Her Rodeo Cowboy Page 7

  “He’s been out with a few,” Norma Sue said apologetically. “He just needs the right one to come along and make him want to get to know you a little better.”

  “But I don’t want to get to know him better.”

  Esther Mae frowned. “You are young and pretty, and need to be doing more than holing up with a horse and a baby. I love baby Tate with all my heart, but Lacy and Clint don’t want you spending all your time babysitting. Everyone needs a night out. And I know you’ve got dreams and goals and all, but this horse is not going to keep you warm at night, and hold your hand when you get old and gray like us. Not that I’m gray-headed like Norma Sue here, but you know what I’m talking about.”

  Norma Sue was looking at Esther Mae like she’d lost her marbles. “You know good and well that beneath that red dye your natural red has disappeared. For all you know, you might be as white-headed as Adela!”

  “No offense, Adela, but I am not that white-headed. Thank you very much,” she huffed and fussily patted her flaming red hair.

  Montana enjoyed the three ladies’ teasing for a few more moments. She wondered if they would leave without checking the concession stand, which had been their ruse for coming to hound her about Luke. It would be funny if they did. Oddly, as much as she didn’t want to be set up by the posse, it was fun to see them in action.

  “I love babysitting Tate,” she said in the baby’s defense. “As a matter of fact, I’m watching him tonight so Lacy and Clint can go to the movies and out to eat in Ranger. This is the anniversary of the day she first came to town and met him.”

  “Oh, what a day that was!” Esther Mae exclaimed.

  “It was a true blessing,” Adela added.

  Norma Sue pulled her hand away from Murdock and stuffed it into her overalls pocket. “And they are a perfect match. We did good, helping out with that, if I may say so myself.”

  Lacy and Clint were perfect for each other and Montana was so happy for them both. But she was content to not join the married mix. If only the ladies could understand that. She didn’t let herself consider that she might be unfair to Luke. The niggling thought hovered at the edge of her conscience, though.

  She was relieved a good while later when the posse left. After they had, in fact, made a trip inside the concession stand. She wasn’t sure if they got what they were after, but she was relieved to see them go.

  The rest of the afternoon as she and Murdock practiced, men tramped in and out of the arena area, working on various areas of the building. She wondered if Luke might show up, and found herself watching for him. After all, it was his animals going into the pens that were being worked on.

  She spent the rest of the afternoon looking toward the entrance more times than she wanted to count.

  Luke did not show up.

  When she finally took Murdock to his stall and brushed him down before turning him out to relax in the outside lot, she berated herself for letting her thoughts dwell on Luke the entire time. True, she wasn’t interested in the man. But still, she felt a hum of expectation when he was around. In addition to a very loud hum of irritation.

  She watched Murdock nibble grass and lazily enjoy his freedom.

  For the first time in her life, she, too, was experiencing her freedom. Freedom from her father’s and mother’s expectations. Freedom from worrying about pleasing them. And freedom from the guilt they’d made her feel when she wanted to do things her way. When did a girl become a woman who could make her own choices? When was a woman able to go her own way and decide her life on her own terms?

  These had been the questions plaguing her while growing up and longing to hone her talent and see if she could make it as a professional barrel racer. She’d felt she’d had the talent to make it into the money, to gain sponsorships and to provide for herself with a lifestyle she’d dreamed of. But she’d honored her father’s and mother’s wishes. She’d set her dreams aside and become an accountant, then entered the family firm. There was nothing wrong with being an accountant—but she hadn’t chosen it for herself. Her father had said it was a respectable, well-paying career for a woman. And so she’d become one. She’d put on her business suit and stowed her boots and jeans, along with her dreams. As she’d picked up her calculator she left Murdock to while away in a pasture, his unbelievable talent wasted.

  Freedom. She had it now, but oddly, it came at a high price. Her father’s betrayal and her mother’s betrayal by living the lie and not telling Montana what was going on had done the thing she’d longed for all her life. It had given her the freedom to feel no guilt over choosing her own way. And here she was, living life on her terms and loving it.

