Born to Be a Cowboy Read online

  He wiggled his brows like a mock villain. “You think I’m handsome, little lady?”

  “A momentary lapse.” To cover, she added, “ I’ve been meaning to ask you about this intriguing buckskin jacket.” Without thinking, she lay a hand on his chest.

  He closed his hand over hers and was pleased to see she didn’t pull away. “You like it?”

  “I do. Don’t ask me why. It’s outrageous and hokey, but I love it. I’m betting you’re the only lawyer in the state of Montana who wears a fringed buckskin jacket to court.”

  “It was Zachariah’s trademark uniform. If you have time later, ask him to show you some of the newspaper clippings of his glory days.”

  She brightened. “Thanks. I will.”

  “There’s nothing Zachariah likes more than talking about his years as one of the most celebrated lawyers in the state of Montana.” He started to turn away. “Okay. I’m off to work.” He paused and continued holding her hand against his heart. “Maybe I’ll see you in town later.”

  “Maybe. I’ll leave that up to Penny and Mary Pat. They may want this to be a girls-only day.”

  “That will be good for you, after spending so much time with all of us.”

  “I love my time with all of you. You’re surrounded by an amazing number of fascinating people, Finn Monroe.”

  “Yes, I am. And out of all of them, one is…even more fascinating than the rest.” Without warning he dipped his head and nearly kissed her before he realized what he’d almost done.

  She may be beautiful and beguiling—and clearly intrigued by him as well—but she was also his client.

  The first rule of law. Never, under any circumstances, behave in an unprofessional manner toward a client.

  He felt her hand tighten in his, as though ready to draw him closer.

  He held on for a fleeting moment, wondering at the way his heart jumped. He hadn’t planned this. And now, he needed to step back or face the consequences.

  “I almost crossed a line there. That was unprofessional of me. I’m sorry.”

  He saw the look of surprise that had her eyes going wide. And he saw something else before she ever-so-carefully leaned back. A hot blaze of passion in her eyes before she blinked the look away.

  He managed a smile. “I’ll see you at dinnertime.”

  As Finn sauntered away, Jessie sank back into Mac’s leather desk chair and reminded herself to breathe. Minutes later she heard the back door open and close, and the sound of the truck’s engine before it faded away.

  And then there was silence.

  She sat for the longest time, wondering at the way her heart had nearly exploded when she’d thought he was about to kiss her.

  She’d wanted him to. Had actually invited it. And felt a real sense of loss when he’d stepped back.

  What made Finn Monroe different from the other men who’d come and gone in her life? She couldn’t say. Maybe it was the fact that he believed her when so many others hadn’t. Maybe it was his simple kindness. He’d raced to her side from the comfort of his bed in the middle of the night after the motel fire, though he barely knew her. He’d driven her to her aunt’s ranch, and had taken the time to check with the wranglers. And now he’d given her sanctuary here in his own family home.

  Maybe her reaction to him was simply the result of all that was happening in her life, making her feel alone and vulnerable.

  But maybe, she thought, she should stop looking for reasons and just admit to herself that Finn Monroe was one handsome, sexy cowboy.

  A cowboy who really knew how to make a girl feel special.

  The fact that he’d behaved like a courtly gentleman, refusing to give in to the opportunity to kiss her, just made him all the more tempting.

  She took in a long breath and forced herself to finish tallying these numbers before joining the women for the drive to town.

  Chapter Eight

  Penny drove slowly along Main Street, pointing out the various stores and points of interest.

  “Up on that hill is the church, and just over there the school where I’d hoped to teach.”

  Jessie swiveled her head to stare at her. “You’re a teacher?”

  Penny couldn’t hide the look of pride that came over her. “I was offered a position in a nearby town, but it was too far. I asked for something here in Haller Creek. Right now I’m substitute teaching whenever they need me. And whenever one of the regular teachers is ready to take a leave, I’m at the head of the list as a full-time replacement.”

  “You’ll be a great teacher, Penny.”

