Winning Over the Cowboy

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  His ringtone stopped.

  A hand touched his back. “You okay?”

  Landry.

  A few more deep breaths. He sat up, faced her.

  “What’s wrong?” She knelt beside him. A worried frown marred her features as she took his hand in hers.

  “That was Paxton.”

  Her face paled. Obviously Paxton’s name gave her the same reaction. “Why did he call?”

  “Don’t know. I didn’t answer. I’ll call him. Just have to get my bearings first.” He squeezed her hand. “It brings it all back.”

  “I know.”

  “I realize it was her idea to go scuba diving. That her tank was faulty. It was an accident. It wasn’t Paxton’s fault. He’d have saved her if he could. But thinking of him, somehow I don’t think of their wedding. I think of her death.”

  “Me, too.”

  Of course she understood. Even though she hadn’t been there when he’d gotten Paxton’s frantic call, she’d lived the nightmare with him.

  She stood, settled on his chair arm, wrapped her arms across his chest. “But let’s think of her wedding. That gorgeous dress it took her a month of Saturdays to find. When she finally narrowed it down to two and then dragged you along to help her decide. The first time you saw her in it.” Landry sniffled, and a tear dripped on his hand.

  “How beautiful she looked at the church.” His vision blurred. “How happy she was. Dad walking her down the aisle. Paxton couldn’t take his eyes off her. He was the perfect man for my little sister. So good to her. Totally wrapped up in her.”

  “Better.” She gave him a squeeze.

  “Yes.” He covered her hands with his, her long curls spilling down his chest.

  “Want me to stick around while you call him?”

  “Yes.”

  She pressed her cheek against his, but then she started to pull away.

  He clamped tighter. “Right there. Stay right there while I make the call. I need extra strength.” Or maybe he just needed her close. The silkiness of her cheek, the watermelon smell of her hair, the warmth of her embrace.

  “I’ll sit beside you, hold your hand once you dial.” She let go of him but stayed on her perch.

  His hand shook as he scrolled to recent calls, tapped the number. It rang, and Landry twined her fingers with his.

  “Hello?”

  “Paxton. Sorry—I couldn’t answer before.” The truth.

  “Chase. I’m glad you called back. Wasn’t sure if you would.”

  “I—”

  “It’s just hard.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I know I should have kept in touch better.” Paxton sighed. “But—”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “I guess we covered that. But I’m afraid I’m about to make it even tougher.”

  How could it get any more difficult? His little sister was dead. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m—I’m engaged.”

  It hit Chase like a kick in the gut.

  Landry’s grip tightened on his. She must have heard.

  Paxton was moving on. Building a life with someone other than Eden. Some other woman would share his joys and sorrows, bear his children. While Chase would never have nieces and nephews.

  “Oh. I see. I um...”

  “I know. It’s soon. But it’s been almost a year.”

  “I know. I just...” Paxton deserved happiness. Eden would want him to move on. Ten months. It seemed too soon. But who was Chase to judge?

  “I’d like you to meet her. Your parents, too.”

  Landry squeezed his hand.

  “I’m not sure...” What if they couldn’t manage that? “You don’t need our approval.”

  “I know. But I still love you guys. Still think of you as family.”

  “That means a lot.” Chase swallowed hard. “We love you, too.”

  “How about tomorrow night? For supper.”

  “I’m not sure if—I can prepare Mom and Dad that quick.”

  “Just us for now. I mean, along with Savannah and anyone you’d like to bring. I can get with your folks later.”

  “Okay. I’ll text you a place and directions.”

  “Thanks for agreeing. It’s important to me, but I know...”

  “It’s tough.”

  “Yeah. See you tomorrow night.”

  Chase ended the call. “You heard?”

  Her bleary gaze met his and she nodded, touched his face, wiped a tear he didn’t realize had fallen. More followed.

  Without a word, she understood his pain. Understood his heartbreak over Eden. How much he missed her. Because Landry felt it, too. She hugged him tight as he sobbed in her hair.

  Chapter Twelve

  Feeling shaky, Landry mustered a confident smile and squeezed Chase’s hand as they stepped in the Old Spanish Trail Restaurant. She knew this place comforted him. Poor Chase. He looked like he could be sick any minute.

  They both wanted Paxton to move on, to be happy. But they also wanted the one thing they could never have—Eden back.

  The Friday night crowd was hopping, with only a few open tables.

  In the John Wayne Room, Paxton sat in the corner with a delicate blonde. A play of emotions washed over his face—happiness, sadness—dread as he stood to greet them.

  The two men hugged, clapping each other soundly on the back.

  “It’s good to see you.” Chase sounded like he meant it.

  “This is a pleasant surprise.” Paxton gave Landry a quick hug, then reclaimed his seat and motioned to two empty chairs.

  She and Chase settled across from the couple.

  “This is my fiancée, Savannah.” Paxton sucked in a deep breath. “My brother-in-law, Chase, and Eden’s best friend, Landry. Landry is also Chase’s partner in the dude ranch. And...?”

  “We’re friends.” Their voices blended together.

