The Cowboy's Rules: 2 (Cowboys After Dark:) (12 page)

As they ambled back to the barn, the mystery of the missing halter floated back into her mind.

I’ll tell Chad first chance I get. That is really worrying.

It was an hour later that Cassie, Hannah and Mickey left the barn; all four horses were in their paddocks, the barn had been swept and the stalls cleaned out. Cassie dropped Hannah at her door and waved goodbye, and as she drove back to the house to shower and change she saw a Sampson Security Company van parked outside the front door. Moving quickly inside through the kitchen, she found two men with clipboards wandering through the living room.

“Hey guys,” she smiled.

“Sorry to intrude,” one of them said quickly. “Chad Douglas sent us up here. We won’t be long.”

“Did he tell you to go to the upper barn as well as the one he’s at?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.”

“Great, do me a favor and add cameras for the interior of the barn as well,” she said. “How fast do you think those can go up?”

“From the time we get the order, we can have it done the next day, assuming it’s not a complicated install.”

“Right, well, I know he’s asked you for a quote for everything, but I want cameras up there right away. I’ve just discovered something was stolen. They need to be up immediately,” she said urgently.

“Hey, no sweat,” the guy smiled. “If you just want a nanny cam kinda thing on a temporary basis we can do that when we go up. We have cameras in the truck. Once we get the whole schematic for the house we can take them down and replace them with the new ones.”

“Really? That would be fantastic,” she declared. “Thank you. I need to change so I’m locking off the bedroom.”

“We were just leaving so we won’t disturb you again,” he assured her.

Hurrying into the bedroom she took a quick shower and changed into some decent clothes, then kissing Mickey on the forehead she headed out the door; Mickey however, wasn’t about to be left behind, and running ahead of her he darted through his doggy door and sat by the car.

“I don’t know where your leash is,” she said sweetly, patting his head. “I can’t take you into town without your leash.”

To her astonishment he raced back through the doggy door, returning in seconds with his leash in his mouth.

“You are amazing,” she declared. “I guess you’re coming.”

As she opened her car door he jumped over her seat and sat on the passenger side, panting happily.

“If I wasn’t engaged to your master, I’d be marrying you,” she grinned.

As she headed down the driveway, she paused to gaze down at the barn below. Jeb and Tommy were busy with several clients, Marty had a few in the round pen, but she couldn’t see Chad anywhere.

Huh. I don’t see Miss Sugar Tits around either.
Impulsively she turned at the fork and drove slowly into the busy barn area.

“You stay here, Mickey. I’ll just be a minute.”

The dog looked at her for a few seconds, then barked and laid down.

He’s unbelievable, and it’s not all training, he’s just super-smart,
but as she walked in the barn Mickey’s unique abilities quickly left her thoughts; she heard Chad’s voice and a woman’s, and as she neared the tack room she slowed her pace. Heart pounding she crept forward and peered around the door. Chad was sitting on a tack trunk holding Molly’s hand.

Crap! Crap, crap, crap. Really? What the fuck? Miss Sugar Tits? Really?

Get out of here before you do something you’ll regret.

The hell I will.

You have no idea what that’s about. LEAVE, NOW.

Clenching her fists and fighting the overwhelming desire to confront them both, she hurried back to the car, forcing herself to head up the drive and into town.

“Mickey, I’m going to believe there’s an innocent explanation there, but I’m fucking furious right now.”

He’d sat up when she’d climbed into the car, and squeaking out a whine he placed his paw on her arm.

“You know what,” she said, turning briefly to look at him, “I think I am going to dump your Master and marry you, then all I’d have to worry about is a French Poodle.”

C
assie’s first stop was the local feed store, one of her favorite haunts. She could spend endless amounts of time viewing the latest items designed to make a horse’s life easier, warmer, cooler, more interesting, and so on. As she and Mickey entered the store, Mickey ran straight to the row of bowls featuring the various types of rawhide bones.

“Hey there, Cassie.”

The woman behind the counter, Vicki Marshall, had started the business thirty years before. Chad was one of her favorite people and best clients, and Cassie had taken an immediate liking to her. Vicki was smart, horse savvy, and had a wicked sense of humor.

