Make Mine a Cowboy

by A. J. Pine

  “I’m headed out.” He shut down the computer and shoved some books into his camo messenger bag. “No calls last night.”

  “Okay,” she sang, scratching behind Ilsa’s ears. “Enjoy the day! Maybe you should go for a hike or something. Get a little exercise.”

  He looked at her like she was suggesting he jump naked into a frigid mountain lake. “Why would anyone want to hike?” he asked in his bored monotone. “The only way I would ever hike is if the zombie apocalypse happened and I had to escape.”

  “That’s a cheerful thought,” she said, humming the sweet melody that seemed to radiate from her heart.

  With a pronounced roll of the eyes, he grunted a wretched goodbye and trudged out the door, ducking his head as though anticipating the sunlight with horror.

  Poor man. All he needed was a lovely goth-leaning Dungeons & Dragons princess to brighten up his world. Maybe she should start an online dating profile for him…

  Instead, she logged on to the computer and checked her email, then updated the shelter’s Facebook page with an adorable picture she’d snapped of Ilsa. Which gave her an idea…

  Now that she’d left Luis’s house, she couldn’t possibly take Lance’s money if he happened to win the competition. Even if she did, that wouldn’t help her build a long-term donor base. It would only offer a quick, temporary fix, which was all her father could ever seem to find. But…if she could launch some type of brilliant social media campaign, maybe she could reach out to donors all over the country. She could have her old MBA study group help her out. Back in school, they’d worked on that kind of thing all the time together. Marketing had been her weakest area, but maybe the rest of the group would offer some pro bono work to beef up their own PR.

  Her fingers tapped the keyboard excitedly as she typed out an email. Maybe they’d even know a developer who could build her an online donation page…

  The door swung open, sending in a lovely autumn-scented breeze. Jessa pressed send and inhaled deeply, waving at Evie Starlington, who should have been a glamorous actress with that name, but she wasn’t. She was a stained-glass artist. A recent transplant from Denver. Jessa had gone to her art show at Darla’s place a couple of months ago and she’d hit it off with the woman right away. She was in her mid-sixties, but as hip as a teenager with her pink-streaked hair and bohemian clothing. Today, she wore a gauzy skirt and a peasant blouse with rainbow-colored tassels.

  “Good morning,” Jessa called, rising from the desk. She set Ilsa on the floor and the pig scurried quickly underneath the desk to hide. She was still working on socializing her.

  “It is a good morning, isn’t it?” Evie replied, snuggling a ball of fur tightly against her chest. “It got even better when I found this little charmer hanging out on my couch this morning.” She held out a familiar cat. The very cat Jessa had rescued from a tree the other day.

  “Oh, Butch.” She took the cat out of the woman’s hands.

  “I have no idea how he got into my house,” Evie said. “I did leave a window open last night…”

  “Well, for being an inside cat, Butch here likes to go on adventures. Don’t you, boy?” She held up the cat and he licked her nose as though he remembered her as his savior. “I know the owner. Hank Green. I can call him and have him pick him up.” And in the process of returning the cat, shoot down every pass he made at her…

  “If you wouldn’t mind, that would be appreciated.” The woman reached over to scratch behind the cat’s ears. “Though I have to say, I did enjoy my short time with him. It was nice sharing coffee with someone. Even if it was someone else’s cat.”

  A pang of sympathy dimmed her own happiness. Poor Evie. She seemed lonely. Her husband had passed away last year. That’s why she’d moved away from Denver. She needed a new start, she’d said.

  “Here.” Jessa held out the cat. “Why don’t you hold him while I call Hank?” And actually, the woman could stick around and meet him. He definitely wasn’t Jessa’s cup of tea, but he wasn’t much older than Evie and they were both single.

  While Evie sat in a chair gushing over Butch, Jessa hurried to the phone.

  “Y-ello,” Hank answered.

  “Hey, it’s Jessa. Butch is here at the shelter.”

  “What?” The word hurled through a dramatic gasp. “Why, I didn’t even know he was gone!”

