Cowboy Boone (Cooper's Hawke Landing Book 4) Read online

At the same time, Daisy realized how ridiculous she was being. One couldn’t miss something she never had.

  Why wouldn’t Boone react with appreciation toward Talia’s advances? After all, she had all the assets Boone seemed to appreciate in his female friends. She had curves that never ended and a plump booty she earned from hours spent in the gym that she owned and operated. Daisy could respect that, however, what she knew of Talia she had little interest in deep, intellectual conversation—or a relationship outside of the bedroom. What did that say about Boone? Shouldn’t this turn Daisy against him? Not when she knew a different part of him. Without the strains of sexual tension between them they could have chats about politics, ways of making Cooper’s Hawk commerce friendlier, raising money for a new local school…and on and on. Daisy appreciated these commonalities, but she couldn’t deny she wanted him to look at her the way he looked at Talia, and a few other women in town.

  So Daisy didn’t wear a size D-cup and couldn’t crush a can with her booty, but she did have a lot to offer the right man, and she believed wholeheartedly that Boone was that man for her. She trusted in her instincts, and her heart.

  Now if Talia would skedaddle.

  “Then I’ll be there come rain or highwater.” Talia licked her lips and slithered off, disappearing into the crowd, but leaving an awkwardness behind her.

  Brody chuckled and scratched his jaw. “Damn. Does she get better looking each time I see her?” He craned his neck to get a last glimpse of Talia.

  “I think so,” Boone said with satisfaction.

  Daisy snorted. “Give me a break.” Realizing all eyes turned to her, she cleared her throat. “She can’t hide the fact that she’s not the least bit happy Poppy is now mayor.”

  “Of course she isn’t. She’s been a snake for as long as I’ve known her. She’s poison that hides in a ruby red apple,” Chynna said.

  “Ladies, sure she’s a bit butt hurt that her father wasn’t re-elected, but she loves Cooper’s Hawk as much as we do. She does a lot for the community,” Boone said.

  Daisy swallowed a golf-ball size lump in her throat. Why did Boone defend the woman? Couldn’t he see her wickedness? Was that part of the turn on for him?

  “You need some help loading the trailer?” Brody asked.

  “Sure. They should be ready to load now.” Boone gave Daisy a gentle smile. “Nice seeing you, Frog, Chynna.” Then he strode off with Brody.

  “Don’t you remember Momma saying there are two ways into a man’s heart. Through his stomach and through his eyes,” Chynna whispered.

  “No, I—”

  “Stop denying it. I thought you were going to shoot Talia with those invisible lasers I saw in your eyes. Can’t say I’d hold you back. That woman has the ability to hide her horns under all that hair.”

  “Boone doesn’t see them.”

  “I think he’s being an idiot.”

  “He doesn’t see me either.”

  “Sometimes men need a little shove. Then there are a few who need beaten over the head with a noodle. I have a better idea though. Take Momma’s advice.”

  “Make him food?”

  “If it includes a side of sex appeal.” Chynna motioned for Daisy to follow her away from the arena. “Let me grab you another lemonade.”

  Daisy dropped her damaged cup into the trash can.

  They stood in the line at the lemon shake-up cart. “No matter what I do it won’t change things. He’ll never see me as anything but ‘Frog’,” Daisy said quietly.

  “Honey, I’m not saying you need to change anything about yourself to gain Boone’s attention, but let’s face it, you’re not exactly sending positive vibes to let him, or any man for that matter, know that you’re available and interested.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Okay, don’t get mad at me, but these are the same clothes you had on earlier at the flower shop, right?”

  Looking down at her scuffed work boots, she brought her chin back up and shrugged. “Yes, I came straight here from work.”

  “You mean you came straight from digging dirt, hefting sacks of topsoil, and loading plants,” Chynna said. “Look, I think any man worth his weight would respect and appreciate a woman’s hard work, but when she wears remnants of it on her clothing, he might be turned off a little.” She leaned closer and inhaled, wrinkling her nose. “Were you shoveling manure too?”

  Daisy lifted her shirt and sniffed. There was a slight tinge to it. “I’m not trying to get attention.”

  “Really? Then you’re okay if Boone finds a woman who penetrates his non-committal bubble and steals his heart? As sure as my nose is in the center of my face, he will eventually meet his match and fall for her hard. You and I both know that he’s not a fairytale prince who toes the line, but Boone has a heart—a big one at that—and I see changes in him. If Talia would have approached him last year shoving her breasts in his face, he would have left with her right then and there.”

