The Long, Hot Texas Summer Read online

  Heating Up In Texas!

  When Justin McCabe hires a master carpenter to help build his ranch for troubled teens, tall, gorgeous blonde Amanda Johnson isn’t quite what he’d imagined. But not only can she do the job, she has a thing or two to teach him about judging by appearances. And, more important, she has a knack for reaching the kind of kid Justin wants to help.

  Amanda hadn’t counted on her new boss—all strapping six foot five of him—being so utterly irresistible. Working side by side under the scorching Texas sun, the two of them make a great team—in every way possible. The heat of summer is no match for the sizzle they generate whenever they’re together. But when a crisis forces Amanda to face her past, she’ll need to make a heart-wrenching decision about her future...whether Justin is in it or not.

  “It’s not a competition, Justin.”

  Another rueful smile. “Good thing.” He sighed in something akin to defeat. “Because if it were, no question, you’d win.”

  And that bothered him, Amanda noted. Probably because he wanted to excel at everything he did. Silence and an aching awareness stretched between them. She felt compelled to remind him, “You know there are no perks that come with my presence here tonight or at any other time.”

  He nodded, accepting her boundary. For now, anyway. “How about we just be friends, then?”

  Amanda scoffed. Now who was kidding themselves? “You and I can’t be just friends,” she said drily.

  Another lift of his dark brow. “Why not?”

  Amanda was sure he knew, but she decided to demonstrate the pitfalls anyway. She smiled and stepped closer. Keeping her gaze locked with his, she dared to say quietly, “I’ll show you why not.”

  Dear Reader,

  We all have goals and dreams. Some may even seem impossible. Until the day we realize we have no choice but to pursue them.

  This is the case for Justin McCabe. He was the kid who did everything right—the kid with the great home and happy family, who had every opportunity.

  Amanda Johnson had everything working against her: an unhappy home, little familial support, doors closed to her at every turn.

  Growing up, both Amanda and Justin thought they knew what the future held. Then things changed. Justin saw a different, less privileged side of life. Amanda found family to love her and show her all that was possible.

  Both ended up on a ranch for at-risk boys. The girl who’d been “nothing but trouble” and the “role model” of Laramie, Texas, shouldn’t have anything in common. And yet…

  I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

  For the latest news on these and other titles, please visit me on Facebook, Twitter and www.cathygillenthacker.com.

  Best wishes,

  Cathy Gillen Thacker

  THE LONG, HOT

  TEXAS SUMMER

  Cathy Gillen Thacker

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  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 Harlequin 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 at www.cathygillenthacker.com for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favorite things.

  Books by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

  1080—THE ULTIMATE TEXAS BACHELOR*

  1096—SANTA’S TEXAS LULLABY*

  1112—A TEXAS WEDDING VOW*

  1125—BLAME IT ON TEXAS*

  1141—A LARAMIE, TEXAS CHRISTMAS*

  1157—FROM TEXAS, WITH LOVE*

  1169—THE RANCHER NEXT DOOR**

  1181—THE RANCHER’S FAMILY THANKSGIVING**

  1189—THE RANCHER’S CHRISTMAS BABY**

  1201—THE GENTLEMAN RANCHER**

  1218—HANNAH’S BABY‡

  1231—THE INHERITED TWINS‡

  1237—A BABY IN THE BUNKHOUSE‡

  1254—FOUND: ONE BABY‡

  1262—MOMMY FOR HIRE

  1278—A BABY FOR MOMMY‡‡

  1286—A MOMMY FOR CHRISTMAS‡‡

  1298—WANTED: ONE MOMMY‡‡

  1319—THE MOMMY PROPOSAL‡‡

  1325—THE TRIPLETS’ FIRST THANKSGIVING

  1334—A COWBOY UNDER THE MISTLETOE†

  1350—ONE WILD COWBOY†

  1363—HER COWBOY DADDY†

  1374—A COWBOY TO MARRY†

  1394—THE RELUCTANT TEXAS RANCHER ††

  1412—THE TEXAS RANCHER’S VOW††

  1428—THE TEXAS RANCHER’S MARRIAGE††

  1437—THE TEXAS RANCHER’S FAMILY††

  1449—THE TEXAS LAWMAN’S WOMAN†††

  *The McCabes: Next Generation

  **Texas Legacies: The Carrigans

  ‡Made in Texas

  ‡‡The Lone Star Dads Club

  †Texas Legacies: The McCabes

  ††Legends of Laramie County

  †††McCabe Homecoming

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  There were times for doing things yourself and times for not. This, Justin McCabe thought grimly, surveying the damage he had just inflicted on a brand-new utility cabinet and the drywall behind it, was definitely one of the latter.

  Frustrated, because there was little he couldn’t do well, Justin shook his head in disgust. Then he swore heatedly at the blunder that further derailed his tight schedule and made it even harder to prove the skeptics wrong.