  Uh-huh. Sure. He’d probably sent Butch out again and was getting ready to call her. Despite that, she smiled. Hank was lonely, too. And she knew how that felt. “Miss Starlington brought him in. Do you know her?”

  “No. I can’t say that I do.”

  “She’s a wonderful woman. New to town.” She battled the urge to start listing off all her best qualities. Shouldn’t work too hard to sell her. “Somehow Butch managed to climb in her window.”

  Movement scratched on the other side of the line. “Well, thank her for bringing him in, will you?” he said dismissively. “I’ll be right over. Then maybe we can grab a cup of coffee together…”

  “Actually, you can thank Miss Starlington yourself,” Jessa said before he could finish asking her out. “I’ll ask her to stay until you get here.”

  “But—”

  “See you soon!” With an extra flourish, she clicked the off button, then tossed the phone on her desk. “Hank will be over in a few minutes,” she called to Evie. “Can I get you a cup of—?”

  The door swung open again. Wow, busy morning. Jessa turned, expecting an animal situation, but instead Luis ambled in.

  She popped up from her desk. “Hey, Luis. I wasn’t expecting you today. Not with Lucas and Levi home.”

  His eyes didn’t meet hers. In fact, his head stayed low enough that she could hardly get a look at his face. “I need to talk to you,” he said quietly, too seriously.

  The happiness that had been floating inside her all morning turned to stone. “Oh. Sure. Of course,” she sputtered. She picked up Ilsa’s leash and started walking toward the back room, but then noticed Evie watching them. She paused. “Have you met Evie?” she asked him. “She’s new around here. An artist from Denver.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” he said in his gentlemanly way. He crossed the room and held out his hand. The two of them shook.

  Jessa tried to smile past the panic bells clanging in her heart. “Luis Cortez is…”

  “I know who he is,” Evie said with quite the blush. “I followed your career for a long time. It’s so wonderful to meet you in person.” The warm smile the woman offered him was rewarded with a humble grin.

  “My career ended years ago,” he said, his tone brushing away all of those famous belt buckles he’d earned.

  “Maybe so, but you’ll always be a legend,” Evie said kindly, and suddenly Jessa regretted inviting Hank Green over.

  Luis was still smiling when he shoved his hands into his pockets and strode toward the employee lounge.

  Jessa followed, tugging Ilsa along behind. Whatever he wanted to say, he didn’t want to wait. “Evie, Luis and I are going to have a chat in the back. Can you wait for Hank to come and pick up Butch?”

  “Of course.” She settled back into the chair. “I’m happy to.”

  They’d hardly cleared the door before Jessa turned to Luis. “Is everything okay?”

  He faced her directly, steeling his hunched shoulders. “Truth is, something’s not right. It hasn’t been for months.” His old hands folded in on themselves, fingers weaving together.

  “Wh-what?” Her legs trembled, forcing her to sink to the beat-up leather couch. She swept Ilsa into her arms, holding her close for comfort. The pig nuzzled her snout into Jessa’s neck.

  Luis sat in the chair across from her, his expression resolute. “I get dizzy sometimes. Lose my balance. Other times I’m confused…”

  The bottom dropped out of her lovely happy morning. “Oh, Luis…” No. Please. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t face the thought of losing him, too.

  He shifted, but his gaze still held hers like he was forc
ing himself not to look away. “When I dropped the ladder in Green’s yard…I got disoriented. Couldn’t remember what I was supposed to be doing. Don’t even know how I ended up down on Main Street.”

  Don’t cry. No crying. She touched a finger to the corner of each eye to catch the tears before they fell. “Have you been to the doctor?” she asked, holding her voice together with a thread of denial. Maybe he wasn’t sick. Maybe he really had just been dehydrated that day…

  “Yes,” he said, abolishing her hope. “A couple times. The doc’s done some tests. But he wants me to see a specialist in Denver. A neurologist. On Thursday.”

