Best of Cowboys Bundle

by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Barbara White Daille, Judy Christenberry, Christine Wenger, Shirley Rogers, Crystal Green, Nina Bruhns, Candance Schuler, Carole Mortimer

  He looked up at Lizard Rock, as if he was asking for guidance from his dad and grandfather. “I understand. You have a reputation to maintain. I can’t help your career. But I can’t take your money, either. That’s just the way it is.”

  She stared at Lizard Rock, too, hoping to sort out what was happening in her own mind. Maybe his ancestors would help him find his way and help her while they were at it.

  “Let’s forget it. And if it makes you feel better, I’ll watch out for cameras when we’re out in public together.” He smiled, but the twinkle wasn’t in his eyes.

  She sighed. “Will you be joining us for supper?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  “I’ll ring the triangle thing when it’s ready.”

  He nodded.

  “Will we be going to the hospital to visit Karen tonight?” she asked.

  “Ty said that he was going to visit her and take Cait, so Karen will have company tonight. Besides, she’ll be home tomorrow. You can get some sleep tonight since…” He pushed his hat back with a thumb. “Well, since neither of us got much sleep last night.”

  “That sounds good,” she admitted. It would sound even better if she knew that Buck would join her in the tree bed.

  Buck couldn’t help but admire how Merry could cook up a storm for eight hungry cowboys without seeming overwhelmed. True, she had very appreciative dinner guests, with Cookie leading her fan club, but no one appreciated her genius more than Buck did.

  Since she had arrived, he couldn’t wait for meals. He loved how she came down to the corral and brought him coffee in the morning. He loved having breakfast under the cottonwood tree. He’d never admit it, but he even liked her turkey chili and had been microwaving the leftovers for a midnight snack.

  But most of all, he loved watching her cook. That was why he sat down at the kitchen table with five days worth of junk mail, bills, magazines and a stack of credit card offers. He looked at everything as if each one was the most important piece of literature in this century, but that was just camouflage.

  He was really watching her.

  Merry hummed as she whirled around the kitchen, chopping this, cutting up that. Her shoes were off, and if he were the type to wax poetic, he would say that it almost looked as if she was doing a ballet or something right in the kitchen.

  He continued to secretly watch her, loving every minute, but hated the fact that she’d be leaving in another week.

  The ringing of the phone interrupted his thoughts. He began to get up, but she waved him back down. “I can get it.”

  It was for her—Joanne again. He tried not to listen to her conversation, but what could he do? He was sitting right there.

  “Really? My own daily talk show on public TV?”

  He got up to get a drink of water, so he could hear better.

  “New York City?” Her shoulders slumped, and she pushed back her bangs. “Yes, of course. Yes, it’s a wonderful opportunity, and the money is certainly outstanding. I guess I can sublet my apartment in Boston or something.”

  Buck watched as she became more animated. He half expected her to whip out the notebook she always carried and start scribbling.

  He wasn’t disappointed. The notebook soon appeared.

  “When do I have to be in New York? Three days? Oh. I don’t know. I have commitments here, but I should be able to wrap things up in three days. Perfect. Wait until my parents hear this.”

  When she hung up the phone, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed. “Oh, Buck. Did you hear? My own talk show.”

  He tried to be as happy for her as she obviously was, but he didn’t want her to go. She was good for Cait, good for him. When she’d first arrived, he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. Now he wanted her to stay.

  He was driving himself crazy.

  “That’s terrific. Congratulations,” he managed to say. He really was happy for her.

  Merry did a twirl in the middle of the kitchen. “I have to be in New York in three days.”

  “I heard.”

  “I can’t wait to call my parents and tell them the good news.”

  “Go right ahead. Call them,” he said, looking over at the chicken frying on the stove. “I can handle things here.”

  Merry took her apron off. “Turn around.”

  He did and her arms wrapped around him as she tied the apron around his waist. His heart raced at the contact with her, and fell at the same time. She was leaving. It was too soon. Just too damn soon.

