Once Upon a Cowboy Read online

  He shrugged. “Eh. All she has to do is put on a dress and some shoes. How much notice does a woman need, anyway?”

  “Oh my word.” Jess laughed. “Tell me you’re not serious.”

  “Totally serious. Why?”

  She dropped her chin and hiked her eyebrows upward. “Less than two weeks’ notice is criminal.”

  “Why?”

  “Seriously?” He nodded, challenge in his eyes. “Well, for one—and maybe this seems unbelievable to you, what with your incredible charm, wit, and dashing cowboy looks—the woman might actually have plans.”

  “She can totally change ’em. It’s a wedding. It’ll trump—plans.”

  He was definitely toying with her, but fine. She’d play. “You know, women don’t just have the perfect dress in their closets. Wedding attendance requires shopping, and shopping requires time.”

  “Ah. I see. Had no idea it was this complicated.” He popped his head up above Goldie’s back. “So I should probably save everyone the trouble and just go alone? Is that what you’re saying?”

  No. Yes. No.

  “Maybe. Weddings really aren’t a casual date thing, you know.” She paused. “You do know that, right?”

  “Um, yes? Is that the correct answer?” Cole raised his eyebrows.

  Jess squared her shoulders. “Asking someone to a wedding falls into that—you know—Big Date category. Capital B, capital D. It’s a family event, a love fest thing, the kind of place where bringing someone sends a message that you’re serious.”

  He nodded his head, looking thoughtful, but she suspected he was biting his tongue or his cheek. Maybe both.

  She continued. “So if it’s this close to the wedding and you haven’t even decided who you might ask, I’m thinking you’re not serious enough about anyone to ask her.”

  “Because asking would send a Message? Capital M?”

  “Exactly!”

  Cole laughed then, his head back. “Well, I’m definitely not ready to do that. You’re right. I shouldn’t torment any poor woman by asking her to dress up and spend the day with—wait—how did you say it? Charming, witty, and dashing me?”

  “I’m glad you understand.”

  “You know, showing up alone carries its own risks.”

  “Such as?”

  He sighed, a long, drawn-out thing that could have earned him a ranch-style Oscar. “Look what happened at Decker and Kyla’s wedding. Daniel showed up alone, Hayley showed up alone, and wham. Now they’re getting married.”

  “Horrors. On second thought, you should probably just ask someone and save yourself the trouble.”

  “Nah. It’s too late. You’re right.” He walked around Goldie’s head toward Jess, eyebrows raised, dimples showing as he smiled. “Unless you’re free, maybe.”

  Jess rolled her eyes. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

  “Sure.” He shrugged. “Big B, Big D, Big M. Loud and clear. But you’re already going, and you’re a bridesmaid, so you’re immune from all that, right? Or is this another nuance thing a man can’t possibly understand?”

  “You’re impossible.”

  “Not the first time I’ve heard that.” He finished brushing Goldie and gave her a carrot. “Is that a no, then?”

  Jess slid her arms off from the fence, feeling a smile steal over her face.

  “As strange as this may seem, getting a last-ditch invite from someone who just realized it’s too late to ask anyone else doesn’t really give a gal the warm fuzzies.”

  “Right. My timing could use some work.” He grinned. “But here’s the thing. If we just go together, we can avoid that whole awkward-singles thing.”

  “I think that was Hayley and Daniel’s plan.” She raised her eyebrows. “Just saying.”

  He nodded. “All right, then. Maybe you can just save me a dance instead.”

  She smiled. “That I can probably do.” She looked at her watch. “Oh, no. I’m supposed to be in town doing wedding stuff with Hayley right now.”

  “Get distracted by my charm and wit and—what was the other thing?”

  “Modesty.” Jess shook her head, smiling. “I’ll see you later, Cole.”

  He touched his Stetson in a mock salute. “Take care, cowgirl.” Then he smiled, winking at her. “I’ve still got four whole days to break you down.”

