All I Want for Christmas Is a Cowboy

by Jessica Clare

  “You need to dry first,” the makeup artist told her. “Turn.”

  Rose obediently turned. “Text him, Cass, and tell him I’m on set with Denim Darlings but we can do dinner at six.”

  “Right.” She unlocked Rose’s phone, quickly texted Ken, and tried not to vomit. She needed to be casual, even though there was a sick clench in her gut. “So . . . Ken’s in town?”

  “Yeah, he finished shooting his new movie,” Rose called over her shoulder. “It’s been forever since I’ve seen him. That man owes me an apology and some jewelry!”

  Again, the entourage tittered.

  Ugh. If Ken was showing up here, Cass didn’t want to be around. She didn’t think she’d be able to hide how she felt, and a photo shoot wasn’t the best place to have a confrontation. So she asked, “You want me to run and get you another black coffee?”

  “Make it a latte. Lunch, you know.” She winked at Cass, and the other handlers chuckled with amusement.

  “Right. Be back soon.” With a little wave, she returned the phone to Rose’s purse and escaped the set.

  Even though there was a coffee place just down the street, she took her time. Cass knew that Rose was going to be busy for a while, so she had at least an hour or two to clear her mind and try to de-stress. If Ken was showing up, Cass needed to be somewhere else. She’d been avoiding his calls and had blocked his phone number so he couldn’t keep texting her. Cowardly, maybe, but she could only handle so much while being brokenhearted over Eli. For the hundredth time in the last week, she wished she had Eli’s phone number. She desperately wanted to talk to him, if only to hear his voice.

  She paced up and down the street, window-shopped, and then eventually headed in to the coffee shop. The line was long so she took her place at the back and gazed at the chalkboard menu without really seeing it. Her thoughts were back in Wyoming, with a tanned cowboy who had a dazzling white smile and callused hands that knew just how to touch her—

  “Fancy running into you here,” a smooth voice called against her ear, so close she could feel breath whisper against her skin.

  Cass yelped and jumped, because that was not Eli. She turned, but she already knew who it was. Knew before people started raising their phones into the air and taking pictures and recording. It was Ken Wallis, and she’d been found. As she turned, she realized three things.

  One—Ken Wallis was just as Hollywood handsome as he was in the movies. His smile was blisteringly gorgeous, his slightly ruffled blond hair charmingly perfect, and his eyes as bright green as they seemed in photos.

  Two—Ken was also really short. As in, they were the same height, and when Cass wore heels like she was today, she loomed over him.

  And three—she remembered this guy.

  Maybe it was the sight of his face as he smirked up at her, so pleased with himself for hunting her down. Maybe it was the fact that he was short and that made him a little more flawed and human. Or maybe it was the last piece of the puzzle finally sliding together, but she remembered.

  She remembered everything.

  She wasn’t the jerk.

  She wasn’t sleeping with this guy. She would never. He made her skin crawl. Always had. As she stared into his gorgeous face, a deluge of memories slid into place. Of constant text messages that skirted inappropriateness. Of him trying to put an arm around her waist while Rose was on a shoot. Of him coincidentally showing up places when he knew Cass would be there and Rose would not. And the more she turned him down, the more he pursued her. She knew it wasn’t that he found her beautiful—he liked the thrill of the chase.

  She knew that, and because of that, and because he was Rose’s, and because she found him too pushy, she’d always, always, always turned him down.

  Cass wasn’t a home wrecker. She hadn’t cheated on Eli. She didn’t have to give him up.

  Relief as strong as a tidal wave rushed through her, and she burst out laughing. She wanted to cry with joy. She wanted to sag with boneless relief. All she did was laugh and laugh, because her heart was suddenly light again. She wasn’t an irredeemable monster. She wasn’t the worst kind of human for stealing her friend’s boyfriend behind her back.

  And she was free to fall in love with Eli. Her heart had known even if her mind didn’t.

  Oh, Eli.

  “I take it you’re glad to see me,” Ken said charmingly, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Huh?” Cass blinked at him. Someone cleared their throat, and Cass realized the barista was waiting on her. Oh. “An extra-large iced latte, please, double shot, cashew milk, no sugar, splash of cinnamon.”