  It was possible, of course, that this could be fixed without buying a whole new cabinet. If he knew what he was doing. Which he clearly did not—a fact that the five beloved ranch mutts, sitting quietly and cautiously watching his every move, seemed to realize, too.

  A motor sounded in the lane, and he hoped it was the carpenter who’d been scheduled to arrive that morning and had yet to actually make an appearance. Justin set his hammer down. He stalked to the door of Bunkhouse One just as a fancy red Silverado pickup truck stopped in front of the lodge. It had an elaborate silver Airstream trailer attached to the back and a lone woman at the wheel.

  “Great.” Justin sighed as all the dogs darted out the open door of the partially finished bunkhouse and raced, barking their heads off, toward the vehicle.

  The obviously lost tourist eased the window down and stuck her head out into the sweltering Texas heat. A straw hat with a sassy rolled brim was perched on her head. Sunglasses shaded her eyes. But there was no disguising her beautiful face and shapely bare arms. The young interloper was, without a doubt, the most exquisite female Justin had ever seen.

 
She smiled at the dogs, despite the fact that they were making a racket. “Hey, poochies,” she said in a soft, melodic voice.

  As entranced as he was, the dogs seemed more so. They’d stopped barking and had all sat down to stare at the stranger.

  She opened her door and stepped out. All six feet of her.

  Layered red and white tank tops showcased her nice, full breasts and slender waist. A short denim skirt clung to her hips and emphasized a pair of really fine legs.

  She took off her hat and shook out a mane of butterscotch-blond hair that fell in soft waves past her shoulders. After tossing the hat on the seat behind her, she reached down to pet the dogs. The pack was thoroughly besotted.

  Justin completely understood.

  If there was such a thing as love at first sight—which he knew there wasn’t—he’d have been a goner.

  The woman straightened and removed her sunglasses. “I’m Amanda,” she said in the same voice that had magically quieted his dogs.

  Justin stared into long-lashed, wide-set amber eyes that were every bit as mesmerizing as the rest of her. His brain seemed to have stopped working altogether. His body, on the other hand, was at full alert. “I’m Justin McCabe.”

  “This the Lost Pines?” Amanda asked, taking a moment to scan their surroundings.

  Working to get the blood back in his brain where it belonged, Justin merely nodded.

  “So,” she said, still admiring the acres of unfenced grassland peppered with cedar and live oak, as well as the endless blue horizon and rolling hills in the distance. “Where do you want me to park my trailer?”

  And then, all of a sudden, the fantasy ended. This gorgeous woman had not been dropped into his life like a karmic reward for all his hard work. Brought swiftly back to reality, he stopped her with a regretful lift of his palm. “You can’t.”

  She pivoted back to him in a drift of citrusy perfume. Her eyes sparked with indignation and her delicate but surprisingly capable-looking hands landed on her hips. “I made it very clear to whomever I spoke. My camping out here is part of the deal.”

  What deal? “It can’t be.”

  She came closer, her soft lips pursed in an unhappy frown. “Why not?”

  Embarrassed that it had taken him this long to correct her misconception, Justin explained without rancor. “Because this isn’t the Lost Pines you’re looking for.”

  A flicker of indecipherable emotion flashed in those beautiful eyes. She regarded him skeptically, seeming to think he was trying to pull something over on her. “But how can that be? The sign above the gate said this is the Lost Pines Ranch.”

  “The sign’s on the long list of things waiting to be changed.” A new one had been ordered but wasn’t coming in for another month. Which meant he would continue to have these mix-ups with nonlocals.

  “Are you sure I’m not in the right place?” she asked with a frown. “Because...”

  Justin shook his head, a little disappointed that this beautiful amazon would not be settling in for a long stay. He turned and pointed in the opposite direction. “What you want is the Lost Pines Campground, which is another three miles down the road, next to the Lake Laramie State Park. But...” What the heck, why not? Just this once he was going to go for what he wanted. Which was a little more—make that a lot more—time with this sun-kissed beauty. “Once you get set up there, Amanda, I’d be happy to take you to dinner.”

  * * *

  THIS WAS, AMANDA BLISS JOHNSON thought, the most bizarre encounter she’d ever had. Even if the tall rancher with the shaggy chestnut-brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes was the hottest guy she had ever come across in her life. From the massive shoulders and chest beneath that chambray shirt, to his long muscular legs, custom-boot-encased feet—and ringless left hand—everything about him broadcast Single and Available.

  Which meant Strictly Off-Limits to her.

  She wished she’d left her sunglasses on so he wouldn’t see her dazzled expression. “First off,” she told him crisply, “I don’t date customers.”

  Now it was his turn to look shocked. “Customers! What are you talking about?”

