The Cowboy's Summer Love (2 page)

“I don’t know,” Tess said, still not convinced kissing Travis Thompson was a good idea.

Like a sacrificial lamb being led to the slaughter, her two brothers pushed and tugged until she was toe to toe with Travis. Smoothing down her shirt and standing with her feet precisely placed together, she let out a small sigh of surrender.

“Okay, Travis, kiss her,” Trey said, with a jaunty grin. This initiation ceremony was almost as fun as playing cowboys and Indians.

Seeing no way to avoid it, Travis leaned forward, closed his eyes, and somehow managed to land a kiss on Tess’ lips. For the briefest moment Travis somewhat enjoyed the experience, inhaling the scent of strawberries and bubblegum. Then he remembered he was no doubt being infected with an entire platoon of girl germs. Pulling back, he swiped his sleeve across his mouth.

“It’s done,” he said, standing up straight and looking at his oldest brother. “Tessie can go in the fort now.”

The newly initiated fort member pulled back her fist and socked Travis in the stomach hard enough to knock him down. “Don’t call me Tessie. I don’t like that name!”

Spinning around, she ran back toward the house, leaving five boys watching her go.

“I guess she told you,” Trey said as he helped Travis up and brushed him off, making sure his little brother wasn’t injured anywhere except his pride.

Travis narrowed his eyes and watched the retreating form of Tess, determined to stay away from her.

Not only had she infected him with her girl cooties, he kind of liked it.

Chapter One

Love is a Mystery. 

You can't find it; it has to find you.

Author Unknown

“I know you don’t like it, Mom, but you aren’t going to get better unless we do this,” Tess Morgan said as she helped her mother through a series of exercises meant to strengthen her wrist.

“This whole thing is so frustrating,” Michele Morgan said, watching her daughter put her wrist through the paces of her routine. An excellent physical therapist, Tess was thorough but gentle in her work. “I should have paid more attention to where I was walking and none of this would be necessary.”

“You couldn’t help it. Who knew a combination of wet steps, the cat rubbing around your feet and an armload of boxes would result in you falling?” Tess said with a teasing smile. Her mom had a bad habit of trying to do too much at once. That was the case the day the cat tripped her on the front steps while carrying one too many boxes to the car for the community rummage sale. “It’s not like you to ever try to carry more than you should.”

“I’m not the only one guilty of that, Tess.”

Releasing a long-suffering sigh, Michele realized how grateful she should be she sprained her wrist when she did. Tess, who had been working in Portland since she began her career in physical therapy a few years ago, grew weary of the noise and the city. Two weeks ago, Tess accepted a position in The Dalles, Oregon, and moved back home to Grass Valley where she commuted an hour to work. Not only was Tess home to help take care of the household chores Michele couldn’t do one handed, she provided the physical therapy her mother would have needed to drive into The Dalles to receive.

Smiling at her mother, Tess continued taking her through the therapy exercises. She was just finishing when her dad poked his head in the door.

“You ladies ready to go? We don’t want to be late,” Mike Morgan said with a twinkle in his warm brown eyes.

“Your daughter just finished her torture session, so I could use a little fun about now,” Michele said, taking Mike’s hand and getting to her feet. “Let’s go see how Brice does today. Too bad Ben had to work this weekend. It would be so nice to have all three of you kids together.”

“I think I’ll stay here. I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied,” Tess said, trying to look busy. There were a few people here in the small community of Grass Valley that she preferred not to see. Brice’s best friend Travis Thompson was at the top of the list.

Almost seven years ago he gave her a kiss goodbye that sent her world spinning off-kilter and she hadn’t seen or spoken to him since. As a former playmate and occasional enemy, the good-looking cowboy excelled at provoking her with his wild, reckless behavior. Tess couldn’t imagine the teasing charmer growing up in the time they’d been apart. The fact that he was driving in the race today proved that point.

