
“It’s not her leg keeping her out of rodeo. She had a baby.”
“No kidding. Boy or girl?”
Even though Rodriguez gave Shannon a hard time when they’d traveled the circuit together, Buck sensed the cowboy respected her—probably because she was the only person who put up with his crap. Rumors claimed that the popular-with-the-ladies rodeo star was friendless.
“Shannon had a little girl. Named her Addy after our grandmother.”
“Addy. That’s nice. Tell Shannon congratulations for me.”
After Rodriguez walked off, Buck focused on the bull he’d drawn. Destiny’s Curse—man, oh, man had he been surprised to read the name on the livestock list. Just like the bull, Destiny had put a curse on Buck, and no matter that he’d tried to forget her, he couldn’t. Since leaving Lizard Gulch he’d been unsuccessful in evicting Destiny from his heart or his head. And the one place he’d believed he’d be safe from her memory—rodeo—he wasn’t.
The solid black bull—not a spec of white anywhere on his body—pawed the dirt inside the chute. Maybe the bull was a sign that Buck had to face his demons. He was only using the excuse of Destiny not being truthful with him about the baby as a shield against his real fear. How could he convince Destiny to believe that they were meant to be together if he didn’t believe in himself?
“Folks, one of our judges had an emergency. It’ll be a minute or two before our next bull ride. Hold tight. We’ll get this show on the road soon.” After the announcer spoke, music blared over the sound system.
Swell. More time for the voices in his head to interfere with his concentration.
Buck edged closer to the chute. The bull swung his massive head sideways and stared Buck down with lifeless eyes. He thought of Destiny’s blue eyes—eyes full of life, sparkle, humor and compassion.
A jarring pain stabbed him in the chest. He’d been labeled the family peacemaker by his siblings because he didn’t like confrontation. Hell, when he’d been teased and bullied on the playground he’d tried turning the other cheek or walking away. If the bullies wouldn’t let him flee, then he stood his ground and fought back. Was the instinct to run a genetic trait he’d inherited from his father and mother? Shoot, when his mother had been alive, she’d never confronted the men who’d gotten her pregnant and demanded they make an honest woman out of her. Or demand they play a role in their sons’ lives. She just left them and moved on.
Buck had used the excuse of Destiny not telling him about her pregnancy to split. Even though he’d confessed his love for her, he’d been afraid to stay and fight for a place in her life, and it had nothing to do with Destiny not confessing her love for him. Buck knew in his gut that she loved him—he’d seen it in every look and touch she’d given him during his time in Lizard Gulch. Buck even suspected she had his best interests at heart when she sent him away.
It would be easy to believe Destiny didn’t want to burden him with raising Daryl’s baby, but Buck feared the real reason she’d kicked him out of her life was because she sensed he wouldn’t always be there for her. And since she didn’t love Daryl, it wouldn’t be a big deal if he packed up and left her.
The music died down and the announcer spoke, “Well, folks, it looks like we’ve got our judge back and we’re ready for the next contestant!” The crowd applauded. “It’s time for Buck Cash from Stagecoach, Arizona, to cowboy up!” Boots stomped on the metal bleachers creating an earsplitting din. “Cash is ridin’ Destiny’s Curse, a bull known for its tight spins.”
Buck closed his eyes and envisioned the ride in his head. It to
ok three tries before his brain replaced Destiny’s pretty face with the bull’s big head. He felt the cameras zero in on him, but refused to look at his image on the JumboTron. As he focused, the noise in the arena dissipated until the only sound he heard was the bull’s snorting.
“I can’t figure out if good ol’ Buck is dreaming about his bull ride or that lady gal standing behind him.” The announcer’s voice disrupted Buck’s concentration. The crowd hooted and hollered.
Buck opened his eyes and glanced at the giant screen at the opposite end of the arena. He blinked twice, unable to believe what he was looking at. Slowly he turned and came face-to-face with Destiny.
“Never seen a cowgirl in that kind of getup before,” the announcer said.
