Page 21 of What the Cowboy Wants (The Westons of Montana #3)

B y Friday, Cooper was ready to slug everyone around him.

He wasn’t sleeping, he had no appetite. He’d decided to keep Lady and had brought her home.

Working to make her feel safe and loved would distract him, he’d thought.

Prince and Charlie were very happy to see her, but Ebony was still sulking because he hadn’t warned her that he was bringing someone else to live with them.

The dogs, including Lady, were worried and followed him everywhere. Ebony had lost patience with his sulking and kept out of his way. Not that he blamed any one of them. He was fed up with himself.

He missed Rose with every breath he took, but nothing had changed. She was better off on her own. He’d always known it.

Sighing, he parked in front of the big house and got out of his truck. He’d left Prince and Charlie at home with Lady. She was fine when they were at home, but she was still wary of other people. It would take time, but she would get there.

His brothers and Willow had been on his case this whole week because he’d skipped most meals. So even though he wasn’t hungry, he was here for breakfast. If one of them mentioned his appetite again though, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.

Willow wasn’t at the table, thank goodness. Nobody said anything, but he could feel his sisters-in-law’s eyes on him. Fortunately, Luke was already at school otherwise he’d had to endure the little boy’s scrutiny as well.

“So, Cooper,” Laura said as he sat down next to Becket. “I hope you’re joining us tonight and tomorrow evening?”

Blankly, he looked at her.

She laughed. “It’s the Fall Festival, remember? There are all sorts of activities tonight and tomorrow night is the dance.”

Shrugging, he poured himself coffee. “I don’t know. I’ll have to see. I don’t like leaving Lady alone.”

“I can look after her,” Isabella said as she sat down to have breakfast with them.

“There you go,” Ellie smiled. “No more excuses.”

Willow wandered in, her eyes narrowing as she saw Hunter was still at the table. “I thought you guys had already left for the day.”

“Cooper has just arrived,” Ellie said. “He says he’ll join us for the festivities this weekend.”

“Really?” Willow’s all-knowing eyes swept over Cooper.

“I said I’ll think about it,” he grunted.

Willow sat down next to him. “I’m picking up Mom and Rose.”

“Well,” Ellie smiled, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Rose has a date for tomorrow night.

She’s been out and about town this week and everyone is talking about the stunning redhead.

According to the gossip mill, there’s a bet doing the rounds.

At the moment, Nash Johnson is the favorite to get a date with her. ”

“Who is Nash Johnson?” Willow asked.

“I haven’t met him, of course,” Ellie said, “but apparently he’s new around here and is working on a ranch outside Montana to see how things are done here before he returns to the family ranch in Texas.”

Hunter cleared his throat. “He’s the friend who has asked if Rose is still single.”

Cooper didn’t look up but concentrated on finishing his breakfast. His first instinct was to get up, go to Rose, and tell her she couldn’t date anyone, ever. He couldn’t do that, though. She deserved better.

He’d met the friendly cowboy. Johnson was one of the good guys and would be able to give Rose what she wanted. Cooper wasn’t that man. Somehow, he’d have to get used to life without Rose in it.

“I’ve been where you are, Coop.” Becket’s voice was low so that nobody else could hear.

“I thought Ellie can do so such much better than me, but you know what? It’s not true.

She could probably find a more successful man with a bigger ranch and a bigger bank account, but nobody else can love her the way I do.

That makes me the best man for her. And lucky for me, she loves me back.

” Grinning, Becket put a hand on Cooper’s shoulder.

“See? She’s even made me into a deep and meaningful thinker who comes up with corny lines. ”

“Coop?” Hayden asked. “Will we see you today? I need all the hands I can get.”

Cooper got up. “I need an hour.”

“Great,” Hayden said. “We’ll see you later. By the way, I got an email from Dylan. They’re thinking about our offer.”

“Well, that’s something,” Becket said.

Hayden spoke again but Cooper left. Deep in thought, he got into his truck and drove away from the homestead. He wanted to check on the dogs before he left for the day. As he approached his house, though, he made another turn. The one that would take him to the family cemetery.

It was a beautiful, crisp autumn day. He parked under the cottonwood trees and got out.

He’d never tire of the view from here. His eyes swept over the view in front of him, taking in Yellowstone National Park, the peaks of the Absaroka Range covered in snow, and Gallatin River.

