Page 30 of Cowboy Stolen Kiss for Christmas

“How so?” Flint revved the motor and started rolling forward while Ames was still getting buckled in.

Guess it’s the right time, after all. “Our foreman just turned in his three-month notice.” Ames dug the letter out of the back pocket of his jeans and waved the crumpled sheet of paper beneath Flint’s nose.

“I should’ve seen that coming.” Ignoring the letter Ames was holding out, Flint hunched over the steering wheel, looking sulky.

“How so?” Ames hadn’t seen anything coming. He was just grateful they had three months to figure out what they were going to do about it.

Flint shrugged. “Nothing exciting has been happening at Canyon Creek Ranch since we accepted this gig in Pinetop. Our staff there has been in a perennial holding pattern. We brought our top horse trainer with us and everything. To be honest, I’m surprised our foreman is the only one we’ve lost so far.”

“Good point.” There was no way Nash would’ve left Noelle behind in Dallas. She’d played too important of a role in his long road to recovery. He’d needed her at his side far more than they needed her churning out rodeo horses in Dallas.

“That’s why I made it,” Flint grumbled. “If we want to stay on the map as one of the top horse training ranches in the west, we’re gonna have to get our boots back on the ground in Dallas. Don’t get me wrong. This going back and forth has been fun, but…”

“And necessary for Nash,” Ames interjected. Their oldest brother had desperately needed this transition time between the national bronc riding circuit and his retirement from the rodeo industry. It had kept his spirits from flagging as he adjusted to his new life as an amputee. Getting married along the way and having a bun in the oven was just the icing on the cake — God style.

An enormous sense of gratitude welled inside Ames’ chest. He pointed upward with both forefingers. Thank you, Lord. For bringing us through another really tough challenge. While in Pinetop, all three brothers had grown closer to each other and to God. They were stronger now. Better men. More ready to face what came next. He was pretty sure that meant all three of them would be retiring from the rodeo circuit. It was going to be another huge transition, this time to full-time ranching.

“Agreed.” Flint drove them from the outskirts of town to Main Street. “Though Nash hasn’t said anything to me about it yet, I think he’s getting as homesick as you and I are. It might have something to do with having a kid on the way.”

“It might.” Ames waved their foreman’s resignation letter in the air again. “This is going to force us to make some tough decisions.”

“Maybe we can have our sit down over dinner this evening.” They reached the business district. Flint hung a left and set their course for Castellano’s. “Since you just got back into town, they’re giving us the night off. Christie Hart will be filling in with her newest trick riding routine. She’s been working on two new stunts that she’s ready to unveil.” Though she was now married to local mechanic Wes Wakefield, she continued to go by her maiden name while in the ring. It was easier than trying to rebrand her award-winning Hart of the West performance.

Ames stifled a yawn. “I don’t mind taking the evening off.” It might give him time to pay a quick visit to Laura. His heart thumped harder in anticipation. He’d really missed her this time.

“Me, either.” Flint gave an even noisier yawn that all but rattled the windows.

Everything’s a competition with you. Ames shot him a dark look. “Not sure why you’re so tired. I’m the one who flew a red-eye flight back.”

“Are you kidding?” Flint curled his upper lip. “I had to pick up the slack all over the place while you were away.”

Ames snorted. “Something tells me that did not include doing laundry, washing dishes, getting the oil changed in the truck…” He ticked the list off on his fingers.

“Been keeping an eye on your girl,” Flint shot back. “That should count for something.”

“More like keeping an eye on her younger sister, but okay. I’ll bite. What happened while I was gone?” Ames whipped out his cell phone and settled more comfortably in the seat so he could text Laura.

I’m back. Missed you.

She still wasn’t ready to hear what he really wanted to say — that he was falling in love with her. He was so far past the friendly feelings part of their relationship that it was laughable. He didn’t want to scare her off by telling her the whole truth, though. Not yet.

“Caught one of the newest wranglers at Castellano’s snapping a picture of her and Lucy with his cell phone. I collared the creep and made him erase it.”

“Which one?” Ames tapped his phone impatiently against his palm as he waited for Laura to respond to his text.

“Some joker by the name of Oak. I think it’s short for Oakley. From what I can gather, he doesn’t have much of a resume, but you know how Angel and Willa Castellano feel about taking in strays.”

Ames grunted as his phone vibrated with an incoming text. It was from Laura. He eagerly read it.

Missed you, too!!! Glad you’re back. Want to do lunch?

Flint shot him a disgusted look as he pulled into the rear parking lot at the dinner theater. “It’s hard to have a convo with a guy who takes weeks to answer.”

“Sorry.” Ames typed a quick affirmative answer to Laura. Yes! Just tell me when and where. “Anything else you’ve been able to find out about this Oakley?”

“Oak,” Flint corrected. “Very little other than the fact he wandered into Castellano’s a few months back, looking for a job. The rest is history. Chatted up the head wrangler, and he says Oak does a decent job with the horses. Oh, and he seems to think Oak and Brex are pretty tight. Got the impression they might know each other from somewhere else.”

Ames yanked his head up from his phone. “Brex Morrison?” What could some wandering rodeo hand possibly have in common with Laura’s ex?

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