Meant to Be My Cowboy

by R. C. Ryan

The others watched the ranch foreman move out of the circle of light in that long-legged stride.

  Luke returned to the porch. “I’ll be leaving for San Francisco shortly. Are there any questions before I go?”

  In the silence that followed, he gave a quick nod. “All right, then. If we have more information, we’ll be in touch with your police chief.” He glanced toward the corral, where Liz’s shadowy figure could be seen leading her horse toward the barn. “If there’s nothing else, I’d like to have a word with Liz before I go.”

  As Luke turned away, Egan started out of his chair with fire in his eyes, until Meg put a hand over his.

  He bristled. “I don’t want that son of a…that scum talking to our daughter. He’s done enough harm.”

  “Liz is a grown woman, Egan. She’ll handle it.”

  “You know how she was after…” He spread his hands in a gesture of defeat.

  Meg said softly, “Was. We all know how she used to be. But now you have to trust her to handle it.”

  Chief Crain, aware of the family history with Luke, got to his feet. “I thank you all for your warm hospitality. I think it’s time to drive Agent Johnson back to town.”

  The agent’s eyes grew stormy. “But the interview with the family…”

  He shook his head. “Will keep. Especially now that your agency has most of the bad actors rounded up.” He put a hand beneath her elbow and their heads were bent in quiet conversation as they made their way to his car.

  When the two took their leave, Des Dempsey heaved himself out of his chair. “This has been one of the worst days of my life, and then it turned into one of the best.” He bent to kiss Annie. “My niece is safe and her reputation cleared.” He crossed to Bo and offered his hand. “And a friendship long damaged has been restored.”

  Bo got to his feet and the two men shook hands warmly before stepping apart. Then, thinking better of it, they came together again in a great bear hug.

  Bo looked Des in the eye. “When Bev is feeling up to it, I hope the two of you will come by for a good, long visit.”

  Des nodded. “It’s a date, Bo.” He pressed a kiss to Meg’s cheek and shook hands with Egan and then Ham before waving to the others and walking to his car.

  “Liz.”

  Hearing Luke’s voice coming from the doorway of the barn, Liz continued leading her horse until she came to an empty stall. Needing to be busy, she turned the animal loose and filled a trough with food and water before stepping out of the stall.

  She leaned against the cool wood of the stall door and lifted her head, forcing herself to face the man who had broken her young heart. “Did you forget something, Luke?”

  “I haven’t forgotten a thing.” His voice was deep and rough with feeling. “Not one single thing. Do you know how long I’ve wanted to talk to you? To explain about that whole awful mess?”

  “Are you suggesting that there could possibly be anything left to say after leaving me at the church without a word of explanation?”

  “I can hear the anger and hurt in your voice, Liz, and I don’t blame you for it. What we did…what I did…was unforgivable. But I’ve always nurtured the hope that someday you’d find it in your heart to do just that.”

  When she remained silent, he said, “You deserve the truth. The whole, ugly truth. Remember when you asked CC to be your maid of honor, she was angry and let you know just how angry when she refused?”

  “She told me she disapproved of the wedding, since she never liked you.”

  “That’s what she told me, too. But when she found out that you were going through with the wedding without her, she asked me to meet her at her family’s ranch.”

  Liz arched a brow. “She never told me that.”

  “Yeah. Well…” He paused. “She was out in the barn, drinking her daddy’s whiskey, and had worked up a pretty good head of steam. She was spitting mad. By the time I got there, she was already drunk and she handed me the bottle. She told me that she’d always had a secret crush on me and hated the fact that I never gave her the time of day. I wasn’t much of a drinker in those days, but I drank with her to calm my nerves, knowing how much she resented what you and I had. I guess I thought we’d both get drunk, and she’d let off steam, and then I’d talk her into taking part in her best friend’s wedding.”

