Christmas Cowboy

by Claire Adams

  “What are you doing here?” She glanced around, and I felt strange for not calling her.

  “I wanted to come and see if you wanted to go to dinner. I remember you said your shifts usually end around six when you work days, so I thought I’d pick you up.”

  “I wish you’d have called first.” She gave me a curt glance and then looked away.

  “I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy day. I really needed to see you.” I reached for her hand, and she stepped away and raked her hand through her hair.

  “I’m working late tonight. I’m going to cover half of my friend’s shift so she can go home to her sick son.” She pointed out in the direction of the other nurse who had made herself busy across the hall.

  “Could I bring you something? Are you going to get time to eat?” I wanted to kiss her so bad, but she would barely look at me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  “You can’t just drop in here. My schedule is crazy, and we’re always covering for one another.”

  “I understand that. I just thought that you might have a minute, and I wanted to see you.”

  “Well, I don’t have a minute. If you can’t understand that about my career, then maybe I’m not the girl for you.” She crossed her arms and stared at the floor, but I wasn’t going to settle for that. I pulled her into my arms and held her.

  “Don’t say that, Lexa.” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she broke from my hold and ran out. My gut twisted as I stood there, not sure what to do. I couldn’t go after her. The best I could do was to go home and hope for the best.

  Chapter Thirty

  Lexa

  I kept busy all weekend, but it wasn’t enough to keep Aiden away. He’d apologized through a text message since I’d avoided all his calls and I had finally sent reassurance to him that I was dealing with a family issue on Sunday. I couldn’t say I was surprised Monday morning when he called just as I was pouring my morning coffee.

  “I’m sorry to bother you so early.” His voice was very quiet, and I knew his mood was off because the trial was today. It was only seven in the morning, and he had to be there at nine. My parents were expecting me there, as well.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry I have been so crazy lately.”

  “Hey, it’s cool. Whatever you’re going through, I know things get nuts in life sometimes. You can talk to me if you need to.” His offer to comfort me made the guilt burn hotter in my gut.

  “Thanks. I know you’ve got a rough day ahead, but remember I’m on your side. I wish there were something I could do. I care about you so much, Aiden.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but it didn’t seem fair. If he gave me that opportunity after, I’d never hesitate again to say it.

  “I know. I care about you, too. When this is all over, maybe you can take a couple of days off. I know it’s a crazy job, and it keeps you busy, but you know if you get some time off, I’d like us to go away together. We could both use a vacation.”

  Tears stung my eyes, and I sniffled. “Yeah, that sounds nice.” I was such a coward. “Good luck today, Aiden.”

  “I’ll call you after.”

  I nodded, but let the phone go dead without another word. I put the phone down on the bar and threw my coffee into the sink, the cup crashing so loud I could have sworn it broke.

  Before I could fall apart, my father called. “Yes, Dad?” I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

  “Good morning, sweetheart. This is my final plea to get you to show up today.” His voice was so much like Shawn’s, especially on the phone.

  “I still don’t agree with any of this. You’re ruining his life. You’re ruining mine, and you don’t even know it. Please drop this suit, Daddy.”

  “It’s too late to stop it now. Things are in motion, and we’ve come too far. Our family has already lost so much, and the last thing I want to do is lose you, too. Your mother has been beside herself with grief all weekend, and you’d think that she’d lost Shawn all over again. You really disappointed her. Please show up — even if you don’t support us, come let her know you still love her.”

  “Of course, I do.” I didn’t want my mother to suffer any more pain, but I didn’t want that for Aiden, either. I had resigned my fate that I wouldn’t go and I’d slowly break away from Aiden.

  But with my dad’s final plea, I knew I had to go. I had to stand with my stupid family and be the child that my brother would have been. He’d always stood beside my mom and dad, no matter how idiotic their schemes were, so now it was my turn.

