Boots and Bareback: Ugly Stick Saloon, Book 3 (17 page)

“I don’t have your confidence.”

Audrey crossed both arms. “Have I ever given you bad advice?”

Isabella thought through all the time she’d spent with Audrey. “The time you recommended the hot wings. I thought I’d eaten battery acid. The sauce was hot enough to strip paint.”

“Okay, other than the hot wings?” Audrey waited.

“No.”

“Exactly.” Audrey threw a bright turquoise blouse at Isabella. “Jump in the shower, then put that on. The better you look, the better you’ll feel.”

“Whatever.” Isabella stepped into the bathroom, switched on the shower and stripped out of her T-shirt and panties. She didn’t feel like showering or getting dressed, but if she didn’t, Audrey would do it for her.

The shower revived her a little, washing away the ravages of her tears. When she’d dried off, she slid her arms into the blouse and tied a knot at her waist, exposing her midriff, then walked out into her bedroom.

“Better.” Audrey nodded. “If you show up like that, I guarantee you’ll get all the tips for the night. I’d tip you myself.”

Isabella glared at Audrey. “I’m not working in nothing but a shirt.” She reached into her panty drawer and pulled out a black lace thong.

“Still, you’re pretty damned hot in that. Stirs my juices, and I’m completely happy with Jackson. Hmm. I wonder if he’d go for a threesome with another girl…”

Isabella straightened, her troubles melting away at the heat in Audrey’s gaze. Then Isabella shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve never gone there with a woman, and with three men to choose from, I’m confused enough.”

The beautiful blonde owner of the Ugly Stick Saloon shrugged. “Let us know if you change your mind. Jackson’s pretty flexible…when I want him to be.” Audrey rescued a pair of cutoffs from the floor. “In the meantime, wear these if you’re not up to a little exhibition.”

When Isabella had on clothes and her cowboy boots, Audrey hooked her arm and dragged her toward the door.

“What’s your hurry?” Isabella stalled. “I thought Libby was opening the bar tonight?”

“We have a surprise special event I can’t be late for.”

Isabella groaned. “What event? I don’t recall anything on the schedule.” She wasn’t up to a huge crowd. Hell, she wasn’t up to anything at that moment.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now would it?”

Isabella dug her boot heels into the carpet. “You’re not planning anything around me, are you?”

Audrey’s brows wrinkled. “Not everything revolves around you, dear.”

She let Audrey drag her out the door and into her bright red pickup. “I can drive myself.”

“I don’t trust you to get there.”

“Yet you expect me to trust you? That’s just wrong in so many ways.”

Audrey crooked her thumb toward her truck. “Get in. I promise you’ll feel better once you’re at the Ugly Stick.”

Isabella climbed into the cab and leaned her head against the cool window. “I have to pack.”

“One day at a time, dear.”

“I have to give notice to my landlord.”

“Focus, Isabella. You have to work tonight.”

Dusk settled into night as, one by one, the stars twinkled to life in the huge Texas sky.

Why did the stars have to shine? They only reminded Isabella of the wedding night when she’d gone skinny-dipping in the creek with Gabe, Sean and Tanner. Her heart squeezed so tightly her chest hurt. She had to remind herself that she was doing the right thing. The O’Brien men deserved to find the loves of their lives. Each one settling down with a wife, having children and gracing their father with all the grandchildren he could manage. The way it
should
be.

Trucks and cars lined the parking lot at the Ugly Stick Saloon.

Isabella raised her head, her feet already hurting with the thought of all the drinks she’d be serving to keep up with the crowd if she was one of the only waitresses there. ”Wow, you weren’t kidding you needed help.”

“See? I wouldn’t have dragged you out of your bed if it wasn’t important.”

“You can count on me.” Isabella squared her shoulders, preparing for a rough night. “For tonight. After that, I really have to find a job in another town. I can’t be here and watch them fall in love with someone else.”

“Worry about that tomorrow, honey.” Audrey parked the truck out front.

