My Cowboy of Convenience: Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Kaleb

I pulled my truck into a parking space in front of Coffee and Cakes. The parking area in front of Coffee and Cakes was empty. It was after the morning factory rush and before the late morning coffee drinkers club arrived.

There was so much work to be done on the ranch this morning. Fences mended, cows moved, and weeds mowed. A new string of young horses arrived last night, and I wanted to see them settled.

But Levi was my best friend. I couldn’t say no when he asked to get a cup of coffee. Why he didn’t just come over to the ranch house and have one, I had no idea.

The place smelled of freshly brewed coffee and blueberry muffins out of the oven. Levi claimed at a table by a window. Two steaming cups of coffee along with two pieces of coffee cake sat in front of him. Viola Ann waved to me as she refilled coffee beans into a grinder. I wove between the tables and pulled out the chair opposite of him.

“What’s this all about?”

“I got you coffee, just the way you like it. Black.” He nodded to a mug in front of me.

“Thanks.” I wrapped my hand around it and brought the steaming mug to my lips. “She does make some good coffee.”

“She does. Better than yours.” He grimaced.

“You’ve been drinking mine for years.”

“Yup, I figured it was part of my pay when I worked for you.” His lips twitched up in the corners.

“I paid you fair.” I frowned. I paid my cowboys better than most ranches in the area.

“Sure, but Kade pays better.” He lifted one shoulder and reached for his mug.

I snorted. My youngest brother was a champion bull rider. He started to plan for his retirement from bull riding by buy a ranch with his fiancé, Delilah, and raising bucking bulls.“He should. He’s making money hand over fist this year on the bull riding circuit.” I drank the coffee and ate a hunk of cinnamon apple coffee cake. “But why here? This morning?” I asked.

The door opened and Damien Allen strode in. He was decked out in his customary black cargo pants and black button up shirt rolled up to his elbows. He nodded a greeting to us before turning to Viola Ann.

“Well,” said Levi pulling my attention back to him. “I wanted to ask you something important and I wanted your full attention.”

“You’ve got it.” I leaned back in my chair.

“Katie and I are getting married in July.”

I nodded. This wasn’t news to me. “Ma and Pa are coming home from their mission trip for the weddings.” Both Katie and Kade were getting married this summer.

“You’ve been my best friend for years.” He swallowed and his eyes held mine. Surprisingly, he was nervous.

I waited.

“I’d like you to be my best man,” he said.

“Yes, but we didn’t have to come into town for that.” I sipped my coffee, trying to figure out what he really wanted.

“That’s not all.”

Why wasn’t I surprised? “Of course not.”

A grin broke over his face. “Katie and I want you to take dance lessons with us.”

Startled, I choked on the mouthful of coffee and sputtered. “What?”

“Katie wants to do a couples’ dance for our first dance. Her maid of honor is learning the same dance in Denver.” His smile grew wider like the Cheshire cat.

I frowned at him.

The coffee shop’s door opened. My other brother, Kurt, escorted a smiling Lindsay into the shop. They stopped at the counter and placed their order. Meanwhile, Damien left with his cup of coffee.

“What do you say?” Levi drew my attention back to the table.

“Um…” My forehead creased even more. What more could I say? That this sounded awful? But this was my best friend and little sister’s wedding.

“Don’t I need a dance partner to learn all the moves.” There, I had him. “I don’t know of any women to take.”

“We’ve found someone perfect to be your stand in partner.” His teeth flashed into a grin. “Think of it like a blind date.”

“I don’t date.” I growled through my clenched teeth. “I’m not interested in dating.” Dating never ended well for me. I didn’t need the headache.

“But you’ll do this for us? Right? Katie is your baby sister.” Levi’s eyes grew wide and serious.

I ran a hand through my hair. He laid on the guilt trip thick. I didn’t want to take dance lessons. I didn’t have time. I absolutely did not want to go on a blind date with anyone. Why couldn’t they just be like any other couple and want to do their first dance by themselves? I sighed and frowned at the smile that grew wider on Levi’s face.

Lindsay and Kurt approached the table.

“What’s going on?” Kurt asked. “Kaleb, you never come into town for coffee.”

“I don’t, but this fella thought it would be nice to go somewhere special for this conversation. Probably, so I can’t get mad and walk away.” My eyes shot daggers at Levi, who smirked.

“Oh yah, what was that?” Lindsay slid her arm into the crook of Kurt’s elbow and leaned lightly into him.

“I asked him to be my best man for our wedding.” Levi leaned back in his chair. A smug smile still in place.

“Why does he look like he just stepped into a rattlesnake nest? That doesn’t seem so bad.” Lindsay tilted her head, studying my face.

“That’s not the part I have a problem with.” My jaw clenched and narrowed my eyes at my best friend.

“The suspense is killing us.” A grin spread over Kurt’s face.

