The Cowboy Next Door--Includes a bonus novella Read online

  Mary Pat joined in the laughter. “Not likely, the way all of you work.”

  “Speaking of work.” Ben finished the last bite of brownie. “You’ve been here for a whole week. You thinking of retiring, Mary Pat?”

  She sat back with a smile. “Wishful thinking. After a week of so much fun, I have to admit it crossed my mind a time or two, but duty calls.”

  While the others around the table continued enjoying their dessert, Mac fell silent, draining his cup.

  When Penny began clearing the table, Sam caught her hand, stilling her movements.

  She looked up. “What are you doing?”

  “You and Becca and Mary Pat have been cooking and cleaning like crazy all week. Tonight, the three of you are going to relax while Ben and Finn and I take over the kitchen.”

  “We can at least help.”

  “Nope.” He nodded toward the door. “You can go in the parlor and sit by the fire, or head on out to the back porch and watch the daylight fade. Your call.”

  Penny turned to the other two women.

  Mary Pat led the way to the mudroom, where she picked up a shawl from a hook on the wall. Penny and Becca did the same, and the three women settled on the swing. Minutes later Mac, Zachariah, Otis, and Roscoe joined them.

  They sat in companionable silence, listening to the voices and laughter coming from the three brothers in the kitchen, as always, teasing, joking, and occasionally cussing as they tidied up.

  When Ben, Sam, and Finn finally joined the others on the porch, they talked about the day, the weather, and the crops as the shadows lengthened and the glorious red sun began to set behind the peaks of the hills in the distance.

  One by one, they all drifted away. Ben and Becca said their good nights and leashed Archie before heading back to town. Otis and Roscoe resumed their nightly gin rummy game in the bunkhouse. Finn and Zachariah locked themselves away in the old lawyer’s library, discussing Finn’s latest case. Penny called good night before making her way upstairs, trailed within minutes by Sam.

  Mac and Mary Pat remained on the porch, seated side by side on the swing.

  Mac kept his voice low. “Against your advice, I had that talk with Sam.”

  “How did it go?”

  “Hard to say. Since then, he’s mostly been absent, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

  She nodded.

  “I think he got the message to respect certain boundaries.”

  “That’s good, Mac.”

  “I’m not so sure. I really bungled things. I have a feeling I spoke out of turn. If there are any feelings between those two, they’re not aware of them.”

  “I realize Sam has been spending more time in town these nights. That may because of your talk with him. But when he’s here, I see him watching Penny when he thinks nobody’s looking.”

  Mac shrugged. “He teases her a lot, but then Sam has always loved teasing everybody.” He took his time, choosing his words carefully. “Penny has shouldered a lot of responsibilities from a really young age. I think that would make a woman unwilling to take on a man who wasn’t solid and steady.”

  “And Sam? You don’t think he’s solid?”

  Mac gave a slow shake of his head. “Sam is my son, and I love him. But he’s always been my wild child. He took to ranching like a natural, and that touches my heart. But there’s also that side of him that worries me. He loves taking risks. I’ve seen him at the Hitching Post, swaggering around like an actor in a play he wrote for himself. He’s a natural con. He can spot a sucker a mile away. And when he’s out to sweet-talk a woman, he turns into a real charmer. Sometimes, watching from the sidelines, I wonder who he is.”

  “You know who he is, Mac. You said so yourself.”

  He turned to stare at her.

  “He’s your son. And you love him.”

  “Yeah.”

  They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the night. Cattle lowing in the hills. Night birds crying in the darkened sky. Crickets chirping. The occasional sound of laughter coming from the bunkhouse drifting on the breeze.

  Mac’s next words were hesitant. “Were you serious earlier, when you said you may be thinking of retiring?”

  She kept her gaze averted, studying the stars winking like diamonds in the black velvet sky. “I have to admit, this week has been special. Becca and Penny are such lovely young women. I can’t recall the last time I had so much fun doing nothing more than cooking and cleaning, and just listening to the two of them.”

