A Cowboy To Keep: A Contemporary Western Romance Collection

by Hebby Roman

  Harper grabbed her purse and walked out on him. When she got in her car and started the engine, she glanced back over her shoulder, expecting to see Frank coming across the yard toward her. No sign of him. So much for calm and serene Frank. That man could be as prickly as an old cactus.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Heirloom tomatoes. Gorgeous. Harper held one to her nose to sniff and gently tested it for ripeness with her fingers. Fucking Frank Flynn. That man has more baggage than Amtrak. He hadn’t tried to contact her once during the day. He can rot in—Her thumb went through the tomato.

  “So...the tomatoes. Do we have enough?” Her assistant, Raul, stood with a clipboard at the ready.

  “Oh, yeah, sorry. We may have too many. I think we’ll have a nice gazpacho on the menu tomorrow,” she answered, turning from the pantry. “I’d say that’s everything. We’re all set for tomorrow. Thank you, everyone, for a successful day.”

  “Hey, Harper, we’re going out for a drink. Want to come with us?” asked one of the servers.

  So far Harper had turned down all invitations to join the rest of the staff since she started seeing Frank. For some reason she kept his existence to herself. She wasn’t even clear of her own reasons. She didn’t mean to be secretive. But she had a superstitious feeling because their relationship had started out so fast and intense. She felt if she put them up for public scrutiny it would dissolve like waking up from a good dream and then having it fade even as you were thinking about it. She and Justin had been the perfect couple in everyone’s eyes for years. No one was more surprised than she to discover they weren’t.

  “Sure,” she said.

  * * *

  That first taste of the sweet, tart margarita puckered her lips. Neon signs advertising beer glowed in the dark bar. Country western music played in the background. The smell of beer in the air.

  “Busy place,” she said, plastering a big smile across her face for the benefit of her coworkers, who seemed anxious she enjoyed herself.

  A man stumbled behind her, knocking into her arm and spilling some of her drink. Harper looked up from her companions just as the sharp clack of a pool stick hitting a cue ball caught her attention. In a side room half hidden by an archway, a game of pool was going on. She watched the long pool stick, blonde wood tip with a darker stained handle, retreat back across the green felt top. Something familiar about the forearms holding the stick. The pool stick disappeared from sight and a figure stepped into view. Her mouth went dry.

  Frank, sight fixed on the table, moved around to the side. Just then a little brunette sidled up to him. A burn started in her stomach and moved up to Harper’s face like a flash flood. She watched as Frank’s gaze cut sideways to the woman, who spun to talk to him. He took a step away from her and took out his phone, putting his back to the woman. Oh, I know that move. Good luck, girlie. His thumbs typed away with the phone held in both hands.

  In the next second her phone vibrated in her pocket. When she took it out, she had a text from Frank. Can I see you?

  She bit her bottom lip and typed a reply. Probably. Unless something is wrong with your eyesight.

  She watched him bring up the phone again and look at the screen. She giggled when he frowned and knit his eyebrows together. He stood there scratching his head until another man nudged him. It was his turn again. Frank put the tip of his pool stick on the table and bent over, eyes lining down the sights. Then he saw her. His face went still in disbelief and he broke into a big grin.

  With his eyes on her, he slowly ran the pool stick between the V formed by his fingers. Back and forth, back and forth. He bit down on his lower lip, eyes smoldering. Harper picked the lime off the rim of her glass and played it across her bottom lip, darting the tip of her tongue out to flick at the fruit. She arched her back to better display her breasts. Frank took his shot and handed the stick to the brunette, saying something to her.

  Then he was walking across the bar to her table. Harper got up and walked toward him. The tuft of black, curly hair peeking out of the top of his pearl snap front shirt flooded her not only with lust but a degree of affection that surprised her. At last face to face, they fit their arms around each other and he locked his lips to her. It felt like coming home.

  “Hello, Disorder,” he whispered into her hair.

  “I’m sorry I said all those stupid things. I overreacted.”

  “You did give me some things to think about. It looks like you already have plans, but if you want, I hear there’s a good show on TV later tonight we can watch together.”

  “Do you want to come over to my place and put your feet up?”

  “If you want. Or you could come to my house and help me break in my new flat screen TV.”

  “You did that for me? Don’t tell me you fouled your living room for my benefit.”

  “Nope. I wouldn’t do that. I put it in my den.”

  “I’d like to see your new TV. Let me say goodnight to my friends.”

  “Why? How about you finish your drink and I’ll join you?”

  “What about your friend?” she inclined her head back toward the pool table where the brunette had her eyes on them.

  “I told him I was done for the night.”

  “I’m talking about the girl.”

  “I have no idea who she is. I never saw her before ten minutes ago.”

  Harper took his hand and led him back to the table where everyone was looking at her agog. “Everyone, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” She turned and looked at Frank until he looked back at her. “This is Frank Flynn. My boyfriend.”

  Frank squeezed her hand. The soft look in his eyes filled her heart with warmth.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The road ahead of them rose and dipped. The cones of light cast by the headlights were the only light out here. Frank slowed down when a jackrabbit jumped in front of the car, eyeballs flashing like metal discs, before running off. They were out of the gated communities of the city and back in the wide, open countryside.

