A Cowboy to Marry

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  Paige leaned over to kiss him back.

  Holden held up a hand, only half teasing. “Guys! Stop with the PDAs.” If he was going to work his dilemma out as quickly and efficiently as he wanted, he needed the two lovebirds’ full attention. “I’ve got a problem here.”

  Paige straightened. Suddenly more love doctor than pediatric surgeon, she stated soberly, “Yes, you do. And it’s more than the jelly and barbecue sauce that the triplets got all over your shirt during dinner.”

  Holden looked down at the mess, abruptly wishing he and Libby had such little domestic problems every day, instead of the really big one confronting them.

  Kurt toasted him with a coffee mug. “If you want to pursue Libby, you have to forgot about your chances of success and go after her with everything you’ve got.”

  Paige snuggled into the curve of her husband’s arm. “Kurt’s right about that. We women respond to persistence.”

  That, Holden knew. It was the rest of the situation that bothered him. “How can we be sure it’s not a rebound thing for either of us?”

  Paige tightened her fingers on Kurt’s forearm. “Is she still in love with Percy?”

  Holden frowned. “I don’t think so.”

  “Do you still have unrequited feelings for Heidi?”

  “Definitely not.”

  Paige went to her computer and looked a few things up. Finally, she sat back in relief and said, “Then, technically, it can’t be a rebound romance for either of you, no matter what you’re calling it. For that to occur, you still have to be reeling from your breakup.” She paused and looked up from the screen. “According to the experts, once you’ve come to terms with what happened, it doesn’t matter how much time has or hasn’t elapsed. It’s safe to go on and start dating seriously again.”

  One problem down. “That’s good to know,” Holden murmured.

  The big question was, how was he going to convince Libby that he would never lose interest in her the way her late husband had?

  BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, Aunt Ida had often cautioned. And in this situation, Libby thought Friday evening, her late aunt might just be right.

  Libby had asked Holden to give her space.

  And he had. For the past forty-two hours and thirteen minutes she had not heard from or seen the handsome rancher.

  He hadn’t even shown up for toddler library hours at her home. Miss Mim had served as her volunteer, helping patrons select and check out books. And now the two of them were headed to the Lone Star to meet Miss Rosa for dinner.

  As Libby drove to the restaurant and dance hall, which was owned by Holden’s mother, the retired librarian sized her up from the passenger seat. “You seem depressed, dear.”

  Libby was. So much so that she felt like crying. And she never cried.

  “Are the holidays getting you down?”

  “A little,” she admitted.

  The rest was Holden and the notion that she might be walking away from the best thing that had ever happened to her.

  “The cure for the yuletide blues is staying busy.”

  Libby smiled. “I know. And I have been.” She had even more activities planned for the upcoming weekend.

  Sadly, none included Holden, who in just one week had become much more important to her than she could have imagined.

  Miss Mim took her arm as they walked across the parking lot. “I hope you have your thinking cap on. Miss Rosa and I are going to need every bright idea you can muster up this evening.”

  “I’ll do my best to be brilliant,” she promised, tongue-in-cheek.

  Miss Mim smiled.

  Always happy to be helping someone, Libby smiled back.

  Her spirits lifted even more as they walked into the restaurant. A beautiful tree stood in the lobby. Christmas music wafted from the stereo system. It being Friday evening, the place was crowded with families and couples on dates.

  Greta McCabe met them at the hostess stand and showed them to a table by a window. “Your dinner partners should be here momentarily.”

  “Dinner partners?” Libby echoed in confusion. She thought they were only meeting Miss Rosa.

  “I invited someone else to help us brainstorm ways to solve the library crisis,” Miss Mim said, with sudden choir-girl innocence. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Why should I…” Libby took in the librarian’s sudden smile and followed the direction of her wave.

  Holden McCabe. Of course.

  Why had she not seen this coming?

