“Hold up there, partner. We’ve got plenty of time to get ready.”
Jacob grinned at his hero then his mother before finishing his breakfast at a marginally slower pace. When he glanced at Kaley, she nodded her head, giving him permission to leave the table.
The sound of his footsteps racing down the hall made both adults smile.
“I think he’s a little excited,” Cort observed as he helped clear the table.
“It’s so sweet of you to invite us along today. I’m sure you’ll have many friends you want to visit with, so don’t feel like you’re tied to us.” Kaley took the plates from Cort and loaded them into the dishwasher.
“It’ll be fun to have you two as my guests. This is my first time to attend as a spectator since I was thirteen.”
“Well, I hope it’s at least as good as you remember.”
“Me, too.” Cort tipped his hat as he went back out to finish a few chores before changing his clothes.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Kaley tossed the dishrag into the sink and hustled to her bedroom. After plugging in her curling iron, she rushed to her closet, trying to decide what to wear. She had plenty of jeans and a few pairs of cowboy boots.
Quickly yanking on a pair of dark denims and her newest boots, she threaded a sparkly belt through the loops then decided on a pale cotton blouse sprinkled with silver threads and little blue flowers nearly the same color as her eyes. Nervous fingers slid the buttons through the holes then she tucked in the tails and hurried to the bathroom.
She slid the band from the end of her hair, unwound her braid, and added several curls to the wavy locks. Subtly applying makeup, she gave herself a spritz of perfume before snapping on a watch and staring critically at herself in the mirror.
Concerned about fitting in with Cort’s crowd, she gave herself one last glance then hurried down the hall to check on Jacob. He’d dressed himself in a pair of his best jeans and his good boots. He wore a plaid cotton shirt that he attempted to stuff into the waistband of his jeans.
“Here, honey, loosen your belt first.” Kaley kneeled to help him. He pushed her hand away and did it without her assistance. The urge to laugh nearly overtook her. She wondered, not for the first time, if she should have given her son the middle name of Independence instead of Aaron. He certainly liked to do things himself.
Jacob stepped in front of his closet and pointed to the top shelf. Kaley got to her feet and walked over, lifting his cowboy hat down and handing it to him. He stood on tiptoe so he could look in the mirror above his dresser and adjusted the hat on his head.
He grinned at her in the glass, gave the hat a tug, and raced out of his room to the kitchen. She returned to the kitchen and gathered snacks for Jacob as well as a few water bottles, placing them in a small bag. She set it along with her purse on a barstool.
Anxiously, her son stood by the door, ready to go. “Wait here for Cort, buddy,” she said, walking down the hall to her room. Nerves made her feel sick to her stomach. What was she doing, spending the day away from the ranch with her new hired hand?
She should stay home. There was more than enough work to keep her busy. Besides, she needed to maintain a professional distance from the engaging man.
Prepared to tell Cort she’d changed her mind, she went back to the kitchen as he walked into the room. He couldn’t have been more jaw-dropping gorgeous if he’d stepped right out of some western magazine or movie.
The jeans he wore fit him like a glove, stacking over recently polished boots. The charcoal gray shirt he wore made his eyes glow like liquid silver and a shiny belt buckle drew her attention to his waist. By sheer force, she returned her gaze to his face, admiring his black Stetson and freshly shaved cheeks.
His unique masculine scent combined with something musky made her involuntarily draw in a deep breath, savoring the aroma. The urge to close her eyes and step closer to him for another whiff brought her up short.
“I… um…” Kaley started to say, but lost all ability to speak or think when Cort took her hand in his and kissed the back of it.
“You look amazing.” He couldn’t take his eyes off Mrs. Peters.
His boss was a beautiful woman, even with her hair twisted in a braid and attired in the loose-fitting work shirts she seemed to prefer.
Today, the blouse she wore highlighted her delicious curves while her form-fitting jeans made him glad she was single. The sight of all her glorious dark hair falling in a wild tumble around her shoulders made him wish he had the right to bury his hands in the wavy tresses.
