Lone Star Valentine

He remained maddeningly aloof. “Nothing.”

Trying not to wonder if the rest of him was as big and capable as his hands, she gave him a look. Waited.

He shrugged again. “I’m doing this pro bono.”

Charity? He was doing this as a charity case? Anger warred with pride. It was true, her salary as mayor wasn’t much, but she didn’t need much since she had accrued some savings before running for public office. “I don’t need your professional largesse, Gannon.”

A contemplative silence fell. He gave her a slow, reckless smile that quickly set her heart to pounding. “You really want to pay me back for my help?”

Talk about a loaded question! She regarded him matter-of-factly, letting him know with a glance she did not want to owe him any other favors, either. “Absolutely,” she snapped. “The sooner the better.”

He edged closer, inundating her with the sandalwood-and-spice scent of his cologne, and the brisk, masculine fragrance unique to him. “Then how about dinner—tonight?”

Lily blinked. “Are you for real?”

Another slow, seductive smile. “Very.”

Lone Star Valentine

Cathy Gillen Thacker

CATHY GILLEN THACKER is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heartwarming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter. A popular Mills & Boon® author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings, and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathy’s website, cathygillenthacker.com, for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favorite things.

Contents

Cover

Excerpt

Title Page

About the Author

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Rumor has it, you and Lily McCabe have been on the outs with each other for the past eight years.”

More like six, Gannon Montgomery corrected silently. Although it seemed longer since the two of them had shared a laugh. Or even a smile.

The relaxation he’d felt during the rare morning ride fading fast, he led his horse into the barn. “What’s your point?” Gannon demanded.

Rex Carter stepped back. “The last thing Laramie, Texas, needs is a young female mayor.”

Gannon could see how the once-popular good old boy opposite him could think that. He pulled off the saddle and removed the bridle, bit and reins. Hung them on the wall outside the stall. “Lily’s not that young. Just a few years shy of me.”

And, if memory served, incredibly sexy and smart, to boot.

Rex narrowed his gaze. “She’s twenty-nine.”

Gannon rubbed down the gelding, gave the horse plenty of water, then shut the stall door. He walked over to the sink at the rear of the barn to wash his hands. “Which, as it happens, is old enough for a lot of things. Including running for public office in Laramie County.”

Rex slapped his Stetson against the leg of his custom Western suit. “She’s an attorney, not a politician.”

The more things changed in the rural Texas area he’d grown up in, the more they stayed the same. Gannon sure was glad he now resided in Fort Worth. “Well, tell that to all the people who voted for her,” he retorted mildly.

As if recalling he’d been beaten in a landslide by the pretty and personable Lily McCabe, and forced to return to the real estate business his family owned, Rex scowled and ran a hand through his short, graying hair. “The point is, you’re not the kind of ‘celebrity judge’ the committee had in mind for the First Annual Laramie, Texas, Chili Cook-Off and Festival. And Mayor McCabe shouldn’t have asked you to do the honors.”

Gannon strode out into the unseasonably warm February day. He admired the rugged scenery and let the sage-scented breeze roll over him. “Lily didn’t have anything to do with my selection.” The request had come from a friend of his mother’s, who’d erroneously thought dragging Gannon back to join in the festivities would lead him to abandon his high-profile career and return home permanently.

“I agreed to do it because I figured it would be fun.”

And maybe give me a chance to mend fences with Lily, at long last. Assuming I could get her to put our old disagreements aside. A pretty big if, given her stubbornness and the acrimoniousness of the words that had been exchanged.

Gannon turned his gaze away from the clear blue skies. “And I thought you were here to talk about the sale of my family’s ranch.”

Which was—Gannon admitted guiltily, looking at the neglected grounds around the house and barns—in pretty sad shape. Mostly because neither he nor his mother had had the time or inclination to put any work into the defunct cattle ranch since his dad had died five years prior.

Rex straightened, all savvy go-getter once again. “I’ve definitely developed a plan for the Triple M.” He paused to look at Gannon, long and hard. “But to get you and your family top dollar, I’m going to need your full cooperation on every level.”

* * *

LILY MCCABE LISTENED to her assistant, her decision made as soon as the name was uttered. There was no way she wanted this particular Blast From Her Past. Her hand tightened on the telephone receiver that was, like almost everything else in the town hall, many years out of date. “Tell him I’m too busy to see him, but thank him for stopping by.”

“Tell him yourself,” an achingly familiar male voice suggested from the open portal of her private office.

Lily’s gaze lifted, and there he was. Gannon Montgomery. Big as life. Clad not in the elegant suit and tie she would have expected, but in a faded pair of jeans more suitable to his rodeo days, and a navy blue shirt that brought out his midnight eyes. His belt bore a championship buckle, and his brown leather boots were as comfortably worn as the Stetson he held against his thigh.