  And why did he have to look so devastatingly handsome in a black blazer, light blue shirt and well-fitting jeans?

  “Ladies,” Holden said, inundating Libby with his sexy scent as he neared. The familiar aromas of leather and soap mixed with the familiar masculine fragrance of his skin.

  A shiver slid down Libby’s spine as he paused to greet her with a casual hug and kiss to her brow that spoke volumes about his intentions—to everyone in the place.

  Still smiling, he held out a chair for Miss Rosa, then paused to gallantly clasp Miss Mim’s hand and say hello to her, too. Having worked his magic on all three women, he circled the table and sat down next to Libby, his knee nudging hers slightly as he settled his tall frame.

  She looked into his blue eyes. And felt yet another whisper of desire.

  “So,” Holden said as soon as their drink and appetizer orders had been placed. He looked directly at Miss Mim, “I scouted around, just like you asked, and here’s what I’ve been able to find out from the county commissioners.”

  “The news is bad, isn’t it?” she fretted.

  Holden nodded. He leaned back as tall glasses of mint-flavored iced tea were delivered, and baskets of fried onion rings and Southwestern egg rolls were put in the center of the table.

  When the waitress had disappeared, he continued, “The estimate on the repairs needed to remove the asbestos and reopen the library has come in at close to a quarter of a million dollars.”

  Miss Rosa gasped. “That’s more than our bare-bones operating budget for one year! It doesn’t even include the purchase of new books or magazines.”

  “Let me guess,” Libby said. “The county doesn’t have the funds.”

  “And things are so tight right now there’s no way to get them. So the plan they are going to present to the public, and vote on in January, is to keep the facility closed for one year, stockpile the unused operating funds and then start the repairs—which are estimated to take anywhere from three to six months—in December of next year.”

  “That’s unacceptable!” Libby cried.

  Holden gestured. “I told the commissioners the citizens weren’t going to like it. They don’t feel they have any choice.”

  “There’s always a choice,” Libby said, unable to contain her fury.

  All eyes turned to her.

  “Maybe the county doesn’t have the funds, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit back and take it,” she fumed.

  “We could try and raise the funds privately,” Miss Mim offered.

  Miss Rosa sighed. “But that would take a long time, too.”

  “And that’s the other bad part,” Holden said, looking at the young woman, who was just out of college. “They may have to let the entire staff of paid employees go, too.”

  “So I could be looking for a job.” Miss Rosa burst into tears.

  “Don’t you worry about that,” Libby said fiercely.

  Holden nodded. “We’ll all work together to find you something here in Laramie, with equitable pay, until the library does reopen. And the same goes for all the hourly employees. How many are there?”

  “Three.” Miss Rosa relaxed in relief.

  Silence fell.

  “Maybe we could approach some of the various charitable foundations in Texas to help us,” Libby said. “We could start a letter-writing campaign, tell them what the community has already been willing to do to keep our library going. Who knows? Five thousand here, another two or ten there—if we can ge
t enough help from all sorts of sources, we might just reach our goal.”

  Miss Mim smiled. “That’s the spirit! I knew we could count on you. You always know what to do. There’s no one better to lead a crusade.”

  And, Libby thought, if she sold her business as planned, she would definitely have the time to take it on.

  The rest of the meal was spent brainstorming various ways to start the fundraising process immediately. By the time Miss Mim was ready to be driven back to her apartment in the Laramie Gardens Senior Center, they had a game plan to execute.

  Libby started to rise.

  Miss Rosa lifted a staying hand. “I’ll drive her home.”

  “Yes, dear,” Miss Mim ordered, with a wink aimed Holden’s way. “You two stay here and enjoy your coffee.”

  The two librarians left.

  “I think Miss Mim is matchmaking,” Libby said.

  The corners of Holden’s lips turned up. “I think you might just be right,” he drawled.

  “I also think you might have something to do with it.”