  Harper sat silent beside Frank, her hand on his thigh, trying to gauge his mood. He’d hardly said a word since they got in the car. Dinner with Lizzie and her husband, Donald, had probably been a mistake. Donald had been insufferable, waving the fruits of his labor at them: his sound system, his pool, his flat screen TV. And Harper caught Lizzie’s gaze lingering over Frank’s body as if that explained everything. It felt like the two of them tried to talk over Frank. He held his own, but she wondered how he felt.

  At the wheel, Frank suddenly snorted with laughter and shook his head. Harper found herself laughing along with him. “That was dreadful. I’m sorry,” she said between laughs.

  “It wasn’t so bad. Once Donald figured out where he knew me from, things moved along smoothly.”

  “Still, shouting out that your brother had been his drug dealer was tactless.”

  Frank was still laughing. “If I had a nickel for every time I get that. That man sure likes his toys, doesn’t he? Still my flat screen TV is bigger than his.” He stopped laughing abruptly and threw a quick glance in her direction. “Hey, when are you going to tell your folks about us?”

  “I went over to tell Ma the other day, but we had a fight about something—nothing important. It was hardly the moment to bring it up.” She didn’t mention, she’d been avoiding talking to her mother since she had yet to deal with Justin.

  “Well, I wish you’d get on that. Things are getting real awkward at the station.”

  “Why?”

  “The guys are always at me about being on my phone so much, and then the other day Dusty caught me sweet-talking you, and that is the last guy you want knowing your business.... Anyway, they’ve all been teasing me, your dad included. I’m worried that soon word’s going to get back to you that I have a girlfriend.”

  She laughed. “All right. I’m just not used to having to run my love life past my parents.”

  “I understand. Only I have to spend most of my work days with Don
ovans in one form or another. Keeping us a secret doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to Ma. There’s going to be a big party at the ranch for Grandpa’s birthday in a couple of weeks. Everyone will be there. The whole family. I was hoping you’d come as my date.”

  His head jerked sideways. “Jesus. That’s quite a leap. From telling your parents we’re a couple to having to confront the whole clan. You better….” As they pulled into his yard, he went silent like a switch had been thrown.

  Harper tore her eyes away from his face to see what he was looking at. A strange car was parked in the yard illuminated by the porch light. A woman leaned against it.

  “Who’s that?” asked Harper with a dread feeling clawing at her skull.

  His chest expanded with a deep intake of breath. He turned to her with a pained expression on his face. “Someone I have to talk to.”

  “Who is she?”

  “My sister. Look, I’ll introduce you to her, but at some point will you make yourself scarce for about fifteen minutes?”

  “Why?”

  “She might need to ask me for something, and it will embarrass her to have to ask in front of you.”

  He stopped the car and Harper waited until he’d crossed the yard before she slid out of the passenger side. The woman’s mouth dropped open when she saw her.

  “Hey, Val. What a surprise. I hope you weren’t waiting long,” Frank said.

  “Half an hour. I didn’t know you had company,” said the woman, who Harper first thought pretty but on closer inspection, she could see the wages of hard-living etched in her lined, shrunken face.

  “Val, this is Harper. Harper my sister, Valerie.” They stood in an uneasy silence while Val sized her up before offering her a nod. Frank held his hand out. “Would you like to come in?”

  “For a few minutes. I have to return Woody’s car.”

  “You still with Woody?” said, Frank unlocking the front door.

  Val forced a smile, exposing a mouth full of gaps. “Sometimes.” She stepped inside and looked around. “The place looks good, Francis. You have a dog?” she asked with sudden glee when Dog in his crate wagged his tail and smiled at her.

  “Yeah, an unexpected acquisition. I got a few of those lately.” Frank winked at Harper. “So, how have you been, Val? Are you keeping well?” He looked at his sister with a hard, searching look.

  “Oh, I am. I really am.” Val wrung her hands in a way that made Harper nervous. She had a deferential attitude as if she wanted Frank’s approval—or feared his disapproval.

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Dog beat his tail on the ground again. “Frank, he’s been in the crate all evening. How about I take him for a quick walk,” Harper said.

  “Would you, sweetheart? Thank you.”

  Harper unhooked Dog’s leash from the back of the door and led him out of the crate. She left brother and sister facing off in the living room and stepped out into the cool, fragrant air. Before she closed the door, she heard Val say, “Playing house? Very domestic.”

  The dry ground crunched underfoot, sounding loud and brittle in the night, quiet except for the high-pitched humming of insects. She walked Dog around the back of the house where he lifted his leg and relieved himself against an old, long abandoned planter. They walked out behind the property until she got spooked by the coyotes howling, and headed back to the light spilling out around the house. Rounding the house, she saw the light in Frank’s study come on, and then off again after a brief time. When she stood in front of the house again, she could see both figures through the window. Frank handed Val something, which she folded and put in her back pocket.

  “I think that’s mission accomplished.” Harper patted Dog. “We can go back in now.”

