Cowboy Outlaw Read online

  “Don’t you think you’re just a little paranoid?” Jack Holden asked, after Cade had explained his suspicions to his brother. They stood in the large rustic dressing room of Happy Trails Formal Wear.

  Cade buttoned his sage-green vest. “You tell me. I’m trying on tuxedos with my recently engaged brother who is getting married next month. And you met your gal through Cowboy Confidential, just like Nick, Hank, and Sam–all thanks to Grandma Hattie.”

  “I’ve thanked her more than once.” Jack smiled as he knotted his tie. “Carly is the best thing that ever happened to me. You and Trace just need to accept the inevitable.”

  Cade shrugged into a black tuxedo jacket. “And follow the rest of you into matrimony like lambs to the slaughter?” He shook his head. “Nah, we’re not that dumb.”

  Jack laughed as he slapped his younger brother on the shoulder. “You boys act more like stubborn mules than lambs. You can kick up a fuss all you want, Cade, but you’re the one who agreed to work with this Galetti woman and her goofy brother.”

  “Consider it my wedding gift to you and Carly.” Cade flexed his shoulders, the jacket pulling tightly across his back. He pulled it off and then reached for a larger size from the rack. “Interior designers are hard to come by in Pine City and I’m determined to have the café ready for business by the time you two return from your honeymoon.”

  “Then why do you look so worried? Apparently, this Chloe is all wrong for you, which is hardly surprising if she’s anything at all like her brother.”

  “She’s nothing like Gino.” Cade buttoned the jacket, finding the fit just right. “But she’s still dangerous. You should see her, Jack. Or maybe not.” He grinned. “If you saw Chloe Galetti, you might just decide to remain a bachelor.”

  The dressing room curtain was suddenly swept open. Carly Weiss, Jack’s fiancée, stood on the other side. “Hey, Cade, quit trying to sabotage this wedding.” Her voice sounded stern, but her blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Or I may just have to kill you.”

  “Carly,” Jack whispered, “you’re not supposed to be in here. This is the men’s dressing room.”

  She laughed. “Sounds like the perfect place to be to me. Unfortunately, you’re both decent.” She turned to Cade. “So, who’s Chloe?”

  “No one for you to worry about,” Cade replied, looking fondly at his future sister-in-law. Carly didn’t have any competition for his brother’s affections. He’d never seen Jack so besotted with a woman.

  She smiled up at Cade. “So, I can let you live?”

  “You’d better, since I’m the best man. Somebody has to catch Jack when he passes out from a panic attack during the wedding ceremony.”

  “Ignore him,” Jack said, drawing Carly into his arms and giving her a tender kiss on the lips. “If I start to panic, it will only be because it’s taking so darn long to make you my wife. It seems like I’ve been waiting forever.”

  Carly moved closer to him. “I agree. So why is everyone else calling it a whirlwind romance?” She wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck. “I’m ready to start the honeymoon.”

  Jack responded with another kiss, this one longer than the last. Cade folded his arms across his chest, waiting for them to come up for air. They’d been like this ever since they’d announced their engagement.

  As much as Cade hated to admit it, he envied his older brothers. Soon Jack would have exactly what Cade wanted—an adoring woman as his wife. A family of his very own.

  He tugged at his silk tie. Not only had the Kimberly fiasco set him back, but now this situation with Chloe would cause an even longer delay. He just wanted a woman who fit all his requirements, who shared all his likes and dislikes, who didn’t make him completely crazy.

  Was that so much to ask?

  He glanced at his watch, then impatiently cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but you two aren’t on your honeymoon yet.”

  Carly turned to him, her cheeks flushed a becoming pink. “I’m still waiting for you to tell me about Chloe.”

  “Do you remember me telling you about Gino?” Jack asked her. “He’s the guy who almost amputated Cade’s toe. Well, she happens to be his sister and is also your café’s new interior designer.”

  Carly clapped her hands with delight as she whirled around to face Cade. “Grandma Hattie finally found someone?”

  “She sure did,” Cade admitted, “so I guess we’re stuck with her.”