  Chapter 7

  Later that morning, Jess looked into the three-way mirror at the bridal shop and put her hands to her mouth as her eyes widened. Hayley had been secretive about the bridesmaid dresses from day one, asking only for measurements and a—short, please—list of colors they wouldn’t be caught dead in. Today was the big reveal.

  And what a reveal it was. She fingered the silky layers of emerald and fuchsia, tracing the generous lines of the dress, leaning close to examine the beadwork on the bodice. She’d never seen a dress so gorgeous, nor worn one that shaped her body so perfectly.

  Hayley leaned over her shoulder. “Better than a dirndl?”

  “Hey!” Kyla laughed. “My wedding was a year ago. We’re done insulting my bridesmaid dress choices, okay?”

  Hayley turned toward the settee where Kyla was sipping bottled water, her eyebrows raised. “Kyla, you dressed us like a Sound of Music sequel. Not sure you’re going to live that down, like, ever.”

  “But—mountains!” Kyla’s hand fluttered toward the window. “It was perfect!”

  Hayley turned back to Jess, who was still staring at the mirror in awe. “So what do you think? You’re making me nervous with the silent reaction thing.”

  Jess let a slow breath out. “I can’t even find words to describe how much I adore this, but love doesn’t seem strong enough. Hayley, it’s unbelievable. How did you—where did you—I don’t even know where to start!”

  Hayley pulled a sheaf of papers out of a folder and brought them to Jess. “See, I wanted to incorporate the Native American element into our wedding, and I remembered you telling us about your Cherokee roots, so I started googling. And voilà!” She shook the papers. “Ideas! But the execution part was all Danielle. She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

  Jess spun in front of the mirror, and colors leaped from the different panels on the dress. It was the most exquisite thing she’d ever seen, let alone owned. She reached out to hug Danielle. “I’m never taking it off.”

  “Wait until the men see you in that thing.” Kyla winked. “You look like a Cherokee goddess.”

  “Ha.” Hayley laughed. “The men are way more likely to want to see her out of that thing.”

  Jess swallowed hard. Not exactly the reaction she was looking for.

  Kyla got up from the couch, setting down her water. “I need to hit the ladies’ room. No conspiring while I’m not here.”

  As Kyla headed down the back hallway, Hayley took her place on the elegant couch, looking a little out of place in her T-shirt and jeans among the acres of white satins and silks. She looked steadily at Jess in the mirror, just long enough to make her squirm.

  “What?” Jess felt her eyebrows furrow. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Do you remember the first time we came out here?”

  “Of course I do. Kyla was a disaster, Decker turned out to be a knight in shining cowboy boots, and now look at them.”

  “And do you remember the second time?”

  “Why are we playing memory lane here?”

  “Because I am making a point.” Hayley patted the couch beside her. “Come sit.”

  Jess sighed, but complied, settling gingerly in the dress, not wanting to cause a single wrinkle. “Okay, I’m sitting. What have you been assigned to talk to me about while Kyla is pretending to be indisposed?”

  “I’m supposed to plant a seed that you should think about just staying out here for the rest of the summer.”

  “And how are you supposed to do that, Ms. subtle-pants? I mean, since Kyla’s already been saying that for weeks.”

  “Well, clearly she needed backup. I maybe am supposed t
o talk about how we know business back east is kind of in the toilet because of summer—but I’m supposed to say it in a nicer way than that. And then I’m supposed to wax poetic about this new spa and how it needs your touch to make it a reality.”

  Hayley shrugged. “And then I’m supposed to pull at your heartstrings and talk about how terrible it is that your two best friends in the entire world are out here, and you’re almost three thousand miles away on the other side of the country.”

  “You’re the ones who deserted me, I might remind you. We all started in Boston.”

  “Details.” Hayley waved a hand carelessly. “Point being, we’re out here now and you’re not, and we miss you.”

  “Aw, Hayls. Thanks.” Jess felt her chest squeeze. “I miss you guys, too. But I can’t really just up and leave Boston, even if my studio is—kind of in the toilet—as you so eloquently put it. That would be a huge decision.”