  “I see my lovely Rose has sent you out to run errands for her,” Ken said, leaning in over her shoulder and standing so close that her skin prickled uncomfortably.

  “Now’s not the time, Ken,” Cass said, keeping her voice light. She paid for the latte and then moved to the far end of the counter to wait for the order.

  “It’s the perfect time, actually,” Ken continued, following her. He smiled at a few people and waved off autographs. “Sorry, guys, I just got off of a very long set. No autographs. I’m just meeting an old friend.” He slid in next to her.

  “We’re not friends,” Cass murmured, keeping her gaze straight ahead. Her thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Eli was still at the ranch. She knew he was. He had no plans to leave it. Would he want to see her if she showed up again? She hadn’t told him a thing about why she’d left, and that was wrong of her. What if he held it against her? What if he didn’t forgive her? She’d be heartbroken. But she thought of her cowboy and his protective nature, the way he’d held her hand so carefully after she’d cut it.

  He loved her. He might be upset, but he’d forgive her.

  Full of hope for the first time in days, Cass sighed dreamily.

  “We could have spent the holidays together, you know,” Ken said, undeterred. “I had the perfect little place picked out for us. Nice and quiet and discreet.”

  He still stood next to her, and Cass clenched her jaw. He wasn’t touching her, but he was still too close. Ken was always careful to make sure that the paps wouldn’t catch him being indiscreet. It was another reason he chased her—she was an easy excuse. That woman he was seen standing near? That was his gorgeous girlfriend’s mousy assistant. Of course he wasn’t hitting on her.

  Ha.

  Ha ha.

  “Look, Ken, I’m sure you’re a nice guy.” She half choked on the lie. “But I’m really not interested. I don’t know how many more times I can tell you that I’m not interested.” She carefully shifted a foot or two away. “You should really focus on Rose.”

  “Rose is busy,” he murmured, nodding and waving at a few fans still filming him nearby. “And I’m pretty sure I can convince you that we could have fun together.”

  “I’m pretty sure you can’t—”

  “I’m an excellent partner.” He kept his voice low as he leaned in again. “Very . . . giving. And I’d love to give to you for a while if you’d let me.”

  “Your latte,” the barista said, holding it out to Cass from over the bar. He froze and stared at Ken, then his gaze flicked back to Cass. “Is that . . .”

  She nodded and took the drink, dropping money into the tip jar. “Thanks.” She turned and Ken was right there, blocking her path ever so slightly. Not enough for it to be noticeable to anyone . . . except her.

  And for once, she’d had enough.

  She’d dealt with Ken and his creepy advances for months. To him, it didn’t matter that she wasn’t interested. He was a movie star, and so he felt like he should get her in his bed no matter what. He thought it was a game between them. He really, really didn’t seem to grasp that she wasn’t interested.

  It was harassment, pure and simple. And she’d never touched his foul self. Joy burst through her again, bright and shining. She was clean and free and she could
love Eli without guilt.

  Ken noticed her smile and wiggled one eyebrow at her. He reached out and stroked a curl of her hair on her shoulder, as if she belonged to him.

  For some reason, that set her off. It was the straw on the camel’s back. He was destroying her happiness. He’d been the problem all along. He’d nearly cost her everything.

  That . . . jerk.

  Furious, Cass tossed the latte at him. The cup smacked into his chest and the lid went flying. Coffee splashed everywhere.

  The people gathered around them took a visible step back and gasped. Ken remained perfectly still, coffee dripping down the front of his pale designer shirt.

  Cass swallowed. She looked around the coffee shop and saw people were still filming. This would be everywhere by tomorrow, every tabloid, every gossip rag, and the headlines would all be how handsome, friendly Ken Wallis was attacked by a crazed woman in a Midtown coffee shop.

  Well, shit. “Accident,” Cass said loudly. “I stumbled.” And she pushed past him out into the street.

  Already she felt a hundred times lighter. She hadn’t solved her problems, of course, but she was taking control of the situation.

