Sweet-Loving Cowboy--A Kinky Spurs Novel

by Stacey Kennedy

  “Goddamn prick,” Nash said beneath his breath.

  Clint smiled, showing teeth at Nash. To Chase, he added, “Have you considered the work isn’t up to the level it should be?”

  Chase lifted his chin, projecting his voice. “The work is solid.” Which was exactly why Chase stood here in front of his father’s sworn enemy. Something seemed off about this inspector. The first issues Todd found were plausible. The second round seemed motivated by another reason. Inspectors never missed things. It was their job to see everything on that first inspection. Todd wasn’t just being picky, he was being impossible. “Let me be clear, Harrison. If you are in any part involved in this, it won’t end well for you.”

  Clint laughed dryly. “Certainly not. That’s not the Blackshaw way.” He took another long drag on his cigar, the smoke curling from his mouth. “I may play hard, boys, but I don’t play dirty.” He pointed the cigar at them. “Your father respected that game of business.”

  “Sir, we need you over here,” a cowboy called out near the barn.

  Clint rose and glared at Nash. “That’s the first, and last, time I will explain my position on this.” To Chase, he asked, “Anything else I can help you with, boy?”

  The condescending edge to Clint’s voice clenched Chase’s jaw. He widened his stance and smiled. “Please give Mrs. Harrison our regards.” Clint might be the devil incarnate, but Megan’s mother was a sweet and thoughtful woman, much like Megan.

  Clint gave a dismissive nod. “Best you move along now.” He walked down the porch steps. “Some of the boys might not take too kindly to you being here.”

  Chase glanced over his shoulder, spotting a group of five guys off to the side of the barn watching them closely. He didn’t doubt that with one word from Clint he and Nash would have a shitload of trouble on their hands.

  Nash, being typical Nash, smiled in challenge. “Ah,” he drawled. “And here I thought we could make some friends.”

  Clint scowled before he turned away, heading toward his guys.

  Chase shook his head, tapping Nash on the arm and heading toward his truck. Nash, out of any of them, possibly loathed Clint the most. Nash’s hot temper never could stand Clint’s insults. “Must you goad him?” Chase asked once they got out of hearing range.

  “Yes,” Nash said without remorse, stepping into stride. “He’s a prick that deserves so much worse.”

  Chase couldn’t disagree there.

  Once they were back in the truck, Nash added, “He sits on his thrown like a goddamn king while his minions work around him.” Nash glared at Clint, who stood near the barn with the men around him. “I fucking hate that man.”

  “Rightly so.” Chase absorbed everything Clint had told him, then focused on his brother. “Did you think he was lying?”

  Nash considered, inhaling deeply then blowing it out slowly before replying, “I think Clint is a lot of things, but he’s never been a liar. He has too much arrogance for that.”

  “He didn’t strike me like he was lying either.” Chase pondered some more, then put a voice to his thoughts. “I can’t imagine anyone else trying to stop the guest ranch.”

  Nash shook his head. “Me neither.”

  Chase ran a hand over his tired eyes, then rubbed the tense muscles on his neck. “That said, there is no way this inspector is simply picky. There’s something off about all this.”

  “Well, then, we simply need to find out what that is.” Nash buckled up his seat belt. “What’s the plan now?”

  Heaviness sank in Chase’s body as he started the ignition. “I have absolutely no idea.”

  * * *

  Most times Harper loved country music, but today, the sadness coming from the man’s voice through the speaker above the bar only made her shoulders sink lower as she sat on the stool. Kinky Spurs’ lunchtime rush had come and gone. Lunch was a perfect distraction so Harper helped get Megan and Bethany through the busy time. Now as she stared at her scotch on the rocks, her racing thoughts returned. Before she felt strangled by a single choice. Now she felt suspended in time.

  Both sucked.

  Megan returned from serving an older gentleman sitting at the end of the bar. She leaned against the back table with the cash register on top and liquor bottles above. “So, as you were saying, you’ve decided to stay?”

