The Cowboy Takes a Bride (11 page)

“T
erms, terms, who cares? You're the best, Ross Denton.” She looked up at him, realizing that she'd just thrown herself into his arms. Judging by the expression on his face, he was just as surprised as she. His arms tensed around her and she noticed they were close enough to kiss. Her eyes drifted to his lips, the moment stalled and every thought vaporized into thin air.

Oh, no, girl!
She pulled back and he let her go easily. But as she moved away from him, her thoughts were spinning. And to her dismay, she wished for nothing more than to feel his arms around her, pulling her close again as he kissed her.

Crazy. Crazier than crazy. Now more than ever, it was imperative that she maintain a professional relationship.

“My terms are,” he said, clearing his throat and raking a hand through his hair, “that I'll help, but you'll have to take my advice. Because I still don't believe you have the slightest notion about what you are getting yourself into.”

That was no joke, she thought, as her eyes cried mutiny and dropped to his lips. “I agree,” she finally said. At that moment, she'd agree to anything. The man was letting her use his barn. That was all that mattered. She focused, and took a deep breath. She wasn't worried. She would be able to get him to see things her way once they got going. The key thing was just getting started.

For that alone she wanted to kiss him.

Who was she kidding—she just wanted to kiss him, period.

And that was not happening. No way. Not at all.

“Well, I guess you should check those steaks and I had better go check on those pickled prunes, or whatever it is I put on the stove. And—and then we can talk.” She hurried away as if she were being chased by a pack of beavers.

“If there are prunes in there, you're on your own,” he called after her.

“Hey, I'm so happy right now that I might eat them.”

 

On Monday morning, everyone was buzzing about Ross teaming up with Sugar.

“Now I just have to convince him to be the hero in my production,” she announced.

Haley groaned from across the office. “You are relentless. The poor guy doesn't know what he's unleashed. But I have to say that I think you and him together on stage would be a combustible duo.”

Even though she was thinking the same thing, Sugar snapped shut the file she was going through and gave her boss a “don't even think about it” look. She was hoping the message would translate to her own brain.
Stop thinking about it!

“You know you like him. I can see it in your eyes when y'all argue.”

Sugar took heart in the truth. “That is exactly it. We don't see eye to eye much. And I'm afraid this new venture is going to get pretty heated sometimes. The man may have finally given in, but the fact remains that he is mule stubborn.”

“Ha. And you aren't?”

“Well,
yeah,
I'm stubborn, but so what? I don't believe that stuff about how much fun making up can be.”

Haley rolled her eyes and opened the door to leave. “Believe me when I tell you that making up is a
lot
of fun. But that's not the point, and you know it. If you would give him half a chance, you might find out how much y'all have in common.”

Oh, she was more tempted to do just that. More tempted than she could afford to let herself admit. But she wasn't about to let Haley know that, so she just grunted. “What? That I want to be an actor and he doesn't?”

“Well, maybe you're right about that. But I can't help thinking you two might actually find some happy medium in all of this. Okay, gotta fly.”

Haley hurried to her car and Sugar went back to work. But she couldn't help glancing at the clock first. Just a few more hours, and then she was meeting Ross at the barn.
Her
barn. She could barely contain herself, just thinking about it.

An hour or so later, Applegate and Stanley came into the office. They stopped just inside the doorway and fidgeted, reminding her of two little boys. “Mornin', Sugar,” they said almost in unison, and nearly blew out the windows. Apparently, neither had their hearing aids turned on.

“Good morning. What can I do for you fellas?”

“It's what we can do fer you,” Applegate barked.

“Yup, you tell her, App,” Stanley said, nudging him with an elbow.

“Fer these here shows, you were a talkin' about how you were gonna need lights, right?”

Sugar nodded. “Sure.” She hoped to locate some large spotlights soon. She had a friend in L.A. scouting out used ones.

“And you need somebody to run them and the sound? We figure we could handle 'em fer ya.”

Had she heard them right? Sugar sat up straighter and looked from one man to the other. Applegate yanked on his waistband and then stood with his thin shoulders back, his thumbs hooked through his belt loops. Stanley ran a hand over his thinning hair and rocked back on his heels. Both men were nodding.

