Page 46 of Destined for the Cowboy

He kept thinking about it as he started to work. He knew nothing about families at all, but especially about that kind of family, mother long vanished but a father who stepped up, as Shane in turn stepped up when that father had been tragically killed. A police chief, a saloonkeeper, another brother a detective, a sister who ran their ranch with an iron fist, and a brother who had been gone on his own tragic journey for years before finally coming home.

Home. Was it only where you lived, or was there more? True, he’d built a life here in Last Stand, but was it by choice or because it was where he’d landed? And where Bud had been? He didn’t know. And he doubted he ever would.

He finished the job on the door faster than he’d expected, but he knew that solid, strong hinge he’d built would hold. He’d added a base plate that wrapped around the door’s edge so solidly and deep it would take a herd of those gorillas to tear it down. He did the same with the lower hinge, just in case. Shane assessed the repair at “about five times satisfactory,” which made Logan laugh.

After their talk about the saloon—and the famous peach lemonade—he thought he might stop by before he had to head out to the Baylor place to shoe the newest acquisition for the therapy place. But he wanted to hit the library first. He needed something…engrossing. Something that would corral his mind and keep him from thinking so much about things he couldn’t do anything about. Things like a certain female. Things like his attraction to her. It was hardly surprising, of course. She was smart, kind, generous and beautiful.

And she’s Jackson Thorpe’s sister—don’t forget that part.

He didn’t want to leave the truck taking up a parking space in the police employee lot, so he drove the hundred or so feet to the library lot, though it felt silly. He got out and headed in. He’d ask Joey. She’d know what might work. And he wouldn’t have to go into detail with her, he could just say he needed a serious distraction and she’d understand.

Joey, being still her mentally efficient self even if she was getting a bit more awkward at moving as her pregnancy advanced, had a list for him in moments. He went in search of the titles she’d suggested that sounded interesting and picked the one where he caught himself still standing there reading by the time he hit chapter two. He grabbed another book on the list in case this one fell apart later and started back toward the checkout desk. Where Joey was standing, smiling at someone across the counter. Someone wearing a snugly fitting pair of jeans and a matching sleeveless denim jacket. Someone with agorgeous fall of hair the color of autumn leaves, going halfway down her back.

Tris.

He knew it the instant he saw her, well before Joey spotted him and said something. It gave him a half-second to brace himself before she turned to look. He had his jaw set and his expression steady by the time he had to look her in the eye. Those deep, blue eyes.

She smiled. Widely. Almost…thankfully? No, that made no sense. Why would she—

She started toward him, walking quickly. So quickly he couldn’t figure out how to dodge. She was still smiling in that breath-stealing way when she came to a halt in front of him. Close. Too close.

“I saw your truck, so I hoped you were here,” she said, library quiet and still with that smile. But now he saw her lips tremble a little, as if she were having to force them to stay in that smile. As if she were covering up her real feelings. Was she still mad at him?

It was crazy. He’d been content with his life, if not happy. He wasn’t sure he even knew how to be happy, or what it would feel like if he was. But he’d felt things he’d never felt before when he was with her, things that had him wondering if maybe this was what it felt like, that happy thing. He didn’t—

“Would you come to Java Time with me and let me buy you a coffee?”

He blinked. What? She wanted to buy him coffee? And then what? Hang around while he drank it? Drink one of her own?

“I really need to talk to you, and—” she gestured at their surroundings “—well, library.”

He blinked again. Started to open his mouth to speak but stopped when he realized he had no idea what to say.

“Come on, so Joey can get you checked out.”

He wasn’t even sure how he ended up outside and strolling down Main Street toward the coffee shop, books in hand. Well, one book, anyway. Tris had taken the other to look at, saying she hadn’t read it and was curious. He found himself watching her intently, only enough attention on the sidewalk to keep from running into anyone.

“Intense,” she said as they reached Java Time and she handed it back to him. “Looks fascinating, but definitely not light reading.”

“That’s what I wanted. I needed to stop—”

He cut himself off before he said something stupid. Instead he opened the door and held it, then followed her in. For the moment they were the only customers, although he doubted that would last long.

“Same as before?” she asked as they reached the counter.

The memory of the first time they’d come in here was blazed into his mind indelibly. What he’d drunk that day was not. He remembered her frothy, creamy-looking drink, but not a thing about what had been in his own cup. He assumed it was his usual plain black coffee so said, “Sure.”

She didn’t speak to him again until they were seated, at the same table they’d ended up at before. And when she did, she once more caught him off guard. “You needed to stop what?”

He should have known she wouldn’t forget. “Thinking too much,” he muttered.

She laughed, gesturing at the books he’d set on the table. “I imagine those would have the opposite effect. That’s some pretty deep history.”

He shrugged it off, not wanting to admit it was thinking about her he wanted to stop. Then he saw her take a deep breath and, oddly, appear to brace herself.

“I wanted to say how sorry I am.” He drew back, surprised. But she kept going. “I had no right to say what I said to youyesterday. Or to say it the way I did. I have no idea how a person would or could cope with the start in life you had, but obviously you’ve done it, and done it well, so I had no business mouthing off as if I had a clue. So, I apologize. Fervently.”

He stared at her. Realized his jaw had dropped and snapped it shut again. His fingers tightened around the coffee cup as if he thought it were going to scramble across the table and escape. Maybe because that’s what he felt like doing. But he could no more leave right now than he could fly.

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