Her Rodeo Cowboy (3 page)

“W
ell, well, hello, Luke Holden. How's life treatin' ya?”

Luke grinned at Montana's perky, playful greeting. They were standing near a fragrant rose bush at Lacy's. The shadows from the oil lantern cast a soft glow on Montana's skin—she looked beautiful. “I'm fine, Montana. Life's fine. I can't complain. How about you? Enjoying the party?” He'd arrived at the barbecue at the Matlocks' a little while earlier, and mingled while Montana made the rounds talking with groups of people Lacy had introduced her to. He'd caught her looking at him a few times across the crowd. Something about her drew him, and he got the feeling she was just as curious about him.

She took a sip of sweet tea, watching him with steady blue-green eyes. “The party—it's good.”

“I agree.” He caught that she didn't say anything about how life was treating her and he wondered about that. “How's your riding going?”

“Okay. Murdock's a little happier with me today. He wants to win, and he knows the problem is me.”

“You always this hard on yourself?”

“Always.”

Thoughtful eyes held his. He smiled at her. “Seriously, you need to relax.” Man, did she ever. “I saw you laughing a few minutes ago, so I know you can do it.”

She laughed then. “Hey, I do laugh now and then, but I'm dead serious when I say I'm always hard on myself. I expect a lot of me.” She paused and her eyes drilled into him. “I bet you expect a lot of yourself, too.”

“And what gives you that idea?” He liked the way she seemed sure of herself. Sure of her impression of him. He wondered if she was that sure of everything in her life.

“Well, you just do. From what I understand, you have a ranch and cattle and livestock. Plus, you have Thunderclap, your prized rodeo bull. You, Mr. Holden, are a busy man who reeks of expectations.”

Had she been asking about him? “I like to keep busy and yes, you're right, I expect a lot of myself. If I don't, then who will?”

“Right. Then again, if your dad was anything like mine, he expected plenty from you.”

He gave a derisive grunt. “I can tell you our dads were nothing alike. Mine expected little of me.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

Luke didn't talk about his dad much, and he wasn't sure why he'd done so now. He'd given her a glimpse into his past that he didn't like thinking about, much
less discussing. “Little, as in nothing. My dad didn't push me to be anything but a failure.”

“I'm so sorry,” she said sympathetically.

“Hey, low expectations drive some harder than high expectations.” He gave her a teasing smile to throw off the seriousness of his words. “So, what about you? Your dad expect you to be the best barrel racer in the country?”

“Hardly. He expected me to be valuable to the human race, and that had nothing to do with racing around barrels on a horse.”

He grimaced. “Rough. From watching you ride, all I can say is you must have been one rebellious child.”

That made her choke on her tea. He moved toward her and patted her on the back. “Didn't mean to choke you up.”

“I'm fine,” she said after a second. “But let's just say neither one of us is doing very well on reading each other's background.”

“So you weren't rebellious? I'm shocked.”

That made her eyes twinkle. “I wish. Hardheaded, but not rebellious.” She frowned, crinkling her eyebrows in a cute way. “I can't say there haven't been many days that I have deeply regretted my lack of rebelliousness.”

He wasn't sure if she was teasing or serious.

She winked at him. “But I'm making up for it now.”

That had him even more curious than ever about what was going on behind her pretty eyes. Before he could dig a little deeper, Esther Mae came walking over. The redhead wore a bright green shirt and matching pants that ended just above her ankles.

“Yoo-hoo! I'm so glad y'all are getting to visit. I told Norma Sue and Adela y'all looked so cute standing over here together that I hated to disturb y'all, but one of the kids said the horses in the stall barn were making all kinds of noise. I thought you might want to go check on your horse, Montana.”

Montana was instantly alert. “I appreciate the headsup.” She dropped her paper cup in a trash can and was walking down the steps before Luke had time to react.

“Well, don't just stand there, Luke. Go help her.”

Luke's eyes narrowed, and he caught the flash of mischief in Esther Mae's spunky green eyes. Instantly, he shot her friends a glance where they were all huddled up on the lawn. Oh, brother, they were all watching, Lacy included. She grinned and waved, then laughed in delight. So much for subtlety.

He gave Esther Mae a look that said he knew exactly what she was up to, then hurried after Montana. She was already halfway across the yard that separated the main house from the arena and horse stalls. Clint didn't keep all of his horses in the arena; instead, he kept them in the barn that was on the back side.

The cowgirl obviously didn't have a clue that she'd just been hoodwinked. Her boots scraped on the gravel as she quickstepped toward the barn. He wondered what her reaction would be to know she'd just been set up. He'd already decided, before the matchmaking effort, that he was going to see if she'd like to go to dinner. Now would be a good time to ask.

