Big-Hearted Cowboy (The Buckskin Brotherhood Book 2) Read online

  Big-Hearted Cowboy

  The Buckskin Brotherhood

  Vicki Lewis Thompson

  BIG-HEARTED COWBOY

  Copyright © 2020 by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  ISBN: 978-1-946759-84-9

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Ocean Dance Press, PO Box 69901, Oro Valley AZ 85737

  Cover art by Sylvia Frost

  Visit the author’s website: VickiLewisThompson.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  But Wait, There’s More!

  Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Millie Jones would be the death of him. Jake Lassiter began to sweat under his cowboy-style tux as Millie paraded down the center aisle of Apple Grove’s country church in a bridesmaid dress that made him weak in the knees.

  Soft material the color of lime sherbet draped her hour-glass figure and swirled around her slender ankles. It matched her eyes and looked great with her light red hair. A morning spent at Tres Beau Salon had given her an upswept arrangement of copper curls, seductive makeup and polished nails.

  She was hard enough to resist in her housekeeper’s outfit of jeans and a T-shirt. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d almost kissed her. Her mouth was a constant source of temptation, even when it wasn’t highlighted with lipstick the color of a ripe peach.

  How was he supposed to get through Matt and Lucy’s wedding without doing something stupid? Well, he’d have to stay strong, even if it killed him. Before the evening was over, it just might.

  Four bridesmaids to choose from, and Matt had paired him with Millie. Why not Kate Gifford, the Buckskin Ranch’s new cook? Why not one of Lucy’s friends from out of town? But no, Matt had become fixated on the joys of matrimony and he wanted everyone to get with the program, especially Jake and Millie. No, and hell no.

  Millie joined the three ladies lined up to the left of the altar. They resembled a bouquet of wildflowers, with each woman in a different color. Clearly Lucy had chosen the colors with an artist’s eye. All of the women were pretty in their dresses, but Millie stole the show, at least in his estimation.

  Time to quit staring at her like a lovesick fool. Matt had decided against Stetsons for the ceremony and without a hat shadowing his face, he was liable to give too much away.

  Besides, the matron of honor, Henri Fox, came next and she deserved his full attention. She’d saved his bacon as a confused teenager many years ago and had continued to be a source of comfort and support ever since. She’d done the same for the other guys gathered at the front of the church.

  Warmth swelled in his chest. She looked like a million bucks. Tall, silver-haired and elegant in a lavender gown, she paused, her gaze soft as she glanced at the six men lined up next to the altar, and CJ on a stool playing his guitar for the processional.

  Her boys. The Buckskin Brotherhood. A tender smile and a slight inclination of her head conveyed more than if she’d passed out hugs. Rumor had it that she’d teared up when Lucy had asked if she’d be her matron of honor, but that sort of emotional display didn’t happen often with Henri.

  As she took her place beside Millie, CJ finished the processional with a flourish and played the intro to Kenny Chesney’s Me and You. Lucy appeared with her parents on either side.

  Millie had warned Jake that Lucy’s dress was unique. She hadn’t been kidding. The style was like many others, a fitted top and a full, floor-length skirt. But only the background was white. Swirls of color danced over the fabric repeating those the bridal party wore—lemon yellow, lime green, fuchsia, sky blue and lavender.

  A crown of mixed blooms and her colorful bouquet continued the kaleidoscope effect she’d created. She looked straight at Matt and her smile reached all the way down the aisle.

  “Wow.”

  Matt’s soft murmur of awe touched Jake somewhere deep, nudging the longing he kept tucked away. He couldn’t have this, didn’t want it. His heart wasn’t listening.

  Seth Turner, the best man, said something to Matt that sounded like hold onto this moment.

  Matt’s response was clear. “Oh, yeah.”

  As for Jake, he’d rather not carry this image around with him for years. Too late. He couldn’t un-see it. Like a penniless kid with his nose pressed against the candy-store window, he’d be tortured by Lucy’s joyous expression and Matt’s reverent sigh.

  He was happy for Matt and Lucy, who’d loved each other since they were teenagers. Their odds of making a go of it were better than most and way better than his. Was he jealous? Hell, yes, especially when he glanced over at Millie, who had stars in her eyes.

  Lucy made the trip down the aisle faster than they’d practiced it during yesterday’s rehearsal. CJ adapted and picked up the tempo of Kenny’s love song. Lucy arrived, a little breathless, and her parents gave her tight hugs. The ceremony began.

  It was only Jake’s second. He’d avoided weddings until January when Seth had married Zoe down in Eagles Nest. The Brotherhood had attended, along with Henri and Kate, but a nasty cold had kept Millie at home that weekend.

  At the time, he’d missed having her there, wished he’d been able to dance with her at the reception. Life was just better when she was around. More normal.