  Harper had dropped that bit of news the second before the lunch crowd rushed in. “Yup, it’s official. I’m staying. I made the call to Jack before I came here.”

  Megan grabbed a cloth from beneath the bar and began wiping down the reclaimed wood slab. “Was he okay about it all?”

  “I could tell he was disappointed.” Harper swirled her glass, the ice clanging. “But of course, he understood when I explained everything to him.” She sipped her scotch, relishing the oak taste against her tongue before swallowing the shot back. “He also told me if I ever get anything up and running here in River Rock, he’ll spread the word for me. Maybe even come out for a little publicity to help get me started.”

  “Wow,” said Megan, rinsing out the cloth in the sink. “Good guy.”

  “He truly is.” Jack had been that way all through the television show, and even when she’d seen him again in school. Sometimes she thought he just felt bad for her because of how things turned out. The other part of her knew he believed in her talent, and that he was a good, kind man.

  Megan turned off the faucet, hanging the cloth to dry. “I guess the next question is: Do you want your job back?”

  Harper nearly parted her lips to accept, but she stopped herself. She couldn’t take the easy road anymore. “While I would say yes in a second, I can’t put off the restaurant dream either. If I’m staying here in River Rock, then I need to put down some roots and make something mine here.”

  Megan smiled. “You’ve got good ideas, girl. You’ll hit this right out of the park.”

  “I hope so.” Harper sipped her scotch, thinking through the list of things to do now that she had made the decision to stay. “First thing first, I need to find somewhere to live. Do you know anyone renting out a room?”

  “You’re not going to stay with Chase?”

  That had been something else she realized while sitting with Brody at the lake. “With Chase, things went from zero to hyperspeed in a week,” she said. “I think stepping back a little might not be such a bad thing. Do you know what I mean?”

  Megan nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with taking some time to breathe.” She grabbed a cutting board and a handful of limes.

  “Here, pass me a knife, I’ll help.” Harper accepted the knife from Megan and began cutting the lime into wedges. “And yes, that’s exactly it. It’s no secret I’ve been interested in him for a long time, but there’s the guest ranch, Brody, and just so much happening that I don’t want to get lost in all the complications.”

  Megan sliced through a lime sideways and gave a small smile. “It’s very easy to get lost in those Blackshaw boys.”

  Harper returned the smile then focused back on the lime, finishing cutting. That was as far as Megan ever went with sharing her obvious feelings for Nash. She would throw tiny little hints every once in a while, and Harper knew Megan only showed them to her. But she supposed she understood. Where Chase and Harper were complicated, Nash and Megan were even more so because Megan seemed to hate that she had feelings for him. And Nash, well, Nash was typical Nash, and loved every minute of driving her insane.

  “Then again,” added Megan, dumping all the cut-up limes into the plastic container, “they can also be total chest-beating alphas, so that tends to level the playing field a little.”

  “That’s true,” Harper agreed. Though she happened to like that side of Chase when it came out every so often, even if Megan hated it about Nash.

  Megan reached for another lime and tossed one to Harper. As she began to cut, she asked, “Back to your living situation, can you not go home with Brody?”

  Harper held onto the lime, cutting down the middle. “I c
an, yeah, but Brody and Faith are married now. I’m a twenty-seven-year-old woman. It feels weird staying there.”

  Megan paused. “Come stay with me until you get everything figured out.”

  Harper held the knife in her hand, the tip resting against the cutting board. “Really?”

  “Yeah, why not?” Megan focused back on the lime. “I’ve got an extra bedroom at my place. It’s not a problem at all.”

  Harper dropped the knife and rose, keeping her feet on the railings of the stool, then threw her arms around Megan. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” She needed time to figure out next steps, and not having to worry about paying the bills would help. “It won’t be for long. Just until I figure all this out and see where I land.”