  “So she drank and you drank. And…”

  “And one thing led to another and anger turned to another kind of passion and…”

  As the truth dawned, Liz stared at him in openmouthed astonishment. “Are you serious? You and CC…? On the night before our wedding?”

  “It gets worse. Afterward, she was going on and on about the fact that we’d been too drunk to use protection, and what if she was pregnant, and maybe we should just run away together and…” He kicked at the straw on the floor. “I panicked. I was imagining you and me coming home from our honeymoon and getting a call from her doctor, and how much you’d hate me.” His shoulders slumped. “CC and I drove all the way to Jackson Hole and found a preacher who didn’t know us. When I sobered up and realized what a horrible thing I’d done, and all the people I’d hurt…you, your folks, my folks, CC’s folks, hell, I couldn’t face anybody. So I convinced myself I’d just power through and live with the mess I’d made.”

  “How did that work for you, Luke?”

  He avoided her eyes. “I’ve spent my life trying to atone. I guess that’s why I gave up ranching and took all those classes to join law enforcement, finally ending up with the FBI. I figured if I stopped enough dangerous criminals, and saved enough innocent people, maybe I’d be forgiven.” He looked over at her. “When I was working on this case and realized the key to the crime, Annie Dempsey, was staying with your family, I started hoping, with my divorce final, that maybe you could find it in your heart to forgive me and give me another chance.” He swallowed. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Liz, and wondering what my life would have been like if only I hadn’t messed up so badly.”

  When Liz’s horse nudged her shoulder, she swiveled her head and ran her hand along the animal’s muzzle, using the moment to turn inward and search for her calm center.

  Taking a breath, she faced him. “It’s funny. For the longest time after you left me, I went on loving you, and blaming everyone but you. It was my fault for not loving you enough. It was CC’s fault for leading you astray. It was your family’s fault for insisting that you take a portion of their ranch for us to make a home, instead of letting us choose our own.” She paused and took another breath. “I’m glad you came back, Luke.”

  His eyes lit with hope. “You are?”

  “For the longest time I’d harbored this stupid dream that someday my golden boy would return and declare his love, and we would live happily ever after.”

  He reached for her hand. “We can, Liz. It’s not too late.”

  She pulled her hand free and took a step back. “That was a silly, schoolgirl dream. Then I grew up. Luke, I’m grateful you came back because now I see you for what you are. You’re not that golden boy I once loved. But then, you never were. You were weak and careless. And seeing you again, I realize that I’ve wasted so many years and so many tears. And all I feel now is…numb.”

  His mouth tightened. “I don’t blame you for hating me. I hate myself, too.”

  “That’s just it.” She shook her head. “I don’t hate you. And I don’t love you. I just feel…nothing for you. But there is someone. Someone I’ve loved for years, and I’ve resisted letting him know how I feel. Maybe this was what I’ve been waiting for. Or maybe I just needed all this time to grow up and realize what a special man he is.”

  She gave him a quick hug. “I wish you a good life.” She stepped back.

  He reacted as though she’d slapped him. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

  “Goodbye, Luke.”

  She watched him turn away, head down, hands clenched at his sides.

  When he was gone, she heard a rustling sound behind her and
turned.

  Chet stepped out of one of the stalls. He was holding his big hat in his hands, turning it around and around as he studied her. “Sorry, Liz. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I was here, and there was no good way to leave without embarrassing you.”

  “I’m glad you’re here, Chet.” She took a step closer. “I can’t believe a visit from Luke would be the reason for this sudden feeling of freedom.”

  “You feel free?”

  She put a hand on his. “Free to tell you what I’ve never been able to say before. I love you, Chet. I’ve loved you for the longest time, but I was afraid if I put it into words, it would end up with you leaving me, too.”

  He lifted a big palm to her cheek and stared down into her eyes with a tenderness that melted her heart. “I’m never going to leave you, Liz. Not in a million years. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved, and the only place I want to be is right here. With you.”

  “Oh, Chet.”

