Forever Cowboy (Montana Brides, Book 5) Read online

  With a nod of the kid’s head, the chute gate was thrown open, releasing a thousand pounds of bucking bull into the arena. Alex watched the rider lean forward, rising with the bull before crashing back to the ground, back arching, holding on tight.

  The bull spun to the left. The kid hadn’t seen it coming and his body lurched sideways, so close to being thrown that it was a wonder he didn’t hit the dust then and there. But by some miracle he held on, making eight seconds for the first time all weekend.

  The kid let go of the bull and landed on the ground. The whoop of delight that filled the arena brought a smile to Alex’s face. He remembered being that young, being able to forget about the aches and pains of the day. Being able to do the same thing the next day and the day after that.

  “He’s good. Could be almost as good as you if he puts the practice in.”

  Alex turned to his dad. “He listened to what we talked about for his chute exit. It set him up for the first few seconds.”

  Jim Green watched the last ranch hand leave the arena. He pushed his hat back. Alex waited while his dad put together the words that had been left unspoken between them for too long.

  “Gracie said the old library building is looking great.”

  He nodded. By the end of the month, Emily would be moving into her boutique and he would be out of a job. “The contractors finished painting last week. The electrician comes back on Wednesday.”

  “What are you planning on doing after the remodel’s finished?”

  That was the million dollar question that had left Alex second-guessing himself over the last couple of weeks. He had commitments, contracts he’d signed. His career as a bull rider wasn’t over and he needed to remember that.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I saw the specialist a couple of days ago. He did some scans.” A shout of laughter came from the bunkhouse. Alex watched two boys tumble out the door, racing over to the main homestead. They’d be after some of his mom’s home baking, the kind that left you wanting more, even though your stomach growled in protest.

  “When will you get the results?”

  “Next week. He’s going to send them through to Doc Johnson.”

  His dad nodded and leaned against the fence, staring into the distance. Like every other rancher in the area, Jim Green worked hard, nurturing the land, creating something important for generations to come. It humbled Alex. The commitment, determination, and sheer grit that kept a roof over their heads, healthy cattle on the land and a family he was proud to call his own.

  Alex tugged his hat low, shading his face from the sun and his eyes from his dad. “I’m worried that I won’t be able to ride again.” He took a deep breath and waited. He needed something, anything, to ease the worry eating away at him.

  “No amount of wishing will bring back what can’t be. If your doctor says you can’t ride, there’s a reason for it. You make your life with what you have, and you make it a good one.”

  “What if it’s not enough?”

  His dad turned and looked at him, concern and love shining from his eyes. “It’s up to you to make it enough.”

  Alex thought about what he wanted, what he needed. All he could see were bulls and a five-foot-three redhead who kept sending him texts and annoying him.

  “Riding bulls is a small part of who you are,” his dad said. “You won’t be any less if you can’t ride. Your life will just be different.”

  “It’s the differences that worry me.” Alex tried to imagine his life without bull riding. Without the friendships and challenges that had shaped him for the last twenty odd years. Sure, he had his ranch, the properties he’d bought. They were all in themselves successful purchases, but they didn’t give him the same rush of adrenaline. The same sense of achievement.

  “If you think you can put up with an old man who’s set in his ways, there’s always a place for you out here. You’re a natural with people and what you don’t know about breeding bulls isn’t worth knowing.”

  “Thanks, dad.”

  “Have you talked this over with your brother?”

  “Yeah. He wasn’t much help.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got some thinking to do.” His dad looped his arm around Alex’s shoulders and started walking across the yard with him. “A man can’t think straight on an empty stomach. Let’s go and have some dinner.”

  And that suited Alex fine.

  ***

  Emily left Tess’ café with a pile of catalogs under her arm and a smile on her face. It was time to order the shelving for the boutique and she’d found the perfect supplier. All she needed to do was place her order before Friday to guarantee delivery within seven working days. That would give Alex time to finish the floors and hang the mirrors she’d found in an online auction.

  “Emily? Is that you?”

  Emily stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. She hadn’t heard her dad’s voice in more than four years. She didn’t want to look around. Didn’t want to acknowledge that he’d spoken to her. She should have kept walking, left him standing there, but she couldn’t.

  So she did the only thing she could do. She took a deep breath and turned toward him.

  It was crazy, but she thought he might have changed, looked different after his second prison sentence. But he looked the same. His green eyes flashed with the same brilliance they always had. His hair was a deeper shade of gray, pushed back in the same carefree style that he preferred.

  He was still tall and thin. He used to joke that he never put on an ounce of weight because he lived off raw energy. Like everything else in his life, that wasn’t entirely true. He never sat still long enough to gain any weight. He was always looking for a new angle, a new way to get rich fast. Her dad was a broken man who lived off the hard work of everyone else.

  “What are you doing here?”

  His high-voltage smile dipped. Four years ago he’d been in full sales mode. He’d pitched the best story she’d ever heard, making Emily believe that he’d finally made an honest person of himself. That he could afford to lend her enough money to start a design studio.