  And she was one step closer to returning to Eli.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Cass raced back to the set, determined. This time she didn’t dawdle or take her time on the streets. She marched back into the studio, looking for Rose. She was still standing in front of the paper screen, topless as the fan blew her hair into a windswept mess and she posed, one arm over her naked breasts. Off to one side, Rose’s phone bleated over and over again with her ringtone.

  “About time,” Rose snapped as Cass marched in, glancing over her shoulder and managing to look sultry through her annoyance. “My phone’s blowing up. And where’s my coffee? Where—”

  She yelped as Cass marched onto the set itself and grabbed Rose by the arm, pulling her away.

  “Hey,” the photographer protested, looking up from his tripod as Cass dragged his subject off the set. “We’re busy here—”

  “You can wait a few minutes,” Cass told him in a firm voice. She was tired of everyone pushing her around. It was time to push back.

  “Should I get my phone?” Rose asked as Cass tugged her to the side. “It keeps ringing—”

  “Don’t bother. I know who that is.” Cass ignored the dirty looks the assistants on the set were sending her. “This is going to be everywhere in about five minutes so you need to be aware.” At Rose’s wide-eyed expression, Cass continued. “I ran into Ken at the coffee shop and threw your latte on him.”

  “You what?” Rose crossed her arms over her bare chest, incredulous. She didn’t care that she was topless, only that Cass had insulted her boyfriend. “Do you know who he is?”

  “Yeah, movie star and huge dick and I don’t care. You should know what he’s up to.” Cass pulled out her phone and found the messages Ken had been sending her. She offered it to Rose. “Your boyfriend is constantly harassing me. He calls me at all hours. Shows up where I’m at. Hits on me nonstop. In other words, he’s crap and you deserve to know. I threw the latte on him because he showed up and started hitting on me again. He’s constantly making disgusting suggestions and I’ve had enough.”

  Rose blinked at her. She took the phone and scrolled through the messages, pausing to read one or two. “Huh. He’s very good.”

  “Good?”

  “At not incriminating himself. These could all be considered all right if taken out of context. They’re easy to explain off.”

  Cass stared at Rose in horror. “I’m not making this up. I—”

  “I know you’re not.” Rose shrugged and handed the phone back. “I know he’s a cheating asshole.”

  “You do?” That wasn’t the answer she’d expected Rose to give her. She’d expected protests. Mocking. Something along those lines. She expected Rose to believe Ken over her. This was . . . rather surprising.

  “Oh yeah. His last girlfriend warned me. Said he banged her assistants. Plural. I figured as long as you didn’t take him up on it, it’d be a nonissue.”

  “A nonissue?” Cass’s voice rose a squeaky notch as she stared at Rose. “Are you serious? He’s been harassing me.”

  “Just ignore him and his roving dick. That’s what I do.” Rose shrugged again and tilted her head. “Was there anything else?”

  Anything else? Was she serious? But as Cass studied Rose’s calm face, she realized that Rose was serious. She just didn’t care. “Let’s just ignore the fact that he’s gross and harassing me. You don’t mind that he’s a cheater?”

  “Of course he’s a cheater,” Rose said patiently. “He’s good-looking, rich, and extremely famous. Women throw themselves at him all the time. You really think I expect him to be loyal to me?”

  “Yes!”

  “Oh, come on, Cass. This isn’t a fairy tale.” Her smile was brittle-edged and hard. “That’s not how real life works. You should know by now that all men are assholes.”

  They stared at each other for a long moment. In the background, Rose’s phone rang and rang. Cass knew it was Ken, trying desperately to get ahold of Rose to do damage control. The sad thing was, he didn’t even have to. Rose didn’t care.

  “Not all men are assholes,” Cass said quietly. “Some are good, and kind, and loving. Some would never look twice at another woman once they gave their heart. I know. I’ve met one.”

  Rose snorted, her eyes narrowed. “If that’s the case, then what are you doing as my lonely assistant with no life of her own?”

  That was a very, very good question. It was something Cass herself had been wondering for the last few days. Finally, though, she had an answer. She smiled and straightened her shoulders. “I quit.”