  The studio was the last of her concerns right now, but she couldn’t tell Hayley that. No way. Jess still had no idea how she was going to deal with the situation in Smugglers’ Gully, and hiding out here in Montana was looking more attractive every day. But no. She’d already been hiding for thirteen years. She most certainly wasn’t going to bring her friends into the game.

  She sighed. “It would be amazing to be able to stay out here. It really would. It’s just not that simple.”

  “Well, think about it. We’d love it, Ma would love to have you—and I imagine Cole wouldn’t mind, either.”

  “I think Cole’s got enough women fawning over him to care whether I stick around or not.”

  Hayley tipped her head. “I’m not so sure. I told you I’m almost convinced that male slut thing is a cover.”

  “For?”

  “For a guy who grew up in his brother’s shadow and had to figure out a different way to get attention.”

  Jess smiled. “Seems kind of extreme. He does have other skills he could have gone with.”

  “Maybe this one was the most fun.” Hayley sat back, stretching. “Maybe you could help him figure out what those other skills might be. You know—if you stayed.”

  “It would be a terrible challenge.” Jess fanned herself.

  “Might take all summer.”

  Jess rolled her eyes. “You know, Kyla is pretty blunt with her matchmaking, but next to you, she’s downright subtle.”

  Hayley laughed. “I know. I’m still new at it. But even a newbie can feel the sparks when you two are anywhere near each other. If we left the two of you in a room full of gas cans, poom! We’d have to call 911 to put out the fire. Sparks, baby. Big, flaming, gorgeous sparks.”

  “Oh my God. You are impossible.” Jess shook her head, laughing. “Hayls, be serious. He’s dating so many women right now he can’t even decide who to bring to the wedding.”

  “Not true. He hasn’t been out with anyone in forever.” She grimaced carefully. “Weeks, even.”

  “Gosh, a practical dating Sahara. Poor boy.”

  “You know,”—Hayley shifted, pulling her legs up under her on the couch—“it occurs to me that you are the one who’s usually doing the whole Whisper Creek magic flutter-finger thing. Do you not believe it yourself?”

  “I believe in it for you and Kyla. Absolutely. I mean, if Whisper Creek magic got you to the altar, then it could pretty much work on anyone, right?”

  “I’d like to be insulted by that comment, but I can’t be, because it’s completely true.”

  Jess looked around her, taking in the acres of tulle and satin and lace, and then she looked in the mirror again. The dress she had on was the most gorgeous creation she’d ever seen, but somewhere, way back in time, she’d pictured herself in those acres of tulle and satin and lace. She’d pictured an aisle, a groom, a limo, a cake.

  Pictured it until reality sliced that vision into tiny, scarred little pieces.

  And now that reality was dead on her tail.

  Jess swallowed, but tried to keep a smile pasted on her face. Hayley had no reason to disbelieve the story Jess had made up before she’d walked into her freshman dorm—that her parents lived overseas and therefore she rarely saw them. She certainly had no inkling of the things Jess had survived before her seventeenth birthday.

  Until just a few days ago, Jess had been able to believe Star Smith was dead and buried, locked in court paperwork that no one would ever have reason to search out. But now Roxie and Luanne—and maybe Billy—were on her trail, and it was only a matter of time before Jess was exposed for the fraud she was.

  Only a matter of time before her best friends found out she’d been lying to them since they’d met, and only a matter of time before she’d have to face her aunt and mother and her ugly, sordid past.

  She took a deep breath, blowing it out carefully. Maybe staying at Whisper Creek for the summer wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

  —

  Later that afternoon, Jess was in the stable brushing Sky Dancer when she heard Cole and Decker come into the barn.

  “So you’re off again today?” There was a tightness in Cole’s words that she hadn’t heard before.

  “I’ve gotta meet with Mike to go over our plans for the city council meeting tomorrow.”

  “And there’s no way you could have done that yesterday while you were up at Boulder Creek?”

  “Um, no.” Decker sounded confused, like he wasn’t quite sure what he’d done to tick off his brother so early in the morning. “We had a bunch of other stuff to cover yesterday. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, though. I’ll take the evening trail ride out.”