  He’d done his research, found the ideal building in Los Angeles. He had contacts, people who knew other people that could make her boutique a success. Together they would build an empire and change the world. She should have listened to the warning bells screaming inside her head.

  Just like the man behind the well-cut business suit, his story had been too good to be true.

  “I’ve come to see how you and Cody are doing.”

  Emily didn’t believe him. “I’m fine. I don’t think Cody will appreciate a visit from you, but I’d be happy to pass on a message.”

  “I heard from your Aunt Eileen that you graduated from College and started your own business.”

  Emily stared at her father. His sister was about the only person left on the planet that trusted him. Aunt Eileen thought her brother was a misunderstood genius. He just needed the right break to show everyone how brilliant he was. Emily wondered if deep down they shared the same genetic flaw.

  She lifted her chin. Getting into any conversation with her father was dangerous. He’d twist and manipulate what she said, use an arsenal of lies and half-truths to get what he’d come to Bozeman for.

  “I haven’t got anything to say to you. Please don’t contact me again.” She walked fast, striding past the boutique before her dad could say another word.

  Emily didn’t know where she was going. All she knew was that she had to leave before her father realized the building they’d been standing in front of was hers. She blinked back the tears that filled her eyes.

  She didn’t care about why he was in town, she really didn’t. He could leave now and she wouldn’t miss him. But knowing her dad, he wouldn’t leave until he was good and ready. What she needed to do was think about what he’d do next.

  Panic raced through her body. He’d find Cody. She needed to warn him that their father was in town. Tell him not to breathe a word about
the boutique or anything else that was happening.

  Emily slowed down and looked around her. She’d walked almost as far as the Public Library. With shaking hands, she dialed Cody’s number.

  “Hey, sis. What’s up?”

  “Dad’s back in town.”

  “Shit.”

  And for once in her life, Emily agreed.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Alex finished his coffee, strapped his tool belt on and headed across to Emily’s mood board. She’d left it in the middle of the first floor so that he’d have to trip over it to get anywhere. He shook his head at the pictures. He still couldn’t figure out what any of the images had in common, but it was working.

  Even in its half-finished state, the building looked incredible. She’d chosen colors and materials with an old world charm, designs that echoed the building’s past, but would meet all the needs of a modern business.

  He picked up his punch-out list and prioritized what he had left to do. The stained glass company would be delivering the front window in a couple of hours. He needed to get the plywood off the outside of the building and make sure the trim hadn’t been marked. Then he’d be off to Jake’s Hardware for more brushes, maybe even a face mask or two.

  The flooring guys were arriving tomorrow and he’d give them a hand to varnish the downstairs floor. The smell would be lethal, but he couldn’t wait to see the end result. He made a note to himself to make sure he’d moved all of the drop cloths out of the way.

  Once the floors were dry, he’d start moving the furniture into place. Emily had done most of her shopping online. After the first delivery truck had arrived, they’d agreed to stack everything upstairs. Boxes in all shapes and sizes were now packed around him, ready for the big reveal. Even with Cody and Sam’s help, he wasn’t looking forward to putting everything together and moving it into place.

  The front door opened and slammed shut before he got much further down the list. He leaned over the railing. “If you’re coming this way bring the hammer with you. It’s on top of the crate, beside the extra flooring.”

  Emily ran up the stairs. “Has Cody arrived yet?”

  “Nope. Didn’t know he was coming. Where’s the hammer?” She flapped her hands either side of her then ran downstairs. Within seconds, she was back.

  “Here.” She was out of breath, flustered and looking so darn hot that he had to take a step backward.

  He slid the hammer onto his tool belt. “I thought Cody was working on the ranch today?”

  Emily walked across to the window overlooking Main Street. She pressed her face to the window, peering left, then right.

  “You’re lucky you cleaned the glass yesterday or you’d be plastered in a hundred years worth of dirt by now.”

  “He said he’d meet me here at three o’clock. I don’t know what’s taking him so long.”

  Alex glanced at his watch. “He’s two minutes late.”

  Emily bit the edge of her nail, scowled, the stuck her hands under her armpits. “You’re right. I need to calm down and take a deep breath.”

  So she did, only Alex wasn’t in the mood to watch her chest rise and fall under her pink cashmere sweater. He had work to do. “Aren’t you a little over-dressed for a building site?”

  Emily looked down at her clothes. “I can’t stay long. I’ve got an appointment with Molly.” She glanced down Main Street, then opened her cell phone. “I’ll give him a call in case something…”

  “Emily?” Alex spoke softly. He didn’t want to startle her, but this was ridiculous. “Why are you waiting for Cody?”

  And just like that her eyes misted over. He’d never seen Emily cry and it hit him in ways that he didn’t understand. “What’s wrong?”

  He moved closer, opening his arms out of habit, maybe even necessity. She dove into his chest, threw her arms around his middle and hung on tight. Somewhere along the way he pulled her close. She didn’t step back. Didn’t speak. She just stayed there, absorbing his heat and struggling with whatever was churning up inside her.

  The front door banged opened and Cody ran up the stairs. “Emily?”

  She stepped back and wiped her face with her hands.