  “It’s been special for me, too.”

  “Why?” She looked over at him.

  He shrugged. “It’s nice to know you’re here, and safe, and sleeping just down the hall”—he cleared his throat—“instead of in the back of your old van in the middle of nowhere.”

  She put a hand over his. “You know I’m only here for a little while.”

  He closed his other hand over hers. Patted it. “I know that you love what you do, and love even more the people you help.”

  They sat for the longest time, just watching the clouds and listening as the night grew soft and silent.

  And when at last they climbed the stairs, Mary Pat made her way to the end of the hall, letting herself into the guest room, while Mac stood just outside his door, waiting until he saw her door close.

  Only then did he step into his room.

  Alone.

  The thought mocked him.

  Chapter Seven

  Turning downright chilly out there today.” Otis picked up a mug of coffee as the others stomped in from morning chores and gathered in the kitchen.

  “Yeah.” Roscoe nudged him. “That’s Mother Nature reminding us what’s coming. I can already smell autumn leaves.”

  “Speaking of which, something smells great.” Finn set aside his attaché case and chose a glass of orange juice from an assortment of drinks on a tray.

  After the first swallow he looked over at Penny, busy removing a pan from the oven. “What did you do to this? It tastes different.”

  Penny turned. “Good different or bad different?”

  “Really good.”

  She looked relieved. “It’s freshly squeezed.” She pointed to a glass bowl with a pointed end in the middle. “I found that fancy little orange juice squeezer in the pantry and decided to try it.”

  “Fancy?” Mac gave a shake of his head. “That’s ancient. The new modern ones are electric. When we used that old thing we had to use plenty of elbow grease.”

  “I have plenty of elbow grease to spare.” Penny began passing around a platter of eggs, sausage, and pancakes. “I can’t even count all the boxes of old stuff I’ve been finding while cleaning out these cupboards.” She nodded toward a set of doors beside the mudroom. “And how many treasures I’ve found in that old pantry. Fancy cookie cutters. Old-fashioned lace doilies. Hand-stitched hot pads.”

  Mac gave a startled look. “They’re still there?” He glanced around at the others. “They belonged to my mother. She lived with us before she passed on. She used to sit up nights knitting, crocheting, and doing all kinds of handwork. She said it kept her old fingers nimble.”

  Penny held up one of the pretty hot pads. “I was thinking of using this, but if you’d like to save it as a keepsake…”

  Mac shook his head. “Use it. Use all the things you find, Penny. I think that’s what my ma had in mind when she stored them all away, hoping one day we’d find them and use them for our own enjoyment.”

  Mary Pat, who had helped herself to a steaming cup of coffee, took a seat at the table before announcing, “I’m glad you made all my favorite things for breakfast, Penny. This should hold me until the next time I come back.”

  Caught by surprise, the others looked over.

  It was Mac who asked quietly, “You’re leaving?”

  She nodded. “I know I said I was hoping to relax a while longer, but I’ve heard from several families looking for some assistance. I think it’s time I head out for one more long trek into the
hills before the weather turns.”

  “When?” Mac’s single word sounded strained.

  “I’m planning on packing up my van and leaving later today.”

  While the others dug into their meal, Mac set aside his coffee before saying, “Would you be willing to hold off leaving until tomorrow?”

  She glanced over. “I suppose so. Any particular reason?”

  He shrugged. “Just a thought. We haven’t gone to town as a family for months. We’ve been too busy with ranch chores.” He turned to Penny. “Don’t bother cooking dinner this evening. After our chores, we’ll head into Haller Creek. I’ll phone Ben and see if he and Becca want to join us at Dolly’s Diner.”

  Roscoe put a hand over his heart. “I hope Dolly has some of her famous meat loaf.”

  Otis was grinning from ear to ear. “I don’t care about anything else, as long as she has collard greens. Although…” His grin widened. “I wouldn’t refuse her fried chicken, either.”

  “Well then.” Penny circled the table, topping off their cups. “I guess I’ll take some time reading one of my books up in my room tonight.”

