From friendship to passion...to forever?

Only if she doesn’t marry the wrong man first...

Lauren never got over her childhood crush on Cooper, but she’s grown up now and ready to settle down. She even agrees to plan her upcoming wedding at his ranch, but in close quarters, she’s second-guessing her groom and yearning for Cooper’s forbidden embrace... Then she discovers the rancher’s ulterior motive. Will she walk down the aisle with the wrong man?

CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty romance novels. She writes sensual contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favorite authors and spending time with her family. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter, write to her at PO Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308 USA, or sign up for her newsletter for fun blogs and ongoing contests at www.charlenesands.com.

Also by Charlene Sands

Her Forbidden Cowboy

The Billionaire’s Daddy Test

One Secret Night, One Secret Baby

Twins for the Texan

Sunset Surrender

Sunset Seduction

The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch

Redeeming the CEO Cowboy

The Texan’s Wedding Escape

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Texan’s Wedding Escape

Charlene Sands

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07636-4

THE TEXAN’S WEDDING ESCAPE

© 2018 Charlene Swink

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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This book is dedicated to my friends and terrific authors Leanne Banks, Lynne Marshall and Robin Bielman, who all had a hand in helping me plot the delicate balance of this story.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Extract

One

He hit Delete on his laptop, wiping out names and phone numbers of the women he’d dated, wanted to date or just plain thought were freaking gorgeous. Instantly, Cooper Stone’s fun-loving, party-till-you-drop days were over, ended by a finger stroke on the keyboard. It was equivalent to burning his little black book, only nobody carried a little black book anymore. Things had gotten too damn sophisticated, but the end result was the same. Cooper Stone was out of the running. It was a long time coming, six months to be exact.

He wouldn’t miss those names.

Not like he missed his buddy, Tony Abbott.

One minute he was laughing alongside him in the car, their heads thrown back, enjoying life to the fullest, and the next, he was silenced by the stony sound of death. The quiet in that moment still rang in Cooper’s head, still tormented him. Everything had stopped, everything had gone numbingly cold. Tony had died instantly and the drunken driver behind the wheel of the car that had plowed into them had escaped without injury. So had Cooper. And he’d never forgiven himself for that.

Deleting those names was only a formality. He hadn’t been a party animal since that night. And he never would be again. Some things just left a mark and the imprint of that horrible crash brought him full circle. He now lived quietly on his ranch at Stone Ridge and poured himself into his entrepreneurial businesses.

“Hey, Coop, you need some company today? I’m willing to drive out with you.”

“Thanks, bro. But you don’t have to do that. I’ve got this.”

Cooper rose from his desk in the study and put on a lightweight tan jacket. It was late spring, the sunshine giving way to gray clouds that were moving in fast. Texas weather could never be counted on and it was fitting, he supposed, that this day was as glum as his mood. These bad-weather days made it easy for him to stay inside and work, giving him an excuse not to visit friends or to go to parties. Ole Coop wasn’t fun anymore. And that was fine with him.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.”

His brother, Jared, slapped him on the back but had a look of concern on his face. “Take care and I’ll see you later, okay?” That was code for “Drive safely and I love you.” Jared was his baby brother who, at twenty-eight, wasn’t such a baby anymore. But he worried. Just about everyone worried about him. “Okay.”

It took Cooper five minutes to drive off Stone land on the outskirts of Dallas and another twenty to get to the suburb of Providence. He made a stop at the bakery and as soon as the woman behind the counter spotted him, she said, “A dozen raspberry-jelly doughnuts coming right up.”

He gave her a nod. “Thank you kindly.”

And within a few minutes Cooper was back on the road, the bakery box on the passenger seat beside him. He drove down the highway, leaving Providence in the dust, and eventually arrived at the Eternal Peace cemetery. When he turned into the driveway, passing a new grave covered by a hill of fresh flowers, a punch of pain attacked his stomach. A fresh grave meant loss. People were hurting: fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, wives and children. He’d never given mortality much thought until Tony died in the prime of his life.

Cooper drove on until he reached the gravesite nestled under a tall oak. He parked the car, took a deep breath and got out. With box in hand and head down, he made his way over to Tony’s resting place. The wind kicked up, the air chilly as he began speaking.

“Hi, Tone. It’s me again. Been a month. Got you your favorite doughnuts.” He sat on perfectly mowed grass. “You remember, the ones we never did get to eat t-that night.”

He opened the box and took out one of the powdery confections. “They’re your favorite, pal.” He bit into it and chewed. One bite was all he could ever muster before putting the doughnut back in the box. “Wow. That was good.”

At the sound of leaves crunching behind him, he turned around. It was Loretta Abbott, Tony’s mother. Cooper rose immediately. “Hello, Loretta.”

“Am I interrupting?”

“Gosh, no. Just having a little chat with Tony.” He didn’t know what else to say.

She gave him a sad smile. “You’re a wonderful friend.”

He wasn’t. He was alive and Tony was gone. Cooper should’ve seen that car coming. He should’ve been more alert. Instead of relaxing at the wheel, joking with his friend, getting him killed.

He strode over to her and put out his arms. She walked into them and they embraced. “I’m glad to see you,” she whispered.

He nodded. “Same here.”

“I knew you’d be here. That’s why I’ve come.”

He backed away enough to really look at her. “Did you want to talk to me?”

She nodded, tears filling her eyes. “Yes. I’m sorry for interrupting, but I knew you’d be here on the anniversary of my Tony’s accident.”

He took a big swallow. “You could’ve called me or come to the house. You know you’re welcome anytime.”

The wind howled, blowing her soft brown hair out of the knot at the top of her head. “I’m afraid, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to come. But something drew me here today. Somehow this way, it wouldn’t be too hard to ask you what I’m about to ask you. I’m sorry to say, I’m a bit desperate and I need a favor.”

“Of course. Anything. I told you if you ever needed anything to come to me.”

Another sad smile graced Loretta’s face. “I’m counting on that. It’s about Lauren.”

Tony’s younger sister? She’d been working in Dallas, following in the footsteps of her mother as a nurse. Cooper hadn’t seen much of her until the funeral.

Back in the day, when he and Tony were kids, they’d played travel football together for the Texas Tridents. Their friendship had only grown over the years. Often they’d spend time at each other’s houses for days on end and throughout the summer months. As they got older whenever Loretta’d had to take a double shift at the hospital, he and Tony would watch Lauren until Mrs. Abbott got home. Seemed like eons ago. “What about Lauren?”

“She just got engaged to Roger Kelsey on a whim and it’s all so terribly wrong. Now, she’s planning to get married in less than a month. All because Roger’s putting pressure on her.” Loretta wiped at her tears with a tissue. “What’s wrong with my girl waiting a little longer, to make sure of her feelings? We’ve all had a terrible shock when we lost Tony, and Lauren getting engaged—to Tony’s business partner, no less—makes no sense. Roger never paid any attention to her while Tony was alive, but as soon as my son dies, he turns on the charm and proposes marriage?

