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Quick-Draw Cowboy
Joanna Wayne
Riley Lawrence is an expert at moving on and not risking his heart. Helping pastry chef Dani Boatman is a onetime deal—she's got her hands full giving her orphaned niece a stable home. But someone with a vicious grudge has a target on the curvaceous redhead's back. And destroying her life is just the start…Dani doesn't trust easy—a lesson she learned the hard way. This freewheeling cowboy with an irresistible grin insists on putting himself between her and harm's way. But the desire getting hotter between them can't promise anything more than heartbreak. And with unsuspected danger also closing in, Dani and Riley's one chance for love could prove forever lethal.


This cowboy is a sure shot to the heart…
Riley Lawrence is an expert at moving on and not risking his heart. Helping pastry chef Dani Boatman is a onetime deal—she’s got her hands full giving her orphaned niece a stable home. But someone with a vicious grudge has a target on the curvaceous redhead’s back. And destroying her life is just the start…
Dani doesn’t trust easy—a lesson she learned the hard way. This freewheeling cowboy with an irresistible grin insists on putting himself between her and harm’s way. But the desire getting hotter between them can’t promise anything more than heartbreak. And with unsuspected danger also closing in, Dani and Riley’s one chance for love could prove forever lethal.
The Kavanaughs
“A horse isn’t that big a mystery. They show you what they need from you. Just like a man does.”
Riley’s voice had softened to a whisper. His gaze was intense, hypnotic. The need inside Dani swelled until she was dizzy.
He pulled her into his arms and lowered his face until their lips touched. In that moment every inkling of control vanished, melted in the heat of his kiss.
Dizzy with desire, Dani swayed against Riley. Her pulsing need vibrated through every erogenous cell in her body. She parted her lips and his tongue slipped inside her mouth. Thrusting. Probing. Ravenous. As if he couldn’t get enough of her…
Quick-Draw Cowboy
Joanna Wayne


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
JOANNA WAYNE began her professional writing career in 1994. Now, more than fifty published books later, Joanna has gained a worldwide following with her cutting-edge romantic suspense and Texas family series, such as Sons of Troy Ledger and Big “D” Dads. Joanna currently resides in a small community north of Houston, Texas, with her husband. You may write Joanna at PO Box 852, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA, or connect with her at www.joannawayne.com (http://www.joannawayne.com).
Thanks to all my friends and neighbors who’ve taught me so much about living in Texas. Now that I’m settled into my own small-town Texas lifestyle, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. And, as always, thanks to my hubby for constantly being willing to rearrange our life to make time for my writing and research.
Contents
Cover (#u9155237f-a5a3-554d-a7e7-5aa27f548b68)
Back Cover Text (#uafeb9bf0-fa58-5e99-ad26-e84e7416064b)
Introduction (#uebf49996-d761-5c3b-967d-e8c7ac5a837b)
Title Page (#u1fdac4ae-8620-5f27-8e85-3f4938002c8c)
About the Author (#u9a33829e-cfa9-533b-9548-2ac45f0f4aaa)
Dedication (#u56672a4f-59e3-5616-8d1f-ca371b57cec4)
Chapter One (#uc8a0e873-8bd9-5564-a053-06323e184a46)
Chapter Two (#udf2f1c2a-bfa1-500c-b3bd-8b3ce2ab6a11)
Chapter Three (#ud3c1df33-e102-5f5b-a58d-606d7efd405f)
Chapter Four (#udab75758-8e1f-5638-a568-368d0545f096)
Chapter Five (#u23a4fcd6-17ba-5e6c-b87c-20055e25fc5f)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)
Dani Boatman piped the last exquisite rose onto the top layer of the tiered wedding cake. She stood back and examined her handiwork. Magnificent, she decided—almost too pretty to cut and eat.
But it would definitely be eaten. According to the bride, the guest list kept growing. Weddings were apparently a big deal in the small town of Winding Creek, Texas—a chance to dress up, visit with friends and neighbors and dance to a live band. And, of course, to celebrate the new couple.
The exciting part was that this time, she was not only invited to the festivities, but was also actually going to be involved. Maid of honor in the wedding of Grace Addison and Pierce Lawrence.
She’d be the only attendant, except for Pierce’s five-year-old daughter, Jaci, who’d be the flower girl.
Grace had helped Dani pick out her dress, which was made of an emerald-green satin that brought out Dani’s eyes and went well with her mass of unruly coppery curls.
The style worked, too. The dress was fitted at the waist with cap sleeves and a slightly flared skirt that fell to her ankles—easily long enough to cover her chunky calves.
The rounded, no-frills neckline revealed only a minimum of cleavage and fully covered her size 38 D puppies. A plump lady’s version of chic.
Grace had been her first and only close friend since moving here. Not that the people weren’t nice, but Dani’s spare time amounted to pretty much zero.
Dani put the finishing touches on the cake, the last rose with petals so thin they were practically translucent. She’d entwined the roses with deep green vines to represent the way Grace and Pierce’s lives had joined together forever.
Dani was a sucker for anything romantic. Not that she had any romance in her life. She’d dated, but never anything serious. Never met a guy who’d blown her away with just a smile, the way it happened in books.
Hadn’t been with a guy who’d made her heart go tripping or left her breathless the way Grace claimed Pierce affected her.
But Dani was only twenty-six. One day her prince would come charging in on a white horse. Of course, with her luck, he’d probably be dropping by to order a wedding cake for his marriage to some hot chick with a drop-dead gorgeous body.
So, who needs a prince?
Dani had her very own bakery and she had her adorable, drama-queen niece, Constance, who’d dropped into her life totally unexpectedly. Between her job and her niece, she was kept busy enough that she hit the bed exhausted every night.
And Dani was just about there now. She rubbed the tired muscles in her neck and glanced at the wall clock next to the cooling racks. Eighteen minutes after nine.
Not late by most people’s standards for a Friday night, but she’d be up and baking before sunrise tomorrow morning. Fortunately all she had to do was descend the stairs from her second-floor living quarters and she was on the job.
She started cleaning the mess she’d made while icing the cake. The old building that housed her bakery was never totally quiet. It creaked and groaned at will, as if yesterday’s ghosts still haunted the place that had originally been a bordello more than a century ago.
If only walls could talk.
Dani was startled from her mind’s imaginative drifting at the sound of someone hammering a fist against the front door of the shop. The sign on the door clearly indicated they were closed and the lights in the serving section were out.
No one could be this desperate for a late-night sugar high.
She removed the chef’s hat that kept her wild hair under control while she worked, and walked briskly to the front door of the shop. She arrived as the knocking started again. She flicked on the outdoor light to see who was so rudely persistent.
The man who stared back at her looked harmless enough. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue plaid, long-sleeved sport shirt, open at the neck. Needed a haircut, but was clean-shaven. He looked a tad familiar, but she couldn’t place him.
She motioned to the closed sign. The man didn’t take the hint but kept standing there and waiting for her to let him in.
It was Friday night, so there were still a few people out and about in Winding Creek’s downtown area. A couple were leaving the pharmacy across the street. A family of four with ice-cream cones were checking out the display window of a candle shop next to the pharmacy. A group of twentysomethings spilled out of a double cab pickup truck and into the middle of Main Street, no doubt headed to Caffe’s Bar and Grill around the corner.
The man at her door looked no more of a threat than the rest of them. Besides which, the town of Winding Creek was practically crime-free. She pulled the key ring from her pocket, unlocked the door and opened it a crack.
“We’re closed,” she said. “Open again at seven tomorrow morning.”
“Sorry to bother you, but I think I left my windbreaker here earlier today.”
The pieces suddenly fell together. He was obviously the man who’d left the jacket she’d found on the floor beneath one of the tables.
“Was it blue?”
“Yep. Navy blue.”
“I’ll get it for you.”