Buck’s gaze soaked in the sight of her—black leather pants, a tight vest that showed a hint of cleavage, high-heeled boots and fringed leather gloves up to her elbows. Was it any wonder his competitors in the cowboy ready area stood gawking?
This is your chance. Don’t blow it.
Buck forced his legs to move and he closed the distance between them. Destiny’s eyes shone with tears, and he couldn’t help himself from touching her—didn’t care who watched him. He tucked a strand of flaming hair behind her ear. “We’re not through—you and me.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
“Wait right here, while I take care of this bull, then we’ll talk.”
“Be careful, Buck. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Darlin’, a bull doesn’t stand a chance against a man who’s in love.” He kissed her, careful to angle his head so his cowboy hat blocked the cameras. The fans in the arena roared their approval.
He ended the kiss, then with a burst of energy, climbed the rails and eased onto the back of the bull. “You and me are gonna get along just fine,” he whispered, wrapping the rope around his gloved hand.
The gate opened, and Destiny’s Curse bolted for freedom. The announcer hadn’t been fooling when he’d claimed the bull was a spinner. Buck ground his teeth together and leaned back as he rode out the first spin. His hat flew off, but he held on and the bull rotated into a second spin.
Go all the way for Destiny. Show her you’re not a quitter.
The bull came out of the spin, kicking his back legs at the same time he twisted his spine. Even an experienced world champion bull rider would have had trouble handling this monster, but Buck was riding on a cloud of euphoria and found the strength to hang on.
He hadn’t taken a breath since the bull left the chute, and his lungs burned with the need for oxygen. He lost track of the seconds in his head and when the buzzer clanged, no one was more excited than him that he’d made it to eight. He waited for an opening, but the bull’s spinning was relentless and Buck decided he’d have to take a leap of faith. He launched himself into the air and hit the ground hard, the impact releasing what little air remained in his lungs. Instinct kicked in and he rolled away from the bull, allowing the bullfighters to step in and distract Destiny’s Curse. When he crawled to his knees he saw that the bull had lost interest in him and had trotted toward to the bull pen. Buck swept his hat off the ground and waved it at the crowd.
“Looks like Buck Owens Cash got the best of Destiny’s Curse,” the announcer said. “Let’s see what the judges award him.”
Buck didn’t care about his score. The only thing that mattered was the woman waiting for him in the cowboy ready area. Buck scaled the arena rail and when his boots hit the ground on the other side, Destiny launched herself into his arms.
“Buck Owens Cash earned an eighty-three for his performance on Destiny’s Curse,” the announcer said. “That’s good enough for third place.” The announcer chuckled. “But it looks like he’s won first place with the girl!”
Music blared throughout the arena, and the fans cheered.
Buck hugged Destiny tighter, afraid to let her go.
“Oh, my God, Buck, please tell me you’re never going to ride another bull again.” She leaned back and clasped his face in her hands. “I died a hundred deaths, waiting for you to fly off and get trampled.”
“Have a little faith in me, honey.” Buck stared into her shimmering blue eyes. “I’m not letting you marry Daryl. I’m going to be your baby’s father...if you’ll let me. I love you, Destiny, and I know you love me. Give me a chance to prove to you that you can count on me to always be there for you.”
“I should have told you about the baby before we—”
He pressed a finger against her lips. “We all make mistakes,” he said. “I let you kick me out, knowing that you wouldn’t follow through and take Daryl up on his offer.”
“How did you know I wasn’t going to marry him?”
“Because you love me.”
“I do love you, Buck. But you deserve someone better.”
“You’re the perfect woman for me.”
“I’ll try my best to be everything you ever wanted and more.”
“The same goes for me, Destiny. I’m going to prove to you that I can be a good father to the baby.”
“Just don’t leave me, Buck.”
“Neither one of us is ever going anywhere without the other. From now on we’re stuck like glue.” He brushed a knuckle across her cheek. “No more secrets, okay?”
“I promise.”
He sealed their fate with a kiss, his ego soaring from the shouts of encouragement of the cowboys cheering them. “What do you say we find someplace more private to make plans for the future?”
“How about Lizard Gulch? Do you think you could be happy living there and working in the garage with me?”