  * * *

  • • •

  Later that evening, Cass called her parents as she packed her bags. “I quit my job and I’m leaving New York City,” she told them.

  “Is everything all right?” her mother asked, worried. “You’re feeling okay?”

  “I’m fine. I just . . . I couldn’t work for Rose anymore.”

  “Good! You deserve better than to be at the beck and call of someone who puts you down all the time.”

  Cass was surprised to hear that. She’d thought Rose’s constant thoughtless comments were harmless, but maybe they did wear her down. Maybe others had noticed it, too. Either way, she felt lighter and happier. She’d changed the wallpaper on her phone after quitting, because she didn’t want to stare at Rose’s face. She’d changed it to a mountain scene since she didn’t have a picture of Eli, and at least the mountains made her think of him.

  She’d blocked Rose’s number, too. Rose had said she’d understood Cass’s decision, even though it was clear she didn’t. Then a few hours later, she’d texted Cass asking her to bring hummus from the corner market, as if nothing had changed between them.

  So she’d blocked her. In a few weeks, maybe she’d unblock her when Cass was ready to talk, and when Rose had time to realize that no, Cass really wasn’t going to be at her beck and call anymore. Maybe it was cowardly, but she didn’t care. She needed time to clear her mind and start over.

  “Mom, I was thinking . . . the cabin in the mountains?”

  “The summer cabin?”

  “Yeah. I was thinking I’d go live there for a while. Maybe I’ll write a book or something.” She wouldn’t, of course. But if her family thought she needed the peace and quiet for a while they wouldn’t mind her using it.

  “Oh. Gosh, I don’t know, honey. It’s so remote. And the Chiltons wanted to use it this summer for a few weeks.”

  “I’ll be out of there by then,” Cass said quickly. “And I don’t mind the remoteness. It’ll be like Thoreau and Walden Pond.”

  “Who?” She could practically hear her mother wrinkle her nose.

 
“Never mind. I just need to be in Wyoming for a little longer, I think.” She sat on the edge of the bed and tried not to feel like a child asking her parents to go on vacation. She was an adult. If her parents said no, she’d rent from someone else and figure things out.

  “Does this have something to do with a certain cowboy?” her mother asked, voice shrewd.

  Cass swallowed hard. “Um, what?” How did she know? She’d deliberately avoided telling her mother how she felt about Eli because she hadn’t wanted her feelings to be associated with the hit she’d taken on the head. She didn’t want others to doubt how she felt, because she had no doubts herself.

  “I know a woman named Maria that works at Price Ranch. I pay her to go and clean up the cabin a few times a year to dust and keep things tidy. Anyhow, she called me a few days after you did and asked if my daughter was all right. She’d heard all about the hit on your head from one of the cowboys there. Maria tells me he’s a very handsome young man named Eli, and that he’s been very mopey since you left.”

  Cass felt herself blushing. “Is he?”

  “Maria wanted me to pass that along.” She could hear the smile in her mother’s voice. “But if you want to go and live alone in the mountains in a cabin, I guess I can’t stop you. Just make sure you bring lots of food and drink and call your mother once a week.”

  She found herself smiling. Even though she was an adult, her mother still fussed over her like a child. “Will do.” Cass thought for a moment, and then asked, “Say, can I have Maria’s phone number?”

  She had an idea.

  * * *

  • • •

  “Can you sit down for a minute, mijo?” Maria asked as Eli headed inside the house. It was barely early afternoon and he should have been out on horseback, working the cattle with the others. Instead, he’d been in a foul mood all day and had snapped at Jordy when one of the cattle had turned up missing. It was Houdini, of course. It was always damned Houdini, and he should have expected it, but it still pissed him off something awful because Jordy was in charge of mending fences. Jordy had sniped back, implying that maybe Eli hadn’t handled things as he should have over Christmas, and then he’d nearly gotten into a fight with the younger man. Old Clyde had intervened, separating the two of them. Instead of taking Eli’s side, he’d sent Jordy to mend fences and told Eli to go inside and let off some steam.