He put a foot in the door, basically inviting himself inside. His pushiness irritated her and made her a bit nervous.
She checked to make sure her cell phone was still attached to the waistband of her flour-splattered slacks. A call to 911 would have a deputy at her door in seconds. There would always be at least one in the downtown area on Friday evenings.
“Nice place you have here,” he said. “Dani’s Delights, catchy name, too.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right back with your jacket.”
She retreated to her office off the kitchen, picked up the jacket and took her cell phone in her right hand. When she turned around, the man was standing a few feet from her, blocking the door.
“Here’s your jacket,” she said. “You can go now.”
“After we talk.”
His attitude alarmed her. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“Yes, we do.” He took a step toward her, almost backing her against her desk.
Every muscle tensed. “If it’s conversation you want, I’ll yell and my husband will rush down the stairs to join the chat. I should warn you, he’s an excellent shot and will be toting a forty-five.”
“You don’t have a husband, but you do have my daughter. So now that we have the essentials out of the way, why don’t we sit down and discuss this quietly like two rational adults?”
“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but you’ve obviously mistaken me for someone else.”
“No. I know exactly who you are, and that you were granted custody of my daughter, Constance Boatman. That’s where the mistakes comes in. I’m her father, which makes me next of kin—not you.”
“You’re lying.” The words had flown to her mouth. Only she couldn’t be sure of their accuracy. She had no idea who Constance’s father was. She had her niece’s birth certificate filed away in her upstairs living quarters, where Constance was sleeping right now. No father was listed. She was certain of that.
The social workers who’d testified in the custody hearing had insisted there was no record of the father’s identity. That had been eight months ago, weeks after her sister, Amber’s, tragic death. If he was the father, where had he been all this time?
“Who are you?” she demanded.
“You know my name. James Haggard. It’s on the birth certificate. Your sister, Amber, and I were very much in love back then. Your niece is a love child, if that matters to you. That was before your sister let the addiction turn her into a slut.”
“My sister is dead and I will not tolerate you talking about her that way. Get out now or I will call the police.”
“Not a good idea. Once the law gets involved, things get really sticky. I prove I’m Constance’s birth father, I get custody. Case closed. Trust me, I’d make a lousy father. She’s better off with you.”
That she believed, but she refused to accept he had any claim on Constance. But what if he did? Someone contributed the sperm that led to her birth. That person might well be an obnoxious jerk like James Haggard.
From the time Amber turned sixteen and moved out, she had slept with any man who’d supply her with drugs. And her sister had ignored both their mother’s tears and Dani’s constant pleading for Amber to go into rehab. Their mother had never fully recovered from the heartbreak.
Dani’s precious niece was all she had left of the sister who had meant the world to her. She wouldn’t turn her over to this irresponsible jerk even if he was her biological father.
Dani’s stomach retched. She had to deal with this. “What is it you want?”
“My share of the insurance settlement from the car manufacturer. The faulty air bag that led to my dear, sweet daughter losing her mother earned you a hefty payout.”
“I should have known it was greed that brought you here.”
“Don’t be so pious, Dani. This little business setup you have here didn’t come cheap. You didn’t pay for it with pocket change.”
“No, which is why I’m up to my eyeballs in debt.” Not that it was any of his business.
“Don’t try to pull one on over me. I’ve had all of that I’m putting up with. I know how much the payoff was. By my estimates, even after you paid for the bakery and the lawyers took their share, I figure you have at least a couple of million dollars left. I deserve all of that, but to show you what a nice man I am, I’ll settle for a mere million. In cash. In one week.”
“You...” Dani bit back the words she wanted to hurl at him. They wouldn’t phase a lowlife like him. Yet she could easily believe he would have gotten Amber pregnant and then abandoned her and the baby.
Amber had been a stunning beauty before her addiction took its toll, just as James Haggard said. She’d had long auburn hair that fell in loose curls about her shoulders, gorgeous amber-colored eyes, lush eyelashes and a dynamite body.
Amber had always been the pretty sister. Everyone had said it. The comments had cut Dani to the quick when they were growing up. That hadn’t changed the fact that she worshipped her older sister.
Now it was Constance who mattered more than anything.
“Even if you are Constance’s father—which I seriously doubt—you’re wrong about the insurance money. It’s all in a trust fund for Constance and can’t be touched until she turns twenty-one.”
“Yet you found a way to get your greedy little hands on it,” the man snarled. “And you can cut the pretense. We both know you have at least a copy of the birth certificate that lists me as the father.”
She shook her head. She’d had enough. “You’re wrong. Now get out. And stay away from here. If you show up again, I’ll call the sheriff and press harassment charges.”
He glared at her, his eyes dark and penetrating, and it was almost as if she could feel a bizarre mix of evil and madness fighting for his soul.
Chills ran up her spine, but she stood her ground. She pointed to the door. “Out. Now.”
“I’m leaving, but I’ll be back next week for the stacks. If you don’t have all the big ones, I’ll not only file for paternal custody, but have you prosecuted for stealing my daughter’s money. Is that what you want?”
“You won’t have a prayer of getting custody without proof of paternity. Bluffing won’t help you. DNA won’t lie for you.”
“DNA won’t have to lie. In the meantime, take care of my beloved daughter.” He smiled at his own sarcastic quip, turned and walked away.
Anger and dread left Dani shaking. This was blackmail, plain and simple. A scam. A bluff. James Haggard’s name was not on the birth certificate.
But what if a paternity test proved he was Constance’s father? Was there a judge alive who’d actually take a child who’d been through what Constance had suffered and rip her from this safe, secure life, where she was loved?
Would any judge grant custody to a man who’d abandoned his child and her addicted mother years before? Wouldn’t a judge realize that Haggard was in this strictly to find a way to get at Constance’s trust fund?
But then, crazier things happened in the court system every day.
“I’ve told you the insurance is in an untouchable trust and there’s no way I can come up with the amount of money you’re talking about.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to do that myself—once I have custody of Constance.” He started to the door, then turned and pointed at her as if he was pulling a trigger. “Next Friday. Before noon.”
She waited until she heard the front door slam behind Haggard before she walked over and locked the door behind him.
She looked out the huge front window and stared at the dance of light and shadows beneath the antique streetlights. Winding Creek was the ideal, small Texas town. Friendly. Safe.
A place where Constance could heal from the ordeals she’d endured living with Amber and her addictions. A home where she felt protected and loved after years of neglect and frequent abandonment by her own mother. That had been the deciding factor in Dani’s going into debt to open her own bakery here.
James Haggard had shattered that illusion.
Dani went back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up. The cake she’d worked hours on meant nothing to her as Haggard’s vicious threats echoed through her mind.
She was not convinced he was Constance’s father, but she was certain he’d told the truth about at least one thing.
He would be back.
Chapter Two (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)
Ten o’clock on Saturday in downtown Winding Creek, Texas. Not just any Saturday. This was the date Riley Lawrence’s older brother, Pierce, was giving marriage a second chance. Sounded downright crazy to Riley. He’d never had the guts to tie the knot even once and didn’t plan to remedy that any time soon.
Riley figured it was too early for a beer even though he’d been driving since five that morning after a few hours of restless sleep. The motel bed had left a lot to be desired in the way of comfort.
Not that comfort mattered all that much to him. He’d slept under the stars many a night with no more than a rolled-up jacket for a pillow.
He turned onto Main Street. He’d expected at least a fleeting sensation that he was home again. Didn’t happen. The town looked almost exactly the same as when he’d lived here until just before his fifteenth birthday. It also looked completely different.
Perspective changed everything.
When he’d lived here, Winding Creek was all he really knew. Now he’d seen most of the country, at least the parts of it he was interested in seeing. Any place he hung his Stetson was home.
