The Rodeo Man's Daughter

As far as his body went, yes, he was back in one piece. As “well again” as the doctors said he might ever get. But in his mind and his gut…a different story there. All those months in rehab, he’d found himself with a lot of time to think about things. To run through the memories of his life up till then.

To develop a need that wouldn’t let him rest.

He couldn’t tell Dori about all that.

“I’m fine,” he said simply.

“And you’ve come home?”

He shot a glance around the café, recalling the many nights he’d swept the floors and cleared off the tables after the last customers had gone. The small, brightly decorated restaurant had once represented so much to him. A place to work, get a good meal and feel less alone. That might explain what had driven him to come in here this morning.

He’d first talked to Tess here, too. The memory caused his stomach to clench. The fact she worked in the only real estate agency in town made their reunion inevitable. Suited his purpose, too. She’d get a firsthand look at how well he’d done for himself.

He looked back at Dori and Manny, once the only friends he’d had. Almost the only family. But…come home?

He couldn’t tell Dori that, either.

“Just visiting,” he said instead. “And while I’m here,” he added, putting his plan into words, “I’m looking to buy some investment property.”

“But that’s wonderful,” Dori said, obviously delighted. “You will find yourself a nice house and want to settle down here.”

“I’ve got a house already—on a ranch in Montana.” He smiled to soften the words. “But it’ll be nice to visit for a while.”

A short while.

Seeing Dori and Manny had revived some of the few good memories he had, but they couldn’t outweigh the bad.

Once he did what he needed to do, proved he was the equal of anyone else in this town, he’d leave Flagman’s Folly behind him again.

For good.

COULD ANYTHING beat showing up for work on a Monday morning and finding a long, tall cowboy waiting on the doorstep?

Yes, Tess LaSalle decided. Unfortunately, cowboys came by the dozen around here. What she needed was one with money.

It was a gorgeous first day of June, worthy of any advertising blurb she could write to attract new clients to Wright Place Realty. But in their tiny town, there was not a client to be found.

Unless…?

Half a block away, she eyed the man leaning against the dusty pickup truck parked at the curb. From his black Stetson to his Western shirt with the shiny pearl snaps, he might have dressed to play a role. Yet one glance at his formfitting, threadbare Wranglers and well-worn black boots plainly announced the truth: he was the real thing.

Whether or not he had cash on the barrelhead remained to be seen.

Still, she hurried along Signal Street toward the storefront office. As desperately as they needed clients, she wasn’t about to let this one get away.

“Good morning,” she called, digging in her canvas bag for her key ring. “Let me get the office open for you.”

“Morning.” When she neared him, he held out his hand.

Automatically, she responded. His hand engulfed hers, the roughness of his fingers tingling all her nerve endings. She looked up to find his face hidden by the brim of his Stetson. She could see only a firm jaw and the dark stubble of five o’clock shadow. Another indication of a working cowboy and not a wealthy rancher?

As she watched, he lifted his head and tipped his hat, revealing thick, wavy dark hair and a pair of blazing green eyes.

Tess’s fingers trembled in his. She’d have given anything to disappear at that moment. He couldn’t have missed her reaction. Just as she couldn’t miss recognizing those eyes.

Caleb Cantrell had planned that move to startle her. He’d succeeded, more than he could ever know. Shock warred with guilt inside her.

Belatedly, she realized his hand still covered hers. A treacherous longing to hang on to him stunned her. Appalled by her own emotions, she snatched her fingers away and dropped her arm as if she’d been burned.

She took a long, deep breath and set her jaw. Forcing her voice to remain steady, she asked, “What are you doing here, Caleb?”

He gestured toward the storefront. “That’s a real estate office, isn’t it?”

Before she could give the obvious answer to his question, a blue van pulled up to the curb behind his pickup truck. Tess’s best friend and boss, Dana Wright, emerged from the van. She did a double take at seeing Tess’s companion, then marched over to them. “I don’t believe my own eyes. Caleb, is that really you?”

“In the flesh.”

Good-looking flesh, too, with a nice even tan that set off the whiteness of his smile as he grinned. Tess clutched the key ring she’d finally dug out of her bag.

“Well,” Dana continued, “it’s good to see you. You remember me? Dana Smith? Now Dana Wright?”

“Of course I remember you. Couldn’t forget either of the prettiest girls in town, now could I?” He smiled at Tess.

She stiffened. He was wasting his time. No amount of sweet-talking would ever get her to believe in him again.

Sure, Dana could act natural and concerned. She didn’t have Tess’s history with the man.

Or Tess’s secret.

“What brings you back to Flagman’s Folly after all these years?” Dana asked him.

“Well, tell the truth, I’m looking to buy some land here.”

“Is that so?” Dana stood taller and smiled wider.

Tess knew her friend’s pulse must have quickened at the thought of a possible sale. Her own pulse was beating fast—for other reasons.

“As we like to say around here,” Dana continued, “you’ve come to the ‘Wright Place.’ I’m sure we can help you out.”

“So am I. I’ve got a list.” He tilted his head. “I’d like to talk things over with Tess. Thought we’d go on along to the Double S. Over a cup of coffee, I can fill her in on what I need.”

That wasn’t what she needed. Not at all.

She sent her friend an agonized look.

Of course, Dana couldn’t understand what it meant. Instead, she sent back an expression of wide-eyed innocence that said plainly, We’ll talk later.

“Oh, I don’t think I’ll be able to do much for you,” Tess protested. “I’m just the hired help. A glorified file clerk, really. Dana’s the boss. You’ll want to deal with her.”