  Amanda pushed on. “You called for a carpenter, right? At least, Libby Lowell-McCabe, the CEO of the Lowell Foundation and chairwoman of the board for the Laramie Boys Ranch, did. She said it was an emergency. That your previous carpenter quit with no notice and you only have four weeks to get the bunkhouse ready for occupancy.” She paused to draw a breath. “I emailed her back that I’d be willing to help y’all out, but only if I could keep my travel trailer on the property so I wouldn’t have to waste time commuting back and forth to San Angelo.”

  Amanda fought her racing pulse and tried to stay calm. “But if that’s not going to work, I guess I could park my Silversteam at the campground. Assuming, of course, they have a space available. Since it’s the busy summer season, they may not.”

  He lifted a hand. “You don’t have to do that.”

  Amanda folded her arms in front of her. “Sure about that? Because just now you seemed dead set against me camping here.”

  He flashed a slow, disarming smile. “That’s because I thought you were a tourist, not an apprentice.”

  Apprentice? Strike two for the handsome Texan! “I’m not the apprentice,” Amanda said tightly, her temper rising. “I’m the master carpenter.”

  He pulled the paper out of his pocket and squinted at it as if he couldn’t believe the words in front of him. Then his head lifted and he speared her with an incredulous gaze. “You’re A. B. Johnson Jr.?”

  Amanda wondered if it took him this long to process everything. “Amanda Bliss Johnson. Junior’s the nickname I got at work.”

  “You want me to call you Junior?” he asked, with a hint of humor in his low baritone.

  “Or Amanda.” She waved a hand. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter to me.” What did was getting this gig. It would allow her to settle in this ruggedly beautiful place for an entire month before moving on to her next rural job.

  Justin McCabe continued to contemplate her as if he either didn’t believe she could really be an ace carpenter or wasn’t going to be comfortable having a woman undertake such a large job.

  Amanda sighed.

  Great, just great. She’d gotten up at the crack of dawn to put the finishing touches on a built-in bookcase for a very fussy client, then spent hours getting all her stuff packed up and driving all the way out here. Now, the deceptively laid-back McCabe was acting like he wanted to fire her on the spot.

  Deciding it was his turn to be put in the hot seat, Amanda stepped closer. “Do you have a problem with the fact I’m a woman?”

  “No.” He was clearly fibbing. “Not at all.”

  Then why couldn’t he stop looking at her like he was going to need a protective force field just to be anywhere near her? “I come highly recommended.” The defensive words were out before she could stop them.

  “I know.” He exhaled, beginning to look as off-kilter as she felt. “I just expected a guy. That’s all.”

  A common mistake, given that most of her competitors were male. Still, Amanda refused to let Justin McCabe off the hook. Sensing there was more to whatever it was going on with him, she arched a brow.

  There was a beat of complete and utter silence.

  He scrubbed a hand across his face. “I did a Google search on your company after Libby told me she had arranged for A. B. Johnson Carpentry to come out and finish the work on an emergency basis. The website said the company was founded in San Angelo, Texas, by Angus ‘Buddy’ Johnson thirty-eight years ago.”

  Proudly, Amanda relayed, “That’s my grandfather. He still runs the business—although he’s supposed to be phasing out of that, too—but he stopped doing the rural gigs a year ago.” After much persuading on her part.

  Amanda t
ouched her thumb to the center of her chest. “I do them now.”

  It was McCabe’s turn to appear irritated. “So why didn’t you make that clear in the communication with Libby? Unless—” he paused, still scrutinizing her closely “—you’re trying to purposely mislead people?”

  Amanda really did not want to get into this. However, he’d left her no choice. “When I first started doing jobs on my own the company was getting a lot of requests for me that had nothing whatsoever to do with my talent as a carpenter.”

  Understanding dawned on his handsome face. Along with a hint of anger. Amanda warmed beneath the intensity in his eyes. “So we took all the employee photos off the website and just listed the carpenters by name, or in my case, just my initials and last name. To differentiate me from my granddad we added the Junior to my name. That successfully eliminated all the customers just interested in making up jobs to hit on me.”

  “Makes sense.”

  She straightened. “Luckily, that’s not going to be the case here.”

  “No,” he concurred, meeting her stern gaze. “It’s not.”

  “Good to hear.” Amanda relaxed in relief. The last thing she wanted to deal with was the amorous attention of the tall, sexy Texan. Given how physically attractive she found him, the situation might be just too tempting.

  Thinking he was possibly the most easygoing man she had ever met, Amanda drew a deep breath. “Anyway, back to the way the company operates. My grandfather takes the service requests. He makes up the schedule and does all the accounting work required to run the business. The other four employees are all master carpenters, and they work in San Angelo. They all have families, and don’t want to be away for days at a time, so I take the gigs on all the remote locations.”

  When he opened his mouth she lifted a staying hand. “Unless you’re not comfortable with that? If that’s the case, I’ll see if one of the guys wants to do it.” She paused again, frowning. “They’d have to commute back and forth, and the two hours’ travel time daily would add significantly to the overall cost and time it will take to complete the job.”