“Lauren thinks she knows best, and she won’t listen to me on this. She says I’m being overprotective. It doesn’t add up, Cooper. Not at all.”

Cooper didn’t like what he was hearing. Normally he’d chalk Lauren’s engagement up to falling hard when you’re at your most vulnerable. After all, this happened immediately after Tony’s death. Granted, some people married after only knowing each other a few weeks and found marital bliss that way but not that often.

But Lauren marrying Roger Kelsey?

Roger was a charmer and a playboy who went through women with the stealth of a panther. Tony would have seen red and never approved.

A deep sigh rose from Cooper’s chest. One of the last conversations he’d had with Tony pounded in his head.

“I think Kelsey’s siphoning money from my profits. Things aren’t adding up,” Tony had said. “I don’t have solid proof yet, but I’m working on it. If my suspicions are correct, he’s breaking the law and cheating me blind.” Tony had vowed to get to the bottom of it.

Cooper faced Loretta, certain now he had to intervene. Not only for Loretta and Lauren, but because Tony would’ve wanted him to. “I’m sorry, but what can I do? Just name it.”

“Oh, Cooper, I was hoping you would say that,” she said, relieved. Her face relaxed and she looked at him with the tiniest hint of a smile. He was glad he could comfort her. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to help Tony’s mother.

“I need you to stop the wedding.”

* * *

As soon as her mama opened the front door and Cooper walked in, something warm and fuzzy ran through Lauren’s veins. At twenty-six, she thought she’d be over her fascination. But that rugged face, that sharp profile, the amazing sky blue in his eyes—all spoke of happy times during her childhood when the boys, Tony and Cooper, would include her in their antics. She’d loved being with them, even if they were both six years older and dreadfully overprotective of her.

When she’d turned twelve, barely old enough to understand crazy, out-of-whack hormones, she’d developed the worst crush on Cooper Stone. It had lasted two long and lean years until she’d graduated middle school. Then, in high school, she’d fallen hopelessly in love with Brendan Marsh. Her crush on Brendan ended after five weeks when she’d discovered Toby Strickland, Providence High’s premiere quarterback. Shortly after, there was Gregory Bell, pitcher for the Providence High Pirates.

Her list of crushes was long. She was forever falling in and out of love. Katy, her bestie, and the rest of her friends would tease her, saying she wasn’t a flake, just a hopeless romantic. But she’d matured while in college. She’d only fallen for one boy at UCLA. Unfortunately he wasn’t the One and as soon as they’d come to that mutual conclusion, they’d parted ways.

This time, her love for Roger was the real deal. He’d been there for her during that trying, heartbreaking time right after Tony passed away. He’d been her rock. Her support. Lord knows she’d needed that so much during that time. Roger had made her laugh and given her hope. And they’d cried together, comforted each other.

She knew it deep down in her heart. He was Tony’s partner, friend and a wonderful man. How could she not love him?

Yet tonight, seeing Cooper in her mother’s house brought a measure of familiarity and comfort. She had a favor to ask him and she hoped it wasn’t asking too much. “I’m so glad you came for dinner,” she said, walking over to him.

He put out his arms and she flowed into them. Being in his strong embrace cushioned her heart and made her feel closer to the brother she’d lost. Cooper had blamed himself for the accident, but everyone knew it hadn’t been his fault. He hadn’t been the one drinking and driving. He couldn’t possibly have known the other driver was going to careen off his side of the road and slam into them. So hugging Cooper was a way for her to comfort him, too. A way to tell him she didn’t hold him responsible for her brother’s death.

“I’m glad, too, Laurie Loo.”

She chuckled. “You haven’t called me that for at least a decade.”

“Yeah, I know. You used to hate it.”

“I’ll let you in on my secret. I only pretended to hate it.” She’d actually thought his nickname for her was kind of sweet. It was the way he’d say it, with deep affection rather than mockery, that kept her crush for him alive.

“Come in, Cooper,” her mother said. “Dinner’s almost ready. Why don’t you and Lauren have a seat in the family room while I go check on things?”

“You need a hand, Loretta?” Cooper asked.

“No, no, no. You two go on and catch up. I’ll be fine,” she said, stepping out of the room.

“Mama likes doing it all herself. That’s never going to change. Even though she retired from nursing, she can’t seem to keep still. I suppose it’s a good thing.” Except when she was meddling in her life.

Her mother meant well, but her irrational arguments against her marrying Roger weren’t fair. Yes, her mama married her father after dating only two months and, yes, their marriage had gotten off to a rocky start. But Mama hadn’t really known him, not the way Lauren knew Roger. David Abbott’d had a wandering eye and her mother had been too blinded by love not to see it. Until her father had picked up and left his family.

Before he’d died, he’d been married and divorced three other times. So, of course, her mother would think that Lauren wasn’t thinking this through. Sadly, her mother had scars that hadn’t healed and she didn’t want her only daughter to end up that way too. And that was part of the reason Lauren needed to see Cooper. For backup. Her mama trusted Cooper. If he could give her the approval she needed, she was sure her mama would back off.

Cooper nodded. “No doubt. Keeping busy is healthy for the soul.”

“Well, then, Mama’s soul is in ridiculously good shape.”

Lauren led him to the brushed-suede sofa in the family room and gestured for him to sit. The cushions sank a bit as they both took a seat. Lauren crossing her legs and garnering an appreciative look from Cooper. She’d dressed up for the occasion, a soft, cocoa, lacy dress and heels, a far cry from the scrubs she usually wore. Suddenly her nerves started bouncing like a Ping-Pong ball. This was an important night. She needed an ally.

Cooper gave her a megawatt smile. “You look great. How’ve you been?”

“I am great,” she said. “I have news and I wanted to share it with you right away.”

“Okay,” he said, leaning back against the sofa, giving her his full attention. “Sounds important.”

She put out her left hand and her square-cut, two-carat diamond ring sparkled under his nose. “I’m engaged to Roger Kelsey. Isn’t it wonderful?”

Cooper held her hand to peer at the ring on her finger. A little zing flittered through her system. She may not have completely gotten over her little crush on him from ages ago, but that wasn’t love or anything close. Nope, Cooper was a dear family friend and...well, he was like a big brother to her.

“What it is,” he said, his eyes softening to hers, “is a little sudden, isn’t it, Lauren?”

“I know, Cooper. Mama said the same thing, but she doesn’t know how glorious Roger makes me feel. So what if we haven’t been dating long. They say, when it’s right, it’s right.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” he asked.

She gave her head a tilt. Not Cooper, too. Her mama hadn’t been overjoyed about her quick engagement and now Cooper, Tony’s brother from another mother, was giving her a hard time. “You’re big-brothering me again.”