  Carly’s brow furrowed. “Stuck with her? Does that mean you think she won’t do a good job?”

  “It’s not that.” Cade cleared his throat. “She invited me over to her house tonight and asked that I bring dinner for us. We’re supposed to look at her design plans, but...”

  “But?” Carly prodded.

  “Could this be a date?” Cade blurted out. “I mean, it’s dinner at her house on a Friday night. I don’t think it’s a date, but sometimes I miss a woman’s signals.”

  “Whoa.” Carly held up one hand. “A date? What about Kimberly?”

  “Kimberly is out of the picture,” Jack said, sparing the details. “Chloe is in. Grandma Hattie is playing matchmaker again.”

  Carly’s eyes widened. “Oh, Cade. How wonderful! You’ve finally met your match.”

  “You can say that again,” Jack said with a chuckle.

  “Chloe Galetti is not my perfect match,” Cade said firmly. “I’m only doing this for Grandma Hattie. Once she sees how wrong we are for each other, maybe she’ll stop trying to interfere in my love life.”

  Carly looked thoughtful. “You know, it is possible Hattie made a mistake.”

  “Hey,” Jack interjected as he wrapped his arm around her waist. “I thought you were a believer.”

  “I am,” Carly insisted. “But if Cade is afraid to work with Chloe, I’m willing to wait for another interior designer to come along.”

  “Or he could follow Trace’s lead and just skip town.” Jack turned to Cade. “Trace got fitted for his tux yesterday and is already on his way to Denver.”

  “Hey, I’m not going anywhere.” Cade’s tone was more strident than he intended. Clearing his throat, he spoke more calmly. “Chloe and I made a deal to work together, and I’m a man of my word.”

  “All right,” Carly said with a nod. “I’m glad you’re staying put, Cade. But I can see why your little brother isn’t sticking around. I was here with Trace when he tried on his tux.” She pulled open the dressing room curtain and pointed to the front room. “He looked so handsome that three women came in off the street when they saw him through the window.”

  “Speaking of handsome,” Jack said, holding out his arms and executing a slow turn in his tuxedo. “What do you think?”

  She tapped one finger on her chin as she took her time studying her fiancé. Then she turned her analytical eye to Cade. “Well, if you want to know the truth...”

  “We can take it,” Cade said.

  Carly’s mouth curved into a sly smile. “Then I’d say Chloe Galetti and I are the two luckiest women in Texas.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  On Friday evening, Chloe silently fumed as she dressed for her meeting with Cade. She wanted to hit something. Or more specifically, someone. And that someone was her second cousin, Antoinette Galetti, who was the reason Chloe had just lost a job contract with Pine City’s largest clothing boutique.

  The boutique’s owner, a sweet grandmother with a flair for fashion, had been excited to sign Chloe’s contract until Antoinette had walked past them in the boutique, escorted by a security officer and wearing a pair of handcuffs. Not only had Antoinette been arrested for shoplifting, but she’d called out to Chloe, asking her ‘favorite cousin’ for bail money.

  The owner had then politely declined Chloe’s interior design services. Once again, her family’s unsavory reputation had turned off a potential client. Which made tonight’s meeting with Cade even more critical. He could still back out of their deal, especially since he seemed so skittish about working with her.

/>   That’s why she wanted everything to be perfect. Three months ago, she’d converted the attic into her third-floor office space. She loved the dormer ceiling and sash windows that gave the room a distinctive charm. After cleaning her office from top to bottom, Chloe had set up a small round table with two chairs where they could eat their take-out dinner while discussing their plans for the café. She’d place standing easels near the table to display her design plans and couldn’t wait to pore over Cade’s blueprints.

  A thrill of excitement shot through her. If this café job was a success, maybe her talents as an interior designer would assuage any concerns future clients might have about her felonious family members.

  Taking a deep, calming breath, Chloe turned to the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She’d chosen to wear a black jersey dress with matching knee-high boots and delicate silver bangle bracelets for this meeting. The style was classic and professional, and best of all, comfortable. She opened her makeup bag and began searching for her mascara when there was a familiar knock on her bedroom door.

