Count on a Cowboy

by Patricia Thayer

  * * *

  BROOKE DIDN’T LIKE how Trent just brushed over the important parts of the phone call. “Wait a minute. What did Rory ask? Does he remember Coralee? Is he going to tell Laurel about being her daughter?”

  Trent held up a hand. “Slow down. First of all, yes, he remembers Coralee. And that’s all I’m saying because this is his story to tell you.”

  She wasn’t happy. “So I’m just supposed to sit around and wait until Rory Quinn decides to come home.”

  “No. You can return to Las Vegas at any time, but Rory did request that you stay here until he returns. He wants to meet you. But first he needs to talk with Laurel and explain things. And as you know, she’s going through a rough time. Although I might think Jack Aldrich is a bastard, Laurel thought she loved him.”

  Brooke backed down. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I’m the one asking for a big favor.” She was eager to meet her sister, but it was more than that. Thanks to her mother, she’d been alone all her life. She’d only been able to dream about having a family.

  And if telling a white lie got her the opportunity, so be it. She wasn’t leaving Colorado until she had a chance to make a connection, at least with her twin sister.

  Chapter Four

  An hour later, Brooke sat beside Trent in his truck, bumping along the winding dirt road that led to his ranch.

  Grabbing hold of the safety handle to steady herself, she stole a glance across the bench seat to the man who suddenly had become her closest connection to her family. His clean-shaven jaw was set tight and his forehead furrowed in a deep frown, as if he were thinking about something serious. Was he her ally, or was he hoping she’d give up her quest and just leave Colorado?

  She faced forward and concentrated on the incredible view. The lush green grass was waving in the warm autumn breeze while the cattle grazed in the pasture with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. It was like a different world here. A world she knew nothing about until two weeks ago, when she found the secrets hidden in Coralee’s safety deposit box.

  Suddenly she had a sister...and a father. And now she was on a ranch in Colorado waiting for her new family to come home.

  Panic hit her. What if they wanted nothing to do with her? Didn’t want her in their life? The familiar feeling of rejection caused an overwhelming ache in her chest.

  Why should it matter whether Laurel or Rory Quinn accepted her? She’d been used to people turning their backs on her. Her mother was at the top of the list, unless she needed something. Even the men who’d walked in and out of Coralee’s life over the years hated having a kid around.

  When she was a child, her mom’s career hadn’t taken off yet, so Coralee had spent money on clothes to look nice for auditions. That meant they had to cut corners on other things like their apartment. So they ended up living in bad neighborhoods with slum apartments. A lot of them had been rent-by-the-week rooms with a kitchenette. Then there’d been the time when one of Coralee’s boyfriends had stolen everything, including their money. She and her mother had had to go and live in shelters for a few weeks.

  That had been the day Brooke decided she would never depend on anyone for anything, especially a man. She glanced at Trent. So what did she do? She was relying on a total stranger and letting him take her to his ranch.

  She released a slow breath. What was going to happen when the whole truth about her came out?

  “You’re going to hurt yourself, thinking so hard.”

  Trent’s voice pulled her back to the present.

  “Sorry, I’m just worried about my mother,” she lied. “She depends on me.”

  Trent glanced at her. “I thought she was in a care facility.”

  “She is, but I’m usually there nearly every day. I help her get bathed and dressed. She doesn’t trust anyone else to do it.”

  His mesmerizing gaze locked on hers. “You must be pretty close.”

  “We’ve never had anyone else.” She looked out the window. The beautiful scenery was distracting, but this man also had a strong pull.

  “Your mother never married?”

  She shook her head. “She was busy with her career. So it’s always been just us,” she said in a half truthful way. Men never stuck around for long. Had it been that way for Coralee with Rory Quinn? She’d asked her mother, but according to her, the man had been crazy about her.

  God, was this a mistake to come here? Would Rory Quinn reject her when he learned that Coralee had lied to him about a second baby?