Buck’s throat tightened. He knew how important having a real home was to Destiny. “Honey, you are my home—I can be happy anywhere as long as I’m with you.” He reached for his gear bag and then grabbed her hand. “Now let’s go load your bike into the back of my pickup and head home.” When they stepped outside into the parking lot, Buck said, “I’ve always wanted to run my own garage, but I think I’ve got the better end of the deal helping you run yours.”
“Our garage, Buck. We’re doing everything together.” Destiny went up on tiptoe and kissed him. When she broke off the kiss, she said, “Melba’s going to be thrilled to have you back.”
“She just wants my help riding herd over all the crazies in town.”
They stopped next to her Harley, and Destiny wrapped her arms around Buck’s waist and laid her head on his chest. “I love you, Buck.”
He grinned.
“I’m not joking,” she said. “You’re the happy ever after I thought I’d never have.”
He hugged her close. “Who would have known that the afternoon you rescued me from the side of the road you were my Destiny.”
“I just want to be sure.” Tears filled her eyes. “Will you marry me, Buck Owens Cash?”
He nodded. “‘I’ll Take a Chance On Loving You.’”
She laughed as she wiped the tears dribbling down her cheeks. “Quoting Buck Owens’s music now?”
“You know that song?”
“As soon as I realized you were named for the country-and-western legend, I looked up his songs.”
“Oh, yeah?” Buck kissed her—he couldn’t help it. She was his now, and he couldn’t get enough of her. After a wolf whistle alerted him that he might be getting carried away with Destiny in the parking lot, he ended their kiss then borrowed a ramp from a friend’s horse trailer and secured the Harley in his truck bed.
Their whirlwind romance was only beginning, but Buck was sure of one thing—he’d never look at life quite the same way as he had before.
And that’s what real love was all about—seeing life in a new light—the light that leads down the road to happy ever after.
Epilogue
“Are you sure about the veil, Destiny?”
“Stop worrying, Violet.” Destiny secured the lace to her head. “Buck is my Prince Charming. He’ll break the spell on your veil.” She hugged the o
lder woman.
“Good, because I have my eye on Bernie’s cousin.”
Willard Humphrey was ten years younger than Violet and had shown up in town last week with only a suitcase and a dog named Kitty. Destiny had looked out her bedroom window one morning and had spotted the dog resting beneath the tree in the cemetery, Bernie’s cats snuggling against its side. Apparently the animals of Lizard Gulch were as peculiar as its residents.
“I’d better make a move on Willard before Melba sinks her claws into the man.” Violet stood back and perused Destiny’s outfit. “You look beautiful.”
Destiny hadn’t done anything different to herself, but Buck’s love made her feel as if she was the most beautiful woman on earth—at least for today.
Melba poked her head inside the minister’s office. “Are you ready?”
“I am.” Destiny smoothed her hands down her white leather pants, which she’d barely managed to zip. After she and Buck set the church date, she’d offered to buy a wedding dress, but Buck had insisted she wear the same outfit she’d had on the day they’d first met. Destiny was hard put to deny Buck anything. Next week she’d go to her second appointment at the women’s clinic in Kingman, and Buck had asked to tag along with her. Already he acted as if the baby was his son or daughter. Destiny didn’t know what she’d done to deserve Buck coming into her life, but she and her child were truly blessed to have his love.
“The chapel’s full and it’s hot out there,” Melba said. “Unless you want folks passing out from heatstroke, you’d better get a move on.”
The three women left the office through a side door and walked to the front of the chapel, where Bernie waited to escort her down the aisle.
“You look real nice, Mayor Saunders.” Bernie wore his top hat and tux jacket over freshly washed jeans. The scent of coconut hair tonic clashed with the perfumed soap Destiny had used to bathe in earlier in the morning. Dixie had given Destiny a bridal basket of homemade soaps and lotions from her store along with a note from all the Cash women, welcoming her to the family.
Family.
The chapel was packed with Buck’s family and most of Lizard Gulch had shown up, too. No one disputed that the residents got the better end of the deal they’d worked out with Custer and Wyndell Resorts—everyone was happy.