“I heard you tell your brother you’d watch him today and watch him you will,” Michele said, giving Tess a motherly scowl. “You’ve managed to avoid seeing anyone since you moved back. It’s a beautiful spring day and I insist you come along.”

“Yes, Mother,” Tess said, knowing when her mother laid down the law, she might as well surrender and go along with her plans.

Arriving at Oregon Raceway Park, the Morgans joined the rest of the spectators as they waited for the race to start. First the participants would show off their cars and then they’d get down to the racing action. Walking toward the group of people gathered near the track, Tess recognized many of the faces. Growing up in Grass Valley, it would be hard to attend any kind of event in the area without knowing several of those attending.

With an exchange of friendly waves, Tess soon found herself standing next to an expanding Thompson family. Michele Morgan and Denni Thompson had been good friends since before their children were born. Tess remembered many an afternoon spent at the Triple T Ranch playing with the three Thompson boys or having them join the three Morgan children at the Running M Ranch.

Travis Thompson and Brice Morgan, only days apart in age, became best friends as soon as they were old enough to walk. Trent Thompson and Tess’s older brother Ben were the same age and also friends. Trey Thompson was the oldest of the group and often filled the role of leader of their little tribe when they were kids.

That left Tess sandwiched between the five boys and often uncertain as to where she fit in, especially when Travis always made her feel so unsettled.

Both Mike and Michele gave Denni Thompson a hug, visiting about her work at a quilt shop in The Dalles. She moved into town after her husband Drew passed away seven years ago.

Tess took a moment to observe Trey and his beautiful bride Cady, along with the adorable little red-headed girl they adopted. Trent was also there, not getting more than a step or two away from his new fiancé, Lindsay Pierce, Grass Valley’s first-grade and kindergarten teacher. Although Cady and Lindsay weren’t originally from Grass Valley, they both seemed to fit into the community and the Thompson family with ease.

Walking up to Trent, Tess held out her hand. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

“Thanks, Tess,” Trent said, ignoring the handshake and giving her a one-armed hug, keeping his other around Lindsay. “You’ve met Lindsay, haven’t you?”

“Yes, a few times. It’s nice to see you again, Lindsay. You are engaged to one of the nicest guys I know. I’m really happy for you both,” Tess said with genuine warmth. From what she heard, Lindsay was as pretty on the inside as she was on the outside.

She thought the two of them made a very striking couple. Trent, who was six-foot-five, couldn’t have found a girl better suited to him than Lindsay with her six-foot frame and athletic build. Going out with Trent a few times when they were younger, just as friends, Tess knew he was a wonderful gentleman who would treat Lindsay with love, respect and care. “Have you set a date yet?”

“We’re thinking between the end of wheat harvest and before school starts,” Lindsay said, her face glowing. It was easy to see she and Trent were deeply in love.

“Sounds like you’ll have a busy summer,” Tess said, feeling a warm hand on her arm. Turning, she was engulfed in a hug by Trey. She’d nearly forgotten the Thompsons were all big huggers, having avoided the family as much as possible in hopes of not running into Travis.

“Miss Tess, I heard you were back but haven’t seen you around. Glad you could make it today,” Trey said, a smile lighting both his gorgeous face and his bright turquoise eyes. Tess could see why people always said he was the best looking of the three boys. Trent was the gentle giant and Travis was the rowdy rebel.

“Thanks. It’s nice to be home, I think,” Tess said with a laugh that made everyone smile.

“I’d like you to meet my wife, Cady,” Trey said, putting his arm around the shoulders of a beautiful brunette. “Cady, this is Tess Morgan, Brice’s older sister by almost a year. She used to keep all us boys on the straight and narrow. Tess is our unofficial sister, since we never had one of our own, and the only girl to ever be initiated into our manly-men fort.”

“Thanks for putting up with them,” Cady said with a smile as she gave Tess a friendly hug. “It’s lovely to meet you.  With Travis home and Brice hanging around, I’ve heard them talk about you.”

