Page 3 of A Touch of Cowboy

Justin chuckled, breaking the moment. “Avery’s an attractive woman. Also an excellent counsellor, brilliant at chess, and has a fantastic seat when she’s riding.” He gazed at Will. “Safe to assume you’re a rider?”

Will nodded. “Yeah. That’s why I chose this place. I mean, I don’tneedcounselling. But my sister insisted. Since she’s paying, I chose the place with the horses. They’ll remind me of home.”

“Great.” Justin gestured toward his office. “We can talk for a bit, and then I can introduce you to the girls. Retired show horses and damn hard working.”

“Looking forward to it.” Will glanced down at Rex. “You coming?”

Rex’s stubby tail wagged enthusiastically.

Avery smiled. “Just knock when you’re ready to unload him.” She eyed her dog. “Be good.”

Said pooch tipped his chin up, as if demanding to know when he wasn’t good.

She just waved him off and headed back to her office.

Once inside, she leaned against the door.Tall, dark, and handsome. Everything she’d always wanted in a man but never seemed to be able to find.

Well, you’ll just have to keep looking.He was a patient. Even though he wasn’therpatient, there were rules. She knew them. She followed them. Even if her libido was in high gear and she was wondering just how good that cowboy looked out of his denims.

Eyeing the little fake Christmas tree in the corner, she reminded herself to stop at the store on the way home to pick up the ingredients to make shortbread cookies for tomorrow’s party.

Would Justin invite Will? Would the cowboy show up?

Only time would tell.

Chapter Two

Willfollowedthetalltherapist into an adorable room with bright-yellow walls, a desk with an ergonomic chair, as well as a couch with two stuffed chairs across from it.

Justin indicated Will should sit wherever he wanted.

Eyeing the dog, Will gazed around.

“Rex is allowed on the furniture. The rule is, he has to wait to be invited.” Justin chuckled. “Something tells me he didn’t earlier.”

Will returned the smile. “Uh, no. But I love enthusiasm.” He dropped onto the couch and patted his thigh.

Rex leapt up, turned twice, found the right spot, and settled with a sigh.

“That was easy.”

Justin sat in a plush chair facing him. “He’s an easy dog. Rescues can be tricky. He has weird habits. He cowers from some people—even those who clearly would never do him harm. That being said, he’s so good with kids. Avery mostly counsels adults, but Rex sometimes sneaks in with Denise when she’s helping a child.”

“You see a lot of kids up here?”

“Well, yeah. Kids have problems. Usually different problems than adults…although sometimes the same. Grief, mental illness, trauma…those are pretty universal.”

“It makes me sad to think of kids who face those things.”

“Did you have a sheltered childhood?”

Will cocked his head. “I don’t know if sheltered would be the right word. Although, I guess, yeah—if we’re talking about trauma, grief, and mental illness. I was well into my twenties before my grandparents passed. I lost my parents a few years later in a car crash. Three years later, my wife died.” He breathed deeply. “So, lots of grief—just all jammed into my adulthood.”

“How old are you now?” Justin pointed to his desk. “Sorry, I meant to study your intake form, but my daughter injured her foot this morning, and that was just one massive crisis.”

“Is she all right?”

“My husband dropped off our son at school and is running Opal to the walk-in clinic to make sure she’s okay. She’s…a sensitive child. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish what’s actual physical pain and what’s psychological.”

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