The barn was quiet. No sounds of restless horses or anything else for that matter. The arena was a huge
covered building with stadium seating on both sides, and a concession stand area and an announcer's box at the front. There were stock pens both front and back, and an area on the outside connecting them. Murdock was stabled at the front, behind the stock pens and announcer's box. The huge building was quiet and lonesome in the late evening. Ahead of him, Montana reached Murdock, put her hand to her hip, looking left then right. Murdock gave her a contented snort as she slowly turned on her heel and stared at Luke. Her eyes flashed like glass in the muted overhead lighting. Her eyes narrowed.

“First of all, this area is way too off the beaten path for the kids to have heard any ruckus—unless they'd been back here causing it. Second, I don't see any signs that Murdock's been the least bit distressed recently.”

He couldn't help the grin that tugged at his mouth. “I'd—”

“
I'd
say,” she broke in before he could begin, “that there's something fishy in the air.”

“And I'd say you catch on slow,” he drawled, teasing, “but at least you catch on.”

“Oh, so you've had it figured out all along, have you?”

“Pretty much. Of course, you were already halfway across the lawn before Esther Mae stopped talking. I got the benefit of spotting Lacy, Adela and Norma Sue along with the little crowd gathered around them, watching us like we were the drive-in movie of the week.”

“That is so not good. I'm going to get my cousin! I love her, but I'm gonna get her good.”

He got the feeling she wouldn't like it, but the
woman was cute, all hot as a firecracker. Looking near to blowing up, she turned in her frustration and began petting the star between Murdock's eyes—as if the action would calm her nerves.

“Actually, I'd planned on seeing if you'd like to go to dinner Saturday night.” The moment the words were out of his mouth, it hit him that it might not be the best time to ask her out.

Montana's hand stilled and her gaze shot to his. “No, thanks. It's nothing personal, but I'm not dating right now.”

She was turning him down.
So his timing hadn't been good, but he knew when a woman was interested. He'd felt the chemistry between them. “It's not
dating.
It's just
one date
—dinner.”

Montana studied him with unsympathetic eyes. “I'll tell it to you straight. You and I both know that one date will stir up those ladies out there. I'm not up for that. I'm here to get my head on straight, win a rodeo and help with the baby. Nothing more. I don't need a bunch of sweet, matchmaking ladies fixing me up with a cowboy…who just happens to be you. Sorry. But no.”

He felt slightly insulted. “They know I'm not looking for anything long-term. I've made that clear to them. And every woman I go out with,” he clarified, thinking she'd like that better.

Her eyebrows rose slightly. “Lots of them, huh?”

That eyebrow didn't bode well. “What?” he asked warily. “Oh, lots of dates?”

“Lots of women.”

“Um, a few.”

She crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly, silently assessing him. He felt like a science project.

“I'm sure that knowledge helps you get lots of dates.”

He was confused with where she was going with this conversation. “It doesn't hurt. I mean, for someone like you I'm not a risk. I'm just a date. Conversation, company. You know, no strings attached.” That didn't sound good, even to him. What was wrong with him? He scrubbed his jaw, thinking suddenly that crawling under a hay bale might be in order, judging from the appalled expression on her face.

“And it works out well for you? All these different women who don't want any strings attached.”

Was she teasing him—or was she really irritated by the whole idea? He wasn't sure anymore. “Yeah, it works out great.”

She grinned sarcastically. “Good for you,” she gushed. “I'll stick to
not
jumping into that.” She gave him a pat on the arm, rolled her eyes and headed toward the exit.

He stood there, not sure about what had just happened. “Hey, whoa. Wait up.”

She rounded the corner out of sight, her voice rang out singsong, “I don't think so.”

The sound echoed in the hall, drawing him. He chuckled and jogged to catch up to her. She was already out in the open and heading up the hill toward the house. Laughter could be heard drifting on the barbecue-scented night air. As if in a hurry to get away from him, she strode with purpose, her boots crunch
ing the gravel as she went, her braid swinging in time to the fast pace.

“What's your hurry?” he asked, skidding on the gravel, coming up beside her.

She slid him a glance. “I don't want to give anyone the idea that you and I lingered in the barn for romantic reasons. That wouldn't be good.”

He grinned. The woman tickled him. She was so blunt about things. “No, I guess that wouldn't be good. Might get rumors started, and boy, we wouldn't want that, now, would we?”

“No way.” She didn't smile, but he thought she was teasing. “I certainly wouldn't want anyone thinking I was joining your string of random dates.”