  “Thanks. It’s my dream.” She pointed. “This is the new Haller Creek Medical Clinic. We’re all so glad to have it so close. And there’s the hair and nail salon, and over there the bank. If you need clothes, you can find most things at the Family Store.” She found a parking slot and pointed to the tidy shop between the hair salon and a gift shop.

  Jessie stepped down and turned to the others. “Are you coming with me?”

  Mary Pat nodded. “I need a few things myself.” She turned. “Penny?”

  Penny shook her head. “I’ll drive to Hank Henderson’s and leave the truck there so they can load the supplies in the back. Then Becca and I will walk back here to join you. I’m sure we’ll both think of things we need to buy.”

  Mary Pat was laughing. “That’s the thing about being in a store. You always seem to find things you never even knew you needed.”

  As Penny drove away, Jessie and Mary Pat walked into the shop.

  Mary Pat called to the young woman behind the counter, “Ellen Carter, meet Jessie Blair.”

  “Hi, Jessie.” The pretty redhead indicated the shelves and racks. “Help yourself to anything you need. The fitting rooms are in the back.”

  “Hi, Ellen. Thanks.” Jessie followed Mary Pat’s lead and began rummaging through racks and counters of women’s clothing. Soon she was headed to the fitting room in the back of the store, her arms laden with jeans, tops, and underthings.

  A short time later Mary Pat called out, “How’re you doing in here, Jessie?”

  “Fine. What do you think?” Jessie stepped out of a small room wearing work denims and a baggy shirt.

  “Not bad. But I think you can do better than that.”

  Jessie chuckled. “Oh, I already have. These are just for doing chores in the barn and around the house.”

  While the two were still trying on clothes, they heard Becca and Penny chatting as they moved into the other fitting rooms.

  Each time one of them found something they liked, they stepped out to model it for the others.

  An hour later, wearing brand-new skinny jeans and a denim jacket, her feet encased in a pair of sturdy hiking boots, Jessie paused to model her new outfit for Mary Pat, Penny, and Becca, who murmured approval.

  Ellen looked from behind the counter. “Will there be anything else?”

  The women eyed the clutter of handled bags and shared a laugh. “Anything more and we’ll need an army to haul them home.” Jessie handed the girl her credit card. When everything was bagged, she turned away. “Now where are we headed?”

  “Lunch,” the others called in unison.

  “Okay. Will I carry these with me?”

  Mary Pat shook her head. “Can we leave them here until we’re ready to head home, Ellen?”

  The young woman smiled and nodded. “I was going to suggest that very thing.”

  “Thank you,” Jessie called as she followed the others from the shop.

  Outside, they paused as Becca asked, “Are we in the mood for Dolly’s Diner or Horton Duke’s chili over at the Hitching Post?”

  Mary Pat chuckled. “What kind of welcome would we be giving if we didn’t introduce Jessie to Dolly’s home cooking?”

  Jessie arched a brow. “I don’t know. Chili sounds…interesting.”

  “If you have a cast-iron stomach.” With a laugh Mary Pat looped her arm through Jessie’s, and Penny and Becca did the same as they headed towar
d the pretty little diner down the street.

  “Is there any special dish I should consider?”

  All three women replied, “Dolly’s meat loaf.”

  “But be prepared,” Mary Pat said in an aside. “Dolly makes it a point to learn all she can about everybody who sets foot in her diner.”

  “Should I answer her questions?”

  At Jessie’s worried look, the others burst into laughter.

  “Jessie,” Mary Pat said softly, “she won’t need to ask. She’ll tell you all about yourself, and add all the latest gossip about you and Finn while she’s at it.”

  “So…” Nibbling Dolly’s excellent meat loaf, Becca glanced across the table at Jessie. “Were we right about Dolly?”

  Jessie chuckled. “She’s just a walking encyclopedia. She even knew how many wranglers were involved in that motel fire.”

