Cowboy Strong Read online

  Natalie understood. It had been a long evening. She kept the lights off and the TV low, although she had a hard time paying attention to it. Her cell vibrated on the nightstand.

  Austin had clumsily texted her. Gotta talk 2mrrw. Pls.

  She didn’t respond. She’d be there, hell or high water, for Casey and her dad.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Austin paced as he waited for Natalie’s truck to appear. Thanks to his broken arm, they were leaving Tulsa today. No reason to stay for the last night of the rodeo. It would be weeks before he could get at it again. The thought gave him a pang. It might mean no National Finals in November.

  Nolan followed Austin with his eyes, seemingly irritated at the non-stop motion. He sighed and slouched deeper into his lawn chair. “Why are you so nervous?”

  “I almost messed things up between us. I almost let Natalie go.” He made another trip in front of the motorhome. “Because I was mad at Alaina. Natalie isn’t like her.”

  “She forgave you. Sort of.”

  “It’s the ‘sort of’ I’m worried about. She doesn’t know the whole story between me and Alaina. I already told her, only a nut job would want in on this. What if she decides that’s the straw that’ll break her back?”

  “Then she’s not as good of a person as we both think she is. Look, she likes you. She likes Casey. She’s not going to freak out because of this.” Nolan crossed his ankles. “Stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy. You’re supposed to take it easy.”

  The truck appeared and his heart jumped up. “Crap. You’re taking Casey for a walk while I explain all this to Natalie, right?”

  Nolan sighed again. “I’m on it, boss.”

  Casey shut the truck door and raced for Austin. She threw her arms around him. “You’re okay!”

  “Except for this clunky cast.” He held out his arm, encased from the elbow to his first knuckles. “What a pain.”

  “I missed you.” She buried her face in his side.

  “I missed you too, Princess.” It felt good to hug her. It would kill him to lose her. All the more reason the phone call from Jen Rey this morning left him jittery, but reassured.

  Natalie walked over, her pace slow, a little uncertain. “Hi, guys.”

  “Mornin’.” Nolan tipped his hat at her. “How was the kid?”

  “Good as gold. I knew she would be. How’s the patient?”

  “A pain in the ass. I knew he would be.” Nolan grinned. “Case, I got to talk to someone about a horse. You should come see him.”

  “I want to stay with Daddy.” She hugged Austin tighter.

  “Aww, c’mon. He’s supposed to be kid broke and I want to test him out with an actual kid. He’s a paint. Real pretty markings. I need your professional opinion.”

  Casey cracked a smile. “Can I?”

  “Sure. Be careful, okay?” Austin stroked her hair. “We’ll be here when you get back.”

  Neither he nor Natalie said a word until Nolan and Casey were out of earshot.

  “You sent me a text last night. Said you wanted to talk?” She fiddled with her phone. “Do you remember that?”

  “Yeah. I’m not that out of my head. I hope Casey wasn’t too much trouble.”

  “She wasn’t any trouble. I adore her. So…”

  He cleared his throat. “I love her to death. I’d do anything for her. But there’s something you’ve got to know.”

  He could count the number of people who knew his secret on one hand. In the last six years, he’d never told another soul.

  “Okay.”

  “Casey’s...she’s not mine.

  “Not yours?”

  He shook his head. “We’re not blood related. I was dating Alaina at the time she was conceived, but we’ve had the bloodwork done. She’s someone else’s daughter.”

  Natalie’s jaw dropped. “What? How? Why is she living with you? Calling you daddy?”

  He sank into one of the lawn chairs. “We were just kids from a little dusty Oklahoma town. I was so in love with Alaina.” Though he couldn’t remember why. Because of her beauty or she’d put out. Who knew? “She came to me one evening, crying. I thought she’d had a fight with her parents, so I comforted her. Then she told me she was pregnant. The very first thing that hit me was that I was thrilled. God, I was seventeen. So stupid. I thought we’d get married and start our family. She was distraught because if she had to move Heaven and earth, she was going to be Miss Rodeo USA. But she couldn’t do it with a kid hanging onto her.”

  Natalie blew out a breath. “She didn’t even admit she’d been sleeping with someone else?”

  “Nope. She led me along, told me we’d get married when the baby was born. When she got her figure back. She wouldn’t move in with me. Nothing. She never even brought up another man. Not until about a couple of months after Casey was born. I didn’t believe her. I couldn’t imagine why she’d lie to me except to make me angry. My mom was the one who insisted we do the blood test. But Alaina told her parents that I was the father. She never mentioned her other boyfriend’s name. When Alaina ran away to stay with a friend about a few weeks later, she left Casey with her folks. And her mother, Jen, brought Casey to me because she thought Casey should at least be with her father.”

  He looked down at his hands. “She fit just right. How was I supposed to turn her away? Tell Jen that the helpless little baby who had no say in her fate, wasn’t mine? My name was on her birth certificate. Legally, she was my responsibility. At least, I felt like she was, because I loved her from the first moment I knew about her.”