In need of a diversion from his intense attraction to his employer, Cort gazed at her son. “Check out this lil’ cowboy.” Cort squatted down in front of Jacob, pretending to inspect his outfit. “I like your hat, Jacob.” He gently tapped the brim with his index finger.
The little boy grinned and nodded his head, then pointed to Cort’s waist. Cort stood and looked at the shiny gold belt buckle.
“You like that?” he asked Jacob. The boy nodded again. “I kind of like it, too. I won it in December at the rodeo finals.”
Kaley knew Cort competed in rodeos, but didn’t realize he was one of the rodeo stars. She needed to pump Kenzie for details. She should invite the woman over one afternoon or make a trip to the Morgan Ranch soon.
“Will Kenzie and Tate be at the rodeo today?” Kaley asked, hoping they would. She didn’t know many of the neighbors, but the couple was among her few friends.
“Yep. They’ll meet us at the parade then we can sit with them at the rodeo. Tate had a few extra tickets.” Cort watched Jacob race out the door and jump off the step in a burst of excitement. He waited as Kaley picked up her purse then took the small bag of snacks from her hand, escorting her outside and making sure the door locked behind them.
When she started for the carport toward her car, Cort took her elbow and steered her in the direction of his pickup at the end of the front walk. “Hope you don’t mind taking my truck.”
Before she could protest, she found herself assisted into the front seat. Cort had already fastened Jacob’s booster seat in his backseat. He helped the little boy buckle his seatbelt then ran around the truck and slid behind the wheel.
“Who’s ready to let ’er buck?” Cort used the rodeo’s well-known slogan as he started the truck. Kaley heard Jacob clapping his hands behind her and turned to see her son’s face wreathed in a big smile. She hadn’t seen him so energized and full of life since before his father died.
Hastily brushing at a stray tear, Kaley turned her attention out the window, trying to get her emotions under control.
They were a few miles down the road when she felt Cort’s fingers brush across the back of her hand, drawing her attention.
“You don’t have to go, Mrs. Peters,” Cort said. Her quiet, subdued demeanor didn’t escape his notice. He’d seen her brush at her cheek and wondered what upset her. Maybe she hated the notion of wasting a workday. “If you’d rather stay home, I can take you back.”
“No, thank you, Mr. McGraw. I’d very much like to go.” Kaley forced away her melancholy mood and put on a happy front for Jacob’s sake. “I think we’re in for a big adventure today.”
“Probably,” Cort agreed, awarding her a teasing smile.
“He did not!” Kaley laughed at a story Tate shared about Cort from their rodeo days.
“He did. If you don’t believe me, ask Huck and Mara. They were there to witness the spectacle.” Tate inclined his head toward two of his friends sitting in the row in front of them.
Huck Powell, a world champion bull rider, and his wife, Mara, were in town for the rodeo and staying at the Morgan Ranch. All three of the Powell children were live wires, but Mara left them at home with her parents.
“It’s the unvarnished truth,” Huck said, turning around to smile at Kaley and Jacob. “Cort kept things lively most of the time.”
“I can believe that,” Kaley said, picturing Cort as the troublemaker in his group of friends.
Thanks to his efforts, she and Jacob had experienced a memorable day. Good to his word, Cort found them an excellent place to watch the parade. Jacob had a hard time seeing past all the adults surrounding them but it didn’t take long for Cort to pick him up, setting him on his broad shoulders.
Tears pricked her eyes at the look of sheer adoration on the face of her little boy. She used her phone to take photos of Jacob as he watched the parade, grinning from ear to ear.
When it ended, they joined Tate, Kenzie, and several of their friends for lunch then went in to find their seats for the Round-Up. They’d barely sat down when a beautiful redheaded woman ran up to their group and engulfed Cort in a hug. She took a step back and slugged his arm then gave him a verbal lambasting for not calling or responding to her text messages.