  “Are you okay staying until Rory gets back here?”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure there are other card dealers who are willing to take my shifts.”

  “And your mother?” he asked.

  “I’ll explain it to her. After all, it was Coralee who wanted me to come here.”

  “Good. Rory should be home in a couple of days.”

  “I probably should have called the Quinns before I drove all this way, but I thought—”

  “You thought that Rory might tell you not to come,” he finished for her.

  She opened her mouth to deny it, but his words were true. “I’m still not sure what’s going to happen.”

  “I’ve known Rory all my life. There isn’t a mean bone in his body. He’s a friend to everyone, and very generous. Besides, this only has to do with Laurel. She’s an adult so it’s her decision whether or not she wants a relationship with her sister.”

  Brooke wanted so badly to believe that. How about when they all learned the rest of the truth? Of course, she didn’t expect Rory to immediately love her, but with her mother’s debilitating illness it would be nice to have...someone. She felt the familiar tightness in her chest that reminded her of the years of loneliness.

  She turned to Trent. “How well do you know Laurel?”

  A smile appeared across his face. “Since they moved here when Laurel was a baby. She was cute, and quite a little chatterbox. Then when I got older, she soon became a pain in the butt, following me around everywhere.” His smiled faded as if he was thinking of something sad. “I moved away at fourteen and didn’t see her much until I came back a few years ago.”

  Why did he move away so young? “So she’s always lived here with her parents?”

  He nodded. “Except for her years in college. She loves horses too much to leave the ranch permanently. And she’s building a name for herself training quarter horses.”

  Trent glanced at Brooke’s profile. He could see a strong resemblance between the two sisters. “That’s the reason Rory wanted to build the cabins, the extra income would help Laurel get her dream of breeding and training her own horses.”

  He caught a trace of sadness in Brooke’s green eyes. He doubted she’d lived an idyllic life back in Las Vegas. It couldn’t have been easy for a single mother to raise a daughter alone. He hoped he’d find out more when Cody investigated Coralee. “Has your dream always been to work in the hotel business?” he asked, wanting to learn more.

  She shrugged. “You can make a good living at it in Las Vegas, but I would prefer a smaller venue. That way you can give your guests a more personal touch.”

  He pulled up to the archway that read Lucky Bar L Ranch. “Be right back.” He climbed out and swung open the metal gate, got back into the truck and drove through, then closed it again.

  Further up the gravel road the two-story Landry house came into view. It had been freshly painted this past summer. Trent recalled the long hours he’d put in with a brush in his hand up high on a ladder. Come spring, the barn would be next to get a new coat.

  He saw Brooke’s interest as she looked around. “This is very nice.”

  “It’s a work in progress. My dad was sick a long time and the place had gotten pretty run-down. I’ve been tackling as much as I can while keeping the ranch going.”

  She gave him a rare smile and suddenly his heart tripped.

  “Your work has been worth it. The house looks lovely.”

  He pulled up in front of the barn. Going ar
ound the truck, he helped Brooke down from the high cab. His ranch hand, Rick Pierson, walked out to greet them.

  “Hey, Trent,” he called. “I didn’t expect you back this morning.” The twenty-two-year-old spoke to him, but his gaze was riveted on Brooke.

  Why did that bother Trent? “I needed to check up on you to see if you’re staying out of trouble.”

  “That’s no fun.” The part-time college student grinned, showing off those straight white teeth. He pushed his straw cowboy hat back and let his too-long blond hair fall across his forehead. Did the kid ever get a haircut?

  “Don’t worry, I’ve done all the chores, and Mike just rode out to check the herd.”

  “What about the downed fence by the creek?”

  “When Mike gets back we’ll head out to fix it. Unless we’re needed for something else.” He reached out a hand to Brooke. “Hi, I’m Rick Pierson.”

  She shook his hand. “Brooke Harper.”

  Rick didn’t let go. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. You’re new in town.”

