by Sable Hunter
“To the lumber yard, you say?”
Kane’s question jerked Tricia’s attention back to the present. “Yes, the delivery is for Nolan. His wife wanted to give him something unexpected for his birthday.”
“I hope the sudden appearance of the squad car driving up doesn’t dampen the surprise.” Kane chuckled at the thought.
If it did, Tricia couldn’t tell it. Nolan seemed genuinely touched by his wife’s actions. He did ask why she required a police escort to make the delivery, but Kane took advantage of the situation to pass out some tickets to the county’s law enforcement fundraiser.
Once Tricia was back at her shop, she made the necessary phone calls to her insurance agent, then walked the three blocks to Jon’s Auto Repair. She’d never met him before and the man proved to be kind as well as handsome. If she wasn’t already taken with one perfect cowboy, the strong mechanic with the kind eyes would’ve turned her head. “Thank you, Jon,” she said, giving permission for him to make the necessary repairs. “I think I will take you up on your offer of a loaner. I don’t think I can deliver all my orders on foot.” Whether or not she had the nerve to drive again was questionable, but Kristen would need the vehicle for deliveries.
“That would be a travesty, a pretty girl like you shouldn’t be walking anywhere.” Jon smiled, handing her the keys to a white minivan.
“Thank you so much.” Tricia was anxious to be on her way. Climbing behind the wheel of the vehicle made her nervous. If she’d suffered a seizure when the van crashed, another could come without warning. The distance she had to go was short, so Tricia played it safe and drove slowly along the back street to avoid any traffic. Tears came to her eyes. Why now? She’d been seizure free for a solid year! For a solid year, she’d kept Lance Rogers at arm’s length, when the only thing she really wanted to do was be as close to him as possible. “Don’t panic, you don’t know anything for sure.” If she experienced no other symptoms in the coming days, she would be thankful and chalk up her fears to fancy.
For now, she refused to continue worrying. She had too much to look forward to.
* * *
“If you don’t pay attention to what you’re doing, Boss, you’re going to dig that posthole to China.”
Denver’s observation broke Lance’s rapt concentration. “Hell, you’re right, I think that’s probably deep enough.” He laughed, accepting the corner post his ranch hand passed to him to drop into place. “That’s enough fence repair for today, I suggest we head back to the bunkhouse.”
“Great. I have a date tonight and I need a shower like nobody’s business.”
“You do smell a little rank,” Lance teased the younger cowboy, handing him the tools to place in the toolbox on the back of the ranch truck. “Stepping out on a weeknight. Do you think that’s wise?”
“Oh, very wise, Lance.” Denver pushed his gray hat back and squinted into the setting sun as it made its last bid to shed light on a darkening world. “The lady I’m seeing is new to town and I want to throw my hat in the ring before the playing field gets too crowded. She’s special.”
Lance couldn’t help but notice the ranch hand’s enthralled expression. Whoever this woman was, she already had Denver Bolden wrapped around her little finger. “Who is this paragon of virtue?”
“Bryn. Bryn Harmon.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Lance said with all sincerity. “Let’s head out then, I don’t want you to keep Miss Bryn waiting.”
Drawing near to the ranch, Denver jumped out to open a wide aluminum gate and waved Lance on through. “Maybe you ought to do something more fun tonight than watch old westerns on the Nostalgia channel, Mr. Lance.”
Mr. Lance? He wasn’t that much older than Denver, was he? “I’m sure I’ll find something to do, Denver.” What he intended to do was give Tricia a call, just like he’d promised.
Once he finished his work for the day, Lance opened a can of chili and poured it into a bowl. After microwaving it for a few minutes, he liberally dosed the pungent concoction with hot sauce. Cracking open a can of beer, he settled down on the worn leather couch and ate it as fast as he could while watching the news. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could reach out to the woman who’d been occupying the majority of his thoughts for months. The kiss they’d shared had blown his mind. He’d been with his share of women, but none of them ever excited him like Tricia. She appealed to him on every level, not only was she sexy enough to bring him to his knees, she was sweet and kind, treating every task she was called upon to perform with dedication and enthusiasm.
