His Favorite Cowgirl

by Leigh Duncan

  “I was so sorry to hear about Arlene,” she said, stepping from the vehicle. “How’s Garrett?”

  For a moment, Hank’s handsome face crumpled. “Lost. Devastated. Coping the best he can.”

  Sympathy shivered through her and she blinked.

  “He’s still Garrett, though. Still the brother who hands out good advice.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Unable to stand still and face Hank, she grabbed a couple of bags of groceries from the back of the truck. She made it to the steps before he took her packages from her and toted them up the stairs.

  “He told me not to waste another minute.” Hank waited while she unlocked the door. “It made me realize how much time I’d—we’d—wasted.”

  Wasted? She wouldn’t call it that. Not exactly. Yes, they’d spent twelve years away from one another, but despite their recent problems, she’d loved Hank every minute of every day for as long as she could remember.

  He settled the grocery bags on the kitchen counter. He turned to her, his blue eyes searching. “I know I’m the last person on earth you want to see right now. You have every right to be angry with me. But I couldn’t leave things the way they were between us. We did that once before.”

  Her heart pounding, she paused, waiting to hear what he had to say.

  “I didn’t tell you about the problems I ran into in Tallahassee. I should have, but I let my pride get in the way. I didn’t want you to think any less of me. I don’t know if it’ll help now or not, but I didn’t tell anyone—not even my brothers.”

  She wasn’t at all sure why that made a difference, but it did. “Okay,” she murmured as her pulse steadied.

  “All I know is, I couldn’t move forward without telling you how sorry I am.”

  Tempers had flared in the great room the other night. Not just his, but hers, too. She’d hurled accusations she didn’t mean, said things she’d regretted ever since. If for no other reason, they needed to clear the air between them if they were going to live next door to one another for any length of time.

  She was sure neither of them wanted to let their break-up rekindle the animosity that had been handed down from one generation to the next. What if, instead of starting a feud by cutting off his neighbor’s water supply, her great-great-grandfather had simply talked to the Parkers and the Judds about drawing more water from the river? Would Pops have blamed the Judds for her grandmother’s car accident if tensions hadn’t already been running high between the two families? Would things have turned out differently for her and Hank if her grandfather had approved of their relationship? She drew in a breath that shuddered through her lungs, fanning the edges of her broken heart.

  “I said some terrible things, too. Things I didn’t mean.” She started to explain, but stopped herself with a quiet admonition to keep things simple. “I’m sorry,” she finished.

  “Me, too,” he rasped. “I never should have said...I had no right...”

  “Shh,” she whispered. Truth shone in his blue eyes. She had no need to dredge up the past, to analyze every accusation. “It’s behind us now. We’ll move on from here.”

  “So, we’re good—you and I?” Hank asked. “Friends?”

  Kelly’s lower lip shook. Afraid the tremor would expose her raw emotions, she clamped her teeth down on it. Though she and Hank had made their peace, it would be a long time before she could look at him without wanting to inhale his musky scent or thrill to his touch. Not long ago, she’d thought they’d have it all...together. She didn’t know if she could settle for friendship. But with no other choice, she nodded.

  “My groceries are melting,” she said, latching on to the first excuse she could come up with. “If that’s all, I’ll see you out.”

  The distress in Hank’s eyes told her he’d seen her ploy for what it was. “If you change your mind about selling your grandfather’s ranch, I can put you in touch with someone here in Glades County, someone who’ll do right by you.”

  “My ranch,” she corrected, though a guilty twinge sped through her midsection. Her decision to hang on to the Bar X had hurt him. She got that, though she’d never intended to shortchange him. “I still have that check for you—to cover your expenses and reimburse you for the time you invested here. It’s on the table by the door.” Secured by a paperweight, the slip of paper had been there for a week.

  “So, you really are staying?” At her nod, he started, “Well, that’ll be—” warmth softened his features before his jaw hardened “—awkward.”

  Keeping the ranch was going to mean many things—hard work, long days. Awkwardness wasn’t one of them. “Why would it matter?”

  “I told Amy it wasn’t good for our daughter to move again before the school year finished, and for once she agreed with me. So, we’re staying on at the Circle P for another year at least. It’s the best thing for Noelle, and for me. I’ll use the time to save up for my own spread. Someplace close. I want to give Noelle the same sense of family and community I had growing up. Besides—” he shrugged “—the twins need another year in Montana.”

  Confusion washed over her. She felt it creep onto her face. “You’re going to ranch in Glades County?” So much for any hope that time and distance would heal her broken heart. With her luck, he’d buy a place smack-dab next to hers. She looked down, unable to understand why that possibility spread a healing balm across her aching chest.

  “Colt wants to raise bulls for the rodeo. Once I have my own place, I thought I’d throw my hat in with his. Only, I’ll focus on horses.”