  Mac put a hand on her arm to still her movements. “You’re included in the invitation, Penny.”

  “Oh.” She caught Sam staring at her across the table and nearly bobbled the pot of coffee. “I don’t want to intrude on a family dinner.”

  Mac’s voice lowered. Softened. “When I say family, I mean all of us here. You’re as much family as the rest.”

  “Thank you.” Without another word she took her place at the table and bowed her head as Mary Pat led them in a blessing.

  “Bless this food, this…family”—she shot a smile at the shy young woman seated across the table—“and the roads we travel.”

  Penny brushed her hair long and loose, and fastened one side behind her ear with a pretty butterfly clip that had been a gift from her mother on her sixth birthday. Even though it was childish, she loved it because it had been bought by her mother and was one of the few treasures from her childhood.

  She was wearing a simple pink shirt with clean denims. She snagged a denim jacket from the closet for later, when the night would turn cool.

  Two ranch trucks were parked beside the back door. As the family stepped outside, Mac held the door for Mary Pat before walking around to the driver’s side. The others streamed out the door.

  Zachariah slid in beside Mary Pat, while Roscoe and Otis climbed into the backseat.

  Finn climbed behind the wheel of the second truck, while Sam held the passenger door open for Penny before sliding in beside her.

  As they started along the gravel driveway, he gave her a long, steady look. “You look pretty. And I like that thing in your hair.”

  She smiled. “A gift from my mother when I was little.”

  He leaned close. “Mmm. And you smell good.”

  Her face flamed, and she felt the quick jittery rush of heat that always caught her by surprise whenever he got too close. And, she thought, he seemed to do it more often lately. Or was it just magnified in her mind? Lately she’d had to force herself to concentrate on good, hard work in order to keep from thinking about Sam.

  “My brother, Cooper, sent me a bottle of perfume all the way from Paris. He’s stationed in Germany, and said his goal is to see as many countries in Europe as possible before he’s reassigned.”

  “Remind me to thank Cooper if I ever get the chance to meet him.”

  She gave Sam an elbow in the ribs. “I know you’re just teasing.”

  “Is that what you think?” He looked past her to Finn. “I’ll just ask an impartial observer. What do you think, bro?”

  “I think your brother has good taste, Penny. You do smell good. And you look good, too.”

  “You see?” Sam draped an arm over the back of the seat, allowing his fingers to play with the ends of her hair.

  She sat with her hands gripped firmly in her lap, wondering if he knew what his touch was doing to her. Each brush of his hand sent fresh tingles along her spine. His muscled thigh was pressed to hers in the close quarters of the front seat. His breath, when he leaned past her to talk to his brother, was warm and oh so tempting.

  And then he looked directly at her and winked, and her heart took a hard, heavy bounce.

  Oh, he was a sly one. Too handsome for his own good. A lean, casual cowboy, completely comfortable in his own skin. That was part of his charm. And if she wasn’t careful, she’d start believing all those words that flowed like warm honey from his tongue. But she figured a man like Sam would never settle for one woman, when he could have them all. Besides, he’d admitted to being a gambler. And that was something she would never tolerate.

  And so, to keep from thinking about the man beside her, she watched as the pretty countryside flew past her line of vision on their way to town.

  Ben and Becca were standing outside the diner as their convoy of trucks pulled up.

  Ben hurried over to announce, “We told Dolly how many would be here, and she said she’ll have a table ready.”

  “What did you do with Archie?” Ben asked.

  “We had to leave him home.” Ben laughed. “You should have seen his reaction. Tail down. Ears down. I swear he was frowning.”

  They were all laughing as they stepped into the diner.

  The little place was packed with hungry ranchers and their families. As Dolly led their party to a big, round table, they were forced to stop and greet half a dozen or more friends. Finally, as they took their seats, Dolly asked if anyone wanted a menu.

  “None for me,” Mac said.

  The others shook their heads, signifying they knew what they wanted.