“Tony’s not here to do it.”

“I know.” She put her head down. It hurt terribly to think Tony wasn’t going to be at her wedding. They’d been close all their lives, until that fateful accident. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, Cooper. I know you’re just looking out for my welfare, but this time, I’ve got it.”

“Got what?”

“It. You know, love, marriage, everything that goes with it. It’s under control and time for me to settle down. I’m twenty-six years old and I want more out of life. The one thing Tony’s death taught me is to not take life for granted. I’m ready, Cooper.”

His gaze roamed over her face as she waited breathlessly for his approval. More than anything, she wanted his blessing. Finally his lips parted in a small, encouraging smile. “Okay. Well, then, I’m happy for you.”

“Oh, Cooper. Thank you!” She lunged for him and squeezed his neck, hugging him tight. Whiffs of his manly cologne surrounded her, but she was too happy to dwell on how much that appealed to her. “This means so much to me...you’ll never know.” Tears welled in her eyes. She had his blessing. It would be easier for her mama to accept her marriage to Roger now. “There’s one thing, though...a favor I need to ask you. You’re not like family to us, you are family, and...well, since my dad is gone, and now Tony, too, I was hoping that on my wedding day, you’d do me the honor of walking me down the aisle.”

* * *

Cooper paced inside Loretta’s kitchen. He’d come in here the second Lauren had excused herself to take a phone call and now he was realizing how hard this mission would be. If he spoke negatively about Kelsey without any proof of his bad intentions, Lauren would shut him down. He’d seen it happen before. Lauren was strong-willed, stubborn and independent. Through the years, Tony had learned how to rein her in. He’d gained her trust and had actually gotten her to listen to him at times. But he wasn’t Tony. Cooper only had a brother and was the first to admit he had no skills understanding the female mind. Not when it came to stopping a young woman from possibly making a big mistake.

A little voice in his head told him to back off and let Lauren find out about Kelsey on her own. A leopard always revealed his spots...or some such notion. But Lauren had been hurt enough and so had Loretta, for that matter. He’d given Tony’s mother his word.

Loretta was busy putting hot rolls into a lined basket. He pulled the aroma into his nostrils, but the garlicky cheese scent did nothing to whet his appetite.

“Say what’s on your mind,” the older woman said quietly.

Cooper ran a hand down his face. “Loretta, she’s asked me to walk her down the aisle. Man, that puts me in a difficult spot. Lauren is so damn happy.”

“What did you say to her?”

“What could I say? I couldn’t hurt her. I told her it would be my honor to take Tony’s place by her side.”

The hand Loretta put on his shoulder was warm and comforting. “She doesn’t know her own heart, Cooper. Trust me on this. She’s thought herself in love half a dozen times in her lifetime. Kelsey is not the man for her. You won’t hurt her, but he will.”

He hadn’t told a soul about Tony’s suspicions about his partner cheating him, but maybe now was the time to broach the subject. “Loretta, what’s going on at Kelsey-Abbott? How often do you go into the office?”

“Me? I’ve been a nurse for thirty-five years. What do I know about real-estate development? I told my Tony years ago not to include me in his will. I’m comfortable and have everything I need.”

“So, you’re saying that Tony’s half of the company—”

“Goes to Lauren. Yes, that’s the way we’d agreed.”

Cooper stared at her. Soon, Loretta’s eyes began blinking almost as fast as his mind was spinning. “Oh, dear. You don’t think that he’s marrying her to gain control of the entire company, do you?”

It wasn’t unheard of and, in fact, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If Roger Kelsey was married to Lauren, there would be no need for anyone to check over the books, to reframe the partnership, to find out he’d been cheating Tony. It was likely that Lauren wouldn’t want to get involved in the company at all, not if her new husband had everything under control. She was as dedicated to nursing as her mother had been. “Could be, Loretta,” he murmured.

“Hey!” Lauren came bounding into the room, a big smile on her face. “There you are. I was wondering what happened to you, Cooper. And my ears are burning. Were you both talking about me?”

“Yep, as a matter of fact we were,” Cooper said, giving Loretta a glance. “You told me you haven’t picked a venue for the wedding yet.”

“Yes, that’s right. We’re going to do something simple.”

“But, honey, you’ve always dreamed of a big wedding,” Loretta interjected, disapproval clouding her soft brown eyes. “That’s the least Roger can do for you.”

“I know, Mama. But there isn’t time for that and I’m fine...with it.” The disappointment on her face told a different story.

“You shouldn’t be fine with anything. You should be ecstatic. We’re talking about your wedding day, honey.”

“Problem solved,” Cooper announced and two curious female gazes landed on him.

He hoped like hell he wasn’t making a whopper of a mistake, but the idea taking shape in his mind wasn’t anything short of brilliant. What he needed was time with Lauren to make sure she wasn’t getting in over her head and marrying this guy impulsively. Which seemed likely. Tony hadn’t trusted him, Loretta thought she was being rash and now Cooper was smack-dab in the middle of it all. Keeping Lauren close—and away from Roger—was key. There was only one way he figured he could pull that off.

“You’re getting married at my ranch at Stone Ridge. I insist. You’ll speak your vows at my home. I’ll open the place up to you and you can come and stay with me while you make your plans. Heck, both you and your mama are welcome to stay on the ranch. The two of you can work together and, Lauren, you’ll have the wedding you’ve always dreamed about. I promise not to get in your way.”

A promise he would probably have to break because he planned on protecting Lauren from being hurt no matter what.

Lauren’s pretty, pale green eyes brightened. She opened her mouth to say something but after a split second, she clamped her lips shut again, her shoulders falling. “I can’t let you do that. It’s too much.”

He wasn’t above playing the guilt card to get her to agree. After all, he was an expert at self-imposed guilt trips. Ultimately what he needed was time to convince Lauren not to marry Kelsey and this was his plan A, B and C. He had no other options.

“Tony often spoke to me about giving you a beautiful wedding when the time came. And, yes, I may have some reservations about how quickly this is all happening, but in my heart I know your brother would’ve wanted it this way.”

Tears sprang to her eyes and she trembled. “Oh, Cooper.”

And then she was in his arms, her supple, firm body plastered against him, her gratitude brimming. When she turned her head slightly, his nose was in her hair, her subtle, fresh, flowery scent teasing him.

“I take that as a yes,” he whispered.

Her head bobbed up and down. “Yes,” she said, raw emotion in her voice.

He glanced over at Loretta hopelessly.

A full-out approving smile graced her face and she gave him a big nod.

Which sort of worried him a bit, he wasn’t gonna lie.