  “It’s open, Gino. Come on in.”

  The door opened and she turned to see her brother in the doorway, his face set in a frown. “Chloe, I have something to say to you,” Gino began.

  “Okay, but can you make it quick?” She dumped the contents of the makeup bag onto her dresser. “Cade is due to arrive any minute.”

  “That’s what I want to talk to you about. With Dad gone, I’m the head of this family now, and I don’t like the idea of you dating Cade Holden. I think you should call it off.”

  “This isn’t a date; it’s a business meeting.” Chloe leaned close to the mirror and carefully applied a touch of mascara to her long dark lashes. “I made you a pot roast with carrots, potatoes, and onions for supper. If you eat all your vegetables, you can have some cookie dough ice cream for dessert.”

  Gino wrinkled his nose. “You know I don’t like your pot roast. Besides, I have plans tonight.”

  Chloe studied her brother. His shoulder-length brown hair was slicked back into a neat ponytail. He wore a blue pinstripe shirt and crisply pressed denim blue jeans. He’d shaved recently too, judging by the small tuft of toilet paper stuck to his chin. “What kind of plans?”

  He shrugged. “I’d rather not say.” Then his brown eyes widened in dismay. “And you changed the subject. We were talking about Holden.”

  She turned back to the mirror, able to see his reflection in the glass. “What about him?”

  “He’s not your type, Chloe. Believe me, I know. I’ve heard he even has a list of requirements for the perfect wife.”

  “Don’t worry, Gino,” she said with a laugh. “I have no interest in that job.”

  “Well, I still forbid you to have dinner with him. I don’t trust the man, and I certainly don’t like him. He wouldn’t let me handle any of his precious tools at work today.” His mouth drew down in a pout. “Nothing except the broom.”

  Chloe feared her brother was following his usual pattern of taking a new job and then quitting when things didn’t go the way he wanted. She was still amazed he’d lasted as a barista for six whole months. But this job with Cade had real potential and didn’t require a college degree. He just needed to give it a chance.

  “You’re a carpenter’s apprentice,” Chloe reminded him. “You’ve got to start somewhere. I’m sure Cade will give you access to more tools as you gain some experience.”

  “I don’t have that much time,” Gino said, shaking his head. “I’m already twenty-two years old.”

  “You’re still a spring chicken, as Dad used to say.” She smiled at the memory. “Don’t worry, Gino, you have a few good years left.”

  “I’m serious, Chloe. Life is passing me by. And what do I have to show for it? Nothing. Zilch. Nada.” He took a deep breath. “It’s time for me to make some big changes.”

  The hairs prickled on the back of her neck. “What kind of big changes?”

  “Hey, you changed the subject again. We were talking about you and Cade.”

  She turned to face him, a tube of raspberry-red lipstick in her hand. “Right now, we’re talking about you. I want to know exactly what kind of changes you’re planning to make.”

  “It’s a secret.”

  She took a step toward him. “Gino, please don’t do anything foolish.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “We both know what it means. I realize the past few years have been rough on you. Especially after Dad died.” She didn’t want to admit they’d been rough on her too. The sudden death of Lorenzo Galetti eight years ago had left Chloe, a naive nineteen-year-old, in sole charge of her emotional fourteen-year-old brother. She’d tried her best to raise him right, with plenty of unsolicited advice from her incarcerated mother and assorted Galettis.

  “I really miss him,” Gino admitted. “He was my hero.”

  Just the words she didn’t want to hear. “I loved Dad, too. But he had his faults. He was too smart to waste his life cracking safes. He could have done so much more.”

  Gino’s eyes sparked with anger. “Lorenzo Galetti was the best jewel thief in the country. That’s how he supported our family and bought this house. The cops never even came close to touching him.”

  “Yes, I know,” she said softly. “But the stress of evading the authorities all those years took its toll. He was only forty-seven when his heart gave out.”

  Gino’s shoulders drooped. “The same thing could have happened if he’d been a plumber or a banker. Besides, he loved his work.”