I shot him a dark look and stared into my mug.

“He’s taking dance lessons with me and Katie.” Levi beamed.

Kurt laughed and Lindsay frowned.

“Don’t you need a partner to do that?” She asked.

“Yes, this fool is setting me up on a blind date.” My hands clenched and my teeth gritted.

Kurt broke into laughter. He bent over, clasping his sides, trying to catch his breath. Levi smirked. Lindsay’s lips pressed into thin lines.

Viola Ann approached with a tray carrying the two coffees and muffins. Kurt took it from her.

“We are going to enjoy our breakfast. Nice seeing you, Levi.” Kurt nodded to me and Levi.

I scowled at his back as they made their way to a table on the opposite side of the coffee shop.

“So what do you say? Will you do it?” Levi’s lips pressed over his teeth into a line. I knew he was suppressing a smile.

I sighed. Could I say no? Could I disappoint Katie like that? “Fine, I guess I will do it.”

A smile broke through as he raised his mug to his lips. “One more thing, you’ll need to bring a date for the wedding.”

“No.” I narrowed my eyes at him. That was the line. I didn’t date. “I thought I’d dance with the maid of honor?”

 Levi leaned back in his chair. “The choreography requires two other couples.”

I groaned. I wasn’t going to get out this one. “Fine, I’ll take dance lessons, but I’ll find my own date to the wedding.”

The mug lowered a few inches. A smirk played on his lips. “I’ll tell her. First class is next week. Katie will send you the details.”

My gaze narrowed at him. Would he tell her? Or will I be breaking someone’s heart before the end of the month? I didn’t date and yet I had to find one for my little sister’s wedding.

#####

Later that day, I sat in the office of the ranch going over bills and receipts. Running the ranch was a full-time job. Some days, I found myself missing my parents, and this was one of those days.

A couple of years ago, they decided to fulfill their dreams of being missionaries, leaving me in charge of the ranch. They appeared happy in their letters, emails, and video calls when they had a chance. They traveled the world. I wasn’t sure where they were, but Katie kept track of them.

It left me with all the responsibility of keeping things running. A headache brewed behind my eyes as I balanced the checkbook. Some of the numbers weren’t adding up. I thumbed through the carbon copies of checks. They were all accounted for but why was the bank balance not what the book said. I rocked back in my office chair until it hit a wall. Placing my hands on top of my head, I closed my eyes. What was I going to do about the accounting?

A voice cleared from the doorway. Setting my feet down, I turned to the cowboy blocking the light.

“Boss, Bobby sent me to tell you he’s got those colts ready for you to look at.” Shorty’s voice rumbled.

We called him Shorty because no one knew his real name. He looked and moved like a bear in jeans and a T-shirt. Tall, blocky, and hairy. He was a good worker, never complaining and always early. I didn’t ask to many questions.

“Sure thing.” I grabbed my hat from the top of the table and followed him out to the round pen behind the barn.

The six new additions to the ranch stood tied to the rail within the arena fence. They pawed nervously and danced back and forth. A dun colt hopped up and down on his front legs, testing the strength of his rope.

Bobby had a sorrel filly in the middle of the round pen. She circled him at a trot. Her back hunched and her tail clamped tight against her rump. The saddle creaked and squeaked with each stride. Bobby’s hat sat back on his head as he squinted at the filly. The long line rested in his opened hand.

Shorty and I stopped at the fence. The filly circled a few more times. Bobby stepped backward and to the side coming even with her shoulder. She halted and faced him. Her neck tense and ears pricked forward.

He cooed to her and stepped slowly toward her. She lowered her head and worked her jaw as his hand came to rest on the center of her forehead. He rubbed her head and neck. His mouth moving with words I couldn’t hear. Then, he turned and led her toward us.

Resting my foot on the lower rung, I rested my elbows on the top of the fence. The filly fell in step behind him. Her ears flicked back and forth with each step.

“What do you think, boss?” Bobby came to a stop a little way away. The filly flung her head up and snorted but stayed still.

The other young horses danced, pawed, and neighed. A few tossed their heads fighting the restriction of the halters.

“They look a mite green and rangy.” My eyes scanned the rest of them. “I was told that they were broke.”

Bobby ran a forearm over his brow, mopping up sweat. “Nah, they ain’t broke like we need. Them is fresh off the range with a halter slapped on them.”

I swore under my breath. “Just what I get for taking the horse dealer’s word for it. He said his cousin trained these horses.” I thought I bought broke ranch horses. Not a bunch of young ‘uns that need training.

A bay filly danced from side to side and set back on the rope. Zack walked behind her and waved his hat. She leapt forward, releasing the pressure on her head.

“Nope, thems as squirrely as a caged jackrabbit and know very little about being a riding horse.” Bobby squinted at the line of young horses.

“Have you gotten on them?”

