The Last Cowboy Standing

by Barbara Dunlop

  “I kind of expected you would.”

  Okay, that was even more surprising. “Me? What for?”

  He’d only stated the facts.

  “What for?” Her voice went a notch higher. “For meddling in my life.”

  “That wasn’t meddling. That was warning you about someone who was operating against you.”

  “I told you I could deal with Randal.”

  “You don’t have to deal with him anymore.” And that was thanks to Travis. Though he’d never let on.

  “I know that. But, I could have. And I would have. And you need to keep your opinions to yourself.”

  Travis thought about it for a moment. “I don’t really see that happening.”

  She pressed her lips together. “At least keep your opinions about my life to yourself.”

  He shook his head. “Seems unlikely.”

  “Am I going to have to avoid you?”

  “Personally, I’d suggest you get used to hearing my opinions. It’ll be a whole lot easier than avoiding me.”

  “Travis,” she protested.

  “I mean, take a look at us now.” He swung the truck into the parking lot of the Springroad Mall. “You’re in town fifteen minutes, and already we’re together.

  “That’s your fault,” she accused.

  “It is,” he agreed. He’d shamelessly manipulated himself into this position. “But it shows you how easily it’s going to happen.”

  He brought the truck to a halt, and they both climbed out of the vehicle.

  “I thought things might have changed,” she told him as they crossed the parking lot.

  “What things?”

  “You and me. Our relationship.”

  Her words took him by surprise. Did the woman have amnesia? “I’d say our relationship has changed a whole lot.”

  “Not fundamentally.”

  “Yes, fundamentally.”

  “You’re still the same. I’m still the same. We can’t seem to help from rubbing each other the wrong way.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to make a joke about all the times when they’d rubbed each other exactly the right way. But he kept silent.

  “Let’s find you a dress,” he said instead, nodding to a large purple sign on the side of the mall. “Abigail seems to like Blooms.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine,” said Danielle, sounding like she was heading for the executioner.

  He opened the glass door. “You might want to work up a little enthusiasm. It’s an important wedding, and I’m buying.”

  “Oh, no, you’re not.”

  “I got you into this.”

  “Caleb got me into this. I asked him to drop me off at a hotel.”

  “Everyone would have been disappointed if he’d done that.”

  Travis included himself in everyone. Even now, sparring with her, frustrating her, on the receiving end of nothing but her annoyance, he was incredibly glad she was here. He realized he’d rather be arguing with Danielle than doing anything else with any other woman.

  She gave an exaggerated sigh. “I wouldn’t have been disappointed.”

  He nudged her shoulder. “Cowboy up. This isn’t the end of the world.”

  “Cowboy up? I’m dress shopping here.”

  “It’s a versatile metaphor. It means quit whining and get ’er done.”

  “I know what it means.”

  They passed through the big doorway to Blooms, and she stopped in front of a display of dresses.

  “So, are you going to do it?” he asked.

  She squared her shoulders, reaching for a simple, gray cocktail dress. “I’m going to do it. I’ll buy myself a dress, say happy things to the bride and groom and cheerfully chat my way through dinner.”

  “It’s a tough life,” Travis deadpanned.

  “Shut up.”

  “I don’t think Katrina is going to like the gray.” He extracted his phone from his jeans pocket and turned on the camera. He wasn’t crazy about gray, either. He hoped he could talk Danielle into something sexier.

  Ten

  Danielle pulled the curtain shut on the changing cubical, and hung three dresses on the hooks placed around it, dropping her purse on the chair. She hadn’t been crazy about the gray dress, either. She might have mixed emotions about attending Lisa’s wedding. But if she was going to be there, she wanted to help celebrate, not bring anyone down with such a somber color.

  She stripped out of her suit and pulled on a knee-length, aqua party dress. It had cap sleeves and multi-layered, gauze skirt. It was pretty, but seemed a bit young and frivolous for the occasion.

  “Let’s see,” came Travis’s voice through the curtain.

  “I don’t like it,” she called back.

  “I need to take a picture.”

  Danielle rolled her eyes in the mirror.

  “Katrina’s texting me,” he said.

  Danielle decided it was easier to humor Katrina than fight with her. “Fine.” She drew back the curtain.

  “Come out,” Travis instructed.

  Danielle took a few steps forward.

  He raised the camera and snapped a shot. “Turn around.”

  She felt incredibly self-conscious under his scrutiny. “This is ridiculous.”

  “Tell that to Katrina.”

  Danielle reluctantly turned around. She posed for only a moment, then she retreated back into the changing room.

  She didn’t like having Travis stare at her. Okay, actually she did like having Travis stare at her. And that was the problem. There was nothing about a fashion show that ought to have been sexy, but she was getting aroused anyway. It was embarrassing.

  She switched to the next dress, determined to get this over with as quickly as possible. The silk fabric was soft against her skin. It draped over one shoulder, with a wide, sash belt. She’d forgotten to remove her bra, so she had to take off the dress and try again.