He should probably just keep driving and head straight to the Double K Ranch, but as eager as he was to see his brothers, he wasn’t quite ready to dive into wedding chaos. He definitely wasn’t eager to start hiding his doubts about Pierce’s decision to jump into the fire again.
He pulled his old black pickup truck into a parking spot, got out and stretched. The antique streetlights were familiar. So were the buildings. Even a few old hitching posts were still scattered along the curb.
The storefronts were a different story. The old Texaco station was now a sandwich shop. The barbershop where he’d gotten his hair cut as a kid was now a candle shop. Who’d have guessed you needed a separate shop to buy candles?
He glanced at the signs. An ice-cream parlor. A Christmas store. A toy shop. Even a jewelry store. Practically a shopping mecca compared to where he’d been living in Montana.
He caught a whiff of coffee and followed the scent to a bakery. Dani’s Delights. The cookies, scones and cupcakes displayed in the window looked incredible, but it was the aroma of the day’s grind that lured him in.
The dozen or so tables in the place were all taken. The line to order was at least ten people deep. He wasn’t sure any cup of coffee was worth that kind of wait.
Easy to see the problem. There was only one person to take orders, collect money and mix the fancy coffee drinks. The woman behind the counter looked a bit harried and her smile was clearly forced.
He continued to study her as he stepped into the line. A full head shorter than his six foot two. Heart-shaped face. Cute upturned nose. A mass of wild cinnamon-colored curls that hugged her cheeks.
Maybe her coffee was worth waiting in line for after all. Marriage and commitment might scare him half to death, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the company of a vivacious woman every now and then.
Women were in short supply on the ranch where he’d been living in Montana. Available women were nonexistent.
Riley inched up when the line moved and glanced around the small shop. He recognized Dan Dupree, who was sitting in the back with who were probably his grandkids. Dan and his wife had been friends of Riley’s parents before their fatal car accident.
Mrs. Maclean, Riley’s ninth-grade English teacher, was at another table with two women he didn’t recognize. Neither Dan nor Mrs. Maclean showed any sign of recognizing him.
Fortunately, he’d changed from the skinny, awkward, pimpled teenager he’d been last time he lived in Winding Creek. He’d added a few inches in height and muscled up a bit.
The door opened and four more people squeezed in and joined the line.
A freckle-faced kid with braided red hair, eyeglasses and cut-off jeans ran noisily down some back stairs that led into the bakery. She maneuvered around the sign at the foot of the stairs that read Private. Do Not Enter. Prancing like a showy filly, she made her way across the shop.
The youngster propped her elbows on the far end of the counter. “I’m bored,” she announced loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear.
“Did you finish your homework?” the busy woman asked without looking up from the display case, where she was gathering raspberry scones for her customer.
“Yes, except for the math. I hate word problems. They don’t even make sense.”
“They make sense, Constance, but I’ll help you with your homework later. I’m really busy right now. Why don’t you watch TV upstairs until Sally and her mother pick you up for the movie?”
“I’m tired of being upstairs by myself. I wanna stay down here, Aunt Dani.”
Ah, aunt. Not the kid’s mother. Made sense. She didn’t look old enough for that. He checked out the busy redhead’s ring finger. No golden band. Looking better all the time.
“Can I have a cookie?” the girl asked.
“Not before lunch. You know the rules,” the aunt answered as she added whipped cream to a coffee drink.
The kid’s hands flew to her hips. “Everybody else in here has a cookie, or a muffin, or something.”
“We’ll talk about this later, Constance.”
Constance rolled her eyes. Quite a performer and with an attitude. Call him crazy, but Riley liked that about her.
The woman in line behind Riley began to complain. “I just came in here to pick up a birthday cake I ordered a week ago for my daughter. At this rate, the party will be over before I get the cake.”
“Guess there’s a run on coffee and scones this morning,” Riley said. “But the woman’s working as fast as she can.”
“Dani needs to hire more help for her shop on Saturdays. Then she wouldn’t have to do everything herself.”
So the woman behind the counter was also the owner of Dani’s Delights. Interesting.
The next person to approach the counter gave a to-go order for four cups of plain coffee, two-flavored lattes and a mixture of pastries.
Dani was still smiling, but she had to be overwhelmed. At least the little girl was helping now, keeping the customers in line entertained with a series of funny faces.
Riley stepped out of line and walked up to the counter. “You look like you could use some help.”
“You think? I had two teenage workers not show up this morning without bothering to call in and let me know.”
“Big night in town last night?”
“Not that I know of. Anyway, sorry for the delay, but I’m moving as fast as I can.”
“I wasn’t complaining. In fact, I have a proposition that’s too good to refuse.”
“I don’t know,” she said, without looking up. “I’m extremely good at saying no.”
She bagged the pastries for the current order and started on the lattes. “What’s your offer?”
“Behind-the-counter help. I can handle pouring coffee, but I could never concoct those fancy drinks you’re making. By the way, my name’s Riley Lawrence.”
Dani looked up, a slightly surprised expression parting her full lips. “You must be Pierce’s brother.”
“Yep, but don’t hold that against me.”
“Never. Pierce is terrific and marrying my best friend. I’m sure he’s thrilled you made it here for the wedding,” she said as she went back to boxing pastries. “He was afraid you’d back out at the last minute.”
“I was a bit afraid of that myself. Actually, I haven’t made it to the Double K yet.”
“Then what in the world are you doing here?”
“Saving your beautiful ass—pardon my French. That is if you want my help.”
“You’re serious?”
“Serious as a bull on steroids.”
“I have no idea what that means, but you’ve got yourself a job.”
“How about we start two lines?” Riley suggested. “One for the people who want specialty coffees and-or want to pay with credit cards. Another line of the people who just want plain coffee or to pick up some bakery items and pay with cash.”
“You’ll handle the cash line?”
“Yep. I’ve had very limited experience with cash registers, but that one doesn’t look too complicated.”
She sighed. “It would be a tremendous help, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Afraid I’ll sneak too many cookies?”
“No. Afraid Esther will kill me for delaying your arrival at the ranch.”
The door opened again. This time a family of four came in, stretching the line around the corner.
“If the line grows any longer, you may have a mutiny on your hands.”
“Okay, but remember you asked for this. Prices are marked on the items on display,” Dani explained. “Preordered items are boxed and in the kitchen right behind us. Name of the customer and price are on the ticket taped to the top of the box. If you have any questions, just ask.”
Dani raised her voice to get everyone’s attention and explained the new lineup procedures. Someone clapped and several more joined in. They moved into the two lines with amazing order and good manners.
That was the Winding Creek he remembered.
“By the way, my name’s Dani Boatman,” she offered.
“Glad to meet you, boss.”
His first customer spoke up. “I’m picking up a dozen cupcakes for Jamie Sandler. She ordered them yesterday.”
“Coming right up.”
And with that Riley was officially on the job. He’d never sold anything in his life, except horses or cattle at an auction and admission tickets once at a local rodeo in Wyoming. His cash-register experience was limited to gate ticket sales.
Turned out this was much easier. Almost everybody was friendly and happier now that the line was moving a little faster.
The guys gave him a howdy, several introducing themselves. It was the Texas way. Young women—and some of the older ones—flirted with him. A little boost for the ego.
None of the females were as tempting as Dani Boatman. He might just be staying around Winding Creek a little longer than originally planned.
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER, the Saturday morning rush had come and gone. Only three tables were occupied and there was no one in line. Constance was off to the movie with her friend.
And Dani Boatman was totally infatuated with the witty, personable, hunky cowboy who’d saved the day. But then he’d charmed almost every woman who’d walked into the bakery. Some men had a knack for winning hearts with just a smile. Riley had it in spades.
“Whew...” Riley said. “Are Saturday mornings always this busy?”
“Unfortunately, no. They’re my busiest day of the week, but not usually this kind of crazy. The sunny day and the wildflowers in full bloom brought out the tourists.”