  A neurologist? This time there was no stopping the tears. They slipped down her cheeks one by one. She could be strong for him, but she couldn’t promise not to show emotion. “Do you need me to come?” she half-whispered, trying to get a handle on her squeaky tone. “I can talk to Lance—”

  “No.” The firm denial cut her off. “I want you to come. No one else. I’m not telling Lance.”

  She shot to her feet, holding tightly to Ilsa, her pulse racing. “But Lance should know. He’d want to know.”

  “Not yet,” Luis said stubbornly. “Not until I get a diagnosis. He’s training. I can’t distract him from what he needs to do.”

  “But…” She sank back to the couch, the gravity of what he was asking too much weight to bear. How could she not tell him? How could she go on a date with him and not tell him his father might be sick? “It’s only a competition,” she breathed. This was his father’s life…

  “It’s more than that to him,” Luis said sternly. “It’s what he lives for. And I won’t be the reason he fails.”

  Anger tore through the sadness. “That’s ridiculous—”

  “Please.” The one word held enough sadness to smother her indignation. “I need to know you won’t tell him. Not until I’m ready. I don’t ask you for much. But I need this.”

  She pressed her hand against her mouth to hold in a sob and nodded. “Fine,” she murmured when she could speak. “I won’t tell him. But you’ll have to. Eventually.”

  He nodded. “After the competition.”

  “And what about Lucas and Levi?” They’d only just reconnected with him…

  “I’m not gonna saddle them with this now,” he said, looking away from her as if he knew exactly what she thought about that plan.

  Because she hated it. The thought of him going to a specialist—maybe hearing a grim diagnosis—without his boys there made her nauseated. “They’re your family.” She tried to say it gently, but conviction hurtled out.

  Luis gave her a sad look as he reached across and patted her hand. “And I’ll tell them when the time is right.”

  * * *

  Lance fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Been a damn long time since he’d worn a dress shirt. But he figured Jessa was worth the trouble, even if the collar did pinch at his neck. He tucked the shirt into his jeans and cinched his belt buckle. A fancy shirt was one thing, but he’d stick with jeans, thank you very much. Besides, what he had planned for their date tonight would require jeans. And with that thought…

  He strode out into the living room. He never got nervous around women, but something in his gut churned. Which could mean only one thing. He had it bad.

  “Whoa.” Lucas stood in the kitchen helping himself to a beer. He whistled. “Someone must have big plans tonight.”

  Lance positioned himself on the other side of the counter, doing his best to appear casual. “How do you figure?”

  His brother eyed him as though racking up a list of reasons. “For starters, you tucked your shirt in.”

  Lance looked down. Yeah, okay. That was a dead giveaway. “So?” he challenged, just like he used to when they were kids. That usually ended in a scuffle around the floor until one of them had the other pinned. But tonight he didn’t feel like messing up his hair.

  “Where are you headed?” Lucas asked, the smirk on his face making him look thirteen again.

  Lance evaded his brother’s amused eyes. “Gonna pick up Jessa. Take her up to the lake.” A romantic evening picnic. Not that he could take credit. He’d Googled romantic dates in the mountains…

  “A picnic?” His brother’s jaw hung open.

  Yeah, it kind of shocked him, too. But what could he say? “I like her.”

  “So I see.” Lucas took a swig of beer and set the bottle on the counter. “I’m happy for you. She seems close to perfect for you.” The smirk reappeared. “Nice. Kind. Compassionate. Someone to balance you out.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to—”

  The door pounded open and Levi hustled in. “Got any beer around this place? Dad’s out.”

  Probably because Levi had downed it all. Didn’t take that kid long to put back a case of beer.

  “Plenty in the fridge,” Lucas said, moving out of the way so Levi could open it.

  He snatched a lager and popped the top like he’d been waiting for a year.

  “Ahh…” He swiped his arm across his mouth and looked at Lance as though noticing him for the first time. “Why the hell are you dressed like you’re doing a photo shoot for Rodeo News?”

  “He has a date,” Lucas answered for him. “With Jessa.”

  Damn. If only he could sucker punch him like he used to.

  “Knew it.” Levi’s palm smacked the countertop. “It was so obvious. You were all over her at the bar.”

