The Last Cowboy Standing

Travis intended to do the same in the other vehicle, but Nadine insisted that she, Astrid and Danielle could fit in the middle seat, and Travis should ride up front. The driver slanted a covetous glance at the three beautiful women in his rearview mirror and gave Travis a discrete thumbs-up as they pulled away.

When Astrid expressed a desire for breath mints, Travis asked the driver to stop and hopped out to buy them for her. He took enough time to be certain the Hedleys’ group would have headed into the reception by the time the second Escalade arrived at the gardens.

Travis tipped the driver and helped each of the women out of the vehicle. The trees at the entrance were lit with tiny white lights. Glowing orange lanterns illuminated a stone walkway, while colored spots gave a fantasy aura to the leafy plants and flowering gardens.

Danielle moved up beside him as they passed a glowing, purple pond. “What exactly are you doing?”

Travis considered a range of answers and decided to be honest. “I’m making him stark raving mad.”

“Why? I’m sure you had far better things to do tonight than hang out with a bunch of stuffy lawyers.”

“You’re not a stuffy lawyer.”

“You know what I mean.”

“He’s going to show his hand, Danielle. He can’t stand the competition, and he’s going to make a pass at you. And then you’ll know.”

“Know what?”

Travis counted off on his fingers. “That he’s willing to cheat on his girlfriend. That this was never about a job. That he wants you back in his life, back in his bed.”

She went silent for a long moment. “It’s not true.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Why do you even care?”

The question stopped Travis. It took him a minute to collect his thoughts. “I care because he’s lying to you.”

They walked a bit farther in silence, beneath a canopy of oaks, green, red and blue spots glowing up their trunks.

Finally, she drew an audible breath. “What you’re doing doesn’t make sense, Travis.”

“Why does it have to make sense?” Even as he said the words, he knew she was right. He had absolutely no reason to meddle in her life.

“Everything has to make some kind of sense,” she countered.

“Maybe to a lawyer. But cowboys operate on instinct.”

She paused at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the pavilion, turning to face him. Astrid and Nadine were several yards ahead.

“And, what’s your instinct telling you?” she asked.

He gazed down at her. His instinct was telling him to kiss her, and kiss her hard. But he couldn’t do that here. Not that he could do it anywhere.

“It’s telling me he’s no good for you, Danielle. He’s no good for you, and I’m the only guy around to stop him.”

“I am a grown woman, Travis. I can stop him all by myself.”

Travis smiled at that. In many ways it was true. But his way was faster, and he didn’t like the odds that she’d end up getting hurt. “He’s too sneaky, and you’re too kind.”

“What do you mean I’m kind? I fight with you all the time.”

“It’s safe for you to fight with me.”

She tilted her pretty head sideways, and he couldn’t help but think it was the perfect angle to kiss. “Your instincts telling you that, too?” she asked tartly.

“Yep. And they’re infallible.” He offered her his arm to walk up the staircase.

* * *

Inside the reception, Danielle left Travis to his own devises. She quickly found herself swept up in a whirlwind of introductions and conversations with the who’s who of Nester and Hedley. It seemed they were interested in her South American experience. Brazil and Columbia were rising on everyone’s trade radar in D.C., and their expertise was weak for the region. They saw an opportunity to get in early on this new wave, and they wanted Danielle to head up an entire division.

It was a genuine, exciting offer that didn’t appear to have anything to do with Randal. In fact, she’d barely seen him since they arrived. The senior partners seemed to know her entire professional history, even details of Caleb’s Active Equipment activities and challenges in Columbia.

It was close to eleven when, throat raw from talking over the music, and feet sore from her high shoes, she pushed her way up to a bar stool and asked the bartender for a soda and lime.

“He’s watching you,” came Travis’s deep voice from behind her left ear. He took the stool next to her.

“He’s barely said a word to me all night long. Honestly, the only person creeping me out here, is you.”

“He’s known where you were every second.”

She angled toward him. “First, I don’t believe you. Second, I’ve been talking with his bosses. They’re the ones who have his attention, not me.”

Travis reached for a handful of the snack mix on the bar. “Keep telling yourself that.”

“I will, thank you very much.”

The waiter set her drink down in front of her and looked to Travis for his order.

“Are you hungry?” Travis asked her. “Those little crab puffs and cheese squares didn’t do it for me.”

“I’m not leaving yet.”

“I’ll take a beer,” Travis said to the waiter. “Whatever you’ve got on tap.”

“It’s by the bottle, sir.”

Danielle couldn’t help but grin as she stirred the ice in her soda and lime.

“Anything from DFB?”

“Mountain Red?”

“Sounds great.”

The waiter turned to the glass-fronted refrigerator.