  He gathered her into his arms and the two of them poured all their feelings into a kiss that said, more than any words, all the things they’d kept locked in their hearts for a lifetime.

  Seeing Luke drive away, and the lights going out in the barn, Meg and Egan caught hands and went off to their room, with Ham following close behind.

  Gradually the others made their way into the house, until Jonah and Annie were alone in the gathering darkness.

  Jonah turned to her. “Think you can sleep?”

  “Only if you’re there to hold me.”

  He framed her face with his hands. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He leaned close to kiss her. With a sigh, he took the kiss deeper, before stepping back to take her hand. “Come on. Let’s get upstairs.”

  She drew him back for another kiss. Against his mouth she whispered, “I was so afraid I’d never get to do this again. I thought, when I faced Park with that gun, that it was my last moment on earth.”

  “Me too.” Instead of leading her inside, he picked her up and carried her through the house, up the stairs, and into her room.

  Once there, he set her on her feet and kissed her again, this time letting all the fears, all the passion, all the need pour from him into her.

  As they tumbled into bed, he groaned against her mouth, “I don’t know how much sleep we’ll get. But I know one thing. It’s enough just having you here, Annie Dempsey, safe in my arms.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Annie awoke in Jonah’s arms and found him watching her.

  “Good morning.” She stretched. “What are you doing?”

  “Just enjoying the fact that you’re here. In my arms. In my bed.”

  “Excuse me. This is my bed. Well, at least while I’m staying here with your family.”

  “Want to talk about that?”

  “About the bed?”

  “About staying here.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his. “Are you…asking me to stay?”

  “I am.”

  “For how long?”

  He grinned. “How long have you got?”

  “Only a lifetime.”

  “That works.”

  “Well, then, I’ll consider it.”

  “What about your life in the city? Will you wake up one morning and wish you were back there?”

  “I’ll always have a place in my heart for San Francisco. But I’ve already fallen in love with small-town life.”

  “And what about my big, loud family? Think you can stand us for a lifetime?”

  “Growing up as an only child, I always thought it would be such fun having lots of brothers and sisters. I don’t know if you can understand, but this is my idea of paradise.”

  His smile was quick. “Mine too.” He slid out of bed. “Hold that thought. I need to get down to the barn and lend a hand. I’ve been absent lately, and my brothers have let me know they’re keeping score.”

  “Wait.” She slipped out of bed and walked beside him. “Maybe I’ll join you.”

  “In the shower?”

  She laughed. “For starters. Then maybe I’ll join you in the barn. After all, it’s time I learned how to muck stalls and all that other messy work you ranchers do.”

  “I like the way you think, lady.”

  Laughing, they showered together and dressed hurriedly before heading downstairs.

  In the mudroom, they were pulling on heavy rubber boots when Brand and Casey came rushing in.

  “Hey.” Jonah looked over with a grin. “Don’t tell me you’ve finished mucking stalls this early.”

  “We never even made it to the barn.”

  “What…?”

  Casey pointed. “Don’t look now, but the circus just came to town. When Brand and I headed to the barn, we had a dozen cameras following us. And microphones stuck in our faces.”

  Puzzled, Annie and Jonah opened the back door. Seeing the array of television news crews and trucks with out-of-state plates, they started to draw back. Just then, Jonah’s agent sprinted up the porch steps and pushed open the back door.

  “Hey, Jonah. You’re not going to believe who’s out here.”

  “I guess right now I’d believe anything, Max. Why aren’t you in New York? What’re you doing here?”

  “When I heard your name on the news, I chartered a plane.”

  “You heard my name on the news?”

  “Come on. Don’t tell me you don’t know that J. R. Merrick is all over the news.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Best-selling novelist has become the hero of all his novels. It’s all they’re talking about.”

  Jonah barely had time to introduce Max to Annie before Bo and Ham slammed into the house looking annoyed and more than a little frustrated.