  Not only that, but I knew it was time that Aiden learned the truth. Might as well deliver my blow swiftly and get it all over with. I only prayed that he loved me enough that he could see the spot I was in.

  But I knew it was no use. My day of reckoning had come.

  “I’ll be there.” I hung up the phone, not waiting to hear my father’s reaction, and then I dragged myself to the bathroom to get ready.

  I took my time showering, and though I fixed my hair and makeup, I kept things simple, as if I were going to a funeral. It was, after all, a solemn occasion; the last thing I wanted to do was show up looking like I was going to a party.

  I showed up at the courthouse and avoided my parents by staying in the car until the last minute possible and then walked into the courtroom and sat in the back row. I kept my head down, but there weren’t many people to hide behind. I did my best to duck behind an old man who was jotting down notes, but he kept leaning to the seat next to him where he had laid out some papers. I wasn’t sure if he was a reporter, but I didn’t want to ask.

  “All rise.” I took to my feet and kept my head down as the judge entered the room and then I saw him over the small crowd up front. Aiden had shaved his beard and was wearing an Armani suit.

  God, he’s gorgeous. My heart raced as I looked across and saw my parents facing off with the man I loved.

  Shit. I love him.

  My nerves were completely shot, but I knew what I had to do. I got to my feet and moved to the front. There was one empty seat on the end just behind the defense, and my ass had it good and warm before my mother glanced over and gave me a strange look. She waved me over as if I had stupidly sat on the wrong side, but I took a deep breath and looked forward. I might be about to out myself to Aiden, but he’d know whose side I was on.

  After hearing the evidence, the jury broke and the judge told us he’d have his decision after lunch. It wasn’t until then that Aiden stood and turned around.

  “Lexa!” He pulled me into his arms and held me tight, but my parents were already on their way over.

  “Alexandra!” My mother’s voice cut through the crowd, and she pushed past Aiden’s lawyer, who seemed just as confused as everyone else and stood waiting for an explanation.

  Aiden pulled away, and I glanced down to the floor unable to meet any of their eyes. “Mom. Dad.”

  I glanced up in time for Aiden’s reaction. His face had gone ghost white, and he stood stone still, searching my eyes.

  “What are you doing with our daughter?” My father’s temper was so bad the words sounded like they’d been mixed with molten lava and poured from his mouth.

  “No doubt you’re the one whose been filling her head, villainizing us so she’d talk us into dropping this case.” My mother looked at me like I was a piece of trash — and like Aiden was much lower.

  “Daughter? These are your parents? The assholes who are suing me?” The courtroom had cleared out all but for the lawyers and us, and they were trying to get us to take it into a private office.

  “Like you didn’t know,” my mother hissed.

  “He didn’t. I never told him who I was.” I trembled, rocked with emotions so overwhelming that I could hardly stand.

  “How could you lie to me? They put you up to this?”

  I shook my head and fell against his chest. “No, Aiden, I swear. It was a fluke, and I didn’t know how to tell you.”

  “I fell in love with
you.” He grabbed my arms and pushed me back. “I don’t even fucking know you.” He pushed past me, and his lawyer held my dad off as Aiden hurried out. The man glared at me with wide eyes and then shook his head and hurried after Aiden.

  My mother and father walked away, as well, and I was left standing alone with a very confused bailiff.

  I ran out to the bathroom and called Bre, but she wasn’t answering. On my way out, I ran right into Aiden who looked at me like I was a stranger before walking away. His lawyer stayed back and once Aiden was away, he pulled me to the side.

  “You need to give my client some space. I’m begging you to stop whatever game you’ve got going on with him, and you two can work things out another time.”

  “I just want to explain things to him. My parents didn’t know. I swear it. I met him when he crashed his bike, and I let my curiosity get the best of me.” He gave me a pitiful look, but then his face softened.

  “Today isn’t the day to work this out. If there’s anything to salvage, it will wait. I heard what your parents said. They think he put you up to trying to talk them out of this. Was that because you wanted his money all to yourself? Is this some sick twisted revenge of your own?”

