The Texas SEAL's Surprise--A Clean Romance Read online

  “Not for my cousin.” Not for me.

  “You aren’t your cousin.”

  She stiffened and straightened. Grateful for the criticism in his voice and the reminder that he wasn’t hers to lean on. His arms were not the ones she wanted around her. And this wasn’t the fresh start she’d come to Three Springs for. “What does that mean?”

  “Tess arrived in town quieter than a whisper on Christmas Eve.” He adjusted the reins. “It was days before anyone knew Tess was even living in the apartment at the general store.”

  “Once you knew she was in town, what happened?” Abby tried to turn around to look at Wes. But with the stiff saddle and the slow side-to-side sway of the horse, every shift put her further inside his embrace.

  “Don’t worry.” His tone was amused, as if he recognized her battle not to get too close. “The entire town has been looking after your cousin as much as she’ll let us.”

  Abby nodded. Tess had always been reserved as a child, preferring the background to watch and observe. Tess had also been the caretaker, always looking after her younger sister and Abby when she visited. Six months ago, Tess had become a widow, and her quiet reserve had morphed into private and isolated. Now it was Abby’s turn to take care of her cousin. “I’m here now. I’ll look out for her.”

  Dan turned onto a road. His hooves clip-clopped on the asphalt. Buildings, some historic, others modern, sprouted in front of them. The smallest of road signs indicated Three Springs and the population of four thousand six hundred and thirty-two. That was the only welcome sign, as if proving Wes’s claim that the town was truly never a destination.

  “When your cousin no longer needs someone to look out for her, what then?”

  Wes’s deep voice pulled Abby away from her inspection of the town. “Why are you so certain I came to Three Springs intent on leaving as soon as possible?”

  “Because you don’t belong here.” He reined Dan in outside the Silver Penny General Store. Then he guided Abby off Dan’s back and onto the wooden sidewalk before she could finish sputtering.

  She wanted to adjust her shorts. Shake the steadiness back into her legs and rub the knots from her backside. But she refused to wobble in front of Wes. Refused to let him know his horse and his words had unsettled her. She set her hand on a wooden post and glared at the infuriating cowboy. “You know nothing about me or where I belong.”

  He shifted in the saddle and leaned toward her. Only half of his smile reached his cheek. “You have a collection of flowery sandals, matching necklaces and fancy sundresses packed in your car, don’t you?”

  She curled her toes into her sunflower sandals and pressed her lips together. Cute sandals made her happy. Bold colors, feminine dresses and chunky jewelry did too. Nothing wrong with that.

  He nodded as if her silence confirmed his guess. “You’ve never been on a horse until today. Most likely never caught a blue catfish or driven a tractor.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, covering her bulky turquoise bead necklace. “That matters why?”

  Wes eyed her. “Because that’s all Three Springs is.”

  “There’s more to this town than fishing and tractors.” And there was more to her too. More than cute, impractical sandals and pretty sundresses. More than the fluff, head-in-the-clouds daydreamer she’d been accused of being.

  “That’s another thing.” He shook his head, and his full grin fell loose. “You’re too optimistic. Too hopeful.”

  “And that’s a problem now too?” She frowned at him. He was sounding more and more like everything she’d left behind in California.

  “We’re more levelheaded and practical around here.”

  More like stubborn and overly critical. She added her cowboy to her list of people she intended to prove wrong.

  He glanced over her shoulder and tipped his hat. “Hey, Tess.”

  Abby swung around, away from the aggravating cowboy and into her cousin’s welcome embrace. “Tess. It’s so good to finally be here.”

  Tess hugged her, then leaned away to look Abby over. “Where’s your car?” she asked with concern.

  “Flat tire. Wes brought me into town.” Abby kept her arm around her cousin’s too-thin waist and peered at Wes. “Thanks for that. Who do I call about a tow?”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Wes said.

  “That’s not necessary.” Abby stepped closer to Dan and held Wes’s gaze. Her voice edged into her own version of inflexible and determined. “I wouldn’t want to impose on you any further. I’m sure you have fish bait to locate, tractors that need driving and cattle to rope.”