What did women expect from a guy these days? Just because he wasn't interested in marriage didn't mean he wasn't interested in women. “There's nothing wrong with not settling down. Not being ready for forever.” He shifted from one boot to the other.

She hiked a brow. “It's random and cheap.”

Her attitude irritated him suddenly. He wasn't doing anything wrong. Hadn't done anything wrong, he reiterated to himself strongly, as she started walking off again.

He followed her, not real happy about the situation but not certain what he wanted to do about it.

The party was in full swing when they reached the backyard. Montana clomped up the deck steps. Distracted by his irritation, he was intent on following her just as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

“Luke,” Erica said, nothing nice dripping from her words.

“Erica. Um, hi.” She didn't look happy. Nope, matter of fact, she looked really unhappy—throw things unhappy. He hadn't expected to see her. But he should have known Lacy wouldn't have left her out of the party.

Montana turned back toward him and met his gaze before connecting with Erica's.

“What are you looking at?” Erica snapped at Montana, right before throwing her soda at him!

Yup, throw things unhappy was about right. One minute he was standing there irritated and confused by Montana's attitude. Now, he was drenched with the contents from Erica's tall glass of Texas
sweet
tea!

“What?” he gasped, blinking through the tea dripping from his eyelashes.

“You two-timing jerk!” Erica huffed, then strode past him, shooting a glare over her shoulder—as if he hadn't already gotten the message.

“Two-timing…” he stuttered. He was well aware that everyone within earshot had heard and witnessed the scene. “We just went on two dates.
Just dates,
” he said, looking at Montana.

A twitch of her lips told him she was fighting off laughter. “Yeah,” she managed. “Looks like all that dating is working out well for you, huh?” She winked at him, then strode into the house, leaving him dripping on the deck.

“Everybody's a comedian,” he muttered. It was time to have a serious—and he meant serious—talk with Erica. He was not the marrying type. Never was and most likely never would be.

N
orma Sue Jenkins efficiently blocked Luke's way when he headed toward Erica. A robust ranch woman, Norma Sue was hard to avoid when she wanted your attention. She handed him a dishtowel. “I tried telling Erica you and her wouldn't match up.” She looked worried. “This isn't good, Luke.”

He glanced past Norma Sue and saw Erica tear out in her small compact car. Wiping the sticky tea from his face he shook his head. “No, Norma Sue, it isn't. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. I told her straight up that I was just dating. I wasn't looking for forever, and she seemed okay with that. Until the second date, and then she started in on all that Mr. Right stuff.”

She patted him on the back. “I know. I know. I told her you weren't looking for love, just companionship. I knew she had her sights set on forever, and I told her you weren't the one to count on for that—”

“I think I'm supposed to say thanks to that.”

“It doesn't sound good to me, either, but we both
know, up till now, that's where you stand. Erica thought she could change your mind and lied to you about her intentions.” Norma Sue frowned, her pink cheeks drooping. “All I've got to say is, you may be in for it. I don't know if you noticed, but Erica is a bit highstrung. She doesn't take rejection too kindly.”

The woman had just tossed tea on him. He was standing there drenched. “Yeah, Norma Sue, I get the picture loud and clear.”

“I figured you did. Why don't you give her some time to cool off, then I suggest you go see her and try real hard to smooth this out. We aren't used to this kind of trouble going on in Mule Hollow.”

“Tell me about it. I'm not used to this kind of trouble, either.”

He spent the next hour getting ribbed and teased about the incident. Cowboys loved teasing and giving each other a hard time, so, thanks to Erica, he was probably going to be the brunt of jokes for the rest of the year. The talk at the diner alone was going to drive him crazy. And if Erica thought her actions were going to help her find “Mr. Right” anytime soon in Mule Hollow, she was about to be up a creek without a paddle. Getting a date might have just gotten a whole lot harder for her.

Then he thought about Montana—getting a date might have just gotten harder for him, too. The idea didn't sit well. As he drove home, he figured he had some digging out to do. He didn't like having Erica so angry at him, so he was going to have to smooth that out somehow. Didn't change his feelings though.
Norma Sue had been right on the money about them not being compatible—there were just some things that couldn't be changed. He didn't figure you could fall in love with someone you weren't attracted to, but he'd seen plenty of times when people who were in love fell out of love. Or one of the two killed the love that had been shared. Luke had seen that plenty. He'd seen it up close and personal where his parents were concerned—yeah, love could be killed. But there was no way it could be forced. Erica was barking up the wrong tree if she figured he was the one for her. He'd get that straight and he'd get it soon. Surely she would understand where he was coming from.

He wasn't going to feel bad about the situation. He had done nothing but be honest in all of this. Montana might hold it all against him, especially after witnessing the sweet tea scene, but in all honesty, he couldn't figure out why.