  “Huh.” Kelly worried her bottom lip. It would take years for him to save enough cash to buy his own place. Meanwhile a few acres, the barn and practice rings were all her riding school required. It seemed foolish to let the Bar X pastures go to waste when Hank could put them to good use. And she did owe him more than she could ever repay by simply writing a check. Yet she hesitated, uncertain the facade of friendship he’d insisted upon would hold up if they had to see each other every day.

  Hank cleared his throat. “I brought you something. Besides my apologies, that is.”

  “Yeah?” Shelving her concerns about the ranch for the moment, Kelly lifted her chin. Hank looked down at her, tenderness showing in his steady gaze. At first, she didn’t notice the ring in his open hand. Or the tiny diamond chip that graced the gold band. When she did, an awe-filled “Oh!” escaped her lips. She reached out before she could stop herself and ran a finger around the circle.

  “What is this?” she whispered, though anyone in their right mind knew an engagement ring when they saw one. Trouble was, she couldn’t be sure she was in her right mind.

  “It’s the one I bought ages ago. For you. I just...never had the chance to give it to you.”

  “You kept it all these years?”

  He shuffled, his boots scuffing the floorboards. “I tried not to. Meant to pawn it or list it on eBay or something. I never quite got around to it.”

  His voice dropped so low she had to lean in to catch his final words.

  “Any more than I ever got around to getting over you.”

  She stared at the ring he’d sold his prize saddle to buy. The yellow gold was a little worse for wear, but then so was her heart. Both had survived some tough times.

  “Anyway, I wanted you to have it. As a symbol of our—” Hank’s ragged breath stirred the air between them “—friendship.”

  The block of ice surrounding her heart melted. Her final reservations slid away. She closed the gap between them, moving close enough that she felt the rise and fall of his chest, saw the tiny crows’ feet at the corners of his eyes deepen, heard the soft intake of his breath. “And if I wanted something more than friendship? What if I wanted to wear this ring for real?”

  She watched him struggle to maintain his stoic composure. His strong Adam’s apple moved up and down. His jaw clench
ed. The muscles along his chin tightened. Still, she continued to hold his gaze. His eyes filled as he lost the battle. His face softened. He blinked and tiny drops clung to his dark lashes.

  “I’d be the happiest man in the world,” he whispered hoarsely. “But are you sure?”

  “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” she said, shaken by the fact that he’d held on to the ring...and their love...for all these years.

  As for herself, she had never let go. She knew she never would. Not when she’d finally found the love and acceptance she’d been searching for her entire life. It had been right where she’d left it all along, in the arms of her Glades County cowboy.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from A RANCHER’S REDEMPTION by Ann Roth

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  Chapter One

  Dinner was starting to smell so good that Dani Pettit’s mouth watered when Nick Kelly knocked at her door. Only a few short minutes ago, she’d buzzed him into the building.

  Although they talked and texted regularly, she hadn’t seen him in a while. But tonight she really needed to be with her best friend.

  “He’s here,” she told Fluff.

  The tomcat meowed and trotted daintily toward the door. Which was funny because at twenty pounds and half a ton of white fur, Fluff wasn’t exactly tiny. But he’d never let Dani down, and so she stifled the urge to laugh at him. There weren’t many true-blue males in her life—just the cat, Nick Kelly and Dani’s oldest brother, Sly. She dearly loved all three.

  To prevent Fluff from darting out, running across the hall and shamelessly begging food from Mrs. Detmeier, Dani scooped him up before she opened the door and managed a smile. “Hi, Nick.”

  The handsome rancher flashed his pearly whites at Fluff, then gave Dani a gentler grin. “Hey.”

  In his large hands he cradled a bottle of wine and a white bag bearing the Lannigan’s Ice Creamery logo, which was, bar none, the best ice creamery in Prosperity. Although the central Montana town of sixty thousand people boasted at least a half-dozen ice cream specialty shops, several much closer to her house than Lannigan’s, Nick had chosen well. He sure knew how to brighten a girl’s spirits.

  Dani eyed the bag. “I hope that’s rocky road.”

  “A whole gallon of the stuff.”

  “You sweetheart!” She rubbed her hands together.

  Nick chuckled. “Nothing but the best for Dani Pettit.”

  He kissed her cheek, then set his things down to shrug out of his leather bomber jacket. He hung the jacket on the doorknob of the coat closet, just as he always did, his navy flannel shirt stretching across his strong, broad shoulders.

  He was a beautiful man—tall and muscular without an ounce of extra fat, thanks to the physical demands of running a ranch. His long legs did wonders for the loose, faded jeans he favored.

  Yet as gorgeous and sexy as he was, theirs was a strictly platonic relationship and always had been. Dani adored him—as a friend.

  Nick stuck his fingers into Fluff’s thick fur and scratched behind the cat’s neck. “Howdy, Big Fella.”

  He refused to use the name “Fluff,” which he considered too sissy for a tomcat.

  Fluff didn’t seem to mind. He was too busy purring and batting Nick’s hand for more. A moment later, sated and content, he jumped out of Dani’s arms and strolled off.