  He chuckled. “I think you’re right about that, too. Although, I did want to be here tonight for the library’s sake, too. It’s an important institution. It means a lot to the people of Laramie.” His expression turned tender as he covered her hand with his. “The way you handled that crisis was quite impressive.”

  Libby blushed. She didn’t know why his admiration meant so much to her. It just did. Modestly, she replied, “I haven’t really done anything yet.” Except maybe fall a little harder for you….

  She swallowed emotionally. “You were great, too, by the way.”

  “We make a good team,” he said with a gleam in his eyes.

  They were certainly beginning to, Libby thought wistfully.

  “Let’s celebrate.” He tugged her by the hand, took her onto the dance floor and spun her around.

  “Holden?”

  “Hmm?” His hand tightened around her waist, and he pressed his cheek against hers.

  Libby sighed and tried not to feel too comfy. It was, as she might have predicted, a losing battle. Using her elbows, she wedged a bit of space between them. “The band hasn’t started yet.”

  He glanced up at the empty stage. “Oh, yeah.” With a bemused look on his face, he let her go. “Wait here.”

  Libby had no doubt Holden knew how to turn on the music. His mother owned the restaurant and dance hall, and he—like the rest of his siblings—had grown up working here, whenever they weren’t toiling on their dad’s horse ranch.

  Seconds later, dance music poured from the speakers.

  Libby flushed as he rejoined her and took her in his arms. “Am I supposed to be getting a message from all this?” she asked.

  “I sure hope so.”

  Her heart skipped another beat as Lady Antebellum sang, “All I want for Christmas is you.”

  Chapter Ten

  “That was some romantic gesture,” Libby remarked several fun-filled hours later. Way past midnight, the Laramie streets were quiet. A full moon shone overhead in the black velvet sky. Christmas wreaths decorated the light posts all along Laramie’s historic Main Street. Every storefront and business was decorated to the hilt, adding to the festive air. But best thing of all, Libby thought, was being here with Holden.

  Just the two of them.

  He smiled down at her. “I’m glad you liked dancing with me.”

  Libby shivered as the cold winter breeze blew against them. “You didn’t have to keep spinning me around for the last four hours.” They had closed the place down, which was another first for her. Leaving only when the rest of the staff bailed, too.

  Holden tucked her into the curve of his body. “You know us Texans.” Lazily, he guided her toward the parking lot. “Do it up big or don’t do it at all.”

  Libby laughed and ducked her head, resting her cheek against the solid warmth of his chest. “I’m beginning to get that sense of you,” she murmured.

  Finally, they reached her Range Rover, with his pickup truck several rows over. Standing in the parking lot, Libby wished Holden would build on what they had started and kiss her passionately.

  Instead, he stepped back, shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather bomber jacket and said, “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

  Libby blinked. “Tomorrow?”

  “Saturday. You know.” He spoke clearly, enunciating every word. “Do you have to work?”

  Brought swiftly back to reality, Libby sighed. “Unfortunately, I do. Jeff Johnston is coming by the dealership with his accountant and his lawyer to take a look at our books and get more information, so he can estimate the value of Lowell Ranch Equipment and formulate a formal offer.”

  Holden ran a palm beneath his jaw. “You could do that for him, you know, simply by putting a price tag on the business.”

  Libby rocked forward onto the toes of her suede boots. “I’d rather he take the lead.”

  Holden’s lips quirked in amusement. “So you can counter.”

  She preened. “I have learned a thing or two since I started working there, many moons ago.”

  Holden sobered. “I guess you have.”

  Silence filled with longing followed. Still he didn’t kiss her, didn’t make a move. Doing her best to stifle her frustration, Libby continued, “And then I promised to work a booth at the Community Chapel bazaar.”

  Holden inclined his head. “The kissing booth?”

  If only, Libby thought. She gave him a droll look. “You know they don’t have kissing booths at the church. In fact, I don’t think they have them anywhere anymore. Too many germs.”