  But he already knew that nothing would come of it even if they had all the time in the world. It boiled down to the fact that he was rooted to the ranch, and Merry was rooted to her business.

  He always knew it would never work between them.

  But that didn’t mean that they couldn’t enjoy the time they had left. He wanted to make love to her again. Maybe if he did, he could get her out of his system.

  Or maybe he just needed a night on the town to get Meredith Bingham Turner out of his mind. He should do a little dancing, toss down a few longnecks and spend the night with a warm and willing woman.

  Interesting. Once that would have appealed to him. Now it didn’t.

  Swearing under his breath about how Meredith Bingham Turner had turned his life into horse droppings in just a few days, he tossed the chicken pieces around in the oil and stirred the potatoes she had boiling.

  “Mother, guess what?” he heard her say. She sounded more like a teenager than a successful businesswoman. He smiled as he dragged chicken pieces through some kind of batter. Her parents’ approval meant a lot to her.

  “I’ve been offered a daily talk show on public TV,” she said. “We tape in New York City, and I’ll be interviewing people like designers and craftsmen. And various celebrity chefs will cook with me.”

  He brought a chair over to the phone and motioned for her to sit. She smiled gratefully. Then he noticed the smile melt right off her face.

  “No, Mother. It’s not a major network. It’s public TV, but it’s daily.” She slumped in the chair and closed her eyes. “Public TV is nothing to sneeze at, Mother. I think it’s wonderful.”

  Obviously, her mother didn’t.

  Merry shook her head, pushed her bangs back and sighed. “I’m sorry. I have to go now, Mother. I’m cooking for some cowboys.” She stood up. “Because I want to cook for them.” Her voice cracked. “Give my best to Dad.”

  She couldn’t hang up the phone fast enough. But instead of returning to the kitchen, she headed out the back door. Buck was just about to tell her that the spuds looked done, but he knew she couldn’t have cared less.

  After listening to Merry’s conversation and hearing the pain in her voice, he wanted to help her somehow.

  He remembered her conversation with her mother in the hospital—this was the same kind of torture for her. He’d like to tell her that she was never going to please her parents, no matter how hard she tried, so quit trying.

  Now he understood a lot more about what made Meredith Something Turner tick. She was a smart woman. Couldn’t she see what they were doing to her?

  He looked around for pot holders to take the corn bread out of the oven. Where were they?

  Merry returned to the kitchen. Her eyes were a bit red. “I can take over from here, Buck.”

  “Why don’t you go take a long bath or lie down for a while? I can finish up in here.”

  “I do my best thinking while I’m cooking, and my best cooking while I’m thinking,” she said.

  “Okay. It’s all yours. I’ll leave you alone.”

  “No, don’t go. Please stay.” She looked surprised at her own words. “That is, if you don’t have anything important to do right now.”

  “No. I don’t.”

  He pulled a beer out of the refrigerator, yanked the cap off on the bottle opener on the doorjamb, and took a long draw. “If you want to talk, I’m all ears.”

  She drained the spuds and began mashing them as if her life depended on it. �
�It’s the same old story. I can never do anything to please my mother. My father will feel the same way. It’s not network TV. It’s only public TV. As if I’m not good enough. No matter what I do, I’m not good enough.”

  She flipped a chunk of butter into the pot, poured in some milk and went back to mashing. “I was going to do potato salad, but there wasn’t enough time. I hope the boys don’t mind mashed.”

  “They won’t mind a bit. And they’ll be fighting over your corn bread.”

  “I love to cook for real people. Now I’m so busy I never get to see people actually sit down and enjoy a meal that I made.” She shrugged as she floured some more chicken pieces. “I know the cowboys will appreciate it.”

  “They sure do, and no one appreciates it more than Cait and I. But your parents don’t appreciate you, do they?”

  “They never did. And no matter what I do, I can’t win.”

  “Why do you keep trying? Just please yourself.”