  But what used to be normal with Millie could be on the way out. A couple of days ago, Seth had arrived with Zoe and her newborn, Seth’s adopted son. Millie had gone nuts over little Hamish, named after Seth’s Scottish father.

  During the rehearsal and the dinner that followed, Millie had held him every chance she could get. She’d looked totally natural doing it, too.

  Then she’d brought that tiny bundle over to him. He’d tried cuddling the baby for her sake, but after about two seconds the kid had started squalling and he’d shoved him back into Millie’s arms.

  A wedding and a baby. Clearly Millie was into both. Not surprising, but if she expected him to follow her down that path, she was in for—

  Rafe gave his left shoulder a slight bump. Whoops. Not a good time to be caught staring into space. He focused on the proceedings.

  The words of the ceremony, some familiar from Seth’s wedding and some written by Matt and Lucy, brought sighs and happy tears from the folks in the pews. Jake’s gut tightened. A hell of a lot of promises in those words. A wagonload of expectations, too.

  Rings were exchanged. Jake couldn’t see Matt’s expression, but Lucy
glowed. All her attendants did, too. Especially Millie.

  The pressure in his chest grew unbearable. Looking away, he drew an unsteady breath. Yeah, normal with Millie was on the way out.

  Matt and Lucy kissed. It was done. CJ struck up a rousing rendition of Taylor Swift’s Love Story as the crowd applauded, Jake included. Sporting grins a mile wide, the newlyweds hurried down the aisle. Seth offered his arm to Henri.

  Jake stepped forward to meet Millie. “You look great.”

  “Thank you. You, too.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “It was a beautiful ceremony.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He shortened his stride to accommodate hers. Millie’s head only came up to his shoulder, although her up-do added another inch or so. Her hand rested lightly on his coat sleeve. He shouldn’t be able to feel her touch through two layers of material. But when it came to Millie, he was extra sensitive.

  “Will you ever get married, Jake?”

  He gulped. “I… um… don’t plan on it.”

  “That’s what I figured from the way you freaked out during the ceremony.”

  “I wasn’t freaking out.”

  “Yes, you were. It was obvious.”

  “I had an itch in an inconvenient spot and I couldn’t scratch.” He braced himself for more questions.

  Instead she shrugged. “Not everybody’s cut out for marriage. But this weekend has reminded me how much I want a family of my own.”

  “I can see how it would.”

  “I haven’t found the right guy yet.” Her chin lifted. “But I will.”

  Her declaration sent a clear message. He wasn’t the right guy, so she was through messing with him. If that concept sat like a lead weight in his gut, too bad.

  Chapter Two

  Jake Lassiter was the most maddening person on the planet. All this time, Millie had assumed he’d avoided turning their obvious attraction into a romance because they were co-workers. But his reaction during the ceremony had opened her eyes.

  He wasn’t afraid of creating an awkward working relationship. That cowboy was intensely marriage-phobic. And baby-phobic, too. She’d never come across such a serious case. Not a single other member of the Brotherhood had responded that way to either little Hamish or the wedding vows.

  Just her luck she preferred the one who’d panicked when she’d handed him a baby, the one who couldn’t even look at her during the final moments of that touching exchange between Lucy and Matt. Damn his hide.

  What had all his flirting been about? The dancing at the Choosy Moose? Oh, and the guy loved to cook! He’d handled the meals at the bunkhouse since before she’d come to work at the Buckskin. Silly her, she’d taken that as a sign he had a domestic side.

  She’d tolerated the slow progress of the relationship because the tension had been growing, especially lately. She’d been expecting him to crack any time now. Logically, it could have happened this weekend, when love was in the air.

  He’d cracked, all right. She could see right through him, and he was not for her.

  No point in stewing about it, though, or trying to get to the bottom of his phobia. Life was too short to try and convince a reluctant guy that having a partner and a family was a nice idea.

  Time to move on. She’d fill up that aching emptiness he’d left her with. She’d find some cowboy who couldn’t wait to get married. Jake wasn’t the only fish in the sea, just the best-looking one she’d seen so far. She couldn’t help being partial to his blue eyes and mop of wavy dark hair. Or his smile. Oh, well.

  As per the usual transportation plan, she rode from the church to the Choosy Moose in Jake’s truck along with Rafe Banner, the tallest of the brothers, and Kate.

  “I thought it went well,” Kate said after they’d all piled in and Jake had pulled away from the church.

  “Couldn’t ask for better,” Rafe said. “Right, Jake?”

  “Right.”

  “Not sure how you can offer an opinion, bro, since you were wool-gathering through most of it.”

  “Just meditating on the solemnity of the occasion. Hey, CJ sure did a terrific job. That cowboy has skills.”

  “He’s even better than I remembered,” Millie said. “Has he been practicing more?”