  Whoa, slow down, cowboy. “Brooke is here to see Laurel. And I’m capable of showing Miss Harper around wherever she needs to go.”

  The young boy faced off with him. “If you say so.”

  “I say so,” Trent repeated. “Now, go load the truck up with the new fence posts I got in town the other day.”

  The kid’s smile didn’t waver as he tipped his hat. “It was nice to meet you, Brooke. Maybe I’ll see you later.”

  She waved as he walked off. “Nice to meet you, too, Rick.”

  Trent sighed. “That boy flirts with every girl that gets within fifty feet of him. It surprises me he has time to work.”

  “He’s just being friendly.”

  “I don’t want Rick to make you feel uncomfortable.”

  She shook her head. “I work in a casino. I know when someone is flirting with me. Besides, I think he’s charming.”

  Charming. He hadn’t hired Rick to be charming. “You want to come up to the house, or would you like to look around?”

  “Do you have horses?”

  He nodded. “A few. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” He surprised himself when he grabbed her hand. Although he felt some resistance, she went with him into the barn.

  Inside it was cooler, a little darker and smelled of hay and horse manure. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, he looked around at the ten stalls. The new wood he’d used to rebuild most of them stood out, but as soon as he painted the rails no one could see the repairs.

  He continued to hold her small hand and walked her over to the first stall and the seasoned mare, Cassie. He reached over the railing and the buckskin came to him immediately.

  “Hey, girl.” He rubbed her muzzle. “How you doing today?” She bobbed her head and blew out a warm breath. “I brought someone to meet you.”

  He glanced at Brooke to see her standing back, looking a little anxious. “Hey, this old girl is as gentle as they come. She would never hurt you. Castle Rock, better known as Cassie, this is Brooke.” He reached for Brooke’s hand and he had her stand on the bottom rung, then instructed her how to pet the horse.

  “Oh, she’s so soft,” she said when her fingers came in contact with the horse’s neck.

  “She’s just been bathed.”

  Cassie nuzzled her nose against Trent’s arm as if to agree. He laughed. “She’s pretty special to me.”

  Brooke’s gaze met his. “Looks like she thinks you’re pretty special, too.”

  He couldn’t look away from the woman. “Yeah, we’ve been together a long time. My dad got her for me the first summer I came to visit him after my parents divorced. She was only a yearling then.” Why was he telling her all this? He patted the horse’s neck. “We’re both getting up there.”

  “It’s nice you still have her.”

  He nodded, unable to speak as good and bad memories flooded back. How he’d ride miles on Cassie, trying to outrun the memories of the brother he’d lost. He swallowed. “Yeah, she’s been a good friend. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the others.”

  They walked to the next stall and a large chestnut stallion came to the gate. “This is my mount, Red Baron.” He took hold of the halter and held the horse’s head steady. “He’s a lot more spirited than Cassie.”

  “And you ride him?” she asked, keeping her distance.

  Trying to avoid the horse’s bobbing head, he admitted, “When he lets me. This guy keeps me on my toes.” He rubbed the anxious stallion. “I need to take him out and give him a good run. Later I’ll pasture him so he can run off some of his orneriness. I’d geld him, but first I want to get a few foals sired by him.” He took her hand and walked down the aisle to the last stall and the small black mare with a white blaze on her face. “This is Raven. She’s new to the Lucky Bar L. I’ve only had her a few months, and when she comes in season, I’ll breed her with Red.”

  “So you’re in the horse-breeding business.”

  “As a rancher, you need horses to run cattle. It’s still the best way to round up the cows.”

  “This has to be a lot different than being in charge of soldiers.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Actually sometimes the steers take commands better.”

  He saw her smile and his gut tightened. Whoa. This was not the time for him to take notice of a woman. Not this woman, anyway.

  * * *

  TWENTY MINUTES LATER, in the nineteen-fifties-style kitchen, Brooke sat across the table from Trent eating a ham sandwich and drinking iced tea. She couldn’t stop looking around in amazement.