“But—”

Applegate waved a hand. “Now, Sugar, ‘but' ain't what we come ta hear you say. We're stinkin' bored ta death.”

“This re-tarment's about ta kill us,” Stanley snapped. “We thank this'll work, and we know we kin do the job. Sounds kinda fun.”

Their offer touched her. And really, what did she have to lose? She rose slowly. They wanted to help and she needed all of that she could get. She'd worry about their technical “know-how” later. “I can't pay much. And the hours are going to be long some days and sporadic on others.”

Applegate's bushy brows met as he looked from Stanley to her. “That means we're hired?”

Sugar nodded and prayed she wouldn't live to regret this. But there was no way she could turn them down. “Welcome to the show, boys.”

 

Ross was standing in front of the barn when Sugar drove up, and as he watched her bump along over the gravel road, he felt a mixture of dread and anticipation. When he wasn't disagreeing with her, he enjoyed her company. Yesterday had been no different. How could he be so leery of a person and yet so attracted to her at the same time? When he'd told her that he would help her, and she'd thrown herself into his arms, he'd almost lost his focus.

He was determined to ensure that that wouldn't happen again. This was business, and he'd do well to remember it.

“Hey, cowboy,” she called as she hurried out of her car. “I've been so excited about this that I could hardly work today.”

The woman's eyes were shining so brightly with joy that he couldn't help feeling charged up himself. She came to a stop in front of him, put her hands on her hips and looked up at him playfully. “Fancy meeting you here.”

His mouth went dry as he stared down into those eyes. “Yeah, imagine that.”

“Hey, I have news.”

“You do? What's that?” he asked, turning toward the barn so they would break eye contact.

“Applegate and Stanley offered to work lights and sound.”

That drew his gaze right back to her face. “What did you say?”

“I said yes. I think it will work out well. Haley already told me she was worried that her granddad was bored. So this will be good for him and Stanley. They were so excited.”

“Well, great. I know they can do it. They might be old, but they're both sharp as tacks. Like my grandpop. He worked right up until he passed away.”

“With you right there beside him, I bet. Just like you will be with Applegate and Stanley.”

Ross had thought of his grandpop a lot since his talk with the preacher. Once again, he contemplated the barn to avoid eye contact. “He'd really like that I'm helping you do this.” Ross knew it was true. “I couldn't stop thinking about it last night.”

“I'm glad, because I couldn't, either. You cannot imagine how happy you've made me. I was so full of ideas last night. I mean, I've been poring over scripts and skits since I got here, and nothing feels right. I've been toying with a one-woman show based on some vignettes, but I'm still not positive.”

“It will come.” They started toward the barn and he was overcome with the strongest sense of anticipation. He glanced at Sugar and could tell that she felt it, too. He pushed the door open, and she slowly stepped across the threshold and stopped.

“Oh, Ross, it's perfect. Can't you just see it? Families are going to come here and see our show, and they're going to laugh and smile and go home happy. It is going to be fantastic.”

“Yeah,” he said, tearing his gaze away from her animated face to view the silent, cavernous barn. “I can remember looking out over our audience back in Branson and seeing the families sitting together having a great time. I think that my grandpop got more joy out of that than any other part of the show.”

“What about you?” Sugar asked softly.

“I did, too. But like I said, for me there was always something missing. You know, for a long time, I had aspirations similar to yours.”

“You did?”

He smiled at her startled expression. “Not Hollywood, but Nashville. I thought that was my ultimate destination. But that was when I was in my teenage years, before I fully understood that it wasn't what I wanted. And that I wasn't talented enough.”

“Why do you say that? I loved the tone of your voice when you were singing to your tractor.”

He grunted. “My cows were listening, too. They don't mind a less-than-perfect voice. But entertaining isn't all about talent. You as well as I know that there are a million talented people out there.”

“Boy, do I ever,” she said.

