Accidental Cowgirl (34 page)

Decker slapped Chance’s flank to send him off to graze, then settled Kyla ever so gently on a buffalo-plaid picnic blanket on the grass. He sat down on the other side of the blanket, elbows casually on his knees. “Like the view?”

Kyla gazed down the valley. The meadow was a shade of green she’d never find in a crayon box, bordered by those dark green, almost-blue pines. Late-summer flowers were in bloom, dotting the grass with yellows and oranges. She sighed. “How could anyone
not
like the view?”

“I always thought I’d build a house up here someday.” Decker sounded wistful.

Kyla nodded. “I can see why. I can’t imagine there’s any better view on the whole ranch.”

“There isn’t.”

“Did you ever doodle a design? Imagine what the house would look like?”

Decker smiled, then laid back on his folded hands. “A million times, depending mostly on my favorite TV shows at the time.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“Oh, it was. For a while, Cole and I were watching old
Brady Bunch
reruns.”

“No way. You designed a Brady house?”

“You’d be surprised. That stuff is coming back. Have you looked at a furniture catalog
lately?”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the birds and the breeze. Kyla leaned back on her elbows, soaking in the warm sunlight. Then Decker sat up, suddenly serious. He looked down the valley again, then back at her. After a long moment, he took a breath and let it out slowly. “Kyla, in the spirit of getting everything out into the open …”

Uh-oh. She didn’t like where this was going.

“I know there’s more to the Wes story than you told me.”

Kyla’s chest clutched. Oh, no. “How’d you find out?”

“Cole showed me the newspaper yesterday.”

“So you know I was innocent.”

Decker plucked a blade of grass and fiddled it between his fingers. “I never would have doubted it, sweetheart. But why didn’t you ever tell me?”

His use of the endearment practically made Kyla melt. She shrugged slowly. “I don’t know, Decker. It’s not really a great item for polite conversation. And by the time I might have told you, you were so furious with me that it
definitely
wasn’t the right time.”

He nodded slowly, thoughtful. “I’m not sure I can find the words to tell you how sorry I am about that, Kyla.” He leaned back toward her, resting on his elbow beside her. “I have had a hellish amount of garbage running around my brain for ten years, and it kind of came to a head coming back here.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“Me neither, really. It’s almost surreal being back. I’ve spent so long convincing myself that I didn’t belong here that having the chance to be at Whisper Creek feels like, I don’t know, this Christmas gift that I’m afraid someone might yank away.” He shook his head. “Never mind. That sounds stupid.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“I suppose by now you know about Emily.” He sat up slowly and turned away from her.

“Jess told me last night.” Kyla sat up, moved closer to him. “I’m so,
so
sorry, Decker. There just aren’t words.” She put a tentative hand on his shoulder, and to her relief, he reached up and took hold of it, hard.

They sat in silence for a long moment, and then Decker took a deep breath and reached toward a rolled-up piece of paper he’d brought with him. “I want to show you something.”

“Okay.” Kyla nodded slowly. “Is it my refund certificate?”

Decker laughed softly. “No.” He unrolled it slowly, laying it across the blanket in front of them. “It’s just some silly dreaming.”

Kyla took a deep breath as she looked at the drawing before her. Decker stayed silent beside her, watching her view the plans. “Oh, my God, Decker. This is incredible. You designed this for right here, didn’t you?” She looked down at the plans, then up to scan the view in front of her. The house he’d sketched had windows upon windows, huge rooms, fireplaces. It was a dream house.

“Yeah, I did.”

“These look like almost-real plans. Like you’re really going to build this.” She put the papers down in her lap. “Are you?”
And are you, by any chance, going to ask me to share it with you? Please? Even though we’ve only known each other for two weeks and that would be completely, utterly insane?

“I don’t know.”

“Is the city calling you back?”
Please say no
.

“No more than it’s calling you.”

“You want to stay, don’t you?” Kyla was quiet, willing him to look into her eyes.

Finally, he looked up. “I do.”

“Then you should.”

“Easier said than done.” He scrubbed his fingers through his hair.

“Why? You have a partner, right? Can’t you figure out a way to make it work if you stay here and he handles the L.A. end of things?” Even to her own ears it sounded ridiculously simplistic. Of course he couldn’t just up and leave his thriving L.A. business and move back to the family ranch.

He sighed. “I’ve actually had another offer.”

Kyla’s heart sank. So that’s why he couldn’t stay. He’d probably been offered some high-powered job designing glass office buildings in Tokyo or something. “Where’s the other offer?”

“Here.”

Here? Really?
“You mean for Ma?”

Decker shook his head. “Nope. It’s a design job. Good money, excellent partner, real houses.”

“That sounds like a dream.”

“Would be.”

“But?”

He turned toward her, then pulled the plans out of her lap. He found the sheet with the floor plan and pointed at a huge room on the second story. “Do you see this?”

Kyla looked down. Unfortunately, she wasn’t very well-versed in architectural drawings, so she wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. “I see it, but what am I looking at?”

“That’s the master bedroom.”

Kyla gulped. “Wow. It’s huge. Is that a fireplace?” Decker nodded. “And there are what, eight windows? Good God, it’d be like you’re practically outside.” He nodded again. “I’m pretty sure I don’t see a problem, Decker. It’s gorgeous. You should build it.”

“I want to.”

“But?”

He turned toward her suddenly, holding his hands in front of him like he had an invisible bowling ball. “Kyla, this isn’t a plan I’ve had in my head for years. This is a plan I drew up
last night
while I was taking care of Kismet. When you were still at the hospital with Jess and Hayley.” He reached out tentatively to hold her hands, and she felt tingles from her pinky toes to her eyebrows. “But I can’t build this house, Kyla.”