  Cody rushed toward her. “It’ll be all right. You know what dad’s like. He never stays anywhere for too long.”

  A sad smile slid across Emily’s face. “There’s usually a reason for that.”

  “Wait…” Alex looked between Emily and Cody. “Are you telling me that your dad’s in Bozeman?”

  Emily nodded. “He saw me outside Tess’ café about an hour ago. I was worried about him finding out about the boutique, so I hid in the library until Cody could get here.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?” Alex asked. Emily didn’t scare easily. If seeing her dad did this to her, then he must have destroyed every ounce of trust she had in him.

  “I didn’t call because I felt like an idiot.”

  Cody picked a wooden crate off the floor and flipped it on its side. “You don’t need to worry. Between Alex, Sam and I we won’t let him get anywhere near you.”

  Alex felt a surge of pride that Cody realized he’d do anything to protect Emily. If her father wanted to make trouble, he’d have to get through all of them first.

  “Sit here…” Cody pushed the crate closer to Emily. “What did he say?”

  “Not much. He wanted to know how I was. I told him not to contact me again.”

  Alex looked closely at Cody and Emily. Something else was going on. “Do you think he’ll listen?”

  Cody glanced at Emily, then back at Alex. “How much do you know about our father?”

  “I know he wasn’t around much when you were kids and that he was convicted of fraud after your parents’ divorced.” Cody looked uneasily at Emily. “There’s more?”

  Emily dropped her chin to her chest.

  “Emily?” Cody walked across and rested his hand on his sister’s shoulder.

  She looked up, and Alex could have drowned in the misery clouding her eyes. “Four years ago dad turned up out of nowhere.” Emily stared miserably toward the window, then glanced back at him. It didn’t look as though what she was about to say would be easy.

  “I hadn’t seen him in over ten years. He said he’d been working hard, building a life that we’d be proud of. He spent two weeks here, talking about what he’d been doing and getting to know us. At the end of his visit, he offered me an interest-free loan of two hundred thousand dollars. He was going to help me start my own business.”

  “That’s a lot of money,” Alex said carefully.

  “It sounded too good to be true, but he convinced me that he’d earned it legally.”

  “He convinced us,” Cody added. “You did nothing wrong. He manipulated everyone and didn’t give a shit about who he hurt.”

  Emily took a deep breath. “He transferred the money into my account and left Bozeman. We were going to meet in Los Angeles after my final exams. He had contacts, people who worked in the fashion industry. The day before I was supposed to leave, the Police arrested me for fraud.”

  Alex’s jaw dropped. “They what?”

  “Fraud,” Cody repeated. “The low life scum set Emily up. He wanted somewhere to stash some of the money he’d stolen from his business partner. When the Police got to the bottom of his lies, they found over a million dollars worth of debt. He’d used his finance company as a cover. He owed people hundreds of thousands of dollars. Money that none of them could afford to lose.”

  Emily bit her bottom lip. Her hands were clasped together so tightly that they turned white.

  “What happened next?” Alex asked.

  “The charges against me were dropped.” Emily glanced at Cody. “But not before mom and my step-dad spent a fortune on a team of lawyers to prove my innocence.”

  Cody squeezed her shoulder. “Tell him about Doug.”

  “I don’t think…”

  “If we’re telling Alex everything he needs to know.”

  “But
it won’t make any difference.”

  Alex knelt down in front of Emily and held her hands. “I know this isn’t easy for you. But I can’t help if you don’t tell me everything.”

  “No one can help. Dad’s devious. He uses people and doesn’t look back.”

  “I don’t care about your father. I care about you.” Alex heard the words leave his mouth and realized they were true. He did care about Emily. He wanted her to be happy, to achieve everything she set out to do. “You trusted him and he let you down. You’re not responsible for the way your father lives his life.”

  “You don’t understand,” Emily said. “Dad doesn’t care about anyone. Doug Fraser had known him for years. He was dad’s business partner and he invested a lot of money in their company. He lost everything; his house, his retirement savings, everything he’d worked hard for. There was nothing anyone could do to get the money back. Six months after dad went to prison, Doug committed suicide.”

  Alex tried to think rationally, he really did. But the more he heard about Emily and Cody’s father, the more worried he was.

  Cody walked across to the window and stared toward the center of town. “Emily spent the last three years paying back some of the money dad stole from Doug’s family.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I had to help them. They had nothing.”

  At least Alex now understood why she didn’t want to borrow money from anyone. Why she hadn’t listened when he’d tried to explain why she’d seen a woman wrapped around his waist. He gave her hands a final squeeze before standing up. “What do we do next?”

  “There’s nothing we can do,” Emily said. “He hasn’t broken any laws. I don’t even know where he’s staying.”

  “The further away from here the better,” Cody muttered. “Dad’s trouble and I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

  “I’m a big girl now. I don’t need you babysitting me.”

  “I agree with Cody,” Alex said. “Which is why you’re coming home with me.”

  Emily’s eyes turned a dangerous shade of blue. “Are you nuts? There’s no way I’m going anywhere with you. I have my own home and business to run. Not to mention a boutique that needs my attention.”