Unfounded jealousy settled over Kaley like a damp, clammy blanket until Cort introduced the woman as his sister. Although the two siblings didn’t look alike, the affection shared between them was undeniable.
Celia thanked her for giving Cort a job and cautioned him to behave himself before she ran back down the steps of the stands to the arena.
Cort explained his sister worked as a photographer and often took photos of rodeos as well as weddings and family portraits.
Once the rodeo began, Jacob sat with his eyes glued to the arena, intently watching each event. The team ropers were competing when he decided he needed to go to the bathroom. Cort volunteered to take him.
Tate took advantage of his absence to regale Kaley with a few more stories about his friend’s antics during their rodeo days.
She glanced over the crowd, hoping to catch sight of her little boy and the handsome man who’d brought a smile back to his face.
A hand on her leg drew her attention to Kenzie as she sat beside her. “I see Jacob and Cort hit it off.”
“That’s putting it mildly. Jacob thinks he walks on water and hung the moon in the sky.” Kaley smiled as Gideon clapped with the rest of the crowd, wiggling his tiny boot-clad feet from his position on his mother’s lap.
“Cort has plenty of faults, like the rest of us, but he’s a genuinely good guy with a big heart.” Kenzie hoped Cort had made an effort at getting his life back on track. The last thing Kaley needed was for him to show up drunk in the wee hours of the morning then spend half the day sleeping it off or working with a hangover.
“What type of faults?” Kaley asked. So far, she hadn’t noticed anything about her hired hand that sent up warning flags.
“You know, big tease, likes to be the center of attention, that sort of thing.” The middle of the rodeo was not the place to discuss Cort’s drinking problem. Not that Cort would admit he had a problem. It certainly wasn’t Kenzie’s place to tell his boss, either. That fell squarely on his capable shoulders.
“I hadn’t noticed. Then again, I’ve only known him a few days.” Kaley grinned at Gideon as he waved his hand at her. She caught it and blew on his fingers, making him giggle. “He’s sure a hard worker, though.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Kenzie smiled, hiding her relief.
“He’s got more done at the place this week than the two boys who worked there this summer accomplished in a month. I’m starting to think they weren’t overly ambitious.”
A nudge against her arm made her lift her eyes to Cort’s silvery gaze. He held Jacob’s hand in one of his and a box full of drinks and treats in the other.
“Jacob thought it was time for a snack.” Cort grinned as he sat next to Kaley. Jacob settled into the seat between his mother and Kenzie so he could make silly faces at Gideon.
“That sounds about right.” Kaley accepted the soda pop Cort held out to her then passed a warm pretzel to Jacob. He broke off a piece and handed it to Gideon before taking a bite. Kenzie gave him a big, pleased smile.
As Cort passed out drinks and pretzels, Kaley took a deep breath, inhaling the distinctive scent of beer. She smelled it on Cort’s clothes when he leaned in front of her and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Images of Cort stumbling to his pickup drunk came to mind and she stiffened in her seat. How dare he drink around her son? What was he doing?
The joy she’d felt in the day quickly dissipated, leaving her angry and distraught. Cort was entitled to do what he pleased on his own time, but she wouldn’t abide him drinking around Jacob.
The plastic cup in his hand appeared to hold soda pop. That didn’t mean he hadn’t mixed something into it or drank a beer when he and Jacob were gone so long.
While the others enjoyed the remainder of the rodeo, Kaley grew more furious by the minute.
As the rodeo ended, the lump in her throat left her barely able to speak. Quickly gathering their things, she made appropriate comments of thanks to Tate and Kenzie along with their friends then turned to take Jacob’s hand.
Cort had already picked up the boy and carried him down the steps toward the exit. Kaley followed along behind, nearing the boiling point.
Her annoyance multiplied every time Cort stopped to speak with old friends and acquaintances on their way out of the stands. Several people expressed their condolences for his injury.
Kaley forced a smile to her face and made it through the introductions, but anxiously wanted to return home. She needed to evaluate what happened and decide if it would be better for Cort to find work elsewhere.