“Never mind.” Lily set down the phone with a sigh.

Ignoring the sensual tilt to his firm masculine lips, she pushed back her chair and stood. Then, remaining behind her large mahogany desk, she propped her hands on her hips. And tried, without success, not to notice how good he still looked. Even with his thick, short dark brown hair all rumpled, and a sandpapery-rough hint of beard rimming his chiseled face. Realizing she’d been staring, Lily dropped her gaze and found herself in even more tantalizing territory. Shoulders broad enough to lean on. Muscular chest and taut abs, all just begging to be touched. Not that she ever would.

Not after everything they’d once said.

And meant...

Lily’s eyes shot upward, heat filling her face.

“How did you get past my secretary?” she demanded. Dimples appeared on either side of Gannon’s rakish grin. He lifted a big square palm. “Good looks and charm. Same as always.”

An unwelcome rush of excitement roaring through her veins, Lily watched Gannon shut the door behind him and stride toward her.

Doing her best to project an aura of professional cool, she lifted a chastising brow first at him and then at the closed door. “Is that really necessary?”

He dropped his hat on a chair, every bit as confident—and maddeningly chivalrous—as she recalled. “Given what I have to tell you, yes.”

What was it about Texas men? she wondered. Always thinking the women in their life needed protecting, whether the women wanted that or not! She blew out a gusty breath and waited, with barely contained impatience, as Gannon roamed the Laramie mayor’s office, taking in the photos of her four-year-old son on her desk, the many plaques and awards on the wall. He turned back to her, smelling of fresh air, soap and man. “First off, thanks for selecting me to be on the judges panel for Laramie’s First Annual Chili Cook-Off and Festival.”

Lily grimaced. “I had nothing to do with it. It was your mother and Miss Mim.” The retired town librarian, who had known them all as kids. “She’s chairwoman of the event. Although, for the record, we all knew you’d be in town before then, since your mother’s newest statue is going to be unveiled in the town square day after tomorrow.”

Dark brow furrowing, Gannon paused. “Have you previewed my mom’s new artwork?”

She caught the undertone of worry in his low timbre. “No one in town has.” She paused. “I’m guessing you haven’t, either?”

Gannon shook his head. “My mother is keeping her sculpting studio under lock and key.”

Lily knew the retired art teacher had only been selling her work for a few years now, but was looking to make a splash with the work the town had commissioned for the upcoming festival. “Is that usual?”

“No.”

Lily told herself not to attach any particular significance to that. “I’m sure it will be amazing.”

He nodded tensely.

Deciding letting the situation get too personal could only lead to trouble, Lily pursed her lips. “Back to your invitation to judge...”

Broad shoulders flexed beneath his blue cotton shirt. “You were out of the loop on that,” he concluded with humor, not nearly as insulted by her derisive remark as she would’ve wished him to be. “So noted.”

As was much else...

Figuring if he was going to give her the lazy once-over, she may as well do the same to him, Lily let her glance admire the strong masculine planes of his handsome face before dropping once again to the sinewy contours of his chest and flat washboard abs. Lower still, the denim cloaked his long masculine legs and...

With effort, she forced her attention back to his taunting gaze and took a deep breath to allay the slight tremble of her knees. Then, in a slightly strained voice, she admitted, “Although if it had been up to me, counselor...” Given their former rancor and how closely the chili cook-off would force them to work together...

“I would not have been your first choice to be the head judge and the grand marshal of the parade?” he concluded softly.

Lily lifted her chin. “Probably not.”

He sauntered nearer, the warmth of his big body radiating outward. “You know, we could just call a truce.”

Surmising he was about to hit on her, Lily rolled her eyes. “Or not.”

He peered at her. “You sure you’re a politician?” Hands flat on the paper-strewn surface of her desk, he leaned toward her. “’Cause most politicians I know are prone to copious displays of kissing up.”

Or, in this case, just kissing.

Trying not to think about how long she had wanted to do that and somehow managed not to, Lily cleared her throat. “So you said there was another reason you were here?” she prodded in a crisp, businesslike tone.

For both their sakes, she wanted to get this tête-à-tête over with as soon as possible.

“Right.” Gannon pivoted away from her and went back to look at the photo of her and the current Texas governor, taken shortly after she had been sworn in.

He bypassed the hat taking up one of the upholstered chairs in front of her desk, and dropped lazily into the other. Then he stretched his long muscular legs out in front of him. “Rex Carter wants to oust you from your position as mayor.”

Lily sent a glance heavenward, cursing all the unnecessary drama. “Tell me something I don’t know,” she replied, deadpan.

“He’s serious about proving you unfit for office.”

Trying not to think how much she loved Gannon’s ruggedly chiseled features, as he stared at her with that look of worry on his handsome face, she sat down behind her desk and folded her hands in front of her. “And I’m serious about proving that I’m more than capable.”

