Samantha put her phone back into her pocket. “I thought she was your ex-girlfriend.” Jaxon or Preston must have filled their cousin in on Landon’s love life—or in this case, lack of it.
“Girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend. It’s the same thing.” Landon meant that either way, he wasn’t putting up with rustlers.
“It’s not the same thing at all,” Samantha said, amused. “For most people anyway.” To Jake she added, “Your bad luck, dude. Next time you steal someone’s cattle, make sure you don’t run into the guy who’s trying to win the owner back.”
Landon would have chased a rustler regardless. Granted, he might not have flung himself onto the pavement quite so recklessly, but he would have still tried to apprehend the guy.
Landon shifted his weight because his knee was stinging again. “Did this jerk hurt you earlier?”
Samantha brushed dust off her jeans. “I took my eyes off him for a second, and he shoved me to the ground and took off.” To Jake, she added, “I guess your lawyer can talk over those assault charges with mine.”
“Who’s your accomplice?” Landon asked the man.
Jake started struggling again, trying to push Landon away. “I don’t have to say nothing to you. Let me go or I’ll scream for help! You want people videoing this assault?”
“Go ahead and scream,” Landon said. “See how much sympathy a cattle thief gets from a crowd of ranchers. I think videoing you is the last thing that would occur to them.”
Jake stopped struggling. Maybe he figured he was safer not drawing attention to himself.
A couple minutes later, a police car pulled up. Two officers climbed out, put Jake in handcuffs, and took statements. Then the entire group headed back to the trailer so the officers could check the cattle and take photographs. A phone call to the Department of Agriculture was enough to confirm that the brand was in fact registered to Coyote Glen.
Jake kept insisting he’d bought the cattle from someone else—a man whose description he had trouble remembering. He didn’t have an answer when the officer asked why he’d shoved Samantha and run away.
One of the policemen, a Polynesian guy named Hoapili Kahale, had gone to school in Bisbee with Landon. Even as a teenager, he’d been able to stare down anyone, and that look had only grown more intense as he’d grown older. “Are you going to take the entire rap for this?” he asked Jake. “Or are you going to be smart and tell us who you’re working with? I guarantee it will go better for you if you cooperate.”
Jake kept his gaze on the ground. “I ain’t saying nothing ‘til I talk to a lawyer.”
“If that’s what you want.” Hoapili gestured for his partner to escort Jake to the back of the squad car.
While Jake made that walk of shame, Hoapili handed some paperwork to Landon to sign.
“What’s this for?” Landon asked.
“In case we need to talk to you again.”
As Landon signed, Hoapili smiled and was suddenly the old high school friend instead of the officer. “What did you think I wanted your autograph for? My yearbook?”
Landon handed Hoapili the form. “Oh. Then I guess I should cross out: Have a great summer and don’t ever change.”
Hoapili cast a look at Jake who was slumped in the back seat of the squad car. “Back in high school, I never saw a point to all the time you spent wrestling steers to the ground, but I gotta say, it came in handy today.”
“I wish I could have gotten his partner too.”
“Jake will talk eventually. If my partner, Mr. Good Cop, doesn’t get the information out of him now, his lawyer will make him see sense. It’s always better to cut a deal.” He gestured to the trailer. “We’ll need to dust for prints and check the VIN number, but we can’t keep livestock. Do you have Ms. Benton’s phone number?”
Samantha smirked. “Yeah, he’s got it.”
Landon opened his phone contacts and handed the phone to Hoapili. “She and I dated.”
Hoapili wrote down the number. “I guess that explains the heart emojis after her name.”
Landon had forgotten about those. Preston added them because he thought it was funny to hear the car’s blue tooth announce that Kitty heart heart heart was calling.
“Her first name is Kitty?” Hoapili tapped her number into his phone.
“Kate,” Landon said. “Kitty is a nickname.”
Hoapili’s eyebrows lifted. He clearly thought it was a term of endearment like Sugar or Pumpkin.
