Christmas Cowboy

by Claire Adams

  “The fundraiser?”

  “Yeah. Do you really think it’ll work?”

  “I think you’ll be very surprised at the pull and support you have within this community,” she said. “I think you’ll get exactly what you need.”

  “You think so?” I asked.

  “I know so,” she said. “But I also know you’re not convinced. As long as I’ve known you, you’ve always looked on the bad side of things and settled for being pleasantly surprised when something more than the worst-case scenario ever happened.”

  “I can’t help it. It’s just how I’m wired, I guess,” I said.

  “Do you trust me?” she asked.

  “Oh my God! What is it with you Smiths and that question?”

  “Answer it. Do you trust us? Me and Colt?”

  “Of course I do. With my life and the life of my horses,” I said.

  “Okay, then trust us when we say this is going to work.”

  “I hope you’re right,” I said with a sigh. “People were really upset with me.”

  “All I ask is that you hold on to hope,” she said.

  Chapter 35

  Cheyenne

  I smoothed out my dress and continued to hover around the room. Tiffany had to move the fundraiser to the restaurant at the last minute because there were far too many people showing up at the house early on. I was absolutely astounded. The winter air was steady and light, the smell of snow in the air, while everyone in the restaurant mingled with smiles on their faces. My heels clacked against the floor; my hair wouldn’t stay up in the clip I’d put it in, and Colt eventually convinced me to just leave it down.

  “I told you,” he said.

  “Where in the world did all these people come from?” I asked.

  “Honestly? I don’t even recognize some of them. Must be from some of these neighboring counties you pestered.”

  Tiffany did a fantastic job of decorating this place last minute. Beautiful silk cloths covered the tables with dancing candles, and the flames peppered the venue with sharp shadows. The silverware was shined, and the small-stemmed flowers that sat in the corners of the casual restaurant really brought the distressed wood to life.

  Tiffany shook her head, “Look at all these people!”

  “It looks beautiful,” I said, smiling.

  “I knew the moment the line of cars started wrapping around the street that we were in trouble. So, I just grabbed everything and brought it here, and told the chef to keep everyone entertained with the food he’d already cooked. Then, it was only a matter of getting them to reroute.”

  “I don’t know how you pulled any of this off,” I said.

  “With patience and creativity,” she said. “And they all came out to see you.”

  People approached me all night. Michael ‘accidentally’ ordered extra bags of feed, and some of the neighboring farms and sanctuaries came with excess tack they couldn’t use for one reason or another. Some people personally handed me checks, and a couple of individuals even offered their part-time services to help me around the sanctuary.

  I kept telling them I had no way to pay them right now, and they kept telling me they would simply ‘find an even trade at a later date.’

  Every once in a while, Colt would surface, and each time he did, I thought he looked absolutely stunning. The dark washed jeans he had on hugged his tight ass, and the plaid shirt he had tucked into his jeans pulled taut against his chest. He had hung up his hat for tonight and had slicked back his hair and pulled out his nice pair of boots. He kept walking around in the shadows with a bucket in his hand, and every time I went over to see what he was doing, someone else would grab my arm and start to talk with me.

  Everyone was absolutely stunned at what Bill had done, and many even offered up their own stories of unpleasant encounters with the man. People were shocked about Rick and talked about how they never thought a nice man like him could get involved in something like that. All I did was tell them that money made people go crazy in the strangest of ways.

  I knew exactly how that felt as I stood here in the middle of the restaurant and wrung my hands, nerves threatening to overwhelm me.

  “You really need to settle down,” Tiffany said.

  “Thank you again. For everything. This is just stunning. How’s your leg?”

  “Holding up,” she said. “This boot isn’t nearly as itchy as the cast, so it’s far better.”

  “I should’ve known the two most beautiful women here would be hunkered down in a corner,” Michael said.

  “Hey there, Mike.”

  “Michael!”

  Tiffany threw her arms around his neck, and I was stunned at her reaction to him. Tiffany was wearing this full-length, silky looking sundress with a light coat on her shoulders, and she held Michael’s neck a little longer than usual. I remembered those hugs with Colt when I was still in denial of how I felt about him, and I caught Colt’s gaze across the room.

  And all he did was snicker and shake his head.

  “You look beautiful tonight,” Michael said. “Both of you.”

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling. “I need to thank you. The extra feed you came across is going to keep me for quite a while. Thank you.”

  “It’s really nothing. It’s more feed than I’ll ever need. I automatically renew it monthly, so I don’t have to worry about it, and way too much came this time around.”

  “Uh huh. Right,” I said.

  “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it,” Michael said with a wink.

  “Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you. Colt found some extra leather shiner and a hydrator in the back of our barn. It’s yours if you want it,” Tiffany said.

  “The two of you have done enough,” I said.

  “I’ll have it sent right over,” she said with a smirk.

  “Did you get her to take it?” Colt asked.

  “Hey there,” I said.

  “You look stunning,” he said. He kissed me on the head before he slipped his arm around me, and for a split second, all the commotion faded into the background.

  That happened a great deal when I was with him.