* * *

“I have the best news, Roger,” Lauren said, coming to sit next to him on the den sofa in his penthouse apartment overlooking the Dallas skyline. The view here was amazing, just as amazing as the tall, dark-haired man she was to marry. She admired Roger’s always-groomed look, his sense of style and his abundant confidence. Up until Tony died, she’d only seen Roger as a casual friend. But he’d been magnificent to her ever since the funeral and they’d had a whirlwind love affair. “My brother’s best friend has offered us the use of his ranch to hold our wedding. Stone Ridge is magnificent. There’s no need to have a simple courthouse wedding, after all. And Mama is pretty sure we can get it all together in a month.”

Roger pursed his lips, deep in thought. “A ranch wedding?”

“Not just any ranch, honey. It’s Tony’s best friend Cooper Stone’s ranch. You may have met him at the funeral.” She hated bringing up that sad day. The memory still seared a hole in her heart.

“Sounds like a lot of work,” Roger said. “Can’t we just get married without all the fuss?”

Lauren shrugged, feeling deflated. “Yes, I suppose. But finally Mama is on board and even seems excited about planning the wedding with me. And, well, I’ve always dreamed about having a beautiful wedding.”

Roger stared at her and then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Can we keep it small, at least?”

“Yes, of course. No more than one hundred people. I promise.”

“A hundred?” His voice hit a high note. “That many?”

“That’s not very many when we consider your employees and our mutual friends, plus my dear friends at the hospital. I’m so excited about this. Please, please, say it’s okay with you.”

He scratched his head. Roger didn’t like to mingle and didn’t like crowds. But a woman only got married once and she was sure he’d come around and be just as happy about the wedding plans as she was.

“Yeah, it’s okay with me.”

She bounded out of her seat, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him for all she was worth. “Thanks, Roger. You’ve made me very happy!”

“That’s the plan, isn’t it? Happy wife, happy life.”

“Oh, we’ll sure have that,” she said, smiling. “I’m taking a good chunk of the vacation I’ve stored up to plan the wedding. Oh, Roger, it’s gonna be so much fun.”

“If you say so. But remember, I’ve got that big, new deal coming up this month. I’m going to be extremely busy.”

“But not too busy to help with the wedding plans. I’ve always wanted a June wedding. I can’t wait to start planning.”

She got up from the sofa and grabbed her purse. “I’m off now. Mama and I have a date to start the plans.”

Roger stood and walked her to the door. “Just don’t break the bank on this,” he said.

“Never. If I’m one thing, it’s frugal. Had to be, with my dad leaving us and my mama a nurse. We didn’t have much, but we always managed.” With Tony’s financial help, she’d made it through nursing school without having to take out a huge college loan.

Roger kissed her briefly. As she waved goodbye to him from the elevator, she took one last look at his apartment. With its sleek furniture and state-of-the-art kitchen, everything about the place screamed edgy. It was sure a far cry from the humble home she lived in with her mother on Masefield Avenue.

After Tony died, Lauren had given up an apartment she’d shared with a fellow nurse. Her mama needed her, but in truth, Lauren had probably gotten just as much comfort as her mother had from staying in her childhood home on the outskirts of town.

Pretty soon, though, once she married, she’d be living in the heart of Dallas with Roger.

The drive home at this time of evening wasn’t easy. Dallas traffic bottled up and she found herself on the road rocking out to Carrie Underwood singing about bad boys and payback.

It was a good twenty minutes later when she pulled onto Masefield Avenue. A man holding a ledger under his arm was just leaving the house. He nodded to her.

“Evening, miss,” he said.

“Hello.” Puzzled, she slowed her steps and watched him get into a car and drive off.

She entered the house. “Mama?”

“In the kitchen, honey,” Loretta said.

Her mama glanced at her as she stepped into the room. The table was littered with papers and paint samples. “Well, I finally got that estimate to paint the entire house, inside and out. And looks like if I agree to have them start tomorrow and pay them cash, he’s gonna give me a nice discount.”

“Mama? What are you talking about? We have a wedding to plan. We can’t have painters in here.”

“Honey, actually it’s the perfect time to have the house painted. I’ve delayed it for so long because it’s a nuisance to have workmen here and everything all covered up. You know what the smell of paint does to my sinuses. But, if we take Cooper up on his offer, we can move into his place until the wedding. That’ll give the workmen more than enough time to get the house done.”

“Mama, it was awfully sweet of Cooper to invite us to stay at his ranch, but he wasn’t serious.”

“Oh, yes, he was. He called up today asking when we were coming.”

“He did not.”

“He did. That Cooper is as fine as they come.”

“He’s still feeling guilty about Tony, Mama. That’s all it is. He doesn’t really want us underfoot.”

“Well, it’s too late for that now. I told him yes.”

“Mama, you didn’t.” It wasn’t like her mother to be this impetuous.

“Honey, this house hasn’t been painted since your father left. You know how many years that’s been? More than fifteen. The paint’s peeling in every room! I’ve got the money saved up for this, and it’s the perfect time.”

“But how...what am I supposed to... Mama, I can’t believe you did this without checking with me first.”

“It’ll be fine, darling. You’re taking time off to plan the wedding starting Monday so you won’t have to commute to the hospital. It’ll be like a little staycation, isn’t that what they call it?”

“Yes, that’s what it’s called, but that means staying at your own house.”

“Oh. Well, no matter. I’ve given Turner Painting a cash deposit. So pack a bag or two, sweetheart, and don’t forget your wedding binder. We’re moving to Stone Ridge tomorrow.”

Two

On the drive out to Stone Ridge, Lauren couldn’t stop wondering if she’d been bamboozled into moving into Cooper’s house by her wily mother. Boy, when her mama put her mind to something, she was like a wrecking ball. That was one of the traits she loved most about her. And her mama wasn’t about to let an opportunity like this one slip between her fingers. She wanted her house painted inside and out, and they didn’t have the funds to move into a motel for the weeks it would take to finish the project. So what if her mother saw living at Stone Ridge as a perfect solution to a problem? Even Lauren saw the merits. It was just that...she didn’t want to take advantage of Cooper.

Sure, he was wealthy and could afford having guests in his home, especially if those guests were like family. Maybe he was lonely and wanted company.

She scoffed out loud at the thought.

“You say something, honey?”

She cleared her throat. “No, Mama. Just a little froggy.”

Her mother smiled.

Cooper couldn’t be lonely...not for female companionship, anyway. That man was hot with a capital H. Lauren had noticed. Any red-blooded woman would. And she wasn’t going to beat herself up about how hard her heart pounded when he walked into a room. She’d crushed on him as a girl, and you never really get over first crushes. Especially if the crush had deep, sea-blue eyes, a square jawline and long, thick, dark blond hair. Especially if the man filled out his shirt with broad shoulders and granite arms.

Cooper Stone was all man, all Texan, all the time. She giggled.

“What’s funny?” her mother asked.

“Nothing. Oh, look, Mama.” She distracted her mama by pointing to the gates of Stone Ridge. “Gosh, I haven’t been here in ages. I’ve forgotten how beautiful it is.”