“Pick whichever one you want, Mickey,” Vicki called across the room. Hearing his name Mickey pricked his ears and let out a happy bark.

“And what are you in for today, Cassie?”

“One of those dark brown leather halters. I bought half-a-dozen of them and one’s gone missing already,” she sighed.

“You just bought them last week,” Vicki frowned.

“I know, it’s a mystery. I’m sure it’ll turn up as soon as I buy a replacement, but then I’ll have one spare and that’s always good.”

“There over on that hanger where they were before,” Vicki nodded.

“And a large bag of carrots,” Cassie added as she moved towards the display.

“How did the clinic start off? Chad get a good group?” Vicki asked.

The question stirred the memory of the blond sex kitten holding Chad’s hand in the tack room, and Cassie felt a stirring of jealous anger.

“He’s got some beginners, and, uh, others,” Cassie replied, fighting the ugly feelings.

“I don’t know how he manages so many personalities and horses. He’s something else,” Vicki smiled.

“Not as smart as him though,” Cassie commented, nodding towards Mickey.

Mickey had selected the second largest size of bone and was walking towards the counter, the bone hanging perilously from a small corner he could grab with his teeth.

“Anything else?” Vicki asked.

“I don’t think so, but I’m going down the street for some coffee so something else might pop into my head.”

“I’ll still be here unless some good lookin’ cowboy comes in, locks the door and has his way with me,” Vickie laughed.

“You are incorrigible,” Cassie giggled.

“Yeah, but that’s what people love about me,” she grinned.

Cassie paid the tab, and helping Mickey find a more secure hold on his bone, she grabbed the halter, and throwing it in the car she walked to the cafe a few doors down.

It had been a while since she’d sat outside, drunk a latte and people-watched. There was a park across the street, and even though it was a weekday spring was in the air and people were out enjoying the weather.

She placed an order for her coffee and a croissant, and Mickey curled up beside her with his bone between his paws, hungrily attacking the large, white treat.

As she leaned back against the glass store front, she stared across at the park, trying to erase the image in the tack room from her mind.

I just have to talk to him…calmly. I do trust him, I do. It was just…

“
What a cute dog!”

Looking up Cassie saw a woman with a baby in a stroller.

“Is he friendly, can I pet him? Not sure if I should, he seems very attached to that bone,” the woman smiled.

Cassie looked down and saw that Mickey was intent on destroying it, though he’d barely made a dent.

“He’s a teddy bear, but he is having a wonderful time,” Cassie smiled. “His name is McTavish, or Mickey.” Hearing his name Mickey looked up from his bone but didn’t offer to interact, and seconds later he was back at it. “I think that answers the question,” Cassie remarked.

“Maybe next time,” the woman said. “I’m a dog nut, I just had to stop.”

“Glad you did,” Cassie replied. “Bye.”

A few minutes later the waitress arrived with her coffee and croissant, but as Cassie opened up some sugar packets she heard a low growl, and peering down she saw McTavish had curled up his top lip in a warning.

“Hey, stop, no-one’s going to take your bone,” she scolded.

“For some reason he doesn’t like me!”

Cassie looked up to find Jason Lewis standing at the opposite side of her table.

“My gosh, hello. What are you doing here?”

“I’m staying at The Pepper Tree Inn and thought I’d take a walk,” he replied. “I have to leave town in a couple of days and haven’t really explored the place. Mind if I sit down?”

His smile was as dazzling as ever, and his presence warm and inviting.

Shit, if Chad can sit in the tack room and be all intimate and cozy with Miss Sugar Tits, I can sit in public and have a cup of coffee with a handsome architect.

“You bet,” she smiled.

As Jason pulled out the chair and sat down, Mickey jumped on Cassie, his front paws landing on her lap, then he barked, tried to lick her face, then barked again.

“Mickey, stop it,” she laughed, “please, go back to your bone.”

“He’s definitely in love with you,” Jason grinned. “Can’t say I blame him.”

“Come on, Mick,” Cassie scolded. “Off my lap, I want to drink my coffee.”

Finally managing to unload him she ordered him back to his bone, and letting out the dog equivalent of a sigh, Mickey curled up and laid down, but his bone remained untouched and his gaze stayed fixed on Jason.