  “He has,” Rafe said. “He kicked it into high gear when Lucy and Matt asked him to play for the wedding.”

  “Well, it shows. Having him play was wonderful. Everything was.” Except for Jake.

  “I agree.” Rafe loosened his string tie. “Except I’m not used to this getup.”

  Kate punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t whine. At least you get to wear pants. Millie and I are hobbled by our skirts.”

  “You look nice, though. Don’t they look good, Jake? I’m sure you noticed that, at least.”

  “You bet I did. Gorgeous.”

  “Damn straight they are. Did you gals pick out your own dresses, or was that Lucy?”

  “Lucy handled it all.” Millie turned toward the back seat. “It was quite a project. She searched high and low for material that had those colors in it.”

  “She wanted each of us to have a shade that went with our coloring and I love this particular blue.” Kate tucked her hands in the pockets of her sheepskin jacket. “But I’d forgotten how impractical dresses are, especially when it’s cold out. I was glad to put this on before we left the church.”

  “I’m with you there. Didn’t Isabel look amazing in that fuchsia dress?”

  “She did. It was perfect with her dark hair.”

  “Isabel is Lucy’s high school friend, right?” Rafe tugged off his string tie and unfastened the top two buttons of his shirt.

  Kate nodded. “And Serena is her friend from college. I like them both, but especially Isabel. She’s a riot.”

  “She is.” He rolled up his tie. “Will I get in trouble if I tuck this in my pocket and forget about it?”

  “Maybe,” Kate said. “Aren’t we supposed to do pictures at the Moose?”

  “We are.” Millie faced forward as Jake pulled into a parking space in front of the bar. “But if I know Matt and Lucy, the photo session will be more goofy than formal. I wouldn’t worry about the tie.”

  “Good deal. Let’s party.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Jake shut off the engine and unsnapped his seatbelt. “Hang on, Millie. I’ll come fetch you. The footing by the curb looks dicey. Can’t let you get those pretty shoes dirty.”

  “I appreciate it.” His considerate behavior was another thing she admired about him. Why couldn’t he be the man she’d thought he was? Made her heart hurt, darn it.

  While Rafe helped Kate down, Jake hurried around the nose of the truck, opened her door and held out his hand. He’d done it hundreds of times. No big deal.

  It was tonight. If she intended to search for Mr. Right, she’d have to break the habit of riding shotgun with Jake to the Moose on Saturday nights, or anywhere, really. She had to shake up that dynamic.

  He gripped her hand a little tighter and slipped an arm around her waist to lift her over a puddle and onto the curb.

  He’d done that many times before, too. Easy for a strong guy like Jake. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He continued to hold her hand and tugged her back when she started to follow Rafe and Kate into the Moose. “Can I have a minute?”

  “Okay.”

  “I get what you were saying back at the church.”

  She gazed up at him. “I hope so, because some things need to change. I can’t continue riding with—”

  “It’s not that I don’t care for you.”

  She could see it in his eyes. At least she hadn’t been totally wrong. “I’m sure you do, in your way.”

  “I’m just not—”

  “You’ve made your position clear. I’m glad the wedding brought it out. I needed to know.”

  “I don’t want hard feelings between us.”

  The worried crease between his brows touched her. “You know what’s funny? I
thought we were getting closer. I thought eventually you’d say to hell with the risk of dating a co-worker and ask me out.”

  “I almost did, for Valentine’s.”

  Her pulse sped up. “Why didn’t you?”

  “I knew it would turn into a mess.”

  “Then you’ve never been serious about someone?”

  “No, ma’am. I always extricate myself before it gets to that point. I didn’t want to end up disappointing you.”

  “Except you have, anyway.”

  “But at least it’s not a mess.”

  “Depends on your definition.”

  His grip on her hand tightened. “You’re upset?”

  “I’m not jumping for joy, if that’s what you mean. I care for you, too. I—”

  “Hey, Jake, your lady’s shivering.” Teague Sullivan, one of the wedding guests, hopped up on the curb.

  “Thanks for pointing that out,” Jake said. “We’re—”

  “I’m fine, Teague.” She gave him a smile. “We’ll be in shortly.”

  “Okay. Don’t freeze to death.” He touched two fingers to the brim of his Stetson and walked toward the Moose’s front entrance. When he opened the door, country music and laughter spilled out.

  Jake turned back to Millie, his expression taut. “Are you saying we do have a mess?”

  “I’m saying that many people, me included, believed we were heading in a certain direction, even if we’ve claimed we’re only friends.”

  “Guess so.”

  “I know so.” And the longer they stood in front of the Moose holding hands, the more they’d reinforce that belief. But she didn’t pull away. This was the most honest talk they’d ever had and holding his hand seemed right.