Like that kiss.
God, he couldn’t get their kiss out of his head. He could still feel her lips beneath his. He’d never tasted anything so sweet.
Glancing at the clock, he decided she should be home from work and through with her supper. Lance had no need to look up her number tonight, he’d memorized it already. After entering the ten digits, he waited, holding his breath until he heard her first word.
His name.
“Lance?”
Fuck, he loved how she said his name.
Some people pronounced it flat, as if the word was pressed between two pieces of metal. Not so with Tricia, she gave his name life, making it sound shorter with a rounded feel. “Yea, Tricia, how are you?”
Tricia was curled up on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest. Had he heard about her accident? She hadn’t even called to tell Avery about it yet. “I’m okay.” The inflection she gave her answer was almost a question. If he didn’t bring it up, she didn’t want to. She’d rather talk about anything else other than her ill luck.
“Good to know.” He let out a breath, like he was getting comfortable. “I’ve been thinking about you.”
Tricia shivered. She needed this so much. “You have? I’ve been thinking about you too.”
Lance could tell she was smiling, he could hear the happiness in her voice. “Are we too old to be doing this?”
“Doing what? Talking on the phone?”
“Yea, I’m not sure guys my age do this.” He propped one booted foot on the coffee table, sliding a palm from his knee up to his crotch, adjusting his already swelling erection.
“Oh, I think they do. The younger set sext, I think they call it.”
Lance chuckled. “Ah, see, I don’t understand that. If I’m going to talk sex with a woman, I want to hear her voice. If she’s going to make erotic little noises, I want to hear them.”
Tricia loved the way he was speaking to her. Without planning it, a tiny whimper slipped from her lips.
“Yea, just like that.” Lance groaned, “God, baby, I love talking to you like this. Have you ever sexted with anyone?”
“No. Have you?”
“No, I haven’t had phone sex either.”
“Me neither. Except now…if that’s what we’re doing.” Tricia blushed as she stammered out her words.
Lance laughed heartily. “I don’t know, is that what we’re doing?”
“I think we should have at least one date first.”
“Yea, at least one.” He laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. “You know…I almost gave up on you.”
Tricia stood and began to pace the floor, her heart racing. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
“What took us so long, baby?” Lance asked, standing up to stare out the window, not really focusing on the herd of Santa Gertrudis cattle grazing nearby in the moonlight.
“I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to wait until I was perfect.” She walked to the big philodendron in the corner and removed a dead leaf. “And since I may not ever be, I’m afraid to wait.”
Lance couldn’t fathom what she meant. “You’ve always been perfect to me.” He touched his reflection in the glass, wishing he could touch her face. “I sure don’t want to wait any longer, it’s been a helluva year. The attempt on Skye’s life, the ups and downs with the McCoys, especially locating Noah’s mother and bringing her home, all of those things pulled me in a million
different directions.”
“Oh, I understand. I keep up with everything through Avery and Isaac. She’s been through the wringer herself, it wasn’t that long ago she was attacked by that idiot Ajax again. You’re the man who holds Tebow together when the family has to be elsewhere, Lance.”
Lance shook his head, then realized she couldn’t see him. “I’ve been so busy living other people’s lives, I haven’t been living mine.”
Her mind went to Nurse Cox, but she pushed the thoughts away. Maybe he wanted to escape his past like she wanted to escape hers. “Me either.”
“Look, no matter the reason, we’ve waited too long.” His voice dropped to a very intimate level. “I want more of your kisses, beautiful.”
Tricia closed her eyes, ripples of awareness sweeping across her skin. “Me too. I can almost still feel them. I’ve never been kissed like that before.”
Lance checked the time on the clock. He was more than tempted to just drive to her place tonight. Hell, if he didn’t have to be up at the crack of dawn, he would. “Just the sound of your voice is turning me inside out.”
“I can’t wait to see you again,” she whispered.