  “I brought a couple of DVDs for later,” Nick said. “Unless you’d rather catch a movie out. It is Saturday night.”

  Date night. Only twenty-four hours ago, Dani had assumed that she and Jeter would be out dancing tonight at the Bitter & Sweet Bar and Grill in downtown Prosperity, where the live music and great dance floor made the bar a happening place.

  Now, dateless for the first time in three months—Dateless in Prosperity, she thought wryly—she shook her head.

  After last night’s painful breakup and an especially irritating day, she wanted only to relax and hang out with her best friend. “Would you mind if we stayed here? I’m not in the mood to go out.”

  “Staying in works.”

  Nick shot her a sympathetic look, and tears she refused to shed gathered behind her eyes. Jeter had never exactly treated her well, and over the months they’d been together, she’d done more than enough crying.

  “I’ll bet you could use a hug,” Nick said. “I know I could.”

  Which reminded her that she wasn’t the only one hurting. Earlier in the week he’d broken up with Mandy, a woman he’d seemed to really like—at least for a while. Nick had commitment issues. He claimed that he didn’t want to settle down with anyone, ever, didn’t want to marry or have kids. They weren’t just words, either. He meant it.

  Dani stepped into the warm, comforting embrace she’d needed since Jeter had dumped her. She smelled Nick’s sandalwood shaving soap and fresh Montana air. And underneath both, his own “Nick” scent.

  For a few long moments they held each other tightly. When they let go and stepped back, Dani felt better.

  Nick sniffed the air, rubbing his belly and licking his lips, making her smile for real. “Man, that smells amazing. I’ve been dreaming of your mac and cheese all day.”

  “Even while you worked on the barn roof in the freezing rain? You’re lucky it didn’t snow.”

  It had been almost two years since Nick had repurchased Kelly Ranch, once owned by his family and then sold. Now he was slowly and painstakingly making improvements on the property, which, because it had been neglected, was rundown. His current project was the leaky barn roof. He could have hired a professional roofer, but he was watching his bank balance. Also, he claimed to enjoy doing the work himself.

  “I’d prefer snow to the icy stuff we got. And yeah, I thought a lot about dinner while the sleet was pounding my head. I could eat a whole cow.”

  As if in agreement, his stomach growled loudly—just as the oven timer pinged, signaling the casserole was ready.

  “If that isn’t great timing,” Dani teased. “Come on.”

  They linked arms and headed toward the kitchen of her little apartment, swapping fond looks with each other. “What’s next on your agenda, Mr. Ranch Fixer Upper?” she asked.

  “Mending fences so that we can move the livestock when the spring grass comes up. Now that it’s March, that’s just around the corner. I also have to install the new irrigation system soon.”

  “You’re keeping busy, I’ll give you that.” Too busy to reflect much on his recent breakup. “Ever notice how you use physical labor to avoid thinking about certain things?”

  He shrugged. “Hey, if it works...”

  He did seem in a better frame of mind than he had when they’d talked the previous evening. “I wish I was as good at distracting myself as you,” Dani said with envy.

  He peered closely at her. “You’ve been crying.”

  She pulled herself to her full five-foot-six-inch height. “I was, but I’m finished now. I’m excited to spend the evening with my best friend—eating, sipping wine, having ice cream, watching a movie, eating more ice cream....”

  She expected a laugh, and Nick didn’t disappoint. “You an
d me both,” he said.

  While he uncorked the wine, Dani donned oven mitts and brought the casserole to her cottage-style kitchen table. “When did we last have a pity party together?” she asked as they sat down in their usual seats.

  “You mean at the same time?” Nick’s thick-lashed, mocha-colored eyes narrowed in thought. “I don’t believe we ever have. It’s usually either you or me hurting, never both of us at once.”

  “A first for us, then, and after sixteen years of friendship.” They’d met in middle school at the age of fourteen, and had bolstered each other up through too many breakups to count.

  “Bummer, huh?” Nick said. “If this is a first, we should make a toast.” He filled the glasses. “To no more breakups at the same time.”

  “I’d rather toast to no more breakups, period,” Dani said. “But I know us both too well for that.”

  Neither of them stayed in a relationship for long.

  After setting down his glass, Nick eyed the casserole. “I’m sorry about Jeter, but I gotta say, I sure enjoy your choice of comfort food.”

  Dani laughed. “You always cheer me up.” His sense of humor was one of his many positive qualities. “And I agree, there’s nothing better than mac and cheese with hamburger.” She nodded at the steaming dish. “Help yourself.”

  “After you.” Beaming the sexy smile that made women swoon, Nick nudged the casserole her way.

  He was such a gentleman, which was also sexy. “Have you heard from Mandy since you broke up with her?” she asked when they’d both filled their plates.

  “You want to talk about this now.” He gave her a wary frown. “Are you trying to ruin my appetite?”

  “Is that even possible? It’s just that I remember how Jasmine stalked you with phone calls and texts when your relationship ended.” Jasmine had been Nick’s previous ex.