“It's like that Tim McGraw song, ‘How Bad Do You Want It.' The lyrics talk about what it takes to make it in the music business. Like they say, you've got to want it so much that you're willing to sacrifice anything to get it. You've got to eat, sleep and dream it. It's got to be everything to you. I didn't have that drive. I didn't have the desire to risk my everyday happiness for something that could, but more probably wouldn't, happen. You have that, I think.”

Sugar nodded and let out a long breath. “I've always had such tunnel vision when it comes to becoming a star that the idea of not making it scares me silly. I just can't think about it. I've lived, breathed, dreamed it for so long…”

He smiled at her, knowing it was true.

“Hey,” she said, her jaw jutting. “If that's pity, then zip it. I love what I'm doing and where I'm going. I will make it. I will.”

He didn't doubt it. “It's not pity. Believe it or not, I admire your drive. And I do want to help you. I've got the background, and you were right when you said I shouldn't waste it.”

“You shouldn't. God gave it to you for a reason.”

Seeing her smiling up at him so sincerely, he knew this was what he was supposed to do.

He told her about talking with Pastor Allen the day before. “He said something else that got me to thinking. He said God may have meant my background to be my preparation for now. To bring me here to help you.”

She tipped her head to the side and smiled. “What do you think?”

She unnerved him, that's what he thought. The way she looked at him, the way she smiled at him. The way being around her kept him from thinking straight. “I believe he might be right.” Ross didn't add that it scared him, but it did. Looking at her, he knew that she had everything to gain from this partnership, while he…he had everything to lose.

W
ow. Ross thought God had prepared him to help her? Yesterday, she'd been grateful that Ross had finally agreed to do so. But now to know that he believed God had had a hand in it…it made his decision mean so much more.

“You know we are going to fight,” she said finally, half joking and half serious.

He crossed his arms across his chest. “Hey, didn't you hear? I'm the boss.”

Oh, the man was so appealing! “Hey, yourself, boss man. Let's get this show on the road.” She stepped farther into the barn, putting her focus back where it was supposed to be—on her dream.

He passed by her and crossed to the ladder leading to the hayloft. “This is where we'll produce the show—lights, sound. Come up.” He climbed the ladder practically before she had time to blink, his boots clicking on the wooden rungs. Cowboys.

She followed him up and took his offered hand at the top. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she still felt that jolt of awareness shoot all the way to her toes the instant his strong fingers wrapped around hers. Thankfully, as soon as she was standing beside him, he let go and moved a few steps away. She studied the expanse of open space. Feeling jumpy, she walked to the edge and pointed down toward the back of the barn. “This is your domain, and there is where I see the stage.
My
domain.”

“So far, so good.”

“This is my plan,” she said. “We're going to need lights. I'm thinking I'll rent the lighting and the sound system. I have some backing, but not enough to go out and buy something like that, at least, not at first. I was online last night and found a company that has everything I need. What do you think?”

He held up a hand. “Hold it. That's my department, remember? Let me make some calls and see what I can turn up. I still have a few connections.” He gave her a half smile and she gave him one right back.

“If you think you're going to get any complaints from me on that, you are wrong. If you have any way of getting the equipment at a good rate, then I'll wish you well and sit tight. Believe me, my brain is full enough already.” She stared down at the area where the stage would be. “I have all these ideas floating around in my head, but I just haven't got the entire picture yet. Not having to worry about every aspect is going to free me up so that I can concentrate.”

“You'll get it.”

She noted his encouraging smile and serious eyes and was struck by how good it felt to have someone to share this with her. She'd never had that before, and the very idea filled her with wonder.

“So tell me, what did you do in your family's show? Give me specifics.” She was overtaken with the urge to learn all about him.

“I sang. I'm not that funny and I'm a terrible actor. So I'll sing in your show, but don't think I'm doing any acting. I'll leave that to you.” He tapped her on the tip of her nose, his eyes twinkling. He seemed so at ease now that he'd made his mind up to help her.

She was suddenly aware again of how close he was. “I don't believe that you can't act.”

“Believe it. No acting for me.”

“I think you could be a star. We could do it together.” She wasn't teasing.