Acres upon acres of rich green pastures surrounded the property. This time of year, the dogwood trees that lined the road to the house were in full bloom, flourishing in pinks and whites. She recalled Cooper telling her years ago those trees were his mother’s favorite thing about the ranch.

For Lauren, catching her first glimpse of the house as they drove up was the ultimate experience. The design had a modern-day, country-home feel, with slate stone and cedar wood and a beautiful wood-framed, glass double-door entry. It was hardly a traditional ranch house from the past, but more a contemporary marvel.

The barns and stables were quite a distance off, so the scent of fresh blooms didn’t have to battle with cattle smells and packed earth. It was something, this ranch, and suddenly inspiration hit, giving Lauren a million ideas for her wedding. She particularly noted the well-groomed garden leading up to the steps to the mosaic stone-front entrance.

She parked her Honda and took a breath. “Ready for this?”

Her mother only smiled. “You have no idea how much.”

It did her heart good to see her mother finally coming around, finally warming to the idea of her marrying Roger. Once the initial shock had worn off, her mother seemed to be all-in.

Lauren was jumping over one hurdle at a time, heading toward the finish line.

It was awesome to feel this way. To know her life had direction. The shock of Tony’s death had stymied her and she hadn’t known where to turn. Then she’d starting dating Roger, and found him compassionate. They’d shared their grief over losing such a wonderful man and things just sort of rolled along from there. Up until that point, she hadn’t had much luck in love.

Her friends said she was a dreamer, a passionate soul who got restless too easily with the opposite sex. As grounded as she was in nursing, her private life hadn’t been all too...stable.

Cooper drove up in his four-wheel-drive Jeep and pulled in front of her car, grabbing her attention. He parked, then gripped the roll bar in one hand and hopped out.

“Oh, look, there’s Cooper,” her mother said.

How could she miss him? He was slapping dust off his chaps and blue chambray shirt as he began his approach, his stride confident, his smile welcoming. All golden tanned and muscled, he sauntered over.

“Hey,” he said.

The rich, deep tone of his voice made her gulp air. She’d grown up in Texas and rugged cowboys were a dime a dozen.

But Cooper Stone was in a class by himself. And the feminist in her said she could react this way about a handsome guy without tripping over guilt about Roger. Her fiancé.

Plus, Coop was doing her a big favor.

“Hi, Cooper. We made it,” she said lamely. Of course, they’d made it. It wasn’t as if she’d traveled across state lines to get there. Stone Ridge was a mere twenty miles from the Dallas city limits.

“I can see that.” He ducked his head into the turned-down window, which brought his face within inches of hers. “Morning, Loretta.”

“Cooper, it’s good to see you. Looks like you’re working already.”

“I like to get my hands dirty every so often, reminds me of my heritage.” He winked. “I was helping my crew tear down an old shack we had on the property. Glad I made it back in time to greet you.”

He pulled off his tan leather gloves and stuffed them into his back pocket. “Let me help you carry your luggage into the house,” he said. “I’ll show you to your rooms.”

“Are you sure we’re not putting you and Jared out? We don’t want to get in your way,” Lauren said. She’d never even considered the fact that this might inconvenience his brother, too.

“You’re not putting me out,” Cooper said automatically, which made her feel a ton better. “And my brother has his own place. He lives up the road at the other end of the pasture, and he’s on board with having the wedding here.”

“Good to know,” she said. She didn’t know Jared very well. He was younger than Cooper and Tony by a few years. She was happy that Jared didn’t mind. “But if we ever get in your way, you just say the word and we’ll make other arrangements.”

“Lauren.”

Okay, so maybe she was overdoing it, but Lauren wasn’t too good at accepting big favors like this. Or was it something else, something that had to do with her breath catching as soon as Cooper smiled at her?

“We appreciate your hospitality, Cooper,” her mother said.

“Anything I can do to help.” He walked around the car and gave her mother a hand as she got out of her seat.

Lauren climbed out, as well, and popped her trunk. Her life for the next month was crammed into her luggage, four bags in all. Her mom had brought two bags.

Cooper walked to the trunk. He didn’t blink an eye as he hoisted four of the bags like they weighed nothing. “I’ll get the rest on my next trip out.”

“I can get them,” Lauren said, pulling two pieces of rolling luggage out and setting them on their wheels.

“Cooper, for heaven’s sake, I’m not ancient,” her mother said. “Give me one of those bags.”

Copper grinned. “Sure thing.” He handed her the smallest one. “Here you go.”

In that one move, he’d saved her mother’s pride, telling Lauren he had enough confidence in his own manhood to allow her mom to help. Lauren made a mental note. Add that to the growing list of things she found appealing about Cooper Stone.

Once inside, Cooper stood in the foyer and pointed to a wide, winding staircase. “I’ve given you both the rooms facing west. You’ll see some amazing sunsets.”

“Thanks, Cooper,” she said. “Gosh, it’s been so many years since I’ve been to your ranch. This place is completely transformed.”

The living room was huge, with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace made with sleek slate and light wood. A sitting area faced the fireplace and another faced a set of windows overlooking the gardens and green pastures beyond. Overhead, thick beams lent a slightly rustic tone to the contemporary décor.

“I’ll show you around a little later, after you get settled in.” He began climbing the stairs and the two of them followed until they reached the first guest room.

“Oh, this is lovely,” her mother said immediately.

“Then I chose correctly,” he said. “I figured you’d like this room, Loretta.”

It was bright and cheerful with white-shuttered windows and ivory furniture upholstered in a floral motif. The room almost looked too girly for a bachelor’s ranch home.

Cooper dropped off her mother’s bags and then led Lauren to the next guest room, done in light blues with pale gray walls and stained mango wood furniture that instantly made her feel at peace. “This is nice.”

“Glad you like it.” He set her luggage down on the bed. “Here you go. I’ll see you later after a quick shower and change of clothes.”

Her eyes dipped to his body, an involuntary movement that brought a flush to her cheeks. If he noticed, he didn’t react.

“Okay, thanks again. See ya.”

“Lauren,” he said, a serious tone in his voice.

“What?”

“Stop thanking me. Please.”

She scrunched up her face. She couldn’t help it if her mother had drilled manners into her, could she?

“I’ll try.”

He gave her a nod. “Good enough.”

And then he was out the door, heading for a shower.

This time, she forced an image of Roger into her head.

Yes, that was a nice, safe place to be.

* * *

Cooper pulled out a pitcher of lemonade just as Loretta walked into the kitchen. “My goodness, what a pretty kitchen you have.”

Cooper only smiled. He’d had this house built seven years ago on the same spot as the old ranch house. His mother hadn’t minded tearing the old place down. She was quite progressive and didn’t like to dwell in the past. She and his dad had had a good life, but after he’d died, she’d spent all her energy on helping Cooper plan out a new modern-day version of the house. And his mother was a perfectionist, down to the last detail.