“Nope.” He chuckled. “That wife of mine would kill me if I broke my neck falling from an unbroke horse.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Do you think they are something you can work with this summer?”

He shrugged. “I ain’t a professional trainer. I haven’t come across a mean bone in any of them. As long as you don’t mind.”

I shook my head and slammed my hat back on. “I don’t have time and the last bunch we sent to a ‘professional’ trainer came back with torn up mouths. I paid a lot for this group. Take as much time as you need to get the job done, right.”

“Boss, could I get Grayson to help me? He’s a good hand with the horses just green.”

“Yes, hay is done for a couple of weeks and the rest of the work we can handle.” I turned to go. “Shorty and Zack, take the feed wagon out to the south pasture and feed those cows.”

“Yes, sir,” Shorty said. Zack nodded. They pushed off from the fence they were leaning on.

“When you see Adam in the machine shed, have him check the engine. It was making a horrible noise last time I drove it.” I reset my hat on my head.

Shorty paused and turned toward me. “Yes, sir. He looked at it yesterday and said he had to order a part.”

“Good. I’ll be in the office if you need me.” I turned back to the barn.

Bobby went back to the horses as Shorty and Zack walked to ancient red flatbed truck that we fed cows from. It was over twenty years old and made more noise than a passing train. All the cows knew the engine and came running.

Back to the check book and bank account that won’t balance. I needed to decide if I was going to call the horse dealer about the green horses he sold me. It wouldn’t change anything, right now, but cause more headaches. They were at my place, eating my hay, and being trained. Hopefully a few will turn out to be something special.

The barn was dark and quiet when I entered. The stalls were cleaned, and the barn aisle swept clear of debris. The saddle horses were turned out for the day as they weren’t needed. The cowhands were busy with their tasks to keep the ranch running.

The office sat at the back of the barn. I swung open the door to find Kurt in my chair. His feet clad in expensive loafers with those ridiculous tassels rested on the edge of my desk. He frowned at the ledger in front of him.

“Can I help you?” My voice clipped.

His head jerked up. “Your accounting is a mess.”

“I know. What do you want?” My patience for the day was in short supply.

His eyebrows raised an inch. “My unruffled brother is a little testy today. I just stopped by to tell you my plans.”

I closed my eyes for a minute, willing myself to calm down. None of the things going on was Kurt’s fault.

“And those are?” I opened them to see a smirk pulled up at the corners of his mouth.

“I’m heading back to Dallas for a few days to tie up loose ends.” He flipped another page in the ledger. “Then, I’ll be back to Sunnydale for good, it looks like.”

“Is that so? What about your law firm in Dallas?” I leaned against the door frame, crossing my arms over my chest.

He closed the ledger book and set his feet back on the ground. “I’m selling my share to my partner.”

Surprised, I nodded for him to continue.

“Then, I’ll move back to Sunnydale for good. Mr. Philips and I are in negotiations about his law practice in town.” His hazel eyes studied me for a minute. “Lindsay sold the Wilson Ranch this morning.” His face impassive when he dropped that bombshell on me.

“What? No. Lindsay would never sell the ranch.” I shook my head and frowned. She loved that place with all her heart.

He shrugged. “There were circumstances, and we made a deal.” He shrugged, but the corner of his lips pulled up.

“I don’t know if I want to know what kind of deal you made with her. As long as you aren’t going to hurt her or her mother.” I narrowed my eyes at him. Lindsay and her mom, Candy, lived on the Wilson Ranch next door for years and I felt protective toward the two women.

“Nah, I’m going to marry her someday.” The chair creaked with the movement of his weight as he stood up.

“Does she know this?” I raised an eyebrow.

“She’s coming around to the idea.” He stepped around the desk. His hand still resting on the ledger book. “Anyway, when I come back, we are going to get you into the twenty first century with some decent accounting software.”

“What do you know about accounting or software?”

“I know that you need professional help getting organized and I just happen to know people good at doing it.” His eyes twinkled when he was happy with himself. He clapped me on the shoulder and walked past me into the barn. “I’ll be back, sometime.”

His whistling faded as he walked down the barn aisle, leaving me standing drop jawed in my dusty corner office.

I couldn’t believe that he’d negotiated the sale of the Wilson Ranch. I walked around my desk and sunk into the chair. It creaked with my weight as I rocked back, placing my boots on the desk. I knew that there was some circumstance in Old Man Wilson’s will. What it was I had no idea. But then again, it wasn’t my business. I made a mental note to check on them either this afternoon or tomorrow.

I frowned at the ledger book, flipping it open to the latest page I was working on. Maybe Kurt was right, I needed a professional. I had a tax accountant I took the book to in San Antonio, and he never made a comment. If things were more organized, I could figure out what was going on with the ranch’s checking account.

At least this was a problem I could work on. Not like the dance lessons with a strange woman. No matter how I thought about that, there was no way to get out of it.