Then again, maybe he was missing something….

 

It was a beautiful day, the morning after the infamous barbecue.

“Come on in,” Esther Mae called out as Montana walked into Lacy's Heavenly Inspirations hair salon carrying Tate. Instantly, she was bombarded by the spunky redhead. “Oh, there's our baby boy!” Esther Mae cooed, reaching to take Tate.

“We're glad you came,” Norma Sue said, moving to give Tate a hug.

Lacy had Adela in the chair and was snipping away at the dainty lady's short, white hair. “He looks so
happy!” Lacy said, smiling in his direction. “You are so good with him, Montana. Thank you so much. He's always in such a good mood with you.”

“Ha! It's not me. The little fella likes everyone. Although, we did have a great morning. He loves the playpen we fixed up next to the office.” The building that housed Lacy and Clint's arena was one of the nicest she'd been in. She was blessed to have it for her own use. “He played happily all morning while I practiced.” Montana could still get her barrel racing practice in while watching Tate in the playpen.

“He's content around you.” Adela smiled, her electric-blue eyes warm. “Babies know good people when they're around them.”

Esther Mae looked up from where she had sat with Tate in the dryer chair. “Little darling bellows every time Hank comes around. It hurts Hank's feelings something fierce.”

“Roy Don was the same way.” Norma Sue chuckled. “He started to get a complex about it, until one day Tate took to him—” she snapped her fingers “—like the snap of a finger.”

“Men, they get their feelings hurt too doggone easy,” Esther Mae said while rubbing noses with Tate. “You aren't gonna do that, are you, my sweet potato pie man?”

Norma Sue grunted. “That Luke should have gotten his feelings hurt last night.” She looked at Montana. “He needs a woman in his life, and he has no clue how many women want to be ‘that' woman. Why, most every woman who goes out with him is secretly hoping
he'll notice them, despite knowing he's not planning to get married. They all find out he's more interested in work and building up that ranch than in building a relationship, and they move on. Who knows, maybe Erica's little hissy fit might have been just what he needed to make him think about taking a woman seriously. About taking his life seriously.”

“That's right,” Esther Mae interrupted. “Life's too short to only think about building things here on earth. He needs a family to leave that ranch to.”

Montana started getting uncomfortable with the conversation.

“It's going to take the right woman to help him see that God has more out there for him than work,” she chimed in.

“And how about you?” Norma Sue suddenly turned her attention to Montana. “Don't you think he's one handsome cowboy?”

“I've already had this conversation with Lacy.” She met her cousin's mischievous eyes in the mirror. “Yes, he's handsome. But I'm not interested.”

“What about living in Mule Hollow?” Norma Sue probed. “Are you interested in maybe making this your home?”

“It's a great place,” Lacy said, pausing her cutting the wispy hair around Adela's face. “I'm trying to convince her of that, too. Y'all help me.”

Adela smiled understandingly. “That would be lovely, dear. If you moved here, you would have all the time you need to sort out whatever it is that's bothering you.”

“And then you could appreciate Luke for the man that he is.” Norma Sue looked as if she'd just come up with the best idea of the century.

“Aren't y'all supposed to be having a meeting about the fair on the opening day of the rodeo?” Montana reminded them of the reason she'd come to town. She wanted the conversation to move away from her. And Luke.

Lacy took the cape off of Adela, shaking the loose hair from it. “You're a free woman, Adela,” she said, smiling. “We're heading over to the diner now. I just needed to finish Adela's cut first.”

“By the way, how's Sheri doing?” Esther Mae called from the dryer chair. “Is she and Pace having fun in Australia, training horses?”

“Yes, they are.” Sheri was the nail tech and Lacy's partner in the salon. She'd come to Mule Hollow with Lacy when she'd loaded up her 1958 pink Caddy and drove from Dallas to open her new business. “She said that she was thinking of moving there full-time.”

“What?” All the matchmakers gasped.

“Whoa!” Lacy waved her hands to hold off any more outbursts. “I was only teasing. She said she's enjoying Australia but will be back home in Mule Hollow in time for the rodeos. Pace is going to ride broncs.”

“Whew, that's a relief,” Esther Mae said. “Plus, I need a manicure something terrible.”

Adela agreed. “It certainly is. We'd miss her and her frank honesty and dry sense of humor.”

“Boy, are you right about that.” Norma Sue wagged her kinky gray head. “Talk about a hard one to match
up. We didn't think the right cowboy was ever going to come along for that little gal.”

“But God always sends the right cowboy for the right woman. In the right time.” Adela hugged Lacy. “Thanks for making my hair look so wonderful! We are so glad God also sends hairdressers to the right towns, too.”