A note of disbelief crept into his voice. “You really don’t care what Rex’s plans are?”

Lily hesitated. She did and she didn’t. “I can’t govern effectively if I spend all my time worrying about what everyone else is doing.”

“Even if the plan is to wreak as much havoc as possible on your weekend-long Valentine’s Day fund-raiser?”

“Rex loves Laramie,” she replied. “I think when it comes right down to it, he won’t want to see the town embarrassed. Especially since his family still has a business here, and could very well stand to profit if the chili cook-off is a success.”

Gannon paused. “I think you may be naive about him.”

Anger stabbed her heart, quick and brutal.

“And I think,” Lily responded just as candidly, rising yet again, “that is something you have said to me before.”

* * *

YES, GANNON THOUGHT UNHAPPILY, it was something he had said. And Lily had resented it so much she had ended their friendship. Although in that instance, too, he had turned out to be right.

A fact that had made her begrudge his innate protectiveness even more...

As she came around the desk toward him and then moved past him toward the door, he could see not much had changed.

Lily was still as gorgeous as ever, he noted, as he, too, got to his feet. Still liked to wear heels that made the most of her incredible showgirl legs. Her honey-blond waves tumbled just past her shoulders, with a swoop of long sexy bangs across her forehead. Standing half a foot shorter than him, at five foot nine, she was lithe and graceful, curvy in all the right places. A fact illustrated by the trim navy suit skirt and silky white shirt that adorned her delectable body.

“I said that with good reason, as it turned out,” Gannon shot back before he could stop himself. Her ex had treated her—and the son she’d eventually had with him—like dirt.

Lily flushed.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” she reiterated tightly.

The phone on her desk buzzed. Once, then again.

Looking grateful for the interruption, Lily strode back to answer it. “Yes?” She listened, then cast a look at Gannon over her shoulder. Harrumphed loudly. “Did Mr. Montgomery pay you to say that?”

Say what? Gannon wondered.

“No, I guess not,” Lily continued, miserably. She rubbed her temples. “And there are how many of them?”

Then she muttered something beneath her breath he couldn’t quite catch but sensed was very unladylike. “No. For heaven’s sake, don’t have them wait in the lobby! Show them to the conference room down the hall from my office. Yes. Including him. Tell them I’ll be right in. Yes. Yes!”

Lily hung up the phone.

Her hand was shaking.

Her face pale.

Then red.

Then pale again.

Seeing her so distressed, it was all Gannon could do not to wrap his arms around her and make everything okay. “Rex Carter?” he guessed.

Lily scoffed and ran a hand through her bangs, pushing them off her forehead. “Worse,” she moaned. “My son’s father.”

“Bode Daniels.” The star quarterback for the Dallas Gladiators football team.

Lily’s shoulders sagged as she nodded miserably. “And his sports agent, PR rep, publicist and two lawyers.”

That was quite an entourage. Gannon studied the expression on her face. “And you had no idea they were coming?”

“None.” Lily paled again as outside in the corridor a collection of convivial voices rose and fell. Their footsteps faded.

“Do you need a lawyer?” Gannon asked, only half joking.

“I already have one. Liz Cartwright-Anderson.”

Who was, Gannon reflected, also a mutual friend.

Lily reached for her suit jacket and slipped it on. “But Liz is on vacation with her family right now, at Padre Island.” And she was the best Laramie County had to offer.

Desperation mingled with the worry in her long-lashed turquoise eyes.

It got to him—big-time.

With effort, he once again resisted the impulse to take her in his arms and smooth a hand through her hair. Anything to comfort her. “Want me to fill in for her? I’m a family-law attorney, too.”

Lily looked tempted for a nanosecond, but then she shook her head. “No. I’ve got it.” She paused, as if steeling herself emotionally for the battle ahead. “I trust you can see yourself out...?”

Gannon sighed. She’d made it clear a long time ago that she didn’t want—or need—him. Probably never would. “Sure,” he said, just as coolly. “And, Lily?”

Their eyes held. For a moment, something shimmered between them, lingered like a dust mote on the air, then disappeared altogether. “Good luck with that—whatever it is.” He jerked his head in the direction the voices had gone.

She nodded. Her expression turbulent, she took off toward her meeting.

Gannon made it as far as the lobby in the town hall before the second thoughts set in. None of this was his problem. Lily’d articulated that numerous times. And yet...she was in trouble. And maybe her son, too. He could feel it in his gut.

He’d been brought up to never ever leave a lady in distress. That went double when an innocent little kid was involved.

He wasn’t about to start now.

Chapter Two

“I just need you to modify the custody arrangements,” Bode Daniels claimed.

This was news. Feeling as if she’d just sustained a punch to the gut, Lily sat down opposite him at the conference table. Both surrounded and outnumbered by her ex and his entourage, she worked to contain her shock and dismay. “In what way?” she asked calmly.