“It’s not my nickname for her,” Landon clarified. “She’s had it since she was kid. Everyone calls her Kitty.” As soon as Landon said this, he wondered if it was actually true. Her grandparents had called her Kitty, but at the funeral her parents called her Kate. Landon had never bothered asking what she went by in Seattle. Maybe he just wanted her to be Kitty—the Arizona version of herself.
Samantha motioned to the stockyard, already heading that direction. “As much as I’d like to keep participating in this Cops episode, I’m going inside. I’ll meet up with you afterward.”
Landon didn’t blame her for going. She’d already missed the start of the auction. Hopefully, she’d still be able to find some animals she liked.
Hoapili ended his call. “Miss Benton didn’t answer.” He glanced behind him at the trailer. One of the cows had lifted her tail and was in the process of relieving herself. He took a step further away. “She really needs to pick up her cattle today. We don’t have the facilities to house livestock.”
No point in making her come all of this way. “I’ve got a trailer with me,” Landon offered. “I can bring them to her. Coyote Glen is next to my ranch.”
Hoapili shook his head. “She’s got to sign for them.” He tried the number again and waited with the phone pressed to his ear.
Still no answer.
Landon shrugged. “I can have her sign the forms and send them to you.”
A cow stuck her nose between the bars and mooed. Flies darted in and out of the trailer.
The more Landon thought about taking the cattle to Kitty, the more he liked the idea. Not only did it give him a reason to see her, it offered all sorts of opportunities for her to show her gratitude. He’d not only recovered her cattle but he’d also tackled the guy who stole them. Let her parents try to spin that to make him look bad.
Hoapili gave up on the second call.
Landon hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and considered the trailer. “Who knows how long those animals have been cooped up in there. You wouldn’t want them to get dehydrated. Probably have to do all sorts of paperwork if they got sick and died on your watch.”
Hoapili shook his head more slowly this time. “I can’t turn them over to anyone without Ms. Benton’s permission.” He sighed and put his phone away. “But I also can’t leave stolen property sitting out here.”
“I’m not anyone. I’m her sort-of-boyfriend. You’ve got the hearts by her name for proof.”
Another cow mooed, and her neighbor joined in the mournful chorus. Hoapili swatted a wandering fly. “Her sort-of-boyfriend, huh? You still having commitment issues?”
Landon’s head jerked back in surprise. “I don’t have commitment issues. Why do people keep saying that?”
“In high school, you didn’t ever date the same girl for more than a month.” Hoapili dipped his chin and gave Landon a knowing look. “I remember because one of those girls was my sister. After you ghosted her, she and my mother thoroughly analyzed you.”
Nani Kahale. Landon had forgotten they’d done a few things together his senior year. The interest had mostly been on her side, and he’d worried she was getting too attached, so he’d put some distance between them. Which was different than having commitment problems. “That was high school. We’ve all changed since then.”
“Yeah.” Hoapili tucked the clipboard under his arm. “I’m married with two kids. Nani’s expecting her first. What number sort-of-girlfriend are you on, brah?”
Landon hadn’t kept track. Not many afte
r high school. He’d been too busy. “Okay, I admit I take my time where women are concerned, but Kitty might be the one.”
Hoapli glanced at the squad car again. His partner was still busy talking to Jake. “Then why is she only a sort-of-girlfriend?”
That subject was too complicated to go into. “We’re taking a break for a few months.”
“Your idea or hers?”
The answer was not going to make Landon look better. “Mine. But we’re still, you know, tight.” After all, Kitty wasn’t lingering in the church foyer to talk to anyone else. Her smiles and wistful looks meant something. “Really,” Landon held his finger and his thumb an inch apart, “we’re this close to getting back together.”
“Well, maybe I’ll get to see that for myself.” Hoapili nodded in the squad car’s direction. “If I haven’t gotten a hold of Ms. Benton by the time I’m done checking Jake into the station, you can load her cattle into your trailer, and I’ll follow you to Coyote Glen. She can sign for them there.” He shot Landon a parting smile. “Now I’m curious about the woman who has almost convinced Landon Wyle to settle down.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Landon hadn’t actually expected to hear from Hoapili again. Granted, sometimes ranch work required you to ignore your phone, but Kitty would eventually pick up. Then she’d most likely drop everything to drive down here to retrieve her cattle. Probably coo and fuss a lot over them.