  Despite the heartache that brought her here, she did love it. The idea struck Montana as gently as the breeze that whispered across her skin.

  She loved her life right now.

  And if there was a niggling feeling of guilt over not being able to forgive her dad for lying to her. For betraying her mother. And being such a hypocrite about being so respectable, when in fact, he was so not respectable in his behavior. If there was any guilt at all over any of that, then she was learning to live with it.

  Turning to head to the house and her date with a darling boy named Tate, she breathed deeply of the fresh, pine-laced air and let the joy of her freedom take hold. She was happy.

  Yes, she was still angry, and she had her moments where the anger snuck up and ate her up, but it was getting easier each day to ignore it.

  She opened the back door to the house and walked inside, choosing to acknowledge the denial.

  Denial meant freedom. And that denial didn’t need a man complicating it and messing it up.

  Chapter Nine

  “So you’re sure that you’re going to be all right with us going out?”

  Montana bounced Tate on her hip, making him giggle. “Are you kidding? Me and Tater can’t wait to have the house to ourselves. We plan on having a party. He’s got all his buddies hiding in the bushes, waiting to see y’all’s taillights disappearing down the drive. Isn’t that right, little buddy?”

  Clint wrapped his arms around Lacy from behind and grinned at Montana. “You and the kiddo have fun, then. I’m taking my wife out on the town. If the party gets too rowdy, call the cops. Brady or Zane will come to the rescue.”

  “Or you could call Luke,” Lacy added innocently. “Word has it that it’s only a matter of time before the matchmakers have you two tied up tighter than a—”

  Montana threw Tate’s stuffed puppy at her, hitting Lacy in the chin. “You are really pushing it, cuz.”

  Lacy laughed, walking over to kiss her baby goodbye. “You know I love you. But seriously, they have targeted you.”

  “And you haven’t?”

  “Well, no. Now, why would I do that when I know you aren’t interested?”

  Clint rolled his eyes and cleared his throat loudly.

  “Don’t worry, Clint, I’m not buying her innocent act, either.”

  “Then fine. You know that I want you to relax and get on with your life. But I also want you to think about what God has in store for you, and we both know that there is something going on between you and that handsome cowboy.”

  “Maybe it has nothing whatsoever to do with God.”

  “Maybe not,” Lacy said. “But maybe it does.”

  “Luke’s a good guy, Montana,” Clint said, serious now. “He had a rough upbringing. Not your typical happy family. Not even your almost happy family. He worked here on the ranch beside me after they moved here growing up, and he idolized my dad. He’s a quick learner and as reliable as they come. But he’s never, ever talked about marriage. So, in that respect, you two match up. As a guy, I’ll tell you he might be one who never marries. Though I know he’s building a ranch he can pass on. He’s setting down roots that will last and become a legacy.” He hunched his shoulders and tilted his head. “The matchmakers may be wrong about him—and his brothers Jess and Colt. Some men aren’t married because they just aren’t rea
dy and haven’t met the right woman. And then there are some who got such a bad taste growing up that it’s not a place they want to return. That said, I for one can tell him that, when God puts the right woman in his path, there is nothing on earth that can compare to the fullness life takes on from there. That goes for you, too.”

  Montana was shocked by such a long speech from Clint, as much as the words he spoke about Luke. “Thanks, both of you. I’m touched by your concern. I know you both mean well, and it means a lot to me. You will never, ever know how much. Luke and I will be just fine. For starters, we do understand each other, so it’s good. Now go, have a good time.” She waved them toward the door. “Tater’s little buddies are probably sucking their thumbs fast asleep under the mesquite bushes by now.”