The enormous room had white cupboards, dark granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. There was everything imaginable, from a brick oven to a six-burner stovetop with a covered grill to a table that seated eight. “My mom’s doing.”

“How is Veronica these days?”

“Mom’s good. She’s remarried, as you know, living down in Houston. Her husband keeps her pretty busy traveling.”

“Well, you tell her I said hello next time you talk to her.”

“Will do. Lemonade?”

“Sure, thanks.”

He poured them both a glass and handed one to Loretta. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too,” she said as she glanced out the kitchen doorway. “Cooper, I had to do some scheming to get my daughter here,” she whispered. “But I know it’s the right move. Otherwise, I’d never be so underhanded.”

“What did you do?”

She smiled. “Hired a crew to paint my house inside and out.”

He grinned. “Did you now?”

“Had to, and even paid them extra to get the crew to start today. I needed a reason to get Lauren to move out of the house. She’s a little uncomfortable about it.”

He knew the feeling. Hell, he hadn’t had a woman here since he’d given up dating six months ago. Now he had two females under his roof. “She’ll be fine. I’ll try to ease her mind a bit.”

Loretta’s eyes softened. “You’re a blessing, Cooper.”

“I’m nothing of the sort, Loretta.”

“You’ve got a good heart for doing this.”

He scratched his chin. “About that, Loretta. I hope you know you’re both welcome here, but I’m not exactly sure how this is all going to work. I mean, Lauren’s set on marrying this guy and I can only do so much. I came up with this plan pretty quick and all.” He hadn’t really thought it through, but Loretta seemed set on breaking up Lauren’s engagement, or at the very least, making sure Kelsey was an upstanding man, deserving of her daughter’s hand.

The only real plan in his head was to keep watch over Lauren while he tried to find out Kelsey’s true intentions. His gut was telling him her fiancé was no good, and he trusted his gut. If the guy had been cheating Tony, then he should be exposed for the creep that he was. Protecting Lauren was Cooper’s job now...at all costs. If his secret plan went awry, he could lose Lauren’s friendship, but it was a risk he was willing to take. He owed Tony that much. Hell, he owed the entire Abbott family.

Period.

“It’s a start. We can keep an eye on Lauren better at your ranch, without too much interference from Roger,” Loretta said, breaking into his thoughts. “We’ll figure it out as we go.”

That was an understatement.

“How’s your brother?”

“Jared’s good.”

“Will we be seeing him while we’re here?”

“From time to time. He’s got an office up at his house and we have dinner a few times a week.”

“You two boys have certainly made a success of this ranch,” she said.

“We just picked up where Dad left off. He started the place and taught us the business. Luckily, we both love ranching. Jared’s the brains and I’m the brawn in the duo.” Cooper smiled and sipped lemonade.

Lauren walked in, her eyes taking in the entire kitchen. “Wow. A girl could go into crazy cooking mode in this place.”

“Feel free. I’m sure Marie wouldn’t mind a bit.”

“Marie? Is she...?”

“She is. She’s the same housekeeper we’ve had since I was a boy,” he said, handing Lauren a glass of lemonade. “She’s getting on in age, so we keep her duties light. She splits her time between here and Jared’s place, but we’ve also got a cleaning crew that comes in to help her out,” he explained. “Have a seat, ladies.”

While they took their seats at the table, he scrounged around for the oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies Marie had made yesterday. “Ah, here they are.” He set the plate on the table. “Snacks. Have some.”

“They look delicious,” Loretta said, taking one.

“They are,” Cooper said, gesturing for Lauren to take one, as well.

“If I do, then I’ll have to jog another mile or two to work it off.”

“You jog?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“And she does yoga, too,” Loretta added.

“Well, I know nothing about yoga, but anytime you want a jogging partner, I’m your guy.”

“Really?”

She seemed surprised and that surprised him. “Yep. What, you didn’t think cowboys jogged?”

Lauren laughed. “Well, no. I guess I can’t picture it.”

“See me in the morning and I’ll paint you that picture.”

“You’re on,” Lauren said. She delicately picked up a cookie and took a small bite. “Oh, these are delicious.” She began nodding her head. “I can see I’m going to need to step up my game if this is how Marie cooks.”

“It is a challenge,” Cooper admitted. “So, where would you like to start? I can show you around the house and then we can take a tour of the grounds. Were you thinking of a church wedding or having it here?”

“I’m...not sure. I’ll have to speak to Roger about that. Up until a few days ago, we were going to the courthouse to get married.”

Loretta frowned slightly. The idea of her daughter marrying this guy unsettled her, but she was hiding it well.

“I’m sure you have to get to work, Cooper,” Lauren said.

“I have a few hours. Let me give you a tour of the house first.”

* * *

After cookies and lemonade in the grand kitchen, Cooper began showing them the finer points of the room including how to work all the digital electronic appliances and how to turn on the television set in the refrigerator door, which also told the time and local temperature. By the time he was through, Lauren’s head was spinning. But her mama took it all in stride as if she was tickled pink to be here.

Lauren still felt awkward about the entire situation.

“The kitchen is always available to you,” he said. “If Marie’s here, she’s usually really good about having meals ready. If there’s something you want, just ask her, and if she’s not here, have at it. Feel free to cook something yourself.”

“I think Lauren might take you up on that, Cooper,” her mama said.

“Fine with me.” Cooper’s gaze connected with Lauren’s and all that blue coming her way made her dizzy.

It was a mother thing, putting words in Lauren’s mouth. She didn’t like it, but her best friend Katy said her mother did the same thing to her quite a bit. And she had made that crack about crazy cooking mode earlier. Still, she wasn’t at ease here yet. She hoped that would change.

Next, they followed Cooper through the living room and formal dining area, as well as a great room that housed a bar, a reading nook and a giant flat-screen television. The room was the coziest in the house, done in warm colors, with lived-in leather sofas and a rustic red-brick fireplace. He showed them how to turn on music from an in-wall stereo system with enough lights and buttons to rival an airplane dashboard.

Warning to self. Do not even think about it. She’d be sure to foul up the music system.

Then Cooper led them down the hall to his study, which he used as an office. Across the hall was a full state-of-the-art gym. “Wow,” she said under her breath. Of all the things he’d showed her thus far, this was the only thing she really envied. “I’m impressed. Do you...?”

“Yep, I get my cowboy ass—uh, excuse me, Loretta—in here a few times a week.”

“That’s obvious,” Lauren said without thinking. She resisted slapping her hand over her mouth. Goodness, she had to keep her lips buttoned more around him or he’d think she was flirting or something.

Cooper blinked once and then let the comment pass.

The gym had a shower area with a complete set of sundries, a sauna and an indoor Jacuzzi. Everything was framed in travertine and marble. The shower alone was bigger than a walk-in closet.

“Again,” he said, “feel free to use anything here you’d like.”