“I get that. I’m not much of a flower man, but even I noticed the sea of bluebonnets driving in this morning. Damned impressive.”
“You’d be amazed how many people visit the Texas Hill Country every spring just for the scenery.”
“Scenery in here looks pretty good to me.”
“Thanks. I try to make the pastries too tempting to resist.”
He smiled seductively. “I wasn’t talking about the pastries.”
A flush of heat crept up her face. She turned away quickly, hoping he hadn’t noticed the blush. He’d think she was either incredibly naive, or had never had a man casually flirt with her.
Tough to admit, but neither was that far-fetched.
“Did you bake all this?” he asked, motioning to the display cases full of her cookies, cupcakes, scones and other pastries, as well as loaves of bread.
“Yes.”
“And you babysit your niece. When do you have time for a life?”
“This is my life. And I don’t babysit Constance. My sister died this past year. Constance lives with me.”
“So it’s just you and Constance?”
“That’s it.”
“Instant motherhood. That must have thrown your life into a tailspin.”
“It’s been an adjustment, but I’m loving it. We live above the shop so I can be with her as much as possible.”
The door opened again and Sandy O’Malley rushed in, her short skirt swinging around her thighs, her long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. “I’m so sorry, Miss Boatman. My alarm didn’t go off this morning. I mean I know I set it, but it didn’t go off and Mom had gone into work early and I guess I got to bed late and...”
“Take a breath, Sandy,” Dani said, stopping the onslaught of excuses. “We’ll talk later. For now, you can start clearing the tables.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right to it.”
“Guess I’m officially replaced,” Riley said.
“Yes, but you saved me from total chaos this morning. If there’s anything I can do to thank you for jumping into the madness...”
“Let me give it some thought. I’m sure we can think of a way. Will I see you at the wedding tonight?”
“Can’t miss me. I’m the maid of honor.”
“How ’bout that? I’m one of the two best men. Pierce had to give his brothers equal billing. I’ve yet to meet the bride, but according to Pierce, she hung the moon and outshines most of the stars.”
“And she’s just as crazy about him. They’re a perfect couple.”
“More than a couple,” Riley said. “They have Pierce’s five-year-old daughter, Jaci, at least part-time. They’ll be an instant family with all the complications that can bring. Glad it’s him and not me.”
Which was in perfect agreement with how Pierce had described his brother. Riley was a rambler, never stayed in one place long enough to get serious about any woman. The love-’em-and-leave-’em type.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Riley said. “Save me a two-stepper. I hear there’s going to be a country-and-western band.”
“Sure.” As if he’d notice a short, plump pastry chef once he was besieged by every other woman there.
“Thanks again for helping out,” she said. “If you ever need a steady job with long hours, low pay and lots of work, give me a call.”
“I appreciate that generous offer, but unfortunately I start to rust if I spend more than a couple of hours indoors. See you tonight.”
She watched Riley walk away. That was when she saw James Haggard staring at her through the window. She braced herself to deal with him, but he made no move to enter the shop. He just continued to stare, every muscle in his face stretched taut.
There was no doubt that he meant to intimidate her, to make her shudder in fear and realize that he’d meant what he said.
She’d lain awake for hours last night, considering his threats, trying to decide what her next move should be. She’d told the truth about the money being in a trust fund—it had been at Dani’s insistence. That didn’t mean that as Constance’s father, Haggard couldn’t challenge her decision.
If he was her biological father.
All she needed was a sample of his DNA to prove him wrong. Or prove him right.
If she could somehow get a sample of his DNA, she could have the testing done without his cooperation. But then why wouldn’t he cooperate? He didn’t want Constance. He wanted to basically sell her for a million dollars.
If he wasn’t her biological father, Dani would report him and his rotten scam to the sheriff. If he was... She couldn’t bring herself to go there now.
She was closing at three today, an hour earlier that her usual time to make the sundown wedding without too much of a rush. She’d search paternity testing labs in San Antonio before she left for the Double K Ranch, to get the facts about how to go about the testing.
And then she’d insist Haggard provide a DNA sample. If he refused, that was as good as an admission that he was lying.
No matter what the results, she had to keep Constance out of the hands of James Haggard. If it came down to it, she’d protect her niece from scum like him with her life.
Chapter Three (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)
Riley propped a booted foot on a bag of feed. It was the first time he’d managed a few minutes alone with Pierce and their younger brother, Tucker. They’d taken a walk out to the barn to get some privacy.
“So you’re serious about staying on here at the Double K?” Riley asked. “As a hired hand?”
“Not exactly. Esther and I have been talking. She’s willing to sell me the ranch as long as she can keep her house, her gardens and her chickens. I’d never dream of taking those from her anyway. As you know, Grace, Jaci and me are living with her now and it’s working out fine.”
“I just never figured she’d sell the Double K.”
“Frankly, she doesn’t have the resources to keep it going, and to be honest, I’ve never been as happy as I’ve been these past few months. I have some money saved and this seems like the perfect investment.”
“Last time we were together, you said you’d never been happier than being a Navy SEAL,” Riley said.
“That was the truth then and exactly what I needed at that time in my life. But this life is the kind of satisfaction that seeps bone-deep. Not just the ranch, though I sure feel I belong here, but it’s Grace and Jaci and, I don’t know, man. It just feels so right.”
“Don’t you just have temporary custody of your daughter until her mother and new stepfather get back to the States?” Tucker asked.
“Yes, but we’re working on more permanent arrangements. It seems Leslie’s new husband will be working on the project in Cuba longer than expected. We’re talking about joint custody, but with Jaci spending summers and most holidays with her mother and the rest of the time with me and Grace.”
“How does Jaci feel about that?”
“She loves the ranch. Well, mostly she loves horses, but she’s handling the divorce like a trouper. We’re family. She even calls Esther ‘Grandmother’ and Grace ‘Mommy.’”
“And Esther seems to love that,” Tucker said.
“So getting married so soon after meeting Grace doesn’t frighten you at all?” Riley asked.
“Not in the least.”
“You’ve definitely been roped and tied,” Tucker said.
“Except I was the one doing the roping. I was hooked from practically the moment I met Grace. When I thought I was going to lose her to a madman, I knew for certain my life would never be complete without her.”
“I guess that explains the rush to the altar,” Riley said.
“I was ready to marry her the day after she said yes. She was the one who encouraged me to wait until you two could actually coordinate your schedules enough to show up for the ceremony. She’s big on family ties.”
“It all sounds great,” Riley agreed, “but you were madly in love before and look how that worked out.”
“I failed in that marriage,” Pierce admitted. “Leslie and I were like two horses pulling in different directions. There was no way we were going to arrive at the same destination.”
“But you got Jaci out of that marriage,” Tucker said. “She’s a terrific kid, so it wasn’t a total loss.”
“Exactly,” Pierce confirmed.
And Riley should probably leave it at that, but what kind of brother would he be if he didn’t say what he was thinking?
“You haven’t known Grace very long. What happens if you and Grace start pulling in opposite directions? Another divorce? More emotional trauma for Jaci?”
“I get your concerns,” Pierce said. “But I have no doubts about Grace or my love for her. It’s about love, but it’s also about shared experiences and trust and knowing that the other person will always be there for you. Grace and I have that.”
“Then I guess you’re ready for the marriage game.”
“It’s not a game,” Pierce argued.
“Right. It’s your life. If you’re happy, then I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Riley meant that. It was just that settling down to one woman, one ranch, one set of options seemed a lot like sticking a horse in one pasture and never letting it taste the grass on the other side of the fence.
“To change the subject, do you guys remember our first day on the Double K Ranch?” Tucker asked.
“All too well,” Pierce said. “I was scared to open my mouth, afraid Esther and Charlie would kick us out if we did anything to annoy them.”