  “I’m selfishly just so happy that you’re not leaving.” Megan returned the hug, squeezing tight. “It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

  When Harper leaned away, more sure than ever that staying was the right thing to do, the bar’s door opened. She glanced over her shoulder, spotting two men entering. Both looked to be in their early forties. The one on the left had a tan cowboy hat and big golden belt buckle. The man on the right was cleaner cut, wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

  “Hey, guys,” Megan called. “Take a seat anywhere. I’ll be with you in moment.” When they took the closest table to the door, Megan leaned in and whispered, “Do you know who that is?”

  Harper raised her eyebrows. “Should I?”

  “Ah, yeah. That’s the inspector who’s been giving Chase a hard time.”

  Harper took another quick look over her shoulder, a sudden urge to throw her shoe at him overwhelming her. “How do you know that?” she asked, turning back to Megan.

  “Because I researched him and saw his picture on the city’s website.”

  Harper felt her eyes widen. “You researched him? Why?”

  Megan turned on the faucet again, cleaning the spoons, obviously trying to look busy to continue with their conversation. “When Emma told me about the inspector and how he had failed Chase, I had a really bad feeling that maybe my dad had something to do with it.”

  Harper blinked. “Why?”

  “Because the only thing standing in his way of him getting the Blackshaw land is the guest ranch.”

  “Oh my God, I hadn’t even considered that.”

  Megan smiled. “Well, that’s because you are a nice person.”

  Harper’s thoughts reeled. She shook her head, trying to clear them. “Do you think your dad would actually do that?”

  Megan didn’t even hesitate. “At the time, yes, I wouldn’t have put it past him. He’s probably as slimy as that inspector over there when it comes to business. But he’s not behind it.”

  “You know that for certain?”

  Megan dried her hands on the towel, then gave a measured look. “Lying would be beneath my dad. He takes pride in his choices, no matter how horrible they are or how many people they hurt.”

  Harper could only stare at Megan, dumbfounded. “I really don’t get it. How are you from him?”

  Megan shrugged. “He’s not so bad to me and my mom. He’s just horrible to everyone else.” She leaned forward, a gleam in her eyes. “I’ll tell you this, though. When I told my dad about Chase being failed twice, he said he thought the inspector sounded shady. And usually when my dad finds something shady, it’s shady.”

  Harper took a minute to absorb that while she sipped her scotch, a plan suddenly taking shape. “You know what, I think your dad is onto something. What would you say to investigating this a little further?”

  Megan’s smile sparkled. She turned and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a couple shot glasses. “How about a liquid interrogation?”

  “Perfect.” Harper nodded, feeling a sudden determination to get to the bottom of this. Because the more she thought about it, the more they should have seen that wasn’t right. “Which guy is the inspector?”

  Megan’s gaze flicked over Harper’s shoulder to the men before returning. “The guy in the cowboy hat.”

  “I’ll take him.” Harper hastily unbuttoned her plaid button-down until she revealed her cleavage. “Ready?”

  “You’re damn right I am.”

  Harper waited until Megan snuck under the bar, then led the way to where the men sat. When she reached them, their heads were turned toward the flat-screen showing the highlights of the football game. Harper leaned forward, resting her hands on the table, getting her boobs out front and center. “Do you boys mind if we join you?”

  Both their heads turned.

  The inspector’s eyes flared with heat, solely focused right on her cleavage. When he lifted his dark eyes to her, he licked his lips. “Well, hello there, darlin’.”

  She gave her best sexy smile and purred, “Hi back.”

  * * *

  The beams of the spotlights lit up the cabin’s steps, cutting through the dark night. While Chase knew time was against him, that didn’t mean he was going to stop working. Besides, being at the ranch kept his mind off getting in his truck and driving over to Harper’s. She needed time. He would give it to her, no matter that keeping true to that promise was becoming harder as each minute ticked by.

  With the warm breeze brushing across his skin, bringing a plethora of ranch smells with it, he took a nail from his mouth and slammed the hammer against the end of it, driving it into the wooden stair.

  As he reached for the next nail between his lips, his mother said from behind him, “Are we going to talk about why you’re so miserable?”