  Although the cabinets where old, they were painted a high glossy white and the tiled counters were a tan with a burgundy trim. A soft yellow covered the walls. The appliances were original, too, but fit in with the decor. This was how she always thought a family kitchen should look.

  “I know this room needs to be redone, but right now, it’s on the bottom of my list.”

  “Oh, no. This kitchen is amazing as it is. I was just admiring the great condition of everything.”

  “You can thank my dad. He was the original recycler, and believed in taking care of things he had. He worked hard at ranching and hated to waste anything.” Trent took a bite of his sandwich. “Since there were so many other repairs on my list, I could only paint the walls and cabinets for now.”

  “And you did an excellent job.” She smiled. “With running a ranch and now, the cabins to build, you must be pretty busy.”

  “Well, since Aldrich took off with the money, it seems the cabins are on hold until we decide what to do.”

  And here she was adding to Rory and Trent’s problems. “Then I show up.”

  He paused, his gaze locked on hers. “You have nothing to do with our troubles.”

  “No, but I’m adding more, especially for Laurel. Probably the last thing she needs right now is to learn about her...mother.”

  Trent took a drink of tea. “Honestly, I don’t know how she’ll react to the news. But you drove all this way to meet Laurel, so sticking around a few days is better than going home without trying to connect, isn’t it?”

  She wasn’t sure about that. “Yeah, but look at all the time I’m taking from you. You’re stuck babysitting me until the Quinns get home.”

  He leaned back in the chair, and she couldn’t help noticing his muscular chest and those massive shoulders. Did the military do that for him, or the ranch work?

  He caught her stare and she quickly glanced away.

  “Hey, I’ll take your kind of trouble any day. You rescued me yesterday by helping me pack up all that wedding stuff. You took charge yesterday like a drill sergeant.”

  She felt a blush cover her cheeks. “What can I say? I have a knack for getting things done.”

  Those dark eyes captured her attention for far too long. She couldn’t let this man get to her. Once he learned the truth about her, he might not like that she’d kept it from him.

  He rested his elbows on the table
. “Have you ever ridden?”

  She swallowed hard. “You mean on a horse?”

  He gave her an odd look, but she could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Yes, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the best way to see the countryside.”

  “You want to take me riding?”

  “You seem surprised. I’m sure your sister will want to show you around, too.”

  “To be honest, I’ve never been on or around a horse until today.”

  Brooke’s first instinct was to say no, but then she realized she’d never taken time just for herself. And why wouldn’t she want to go riding with this rugged cowboy? “I’ll go, but only if you put me on a gentle horse. You’ve got one named Poky or Snail?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  She wanted to believe him, but something deep told her if she wasn’t careful she could get hurt, and in more ways than one.

  Chapter Five

  Thirty minutes later in the corral, with a borrowed cowboy hat on her head, Brooke sat atop Cassie as Trent adjusted her stirrups. She released a shallow breath to keep calm, but this horse was really big. Looking down, she discovered she was also far from the ground. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

  Trent glanced up at her from under the brim of his cowboy hat. “How does that feel?”

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “Stand up,” he instructed, then did another adjustment before he handed her the reins. When she held the leather straps in a death grip, his gloved hand covered hers. “Relax. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Oddly, his calming voice made her want to believe him. “Easy for you to say,” she tried to tease and the animal under her shifted. She gasped.

  “Whoa there, darlin’,” he crooned to the horse.

  “I thought you said she was gentle.”

  “Cassie’s just happy she’s getting out of the barn. I’ve been spending a lot of time at the Bucking Q with the cabin construction.”

  After a quick pat on the mare’s neck, he walked to a rust-colored gelding named Rango. Taking the reins, he grabbed the horn, jammed his boot into the stirrup, then swung his leg over the horse and sat down in the saddle. He wheeled the horse around and rode him around the pen, and began showing her different commands.