  “Noticed you avoided Cassidy,” Lance said. He still knew how to put Levi in his place when the situation demanded.

  Sure enough, his brother’s gaze dropped to the floor.

  “Did you even say a word to her?” After being her brother’s best friend and practically growing up as part of the family, a hello wouldn’t have killed him.

  “Cassidy hates me.” He took a long pull on the beer and when he set it down the spark was gone from his eyes. “She hates everyone who has anything to do with riding.”

  Lance doubted that. Cassidy didn’t hate Levi. His brother simply felt guilty for being there when Cash died. For not being able to prevent his accident, as if he were God or something.

  “Come on, you two.” Lucas shook his head at the two of them. “How about we stop trying to push one another’s buttons and get along? I’m only gonna be here a few more days, then I gotta head back to the McGowens’.”

  “A few more days?” That was it? All these years Luis had been waiting for Lucas’s return, and now he was staying only a few days.

  “I’ve got stuff to take care of down there. They rely on me.”

  “I gotta head back to training soon, too,” Levi said, finishing off his beer. “Not everyone qualifies for Worlds with just their name.” He gave Lance a pointed look. “Some of us gotta work for it.”

  Lance’s temper flared. He had worked for it. His whole life. He’d given everything to it. But Levi knew that. Once again, his younger brother was just trying to poke the dragon. Besides, they had other things to discuss. If they were both leaving soon, they didn’t have much time. He glanced at the clock. He had to leave in ten minutes, but they had to do this now. He walked to the counter and pulled out a stool, sitting down across from his brothers. “Since you’re both here, there’s something I want to say.” He didn’t give them a chance to respond. “I think we should tell Dad. Everything.”

  Lucas braced his hands against the countertop. “We’ve been over this.”

  Maybe so, but their last go-round hadn’t convinced him of anything. “I think he deserves to know the truth.” If he stood in the man’s shoes, he’d want to know.

  “There’s no point,” Lucas growled, more riled up than he should’ve been. “Not right now. What’s done is done. Let’s leave it be.”

  He couldn’t. Not anymore. Not for Lucas and not for Levi. Not for their father. “No one else has to know. But he should.”

  Levi looked back and forth between him and Lucas, his expression unreadable. “Lance is right,” he finally said.
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  “What?” Come again? Had those three words really just come out of his younger brother’s mouth?

  “You’re right,” Levi said again, with more conviction this time. “He should know the truth.”

  Wow. Lance could only stand there blinking like a fool. He’d never thought Levi would be the one to agree on this. Maybe his brother had grown up some out there in Oklahoma…

  “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Lucas argued. “You don’t want him to know the truth.”

  Their youngest brother slammed his beer onto the countertop so hard Lance couldn’t believe the bottle didn’t shatter.

  “How do you think I felt knowing you were in prison because of something I did?” he demanded. “I ruined your life.”

  “We didn’t exactly give you a choice,” Lance reminded him. He’d never thought about what it had done to Levi. It’d never seemed to bother him. He’d obviously hidden it well.

  “Exactly. You didn’t give me a choice.” His brother’s eyes had darkened. “But I could’ve spoken up. I could’ve said something. If I had it to do over, I never would let you take the fall for me.”

  Lucas sighed as though he was more tired than angry. “You were a kid. Hell, we were all kids. We didn’t know anything.”

  That was the truth. For the most part they’d been on their own to make life’s big decisions. And there’d been plenty of times they’d screwed up. They could always right those wrongs, though. It wasn’t too late. “We can make it right now.”

  Lucas studied Levi. “But you have your whole career ahead of you…”

  “I don’t need you to protect me anymore,” their younger brother said with more conviction than Lance had thought he was capable of.

  Lucas still looked as surprised as he felt. “No. I guess you don’t.”

  Levi walked over and tossed his beer bottle into the recycling bin. “They couldn’t prosecute me anyway. You’ve already served the sentence. So yeah, it might suck if everyone else found out. They might hate me. But I won’t go to prison.”