“Why aren’t you parking in the rear?”

“Uh, I had some work done on the asphalt back there. We have to let it dry before we can drive on it.” She yanked the keys from the ignition and jumped down. “Come on, Libby’s probably dying in there.”

Isabella eased down out of the truck, her heart breaking all over again, a fresh wash of tears welling. She’d first met the O’Brien man at the Ugly Stick. She’d made love to them on the dance floor a little more than a week ago. Her feet drifted to a stop.

“Oh no, you’re not backing out on me now. You have to go inside.” Audrey hooked Isabella’s arm and dragged her across the pavement to the entrance.

“I can’t.”

“You can. Trust me.” Audrey hugged her close. “I love you, girl. You can do this.” Then she turned her to face the door, swung it inward and pushed Isabella through.

“She’s here!” someone shouted.

Isabella blinked, trying to focus on the crowd in the barroom. Something big stood in the center of the dance floor. Bigger than a man and shaped like a…

“Is that a horse?” Isabella whispered.

Audrey leaned close to her ear. “Not just a horse. Go on. See for yourself.”

Isabella’s heart skipped several beats and then raced ahead.

The horse tossed his head and whickered as if sensing her presence.

“Sundance?” Isabella stumbled forward, tears filling her eyes. “Is that you, boy?”

The crowded bar was surprisingly quiet, every cowboy and cowgirl in the place aware of how spooked a horse could become by excessive noise.

“Go on, Isabella.” Charli Sutton, lugging a tray loaded with beer mugs and whiskey shooters, grinned as Isabella passed her. “This is all for you. And let me tell you what a treat those O’Brien boys are.” She winked and moved on.

“This is for me?” Isabella squeaked. “But I don’t understand.”

“Give the cowboys a chance to explain,” Audrey said from behind her.

The aisle to the dance floor opened, giving Isabella a clear path.

Sean held Sundance’s lead rope. Gabe and Tanner stood beside him. All three men were dressed in their best-pressed jeans, crisp white cotton shirts, cowboy hats and boots, and polished rodeo belt buckles. The best looking-cowboys in the whole darned place as far as Isabella was concerned.

“How did you find him?” Isabella reached out and smoothed her hand over the nervous stallion’s velvety nose. She swept her fingers over the side of his neck and buried her tear-drenched face in his mane. “I can’t believe you found him.”

“It took some doin’, but we did,” Gabe said.

She pulled away from the horse and faced the men. “Why?”

“From what we gathered,” Gabe nodded toward his brothers, “Sundance means a lot to you.”

“We want you to continue on as his trainer.” Sean stepped forward, offering her the lead.

“At the Rockin’ O Ranch,” Tanner added.

“Yeah, it’s a bribe.” Gabe smiled.

Isabella took the lead rope, her head swinging side to side. “I have money. I can pay you for him.” She snorted softly. “It’s O’Brien money anyway.”

“The horse isn’t for sale.” Gabe held out his hand for Isabella’s. “We want you to come with him. He obviously loves you as much as you love him.”

Adding emphasis, Sundance nudged Isabella’s arm.

“I can be Sundance’s trainer?”

“Yeah, you don’t have to work here at the Ugly Stick if you don’t want to.” Sean smiled. “Although it would be okay with us if you still did.”

Isabella cast a glance at her boss. “I kinda got used to it.”

“I’d love if you could help out during the busy times,” Audrey offered. “But I’d completely understand if you quit altogether.” She grinned. “You’ll be pretty busy at the ranch.”

Her gaze met Tanner’s. “I’d want to help out with all the animals and work.”

“That’s what we love about you, Isabella.” Tanner gave her one of his rare smiles.

She soothed a hand over Sundance’s nose, handing the lead to Gabe, her heart breaking. “I can’t. I’d feel like a charity case.”

“Not at all, sweetheart.” Sean elbowed Gabe. “Tell her the rest.”

