Her Perfect Cowboy Read online

  India was fond of saying she was really busy. Well, he could claim the same thing. Running his business as well as still riding occasionally took up a lot of time. And the rest belonged to Ginny. She already had one parent who’d never given her a moment of her time. He wasn’t about to do the same.

  “She just loves kids,” India said as she looked at Verona with genuine affection. “She’s like the cool grandma to every little kid in Blue Falls.”

  “I’ve never seen a grandma with quite so much energy.”

  India laughed. “I know. She’s always been that way. Skyler, Elissa and I are convinced the woman has more energy than all of us put together. It’s very annoying sometimes.”

  Liam smiled. “But you love her.”

  India nodded. “Yeah. She’s been like a second mother to us.”

  He sensed there was more to those simple words, but he didn’t know India well enough to ask. But he suddenly wanted to. He could keep things simple, with no expectation of anything beyond his time here in Blue Falls. Of course, he couldn’t just come right out and say that. She was way too skittish and withdrawn for that. For some reason, India Pike had walls built around her. And they’d gone up even further when that drunken jackass had manhandled her tonight. He’d wanted to punch the guy into another time zone.

  The song was over much too quickly, and India was already pulling out of his arms as the final notes were played. She looked up at him with a smile that told him she was telling the truth, at least partially, about being tired.

  “Thanks for the dance,” she said. “And for the help with T.J. I’m sorry you got pulled into that.”

  “I wasn’t pulled into anything, India. I wanted to help. I wouldn’t be much of a man if I hadn’t.”

  “Still, thank you. But I really do feel like I’m going to fall over, so I’m going to head home.”

  He didn’t protest her leaving, instead accompanied her off the dance floor as the Teagues struck up another lively tune.

  “I’ll see you around,” she said as she retrieved her purse from the bar stool where Ginny was sitting.

  “You leaving already, sweetie?” Verona asked.

  Liam didn’t miss the meaningful glance his way. He almost laughed at the fact that Verona didn’t even try to hide what she was thinking.

  “Yeah, I’m beat.”

  “Well, at least let Liam walk you to your car. Can’t be too careful nowadays.”

  India gave Verona a look that said she wondered if the older woman had lost her mind. “I don’t think T.J. having a few too many has suddenly made Blue Falls a hotbed of crime.”

  “I don’t mind,” Liam said. The fact was, it would make him feel better to see her safely to her car.

  Liam kept his hands to himself as he escorted India out of the building even though he really wanted to take her in his arms again. It hadn’t seemed to matter that they were worlds different when they’d been dancing. He mentally scolded himself. Was he really going to let a single dance cloud his judgment?

  When India reached her car and turned toward him, he thought the answer might be yes.

  India took a deep breath, as if trying to get up the courage to say something. “I’m sorry about Verona. She can be a little—”

  “Obvious?”

  India lowered her gaze and fidgeted with her car keys. Without even trying she made him want to touch her.

  “You caught that, huh?”

  “Yeah, but you don’t have to worry. We have a business relationship, a short-term one at that. Not wise to complicate things.”

  “Uh, right. That’s what I’ve been telling them.”

  Was he imagining the sound of forced conviction in her words? Was it going to keep company with the bitter taste of his own? He’d said them to put at least a verbal barrier between them, to remind himself that he didn’t need a complication like India in his life—no matter how pretty she was. No matter how much he was fighting the urge to back her against her car and kiss her senseless.

  Before he did something stupid, he opened her door for her but kept it between them. “Be careful driving home.”

  “I will. It’s not far. And thanks again, for everything.”

  As he watched India slip into her little car and drive away down the mostly deserted Main Street, he finally acknowledged to himself that keeping the relationship between them strictly professional was going to be easier said than done. She’d ensured that the moment she’d walked into the music hall wearing a red dress put on this earth for no other purpose than to fry every iota of common sense he’d ever possessed.

  “Damn,” he said. He was in trouble.

  * * *

  INDIA HAD ALWAYS BEEN A hard worker, but she kicked it up to an entirely new level the next day. She put out all the new stock she’d received, put a rack of items out on the sidewalk to draw in customers and completed everything on her rodeo list by noon. Well, everything she could do without talking with Liam about specifics to use in advertising the rodeo. And after she’d spent the first half of the day doing everything she could to avoid thinking about him and how it had felt to be held in his arms the night before, the last thing she needed to do was go see him.

  So, she took the coward’s way out and texted him, asking him to send her the details.

  The front door opened and Keri Teague walked in with a white paper bag in one hand and a to-go coffee in the other.

  “Did I place an order and forget it?” India asked.

  “Nope, but you’ve seemed superbusy this morning, so I thought I’d bring you a snack. Apple pastry, fresh from the oven.”

  “I think I might love you.”

  “You sure it’s me you’re talking about?” Keri wore a grin that zapped India right back to the music hall the night before.

  “Oh, no. Not you, too.”