  “Ready?” called Travis.

  Standing there in nothing but her panties, Danielle’s chest tightened, and her skin flushed in reaction to the mere sound of his voice.

  “Just a sec,” she called out a little breathlessly.

  She pulled the moss-green silk over her near naked body, reaching around to zip up the back. When she turned, she nearly groaned in despair. Her nipples had hardened and were clearly visible through the fabric. There was no way she was leaving this room.

  “Danielle?” he called.

  “It’s definitely a no-go.”

  “Let’s see.”

  “Not this one.”

  “Come on. Katrina is waiting. She gave a thumb’s down to the blue one.”

  “No kidding.” Danielle glanced back into the mirror. Okay. Her body had calmed down a little. She could risk it.

  She pulled back the curtain, walking out on the carpet.

  “Not bad,” said Travis.

  “Really? You’re a fashion critic, too?”

  He snapped a picture. “I know what I like on women.”

  “What you like on women has no bearing on my decision here.”

  He swirled his finger, indicating she should turn around. “Probably a good thing. If I had my way, you’d be—”

  “Don’t you dare say something indecent.” She turned back.

  He grinned unrepentantly. Then his gaze dropped to her breasts and stayed there.

  Uh-oh.

  “Next,” she quickly stated, whirling to get back into the changing room.

  The third dress was a muted, Carolina blue. It was rich satin, with a strapless, tucked, crisscross bodice. Tiny crystals at the waist and neckline gave a muted sparkle, while the full skirt draped softly over a subtle crinoline, ending just
above her knees.

  “Katrina says no again,” Travis called.

  “Your sister has good taste,” Danielle called back.

  She craned her neck to look at the back of the dress, straightening the neckline, then she took in the side view. It wasn’t bad at all. She’d have to pick up some dangling earrings, but her neutral pumps would work with it.

  She opened the curtain and stepped out.

  Travis stood still and stared.

  “What do you think?” She pirouetted.

  He stepped closer then closer still, until he was almost touching her. She caught her breath.

  “You’re going to dance with me, right?”

  “That’s not an option.”

  “Oh, yes, it is.”

  “Travis.”

  His broad hand covered hers. “Listen, we can pretend all day long, but there’s something between us. And it’s not going away. Dancing with you is the very least I want to do.”

  His blue eyes were intense while they held her gaze. His hand was warm on hers, his scent surrounding her, reminding her of things she’d hoped to forget. But she remembered in vivid detail, and her pulse leaped, her humming arousal gathered strength.

  “I’ll dance with you,” she told him.

  He smiled, and his hand tightened around hers.

  “But that’s all I’m promising.”

  “That’s all I’m asking.”

  She hesitated for a moment. “You like the dress?”

  His voice went husky. “I like the dress. I like what’s inside the dress. I’m going to love the whole package when we’re dancing together.”

  “Travis,” she sighed this time. She knew she should make him stop flirting, but her protest was only halfhearted.

  “I’m very glad you’re not in D.C.”

  She grabbed the opportunity to tone things down. “I think it’s going to work out with Caleb.”

  Travis opened his mouth, but then closed it again without speaking.

  “You should take a picture for Katrina,” Danielle prompted.

  “I don’t really care what she says.”

  “I thought we were humoring her.”

  “Okay.” He took a step back. “Smile.”

  Danielle turned and paused for a second picture. Then she made her way back into the change room.

  “I’m going to need some earrings,” she called as she finished putting her own clothes back on.

  “Katrina likes it,” came Travis’s response.

  “That’s good.”

  Danielle slung her purse over her shoulder and hung the dress over her arm, sliding back the curtain to exit.

  “Do you mind if we look for earrings?” she asked him.

  “Not at all. You want me to carry that?”

  “You don’t have to be my assistant.” Danielle had never met a man eager to trail after a woman in a dress shop lugging around her purchases.

  “I’m a gentleman.” He removed the sparkly dress from her arm and draped it over his own.

  “You’re not at all insecure about your masculinity, are you?”

  “You can’t get more macho than bull riding.”

  She glanced around at the dozens of shoppers. “Nobody here knows you ride bulls.”

  “We’re in Lyndon City, Danielle. Everybody here knows I ride bulls.”

  “So, the real test is if you’re willing to follow me around shopping in Chicago.”

  “Bring it on, sweetheart.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at the endearment. Luckily, she didn’t need to respond, because they’d arrived at the jewelry section of the store. She quickly veered away from him, zeroing in on an earring display.

  She moved her way past the studs and hoops. She needed something with a drop. When she came to the right section, she concentrated on the display beneath the glass, refusing to look back at Travis.

  A pair quickly caught her eye. They were white gold, in a twisted vine pattern, decorated with white sapphires and aquamarines. She asked the clerk to see them and held them up to her ears in front of a small mirror on the countertop. They were perfect.

  “Find something?” asked Travis from a few counters away.

  “I did.”

  “You’re pretty fast at this.”

  “You go shopping with a lot of women, do you?” she asked as she moved toward him.