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or complimented,” Jason chuckled.

“Maybe it’s your cologne,” Cassie giggled.

“Hey, I’m open. What would you suggest?”

He is totally flirting with you.

I know, and it feels good. I like it.

Probably not a good idea.

There’s no harm. We’re in public, it’s a nice day, he’s really cute, and right now I don’t give a shit. Besides, he’s leaving town.

“Where are you off to?” she asked. “Your job I mean, do you work from your own office, or for a firm?”

“A firm. I have a client who owns a lake house about an hour from here. He wants to completely renovate it so, hey, big job. Had to say yes. It’ll be a challenge,” he replied, then added, “I thrive on challenge.”

He was staring right at her, and as he spoke Cassie saw his eyes come alive.

“I think we all like to be challenged,” she commented smoothly. “It’s human nature.”

“Uh-huh. You don’t ride western I take it,” he remarked.

“Hunters and jumpers,” she replied, wondering how he knew. “I love jumpers though, that’s where my heart is, and that’s my point, it’s challenging. I had a bad accident late last year,” she offered, recalling the fall from Shelby when she’d made a turn her trainer had told her not to.

“What happened?” he asked.

“My horse slipped doing a sharp turn and rolled on top of me.”

“You’re kidding,” he exclaimed. “How the hell did you survive something like that?”

“Just lucky I guess,” she said shrugging her shoulders, “but it took me a few weeks to get back on my feet.”

“So, how does a jumper rider end up with a western cowboy? Doesn’t seem like it would be a good fit.”

“It’s a great fit,” she smiled. “We’re very happy together.”

“It’s interesting you should say that, and I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but you didn’t look very happy when I first saw you a minute ago.”

Cassie felt her face flush, and looking away she stared across the street at a man throwing a stick for his dog.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” he apologized, “it’s just that you seem like a nice girl, and-”

“There’s nothing to tell,” she said sharply. “Not every day can be perfect.”

“No, of course not,” he smiled, “but I suspect a successful cowboy like Chad Douglas would have a lot of women chasing him. I think you must be a very secure young lady to deal with that.”

The scene in the tack room loomed heavy, and shifting in her chair she reached for her coffee.

“If I had a gorgeous woman like you in my life,” he continued, “I’d spend every day trying to make it just that…perfect.”

Cassie felt oddly defensive; Chad had gone to great lengths to make her happy, to give her everything she could ever want or need.

He just built me a barn, and put in a ring, and so many other things.

“Of course, it’s more than just giving material things,” he said softly, as if reading her mind. “It’s a feeling, a feeling of trust and security, but I’m sure you have that with Chad Douglas.”

“Yes, I do,” she said quickly “He’s wonderful, absolutely wonderful.”

“I’m sure he is,” Jason smiled. “At least, I hope he is. You deserve wonderful.”

Silence settled around them, and while she thought he looked relaxed and comfortable, Cassie felt awkward and uncomfortable.

“I think it’s time for me to get on with my walk now. I’ve enjoyed our talk,” he remarked, shooting her his dazzling smile, “but something tells me we’ll see each other again.”

“I can’t imagine how that would happen,” she frowned. “I don’t come into town much, and you won’t be back at the ranch working.”

“True,” he nodded, “but sometimes fate steps in, and I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll be spending more time together.”

He stood up, and was about to move around the table towards her when a warning snarl made him pause.

“Good luck to you too,” Cassie said, not scolding Mickey for his reaction. “I hope the house renovation goes smoothly.”

“Thanks, I’m sure it will,” he replied confidently.

He locked her eyes for just moment before walking away, and as she watched him meander down the street she felt a shivering unease.

“Dammit, I was mad but I wasn’t unhappy,” she mumbled. “Now I’m mad and unhappy, and I don’t even know why. What the hell just happened?”

Downing her coffee, which had become cold because of their conversation, she picked at the croissant, then giving up she sighed heavily.

“Where is that waitress with the check?” she complained, and peering in the window she tapped the glass and signaled.

The girl meandered at the counter inside the store for a few minutes, then finally appeared with the bill.