Gabe dug in his pocket and pulled out a small black jewelry box.

Isabella’s eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

Gabe dropped to one knee. “Isabella Severs, Sean, Tanner and I promise to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of our lives. In return, we just want you to be a part of ours. Please, will you marry me?”

Isabella blinked. “But what if I don’t want a traditional life?”

“We want to provide for you and make sure you’re taken care of should anything happen to one or all of us,” Gabe insisted.

With Gabe at her feet, offering her the world, all Isabella’s dreams were within reach, but she was afraid it was all still a dream. “What about your father? Won’t he be disappointed?”

Jonathon O’Brian cleared his throat and stepped up beside Isabella. “I’d be proud to have you as a daughter-in-law.” His chest puffed out and he smiled. “I picked you for the bachelor party for a reason. And darned if my boys didn’t all fall in love with you. I’m happy if they’re happy.”

“Any other objections?” Gabe asked. “Gettin’ a little cramped down here.”

Isabella’s head spun and her knees wobbled. “I don’t know what to say.”

Tanner removed his cowboy hat and pressed it to his heart. “All you gotta do is say yes.”

Sean’s brows dipped. “You do love us, don’t you?”

A laugh bubbled up Isabella’s throat. “More than life.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Audrey piped in.

“Yes!” Isabella pulled Gabe to a standing position and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

Gabe whispered into her ear. “You do realize you get three grooms for the price of one wedding ring, don’t you?”

Her eyes teared up again, this time with happiness. “Yes, I do.”

Tanner and Sean joined the hug.

They didn’t break it up until Sundance wanted in on the action, nudging Tanner’s back hard enough to make the entire group stumble.

Gabe slipped the ring on Isabella’s finger. “We better get Sundance outta here before he gets antsy.”

“Good idea.” Audrey nodded toward the business end of the horse. “Do it before he leaves a present.”

Laughter rose from the crowd of well-wishers.

Isabella led the horse out the front entrance and around to the back where they’d hidden the horse trailer. For a long moment, she hugged Sundance, talking to him softly, reassuring him that she’d never let him go again. She loaded him in the trailer, unable to believe her life had just turned a one-eighty.

Once they had the horse settled, Gabe pulled Isabella into his arms and kissed her soundly. When he came up for air, he stepped aside.

Tanner smoothed a hand along the side of Isabella’s cheek. “I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy.” He kissed her gently, his tongue delving past her teeth to swirl around hers.

Isabella’s heart melted all over again at the tenderness the gruff cowboy was capable of. She kissed him back, loving the way he held her.

When Tanner released her, Sean swept her off her feet and danced around the parking lot, whooping. “We’re gonna have a great life. Just you wait and see.” He smacked a kiss on her cheek and a more passionate one on her lips, then he set her on her feet. “Where to?”

Breathless, her heart racing with the excitement of her engagement to the three strong cowboys, Isabella could think of only one place she’d rather be. “Anyone up for a little skinny-dippin’ in the moonlight?”

“Sweetheart, you’re makin’ a habit of it. Not that I’m complaining.” Gabe lifted her into his arms and strode the length of the horse trailer to his truck, depositing her in the passenger seat with a kiss to the end of her nose.

Half an hour later, Isabella and Gabe settled Sundance into his new home in the Rockin’ O Ranch horse barn.

Sean led Stormy and his own gelding out of their stalls and slipped bridles over their heads.

Tanner readied his mare and Gabe’s stallion.

As a full moon made a grand ascent into the night sky, Isabella and her three men rode out across the grasslands, bareback and in love.

She let her horse have her head, galloping over the rolling terrain. Isabella threw back her head and laughed, breathing in the warm Texas air, the scents of hay, horse and dust more familiar and reassuring than the beer and whiskey of the Ugly Stick.

As she neared the creek, she slowed Stormy to a sedate walk, admiring the way the moon reflected off the still waters.

Sean rode up on her left. ”Have you thought about when you want to get hitched?”