  “Friends who hold hands?” Paxton’s eyebrows rose.

  “On difficult days.” Chase winced, and his gaze darted to Savannah. “I’m sorry. It really is nice to meet you.”

  “It’s okay.” Her chin-length hair framed a delicate beauty. “I understand completely.” She turned to Paxton, devotion clear in her soft green eyes. “Paxton has told me so much about Eden. I wish I could have known her.”

  Landry’s insides eased up. At least Savannah was willing to talk about Eden.

  “Y’all were friends since culinary school?” Savannah sipped her water. “I wish I had a long-term friend like that.”

  I wish I had mine back.

  Savannah frowned as she realized her mistake. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Landry realigned her silverware. “I’m just glad I had her as long as I did.”

  The server stopped at their table, and they placed their drink orders.

  The silence turned uncomfortable.

  Until Savannah laughed. “Paxton had me in stitches on the way here, telling me stories Eden shared about y’all.”

  “Really?” Chase lifted one brow.

  “Stuff she told me.” Paxton shrugged. “Mostly fishing trips.”

  “She always wanted me to take her.” Chase’s grin was real. “But she squealed and whined until I did everything for her.”

  “Same here.” Landry closed her eyes, holding the memories tight of chasing Eden with a worm. “She didn’t catch many fish. But when she did, she’d scream, drop the pole and run.”

  “I’d charge over and grab it just before the fish took off with it.” Chase shook his head. “I really never understood why she wanted to go.”

  “With me, it was simply because she knew I loved it.” Landry bumped her shoulder against his. “With y
ou, because she wanted to hang out with her big brother. She worshipped you.”

  “It was mutual.” Chase’s gaze went distant. “We were a team. Never fought or argued like most siblings.” He cleared his throat, focused on Savannah. “I’m sorry—I’m sure you don’t want to talk about my sister all evening.”

  “I don’t mind.” Savannah faced Paxton. “Eden loved Paxton—she made him happy. I’m fine with her memory.”

  Paxton grinned at Landry and Chase. “It sounds like the two of you should go fishing together.”

  “We have.” Their voices blended.

  Chase’s warm gaze landed on her. “Landry here—no qualms—baited her own hook, whether we used worms or the stinky stuff. Took her hook out of the fish she caught, even when they swallowed it. Even offered to clean our catch. If not for all those pesky FDA rules on commercial processing, I’d have let her.”

  Landry’s insides melted at his approval.

  The server came back with a drink-laden tray, and they placed their orders.

  “Tell us how y’all met.” Though Landry loved reminiscing about Eden, it really wasn’t fair to Savannah.

  “We went to high school together, but I was a few years younger, so we never dated or anything.” Savannah tugged her gaze away from Paxton. “I went away to college. But last year, I came home, got a job teaching kindergarten at our old school. The heater went out in my classroom.” Savannah’s eyes bounced back to Paxton. “And the sweetest, cutest repairman I’d ever seen showed up to fix it.”

  Color crept up Paxton’s throat. “My company services her school.”

  “He saved the day and my students.”

  “And asked you out?” Landry prompted.

  “No.” Paxton took Savannah’s hand in his. “I wasn’t ready.”

  “We struck up a friendship.” Savannah fiddled with her earring, her voice soft.

  “I confess, I changed her filters more often than required.” Paxton smirked. “But I didn’t charge the school.”

  “He always stopped by right after the final bell rang, when my students were gone. Most of the time, he didn’t even look at my heater. We’d just visit.”

  “Until I finally felt ready.”

  Landry glanced at Chase, his gaze riveted on the table. So quiet. At least he seemed less strained.

  “Once he told me about Eden, I understood his caution.” Savannah only had eyes for Paxton. “But I’m really glad he’s prepared to move forward.”

  “Me, too.” Paxton put his arm around her shoulders. “I know it seems fast. But things just developed.”

  “It’ll be a long engagement.” Savannah snuggled against his side. “There’s no rush.”

  The server delivered their food.

  Paxton held his hands out, and the foursome bowed their heads as he prayed. “Thank you, Lord, for this family, for allowing us to reconnect tonight, for bringing two wonderful women into my life, for this food and for all the blessings you give us. Amen.”

  Amens echoed.

  “I hope you’ll both come to the wedding.” He focused on Chase. “Your parents, too.”

  Chase cleared his throat. “When?”

  “Spring. April tenth.”

  “I’m sure Landry and I will come, and I’ll check with Mom and Dad.” Yet Landry heard the strain behind his consent.

  “There’s something I want you to think about,” Paxton said. “And if you don’t want to, I’ll understand.”

  “What?”

  “I’d like you to be my best man.”

  Chase closed his eyes, nodded. “I’ll think on it.”

  “Good.”

  When they got back to the dude ranch, Landry would be on double duty. Soothing Chase. A mix of torture and delight. But even more daunting—helping him figure out a way to break the news of Paxton’s engagement to his parents.

  * * *

  The waning evening sun highlighted the feathery-leafed cypress trees lining the river, their knobby roots thick and strong. Water rippled over the surface in the cooling breeze, lapping at the white rocks lining the shore. Soothing, peaceful with the sway of the dock beneath him. But not enough. Chase wouldn’t sleep tonight.