The broad-shouldered man effortlessly carried her son through the throng of people trying to leave, causing her to consider the possibility she overreacted.
Another whiff of beer assailed her as she stood pressed against his side in the crowd. She strengthened her resolve to give him a piece of her mind at the first opportunity.
She should have asked Tate and Kenzie for a ride home, but then she remembered all the company they already had at their house.
Fiercely wishing she’d never agreed to come, Kaley studied the pure delight on her son’s face. She’d never seen him so happy and that was because of Cort.
Irritated that a man who waltzed into their lives a few short days ago could make her son laugh in a way she hadn’t been able to the last two years did nothing to diffuse her irrational desire to scream at Cort and hit him with something.
Finally making it to his truck, he opened both her door and the back door for Jacob. After setting the boy down inside, he turned to give her a hand, but she brushed it aside and scrambled into the seat.
Cort gave her a bewildered look before turning back to Jacob and making sure his seatbelt was secure.
He slid behind the wheel, started the truck, and edged through the slow-moving vehicles until they reached the freeway then merged into traffic heading north toward home.
“Want to stop anywhere and get something for dinner?” he asked as they passed an exit for one of the small towns on the way to the ranch.
“No, thank you.”
“Something wrong?” Cort glanced over at K.C. She’d enjoyed the parade and seemed to like the rodeo. She was having a great time until he returned with Jacob after taking the little guy to the restroom. After that, she hadn’t smiled and seemed oddly withdrawn.
Right now, she sat huddled so far over against the door, he wondered if she contemplated jumping out just to get away from him.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
Her curt answer made it clear something was definitely wrong. Cort bid his time. He’d get to the bottom of it as soon as they returned to the ranch. Pensive, he took a toothpick from his pocket and slipped it between his lips before glancing in the rear-view mirror.
It had been such fun to see everything through Jacob’s eyes. Cort smiled at the boy’s slightly parted lips and the bangs covering his forehead as he slept. His hat rested on the seat next to him. The little boy had wiggled with excitement when Cort bought him a hatband from one of the vendor booths lining the streets near the Round-Up grounds and put it on his hat for him.
Cort thoroughly enjoyed Jacob, despite his inability to speak. Intelligent and clever
, the little boy also had that solemn, serious side so prevalent in his mother.
He turned his thoughts and gaze her direction again. She looked like she might fly to pieces if he touched her, so he wisely kept his hands on the steering wheel.
Silence hung thick and heavy between them as he exited the freeway and drove to the ranch. As soon as he pulled to a stop, she threw open the door then opened the back door, waking Jacob from his slumber.
“Come on, buddy, time to go in the house.” She unfastened Jacob’s seat belt and handed him his hat as he climbed out of the pickup, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Here, let me get him.” Cort picked up the boy and carried him to the door.
The infuriating woman’s hostility coiled between them like a rattler ready to strike. Unable to recall a thing he’d done to put her on the warpath, he decided it was best to discover he dealt with a volatile, temperamental female before he invested any more time thinking about her as anything other than his employer.
Once she unlocked the kitchen door and opened it, he marched inside, carrying Jacob to the living room and setting down the half-asleep boy on the couch.
Cort crouched beside him, removed the child’s hat, and pulled off his boots. “Did you have a good time today, partner?”
Vigorously nodding his head, Jacob wrapped his little arms around Cort’s neck, giving him a tight squeeze.
Cort held him close to his chest, rubbing his back comfortingly before setting the boy on the couch.
“I’m glad you had fun, Jacob. I appreciate you and your mom going with me. Can you take your stuff to your room?” Cort watched as Jacob picked up his hat and boots, taking them to his room, along with a bag of souvenirs he’d bought for him.
Kaley didn’t know when Cort had purchased all the goodies for Jacob or she would have protested. Feeling more like an evil stepmother than the parent, she sighed as she placed sandwich ingredients on the counter and retrieved a loaf of bread from the cupboard.
Wrestlin' Christmas: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 2) Page 7