In a voice so small she could barely hear it, she said, “Why not?”

“Because you’re leaving tomorrow. And for some absolutely insane reason I still can’t understand because I am
not
the kind of guy who goes under this hard and this fast, I don’t
want
this house unless you’re in it.

“Every room I drew, I imagined you walking through. Every window, I wanted the view to be just right for you. Every wall I drew and erased, I knew I wanted this house to be a place where you were never out of my sight. The rooms on the second floor? I wanted a little girl in this one and a little boy here.” He pointed at the paper. “And I imagined this little barn here full of baby sheep and ponies for the kids.”

“Are you sure
you’re
not the one suffering from smoke inhalation?” She strove to keep her tone light, but knew the spots on her cheeks were probably giving her away.

“Very funny. I’m trying to be serious here.”

Kyla’s heart was beating so fast she was sure he must be able to hear the pulse thumping in her ears. “Decker …”

He put a hand up. “Don’t say it, Kyla. I know it’s a silly dream. I’ve only known you for two weeks, and it’s a sure mark of insanity that last night I sat and drew us a house. With kids in
it. I’m sure you’d be hightailing it down the hill if you could walk right now, so please, don’t say anything.”

Kyla let go of his hands and pulled the drawings back to her own lap, shaking. She forced herself to speak in as calm a voice as possible. “Where’s the kitchen sink?”

Decker looked up. “What? Where’s the what?”

“The sink, Decker. The kitchen sink.”

He looked at her like she was the crazy one now, then pointed at a spot under a window. “It’s right here.”

“Is it one of those farmhouse ones with the big white front?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t know, really. Can’t say I’d gotten quite that far.”

Kyla nodded, then rolled up the plans and tucked them back under the thermos. “Well, I want one of those big white sinks. If I can’t have that, then no deal.” Decker blinked slowly, looking at her like she’d just woken up from another concussion and he wasn’t sure she was really with it.

Kyla waved her hands in front of his eyes, then snapped her fingers. “Oh! And can we have a sleigh bed? I’ve always dreamed of a king-sized sleigh bed in front of a fireplace. Just like a B&B, only it’s your own home. How dreamy would
that
be on a winter night?”

Laughter bubbled out of her as Decker leaped the distance between them and collapsed her in a bear hug. They rolled from side to side for a few moments, laughing, and then he pulled away, suddenly serious. “We can take it slow. I know I’ve put you through hell since you got here. This is crazy. Totally crazy. But God, I think I love you.” He brushed her hair back from her face and looked into her eyes for a long minute before he leaned in to brush her lips with his, exquisitely gentle.

“You
think
? Decker—” She pushed him away gently.

“You can’t change your mind that quickly. Please, no.” He grinned as he stroked her face.

“There’s only one problem, really.”

“Name it. We can fix it. I don’t even care what it is. We’ll figure it out.” His words were so tender, his eyes so intense, Kyla could barely breathe.

“Do you know how to build bunk beds?”

Decker’s forehead furrowed. “I suppose I could figure it out. Why? Do you have a secret
batch of kids, too?”

“No.” Kyla laughed. “But I want a whole houseful of them. At least two of each.” She raised her eyebrows in challenge. “I don’t want anyone in our house to ever be alone.”

Decker grinned as he laid Kyla back on the blanket. “A whole houseful?” He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips.

“Mmm-hmm,” she murmured.

He found the top button on her blouse and popped it through its hole. “Should we get started right away?”

“Oh, yes. Definitely right away.” Kyla moaned as his lips moved lower.

Decker paused his hands and pulled back to look into her eyes. “But right now, right here, I want just you and me.”

Kyla smiled as she pulled him close. “Definitely. Just you and me.”

Acknowledgments

Huge thanks go first to my fantastic agent, Courtney Miller-Callihan. Her unwavering support and dedication make her truly a gem.

To Sue Grimshaw and the entire Loveswept team, thank you so much for making this first ride such a grand adventure. I’m thrilled to join the Loveswept family!

To the incredibly talented ladies of NHRWA for all the hugs, cheers … and chocolate, and especially to Tam-Tam, who brought me to my first meeting, and despite my best efforts, never lost me in NYC.

To the extraordinary, fearless Bartlett Bunnies—your fabulosity knows no bounds. I’m lucky to call you friends.

To Ken and Kelley Robie for sharing their equine expertise. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone!

To my family … for giving me space to grow, for making me laugh, and for putting up with way too much pizza for dinner. I promise to learn to cook. Someday.

And lastly, I’m lucky to call the brilliant, hilarious Jennifer Brodie my friend and critique partner, and am ever thankful for her keen eye, her delightful Scottish accent, and her supersized scissors. Chop-chop!

M
AGGIE
M
CGINNIS
started writing when her twins were infants and she was desperately seeking sanity. The fact that she found it only with imaginary people makes her a bit concerned, but at least they do what she tells them to … usually. She lives in New England, though she spends an inordinate amount of time on Arizona real estate sites in mid-January. While snow piles up to her windowsills, she cyber-stalks the blue skies and pink houses of the Southwest. It’s cheaper than therapy …

She used to be an English teacher, a certified black belt, and a cool-car driver. Then … twins. Now she swills caffeine while driving the one vehicle she swore she’d never own: a minivan. It sort of hurts even to admit it
.

You can find Maggie blogging at
www.maggiemcginnis.com
and on the Romance at Random site (
www.romanceatrandom.com
), or tweeting away (
@Maggie_McGinnis
), but she has thus far resisted the siren call of Pinterest because she knows herself, and fears there is no coming back from that place. Write to her at
[email protected]
. She’d love to hear from you!