  Keri held up her hands. “No, I’m not jumping on the Verona-Elissa matchmaking train. But I couldn’t help but notice that the two of you look nice together.”

  “He’d look nice with anyone.” Damn, had she said that out loud? “But he’s not really my kind of guy.”

  “Okay, if you say so. I’m sure there are plenty of single ladies around town who will be glad to hear it. They certainly were giving him the eye last night.”

  India’s teeth ground together at the idea, even though she had no right to feel that way. They’d agreed to keep things professional, after all. That’s what she wanted, right?

  “I’m glad you came over,” India said, intent on changing the topic. She reached under the front counter and pulled out the folder containing the cupcake-contest entry forms. “I incorporated the list of rules you sent me so that it’s all on one page.”

  Keri accepted the folder. “Great. I’ve already had people asking about it. I’m having trouble coming up with a third judge, though. I’ve got Marta Fleming,” she said, referring to the president of the Blue Falls Bank. “She says she’s way better at eating cupcakes than making them.”

  India smiled. “I’m right there with her on that.”

  “Good. I need people like you and Marta to keep me in business.”

  “True. So, let me guess. The second judge is Brooke.”

  “That’s a no-brainer.” Also true.

  After all, Brooke was Keri’s sister-in-law and the chef at the Teagues’ guest ranch. India had heard nothing but wonderful praise about Brooke’s cooking.

  For some reason, the image of Ginny eating her bowl of ice cream at the music hall flitted through India’s mind. “What about a kid as a third judge?”

  “Hmm, interesting idea. Who’d you have in mind?”

  “Ginny Parrish. I think she might enjoy it, and I think everyone else would get a kick out of her being a judge.” She hoped Keri didn’t read too much into her suggestion
. It really wasn’t more than trying to give Ginny something fun and a bit more girly to do while she was on location with her dad. She was a little tomboy, but India doubted even little tomboys could pass up tasting cupcakes.

  “I like it. If she says yes, let me know and we’ll have that part wrapped up.”

  India opened her mouth to suggest Keri ask Ginny, but what kind of sense did that make? Ginny didn’t know Keri, and India already had to talk to Liam, anyway. This was just one more part of their professional relationship. “Okay.”

  “Well, I better get back to work before Sunshine marches over here and drags me back.”

  After Keri left, India checked her cell phone. Still no response from Liam. Didn’t he know that she had a boatload to do and not a lot of time to do it in?

  She didn’t have time to focus on Liam or anything related to the rodeo, however, when her next customer entered the store.

  “Good afternoon, Celene.”

  “It might be good if it were thirty degrees cooler.”

  India suppressed the not-so-nice comment that wanted to fly from her mouth. The one where she’d say something like, “If you don’t like the heat, why did you leave Boston?”

  In fact, Celene Bramwell came with her husband to Texas twenty years ago. But instead of going back to Massachusetts when he died, Celene had stayed. She continued to operate the high-end decor-and-furniture store farther down Main Street and play landlord to half a dozen residents in downtown Blue Falls, India included. Her favorite pastime was trying to turn Blue Falls into Boston’s exclusive Newbery Street shopping district. She didn’t seem to realize that most of the local residents wouldn’t be able to shop in town if she succeeded. The clothing in India’s store was one thing. A ten-thousand-dollar coffee table was quite another.

  India shoved away her critical thoughts. After all, Celene wasn’t just her landlord. She also was one of her best customers. “What can I do for you today, Celene?”

  “I heard you had a new shipment.”

  “Indeed, I do.” India motioned for Celene to precede her into the main display area. “There are some very nice tops and skirts that have a 1950s vibe. Also some flapper-inspired dresses and shoes.”

  India waited until Celene was deep into trying on clothes before she broached the topic of the empty space next door. “Have you thought any more about the vacancy?”

  Celene handed India a pencil skirt with a slight flick of her hand that said she didn’t want it. Then Celene’s gaze shifted to the rest of the store. “I’m not sure expanding your store is a good business decision. It’s not exactly overcrowded in here.”

  India’s jaw tensed. It was all she could manage to not let her anger show. If she ever hoped to get access to that space, she had to stay on Celene’s good side.

  “I’ve done some mock-ups of how I could transform the space and be able to offer a lot more merchandise, cover different time periods. There are so many designers I love when I attend the trade shows, but I don’t have enough room to adequately showcase everything I’d like to.”

  “Dreams and solid business decisions are not the same thing,” Celene said. “Sometimes little, quaint and inconspicuous is quite enough.”

  Celene’s choice of words irked India. Though on the surface Celene seemed to be talking about the store, India suspected there was more to it, that India shouldn’t dare to dream too big, that she’d already accomplished more than anyone ever expected.

  India turned away to return the discarded skirt to its hanger. She needed the extra moments to school her features. She wasn’t going to give up on her plans for expansion, even though Verona’s words from a few weeks before echoed in her head. Verona suspected that Celene was just stringing India along, making her think there was a chance she might eventually agree to lease her the space, when what she really wanted was a higher-dollar occupant, something she deemed more worthy.