  Both Frank and Val turned toward her when she stepped in the door. It struck her how similar their features were, with their almost exotic eyes and dramatic eyebrows. Both had that curly black hair, though Val’s flowed around her shoulders. It felt disconcerting to have the two of them, looking so much alike and wearing similar expressions, staring at her.

  Frank knelt and held out his arms to Dog who ran to him as soon as Harper had the leash off. “Hey, buddy. Hmmm, I can smell the cold air on you.”

  “Yes, it’s gotten chilly out there. Should I put coffee on?” Harper looked from one to the other. Val eyed her with a strange what’s-wrong-with-this-picture look on her face.

  “No, that’s fine, darlin’. Val has to get going.”

  “Yes...yes, I do. I have to get the car back to Woody.”

  Frank took Val’s arm. “Let me walk you to your car.”

  “All right. Well, nice to meet you...Harper? That’s your name, right?”

  After they left the house Harper sat on the floor next to dog, cuddling him. When it seemed like Frank had been gone too long, she sneaked into his study where the light was off to watch Frank and his sister standing next to her car. He leaned into her, talking, while she shifted from foot to foot, ready to be off. At last, he put his arms around her and gave her a hug, which she returned with limp arms.

  Harper hurried back to the living room and sat on the couch just as he came in the door. He smiled sheepishly at her and shrugged his shoulders. “Family.”

  “Yeah, family. So is she all right?”

  “She has a history of substance abuse. Let’s go see what’s on TV.”

  End of discussion. Have it your way, Francis.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Something wasn’t right. Harper sensed it the minute she walked in the door. She’d timed her visit to coincide with the end of the breakfast shift so she could catch her mother before she headed off on a trail ride with a party of guests. Catch her and tell her what? That she and Flynn were an item? That they were playing house as his sister had described it? She had to admit playing house was an apt description. They had moved into an almost domestic routine in a head spinning amount of time. Stepped out of one man’s life right into another, her mother would say. Her mother would be full of questions Harper didn’t know how to answer—because she hadn’t stopped to ask herself those same questions. She just knew she couldn’t get enough of that man.

  Knowing this discussion wasn’t going to get any easier, she walked through the dining room toward the kitchen. Usually this time of day her mother would be jawing with the last of the customers, asking them what they were going to be doing that day and making suggestions. Mom wasn’t in sight and the room was quieter without her presence.

  She stepped through the swinging doors to the kitchen. Rosa was kneading dough, a slight frown on her face.

  “Hey,” Harper said.

  Rosa looked up and wiped her hands on her apron, sympathy written on her face. “You got here fast.”

  “I don’t know. The usual amount of time. Why do you say that?”

  “Oh, didn’t your mom call you?”

  “No. I came to see her. What’s happened? Where’s Mom?”

  * * *

  Answer. Answer. Harper tugged at her hair, phone held to her ear.

  “Hey, you, what’s up?” Came his low-pitched, soothing voice, the very timbre of which struck a chord in her that took her nerves down a few notches.

  She let the pent up air out of her lungs. “I wanted to hear your voice before I have to go to work, that’s all.”

  “That’s nice. Hearing your voice has put a smile on my face.”

  “What have you been doing?”

  “Well, I just worked out, you’ll be happy to know. Keeping my body toned. Now, I’m stepping outside for some privacy because all of sudden everyone’s interested in my phone conversation. In a bit I have to go to a school to talk about fire safety, which gets me out of testing equipment.”

  “Nothing dangerous, then?”

  “Sneaking a phone call from you with your dad within shouting distance is about the most dangerous thing I have going today. I’m hoping that situation is going to get resolved soon.”


  “I went by the house to talk to Mom this morning.”

  “Good! How did that go?”

  “It didn’t go.”

  “What the hell, babe? What happened this time?”

  “My sister, Mary, had a miscarriage.”

  He was silent for a moment and then came back speaking in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry. That’s rough. Is she all right?”

  “Yes, she’s fine—physically. These things happen. I’m surprised you haven’t heard it through the fire station grapevine yet.”

  “No. Not a peep, but now you mention it, your Dad’s been kind of tight-lipped all day. He’s been in his office a lot.”

  “Funny thing is when I heard something was wrong, you were the first person I thought about.”

  “Why would you think about me?”

  She forced a little laugh. “All my life the police scanner was Mom’s favorite background noise. I think we all grew up unconscientiously waiting for something to happen. I just realized today how much I worry about you getting injured.”

  “That’s sweet—I guess. But, look, crossing the street can be dangerous. I’m well-trained at my job. Don’t worry about me. In fact, most accidents happen in the kitchen, so maybe I should worry about you when you’re at work.”

  “I know, but you have the unpredictable built into your day. You don’t know if when you go to work you’ll have a quiet day or a raging fire to put out.” She could hear the hint of anxiety in her own voice. Some kind of tension had been coiling up in her from before she even found out about her sister.

  “You’re a fireman’s kid. You know the drill better than most, and you also know many more of us make it to retirement than not. It’s just a job. Don’t get dramatic on me.”

  “Just promise me you’ll be extra careful.”

  “I will take every precaution today—at the elementary school.”

  “Why are they sending you anyway? No offense but you’ve said yourself your people skills aren’t the best.”