It was breathtaking and he was grateful he could call this home.

The gate creaked as he entered, his eyes on the last grave in the small, enclosed area. He walked past the graves of his great-grandfather and great-grandmother, his grandpa and his nana, and stopped for a moment at his dad’s grave.

Crouching down, he pulled out weeds for a few minutes while trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. As he got up, he put his hand on the cold stone. “Still miss you, Dad.”

For a while the only sound was the wind in the cottonwood trees but then for a brief moment, he heard his dad’s laugh. Smiling, Cooper turned away. That was how he remembered him—on his horse among the cattle, laughing at nothing in particular. How his dad had loved this land.

He continued to Walker’s grave right at the end. As he walked past Hayden’s first wife’s grave, he stopped for a moment. “He’s happy, Mads.”

Her soft sigh filled the air. She knew.

Finally, he reached Walker’s grave. Deep sorrow filled his heart. Like Hayden, Walker had loved ranching, lived for it. He’d been so full of life and had so much love to give.

“I’m so sorry,” Cooper whispered as he leaned against the headstone. “You should still have been here, with us. I should’ve listened when Hayden…”

A gust of wind caught his hat and just in time he stopped it from blowing away. “Okay, so you’re listening,” he said. “I told Hayden and Becket to come and talk to you when they were struggling but now it’s my turn, I’m not sure what to say. You see, there is this redhead…”

This time he was ready for the gust of wind and caught his hat just in time.

Smiling, he leaned against Walker’s grave.

“Of course you’ll know.” He lifted his face to sun and with his eyes closed, he told Walker about Rose.

About her past, the brave way she was determined to get back on her feet, about the way she made him feel.

Finally, his words ran dry. Taking deep breaths, he stilled. As he focused on the sound of the soft wind in the trees, Rose’s words the day they’d helped her to move the furniture into her house, popped into his head.

You should’ve known I’m not interested in any other man. You don’t even need your sixth instinct or whatever it is to know what I feel. I’ve shown you, damn it .

His heart burst wide open and he knew. “I love her,” he murmured.

This time the gust of wind nearly knocked him over.

“Okay, okay!” he called out. “She was right. I know she feels something for me but is it enough? Enough for the days other people’s pain will weigh me down?

Enough for the endless line of hurt and abused animals who regularly show up on my doorstep?

Enough for the strangeness of it all? Not everyone can handle it. ”

The wind died down. In the serene silence that descended over the graveyard, he heard a whisper, “Why don’t you ask her?”

Nodding, he got up. With a last touch to the cold headstone, he headed out. He still didn’t have any definite answers, but at least he knew what this craziness inside him was. Of course he loved her. He’d probably fallen for her the first moment he’d seen her.

*

Late Friday morning, Rose walked out of the bookshop in Marietta. She would need to go to Bozeman for the supplies of paper and pencils she really wanted but for the moment she had to make do with what Marietta had to offer.

Nowadays, there were numerous new software programs interior designers could use.

She liked combining her hand sketches with the program she had.

Putting her ideas on paper had always been one of the aspects of her job she’d found most fulfilling.

Sometimes she didn’t have a clear idea when she started, but as her hand touched the paper, ideas would just pour out and the whole picture would fall into place.

If only life worked that way. Sighing, she quickly looked up and down Main Street before she crossed to the other side.

She wanted to pop into the yarn shop before she went home.

Her evenings were wide open and she wanted to knit something.

Shaking her head, she grinned. For one who hadn’t known anything about kitting or crocheting, she was very excited to test her new skills.

As she reached the opposite sidewalk, a man with a cowboy hat on his head and a smile on his face was looking her way. He seemed to be waiting for her. As she hesitatingly neared him, he took off his hat and stepped closer.

“I don’t usually accost a pretty woman in the street,” he said with a Texan drawl and a crooked smile, “but I don’t know how else I’m supposed to ask you to go to the dance with me on Saturday night.” He put out his hand. “Nash Johnson. I know Hunter Grant, if that helps.”

Rose couldn’t help it, she laughed as she shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Nash Johnson.”

He beamed. “Mighty happy to meet you too, Miss Rose Dalton.”

“Rose will do.” Smiling, she pulled back her hand. “I’m going with Willow Weston and her mother.”

He looked crestfallen. “I can’t persuade you to come with me?”

“Tell you what. I’ll save you a dance.”