  When India faced Celene again, the older woman pointed at an outfit hanging on the wall. “I’ll try that.”

  The moment Celene closed the door on the dressing room, India leaned her head against the cool metal of the circular clothing rack next to her. She didn’t know whether to cry or scream. Of course, she did neither. Instead, she returned to the front of the store when she heard the ding of the door opening. She stopped short when she spotted Liam and Ginny standing there.

  “Sorry I didn’t text you back earlier, but I figured I could just give you all the details in person when we came to get some supplies at the hardware store.”

  India glanced over her shoulder to see if Celene needed anything. Why did Liam decide to stop by now of all times? Not that her heart didn’t thump a little harder at the sight of him, but he’d obviously been working. Even Ginny was a bit smudged around the edges, and several strands of her hair were coming loose from her braid.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?” Liam asked.

  India jerked her attention back to him, not wanting to be rude. “No, I’m sorry. I just have a customer trying on some things.”

  “We can come back.”

  India put out her hand to keep him from leaving. Who knew when she’d get the information she needed if she didn’t nab it now. “Now is fine.” She resisted looking over her shoulder again. Celene was used to having India’s undivided attention when she came in to shop. “Have a seat.” She ushered Liam and Ginny toward the table in the back.

  Once they were seated, India perched on the edge of one of the chairs, ready to hurry to Celene’s aid should the need arise.

  Liam pushed a legal pad toward her. “I hope you can read my chicken scratch.”

  She had a difficult time even focusing on the words written on the page when he slid his forefinger down the edge of the paper. His hand was tanned and work-roughened, but she had the powerful urge to wrap her own around it. Reminding herself that she didn’t need one more thing to worry about in her life, she forced herself to focus on the text.

  “I’ve got everything you asked for,” he said. “Names of the top riders who’ll be here, the draws. The total prize amount, events, dates, times. You can add whatever extra activities you will be having in conjunction with the rodeo and information about who it all benefits.”

  “Dad said the girl has cancer,” Ginny said. She sounded heartbroken for a girl she hadn’t even met.

  “She does, but that’s why we’re raising money for her, so she can get treatment and hopefully get better really soon.”

  “I want to be able to do something for her, too.”

  India’s heart melted, and then she remembered her conversation with Keri. “As a matter of fact, I do have something you can do to help if you want to and your dad says it’s okay.”

  “What?”

  “India,” Celene called out from the adjacent room, even though she could obviously see India was in the midst of a conversation.

  After a momentary pressing together of her lips, India met Liam’s eyes. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

  She went to attend to Celene, but she didn’t rush as she might have any other day. Perhaps it was because she was tired, or maybe it had more to do with Celene’s “advice” about enlarging the store, but India didn’t feel like treating her like a queen today. “Can I help you with something else?”

  Celene looked past India toward Liam. “Who is that man?” She wasn’t quiet about it, either.

  “Liam Parrish, the owner of the company putting on the benefit rodeo.”

  Celene didn’t actually turn up her nose and sniff, but she might as well have. Probably not a lot of rodeos or hard-working cowboys in the Back Bay of Boston.

  India was all for culture and nice things, but a person didn’t have to be a snob about it. Celene hadn’t gotten that memo.

  “You’d think he could have cleaned up a bit before he c
ame into town.” Thankfully, her words were a bit quieter this time.

  India nearly laughed. It wasn’t as if Liam was the first cowboy or ranch hand to stroll into town. After all, there was a hardware store on Main Street, and the Teagues owned one of the biggest ranches in the county.

  Celene heaved a sigh then handed India the entire pile of clothes she’d just tried on.

  “Would you like me to bag these up for you?”

  “No. I’m going to Dallas tomorrow. I think I’ll just wait and do my shopping there.” Celene pulled her designer handbag onto her shoulder and started for the front door without even meeting India’s eyes.

  India stood in stunned silence for several moments, listening to the sound of Celene’s heels on the wooden floor as she walked right past Liam and Ginny without even acknowledging them. Embarrassment flooded India that someone in Blue Falls would treat them so rudely.

  Not wanting to deal with Celene’s cast-offs, she tossed the pile of clothes onto the glass-topped table in front of the white chairs. When she turned and approached the front, Liam gave her a raised-eyebrow look. “Interesting lady,” he said with a look toward the door.

  She could tell exactly what he thought of Celene, but she admired how he didn’t bad-mouth her in front of Ginny.

  “And my landlord.”

  “Lucky you.”

  “She wasn’t friendly,” Ginny said.

  Liam and India looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  India slid onto her chair and squeezed Ginny’s little hand. “You are right about that. Must come with owning half of downtown, but enough about her. Where was I?”

  “You were telling me how I could help Mia.”

  “Yes.” India pointed out the front window toward Keri’s store. “You see that bakery over there?”