“If I could get my hands on you right now…” Lance groaned. Down, boy. He chided himself. This woman was different. She deserved to be treated with respect, to be courted. “Soon, baby, soon. Sunday’s not far away. We’ll spend a few minutes with the family, then sneak off to be alone. Okay?”
“Okay, I’ll think about you tonight, Lance.” Tricia walked to the window and stared out into the street below, her heart and mind full of hope for the future.
“You do that, baby. I’ll meet you in your dreams. Okay?”
“All right.” She smiled. “Goodnight.” Once the connection was broken, Tricia threw her arms in the air and spun around with joy. “I’ve got a date!”
* * *
“Last hand, men, I’ve got work in the morning.” Lance announced as he drained a can of Shiner and tossed it in the trash basket next to the bar. They were playing in the pavilion, away from the prying eyes of little McCoys.
“Me too,” Canyon agreed, “I’m shoeing horses in the morning. If I don’t lose my shirt this round, I’ll break even. Who knew you were such a card shark, Rogers?”
“…know when to hold ‘em…know when…” Aron sang, which caused everyone else to groan.
“Don’t even start that, McCoy,” Bull Redford drawled as he passed out the cards, placing two down in front of each player. After he’d gone around the table, he laid five more cards face up across the middle between them. “You don’t have your brother’s singing voice.”
“Speaking of Joseph, where is he tonight?” Rogue Walker asked as he surveyed the hand he’d been dealt.
“Over in Louisiana, he and Cady went to visit Beau and Harley LeBlanc. Cady has a family reunion this weekend, so they’re letting one trip serve two purposes,” Jacob explained as he laid out some chips. “I’ve got a winning hand here, gentleman.”
“I raise you twenty.” Bull laid his cards down on the table. “The next time you see Joseph, tell him to come see me next week, I’d like to provide the stock for their Rascal Rodeo free of charge.”
“That’s nice of you, Redford,” Aron acknowledged. “You’ve got the best stock in the rodeo business as far as I’m concerned.”
“Thanks, I’m trying to branch out and add a bloodline I discovered down in Mexico, a fellow called Don Luis Cortez breeds some amazing animals. They’re a cross between the Spanish fighting bulls, Lidia, and Brahman.”
“Sounds like a volatile combination,” Lance observed, studying his hand. “I bet they’d make some great rodeo performers.”
“Cortez…Cortez…” Aron mused. “That name sounds familiar, I did a sculpture on a ranch down there a few years back.”
“I’m out, this is too rich for my blood.” Canyon folded his cards. “One of these days, I want to show you some of my work, Aron. Just to get your opinion.”
“Me too, I’m out.” Aron laid his cards on the table, face down. “Sure, Canyon, I’d love to see it. Bull tells me you weld metal sculptures.”
“Yea, I use scrap iron to make everything from bald eagles to horses.”
“Sounds intriguing, if I don’t get over there first, I’ll have Joseph stop by and take some photos when he visits Bull.”
“I don’t want to break up this art fest, but the game is still going on here.” Rogue stacked up a handful of chips. “I’ll meet your twenty, Bull, and raise you fifty.”
“Damn.” Jacob hissed out a long breath. “I’ve got a feeling I’m in over my head here.” He folded his cards and tipped his hat to Lance. “It’s up to you, bud. Don’t let me down.”
“I thought you had a winning hand?” Aron asked his brother.
“I was bluffing,” Jacob snorted. “Now, you know why our parents always thought I was the good son.”
“Come on, Walker, let’s see what you’ve got.” Lance studied Rogue’s face, trying to determine if he was reading his tell right. Ah, there it was. He licked his lower lip, quick, twice. Two dollars to a hole in a donut, the oilman wasn’t nearly as confident of his hand as he pretended to be.
“All right, you asked for it, boys.” He spread the cards out. “Three jacks and two kings.”
“Ah, Texas Holdem, no game on earth like it.” Lance grinned like a Cheshire cat as he displayed a royal flush. “Read ‘em and weep.”
“Good God,” Canyon exclaimed. “How did you do that?”