  Chase lowered the hammer and straightened, glancing behind him. Mom stood with a knitted shawl wrapped around her shoulders, holding onto a coffee mug. “Is Houdini okay?” Chase asked.

  She nodded. “He’s sound asleep on the kitchen floor.” Which had become his favorite place since Mom fed him while she was cooking. She stepped forward and offered him the mug, giving him a hard look. “And stop distracting me with your own questions.”

  “Thanks for the coffee.” He lifted the mug then took a sip, tasting the hazelnut flavor Mom’s coffee always had. Once he swallowed, he asked, “Do I have a choice in not discussing why I’m so miserable?”

  “No.” She crossed her arms, giving him that same probing look she had whenever she saw right through him. “Are you upset because Harper has decided to stay in River Rock?”

  Fucking Nash. He told their mom everything.

  Harper was the last thing he wanted to talk about, but Mom was tenacious. He had learned years ago she never gave up. Ever. He took another sip of his coffee then set it down on the porch before explaining. “I never wanted any of this to happen.”

  Mom tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Let me ask you this: If you knew what you know now, would you go back and do things differently?”

  He considered that long and hard, finding the answer was not an easy one. But in the end, one truth remained the same. “I wouldn’t change a damn thing.” He could not imagine not having Harper. If they’d gone back and he thought he would never see her again, he would have made the exact same choices.

  “Well, there’s your answer then, isn’t it?” Mom smiled.

  Chase frowned. “What answer?”

  Mom stepped closer and patted his face gently. “You love her. She loves you. You both need to simply finagle your way through all this before things settle into place.”

  Overwhelmed by how easy she made that sound, he let his gaze fell to the grass below his steel-toed boot lit up by the spotlights.

  “You’re a good man, Chase.” He glanced back up into her warm eyes. “You make me so incredibly proud. Your father would be so amazed with all that you’ve done here. But don’t be too good, okay? Sometimes tough situations are just tough. You deserve to be happy.” She leaned forward and said sternly, “So be happy. Life is so short. Too short. Don’t wait.”

  Chase’s chest tightened. He knew his mother missed their father deeply. W
ith all that happened with Blackshaw Cattle, he didn’t think anyonehad had the time to properly mourn their father’s passing. It was a void that could not be filled. He took Mom in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you, Ma.”

  She returned the hug. “I love you, my sweet boy.”

  Car lights suddenly shone up the driveway, revealing Brody’s Jeep.

  “Do you think he’s still angry?” Mom asked. Nash had obviously told her about Brody punching him too.

  Chase sighed, releasing his arm from around her. “I don’t know.”

  Mom smiled, patting his cheek again. “I’ll go get a bag of frozen peas ready, just in case.”

  He chuckled, watching her stride back up to the house before turning his attention to Brody exiting his Jeep.

  “Hi, Brody,” she called, giving him a wave.

  “Hey.” Brody moved with a steady pace, his hands loose. When he reached Chase, he squinted his eyes, the side of his mouth curving. “I didn’t hit you hard enough. That cut is too small.”

  “It’s not my fault my face is stronger than your punch.” Chase smirked.

  Brody gave a quick smile then shoved his hands into his pockets. “So, ah, I came here ’cause I need to tell you something.”

  Seeing that he wasn’t in danger of getting another hit, Chase reached for his coffee on the porch. “What’s that?”

  He took a sip, and nearly coughed when Brody asked, “Did you know that inspector, Todd, is related to Joel Breckenridge?”

  Chase blinked, forcing the coffee down his throat. It took a good few seconds to absorb that information. “Are you sure?”

  Brody nodded and moved toward the post on the cabin, leaning against the wooden beam. “He’s apparently a cousin.”

  Chase considered that tidbit of information. “It’s strange that Todd didn’t mention that to me when we first met. I suppose it’s possible they’re not close. But seeing how close Joel is to my parents, it seems unlikely he wouldn’t have said anything.”

  “Yeah. I guess Todd moved here about a month or so ago.”

  “Explains why we don’t know him.”