  “This place looks incredible, Colt,” I said.

  “Yeah. Tif did a wonderful job decorating. I didn’t recognize the place when I walked in.”

  “Why didn’t you have it here in the first place?” Michael asked.

  “I’ll let the one with the bright idea answer that one,” Colt said before he looked down at me.

  “I didn’t want to take his restaurant for a night and have him miss out on the revenue,” I said.

  “Fair enough,” Michael said. “But next time? Just listen. Saves a lot of people some heartache.”

  “Never,” I teased.

  “That’s my girl!” Tif exclaimed.

  “And who’s gonna be my girl?” Michael asked.

  I glanced up at Colt while we waited for Tif’s reaction. She simply giggled and shrugged her shoulders, and something told me she was a little less clueless about the situation. She had no idea what to do with this information, but she was slowly starting to be pulled into the loop.

  “So, now that you’re staying in town—”

  “Well, if this fundraiser goes well, yes,” I said, still feeling tentative.

  “Fine,” Michael said, “if the fundraiser goes well and you stay in town, what now? Are you just gonna resume things as normal?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.

  “Well, a lot has developed. People have seen how close you and Colt have gotten. I was wondering if the two of you would continue to deny things or not,” Michael said.

  “Oh, Cheyenne isn’t denying a thing,” Tif said.

  “Tif!”

  “Wait, what?” Colt asked.

  “Uh-oh. I think I just got someone in trouble,” Michael said.

  “Colt, don’t look so shocked,” Tif said. “I know the two of you are shacking up. And don’t get upset with Cheyenne. I backed her into a corner, and sh
e made me promise not to tell anyone. Besides, I really didn’t need either of you to tell me what was going on. It was pretty obvious since I live there and everything.”

  “A lot of good that promise did,” Colt said.

  “Good thing you’re not a lawyer. You’d be bad at springing surprises in a courtroom,” Michael said.

  “Oh really? And how do you know?” she asked.

  “Because I used to be one,” he said.

  “Wait. Really?” she asked.

  “Yeah. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, pretty little lady,” Michael said with a wink.

  “So, how do I find out more about you?” she asked.

  “I suppose you could get a drink with me sometime, and I could tell you some things. I love talking about myself. It’s a very interesting subject.”

  The four of us chuckled before silence fell on us. Everyone had their eyes trained on Tif, who couldn’t keep her eyes off Michael. A smile bloomed upon her face in the dim lighting of the restaurant, and the moment her smile crinkled the sides of her eyes, I knew Michael had finally won this fight.

  “I suppose a drink would be nice,” she said. “When were you thinking?”

  “Anywhere and anytime you wish,” Michael said.

  “That was smooth,” I said under my breath.

  “I’ll show you smooth,” Colt said. He then smoothed his hand down my back and cupped my ass, and it took every ounce of restraint I had not to grind back into his touch.

  “Well then, Tif, would you like to dance?” Michael asked.

  “That sounds like fun! Colt, Cheyenne, you guys wanna join us?” she asked.

  “Tif,” we both groaned. “Just go.”

  Michael threw his head back and laughed, and Tif simply shook her head. Michael slipped his arm around her waist while the two of them made their way to the dancefloor. We watched from the corner as Michael pulled her close, and the moment I saw her sigh and close her eyes, I knew she was done for. She might not want to admit it, and she might not believe it, but eventually, she would wake up one morning and wish he was there, and it would hit her.

  “You think she gets it now?” Colt asked. “She’s always been a difficult one.”

  “Good thing Michael had a job requiring persistence in the past,” I said. “Plus, she agreed to the drink. I think he’s finally good now.”

  “Let me go check on the food. I’ll be right back.” Colt kissed me on the head before he ventured off to the kitchen, and no sooner had he barreled through those double doors did I feel someone tap me on the shoulder. There was a man standing behind me in a tailored suit and gaudy cowboy boots, but when my eyes panned up to his kind smile, I instantly relaxed.

  “Are you Cheyenne?” the man asked.

  “I suppose it depends on who wants to know,” I said.

  “Given what you’ve been through, I don’t blame you for that retort. I’m Michael Rollins. I work for Second Chances over in Clackamas County.”

  “I’m familiar with it of course. It’s the biggest horse rescue ranch in the state,” I said.

  “I’ve got a couple of friends from the surrounding counties around here that contacted me and said that depending on how this fundraiser went, that your horses might be in need of shelter and you might be in need of a job,” he said.

  “Well, they aren’t wrong about that,” I said.

  “I’d like to offer you a job, starting in February. My right-hand man is finally retiring, and I’ll need someone new and fresh to run the operations and manage the day-to-day activities with the horses all across the ranch. Your horses would have a place to go, and you’d have a job there, if you’d like.”

  I was absolutely stunned. I couldn’t believe what the man had just told me. I went from having no backup plan to having a massive and guaranteed plan B, and all I wanted to do was throw my arms around his neck.

  “You’d have many more horses to take care of, but there would be much better funding. You’d have medical benefits and a 401(k), and you could even stay on the premises until you found yourself a place to live in the area,” Mr. Rollins said.