  Tess coughed discreetly behind her.

  Wes’s jaw slid back and forth as if he was grinding away his smile. “It’s no problem. Trey Ramsey owns the auto shop, and he’s part of my roping team.”

  Abby narrowed her eyes at him. He tipped his hat and walked Dan down the street.

  Tess touched Abby’s arm. “Wes is...”

  “I’m not talking about that particular cowboy anymore.” Abby clapped her hands together like a schoolteacher capturing her student’s attention with one firm word. “I’m here. With you. And that’s all that matters now.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  WITH DAN’S SADDLE stored in the stable and the horse brushed down, Wes decided his Tuesday was finally returning to its normal routine. Tuesday mornings always included a sunrise ride with Dan. Followed by cleaning the stables, working with the horse rescues in the paddock and checking off ranch repairs on the to-do list.

  Tuesday mornings had never included cherry-red convertibles, flat tires or an out-of-towner with sun-soaked blond hair and a smile that had charmed Wes from his head to his boots. Wes chuckled. “Nothing but trouble there, Dan.”

  The giant horse nudged Wes’s shoulder.

  “Right. It’s time to get on with our day.” He led the horse out of the stable and grinned at the older cowboy stepping off the wraparound porch of the single-story ranch house.

  Boone Bradley walked across the driveway and opened the gate to the main pasture. His gait was the same ambling one he’d had when he’d first shaken Wes’s hand two years ago, before inviting the younger man inside for dinner.

  Wes wondered if Boone had ever regretted that invitation. After all, it was Boone’s grandson, Jake Bradley, who should’ve been returning home that day from their latest SEAL mission. Not Wes, who had sobering news and nowhere else to go.

  Wes guided Dan into the pasture and released the gentle horse to check on the other rescues.

  “Got a call from C&H Horse Haven.” Boone rested his arms on the top rail of the wooden fence. “We’re getting new arrivals tomorrow afternoon.”

  “You can’t keep telling them yes, or we’re going to need to find more land.” Wes latched the pasture gate. He knew the incoming horses’ condition without asking: malnourished, neglected and desperate for help. The C&H specialized in removing horses from the most dire situations and finding them new homes. Boone and Wes had already taken three horses from the rescue group, including Dan. And despite the seven horses grazing right now in the main pasture, Wes wasn’t operating a horse rescue.

  “It’s a mare and her new foal.” The earnest waver in Boone’s voice was at odds with his chiseled frown. The old cowboy had a heart he preferred to keep hidden under layers of grit and determination. “They’re family. Can’t separate them. Can’t leave them where they are. Can’t abandon them either.”

  Family wasn’t a topic Wes had any interest in discussing. He braced his foot on the bottom post of the fence. Too bad the unrest inside him wasn’t as easily steadied. But it was nothing he hadn’t been handling, and furthermore it was nothing he cared to share. “The horses will have to quarantine in the birthing stall.”

  “We have time before Cinder will need it.” Boone pointed to the dappled gray quarter horse in the pasture.r />
  Cinder had been saved from an auction house and her pregnancy discovered after she’d been placed into quarantine. Boone had argued they had an unused birthing stall and room to spare at the time, unlike the C&H, whose stables were often full. Boone had claimed they had an obligation to help since he and Wes were experienced ranchers, who understood and liked horses. Wes had struggled to disagree. And Cinder had arrived the following morning.

  He pushed away from the fence and declined to argue now. His own family might be broken, but he’d never split up another one. “I’m going to add more fresh straw and a larger bucket for fresh water to the birthing stall. Make sure it’s stocked and ready.”

  “I’ll lend a hand.” Boone walked beside Wes to the stable. “Speaking of lending a hand, heard you and Dan brought a woman into town today.”

  Wes wasn’t surprised Boone already knew about Abby’s arrival. Life in Three Springs was slow, except for the gossip. That flowed faster than rainfall in a monsoon. Still, he frowned.

  “It’s not every day Wes Tanner escorts a pretty lady around town on his horse.” Boone’s grin softened across his weathered face, raising his thick salt-and-pepper eyebrows. “Even the folks living outside the county lines are talking about you this morning.”