A sliding-glass door in the gym led them outside to the back of the house. The gardens were colorful, day lilies, peonies and primrose erupting into full bloom everywhere. A snow-white lattice gazebo sat smack in the middle of the grounds and off to the side crystal-blue waters flowed down a rock waterfall into a pool. A long stone-and-glass fire pit was surrounded by lounge chairs. It was perfection.

“It’s like a resort,” Loretta said.

Cooper laughed. “I used to throw some great parties here.”

“Tony told me. He loved those parties.”

Cooper’s face fell. “I know. God, I miss him.”

Lauren saw his pain and reached for his hand. “We all do.” He stared into her eyes a moment and nodded. Her mama took both of their hands and squeezed. And they stood there for a while, hands entwined.

After a time, her mama spoke up. “Tony wouldn’t want us to be sad. He’d want us to celebrate his life.”

It was hard for Mama to be the cheerleader in this, but she had a point. Tony would hate their grieving. He would want them to get on with their lives. “You’re right, Mama.”

Cooper sighed with what seemed to be remorse.

“Well,” Lauren said, contemplating their surroundings, “this place will make for a beautiful wedding. There’s plenty of room to speak vows by the pool. Maybe under the gazebo.”

“But Cooper has some other spots to show you, honey,” her mother said. “Don’t you, Cooper? You know, those places you told me about out by the lake.”

“Yeah, I sure do,” he said, coming out of his slump. “I was planning on taking you there today. That’s if you’re up to it.”

“I’d love to see the lake,” Lauren said.

“Actually, you two go on.” Loretta briefly closed her eyes. “I’m a bit tired. I’d like go up to my room and take a rest.”

“We can wait for you, Mama. Do it another time,” Lauren said.

“Nonsense, Lauren. You need to work this out as soon as possible and Cooper has the time today.”

“That’s right. I sure do.”

“Can I help you up the stairs?” she asked her mother as they went back inside and sat down.

“Lauren, I said I was tired, honey, not decrepit.”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cooper try to hide a smile by twisting his mouth in an unbecoming way. Which was saying something, because Cooper was pretty much handsome no matter what kind of face he made. Then he faked a cough to contain a laugh, but her mother didn’t seem to notice.

“Of course you’re not decrepit, Mama.” A nurturer by nature, the last thing Loretta wanted was to be deemed incapable of taking care of herself. Lauren should’ve known not to put it that way, but being here was a bit daunting, no matter how welcoming Cooper was at the moment. With planning her quickie wedding and all the changes in her life lately, Lauren was a little bit at loose ends.

She turned to Cooper, the tilt of her head telling him she knew he’d been laughing at her. “Am I good to go like this?” she asked, gesturing to her attire.

“Let’s see. Boots, jeans, check. The hat I’ll take care of. Spring weather can be iffy. Do you want to bring along a light sweater?”

“Nah, I’ll rough it. Besides, the sun is out and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere today.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you two later.” Mama popped out of her chair like a piece of well-done bread from a toaster. “I’ll just go up to my room now.”

“Have a good rest, Loretta,” Cooper said.

After her mother walked out of the room, Cooper turned to Lauren, a smirk emerging on his face again. She rolled her eyes.

“What?” he said, innocent as a baby.

“You’re a brat, you know that, Cooper Stone.”

“At least you aren’t inferring I was decrepit.”

She punched him in the arm. It felt good, to give back his teasing in a playful way.

“Ow.” He put his hand over the arm she’d just whacked.

No way had she hurt him. Those muscles were like granite. A silly smile appeared on his face. “Now that’s the Lauren Abbott I remember.”

She smiled back. “Be careful or you just might see more of her than you want.”

“That could only be a good thing,” he said softly, placing his hand on the small of her back, grabbing his hat and leading her out the door.

The kind words and special touch brought familiarity.

And a mass of tingles she hadn’t expected.

* * *

Cooper stood by the Jeep. “Drive or ride?” he asked Lauren.

Her pretty green eyes narrowed, as if she thought he was messing with her again. “Isn’t it the same thing?”

“Well, I can drive us in the Jeep to see the grounds or we can mount up.” He pointed to the stables just within eyeshot. “On a horse.”

“Oh.” She shook her head. “I haven’t been riding in eons. I think the Jeep is the safest bet today.”

“Okay. Another time,” he said. He hadn’t quite figured Lauren out. At times she seemed impetuous, a girl who liked to take a risk. That was the girl who’d punched him in the arm just a few minutes ago. That punch had surprised him in a good way.

She was back to being the girl he remembered, never taking any guff from anyone. Whenever Tony had teased her, she’d always shot back at him, giving as good as she got. Marrying Kelsey on a whim after six months of dating was another impulsive move on her part. That’s why he was puzzled. Lauren seemed hesitant in coming here. Was she uncomfortable around him? Was she feeling manipulated into living at Stone Ridge for the month? Or was she having second doubts about the sudden marriage?

He hoped it was the latter. He hoped she’d put a halt to the wedding on her own terms so he could end this ruse. But at least having her here lent him the time he needed to find out what Kelsey was really up to. He could keep an eye on Lauren, as well.

“Hop in,” he said, opening the door for her. She climbed in and buckled her seat belt as he took his place behind the wheel. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

He grabbed a tan suede hat from the backseat and plopped it on her head. It sank onto her forehead and pushed her blond locks down past her shoulders, making her look damn cute.

“This yours?” she asked.

“Uh-huh,” he said. “Hang on to it when we take off.”

Then he revved the engine and pulled away from the house.

After a minute she asked. “Where is the lake?”

“Back there.” He gestured behind him. “We passed it a ways back.”

“But aren’t we going there?”

“Yep, but there’s someplace else I thought you’d like to see.”

“You’re full of surprises, Coop.”

He liked the sound of his nickname falling off her lips. That and the way she looked in his hat was messing with his head a little. “Not really. Pretty much what you see is what you get with me.”

At least it always had been. Now he wasn’t quite so sure. He’d surprised himself when he’d invited Lauren to have her wedding here. And he’d surprised himself even more by asking her to move into his house. He had underlying motives for having her here, true, and saving her from heartache would be something Tony would’ve wanted from him.

That one fact made all of this seem more palatable.

“Here we are,” he said, stopping the Jeep in front of a stand of shade-bearing oak trees. “We have to walk from here.”

He came around the end of the Jeep and helped Lauren gain her footing as she got out. He held her steady and she gazed at him, gratitude glowing in her eyes. “I know where you’re taking me.”

His brows lifted. “You do?”

“Of course. Tony would talk about this place incessantly and I would be green with envy.”

“Yeah, this was a special place to us,” he said, taking hold of her hand. “Be careful, the land’s uneven here. Lots of roots breaking through the soil.”