Perhaps when she came, Landon would run into her in the parking lot. During the auction, his mind kept drifting to that scenario. In it, Kitty thanked him profusely, asked if he was hurt, and then fussed over him too.
Samantha had just finished paying for three longhorn calves when Hoapili called. “I’m on my way back to the stockyard. Looks like we need your trailer, after all.”
“You couldn’t reach Kitty?” Landon asked.
Hoapili chuckled. “Either that or I just want to meet her in person. I’ll let you wonder which.”
The man was enjoying his job a little too much today. “All right,” Landon said. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Oh, and Nani told me to give her a full description of your girlfriend. She wants to know who finally cured you of bachelorhood.”
Man, you ghost a friend’s sister, and he wouldn’t ever let you forget it. “Are you allowed to talk to your sister when you’re on the clock?”
“I am if I have something good to tell her. Don’t worry, brah, I also let her know that you took down a cattle rustler. If you ever get tired of cows, you could get a position on the force.”
Well, if Landon couldn’t work out the water rights for his ranch, it was nice to know he had other options.
An hour later, Landon was pulling up to Coyote Glen’s gate. He gave Kitty a call. Still no answer. Something might have happened to her phone. Last year, Landon’s had been trampled while he’d been rotating cattle to a new pasture. Even if Kitty wasn’t at the ranch, it wouldn’t be a completely wasted trip. Her foreman would be around.
Landon pushed the gate’s call button. After a few moments, Gary answered.
Landon related why he was here, adding that an officer needed Kitty to sign some forms.
“She’s doing a photoshoot,” Gary told him, “but I’ll get her.” The gate swung open.
Had Landon heard that right? Did Gary say she was at the cattle chute or doing a photoshoot? Maybe she was taking pictures of the ranch. He drove to the pasture by the barn, parked the trailer, and waited for the squad car to pull in behind him.
A blue Audi sat in the driveway. Kitty had a guest of some sort. No sign of anyone by the cattle chute, though. The only living things around were a few horses grazing in the pasture and an escaped chicken pecking at the ground by the barn.
Landon and Samantha climbed out of his truck and ambled over to the squad car. Landon jingled his keys in his hand, waiting. No point taking the cattle out of the trailer until he knew where Kitty wanted them.
Hoapili got out of car and gazed around. “Where’s Ms. Benton?”
“Her foreman said she was doing a photoshoot,” Landon said. “I’m not sure what he meant by that.”
“Is she a photographer?” Hoapili asked.
Landon shrugged. “Not a professional one.” Perhaps the Audi belonged to the photographer.
That’s when Gary and Kitty emerged from around the side of the house. He wore a dirty shirt and beat-up pair of jeans. Normal ranch wear. She, inexplicably, wore a wedding dress with a full, flowing skirt that made her look like she’d stepped off a cake. Her hair was piled on her head, and a veil fluttered behind her like a filmy wave. She carried a bouquet of pink roses in one hand.
Landon stared at her, open-mouthed. Samantha let out an “Oh,” of surprise.
“Well,” Hoapili said. “I guess we know why she didn’t answer her phone. She was clearly busy.”
“No,” Landon sputtered. “This can’t…no.” Kitty hadn’t even been dating anyone else. Surely, she would have told Landon about an engagement. While they spoke at church last Sunday, she would’ve surely mentioned she was getting married today. “This can’t be what it looks like.”
“Dude,” Samantha said, “I think this is a good indication that she’s moved on.”
Kitty handed Gary the flowers, hiked up her skirt, and hurried in Landon’s direction. Gary trailed after her, clutching the bouquet like some overgrown, poorly dressed flower girl.
Hoapili patted Landon on the back. “I’ve got some advice for you, brah. Next time when you like a woman, don’t suggest taking a break. You never know what she’ll do during that time.”