  Wes’s frown deepened. He disliked the excess chatter, and he liked it even less when it was about him. “I couldn’t leave her out there.”

  “It was the right thing.” Boone headed for the bales of fresh straw stacked in neat rows against the back wall of the large stable. “Same as taking in all the horses.”

  Abby and the rescue horses were entirely different. Wes had given Abby a ride into town. He hadn’t invited her into his home. And as far as he could tell, Abby didn’t require looking after, especially from him. If his guess was right, she would be moving on from Three Springs before the next full moon. Abby, with her striking steely blue-gray eyes and her enchanting manner, belonged in a fast-paced, bustling locale. She was as temporary in town as Wes considered himself to be. Three Springs was only a stop along the journey before they both transitioned to their futures.

  “How’d she get her fancy car out on Old Copper Mill Road anyhow?” Boone cut the binding around a hale bay with the pocketknife he kept strapped to his belt. “That road hasn’t been open to traffic since the seventies. Can’t barely access it from the highway these days, let alone see it.”

  Wes had no idea why Abby had continued on the back road. Or why she believed Three Springs would be enough for her. Sure, her cousin lived here, but for how long? As far as he knew, the Silver Penny General Store wasn’t ready for customers, and that was assuming it would be able to turn even a small profit once it was open. And there wasn’t much of a market for impractical sandals and positivity quotes in town. The locals here needed reliable work boots and favored straight talk.

  Wes secured another water bucket inside the birthing stall and considered the flooring. He wanted the mare and her foal to feel comfortable and safe. As for Abby, he wanted her out of his thoughts. One more Abby-related task, and he’d do just that. “I’m meeting Trey out on Old Copper Mill Road to have Abby’s car towed, then heading to the bar.”

  His usual Tuesday-evening routine included managing the Feisty Owl Bar and Grill. The bar that Boone had opened decades ago.

  “Sam and I are paying a visit to the general store later this afternoon.” Boone’s tone was bland as if he was reciting the weather forecast for the week: hot and hotter.

  “Is there something particular you need?” Wes eyed the old cowboy. “I wasn’t aware Tess had officially opened for business.”

  “Tess is only accepting special orders.” Boone swept the stray pieces of straw into a pile and leaned on the broom handle. “Last week, she found an original nineteenth-century cast-iron dinner bell for Cassie Weaver’s mom. The bell was quite remarkable. The last time I saw a dinner bell like that I was running across the yard to my grandmother’s dinner table.”

  “Are you in the market for a cast-iron dinner bell now too?” Wes latched the door on the stall. He’d add clean straw and more mats to the floor tomorrow before the pair arrived.

  “Might be.” Boone rocked back on his well-worn boot heels and eyed Wes. “Also, might be that Sam and I want to welcome our newcomer to town.”

  “When exactly did you and Sam become the Three Springs welcoming committee?” A twinge of unease tapped along the back of Wes’s neck. Sam Sloan and Boone had been best friends since grade school. The duo were harmless and meant well but meddled all the same. Even more disturbing, the pair considered themselves the town’s matchmakers.

  “Nothing wrong with being neighborly.” Boone ran his palms over his plaid shirt as if smoothing out the wrinkles. “The Silver Penny General Store and the Feisty Owl are a horseshoe throw away from each other.”

  “I feel like I’ve been neighborly enough for one day.” If he kept helping Abby, she’d feel as if she needed to return the favor. And that would only upset Wes’s peace of mind.

  “Sam and I grew up with Harlan Palmer. He was the girls’ grandfather.” Boone hooked his thumbs in his belt loops. “Harlan isn’t here to watch over them. Sam and I want to check in.”

  “As long as that’s all you’re planning on doing,” Wes said. “Checking in.”

  “We’re two old-time cowboys. How much trouble can we cause?” Boone headed for the stable doors.

  Wes tilted his head and watched Boone’s departure. A hasty one at that. It was the fastest he’d seen Boone walk in a while. And if Wes wasn’t mistaken, a different sort of energy surrounded the old man. Wes’s unease grew.