“Same here,” Riley said. “And if we got rejected by the Kavanaughs, that scary old hag of a social worker would take over and place us in three different foster homes.”
“I cried the day the social worker said that,” Tucker said, “but I hid so you two couldn’t see me. At twelve, I figured I was way too old to cry.”
The truth was they’d all had trouble dealing with the grief. One morning they’d had loving parents, a home, security. A few hours later a policeman showed up at the door and told them their parents had died in a car crash.
They’d spent the next ten months with Charlie and Esther before a great-uncle they’d never met showed up and took them to live in Kansas with him until they turned eighteen.
But Riley had never truly gotten over that feeling that he was one second away from a catastrophe. Maybe none of them had. Could be that was why Tucker risked his life almost daily riding two-thousand-pound bulls that would just as soon crack his skull with a hoof as not.
Maybe that was why Pierce had become a Navy SEAL and had been so good at it. And the reason Riley could never commit to anything. There was no certainty of anything in life.
Or maybe they were all just three brothers out there trying to find where they fit.
“I had a few minutes alone with Esther this morning,” Tucker said. “She still seems to think Charlie was murdered.”
“I know,” Pierce said. “I’ve looked in to it some, but there’s just no evidence to support that.”
“Yet hard to believe he committed suicide,” Riley said. “Were there health issues?”
“Not that Esther’s mentioned,” Pierce said. “But like I said, there are lots of money issues. The ranch is mortgaged to the hilt and Charlie was behind in his payments. His bank account is down to a few thousand dollars and he’d been steadily selling off his livestock since the drought two years ago.”
Riley leaned against a bale of hay. “Looks like your offer to buy in came just in time to save the ranch.”
“It’s working out that way,” Pierce agreed. “It’s great for Esther, too. She gets to stay in her home she shared with Charlie for so many years and still tend to her beloved chickens and her vegetable garden. Charlie’s ranch doesn’t fall into the hands of the bank. It’s a win-win all the way around.”
“Except that you’re buying a ranch that you admit has fallen into a state of serious disrepair.”
“I like a challenge. Besides, I had some money saved, thinking I might buy a ranch. Even after I pay off the debts, I’ll have enough left to hopefully make the Double K a profitable operation again.”
“You’ve got your work cut out for you,” Riley said.
“Yep, and I’m hoping my brother the rambler might settle down for a few months and help me out.”
“Why did I not see this coming?” Strangely, Riley wasn’t put off by the idea. He had to be somewhere; might as well be here helping out his brother and Esther—for a while.
“Just don’t get any ideas that I’m going to settle down in Winding Creek forever, big brother.”
“That possibility never entered my mind.”
So now the cute, little redheaded pastry chef with the sparkling eyes and the heart-melting smile wasn’t his only excuse for hanging around Winding Creek.
“You think we have time to saddle a few horses and race out to the swimming hole like old times?” Tucker asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Pierce said. “I’m banned from seeing my bride until the wedding and it’s not going to take me long to shower and struggle into the monkey suit.”
“Now you’re talking,” Riley said.
The three Lawrence brothers racing on horseback once again. This was as good as it got.
Chapter Four (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)
Riley stood with Pierce and Tucker a couple of yards to the left of the flowered arbor, where the minister was patiently waiting.
Guests had been arriving for the past half hour or more, filling up the rows of folding chairs.
Riley recognized very few of them. “You must be giving away a new tractor to draw this many people.”
“And to think this started out as a small family wedding,” Pierce said.”
“You’ve only been back here on a permanent basis since Christmas. Do you even know half these people?” Tucker asked.
“Not many, but Esther knows them all. Once she got involved in the plans, the size of the wedding at least quadrupled. We didn’t have the heart to reel her in. The busier she is, the better she does with handling the grief over Charlie’s death.”
“This must have cost a fortune,” Riley said. “Did you win the lottery and forget to tell me?”
“Nope. But this is Texas. You have a shindig, everyone chips in to help. The only food we had to furnish were the briskets that I smoked myself. And the booze, of course, though not even all of that. Some old friend of Charlie’s I’ve never even seen before dropped off a few cases of beer today.”
“They’ve been bringing in food for a good hour,” Tucker said. “I guess we’ll find out who the best cooks in the area are.”
“None better than Esther,” Pierce assured them, “though I doubt you’ll find a bad dish in the bunch.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to try them all,” Tucker said. “You lucked out with the weather, but what were you going to do if it rained? If I remember correctly, this area turns into a giant mud puddle with every shower.”
“We had the option of moving the affair to the new community center next to the high school. The folding chairs and tables belong to the center anyway. The portable dance floor, too, though I had to rent it. Cost me a whopping twenty-five dollars.”
“And all the lights you’ve got strung through branches and around poles?”
“Those I bought and Esther’s part-time wrangler, Buck, and some of his buddies set them up.”
“I didn’t buy a wedding present,” Tucker said. “Figured if there was something you needed, you already had it. Why don’t I throw in some money to cover the cost of the reception tent?”
“Appreciated, but not necessary. One of Charlie’s good friends, Harvey Mullins, has a son in San Antonio who rents party supplies.”
Harvey had insisted on providing the tent with no charge for it, or for putting it up and taking it down. He said Charlie had helped him rebuild his barn last year when lightning had hit and he was glad to do something to repay the favor.
“Sounds like this is a community affair, so who do I see about filing a formal complaint?” Riley quipped.
“File thirteen is behind the woodshed. What are you complaining about?”
“This straitjacket I’m buttoned into. Shirt’s so stiff I can barely move.”
“I couldn’t get Grace to budge on that, but she did agree to our wearing our cowboy boots as long as we had then cleaned and shined.”
“What a woman,” Riley said. “All heart.”
“The real question is, does she have a friend for Riley?” Tucker said.
Thankfully they didn’t get to finish the conversation. The music started and they were motioned into place by the minister.
Riley watched as someone he didn’t recognize escorted Esther to her seat. He wasn’t sure if Esther was acting as mother of the bride or mother of the groom, but she was smiling and dabbing at her eyes at the same time.
He knew what having the Kavanaughs take them in for ten months after their parents died meant to him and his brothers. He guessed he never fully realized what it had meant to Esther and, no doubt, to Charlie. From now on, he’d see that he kept in closer touch.
He flashed Esther a smile and looked over to see if Pierce was starting to panic yet. Nope. The man had ice water in his veins. Must be all that SEAL training.
When Riley looked up again, Dani was walking down the makeshift aisle between the rows of folding chairs. The wow factor sent his head spinning. She’d been cute and witty in the bakery. She was absolutely stunning in a brilliant green dress that set off her gorgeous eyes.
Damn, he even liked the way she walked. She didn’t glide or prance like some haughty mare. She just walked, like a gal who knew who she was and what she was about.
Would be right interesting to check her out a little further, find out if she was as authentic as she seemed. If he hung around awhile, they could have some good times before he hit the road again.
Horseback riding up to the gorge at Lonesome Branch. Do some fishing for bream or catfish. Maybe even take a dip in the swimming hole if the weather cooperated.
Desire revved inside him at the thought of her in—or out of—a bikini.
When she reached the arbor, her gaze met his. She smiled and suddenly all he could think about was getting the wedding over with and getting his arms around her on the dance floor.
The rest of the wedding procession barely registered with him until it was time for him to hand Pierce the ring. He watched as Pierce slid it onto Grace’s finger. He saw the way they looked at each other and he had to admit it did look like love.
But then this was the easy part of a marriage—when everything about the relationship was new and exciting. Before the ties didn’t bind. Before hard times and resentments started pulling a couple apart.
Riley didn’t see himself ever vowing to love anyone or anything for forever. Yet, when the happy couple were pronounced man and wife and Pierce kissed his bride, Riley hoped with all his heart that marriage worked this time for Pierce and Grace. And mostly for his five-year-old niece, Jaci.