  Montana was watching Tate show off his new crawling skills when a truck pulled up in front of the house. She wasn’t expecting anyone, she realized as she headed toward the door. Through the big windows, she saw Luke step out of the truck, hesitate, then slam the door and stride her way. The rush of pleasure at his appearance surprised her. All afternoon, she’d looked forward to his showing up in the barn, and the disappointment hadn’t been something she wanted to think about. Now a glimpse of him in a chocolate-brown button-up shirt that matched his eyes had her pulse bouncing off the charts.

  She pulled the door open before he knocked, startling him. “A little late to be checking on the arena setup, isn’t it?”

  “I didn’t come for that.” He looked past her into the house.

  Following his gaze, she glanced over her shoulder to see Tate rise up on wobbly knees and reach toward the coffee table. “Oh, no, you don’t.” She laughed, hurrying back to the tot. “Come on in,” she called, catching Tate just in time to keep him from bumping his tiny chin. Swinging him into her arms, she kissed his cheek as she turned back toward her unexpected guest. “Clint’s not here. He and Lacy went on a date.”

  He looked puzzled as he scanned the room. “A date? But—where’s everyone else?”

  “Who?” Now it was her turn to look puzzled.

  “I saw Norma Sue at the feed store and she asked me to come to a rodeo committee meeting here at seven.”

  Montana laughed. She couldn’t help it. The sneaky Norma Sue. “You’ve been had. You know that, don’t you?”

  “I should have known.” He gave a short laugh, snugged his hat tighter to his head, in a movement that spoke of embarrassment. “I’ve watched those women in action over and over again, and they still got one over on me.”

  “They knew I was going to be watching Tate tonight. They came poking around earlier, when I was riding.” She tried to figure out what to do next. Did she ask him to stay? Did she want him to go? It was one weird situation she found herself in. Shifting Tate in her arms, she used him as a sort of emotional shield between the two of them. Something to keep her from thinking about hugging the man or kissing him.

  She held Tate tighter as Luke walked toward the kitchen. “So, do you have anything to eat?”

  “I might, but I don’t remember inviting you to stay.”

  He shrugged one muscled shoulder and hooked a thumb in his pocket as he studied her. He looked as if he could care less whether he stayed or not. It had her insides feeling queasy. Was that romance in the air, or just butterflies in her stomach at the thought of wondering such a thing? She didn’t want romance. She didn’t want the hint of it. Did she?

  “There’s roast beef in the fridge, and potatoes,” she heard herself say.

  “You sit and I’ll fix it.”

  Her mouth dropped. “I didn’t invite you to stay for dinner.”

  “So?”

  She looked at Tate. “Did you hear that, Tate? This is not the way to act. He—” she nodded her head toward the unbelievably good-looking man in her kitchen “—has a lot to learn in the romance department.”

  “Who said anything about romance? I’m just having dinner. The way I figure it, if you won’t go out with me for dinner, then I come to you. I owe the posse for this one.”

  “But I haven’t told you that you could stay yet.”

  He opened the door to the fridge and studied the contents in silence. Acting like he didn’t need her invitation, he pulled the pot from the shelf and set it on the counter. “This looks good.”

  Yes, it did. The cowboy had skills, she thought, as he began opening drawers and finding the items he needed: forks, knives, glasses. She cuddled Tate and watched in silence while Luke made himself at home in Lacy’s kitchen. It amused her that he didn’t ask. That he just did it.

  He was taking charge…and oddly enough she liked it. It was flattering that he wanted to have dinner with her this much. She admired his never-give-up mentality.

  “Lacy and Clint seem really happy,” he said at last while he was ladling roast and gravy onto plates and nuking them in the microwave.

  “Romance is alive and well at the Matlock house.”

  Luke leaned against the counter, hooked his thumb in his jeans pocket and held her gaze. “Do you ever wish that for yourself?”

  “You’ve come into the house, invited yourself to dinner and now you’re asking some very personal questions. I’m not too sure I want to play this game.”

  He hiked a shoulder. “I’m just curious. I ask everyone the same question—well, sort of.”

  “Ah, yes, the no-strings-attached question. And here I thought you were about to ask me to marry you.”