  A piece of chicken hung from the fork she was holding, and Buck could see her hand shake. “I’ve given up many times, believe me. They’ve never loved me. Never said they are proud of me. Yet I keep trying to please them. Wanting to hear one word of praise from them.”

  Buck scooped her into his arms. She lay her head on his shoulder.

  “Are you happy with the public TV show?” he asked.

  She hesitated. “Yes. I think it’ll be fun.”

  “As long as you’re happy, what do you care if anyone else is happy or not? You’re all grown up now, in case you haven’t noticed. You’re on your own, making your own living. You’re a success in every sense of the word, Merry. You don’t have any ties. You’re not…”

  “Leaving behind a young daughter?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. And as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. If your parents can’t be happy for you, if it isn’t enough for them, then that’s their problem.”

  She smiled and her back straightened. “You’re right, of course. I’ve told myself the same thing a million times.”

  “Maybe someday you’ll believe it.”

  She stepped away but held on to his hands.

  “Work at it,” he said. “Say ‘I’m happy with my show on public TV, and I don’t care about anyone else.’”

  She repeated it, but her delivery needed some help.

  “Now say it louder and with more enthusiasm.”

  She did, and it was louder and she was smiling as she said it.

  “One more time, Merry, and give it all you’ve got.”

  This time when she said it, her voice changed. It was stronger and more confident, and she held on to his hands as if she were drowning and he was rescuing her.

  She looked up at him, and something came over her. Buck could see it in her eyes. Her hands went limp in his, and he let her go. Maybe he’d pushed her too far.

  He took a deep breath as Merry’s hands traveled up his chest. She pulled his head down and kissed him. It was light at first, tentative, but then deepened. She was telling him something, giving him something back, and he understood.

  “Thanks, Buck.”

  He was glad that he could help, but he didn’t want her gratitude. He wanted her love. He wanted her in his kitchen, in his bed, in his life. He wanted her to be the mother of his daughter.

  Fat chance. She was leaving for New York in three days.

  He pressed his lips to hers and lifted her in the air. She clung to him and parted her lips. His tongue met with hers and her moan excited him. Her breasts pressed against his chest and he could smell her perfume. He wanted to carry her into the tree bed and make love to her again. He wanted to explore every inch of her body with his mouth, then start all over. He wanted to…

  “Well, well…what have we here?” It was a woman’s amused voice.

  “Louise?” Buck said, jumping away from Merry as if his lips had been scalded. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I should ask you two the same question.” She dropped the suitcase she was carrying and crossed her arms. Her blue eyes, a little paler than Buck’s, twinkled in amusement.

  Merry smoothed her blouse and held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Meredith—”

  “Meredith Bingham Turner,” Louise finished, and shook her hand. “I thought you had more taste than to lock lips with my brother.” She shook her head.

  Louise looked from Buck to Merry, then back again. She shook her head. “My brother, the lone cowboy, with Meredith Bingham Turner? Actually, I thought you two would have killed each other by now. At least that’s what Karen was thinking.” She grinned. “Anyone need a good lawyer?”

  Buck scooped up Louise and twirled her in a circle. “You passed your bar exam?”

  “I think so, but I won’t know for sure for a while.” Louise sniffed the air. “I sure am hungry, and those cowboys out there are about to start a riot if they aren’t fed soon. Can I help shuttle the food outside?”

  “Lou, go outside and calm them down.” Buck winked at Merry, and held his hand out. “I have some unfinished business that needs finishing.”

  Merry took his hand and stepped into his arms. When his lips descended on hers, he knew that he’d miss her. How had he ever gotten along without her before?

  Three days.

  That was all the time he had left with this incredible woman.

  Chapter Thirteen

  B uck was in the mudroom putting on his boots when Merry walked into the kitchen.

  “There you are, Cait,” Merry said.

  Buck saw Merry pull out a chair at the kitchen table next to his daughter. Cait was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that he’d just made her. Merry took the stuffed cat, which was already occupying the chair, and gently placed it on the table in front of them and sat down.