Riley had dreaded coming to this wedding, but now that it was nearly over, he had to admit he’d never seen his brother happier. Even more of a shocker, Riley was looking forward to the rest of the evening. He was downright excited about getting to know Dani better.
For all the roving around from ranch to ranch and from state to state that he did, could it be that he was the one in a rut?
No. He was a born wanderer and he liked it that way.
But if he was ready to settle down, he’d be looking for a woman who had it all together. He’d be looking for a woman like Dani.
“THAT’S GOOD. LET’S get one more shot before we lose that sunset. Just the women this time. Esther, Grace, Dani and our little flower girl.”
Not the words Dani had hoped to hear. The air was cooling off as the sun made its final descent, but the Texas humidity had not let up. She could feel herself starting to wilt like a rosebush in a heat wave.
The wedding had been beautiful and touching and perfect in every way, but the photographer was getting a bit carried away with his after-ceremony wedding-party shots. Dani was not the only one growing restless. Jaci kept sneaking away from the group only to be tugged back by one of the adults.
“If we move a few yards to the left, we can—”
“Whoa there,” Pierce interrupted. “Feels like Miller time to me. I’m sure that’s enough pictures of this group.”
“Are you sure?” Tucker queried. “I thought we were going for Prince William and Kate’s record.”
“Okay, okay,” the photographer said, relenting. “Just trying to give you your money’s worth.”
Jaci tugged on Pierce’s hand. “Can I go play now, Daddy?”
“I think we’re all ready to go and play,” Grace said. “But before you all scatter, I want to say thank you one more time for being part of our wedding. You’ve made the happiest day of my life even more special by sharing it with us.”
Pierce put an arm around her. “That goes for me, too. And, bros, I’ll be sure and be there when you tie the knot.”
“Find me a winner like Grace and I’m in,” Tucker said.
* * *
DANI REACHED FOR a glass of bubbly from the tray of full flutes someone had been nice enough to bring them. Scanning the area, she quickly spotted Constance with her good friend Sally and a couple of other school friends. They were ceremoniously sliding across the portable dance floor in their socks while the band set up their instruments.
Happy. Surrounded by friends. Watched over by Sally’s mother, Crystal. Safe.
But for how long? Dani shuddered. She’d done a good job of keeping James Haggard out of her mind during the ceremony, but now he was back and tormenting her thoughts.
She’d found several labs in San Antonio that promised quick results with paternity testing.
She ordered a DNA collection kit online from Corinthian Court Labs and paid extra for overnight delivery. With luck, she’d have it in her hands by Monday morning.
The next time Haggard dropped by, she’d insist he cooperate. She seriously doubted she’d have to wait until Friday to see him again.
Having a plan helped but didn’t alleviate her apprehension.
“Are you okay, dear? You look like you’ve checked out of this hoopla.”
Esther’s words of concern jolted Dani back to the present. “I’m fine, but I’d best get back to the reception area and help control Constance.”
“I’ll walk with you. Jaci, why don’t you come with us and we’ll check out the party?”
Jaci clapped her hands and skipped over to join them.
As the photographer folded his tripod, several guests rushed up to congratulate the groom and hug the beaming bride. Riley and Tucker were quickly accosted, as well, by two very attractive young women. Dani had seen both of them in the bakery a few times, but didn’t actually know them. In their early twenties, she’d guess. Both thin as a blade of grass.
Not that Dani cared. She’d never expected any more from Riley than a dance and she wasn’t putting much faith in that. He certainly didn’t owe her anything.
Dani picked up her pace, determined not to be annoyed by the sound of Riley’s laughter, probably at something one of the flaunting flirts had whispered in his ear.
By the time she reached Constance, the little manipulator and Sally were swiping maraschino cherries from a tray on the portable bar in back of the tent.
“That’s enough,” Crystal said. “You’ll get a stomachache and no one else will get any cherries in their drinks.”
Dani tiptoed up and surprised Constance with a quick hug. “How about a glass of orange juice instead?”
“Or a couple of Shirley Temples,” the cute young cowboy behind the bar suggested.
Constance’s mouth flew open and she covered it with her hand, her eyes wide as she looked up at Dani and then back to the bartender. “My aunt would kill me if I drank that.”
Dani laughed. “You can have a Shirley Temple if you like.”
“I can?”
“Sure. It’s not alcohol.”
“What is it?”
“It’s sort of like a Sprite with a cherry.”
“Oh. Then I’ll just have a Sprite with a cherry in it.”
“Me, too,” Sally said.
Crystal stepped around the girls. “And I’ll have a white wine.”
“Coming right up.” The bartender took his time with them with little concern for a couple of guys waiting on service.
“My feet are killing me,” Crystal said, reaching down to make an adjustment on the strap. “And these shoes felt so good when I tried them on in the shop.”
“Have you guys eaten yet?” Dani asked.
“We have,” Crystal said. “Food is great, especially the brisket sliders and Esther’s fabulous creamed-corn casserole, but I controlled myself. Have to save room for wedding cake.”
“Your cake is beautiful,” Sally said. “When I get married, I want you to bake my cake and make it as tall as me.”
“Why don’t I just practice on a few birthday cakes shorter than you first?” Dani responded.
“I second that,” Crystal said. “We’re a long way from talking weddings.”
The bartender handed them their drinks.
“I’ll carry your drink,” Crystal said, reaching for Dani’s flute of champagne. “You can grab a plate of food while the girls and I snag seats—away from the band, so we can talk about how beautiful the wedding was and how smashing you look.”
“Thanks. I like smashing.” She had felt rather smashing until she’d compared herself to the two model-thin ladies hitting on Riley and Tucker. That had put things back into perspective pretty quickly.
Dani wasn’t hungry, but champagne on an empty stomach would make her giddy.
Several guests stopped to say hello and talk for a minute as she made her way to the food line. The band broke into their first number. Pierce and Grace stepped onto the dance floor that had been sprinkled with sawdust.
They looked incredibly happy. So perfect together that Dani’s eyes grew moist.
She blinked and then spotted Riley and Tucker standing near the dance floor surrounded by a different cluster of fawning women. No surprise there. It would be difficult to find three more hunky cowboys than the Lawrence brothers.
When she’d first spotted Riley in his tux, he literally took her breath away. Her pulse had gone into orbit as she walked the aisle. He looked even better now that he’d shed the stiff bow tie and donned his black Stetson.
She felt a touch to her arm and turned around. Millie Miles was standing at her elbow. Dani had met the woman while visiting Grace at the Double K Ranch a couple of months back and had run in to her in town and at the bakery several times since then.
The woman was always friendly, but there was no missing the sadness in her eyes. She’d recently lost her grandson, and her husband was in prison for manslaughter related to the tragic accident that had also claimed the toddler’s life.
It was the kind of story you expected to see on TV, but never in a town like Winding Creek.
“I just wanted to say what a beautiful maid of honor you were,” Millie said. “I love the dress. You should always wear that shade of green.”
“Thanks. I’ll certainly give that some consideration. Not sure how it would look with food-coloring stains, though,” Dani joked. Compliments always tended to make her uncomfortable—unless they were in reference to her pastries.
“This is probably not the best time for this, but may I ask a favor of you?”
“Sure,” Dani said.
“It’s my daughter, Angela. She’s the blonde in the red dress talking to Riley Lawrence.”
“Yes, I’ve seen Angela in the shop with you.”
Angela always dressed provocatively, but perhaps never looked as dynamite as she did tonight in the skintight dress with the revealing cutouts.
“What about Angela?”
“I don’t know how much you know about our situation, but Angela’s two-year-old son died in a freak accident last year. I won’t go in to all the tragic details, but it has been extremely hard on Angela, as you might guess.”
“I’m sure this is difficult for all of you.”