  He nodded, deadpan. “It is flu season.”

  Libby smiled. She didn’t know what his deal was. All she did know was that she couldn’t get enough of him—and she sensed that this malady was only going to get worse.

  “Which reminds me,” Holden continued, looking down the street at the now-closed pharmacy. “I need to get my shot.”

  Libby winced. “So do I. I haven’t had time for that, either.”

  Holden quirked a brow. “Want to do that together?”

  Libby scoffed, not sure whether he was joking or not. “Get our flu shots?” she echoed, more intrigued with the cowboy in front of her than ever.

  “We could keep each other on track. Stop the procrastination!” he teased.

  “I guess we could at that,” Libby drawled.

  Serious now, Holden said, “They offer them at the pharmacy, you know. We could go over after the bazaar. Say around six? I’ll even let the pharmacist know we’re coming.”

  He meant it! About protecting them both from illness and spending time with her. “You’ll make reservations,” she repeated.

  “Like I said.” He shrugged easily. “It will keep us focused.”

  They needed that. “All right,” Libby said impulsively. “You’re on.”

  Hand to her spine, he guided her toward her car. “And after that, we’ll see.”

  Libby rummaged for her keys and hit the unlock button on the pad.

  Heart racing, she slanted Holden a sideways glance. “See what?”

  “Don’t know.” Mischief sharpened the attractive lines of his face. “But it’s a magical time of year.” He looked deep into her eyes and contented himself with a light, friendly peck on her head. “Anything can happen.”

  “I HEARD WHAT WENT ON at the Lone Star last night,” Paige said the next day, when she met up with Libby at the community center where the bazaar was being held. She playfully elbowed her. “Dancing without music?”

  Libby tied on her change apron. “I know it sounds lame. It was actually…romantic.” Unable to help herself, she flushed self-consciously.

  Paige moved in for a closer look. “You both have it bad, don’t you?”

  Libby started straightening the boxes of donated chocolate candy and fruit baskets. “What do you mean?”

  Her friend shrugged and set up the cash box. “I’ve never known Holden to mak
e a fool of himself over a woman. Even with Heidi he was somewhat restrained in his affections.”

  He hadn’t been restrained at all when Libby and he had made love. On the other hand…

  Figuring she could use some perspective from a friend who had the happily-ever-after thing down pat, Libby remarked, “He was restrained last night.”

  Paige glanced at her, curious.

  “He walked me to the parking lot.” Libby winced, recalling. “But not even a kiss good-night.”

  Paige chuckled. “Second rule of male courtship—leave ’em wanting more.”

  Or maybe, like Percy, he didn’t want her at all….

  Libby pushed the disturbing thought away.

  “He’s being respectful of you,” Paige said.

  Libby harrumphed, thinking of the beautiful night and full moon and perfect opportunity that had gone to waste. “I didn’t want gallant last night,” she muttered in frustration.

  Paige drew her to a corner of their booth, well out of earshot of others setting up. “Is that what you said to him?” she whispered.

  “Well, no,” Libby admitted, wondering if she would ever be able to go after what she truly wanted.

  Still studying her, Paige stated, “So in other words, Holden is sticking to the prescribed plan laid out by you.”

  I guess. “Speaking of which.” Having figured out Holden’s lack of action was her own fault, Libby pushed on with the rest of her confession. “He asked me to go with him tonight to get our flu shots.”

  Her friend blinked in surprise. “The couple that vaccinates together, stays together?” Her eyes twinkled. “It’s good, though. He lined up the next date. That means he is serious.”

  Libby pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She had hoped for romance, but now that she had it, she didn’t know what to do. “I’m very confused.”

  “Don’t be.” Paige hugged her. “Just go with it. Let fate show you what will happen next.”

  FOUR HOURS LATER, the church bazaar was over and Libby headed to the pharmacy. Holden got out of his pickup just as she pulled up beside him in the parking lot.