They walked a bit, her hand gripped in his, reminding him just how long it’d been since he’d held a soft woman. And Lauren was that and more. He didn’t like noticing her that way, or feeling even remotely attracted to her. She was cute and funny and nice. Emphasis on nice. Any other thoughts about her weren’t going to happen. He had a job to do. Protect Lauren. Stop her wedding if need be. Make sure she didn’t get hurt and pray she didn’t hate him for the rest of her life.

“Just a little bit longer now.”

And then he came upon his childhood fort, a mismatched set of planks built between the lower branches of a thick oak. The place looked the same as he remembered, though a bit more weathered, but the roof was intact and the wood beams were holding strong. A rope ladder, made of thick hemp, scraped against the dark tree bark.

“You’re smiling so wide right now,” Lauren said.

“Am I?” This place always made him happy.

“There’s a twinkle in your eyes, too.”

“Careful, Laurie Loo. I’ve never taken a girl here before. Don’t make me regret it.”

“Never. I’m glad to be here. I guess this is where you and Tony conspired.”

“It is. Mostly we pretended to be looting pirates or badass cowboys. My dad gave us the wood and told us to have at it. I think we were ten at the time.”

“So you built this all by yourselves?”

“Hell, no. After three attempts, my dad intervened. He said he didn’t want us breaking our necks when the whole thing collapsed. But he taught us one important lesson.”

“What was that?”

“That things aren’t always as simple and easy as they initially seem. Your brother and I were so damn eager to do this on our own, certain we could figure it out. But after failing a few times pretty darn badly, we finally realized the project was too big for us. Our pride was bruised and we were embarrassed to ask for help after insisting we could do it all on our own. And Dad was great about it, without rubbing our noses in I-told-you-sos. He was proud of us for not giving up and for finding a way to make it happen.”

“Wow. Your dad was pretty wonderful.”

“He was a good man.”

A sudden chilly breeze blew by and Cooper gazed upward. Clouds were moving in fast, turning the sky gray, and he caught Lauren trembling. “We should go. The weather’s about to change and it can put you in a world of goose bumps. If we’re lucky, we can make it to the lake before the wind gets out of hand.”

“Sounds good,” she said. “And thanks for bringing me here, Cooper.”

“Welcome.” He took her hand again. As they began to forge their way back to the Jeep, the air grew chillier, the clouds completely obscuring any sunlight.

“Damn,” he said. “I think we’re in for it.”

“In for what?”

Suddenly, off in the distance, lightning ignited the sky. Clouds crashed against each other and rain poured down as if a giant water balloon had burst. Caught in a flash storm, they were getting soaked.

“Wow! That came on fast,” Lauren said.

“Sure did.” He gauged his options. “C’mon, let’s make a run for it.”

“Where?”

But he had already changed their direction. The Jeep would provide no protection. There was only one place to go. Still holding her hand, he guided Lauren along the muddied path leading them back to the fort.

Once they arrived, Lauren took a look at the ladder rope. “You’re kidding, right?”

He shrugged. “Either that or get soaked to the bone.” Which she already was. “C’mon. I’ll help you up.”

“Okay,” she said tentatively.

And then she was climbing the rungs as he held the ladder firm, her butt in his line of vision. It was a beautiful sight, one he shouldn’t be noticing. But he had to keep his eyes sharp, just in case she lost her footing. At least, that’s what he told himself as she ascended the ladder.

She threw herself inside the fort and he followed her. They nestled together against the back wall, out of the spray of raindrops. Lauren shivered, her blouse soaked and plastered to the beautiful swells of her breasts. The transparency was hard to miss and, for a moment, Coop couldn’t tear his gaze away. Then sanity rushed in. He began unbuttoning his shirt. “Here you go. Put this on.”

Her face flushed cherry-red. She was aware of the sight she made. She accepted his shirt without argument and he helped her put her arms into the sleeves. “Thanks.”

She hugged her knees to her chest and sighed. “Well, guess I was wrong.”

“About?” He sat next to her, in his undershirt, his legs straight out, his boots just inside the confines of the fort.

“The weather.”

It was too much to hope she’d admit she was wrong about marrying Kelsey. Wishful thinking never got him anywhere. He’d have to tell Loretta his suspicions and start scouring Tony’s computer for hints that Kelsey had been cheating the business. And he’d have to start as soon as possible.

“It’s actually pretty cool to be here, storm and all,” she said. “Tell me more about you and Tony. What did you do when you came here?”

“I already told you,” he said. “Pirates and cowboys.”

She nodded, seeming suddenly sentimental. “Isn’t there more?”

“We’d bring our lunches and eat, and then sometimes just lie back, sort of like we’re doing now, and dream.”

“What did you dream about?”

“Growing up. Racing cars. Dating girls. Boy stuff. I remember one of the last times we ever came here. I think we were fifteen. Samantha Purdue had broken up with Tony. He was crushed. We came up here with a six-pack of beer I’d swiped from home and chugged while he cried his eyes out.”

“Wow. Over Samantha Purdue?”

“Yeah, it was stupid. The very next week, Tony was crushing on another girl.” The memory made Cooper smile. “Your brother was girl-crazy.”

“Maybe that’s why he never married. What about you?”

“Me?” He shook his head. “I wasn’t girl-crazy. More like, girls made me crazy.”

She chuckled and a drop of rain fell from her hair and drizzled down her cheek. He braced her face in his hand and wiped away the rain with the pad of his thumb. Her skin was the softest silk. She smiled sweetly at him then, and something shifted in his chest.

“I meant why didn’t you ever marry,” she said quietly, gazing at him with those pale green eyes.

The impact of her question shook him to the core. He had no right touching her this way. He dropped his hand from her face and looked out at the driving rain. “I had some serious relationships in the past. They didn’t work out. There’s time for me.”

“So you do want to marry eventually?”

“Yeah. One day. In the very, very distant future.” Right now, women were off the table for him. He’d purged his “little black book.” He was officially taking a break.

“And you? Did you ever imagine yourself getting married so young?”

“Young? I’m twenty-six. In the olden days, I’d be considered a spinster.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the olden days.”

“I know, Coop. It’s just that I’ve been kinda boy-crazy all my life. No one ever stuck. Maybe it runs in our DNA. Maybe Tony and I weren’t very different from my father,” she said quietly. “I’ve always worried about that. My father never seemed satisfied with what he had. You know his history, four marriages and divorces.”

“Nah, you’re not like him.”

“I’d crush on one boy and then another, and I never wanted to settle.”

“You shouldn’t settle. Ever. You should be dead sure.”

“My friends tease me about it, but Mama says it’s just that my heart is big and it takes a whole lot to fill it.”

“And Roger does that for you?”

Lauren bit her lip, hesitating for a fraction of a second too long. “Yeah, he does.”

He wasn’t convinced and, when she trembled, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in tight, warming them both up.

He hoped like hell Kelsey was true blue.

Otherwise he’d have to punch the guy’s lights out and send him packing.

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