Bode rocked back in his chair and smiled charismatically, while his team of professionals wordlessly urged him on. “Give me custody of Lucas for a while.”

As if it were just that simple, Lily thought in astonishment. Who the heck does this guy think he’s dealing with? Emboldened by the fact that she had long ago ceased being a woman who could be easily charmed or seduced, she returned, just as easily, “Why?”

Sensing resistance, Bode tucked his hands into his armpits and set his jaw. “It’s complicated.”

Lily looked right at him. As her confusion faded, anger took its place. Another beat of silence fell. “I’ve got time.”

Her ex shoved a hand through his cropped white-blond hair, then adopted the earnest-but-likable look he had perfected for his signature cologne ads and continued, “You know I didn’t exactly have the best season last year.”

“No kidding,” Gannon Montgomery agreed cheerfully as he walked in unannounced, tray of vending machine coffees in one hand, a flat of pastries he’d commandeered from the break room in the other.

Lily turned toward him, relieved for the interruption.

As if reading her mind, Gannon winked.

“Exactly who are you?” Bode’s sports agent asked, clearly as surprised to see Gannon there as Lily was.

Bode dismissed Gannon with a glare. “He’s one of Lily’s law school buddies.”

Or at least Gannon had been, Lily noted silently, until Bode had come into the picture, just as she was getting ready to graduate.

“Actually,” the senior lawyer on Bode’s team, a distinguished man in his late forties, corrected, “this is Gannon Montgomery—one of the top family-law attorneys in Fort Worth.”

The other attorney, a young, good-looking woman with wiry ebony hair, squinted at Gannon. “Are you representing Ms. McCabe?” She clearly seemed to hope not.

Gannon looked at Lily.

He’d crashed her meeting and successfully intercepted Bode’s ridiculous demands. Now the ball was in her court.

Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to have another member on her legal team, particularly if it temporarily set her opponents off their game, Lily said what she knew to be the truth—at least in several other cases. “Mr. Montgomery is ‘of counsel’ with my family-law attorney, Liz Cartwright-Anderson.”

Meaning Gannon could advise on legal matters but wouldn’t do anything unless it became necessary, and then only at her current attorney’s discretion.

Which, Lily firmly intended, would not be the case.

Gannon beamed. As always, glad to be of service, even if it was only because he had strong-armed his way into the situation.

Lily stifled a small sigh.

“So where were we?” Gannon asked pleasantly, pulling up a chair and taking his place next to Lily.

“Bode wants me to hand over custody of Lucas for a little while.”

“Ah.” Gannon nodded, then turned to Bode, saying drolly, “Going to play the sympathy card with the press and public?”

His legendary cool fading, Bode’s eyes started to glaze over with barely contained anger, and Lily could see the skin on his neck reddening.

A telltale sign that he was about to implode.

But before Bode could do or say anything untoward—like leap across the table and grab Gannon by the collar—his attorney interjected sternly, “Bode is Lucas’s father. And up to now, my client’s had precious little time with his offspring.”

“And whose fault is that?” Lily spit out, before she could stop herself.

Gannon reached over and put a staying palm on her wrist. His touch sent an unexpected jolt of warmth rippling through her, which left her feeling even more flustered.

As it was meant to, his touch infused her with a sudden burst of calm.

“Bode will be a free agent in another month,” the sports agent continued.

So what? Lily thought impatiently but said instead, “Which means he could go to another team.”

“In another far-flung part of the country,” his agent emphasized. He paused to let his words sink in. “Bode doesn’t want that.”

Nor, if she were honest, did Lily. It was hard enough to arrange Lucas’s once-a-year meet and greet with his dad now.

The agent continued, “Right now, the Dallas Gladiators are hesitating to offer an early extension of his current contract to Bode. They are concerned he is not as popular with their fans as he once was.”

The public relations guru who managed Bode’s “brand” jumped in. “Our research has shown a big part of that is because Bode never fully recovered from the fallout over—”

“Dumping Lily after their whirlwind romance, publicly discounting his part in Lily’s pregnancy and then marrying a Venezuelan supermodel and promptly fathering two more children with his new bride—all the while ignoring his son with Lily?” Gannon set the record straight with a taunting smile. “Until the results of a court-ordered paternity test made that impossible, that is. Then, of course, Mr. Daniels had no choice but to own up.”

The PR expert must have noticed the way Bode was bristling, because she suddenly put her hand on the superstar athlete’s wrist. “Unfortunately for all, I think the confusion regarding Lucas’s paternity is what most people remember,” she said with a brand manager’s aplomb. “Which is why, for everyone’s sake, we need to remedy that perception, and make sure everyone knows what a devoted daddy Bode is to all his children. That starts with modifying the custody agreements.”