  “Fine.”

  Jess could picture Cole’s jaw, all tight.

  “What bug has crawled up your ass, Cole?”

  “Nothing. Never mind.”

  “Are you pissed that I’m leaving?”

  “No. Just pissed that you said you’d be here, so instead of giving Jimmy the hours he was hoping for, I put you on the schedule. And now you’re headed out and I’m down one trail guide. Again.”

  “I’m sorry this keeps happening. If I didn’t have to go, I wouldn’t.”

  “I know.” Cole’s voice came closer, and Jess ducked down in the stall, feeling awkward about eavesdropping on their conversation, but feeling even more awkward about popping up in the middle of it.

  Decker sighed. “We’ve got a lot going on up there right now, and I need to be available when they need me. I’m sorry that screws with things here.”

  “I get it, Decker—but I don’t always have to like it. We’ve got a full roster of guests with a boatload of kids this week, and if I can’t depend on you to fill in where you say you will, it just causes a scramble, that’s all.”

  “Look. I’ll try to finish up with Mike as soon as I can. I’m not trying to dump everything here on you.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yeah, I do. Still pisses me off, but I get it, okay? Go do what you need to do. I’ll hold down the fort here.”

  Decker paused, and Jess imagined him taking off his Stetson and running it around his fingers. “Maybe it’s time we had a talk about dividing up who does what.”

  “Maybe it is. But not right now. You have to go, and I have to find a trail guide. Your ass had better be back here by seven, saddled and ready.”

  “Or?”

  “Or I’m gonna put you on private lesson duty all next week.”

  “No problem. I can do that.” Jess heard Decker’s feet move toward the door, then stop short. “Wait. Don’t we have that group of seventy-year-old women next week?”

  “Yup.”

  His feet stomped out. “I’ll be back by five.”

  An hour later, Jess found Cole sorting through riding helmets in the tack room, muttering to himself as he lined them up on a workbench. When she knocked on the open door, he looked up, his smile cheerful.

  “Hey, cowgirl. How’s things?”

  If she hadn’t heard the earlier conversation, she’d have no idea h
e was in anything but his normal, happy mood right now. She leaned carefully on the doorframe. She knew he was short on help now for the afternoon, but he didn’t know she knew that, so she had to pretend she’d just happened by in hopes of catching some extra trail time.

  “Well, Hayley’s turning out to be the anti-bridezilla. Here I am, out here in Montana early to help, but she doesn’t need me for anything.” She looked around, pretending nonchalance. “Any chance you need help with anything this afternoon?”

  “By anything, I’ll assume you mean something that would involve you, a trail, and a horse?”

  She nodded, smiling. “Have anything like that on the list? Because if you do, I’m totally your girl.”

  “How do you feel about kids?”

  Jess jumped. What? “Um, depends on the context?”

  He laughed, pointing through the window toward the main lodge. “Ten kids will be running down that hill in less than a minute. Don’t suppose you’d want to help me with them?”

  Kids? Oh, boy.

  “Um, sure?”

  “You say that with the enthusiasm of someone who just volunteered to saw off her own arm.”

  Jess laughed uneasily. “Sorry. I guess I assumed you guys had counselors or something for the kids.”

  “Nope. I’m a jack-of-all-ages, Jess. I take on the elderly, the infirm, the kids—and everything in between.”

  “Does this mean you guys have finally branched out beyond the desperate singles market?”

  “Careful. You were one of them a couple of summers ago.”

  She laughed. “Single, maybe. Certainly not desperate.”

  “Of course. Didn’t mean to imply that.”

  Jess leaned against the metal desk that was shoved against one wall. “I’m curious to see how you handle the elderly and kid populations. So far I’ve only seen your single-women shtick.”

  He grinned. “Eh, it’s all bravado. Elderly women scare the crap out of me, and kids? You just gotta pretend you know what you’re doing, or they walk all over you in two seconds flat. This confidence? It’s all just an act.”

  “Right.”

  “So, what do you think?” He pointed to the row of kid-sized helmets. “Want to help me wear out some munchkins?”