Page 5 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

Jace glanced at his childhood friend. They’d found more trouble than was healthy for kids, but together had managed to survive, and the process cemented a lifelong friendship. “Yeah, sure man. Have a good night.” Jace bumped Tuck's fist. “Tell Mandy to have fun with her book friends.”

Tuck rolled his eyes. “Did I tell you she wants me to read the books too, so we can discuss them? Like she doesn’t get enough chatting in at her club.”

Jace snorted. Tuck discussing a book was as far-fetched as picturing bear negotiations.

“She also said that Cassidy Martin is still single if you want her to set you two up.” Tuck ducked his head, likely hiding a smile.

Jace shook his head. “She scares me. Always has, ever since she clocked your brother on the playground in third grade. I haven’t seen a right hook with that accuracy since. Tell Mandy thanks but no thanks.”

“Listen, I know it ain’t my business, but I heard what your Pops said the last time he was here. About getting a wife. And uh… Heck, man, this is awkward.” Tuck kicked the fence. “You want any help with finding one, I might be able to assist. I got a couple girl cousins in Bozeman that aren’t hard to look at.” Tuck wiped at his face and looked away at the mountain before them.

Jace didn’t know what to say. He knew his friend preferred not to get involved with affairs of the heart, so to make such an offer was a true test to the depth of his friendship.

“What makes you think I’m gonna give in to the demands of a crazy old man?” Jace tried to joke, but they both knew he’d do just about anything his Pops asked him to do, even if he hadn't threatened his share of the ranch. Knowing that his father's days were limited, his body deteriorating from ALS, only made Jacethat much more eager to please. If Pops needed Jace settled before he died, then so be it.

“Your Pops has been good to me. After mine passed, yours stepped in. If he had told me he wanted to see me get settled and happy before he passed, I’d have run out and taken as many wives and adopted as many kids as it took to make him happy. Regardless of the law.”

Jace laughed. Yeah, he felt the same way. In fact, it’s all he’d been thinking about in the four weeks since his dad made the request.

I need to know you’re happy before I go. Nothing has filled my life as completely as your mom, you, and your sister. I want that for you. You understand what I’m saying, son? Why I'm doing this?

But how does one concoct a wife from thin air? If he went into town and down the list of single girls, more than half would be too young, a third too old, and the rest like Cassidy Martin were not the sort of girl he pictured himself with for the entirety of his life.

Or even for the bit of time his father had left. Getting a temporary bride would require a special someone who would be willing to let go when the time was right.

Though “borrowing” a wife temporarily was likely the best plan, Jace worried it might be borrowing too many problems. “I’m taking care of it, Tuck. But thanks for being so willing to sacrifice your cousins.” Jace leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm.

“That’s all right. Let me know if I can help.”

Jace grunted. “You better get home to your pretty wife.”

“Yeah, she gets upset when we don’t get some time together. I guess she knows the schedule’s about to get hectic so she’s trying to get in what she can.” Tuck shrugged. “You know how they are.”

“Then you better get along.” Truth was Jace didn’t know how “they” were. His last serious girlfriend was during his internship. She’d taken one look at the ranch, calculated the distance to the nearest Target, more than 100 miles away, and bailed after the first day. Since then, he’d kept a few “friends with benefits” on speed dial when in town for auctions or such. There were no misunderstandings in those situations. They were clear he wouldn't change, and he understood they had no interest in a life with him in the wilds of Wyoming. None of them were impressed that Yellowstone lie directly to the West, that his land shared peaks with the national park.

“See ya tomorrow.” Tuck cuffed him on the back before turning to leave.

When the horn on Tuck’s beat-up pickup blasted three short honks, Jace didn’t look back but gave an over-the-head wave. After the slapping of the tires on the wet earth faded, Jace reached into the front pocket of his weathered jeans and pulled free the folded slip of paper.

It was a silly note from his sister that had planted the idea of borrowing a wife and made him call Sabrina. Jace scanned the sheet, reading his slanted scroll quickly, his gaze only stopping on his sister’s bubbly script.

1. Fix west fence near stream

2. Weed out unhealthy herd

3. Parse out stock for the exchange

4. Prep for summer births from Heifers

5. Ranch vehicles need service

6.Find a wife and be happy

It was the wordfind,like he could do an Internet search and be provided a solution. Which in his case, all he had to do was dial up his college friend. It bothered him that Willow had writtenbe happy.He was under the impression that hewashappy. Yeah, itcould get lonely out here, especially in the winter, but it all came back to compromises. Once spring hit full-on, he’d be going non-stop without a second thought about if he had someone to sit next to him on the fence or a helpmate who’d heat up his dinner on those cold rainy days that he’d be forced to stay out in the deluge. He wasn't so lonely he took for granted he had a place to come home to and a hot meal, even if it was canned soup. He’d seen people with less, and he wasn't about to sit here feeling sorry for himself because he required a wife and his sister thought he was unhappy. These were obstacles he needed to find a way around.

Jace was a simple man. He never asked for much and was grateful for what he had. He needed to remember that. Swiping his hand over his face, he followed it with a heavy sigh. Lately, he’d asked for a whole heck of a lot. He’d asked for a cure for his father. He’d asked for more time. It was plain greedy to ask for a wife, too, even if he did it under the guise of making a dying man happy.

The phone in the breast pocket of his thick Carhartt jacket vibrated. Jace smiled wryly. For all the remoteness of the location, he had cell service out in the field but spotty service in his house. How was that for technology?

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