Rogue spoke before Lance could answer. “Luck of the draw, my boy, luck of the draw.”
Lance shook his head. “Not entirely. There was a little skill involved.” No matter. He was just glad the night was coming to an end. Rogue Walker was a master of the game and Lance didn’t have a lot to lose.
“What’s the best hand you were ever dealt?” Bull asked Rogue, watching the oilman sort through his chips.
Rogue pulled something from his pocket. “I’ve had a royal flush more than once, but that wasn’t the hand that won me the biggest prize.” He chunked a wad of cash toward Jacob. “I promised you a donation for your cancer charity, there’s my winnings from the Reno tournament.”
Jacob caught the green missile and pocketed it with a smile. “Thank you, I’ll put it to good use.”
“What was your biggest payoff? I heard you won a million-dollar pot in Vegas. What could be bigger than that?” Canyon asked Rogue, a little in awe of the legendary gambler.
“Well, I’ll tell you; I won the lien on a piece of property with a straight, but the lien wasn’t the prize. We had some ups and downs, but that winning hand gave me a second chance with Kit.”
“Second chance?” Aron asked. “I didn’t know you two were together before you hooked up in Kansas.”
Rogue drained his beer, then ate his last jalapeno. “We met in college. I was an ass.”
“That’s not new information, Walker.” Jacob snorted.
“Oh, she fixed my wagon, don’t ever doubt it. After our first date, I found myself walking down the road with nothing but my hat to hold over my bare dick. She got me naked, then took off with my clothes, stranding me out in the boonies.”
“What did you do to deserve that?” Lance asked, curious.
“Oh, I deserved it, all right. I let my mouth get the best of me. I said some things I shouldn’t have and hurt her feelings. It was stupid and I was wrong,” Rogue explained with a thoughtful look in his eye. “I’m just thankful it all worked out, I love that woman.”
“Dang, walking buck naked down the road.” Canyon shook his head. “That’s worse than the time Bull’s ex-wife made him sleep in the horse trailer.”
Bull shook his head. “It might be worse, but there’s a world of difference in the women. Rogue’s wife is a lady and mine was a tramp.”
“Well, you’re rid of Carol, that’s what counts. I’ve been there, your ex and mine were cut from the same cloth.” Aron commiserated with Bull.
> “How about you, Lance?” Jacob asked. “The way you play, surely you have a story.”
“I don’t play for money often.” He glanced at Jacob who just gave him a brief nod. “I’ve heard most players don’t always recall the pots they’ve won, but they never forget the big losses.”
“Isn’t that the truth.” Bull sighed, cashing his chips out of the game money. “I can remember the name of every bull who ever threw me.”
“My biggest loss wasn’t my own,” Lance confided in a low voice. “My father lost our ranch on a bad hand of Texas Holdem.”
“Fuck, I didn’t think people actually did things like that.” Canyon was amazed. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Lance cracked open another beer.
“What kind of jerk takes a man’s home away from him?” Aron stood and pushed his chair under the table.
“A jerk named Slade Lambert and his Jezebel of a wife.” Hatred boiled up inside Lance like a volcano about to erupt. Just saying the name Lambert made him sick. He hated these people with every fiber in his being. “He was a ruthless cheat and she was just evil.”
“You’re a good card player, Lance. Why don’t you challenge him to a game of cards or a damn duel?” Bull placed his hat on his head. “If you need a second, count me in.”
Lance stood to shake hands with his friends, bidding them goodnight. “Unfortunately, Lambert is dead. The widow has never seen fit to give me an audience. I heard a rumor she’s sick, but I don’t know that for certain. I’m afraid I’m running out of time. I have no idea who stands to inherit everything, but if I ever meet the man – he’s going to have trouble on his hands.”
* * *
“So far, so good,” Tricia whispered to herself as she climbed into the backseat of the Uber vehicle. “Thanks for this, I know it’s going to be a long day.”
The young man waved in the rearview mirror. “No problem. I have an aunt who lives not far from your destination. I’ve been intending to visit her for a while. Just relax and time will fly by.”