  “That is an incredible offer,” I said.

  “Here’s my card. Just think about it. I wouldn’t need an answer until the New Year, so it’ll give you a chance to figure out things here. I’ve heard about your talents and expertise, and it’d be an honor to have you on the ranch.”

  “Thank you so much for the opportunity,” I said.

  The man tipped his hat and walked away, and the card he gave me was unsteady between my fingers. I looked around at the room that seemed to be filling with more people than I could’ve ever imagined, and then my eyes panned over to the kitchen. Colt’s gaze was hard on me while Tif and Michael swayed in the corner of my eye, and all at once my head started to spin. Even if this fundraiser helped out a bit, this was an opportunity that would provide for me what I could never provide for myself the way I was going now. I felt a dichotomous tug in the pit of my gut and realized I could use some fresh air.

  I tucked the card away in my purse and stepped outside of the restaurant. The cold winter night seemed apathetic to what was happening just below it, and all at once tears began to stream down my face. This town had embraced me so completely, and everyone seemed to be on my side, and yet just a few counties away was the secure job every horse sanctuary owner prays for.

  Could I really leave all this behind?

  Chapter 36

  Colt

  Cheyenne looked stunning tonight. She wore a simple light blue dress that dropped all the way to her feet. It hugged her curves in places I hadn’t put my hands on yet, and whenever I looked at her, the only thing I could think about was putting my hands there later. I could tell she was overwhelmed with the number of people that showed up at the venue. I was not surprised a bit, which was why I had already prepped the restaurant with the food and drink we would need when Tif switched the venue.

  My sister and I had briefly talked about switching it on her anyway, but I thought it would be a really good visual lesson for her to see the amount of people I knew would turn out for this event. Many people sympathized with her and had clashed with Bill at one point or another, and—if anything—their anger over the situation would prompt them to be more generous with their pocketbooks.

  However, when that man began talking to Cheyenne, I could tell something was wrong.

  Her eyes were lighting up when he was talking, but her body language had become tense. She talked with him for a little while before he handed her a card, and then she left to go outside after he moved on. Whatever he told her was weighing heavily on her mind, but I decided to leave her be for now. I knew she would want to give a thank-you speech soon, and the last thing I wanted to do was distract or upset her by bombarding her with questions about something that clearly was troubling to her.

  “Good evening, everyone,” she started. “I want to thank you all so much for coming out tonight. I know that all of you are at least somewhat familiar with everything that has taken place the past few weeks, and I just want you all to know how much it means to me that you turned out to support the sanctuary this evening.”

  Small claps and hollers ricocheted across the room, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her on stage. I had finally convinced her to just let her hair be after she’d been fussing with it all night, and the way the candlelight played off the long strands of hair made me want to run my fingers through it. I was shocked when I learned that she had told my sister about us—and even more shocked that Tif hadn’t given me a ration of shit about it yet—making me wonder where we actually stood.

  Was she comfortable telling people we were together? Was what we were doing more than casual? I was hoping it was, but I also wasn’t oblivious to the fact that she may have just needed me and what I could give her for stress relief during a terrible situation. I was prepared for either answer, but when she was talking to that man, a part of me hoped our relationship was strong enough for her to de
ny whatever it was he had offered her.

  The silent auction we held across the restaurant had been a resounding success, and the food that had come out of the kitchen had been some of the best I’d ever tasted. I told my chef to get creative, and after the crowd really took to them, I told him we would add a couple of his dishes to the menu. I briefly spoke with him about having seasonal dishes he created himself to showcase his abilities, but our conversation was interrupted when it was time to close down the auction, and I began to speak.

  “It looks as if all the items in the auction have been claimed in one way or another. Tiffany Smith is going around right now highlighting the highest bidder on each of the items, so if your name is highlighted, stick around! And again, thank you so much for coming out and supporting me. The love and overwhelming support you all—”

  I watched tears well up in her eyes and, for a split second, I thought I might break down as well. Her body was trembling, and the microphone was shaking. At that moment, I realized all at once how truly overwhelmed she was tonight. I wanted to rush up and wrap my arms around her, to ground her to her place so she could finish her speech, but I knew she really had to do this on her own. I knew she had to come to terms with some things and make some decisions on her own terms, so I simply crossed my arms over my chest and kept my eyes trained on her.

  “Just, thank you,” she said into the microphone, steadier now. “Thank you for everything you all have offered, given, and done for me.”

  “We love you, Cheyenne!” someone shouted from the crowd.

  People began to clap, and Cheyenne wiped away the tears now streaming down her face, and that’s when I officially opened the bar for business. I made drink specials specifically for tonight, so Cheyenne didn’t think she was making me lose out on any money by holding the fundraiser here, and people flocked to them. I got compliments on how good they were, and people wondered why they weren’t on the regular menu. At some point, I realized this fundraiser wasn’t only benefitting Cheyenne, but it was benefitting my business, too.

  “So, I haven’t done a final tally yet, but I did some quick math on the silent auction numbers.”