  Ham tossed his hat on a hook. “Somebody had better get rid of all those loonies out there or I’m calling Noble.”

  “I don’t think Chief Crain has the muscle to order them off the property,” Bo muttered.

  “Well I do.” Ham pounded a fist into his other hand. “Tell your New York agent here to send those people packing.”

  “Do you realize who was trying to interview you?” Max looked from Ham to Bo and back again. “Just Duchess, who happens to have the biggest talk show in the world.”

  “That female with all those teeth like a shark?” Ham looked at Bo and gave a shake of his head. “I wasn’t sure if she wanted to ask us questions or eat us alive.”

  Max gave a hoot of laughter. “Like I told Jonah a few weeks ago, she’s a kingmaker. Just having her mention his name will sell a million more copies of his books. And now, with the whole country talking about how the Merrick family helped break up a huge criminal enterprise, Duchess has the perfect excuse to be here. I’m telling you, you can’t buy this kind of publicity.” Max headed for the door. “I’ll just bring her in.”

  Jonah caught his agent by the arm and dragged him back. “You’re not going out there, Max.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  Seeing the fire in Jonah’s eyes, Max sighed and followed him into the kitchen, where Billy was busy setting out a huge breakfast of ham, eggs, biscuits, and hot, deep-fried corn fritters.

  Max inhaled deeply and helped himself to a mug of steaming coffee from a tray on the counter. “Leave it to you to live like a king, JR. No wonder you don’t want anyone to discover this little piece of paradise.”

  “Exactly.” Jonah glowered at him. “Now, tell me you’ll be going out there to send everybody away.”

  “I will.”

  That brought a sigh of relief from Jonah, who caught Annie’s hand.

  “As soon as you give them the interview they came here for.”

  “That’s not happening.” Jonah’s eyes were narrowed on his agent. “You know how I feel about having my personal space invaded.”

  “And you know how determined Duchess can be. Once she gets her teeth in a story, she’s like a dog with a bone.”

  Ham shared a laugh with Bo. �
��And she has the teeth for it.”

  Max decided to try a little friendly persuasion. “Look, JR, a quick interview. Maybe in your office?”

  “My office is a cabin in the woods.”

  “All the better.”

  “Which is blocked off as a crime scene at the moment.”

  “See what I mean?” Max was grinning. “That ought to sell another million copies of your book.” He threw an arm around Jonah’s shoulders and eased him away from Annie and toward the back door.

  “Let’s walk to the site of your cabin-slash-office, and you can talk to her along the way and back.”

  “It’s not happening, Max.”

  Hearing the edge to his voice, his agent nudged him toward the porch. “Give her a few minutes. No more than half an hour. I swear to you, I won’t ask for another favor.”

  His voice faded away when the reporters swarmed around the two men as they stepped outside. With cameras whirling, microphones were thrust into their faces. And in the midst of it all was the woman known throughout the world by a single name, smiling and tossing questions at Jonah to the delight of her fans who made up the largest viewing audience in the world.

  The family peered through the window, watching as Max Friend, Jonah’s agent, stepped back with a smug smile while the media swarmed around Jonah.

  Brand was chuckling. “See that little muscle in my brother’s jaw? I’d say that means Mount Jonah is about to erupt.”

  Casey nodded. “And when he does, look out. Max Friend may become Max Enemy.”

  Meg clung to Egan’s hand and watched the spectacle being played out in front of them. “Poor Jonah. He’s fought so long and hard for his privacy.”

  Ham was shaking his head as he sipped a glass of orange juice. “Mark my words. Now that his readers have found out about this place, they’ll start making pilgrimages like they do with those rock stars. He’ll have to hire an army of security people to keep them away.”

  “Or flee into the hills.” Bo didn’t bother to hide his anger. “How did this get so out of hand?”

  With a look of abject sorrow, Annie slipped quietly from the room and made her way up the stairs, with their voices ringing in her ears.