“Not if I can help it. Besides, even if you could work a miracle and I was suddenly Brad Pitt, that isn't something that appeals to me.”

She shook her head, clucking in disappointment. “I bet your family missed you when you left the show.”

“Nope. I have some really talented cousins. Not to mention my mom and my uncles.”

No way
was the guy not missed. He had so much presence. “I'd love to see your family's show sometime.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. “They tour a few times during the year. We get this up and running, they'll come do a show for you and the town.”

“Cool! That's a great idea, Ross.” Why hadn't she thought of that before? “After I'm gone, you could carry this on, book other shows. You know, mix it up a little. Really make something out of this place.”

“Maybe. We'll see.” Something unreadable flickered in his eyes. “After you're gone, it might not be the same.”

They were both silent at that.

She wasn't sure what to make of such a statement. Was it personal? She wasn't ready to explore that. Time to change the subject.
Fast.
“So come on, let me show you what I have in mind and you can tell me what you think.” She walked to the ladder and swung onto it. “We have a lot to get done in a short amount of time. So chop-chop.” She clambered down the ladder.

When she looked up, he was still standing there gazing down at her. Her heart hammered at the expression in those green eyes. Attraction had been their steady companion from the moment they met, but she knew he was just as intent as she was to keep it at bay. As she stared up at him, she had to remind herself that this could not get personal.

But from the way her heart was hammering inside her chest, she knew she would have a struggle on her hands.

 

A little over a week later, on a Thursday morning, Sugar walked over to Sam's to grab a cup of coffee. A much-needed cup, since she'd been up most of the night working on the skits. Pushing through the heavy swinging door of the diner, she almost ran into Applegate and Stanley heading out.

“Hey, guys, what's up?” It was not quite eleven o'clock and they normally played checkers until almost noon. Even helping out with the theater hadn't interfered with their checkers playing.

The sweet old grumps had been out to the barn for the last five nights, making sure all the cowboys who'd shown up to build the benches and stage were doing things right. She'd been amazed by all the folks who had come to pitch in, and couldn't believe how quickly things were happening.

“Nothin's up,” Applegate said, shooting her a look that could only be described as guilty.

“Oh, yeah?” she asked, her curiosity rising a notch.

“Does a man have to be up to somethin' jest because he's movin' around?”

“Um, no,” she said. “I didn't mean it literally. I guess I meant to say good morning.”

“Good mornin' ta you, too,” Stanley said, then shoved Applegate past her. “Now get a move on, App, time's a wastin'.”

They disappeared through the swinging door and she watch them through the window as they practically jumped into App's truck. At least Applegate did. It took Stanley three tries to get his short, plump leg raised high enough to step on the running board so he could pull himself into the vehicle.

“You here fer some of that fancy coffee you like so much?” Sam asked, coming to a halt beside her and startling her so badly she jumped.

“Yes. Now tell me, what's up with them?”

“You kidding? With those two, who knows?” the wiry man grunted and led the way to the counter.

She slid onto a stool and watched as he lifted the canister filled with a mixture of cinnamon, cocoa and sugar he'd concocted just for her. She still couldn't get over the fact that he'd done such a thing. She smiled as he dumped a spoonful into the bottom of a paper cup, filled it with coffee, then snagged a can of whipped cream out of the fridge. Looking more like a man using a fire extinguisher than a coffeehouse barista, he blasted the coffee mixture with enough topping to put out a small forest fire, then slid it her way.

It wasn't Starbucks, but Sugar had gotten used to Sam's equivalent. That he tried so hard to give her what she wanted touched her. And really, the mixture he'd come up with was delicious, with just enough cinnamon and cocoa to satisfy her taste buds. Who'd have thunk it?

“Still don't know why you want ta mess up a good cup of coffee with that concoction,” Sam grumbled, watching her take a sip. “What's more unbelievable is now I got several other ladies comin' in here orderin' the same awful drank.”

She grinned at him. “You should charge us four bucks a cup and you'd make a mint.”

He scowled. “Them ingredients don't cost me any more'n sugar and cream, and you don't see me chargin' anybody fer
that,
do ya?”