  “Not today. So do you?”

  “Persistent little badger, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. And I’d rather be called something a little more masculine than a badger. You sure know how to knock a man’s ego down a notch.”

  She laughed full and hard at that. Tate grinned and clapped his hands. Luke laughed at them, sending a ripple of awareness through Montana. His smile faded suddenly, as something passed between them. Same as she’d felt that day in the arena when he’d tried to get her to talk to him, she felt drawn to Luke. It was unmistakable.

  She admitted it. Admitted to herself that she liked him. She liked his blunt manner and his frank openness about what he wanted out of life. The man was truthful when it came to his expectations. At least it appeared so. When a woman went out with the guy, it was with eyes wide-open, because he’d made himself clear. Honesty was a good thing. Montana had felt bad for tea-tossing Erica that night at Lacy’s barbecue. Now that she really understood Luke, she realized that tea tosser had to have understood the reality—Luke wasn’t looking for marriage, and just the mention of it had him throwing on the brakes.

  “I think I owe you an apology,” Montana said.

  “You talkin’ to me?” he asked, spinning from where he’d just closed the door to the microwave, a look of mock disbelief on his face, his hand to his heart. “Say it ain’t so, Sally. What in the world for?”

  “The man is crazy,” she said to Tate. “My name isn’t Sally. Is yours?” Tate grinned at her and tried to pull her hair. “Maybe you didn’t deserve to have tea poured all over you the other night.”

  “Now that is interesting. Very interesting. How did you come up with that deduction, Sherlock?”

  She cocked her head to the side. “You make yourself very clear about you not being a marrying man. Tea tosser had to have known that, or you slipped up.”

  “I didn’t slip up.”

  “Didn’t think so. Anyway, I’m sorry I was so hard on you. But I still don’t want to date you.”

  “And yet, here we are having dinner at Lacy’s. Together. No date intended.”

  “Well, there you go. That fixes both our dilemmas.” Not exactly, since it was a setup by the matchmakers, but she’d go along with it.

  “If that’s settled, then let’s eat. I’m starving.”

  She’d have fixed Tate something, but he’d already had his bottle. Instead, she walked across the large living room and set him down in his playpen. Handing him his favorite teething ring and plush toy, she then headed back to the kitch
en. Her pulse skipped like a dozen pebbles skimming over water as she watched Luke. They were having dinner. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to relax. Luke had set the plates, napkins and flatware out, and was filling glasses with tea as she sat down.

  “I figured you wouldn’t toss this on me.”

  “I’ll behave. I promise.”

  He placed the glasses on the counter next to their plates, then sat down beside her on a stool. Montana wondered if, by sitting at the kitchen island instead of the table, he thought she’d feel more inclined to believe this wasn’t a date.

  It wasn’t a date, but the posse would never believe it.

  “Earlier, I was teasing Lacy and Clint that Tate’s little buddies were hiding outside in the bushes waiting for them to leave so they could come inside and play with Tate. But it’s actually the posse who’s probably out there. I can see them in the bushes wearing camouflaged outfits with mud swiped under their eyes, believing that we’re on a date.”

  His eyes danced. “Right. I can almost hear the sound of their chatter.”

  He picked up a glass of tea and held it up in salute. “Let them have their fun. We understand each other. Agreed?”

  Smiling, she picked her glass up and touched it to his. “Agreed.”

  Chapter Ten

  They made small talk over dinner. Montana knew, from the day in the arena, that Luke was curious about her and she was curious about him and his past. But he didn’t ask her and she didn’t ask him. She was fighting through her issues on her own, and knew that, though he’d tempted her a couple of times with his strong shoulder to cry on, she was not going to go there.

  It didn’t matter how many times those deep, dark eyes of his called out to her to spill her guts to him.

  Instead, they filled the blank space with small talk that led to stories about Luke’s friends who had been targeted by the matchmaking posse and lost. His smile was warm and teasing when he said lost. They both understood what that meant.