Dani had no idea where this was going, but it didn’t seem the time or place to discuss this.
“I’m increasingly worried about Angela,” Millie said. “She seems to be in a state of denial, as if she refuses to believe any of the past actually happened.”
Definitely not the time or place for this conversation. Dani had to agree that she didn’t look like a grieving mother of a dead child, but... “I’m not the one you need to talk to about this.”
“I know. I tend to go on once I get started. I was just hoping you could give her a job at the bakery.”
“Does she want a job?” From what Dani had heard, the Mileses were wealthy enough that Angela wouldn’t need the small salary Dani could pay her.
“She needs something to help settle her. A job that’s not too complex but would force her to stay on a schedule and demonstrate a level of responsibility.”
That didn’t answer Dani’s question. Or maybe it did. Millie was looking for an intervention for her daughter whether Angela wanted it or not.
“I don’t think Dani’s Delights fits her needs. It’s very hectic at times. People expect good service and a smile.”
Dani needed dependable help, but she wasn’t a psychologist and had no experience dealing with serious emotional issues.
“If you’d just give her a chance.”
Millie was pleading. Dani was still convinced it would be a mistake, but she didn’t have the heart to say no with Millie looking as if she might start weeping at any second.
Dani let her gaze go back to Angela. The woman was animated, laughing, her hands now all over Tucker. Riley had disappeared, probably hijacked by some other hottie.
“I can’t promise you anything,” Dani said, “but have Angela come by and talk to me tomorrow afternoon around four. We close at three on Sunday, but I’ll be around. Just tell her to ring the bell.”
“Thank you. You won’t be sorry.”
Dani had a disturbing premonition that would not be the case, especially now, when her patience was being stretched to the limits by James Haggard.
Deep in thought as Millie walked away, she was caught off guard when Riley came up behind her and put both hands on her shoulders. A traitorous tingle of awareness rushed her veins.
“You’re not trying to avoid me, are you?” he asked.
“No, but you looked to be well cared for the last time I noticed.”
“Tucker’s fan club was spilling over. He puts out that virile, macho vibe that all bull riders do.” Riley hooked an arm around her waist. “I think you owe me a dance.”
“Then I guess we should get that over with,” she teased in an effort to hide her pleasure that he’d remembered.
“You have a cruel side, you know that?”
“You can’t expect every woman here to fall all over you.”
He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I’ll settle for one.”
In spite of her vows to be sensible, her insides melted as he led her onto the floor. He fit his arms around her and pulled her closer. Desire swelled to the point she could barely breathe, much less dance.
She was so lost in the moment that she didn’t realize at first that Tucker was cutting in when he appeared over Riley’s shoulder.
“You have to share this beauty, bro. All the best men get to dance with the maid of honor.”
“Okay, but one time only,” Riley said.
Dani tried to make conversation with Tucker, but she was in such an emotional state, it was hard to pull off a simple sentence. She watched Riley leave the dance floor and return a minute later with not one but two adorable partners—Constance and Jaci.
He held both their hands and twirled them like some of the other couples were doing. They giggled and spun as if they were dancing queens.
That did it. The most she’d ever get out of Riley was a few heart-stopping moments, but she was ten tons of crazy about that man.
She had no plans to let him know that.
The rest of the evening was like a dream. Not that she danced every dance with Riley, but he was never gone from her side for long.
They were over three hours into the reception and many of the guests had left before she finally found herself totally alone with Riley near the back of the reception tent.
The band was playing a slow ballad and a lot of the remaining couples, along with Pierce and Grace, were dancing.
Constance and Jaci had finally run out of energy and had settled down with their iPads. Esther was sitting next to them, nodding and yawning.
“Looks like it’s time for me to get Constance home,” Dani said. “I’m sure Esther is ready to put Jaci and herself to bed even if the newlyweds party on.”
Riley slipped an arm around her waist. “I was hoping we could escape and take a walk beneath the stars before you left.”
Conflicting emotions sent her heart to her throat. His touch set her on fire, but what did he want from her. A kiss? A short fling before he moved on again? Or was this just the routine with a love-’em-and-leave-’em cowboy?
Not that she was actually looking for more. Getting the bakery on its feet and helping Constance adjust to her new life took practically every waking second.
And now there was James Haggard to add to the mix. There was no time for even a temporary romantic escapade in her life.
“I’ll have to take a rain check on the walk. I really should take Constance home. This is well past her bedtime.”
Riley slid his hand from around Dani’s waist and took one of her hands in his. “You’re not afraid of being alone with me, are you?”
“Should I be?”
“I’ll never do anything you don’t want me to do.”
That wasn’t a lot of reassurance. All she had to do was look into his eyes and her willpower would melt like butter on a hot cinnamon bun.
“I’m making you uncomfortable,” he said. “That’s not at all what I intended.”
“It’s not that,” she lied. “But I do need to get home. I have a busy day tomorrow.”
“You have to work on Sunday?”
“My boss is a slave driver.”
“What time do you close the bakery?”
“Three on Sundays. Four every other day. Except Monday. Then we’re closed all day, but this week I may have business in San Antonio.” If by a stroke of luck she could get a sample of James’s DNA.
“Are you always this tough on a guy trying to get to know you better?”
“I have been accused of that before.” More than once.
“I’m not giving up,” Riley said. “What about dinner Monday night, or better yet, why don’t you and Constance come back out to the ranch after you close tomorrow? We can explore the ranch on horseback or in my pickup truck. I need to reintroduce myself to the Double K.”
She wanted to say yes, but her overly cautious nature held her back. Riley Lawrence was a heartache waiting to happen.
“I’ll see. If not, perhaps one afternoon next week if that works for you. Constance doesn’t have school Monday through Wednesday. Teacher workshops.”
“How about both Sunday and a couple of afternoons next week? Every kid needs some time on a ranch.”
“No promises, but I will try.”
“And I’ll keep thinking of you back in that kitchen creating all those delicious pastries. Spreading the creamy fillings. Dripping the caramel sauce. Licking the bowl.”
A traitorous craving rippled through her body, a need so intense she had to fight the urge to wrap herself in his arms the way she had on the dance floor.
A walk with him in the moonlight would most definitely do her in.
“I really have to go now,” she said, suddenly terrified by the strength of her feelings for a man she barely knew.
“Then let me drive you home,” Riley persisted.
“I have my car here.”
“But it’s late. No reason for you and your niece to be out alone on these old country roads this time of night.”
“It’s Winding Creek,” she reminded him. “I don’t think there’s any reason to worry.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Dani Boatman.”
She loved hearing her name on his lips. The name she’d had since birth, but it had never sounded erotic before.
“Dani.”
She turned at Grace’s frantic voice. An armed deputy with a dead serious expression on his face was walking at her side.
“What’s wrong?” Riley asked.
The deputy looked past him and spoke directly to Dani. “There’s been a break-in at your bakery.”
She swallowed hard past a lump in her throat. “Are you sure? Sometimes the wind can set off the alarm system.”
“There has definitely been a break-in and some damage. Deputies are on the scene. I can drive you there if you want.”
“I’ll drive her,” Riley said.
Her first impulse was irritation that he took control, as if she couldn’t handle this. But in truth she had no idea what she’d find when she got to the bakery and she didn’t want to face it alone.
“Is there a problem?” Esther asked, joining them.
“My bakery has been broken into.”
“Oh, mercy me. What is this world coming to? Did you catch the no-account bloke who did it?”
“Not yet,” the deputy said, “but we will.”
“Well, you can’t do it soon enough to suit me. Terrible when a hardworking person can’t even operate a business without someone stealing from her.”
“Right about that,” the deputy agreed.
“Why don’t you just leave Constance here with me for the night?” Esther offered. “No use to drag her into that mess.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. You must be exhausted after all you’ve done today.”