  After arriving back from dinner with Paxton, he’d managed to escape Landry. Her arms—that made him long for her love and not just her comfort.

  How would he break the news to his parents about Paxton’s engagement? If only Paxton had never called. Just quietly gotten married without opening old wounds.

  Yet exploring past hurts was sometimes part of the healing process. Chase loved Paxton. His folks did, too. They all wanted him to be happy. And Savannah seemed great. Like she and Eden could have been friends if they’d known each other.

  Approaching footfalls sounded behind him. Landry coming to check on him. He couldn’t handle her closeness. Her comfort when he was so vulnerable.

  “There you are. I was worried. Don’t you know how to answer your phone?”

  “I left it in my cabin. But no need to worry. I’m fine.”

  On the dock now. Getting close.

  “Are you really okay?” She plopped down beside him.

  Way too close. “Just trying to figure out how to tell Mom and Dad.”

  “Want me to go with you?”

  “Definitely.” Couldn’t help himself leaning into her.

  “There’s no way to ease into it. You’ll just have to say it. It’ll be hard on them. But they love Paxton. They’ll want him to be happy.” She picked up a nice, flat rock, hurled it across the water. It skipped four—five times.

  “I just wish he’d waited a little longer.”

  “It seems like men remarry quicker than women. They don’t do as well without a spouse after they’ve had one.” She patted his hand. “Maybe don’t rush this dinner. Let your folks get used to the idea. It helps that Savannah’s really sweet.”

  “Yeah.” He couldn’t form another thought. Not while leaning against her, breathing her perfume. Her watermelon-scented hair.

  “I think Eden would have liked her,” Landry said.

  “Yeah.”

  “Remember how Eden couldn’t skip rocks?”

  Laughter bubbled up his throat. “I tried to teach her, but she just chucked hers, and they plopped in the water like bombs.”

  “I tried, too. She got so frustrated.” Landry giggled. “She swore I was keeping some secret technique from her.”

  “The harder she tried—” he closed his eyes and he could almost see her, his sweet sister plunking rocks like cannon balls “—the worse she got.”

  “And the madder she got.”

  “I thought she was gonna start chucking rocks at me.” He guffawed.

  “I tried to show her.” Landry made the appropriate movement with her hand. “It’s all in the wrist.”

  “But she got even madder because I couldn’t stop laughing.” He chortled as tears slid down his cheeks. “I miss her. So much.”

  Her arms slipped around his shoulders, and she pressed her face into his neck as her giggles melted into tears, too. Hugging and sobbing and sniffling together.

  For as long as she’d been here, they’d mostly avoided the topic of Eden. Because he knew he’d crack wide open.

  As his quaking subsided, they quieted.

  And her nearness hit him full force. He pressed his lips against her temple.

  She stilled—didn’t even breathe. Then pulled away from him enough to catch his gaze. Confusion clear in her moist eyes.

  “Chase?” His name came out a question.

  A question he had to answer. He cupped her face, drew her to him until her lashes fluttered down. Their lips met. He tasted the salt on hers.

  Her arms slid around his neck, and he felt like she was co
ming home.

  But who was he kidding? She was still stuck on Kyle.

  He pulled away. “I’m sorry.” He stood, turned his back on her, strode up the deck away from her. Though his knees would barely hold him up. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

  “Please stop saying that.” Her voice caught. “It’s kind of insulting.”

  “I got caught up—in memories—in grief—in comfort.”

  “We both did.” The dock creaked as she stood, brushed off her jeans.

  “It won’t happen again.” He ran his hand through his hair.

  “It can’t.”

  Because her heart still belonged to someone else. A man she obviously couldn’t get over.

  He had to think about his parents now. Not Landry. “You up for talking to my folks about Paxton?”

  “Now?” Her tone incredulous.

  “I’d like to get it over with.” And he had to focus on something besides her.

  “Sure. Just let me freshen up a little. Crying does a number on my fair skin.”

  He chanced a look at her. Nose and cheeks red. Lips redder.

  She did a number on him.

  She strode past him, completely natural. But then she bolted down the trail as if Bigfoot were real and after her.

  Once she got out of sight, he sank back to the dock, unsure if his legs would get him to the ranch house. Breathing deep, her flowery perfume lingered.

  Wow. He’d never felt sparks like that. Even more than during their pretend kiss.

  But he didn’t want what was left of Landry’s shattered heart. He wanted all of it.

  * * *

  Blue Ajax swirls lined the inside of the tub. Landry’s brain zinged faster than she could scrub. Why had Chase kissed her last night? Had it really been only grief and comfort for him?

  Did he believe that was all it had been for her?

  But Landry couldn’t hide in the bathroom any longer. The fixtures sparkled, and their dinner guests would arrive soon.

  Paxton’s news had been hard on Janice and Elliot. But they’d adjusted and agreed to dinner with Paxton and Savannah tonight at the ranch house. The staff could handle their other guests for the evening.