  While most of their party ordered Dolly’s famous meat loaf and garlic potatoes, Otis asked for her fried chicken and collard greens, and Zachariah ordered a rare prime rib and a baked potato smothered with sour cream.

  “Mmm,” Penny said as she dug into her meat loaf. “You think if I asked, Dolly would share this recipe?”

  “Not likely,” Mary Pat said with a laugh. “Through the years, whenever Dolly is pressured to share her recipe for any of her specials, she always manages to ‘forget’ one or two key ingredients. It’s happened so often, nobody even bothers to ask her anymore. They know she’ll sabotage their intentions to duplicate her famous menu.”

  That brought a round of laughter from the others.

  “You can’t blame her.” Otis used a slice of Dolly’s sourdough bread to mop up the bacon drippings used to wilt the greens in a heavy, cast-iron skillet, just the way he remembered his mama doing. “If every female in Haller Creek could cook like this, Dolly would be out of business.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Sam leaned back, sipping strong, hot coffee. “I don’t think Dolly’s cooking can hold a candle to our own cook.”

  Penny’s head came up sharply.

  Seeing everyone looking from Sam to her, she felt her cheeks flaming. Hoping to deflect attention she said, “You’re just saying that so you’ll get the biggest piece of cake tomorrow night.”

  He gave a nonchalant shrug. “If you feel the need to reward me, I certainly won’t refuse. But I’m saying it ’cause it’s true. I’d rather have your cooking than Dolly’s any time.”

  Beside him, Finn nodded. “I hate to admit that Sam and I agree on something, but this time, he’s right. Since you started feeding us, Penny, we’ve become spoiled.”

  Seeing the look of disbelief on her face, Mary Pat put a hand over hers. “They’re not teasing you this time, Penny. I agree with them. In fact, one of the things I’ll miss when I leave tomorrow is all the fine meals you’ve been serving.”

  “Then why not stay?” Penny blurted the words before she could stop herself.

  Mac nodded. “I agree with Penny. Why not stay?”

  Mary Pat let out a long, deep sigh. “You’ll never know how much I want to. If only I could ignore my conscience and shut out the voices of all those families who need my help.”

&n
bsp; Penny happened to glance at Mac and saw, for a fleeting moment, a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite fathom. One part sadness. One part resignation. And then it was gone, and he was laughing and talking with the others, and she was caught up in the conversation until she forgot what she’d seen.

  After paying the bill, Mac turned to the family. “As long as we’re here, we can’t head home until we’ve had a longneck at the Hitching Post.” He winked at Sam. “And maybe watch my son indulge in a game of nine ball.”

  Sam gave his father one of his famous rogue smiles. “A lot of the ranchers around here are taking on extra wranglers for roundup. I’ll just have to wait and see how many have sucker written on their foreheads.”

  “Come on, then.” With a laugh Mac herded them toward the door.

  Finn leaned close to Penny to whisper, “Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll get to watch my brother perform. You won’t believe his moves. He’s like a magician with a pool cue in his hands.”

  Penny gave a sniff of disdain. “Drinking beer and shooting pool. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. What does surprise me is that someone like you is bragging about someone like Sam.”

  Finn gave her a long, steady look. “Someone like me?”

  “You’re a lawyer, for heaven’s sake. And you’re acting like Sam’s talent on a pool table is something to be proud of.”

  Finn merely smiled. “I guess you just have to see for yourself.” Trailing behind her, he added, “Prepare to be entertained and amazed.”

  Up ahead, Sam held the door until everyone had exited Dolly’s. Then, falling into step beside Penny, he was humming a little tune.

  Probably, she thought, in anticipation of a chance to show off to his family.

  But she had already dismissed him and his so-called talent. He could give it any name he wanted. It was still drinking and gambling.

  Vices she’d sternly warned her brothers about.

  Chapter Eight

  It was impossible to miss the Hitching Post Saloon. The sign above the long, wooden building screamed the name in bright neon red and yellow.