  The idea that Aiden might think that knocked the wind out of me. “No, I don’t want anything. I just didn’t think it was fair.”

  “Lying to him is fair? Making him fall in love with you is fair? And just so you know, I wanted to throw you under the bus. I wanted to out this little scam in court and let the judge chew on that, but Aiden said no. He didn’t want to put you through it. You’re a piece of work.” He shook his head and walked away, and I couldn’t even argue with his parting words.

  I hung around long enough to catch the verdict. At least I could rest easy that my parents hadn’t gotten what they were asking for. The judge thought it was a gross amount, and the proof of negligence was not as solid as they had hoped because there was no way to know that when the plane went down that it was Mr. Walker in control. The jury did find my parents’ case favorable enough for a settlement, and Mom would have enough to redecorate the beach home and buy a new one if she wanted.

  Aiden looked like a shell of himself the entire time and any trace of light that had been in his eyes before the trial was good and gone as he walked past me and hurried out. My parents approached me, to my surprise, and let me know that they wanted to hear me out whenever they let this all sink in. In the end, nobody won — and I was the biggest loser of all.

  I walked out to see Aiden and his lawyer standing in the courtyard, the sun shining down on his smooth face and the wind gently blowing his hair. Maybe it was the nurse in me, that need to fix and tend and care, but I wanted to run to him and make it all better. They walked across the yard to the parking lot, and Aiden stopped again beside the Shelby. He shook hands with the other man and then he got into his car and sped away. I watched until I could no longer see her taillights.

  I decided to try Bre one more time, and when she didn’t answer, I realized that for the first time in a long time, I was completely alone.

  It would take time, but I was going to try and explain myself to Aiden. He deserved that much, and I couldn’t live with him not knowing the truth or thinking something horrible of me. Not that what I’d done wasn’t terrible, but I needed him to know there was no hidden agenda. That my parents hadn’t put me up to it and that my feelings, despite it all, had been sincere.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Aiden

  After the trial, I went home and changed clothes before heading out to Glen’s with all intentions of getting hammered. It had been a while since I’d been on a good tear, and it was as good a night as any considering I was numb inside. Lexa, a.k.a. Alexandra Patterson, had killed me.

  “So, you’re saying she lied about her name?” Glen poured my fifth beer, still trying to catch up.

  “Yeah, and no telling what else. The whole time she let me go on and on about losing my family, the hearing, and even calling her family a bunch of assholes. Guess the asshole doesn’t fall far from the asshole tree.” I tossed back the beer and took a hard drink before slamming the glass down on the table.

  “You really think her parents knew all along? That they’d pimp out their girl to try and ruin you? That doesn’t sound likely, man. I think you need to talk to her.”

  “Oh, I’ll talk to her. I’ve got a good earful for her, but not yet. I’m going to let her stew a bit.” I had my own shit to stew in, and I intended on getting good and shit-faced before dealing with any of it.

  “Yeah, let that bitch stew,” said some asshole next to me. I turned and looked him square in the eye. Then I punched him right in the mouth.

  Glen jumped across the bar before the man even hit the floor, but it was too late. There was nothing he could do but help the man up. He rubbed his jaw and looked at me like I was crazy. “What the hell, man? I was on your side.”

  Maybe he had been, but he’d also called Lexa a bitch and I wasn’t about to stand for it. As pissed off as I was, I’d beat his ass down if he made that mistake again.

  “You need to calm down, Aiden.” Glen helped the guy to the other end of the bar and gave him a free beer, which he drank around keeping his pie hole shut. Then he stepped back over to me. “Am I going to have to cut you off already?”

  “You know I’m not drunk. That asshole’s been running his mouth all night.” I downed my beer and knocked on the bar, meeting Glen right in the eyes, challenging him to cut me off.