  “Cait, would you like me to fix your kitty’s tail? I can sew it up, and Princess will be good as new.”

  From the darkness of the mudroom, he could see Cait’s backbone become rigid. That’d be the day Cait let anyone touch her prized possession.

  “I had to fix Bonita’s tail a few times, but she didn’t mind. I can tell you love your kitty, just like I love Bonita.”

  Cait got up from her chair, and Buck figured that the discussion was over. As he continued to watch, he had to stop himself from letting out a “yee-haw” when Cait went to a bottom cabinet in the cupboard and handed his mother’s old sewing box to Merry.

  “Thank you.” Merry casually opened the box. “I want to pick out the perfect thread for Princess. There it is. What do you think? Does it match?”

  “Yes,” Cait said.

  Buck felt a chill as his daughter spoke for the first time since he could remember.

  She could see Merry’s eyes open wide, but she remained calm.

  Merry pulled off a length of thread, cut it with a little pair of scissors and tied it in a knot. “Okay, Princess, you’re going to be as good as new, just like Aunt Karen. Right, Cait?”

  Cait nodded. He watched his daughter as Merry stitched the stuffed animal. Cait didn’t take her eyes off her.

  “I love it here on the ranch, Cait. I’m going to miss it. You’re a lucky girl to be able to see the mountains all the time. You have beautiful horses in your front yard and sunshine all the time and beautiful flowers. And you live in a fabulously grand house with paintings that your grandmother made. And Cait, you have a father who loves you very much.” Merry stopped sewing. “You know that, don’t you?”

  Cait didn’t say anything.

  Merry kept sewing and kept talking. “Your sandwich looks good. Did your daddy make that for you? Go ahead and eat.”

  Cait took a nibble out of her sandwich and a swig of milk.

  “There. Princess is done. Doesn’t she look beautiful?” Merry held it up to Cait, who inspected it and nodded. Merry sat it on the table.

  Cait stood. “Will you sew her eye on, too?”

  “Sure.”

  “Wait here.”

  Mer
ry covered her mouth so as not to shout. Buck did the same thing in the mudroom. He wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt. Merry wiped hers on a napkin hat.

  Cait came back into the room and handed Merry what Buck assumed to be the cat’s eye. Merry threaded another needle.

  “Cait, I’m only going to be here for three more days. I’m leaving on Monday.”

  Buck heard Merry sniff.

  “I’m going to miss you very, very much, sweetie.” She sniffed again. “Oh, I didn’t want to cry.”

  Cait passed her another napkin hat, and Merry dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you, honey.”

  Suddenly Cait’s arms went around Merry’s neck, and she began to sob quietly.

  Merry lifted her up and set her on her lap. “Okay, we can cry together. There’s nothing wrong with crying. It makes you feel good. Doesn’t it? That’s how everyone lets out their pain so it isn’t inside them anymore like a big knot.”

  She rocked Cait. “You can always come and visit me with Aunt Karen. You can take a big plane and you can see all the big tall buildings. We can go shopping and see The Lion King at the theater, and you can be on my TV show. Would you like that?”

  Cait stopped sobbing but still kept hugging Merry.

  “I knew you’d like that. Maybe your father would come, too.”

  Buck held his breath, sure that Cait would walk away. Instead she nodded.

  “I’m going to miss your dad, too. I like him a whole lot.”

  “Are you going to marry him?” Cait asked.

  If Merry was surprised, she didn’t let on.

  Merry kissed Cait’s forehead. “He hasn’t asked me to marry him, sweetie.”

  Cait didn’t say anything.

  “How about if we make some popcorn and watch the Ariel movie together?” Merry asked.

  Cait nodded and went over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a box of microwave popcorn. She took out a pack, unwrapped it, put it in the microwave and punched in some buttons.

  Merry laughed. “Looks like you’ve done this before, Cait.”

  The girl looked up and smiled. When the snack was ready, Cait deftly used a pair of tongs to remove the hot bag from the microwave, and together she and Merry left to watch their movie.