  He pushed out a breath. “Nolan and my parents had fits. I told them they could like it or we’d leave. Surprisingly, they went along with it. I caught up with Alaina when she finally came back home and told her that we needed to go to court. That she needed to give up her rights to Casey, because on some off chance that she decided she wanted to yank Casey in and out of my life, I needed to put a stop to that before it became a problem.”

  “But it was always a problem.” Natalie raised her brows and shook her head. “You still loved Alaina.”

  “I did. Idiot.”

  “So you just let the Reys believe you were her dad.”

  “Yeah. I guess Alaina did too, although when I’ve pissed her off, she’s threatened to tell them the truth. To take her away from me totally. I don’t think she has the guts to ask her parents to raise her child. It’s more convenient to let me do it.”

  “Does this have something to do with the way you were acting yesterday?” She came closer. “When you were trying to get ahold of her parents?”

  “Yeah. I’ve wanted, all this time, to legally adopt Casey. Instead of living in fear that someday some asshole might come forward and claim her as his daughter. I don’t have the money, but if the Reys would pay for it, I promised I’d never bother them for another dime. That I’d leave them alone for good.” He lowered his head. “I’m not proud of begging.”

  “But why? I mean, why’d you say that stuff to me?”

  “Alaina had come to see me in the middle of the night. Being her usual whiny, annoying self. She threw a beer bottle at me because I ticked her off. I’d had it with her crap and that’s what made me call her parents. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. No matter that I was terrified I’d miss their call. It was wrong of me. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I did warn you that my life is a mess.” He forced himself to hold her gaze. He deserved whatever scorn she had for him.

  Nothing but sympathy reflected in Natalie’s eyes. “I’m sorry you’ve been through this. It’s remarkable that you love Casey so much. Most men would have run away in a panic when their girlfriend told them she was pregnant. At seventeen, she probably thought you would. She must have been so surprised at you. I’m surprised and amazed and it just reinforced how wonderful I think you are.”

  “I’m not wonderful. I’m barely holding things together.” He curled his good hand. “I talked to Jen this morning. She told me I didn’t need to worry.
That she and her husband have no intentions of taking Casey away, no matter what Alaina says. That she kind of suspected I wasn’t Casey’s real father, but she’s totally supportive of me wanting to adopt her. Of taking sole legal custody. And no matter what, they’re still okay with helping out financially. It’s lucky they understand how tough rodeo life can be. She’s their granddaughter, even if her mom is lousy. They’d like to see her more often. I’d like to help them do that.”

  His hand shook. It was such a relief to hear those things from Jen.

  “You could’ve saved us some trouble if you’d just given me a quick explanation,” she said softly. “That’s all I wanted.”

  He rose and approached her. “The only girl I’m used to answering to is Casey. And I’m the adult there, so my decisions are pretty much set in stone. It’s a terrible excuse, but Alaina messed my head up so bad, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to trust a woman again. I do trust you, Natalie. You’ve been nothing but kind to us and I almost screwed it up. I hope you can forgive me.”

  She folded her arms and screwed up her face in frustration. “You’re awfully pathetic looking right now. It’s hard to be mad.”

  He pulled one of her hands away to clasp it in his own. “I want to make something good between us. All of us, Casey included. We could settle down a little bit. Make a home, but I don’t want to do it without you.”

  “What about our rodeo careers?”

  He smiled. “I’d be willing to make some adjustments.” He held up his casted arm. “Looks like I have to anyway. I’m flexible for the foreseeable future. I’m willing to be flexible for the unforeseeable too.”

  Her smile started, then stopped, then came on full force. “Okay. We’ll see how it goes.”

  “And maybe...maybe it could become a forever thing.” Hope was a powerful motivator. He wanted a real family for Casey. A family with Natalie.

  “I like the sound of this ‘forever thing’.” She leaned closer to him. “We should definitely try working toward it. I see you’re packing up. Where you off to, Cowboy?”

  “Probably Swells to start, but I have an open schedule. I might follow my new girlfriend around the circuit for a while.” He winked at her. “If that’s okay.”

  She looped her arms around his neck. “I was thinking I might have to check out this little town called Swells that apparently is known as home to some good-looking cowboys.”

  Her hand was warm in his and the day was early. It showed a lot of promise. And maybe, just maybe, held a glimpse of forever.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  A love of reading inspired award-winning and international best-selling author Allison Merritt to pursue her dream of becoming a writer who explores historical, paranormal, contemporary, and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. It's not unusual to find her lurking in graveyards, wandering historical sites, or listening to ghost stories.

  Allison graduated from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri with a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news.

  Social media links:

  Blog – http://havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com

  Facebook – http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites

  Twitter – http://twitter.com/allison_merritt

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  Goodreads – http://goodreads.com/AllisonMWrites

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  Saving Cowboy

  Leslie P. Garcia

  Other Books by Leslie P. Garcia

  Anthologies:

  Cowboy Time

  Cowboys Forever

  Take Me Out

  Nashville Nights

  Bases Loaded

  ***

  Romance:

  Unattainable

  Wildflower Redemption

  His Temporary Wife

  A Love Beyond

  ***

  Legend/horror/crime current issues:

  La Llorona (The Wailing Woman)

  ***

  Poetry

  Always the Moon

  Saving Cowboy

  Copyright 2017 by Leslie P. Garcia

  All rights reserved.