  Sometimes Chloe wondered if her father had loved his work more than he’d loved his family. Growing up, they’d never been able to stay in one place long—making it necessary for Chloe and Gino to change schools often. They’d had to lie, too, whenever anyone asked them about what Lorenzo did for a living. Their parents had told them the secret to a good lie was mixing a little truth in with the fiction you were trying to sell.

  He’s in the security business had been Chloe’s standard reply when anyone asked her about her father. Only she’d refrained from mentioning that his specialty was finding ways to break into sophisticated security systems and steal the goods.

  Chloe had hated lying to friends and neighbors, often living life in the shadows. That’s why she’d vowed to never follow in her family’s criminal footsteps.

  Still, it hadn’t been a bad childhood. The Galettis were a close-knit family, and they’d always been able to depend on each other. Which was the reason Chloe was not going to let her brother down, whether he wanted her help or not.

  “Times are different now,” she said briskly, turning back to the mirror. “The police have all kinds of high-tech equipment to track stolen merchandise. So, if you’re thinking of taking up where Dad left off, think again.”

  The doorbell rang, forestalling Gino’s reply. But she could see by the mottled flush on his cheeks that she’d hit a nerve. “That must be Cade.”

  “I’ll get it,” Gino said, moving toward the doorway.

  Chloe picked up a pair of silver hoop earrings off the top of her dresser and hooked one through her ear. “Tell him I’ll be down in a minute.”

  “I will,” Gino called over his shoulder. “And I’ll tell him a few other things, too.”

  She rolled her eyes at his retreating back, then put on the other earring. Taking one last look in the mirror, Chloe ran her fingers lightly through her hair, surprised by the fluttery sensation in the pit of her stomach. Despite their rocky start, she wanted to make a good impression on Cade. If she was successful, his work as a contractor would make him a great reference for future design jobs. The tricky part was maintaining a professional relationship with the man while his grandmother was pushing for a romantic one.

  Fortunately, Cade had made it clear that he wasn’t interested in a romance with her. It was a good thing, too. Because despite her skepticism about Hattie Holden’s matchmaking abilities, she couldn’t deny a strange pull between them. T
here was something about that cowboy that unsettled her. Something that almost made her forget she didn’t even like the man.

  ###

  Cade broke out in a cold sweat as he stood waiting on the wraparound porch of the rambling Victorian house. He held a big bag of smoked ribs in one hand and blueprints for the café in the other. He’d been restless all day, wavering between apprehension and anticipation. The prospect of this business meeting with Chloe Galetti intrigued him and unnerved him at the same time. Now that the moment had finally arrived, he didn’t know whether he should ring the doorbell again or take off running in the opposite direction.

  Trace’s warning echoed in his mind. Be afraid, Cade. Be very afraid. Then he shook off the words as well as his sense of foreboding. Cade Holden had never let fear dictate to him before, and he wasn’t about to start now.

  Besides, it was a simple business meeting. How bad could it be?

  The front door swung open. Gino stood on the other side, a scowl on his face and a six-inch carving knife in his left hand. “Oh, it’s you.”

  “Put the knife down, Gino.”

  Gino held the knife up in the air, the silver blade glinting in the glow of the porch light. “This little thing? I was just using it to slice up a roast.”

  “Put it down, Gino,” Cade repeated, more sternly this time. After almost losing his big toe, he wasn’t about to take any chances.

  Gino’s eyes flashed with anger, but he took a step back. “And what if I don’t?”

  Cade moved a step closer to the threshold. “Then I’ll have to take it away from you, and you won’t like the way I do it.”

  Gino hesitated a moment, then dropped the knife into the potted plant just inside the front door. The hilt quivered slightly as the blade neatly pierced the soil. “All right, have it your way.”

  “Thank you.” Cade waited for him to move away from the open doorway. “May I come in now?”

  Gino stood with his hands on his narrow hips, partially blocking his path. “Could I stop you?”

  “No,” Cade said genially, moving past him as he stepped across the threshold and into the living room. He set down his cowboy hat on a small table near the front door, along with his blueprints and the bag of ribs. Then he looked around the room. “Is Chloe here?”