  “Promise me, friend, that you’ll settle down. Let’s talk about something else.” He thought steering me away from the conversation would help matters, but after another hour and three more beers, I was back on it.

  “You know I even thought about marrying her? Of course, I wanted her to move in first. How fucking dumb could I get, right? Lexa Lively. Sounds like a fucking stripper’s name.” I turned and shouted to the crowd, “A fucking stripper, ladies and gentlemen.”

  “That’s enough, buddy. I’m closing you down and calling your friend Scott. I’m sure he’s up to make a buck.”

  “Fuck Scott.” I pushed my empty glass off the bar and stood up. “I’ll walk home.” I threw my keys across the bar, and they broke a glass. Glen cursed and then came around to walk me to the door.

  “You’re going to end up in jail; let me call you a ride.” I jerked away from him and met his stare.

  “I’m fine. I’m going to walk off some of my aggression. Go serve your fucking beers, and I’ll call you when I get home.”

  “If I don’t hear from you in a few hours, I’m sending out search parties.” He was concerned, and as mad and drunk as I was, I was also grateful. He deserved a better friend than me.

  “Okay. I’ll be good, I promise. Give me my house key.” Glen hesitated then took my key off the little ring and pressed it into my palm.

  “Don’t lose that.” He walked away, and I gave him a salute and kept walking across the lot to my truck. I had to take a piss, and I wasn’t going back inside. I walked up to the front of my truck and had my cock out aiming into the bushes when the loudmouth came out from the other side and started running his mouth again.

  He said something about a sucker punch, but I turned and pissed on his shoes. He screamed and threw a punch, but I ducked out of the way before his other hand connected. I staged a bit, feeling the sting on my cheek. With my cock still hanging out, I punched him back into my truck door. He staggered forward, and I moved out of the way in time for him to land face down in my piss.

  “You’re having a worse fucking night than me.” I spat on him and then turned to walk away as Lexa’s Camaro pulled to a stop and her window went down.

  Correction: maybe my night was worse, after all.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me?” I shook my head and went to walk around the car; if she had shown up before I’d been punched in the gut, I might have still been drunk enough to actually get in the car with her.

  She drove forward, keepi
ng me from going around. “Aiden, let me take you home. Please. I’m worried about you.” She looked like a mess, and the last thing I wanted to see was her crying eyes pleading with me. I wasn’t about to break weak.

  “Not going to happen, sweetheart.” I kept walking the only way I could out to the street, but she didn’t give up.

  “We don’t have to talk. You don’t have to give me a chance, but please let me take you home. I need to know you’re safe. Please.” It was a long walk home and looking longer by the minute the more I sobered up.

  But I couldn’t do it. “What do you care? You can’t play nurse and fix this, Lexa. My bad, Alexandra. Alexandra Patterson.”

  “I’m still Lexa, Aiden. The same person-”

  I slammed my hands down on her car door and leaned in the window. “Don’t give me that shit. You lied to me about who you were. I don’t even know you.” Seeing her flinch away from me put me in check. “You need to leave. Before I do or say something I’ll regret.” I stepped back, but she stayed put.

  “I’m not leaving unless you let me drive you home. And then I promise, I’ll leave you alone, and you never have to talk to me again.”

  I scratched my head and decided she could take me to the liquor store. A ride wouldn’t hurt anything, and maybe part of me wasn’t ready to let her go — a very small part, that was fading fast.

  I growled and grabbed the handle and opened the door. “Take me up the street.”

  “Thank you.” I didn’t want her thanks or her approval. I needed her to take me to a gas station so I could grab a case of beer to get me through the night. She pulled in, and I got out before the car came to a complete stop. “I’ll wait here.”

  Whatever. I went inside and took my time, but I kept an eye on her, realizing we were still in a shitty part of town. She’d put herself in a car alone in the fucking worst part of town to wait for me. She had to have been outside the whole time, and no telling how long she’d waited for me to come out.