Lacy looked pleased. “Oh, He did that.” She held her hands out for little Tate. He immediately lifted his arms for his momma. Taking him into her arms, Lacy snuggled his neck with her nose and held him close. “God knew this hairdresser needed to be right here in Mule Hollow, so I could meet Clint. So this sweet baby boy could be born.”

Montana's heart tugged with emotion watching them.

“Okay, let's go, gals,” Norma Sue said, moving to the door and holding it open. “Let's get over to Sam's. I'm sure we have a big group waiting for us over there.”

Montana followed the chattering, excited group, but she couldn't stop thinking about them matching her up with Luke. Montana knew they all meant well. After all, it was easy to see that all their hard work was producing lots of happy couples. And families to fill up the town.

Still, she wasn't buying in.

That's right. It was going to take more than the goodwill of the matchmaking posse to make her see things differently. She knew she would feel that way for a long time.

If they thought Sheri Gentry had been a tough
cookie to match up, they were in for a surprise because they hadn't seen nothin' yet.

 

Luke almost turned around and went back to his truck when he walked into Sam's and saw the crowd. The place was packed! Spotting Montana—and no Erica—he decided to stay. He'd dropped by Erica's apartment that morning to see if he could talk to her, but she hadn't been home. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was so angry with him.

He hadn't made it to the counter to grab a seat on a cowhide stool before Esther Mae called out his name.

“Don't sit over there,” she called. “We're discussing the rodeo and festival. We need your input.”

Sam grinned from behind the counter. “You came in at the wrong time. Even App and Stanley hightailed it outta here the minute they all came marching in.”

Luke looked around the room and realized it was all ladies sitting in the booths on one side of the diner, and the other side was empty. “Looks like I missed the memo.”

“Yup. You did that. But yor here now, so you might as well dig in and bear it. I'll brang you a nice,
tall
glass of sweet tea. You want a burger ta go with that?”

“Funny, Sam. Real funny. A burger's fine.” He crossed to the table next to the one Montana was sitting at. She didn't look too thrilled to see him.

“Hey, Montana, how are you?” he asked. She might not have a high opinion of him, but that wasn't stopping him. After all, he wasn't a bad guy, and maybe if she'd go out with him she'd see that. At
least, maybe she'd see that he hadn't deserved a glass of tea in the face.

“Hi, how's it going,” she said, looking uncomfortable.

“Good.” He tipped his hat. “Hello, ladies.” He pulled a chair from a table, and was very aware of all their eyes on him. As they acknowledged him with hellos, he spoke to most of them individually. Many of them were around his age, and moved here in the last two years and married his friends.

Montana took all the interaction in, and he wondered what she was thinking. These ladies knew he wasn't a horrible person. Maybe this was a good thing.

“How's your morning going?” he asked her, leaning across the space toward her. “Did you get your riding done this morning?”

“I did. Tate watched me from the play area while I took a few runs. He likes watching me and Murdock round the barrels.”

Lacy held the little fella, who was standing up in his mother's lap, looking pleased with himself.

He started to ask how old Tate was, when Norma Sue began talking about all the things that were going on the opening day of the rodeo. He settled in, gave a sideways glance at Montana, who was particularly intent on everything Lacy and Norma Sue were saying. Luke hadn't known they were having so many vendors coming in. The dunking booth, pie throwing, cow chip toss, three legged race; the list went on and on. He also didn't know a small carnival was coming to town and setting up in one of the pastures.

“A carnival is coming?” Montana asked, perking up in her seat.

“Yes! Isn't it exciting?” Lacy said. “I wanted to tell everyone today as a surprise. I just found out this morning. It's not a big outfit. Just a few rides.”

“I hope there's a Ferris wheel,” Esther Mae said. “I just love those things.”

“Yes, that's one of the rides, and then there's one of those octopus rides.”

Esther Mae gasped. “I love that, too. This is going to be sooo much fun.”

Montana nodded and he caught her lips twitch. He decided then and there that he was riding the rides with her. That might be a bigger challenge than getting her to go out to dinner with him.

Meanwhile, Montana kept ignoring him, no matter that he sat just two feet away from her.

Frustrated more than he liked to admit, he got up, made his goodbyes to all the ladies and headed down to pick up some supplies at Pete's Feed and Seed. He was walking back to his truck a little while later when Montana drove past him in one of the Matlock Ranch trucks. She didn't even glance his way.

He almost followed her. After all, he needed to stop by Clint's, and it might as well be now. He finally talked sense into himself and turned his truck toward his place instead. What was wrong with him?