“This…no.” Landon still couldn’t seem to form a full sentence.
The closer Kitty got, the more beautiful she seemed. She did a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt more than justice, and he’d gotten used to seeing her that way. But now she was stunning.
He’d never given any thought as to what Kitty would look like in a wedding gown, but he should have. The sight of her made it hard to breathe. He wanted Kitty to wear that dress for him—not anyone else.
Landon scanned the area behind her to catch sight of a groom. No one else came from around the back of the house. This couldn’t actually be a wedding, could it? A bunch of cars would be parked out front. Unless she decided not to invite any folks from around here.
Kitty reached them, her gaze on Hoapili. She wouldn’t meet Landon’s eyes. Her cheeks were bright pink, although he couldn’t tell whether that was from embarrassment or hurrying. “I understand you have some of my cattle?”
Landon’s shock was wearing off, and anger settled in its place. Kitty could be impulsive, but what would make her agree to marry a man who she couldn’t have dated for more than a couple months? And didn’t she owe Landon some sort of explanation? She flirted with him at church every week. She knew he wanted to get back together after the will was sorted out.
Hoapili introduced himself and Samantha, then gave Kitty and Gary a summary of what had happened at the stockyard, including that Landon and his cousin had apprehended the criminal. Kitty’s eyes flicked to Landon and she held his gaze for a moment. Gratitude was written in her expression. That, at least, had been the way he’d imagined in his scenario. It was the only thing he’d gotten right.
Hoapili finished his account with, “Would you like to press charges?”
“Yes.” Kitty’s glossy lips pressed together and her eyes flashed with indignation. The expression only made her look like she was posing for some haute couture wedding ad.
“All right.” Hoapili handed her the paperwork and showed her where to sign.
She scribbled her name. “How did the man get my cattle in the first place?”
“We don’t have those answers right now.” Hoapili took the paper from her. “We’ll let you know what we find out. You’ll need to inventory your livestock.”
Landon could make some guesses about how the cows had been stolen. “Check your fence line. The rustlers most likely cut it. You
don’t want more cattle wandering off.”
She nodded.
His gaze slid over her. “Or rather, have Gary check it. You’re not really dressed for the occasion.”
Her cheeks flushed pink again.
Before Landon could say more, Hoapili asked, “Ma’am, where would you like your cattle? We don’t want to take any more of your time. We know you have,” he eyed the wedding dress, “other things to do.”
Gary stepped forward. “We can put them in the pasture for now.” He probably expected Landon to go unlock the back of the trailer and help him. Instead, Landon handed the keys to Samantha and kept standing there, staring at Kitty. If he stared at her long enough, she would explain all of this.
A noise drew his attention to the house—the front door shutting. A middle-aged man strolled down the patio, paused when he saw the group, and then continued toward them. He had thinning brown hair, a suggestion of a pot belly, and wore a crisp western shirt, the type tourists donned when pretending to be cowboys. His boots hadn’t been broken in, let alone seen a day’s real work.
Landon narrowed his eyes. He’d never disliked anyone so quickly or intensely.
Hoapili told Kitty that he would contact her with a case number. Landon only half heard it. His gaze was focused on the stranger.
“Call me if you have further questions,” Hoapili said. As he turned to leave, he nudged Landon and whispered, “Don’t worry, brah. I won’t tell Nani about this.” He gave Landon a last sympathetic look, then strode to his car.
Well, this was going to give everybody something to talk about at their ten-year reunion.
Landon turned his attention back to the stranger who was still making his way over to join Kitty. “Are you a photographer?” Landon called to him.
“No.” The man stopped, momentarily confused. “I’m staying in the house.”
It was true then. The guy was Kitty’s fiancé. He’d already moved in. Landon shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from balling them into fists. She couldn’t really love the middle-aged man walking toward them. He was almost old enough to be her father. The guy must be rich. Loaded. That was the only explanation.
The Cowboy and the Girl Next Door: (A Clean, Enemies to Lovers Romance) Wyle Away Ranch Book 1 Page 19