  “Told you.” Becca’s voice lowered. “Speaking of that fire…Jessie, how are you coping with everything? Especially your aunt’s disappearance?”

  Jessie sighed. “I feel so much better now that I have Finn and all of you on my side. Until Finn, I was feeling so alone. The authorities have absolutely refused to take this seriously.” She began nervously tapping her fork on the tabletop. “I guess I don’t blame them. I know I wasn’t making a lot of sense, suggesting that my aunt couldn’t possibly be happy on a honeymoon when she was so in love with her ranch. But that’s the truth. I know in my heart Aunt Nola would never be gone this long unless there was something seriously wrong.”

  Seeing her agitation, Penny lay a hand on hers. “How are you and Finn getting along?”

  Jessie took a sip of iced tea. “We’re fine. I appreciate his help. Your brother-in-law is a good lawyer.”

  “I wasn’t talking about professionally.” Penny’s lips curved and she shared a look with Becca. “I think the two of you make a cute couple.”

  “We’re not a couple.” Jessie turned to Mary Pat, hoping the older woman would save her from this discussion. “He’s just…helping me.”

  “I’m glad you feel you can trust him.” Mary Pat smiled at her across the table. “Finn has always been good at helping others.”

  Penny managed a straight face. “A regular Boy Scout.”

  That had Jessie glancing over at her before her laughter bubbled up. “Okay. I know what you want to know.” She shrugged. “I wish I could give you an answer. But the truth is, I don’t know what we are. One minute Finn looks like he’s feeling all sweet and romantic, and the next he’s turning away like I’ve got the flu and he doesn’t want to come anywhere near me. He insists that it would be wrong to behave in a way that isn’t”—she lifted her fingers to make air quotes—“professional.”

  “Ah.” Mary Pat shared a look with the others. “That sounds so like Mac, doesn’t it?”

  Becca and Penny nodded.

  She turned to Jessie. “Mac has spent a lifetime drumming into his sons’ heads that they need to put aside their wild tendencies and behave like gentlemen. I see this as proof that what he once thought a hopeless goal has now become reality.”

  Jessie was staring at her with wide eyes.

  She reached across the table to pat Jessie’s hand. “I believe Finn may like you a bit more than he’d intended. And that has a tug-of-war going on inside his mind.”

  “A tug-of-war.” Jessie took another sip of tea before allowing a smile to blossom. “Now that’s something I’ve never caused before. Do you think I should tug back? And if I do, I wonder which side will win?”

  Penny’s eyes twinkled with a spark of amusement. “Jessie, I was there when he first told us about your initial meeting. My money’s on professionalism taking a backseat to liking you.”

  Around the table they shared matching smiles.

  Later, after they gathered up their purchases at the Family Store and began the drive out of town, Jessie looked at the passing scenery before turning to the others. “I really like Haller Creek. It’s just a sweet town, with sweet people.”

  Penny tipped down her sunglasses to peer over them at Jessie. “I know exactly what you mean. From the first day I came here, I felt as if I’d come home.”

  Home.

  Jessie fell silent. It was true, she felt at home here…maybe even more so than at the family ranch she’d called home since she was five. But then, without Aunt Nola, that place was just another ranch.

  At the first ring, Finn plucked his cell phone from his pocket and saw the caller ID. “What’ve you got for me, Basil?”

  The private investigator was a no-nonsense, by-the-book man who wasted few words. “First, I checked the police records on the accident that took Matthew Carver’s life. No hint of foul play. They’ve declared that he fell asleep at the wheel and closed the book on it.”

  Finn hissed out a breath. “Okay. Thanks for looking into it. Now what have you got on Wayne Stone?”

  “Funny thing. The same people who didn’t know Wayne Stone recognized the photo you sent me. About twenty years ago they knew the guy in the picture as Rogers Sutter.”

  “An alias?”

  “Maybe. Owned a lot of real estate. Mostly ranches that went up for auction. Used to spend a lot of time at the county courthouse, according to my source. I thought I’d head up there and ask around.”