“You didn’t ask. I offered. Besides, Constance isn’t a bit of trouble. I figure she and Jaci will be so tired they’ll fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillows. I’m sure I can find a cotton T-shirt she can sleep in.”
“She should definitely stay,” Grace said. “Pierce and I aren’t leaving for San Antonio until tomorrow morning. I can help with the girls tonight.”
“You’re on your honeymoon.”
“I’ve been on a honeymoon since the day I met Pierce. Helping get the girls to bed won’t change that.”
“It’s settled,” Esther said.
This time Dani didn’t argue. “Thanks. I appreciate this more than you know. Constance bought her backpack with her, so she has her favorite doll and some books. She changed into her wedding finery after we got here, so she can put on the jeans and shirt she was wearing earlier when she gets up in the morning.”
Grace put her arm around Dani’s waist. “Don’t worry about her.
“Riley, you take care of Dani,” Esther ordered.
“I plan to.”
He took her arm protectively as they followed the deputy back toward the house where he’d parked his squad car. Dread clawed at the lining of Dani’s stomach as they made the drive into town.
The bakery wasn’t just a shop. It was her livelihood. Her home. Constance’s home, the place where Dani always wanted her to feel safe.
The first thing she saw when they turned onto Main Street was a squad car and the sheriff’s vehicle in front of her shop, blue lights flashing. A cluster of strangers stood on the opposite side of the street observing the action.
The second the car stopped, she jumped out and rushed to the open door of the shop. Anger erupted at the havoc she faced. The feeling was so fierce, her insides seemed to explode.
She didn’t have to wonder what had happened here. No one ever broke into the shops in this area. James Haggard had returned, just as he’d promised he would. Only he hadn’t waited a week. He’d barely backed off for twenty-four hours.
If it was hardball he wanted, he’d get it.
Chapter Five (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)
The intense odor of coffee sent Dani into an immediate coughing fit. A black film covered every surface and hung thick in the air. Two giant-sized canisters of coffee she had ground for the morning rush lay empty on the floor in front of the counter.
She braced herself against the display case as she scanned the rest of the destruction. It looked as if a tornado had blown through the shop and literally picked up everything and sent it crashing back to the tile floor.
Tables and chairs were overturned. Pastry cookbooks and coffee-themed gift items normally shelved along the side walls had been knocked to the floor, many cracked or shattered. Both cash-register drawers were open.
She had a crazy urge to pick up one of the chairs and hurl it as hard as she could against the wall, or to start screaming and pull out her hair. Fortunately, since she wasn’t two years old, she refrained from doing what came naturally. She took a deep breath and managed a small measure of composure.
A deputy rushed in from the kitchen area. “This is a crime scene. No trespassing.”
“I’m Dani Boatman. I own Dani’s Delights, at least what’s left of it. And this is my friend Riley Lawrence.”
“Sorry, but I’ll need to see some ID.”
Sheriff Cavazos joined them from the back of the shop. “She doesn’t need any ID. I’ll vouch for her and her friend.” He put out a hand to Riley. “I’m Sheriff Cavazos. We haven’t met, but I know your brother Pierce and have known Esther Kavanaugh for years.”
They exchanged handshakes.
“Sorry we’re meeting under such down-and-dirty circumstances,” Cavazos said. “Glad you’re here to offer Dani some moral support. Always tough seeing your business trashed like this.”
Dani picked up and righted an overturned chair that blocked her path. “I’m not sure I can stomach looking at the rest of the place.”
“Fortunately, this is the worst of it,” Sheriff Cavazos said. “There’s no sign of damage in your fancy kitchen. Not even a scratch on those giant ovens. All your cinnamon-roll fans will be thankful for that. Me included.”
“What about the upstairs living area?” Riley asked.
Dani held her breath, her stomach churning as she waited for his response. If Haggard had been in Constance’s room—if he’d handled any of her things...
“Untouched as far as we can tell,” Cavazos said. “And believe me, we gave it a thorough check. Had to make sure the culprit wasn’t hiding up there.”
Dani shuddered. She hadn’t even thought of that. She scanned the area again. “How did he get in?”
“Through the back door that opens to the alley. He broke the lock.”
“So you think this was all done by one person?” Riley asked.
“I checked the area myself and only saw one set of fresh footprints in the patch of dirt between the door and the alleyway. Big feet. Definitely an adult male. Not wearing Western boots like so many around here do. Prints indicated he was wearing sneakers, no doubt looking for a fast getaway.”
“So no eyewitness?” Riley asked.
“Nope.” Cavazos raked his fingers through his thinning hair. “But we couldn’t have missed the scoundrel by much. He busted the hell out of the system keypad next to the back door, but not before the call went through to the security company.
“When the company couldn’t reach you, Dani, they called us.”
“I was at the Double K for the wedding reception. Evidently I couldn’t hear the phone over the band.”
“Wouldn’t have changed the results if you had. The first two deputies were on the scene in under five minutes. Your burglar wasted no time wrecking the place.”
“Any suspects?” Riley asked. “Is this a pattern of similar vandalism and break-ins in Winding Creek?”
Cavazos shook his head and scratched his whiskered chin. “Last downtown business break-in we had was dang near three years ago. Then it was a couple of teenagers camping out down at the park on Winding Creek. They got high and hit Caffe’s Bar looking for booze. Didn’t make a mess like this, though.”
“Your registers were emptied of all the bills,” one of the deputies said. “That was probably the intruder’s first order of business.”
“That didn’t gain him much. There was very little money in them. I emptied them when I closed shop for the day, except for enough bills and change to start business in the morning. Not that I’ll be opening to customers tomorrow now.”
“What about the cash you took in this morning?” Riley asked. “Where’s that money?”
“I made a deposit at the drive-through lane before the bank closed. The rest is in a hidden safe upstairs.”
“That might be your motivation for the vandalism,” Cavazos said. “Jackass went for the cash and when there wasn’t enough to satisfy him, he got pissed and did as much damage as he could before he heard the approaching sirens.”
“Guess I’m lucky you got here so fast,” she said.
But she felt certain that wasn’t the motivation for the vandalism. The culprit was that rotten James Haggard. He was devoid of any decency. A scoundrel who was determined to steal the trust fund of a motherless girl he claimed was his own flesh and blood.
Riley took off the jacket to his tux and wrapped it about her shoulders. That was when she realized she was trembling.
“I know you’ve got a major clean-up job here,” he said. “The good news is there’s very little costly damage. The best news is neither you nor Constance was home at the time of the break-in.”
“I agree,” she said. She wasn’t sure if Haggard had only come by to threaten her again and then decided to break in when she wasn’t here, or if vandalism had been his goal.
“I wouldn’t advise you to try and stay here tonight,” Cavazos said. “The lock on the back door is busted. Fact is, the whole door is busted up. It will have to be replaced, and it will likely be Monday before you can get someone out to take care of that for you.”
“I’ll secure it until the door’s replaced,” Riley said. “And I’ll replace all the locks once the door is in, just to be on the safe side.”
“Good idea,” Cavazos said. “Now if you two will excuse me, I need to return a phone call. The deputies will be finishing up here in a few minutes. After that, the place is yours, but if you think of anything I should know about, give me a call on my private line.”
He handed them each a business card. He spoke briefly to his deputies and then left through the front door.
Dani’s mind was reeling. Cleanup seemed all but insurmountable and she wasn’t sure she had the strength or willpower to even start on it tonight.
And then there was Riley. She’d known him one day, yet he’d taken over tonight as if they were lifelong friends—or more. He was protective, and far more clearheaded than she was at the moment.
He was both of those things now, but he could be gone tomorrow. She couldn’t start depending on him.
“You don’t have to stay tonight, Riley. Really, you’ve done so much already. I’m starting to feel guilty about taking up all your time when you’re in Winding Creek to visit your brothers and Esther.”

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