  Last fall, Sam and Boone had come across a runaway bride. They’d given her a ride to the Owl and discovered the bride’s cold-footed groom already seated at the bar. Two hours of heartfelt talk and two servings of Boone’s special potato-and-bacon soup later, they’d ushered the reunited couple back to the old church to exchange their vows. Sam and Boone had then declared themselves the town’s relationship experts, offering advice and introductions to both locals and guests at the Owl. Their machinations had quieted down over the past few months so Wes had assumed they’d retired from playing Cupid for Three Springs.

  Now he wasn’t so certain.

  Now he’d have to watch the wily cowboy duo more carefully.

  And warn Abby to duck if she wanted to miss Cupid’s arrows.

  Sam and Boone might not have the best aim, but they were nothing if not relentless once they settled on a goal.

  Wes fastened the stable doors and checked one last time on Dan and the rescues in the pasture. Then he climbed into his truck and headed out to Old Copper Mill Road.

  Trey Ramsey, owner of Ramsey & Son’s Repair Shop, had already arrived. He climbed out from under Abby’s car, wiped his palms on his jeans and shook Wes’s hand.

  “Thanks for coming out, Trey.” Wes shifted to look at Abby’s ruined tire.

  “Always happy to get out of the shop.” Trey tapped his fist against Wes’s shoulder. “Cute ride by the way. Never took you as the candy-apple-red sports car type.”

  “Belongs to Abby James.” Wes saw Abby behind the wheel. Heard the upbeat eighties song she’d been playing. Recalled her sunburned cheeks and wind-loosened blond braids. He wanted to forget her honey-glazed voice. Her perceptive gaze and wit. “She’s Tess Palmer’s cousin and just got to town today.”

  “That makes more sense.” Trey knelt beside the flat tire and touched the bent rim. “This might be an expensive repair. Of course, I’ll give her the friends and family discount on account of you and her being...”

  Trey’s eyebrow lifted. His voice faded into the hot wind. Yet the speculation hovered.

  Was Wes the only one in the whole county who hit Mute on the town’s chatterbox? Abby had only just arrived in town. How could she possibly be Wes’s anything? Wes crossed his arms over his chest. “You�
��ll have to take up the cost with Abby.”

  “Where is she?” Trey adjusted his baseball hat.

  Not with me. As it should be. “She’s staying with her cousin.”

  “That works.” Trey pulled his truck keys from his pocket. “I need to drop by and see if Tess can find a vintage glass casserole dish to match my wife’s set that her great-grandmother gave her.”

  Not his friend too. When had Silver Penny General Store become the go-to place for everyone’s special requests?

  “I’ll let Abby know I have her car at the shop.” Trey opened his truck door and glanced at Wes. “I’m looking forward to meeting her as well.”

  Wes considered his friend, then rubbed his forehead. Heat was messing with him something fierce today. Or perhaps it was Boone’s sneaky ways. Trey was only doing his job. And Wes hardly cared what Trey wanted to order from the general store. The man had his own personal business same as Wes.

  Yet when it came to Abby... Wes rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. When it came to Abby, something felt funny inside him. And that he didn’t care for.

  Trey maneuvered the tow truck around to the front of Abby’s car. Five minutes later the convertible was loaded onto the flatbed and secured.

  Trey took off his work gloves and slapped them against his thigh. “You hear the latest talk about the land developers sniffing around town?”

  That was talk Wes had heard and listened to. He nodded and checked the clouds. Rain hung on the horizon, and he expected a storm to roll in before evening. “You might want to put Abby’s top back up when you get to your shop.”

  “Will do.” Trey glanced at the sky, then back at Wes. “Think this time will be any different than the last?”

  “That company never stayed longer than a day.” Wes ground a stone into the dirt with his boot. “I suppose it depends on what the land developers want to do here.”

  “Three Springs works fine as it is,” Trey said. “Can’t think of anything that needs to be done.”

  Wes agreed and looked at Abby’s car. Too fancy for Three Springs. Too impractical. “But that’s not progress.”