  Finn stopped him. “I can save you the trouble. I have to head there today to file some documents for my father. I’ll see what I can find out. In the meantime, maybe you could check with your sources in the state offices and see if this guy could have any other alias we ought to know about.”

  “Will do. I’ll get back to you.”

  Finn disconnected and sat a moment. It made no sense for a successful businessman to use an alias. Unless he wanted to avoid paying taxes. Or…Finn’s legal mind made a leap from all the other reasons to the one that most intrigued him. Or this guy had resorted to illegal business practices to obtain some of that real estate and didn’t want to leave a trail.

  Finn completed the documents he was preparing for his father and placed them in his attaché case before heading to his truck. He wanted plenty of time to handle his business at the county courthouse before grabbing lunch with a colleague. And then, he thought, he’d be home for dinner.

  Not that the meal mattered at the moment. All he could think about was Jessie, and that almost-kiss.

  He was smiling as he started out of town and headed toward the interstate.

  It had been a long morning at the county courthouse. Finn’s first stop had been at the county clerk’s office to ask who had issued the complaint about his family’s cattle straying from their property. It had seemed to him to be a simple request. Still, after more than an hour, with three different employees in the office going through records and coming up empty, he’d been left with no answer.

  Then he’d had to cool his heels before he managed to file the proper documents with the clerk. Documents that offered a rebuttal of the county’s charge of animal trespass, to avoid paying a hefty fine.

  At each stop along the way, Finn had shown the photo he had of Wayne Stone, or maybe Rogers Sutter, to as many officials as he could find.

  Several of the longtime employees had studied the photograph for quite a while before shaking their heads. Once or twice Finn thought he’d detected a trace of recognition on their faces before each of them had firmly said they didn’t know the man. Though he wanted to press, he didn’t want to insult them. After all, he dealt with these people on a fairly regular basis whenever he had to present documents to the courts. The last thing he needed was someone who could delay or even deny a document filing. Other than the judges, these employees wielded a great deal of power.

  In the end, he’d been forced to accept defeat in finding anyone who knew Wayne Stone, or whatever his name was. Finn hoped Basil was having more luck.

  Over lunch with a colleague, Finn brought up the subject and wondered aloud why anyone used an alias.

  “It’s almost always because they’r
e trying to circumvent the law.” Cameron Colby Jr. had joined his father’s prestigious law firm and was preparing to open a second office in Helena, the state’s capital. He and Finn had attended the University of Michigan Law School together and, going to school so far from home, had formed a strong bond. Cameron had once again offered Finn a job with the firm. Finn had once again refused. It had become their private joke, though on Cameron’s part, it was a serious offer.

  “I get that an alias could help circumvent the law.” Finn popped a chili fry in his mouth. “But if a man is a successful businessman, how can he hope to keep a second identity a secret for any length of time?”

  “According to what you’ve heard from your investigator, he’s already managed to keep it a secret for twenty years or more. That suggests that he has paid people to let him know whenever there’s even a whisper about his secret.”

  Finn’s eyes narrowed. “He has paid snitches?” He thought about it before nodding. “Yeah. It makes sense. He’d have to have eyes and ears, especially at the county level. Maybe at the state level, as well. If not employees, then friends of friends who could get information on a need-to-know basis.”

  Cameron signaled for the bill and was surprised when the waitress informed him it was already taken care of.

  He looked across the table at Finn. “This lunch was on me. I was the one offering you the job.”

  “I already have a job. But you know I’m grateful for the offer. And thanks for your insight on this guy. I think I’m going to have to do a lot more digging.”

  “I wish I could stick around and help. It sounds like a challenge. You and I could make a great team, Finn.”

  Outside the restaurant the two old friends shook hands before going their separate ways.

  As Finn made his way down the block, he had the oddest sensation that he was being followed. When he paused to open the door to his truck, he took a moment to look around. Seeing nothing unusual, he tossed in his attaché case and settled himself inside.