She had a feeling the whipped cream added to the cost a bit, but he did have a point on the rest. “You're a real sweetheart, Sam, you know that? Your Adela is a lucky woman.” Sugar hopped off the stool. “I'll catch you later. And thanks for this.”

“Anytime. And it's me who's the lucky one when it comes to my Adela. All the whipped cream in the world don't even begin to compare to that sweet little lady.”

Sugar was feeling happy as she left. True love was such a nice thing to see, and when Sam and Adela looked at each other, it was evident that they truly had something special.

Heading out the door, Sugar marveled at how her perception of Mule Hollow had changed over the last couple of weeks. The people, the town, even the wall-to-wall wood of the diner had grown on her since her first day. She still couldn't see spending her whole life in a place this small, but she could understand its appeal.

“Load up,” Haley said, meeting her on the sidewalk in front of the office. “I need your opinion on a couple of color schemes before the painters come.”

“You're the boss.” Sipping her coffee, Sugar climbed into Haley's car. Her friend had not only opened a real-estate office, but was also refurbishing and flipping a few properties. Slowly but surely. That was the thing about Mule Hollow real estate—it moved at a snail's pace compared to the L.A. market. Haley didn't seem to mind, though. It had been a total surprise to Sugar how much her friend enjoyed decorating. She'd invited her to get involved in a flip, but Sugar didn't have the extra time or the desire.

“Haley, I have to be honest with you. I totally couldn't understand you giving up your career in Beverly Hills real estate to come out here and do this.” She looked around the place that she'd first seen in Haley's e-mailed pictures a few months before. “This is wonderful, though. I sort of get it now. For you, not me.”

Haley laughed. “‘Sort of' is better than you telling me I was stark raving mad like you did for so long.”

Sugar looked sheepish. “I was a little brittle, wasn't I?”

“Were you ever—but I always thought that once you came out here, met Will and saw what I was doing, you'd see the light. By the way, are we still on for dinner Saturday night?”

Sugar studied the paint chips Haley had given her. Haley and Will had invited her and Ross to dinner at their house. “Sure are. But, Haley, I hope you aren't getting any ideas. I mean, Ross and I are working okay together. But…”

“You know you like him.”

“I'm not going to deny it. The man is…likable. But we have an understanding.”

“And what's that?”

“We both understand that we are nothing more than business partners. Anything personal would be a mistake. You know that's true.”

Haley pouted. “I don't like it. I want you to fall in love and stay here. He's perfect for you.”

Sugar rolled her eyes, not about to let her friend know exactly how attracted she was to Ross. “That won't happen, so stop.”

“But you have to admit that the man is really bending over backward to make your dream come true. You can't tell me he's going to all this trouble just because he thinks it's the right thing to do.”

“Yes, I can. Partly. And the other part…well, he doesn't know it, but deep down, he wants to do it.”

“For you?”

“No, silly. For himself. You should see him when he talks about working with his grandpop. His eyes sparkle. There's still a connection there and I think he really misses it. He just won't admit it. I haven't gotten it totally figured out. But I'm going to.”

Haley didn't say anything, just smiled.

“Stop that,” Sugar said. “Stop thinking whatever it is you're thinking.” Haley could hope and even pray, but Sugar was not going to fall in love with Ross, get married and live happily ever after in Mule Hollow, Texas. It wasn't going to happen. She wouldn't let it. No matter how much she'd come to treasure the time spent working beside him.

This was business, and when the time came, she would be out of here. She'd not given anyone any reason to expect any differently. She'd made no promises that would bind her in any way, and that was how it would remain.

“Besides, Haley,” she said as they left the house, colors chosen. “There is still so much to do before we are anywhere near ready for a show. Do you realize,” she said as they climbed back into the car, “opening night is scheduled for the third weekend of August? I'm not near prepared. Not only do I not have my skits totally figured out, but I have no lights or sound system. Ross said he'd take care of it, but it's been a week, and so far, nothing. When I ask him about them, he just tells me not to worry.”

Haley laughed. “It's only
been
a week. Relax. I'm sure he's got it under control.”