  “Occasionally. I do have three sisters. Though, Mandy’s in and out in about thirty seconds.”

  “You find something for yourself?” Danielle teased, glancing down at the display. To her surprise, it was diamond rings.

  He pointed. “That one looks like Lisa’s. She went with colored diamonds. Mandy’s is classic, a solitaire. Katrina’s is really modern.” He pointed to a platinum, nonsymmetric swirl with varying sizes of diamonds decorating it. “Reed bought it at some fancy store in New York. I can’t even imagine the price tag.”

  “Are you doing a study of engagement rings?”

  “Just thinking about the differences between the Jacobs women. Abigail has an heirloom ring from Craig Mountain Castle.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  He studied the display case in silence for a moment.

  “Do you have a favorite?” she asked him.

  “Favorite sister?”

  She nudged him with her elbow. “Ring.”

  He shook his head. “You?”

  They all looked beautiful to her. “I’ve never given it a lot of thought. My family’s focus was more on the prenup than anything else.”

  Travis chuckled.

  “I think,” she ventured in all honesty. “The ring’s a bit irrelevant. I’d be a lot more interested in the man presenting it.”

  “Good answer.”

  The clerk appeared in front of them. “Can I help you with something?”

  Danielle and Travis glanced rather guiltily at one another, both obviously realizing how this looked.

  “Un, no,” she quickly answered. “We have a friend who’s getting married.”

  It wasn’t really much of an explanation, but she quickly rattled on. “I’m ready to pay, if you could direct me...”

  “Right over here,” she pointed to a nearby register. “I’ll be happy to ring those through for you.”

  Danielle ducked her head and quickly followed the middle-aged woman. What was the matter with her? She needed to put up barriers against Travis, not engage in cozy chats over diamond rings of all things.

  * * *

  There were a whole lot of people at the rehearsal in the garden of the mayor’s mansion. Danielle stood off to one side, trying to stay in the background. She had been introduced to the Jacobses’ parents, Hugo and Maureen. Lisa was the daughter of Maureen’s deceased sister Nicole. Nicole had run away from home as a teenager, and the family had only recently learned of her daughter’s existence.

  Danielle had met Abigail Jacobs on several occasions. Her husband, Zach, had grown up with the groom, Alex, in a home for orphaned boys. She was also already acquainted with Niki Gerrard, Caleb and Reed’s half sister. Niki had recently married Washington, D.C. mover and shaker Sawyer Layton. The two now spent as much time as they could on their own ranch in Lyndon Valley.

  Abigail was the matron of honor, while Zach served as best man. Katrina and Mandy were bridesmaids. Two of Alex’s longtime friends from DFB Brewery were standing up as groomsmen. Danielle couldn’t immediately remember their names. Nor could she remember the names of their girlfriends. Seth, as mayor, was officiating, right now directing operations for the rehearsal. His new wife, Darby, was clearly pivotal in the organization of the event.

  “You okay?” Travis’s voice so close startled her.

  “I’m fine,” she answered.<
br />
  “You look worried.”

  “I’m just trying to keep everyone straight.”

  “I could write up a cheat sheet.”

  “That would be nice. Did I ever mention I’m an only child? When I get married, if I get married, there will be approximately six people in attendance.”

  “I doubt that.”

  But Danielle gave a decisive nod. “There’ll be no need at all for a cheat sheet.”

  “Wait until you see all this tomorrow.”

  “I’m dreading it.”

  “Don’t be modest. You’re in crowds all the time. Look at the conference in Vegas. I’ve seen you work a room.”

  “With lawyers,” she protested. “I can talk business all day long, but put me in a family setting.” She gave a shiver. “I pretty much panic.”

  “I’m a lowly cowboy, and I braved your lawyers’ Van Ostram Gardens for you.”

  “Lowly cowboy, huh,” she mocked. “You fit in anywhere.”

  “So do you.”

  Seth called out to Darby, who gave a saucy answer while moving the bridesmaids into position for the mock procession. Everyone erupted in laughter.

  “Holidays at my house were sedate and boring,” said Danielle. “Nobody teased, nobody joked. We dressed impeccably, and discussed meritorious topics of international interest, while staff served fine French cuisine.”

  “Sounds horrifying,” Travis remarked.

  “My point is that my upbringing was very different from yours, and this massive family thing is intimidating.”

  “Holidays at our house were bedlam and chaos.”

  “I bet you loved it.”

  “I loved it,” he agreed.

  A sense of emptiness overshadowed Danielle’s feelings.

  Hugo was giving Lisa away, putting her hand in Alex’s, who gazed down at her with love and longing. She tried to imagine her own father walking her down the aisle, shaking the hand of her soon to be husband. The picture didn’t work.

  He’d probably wax on about the archaic convention of a woman passing from her father’s care to her husband’s. Danielle could take care of herself, she didn’t need to count on any man. By the way, did she need him to look over her prenup?

  A spurt of laughter erupted from her.

  “What?” asked Travis.