  Saving Cowboy

  Introverted and insecure, Jody Colton would rather not deal with the world, or the betrayals that come with caring too much. When Cowboy, the horse she raised and her stepfather sold, winds up in a slaughter pen, she sets out to save him on her own—until she meets Joe Roberts.

  Joe Roberts was on top of the rodeo world until his wife left him and a bronc named Cowboy ended his rodeo career. Unwilling to blame the horse, and appalled that the former Bucking Horse of the Year has been sold to a kill buyer, Joe plans on saying goodbye to Cowboy and moving on—until Jody ropes him into a wild plan to save Cowboy.

  Neither Jody nor Joe want commitment. They just want to save Cowboy. But when attraction and desperation morph into stronger feelings, can they risk the one thing they both blame for destroying them—can they risk love?

  DEDICATION

  The trip was never easy, Cruz, but we took it together for 43 years. No matter what did or didn’t work out, we both were happy to build around our kids and grandkids.

  QEPD. Hay nos vemos.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Jody Colton flipped through the paper with little real interest, killing time while she waited for the microwave to announce breakfast. A half-page ad trumpeted “Casting Call for Cowboys,” followed by text about some stupid ‘reality’ show. Jody glanced below the fold. A picture of too many horses stuffed into a corral stopped her eyes cold; any horse would. But a quick glance at the headline caught her breath and sickened her. “Racehorse, Famous Rodeo Bronc Headed to Slaughter.”

  She leaned against the edge of the table and unfolded the paper, prepared to make herself read another horrific story about the death of horses being butchered, some for human consumption. But she didn’t have to read—she saw him immediately, in spite of the sea of huge bodies, some already down and being trampled, others frantically seeking escape.

  The black head he’d always carried so proudly, the defiance bright in his eyes—defiance she’d managed to turn into confidence and willingness, until others had ruined him. She hadn’t seen him for so long. The bullies had won and the former “Bucking Horse of the Year” had come to this—a slaughter pen. Cowboy. Dammit, no! Not Cowboy, she thought. She hurled the paper to the floor, but her legs buckled. She sank to her knees and retched.

  ***

  The pickup truck door creaked as it swung open. Joe Roberts cursed under his breath as he slid out slowly, still feeling the numbness and pain in his lower body. Ironic, that was his life. He had plenty of money to replace the hard-working truck, but not the want-to. The insane drive to win, to find greatness, was gone. Eight seconds and a bad bronc had done what a nasty divorce and years on the circuit hadn’t been able to—wiped him out.

  A quick glance around showed no guard, no one watching the two pens overstuffed with terrified, milling horses. The stench of manure and death hung heavy in the stifling west Texas heat. He took a few steps toward the closest corral; not sure which one would hold the horse he’d come to say goodbye to—if the poor brute hadn’t already been shipped to slaughter. He choked on anger and revulsion as he saw the horses’ condition. Even destined for death, they deserved better than this.

  He couldn’t find what he was looking for in the first hell-pit. As he crossed the few yards to the second, he saw a pickup half hidden behind a low, shabby building. The owner must be here then. The deplorable condition of the truck surprised him, however. He would expect someone who made his money this way to use every ill-gotten cent on luxuries.

  He thought about looking for the truck’s owner but chose not to. What could he say? You no-brain, no-balls bastard, you should be slaughtered right along with them? Fighting lost cau
ses was stupid, and he’d used up all the stupid one man got in a lifetime. He’d say goodbye and walk off. That’s what he’d come to do.

  Eyes that used to read a horse’s mind and gauge every flick of an ear before it happened scanned the crush of horses. They skipped over a thoroughbred—he’d seen mention of a discarded racer in the newspaper—and settled on a sturdy body against the far fence. Midnight Cowboy. The bronc didn’t gleam blue in the sun as he had; the black coat was dull and covered in dust. The horse was thin, too, the impression of muscle more a trick of good conformation and memory than fact.

  “Poor critter,” Joe muttered. “Some say I deserved better. You sure as hell did.”

  He hesitated, not sure he wanted to go closer and set the horses rushing around the corral and trampling each other in their panic. The heat seemed to have worn them down, though. They seemed calmer than they had moments ago.

  He took a wide path, moving out from the pen before targeting the black body still against the farthest fence. As he cut back in toward the corral, a slight figure moved along the corral fence. His stomach knotted and his heart pounded. No, not along—in. Idiot! What kind of stupid—what, kid? Surely a grown man couldn’t be so stupid!

  Finally his eyes blinked away enough dust and haze to focus and he stopped dead as she—she—reached out and touched Cowboy’s neck.

  He almost choked on all the expletives she deserved, but he couldn’t let go. Some of the horses on the far side were getting antsy.

  At least she seemed to know horses well enough to recognize her situation. She hooked a foot on a rail and pulled herself up.

  As she moved toward safety, Cowboy’s ears pricked. And then the horse reached out and gently butted her back, almost propelling her over the fence. She laughed and turned back toward him. And the horse who had trampled Joe into retirement buried his head in her chest while she crooned to him.