“And you’re still happy to meet me?” Tess teased. “I can only imagine the stories those two shared.”

“All good,” Cady said reassuringly.

Tess decided both Trey and Trent did well in choosing their spouses. She liked both women immediately and immensely. Feeling a bump against her legs, she looked down into a pair of big baby blue eyes set in an impish face.

“You must be Cass,” Tess said, bending down to shake the little girl’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Thank you. You look like Uncle Travis’ friend,” Cass said, studying her curiously.

“That’s because Brice is my brother,” Tess said. “Your daddy looks like your Uncle Trent and Uncle Travis, doesn’t he?”

“Yep. Mama says you can pick a Thompson out anywhere,” Cass said with a firm nod of her head.

Tess laughed. “That is true. Well, you can also pick out a Morgan. Don’t you think Brice looks like my dad?”

Cass turned and looked at Mike, who was still visiting with Denni and Michele. “Yep, he does.”

“So that’s why I look like Brice and my brother Ben.”

“But you’re much prettier,” Cass said, giving Tess an impulsive hug. “I think you have pretty eyes and hair.”

Tess hugged her back. “Thank you for that nice compliment.”

“You’re welcome,” Cass said, showing off her good manners. Although she could be precocious and hard to keep still, Cady and Trey worked hard to make sure she was well behaved.

“Hey, you guys made it,” Brice Morgan said, giving his mother a careful hug and slapping his dad on the back. Spotting his sister, Brice gave Tess a grin. “And look who came out of hibernation. Is the sunlight hurting your eyes?”

Tess glared at her brother. He advanced toward her with a look on his face that said he was up to no good. She started backing up and would have escaped except she bumped into something warm and solid. A spicy, familiar scent flooded her nose and she felt an electrical jolt snap up her arms when her hands reached behind her, connecting with the muscled thighs of a man.

Jerking away, she turned to find herself staring into the handsome face of Travis Thompson. It had been almost seven years since he enlisted in the Army and told her goodbye. The years away made him even more appealing and, in Tess’ mind, more dangerous.

 Blue eyes filled with mischief, he offered her a wicked grin.

“I see you still can’t keep your hands off me,” Travis teased, then yanked her to him, giving her a big, brotherly hug. Tingling sensations spiraled from the top of Tess’ head to the tips of her toes and her legs felt as stable as a worn out rubber band. “It’s been a while, Tessie.”

Pulling out of his embrace, Tess stepped back and gave Travis a narrowed glare. “And you’re still incapable of calling me by the correct name.”

“Absolutely, Tessadora Tatiana Morgan. Is that better?” Travis laughed, flashing white teeth in his tanned face. He knew the only thing she hated more than being called Tessie was being called by the given name that she loathed her entire childhood.

“Some things never change,” Tess said, studying him. When Travis’ dad died suddenly of a heart attack, he had a hard time handling the loss. He got into trouble causing more than one head to shake in dismay at his behavior. He’d always been the daredevil wild-child of the Thompson family, but when his adventures got him arrested for destruction of public property, even if it was blowing up a public restroom at the park, something had to be done. After many lectures from his brothers and a river of tears from his mother, he finally enlisted in the Army and spent almost six and a half years in the service, completing two tours of duty in Iraq. From information she gleaned through Brice, Travis was honorably discharged in December and came home a changed man.

Despite her determination not to, she couldn’t help but admire some of those changes. Travis stood just over six-feet with a head of sandy-brown crew cut hair. A teasing smile, square jaw and come-hither blue eyes completed the all-too-attractive package.

While he’d been only eighteen and not quite finished growing the last time she saw him, Travis was now a big man with a broad chest and well-toned physique that probably had girls drooling after him for miles around.  She also sensed a shift in Travis from the devil-may-care boy to a man who hadn’t escaped his life experiences unscathed.

“Some things have definitely changed,” Travis said cryptically before kissing his mother’s cheek then giving Lindsay and Cady one-armed hugs.