  They stepped up, ordered two lemonades, then took them to sit at a nearby picnic table. “No, I wouldn’t be okay if he found someone. I know that he and I are as different as night and day, and yet I think we could be good together. Complement each other. I don’t think, I know. I’m just not sure how to go from being a frog to a princess in his eyes. I don’t want to become another Talia, practically climbing on top of him and shoving my boobs in his face, but I wouldn’t mind having a sliver of sexiness that would make him see that I am a woman.”

  “I can help you with that,” Chynna said with contentment. “You should have asked me a long time ago.”

  “How?”

  “Trust me. When I’m done not only will Boone notice that you’re a woman, but he’ll no longer be calling you Frog.”

  *****

  Boone settled on the bar stool and scanned the growing crowd. Those who had come to celebrate Poppy’s win had gathered to one side of the room but in a place like Pelican everyone joined in. She walked through the door and the place erupted into cheers and blowing of party whistles. Townsfolk liked her, and so did Boone. He believed she’d do a fine job as mayor. The town needed someone who was progressive when it came to commerce and developing Cooper’s Hawk into a town where visitors coming off the mountain would drop by. Some of the older folk didn’t want change. They liked their quiet, small town, and so did Boone, but if they wanted local businesses to continue to thrive, they needed to grow by numbers.

  Hank came from the kitchen carrying a cake with one candle lit in the middle. Poppy blushed as she blew out the flame and gave Hank a quick hug. They had a history together, enough that for a short time Boone suspected they might take it to the next level, until Helena came along who was a perfect match for his brother. Boone guessed Poppy still recovered from her bitter divorce. The oldest of the Bloom sisters, they all looked similar but as different as the sky and sea.

  “Hello, Cowboy,” came a soft voice.

  He smiled at the pretty brunette as she passed—or rather sashayed toward a table full of other twenty-something ladies all wearing pink sashes that read “Bridesmaid” except for one who wore a fancy tiara with the word “Bride” emblazoned in jewels across the front. They all waved, and he touched the brim of his hat in greeting. Even if he was interested, they all were a bit young for his tastes.

  Swiveling on the stool, he looked for Daisy, more out of habit than anything. He’d made a promise to pop in to see Brody’s sisters on occasion to make sure they were doing okay while he was away. The last time Boone dropped in at the flower shop Daisy had seemed angry with him. She’d also seemed a bit distant when he saw her at the cattle auction that afternoon.

  Searching his memory, he couldn’t remember if he’d done something. He did have lack of tact sometimes and could rub people the wrong way.

  Now that Brody had returned and planned on staying, Boone didn’t need to look out for the sisters any longer.

  Why did he feel a knock to his chest?

  He’d gotten to know Daisy
pretty well and enjoyed chatting with her about everything from animals, politics, business, to sports. In fact, she was one of the coolest women he’d ever met, and the smartest. None of his other female friends wanted to discuss current events or baseball, but then again, he and Daisy were just friends. He didn’t have to worry about impressing her, in and out of bed.

  Sure, a few times since she came back from college, he’d found himself watching her, listening to her quirky laugh, noticing how she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth when she was in deep thought, or how she pushed those wide-rimmed glasses up her nose while she talked.

  Recently they were at the ball field and when their team hit a home run that clenched the win, he’d been so stoked he jumped up, grabbed her off the tailgate and swung her around in celebration. She’d laughed and seemed to enjoy it, but he’d crossed a line. A part of him had wanted to kiss her too.

  Who could blame him? She wasn’t out to impress anyone, or worried about what people thought. He respected that. There was something about a woman who could have her hair piled into a messy topknot, wear too large glasses and worn, loose bibs smeared in potting soil that came across as irrefutably sexy.

  Hell, self-confidence in a woman could make a man crazy, in a good way. He didn’t mind at all when a woman took charge.

  However, any feelings for Daisy were squashed before they could grow roots. She was Brody’s little sister and that meant she was off-limits. Him asking Boone to watch over his sisters didn’t include developing an attraction for one of them. Not that he had. He needed to continue seeing Daisy as the pig-tailed, freckle-faced girl that he’d dubbed “Frog”.

  Basically, he needed to treat her like she was his little sister too.

  The group of ladies wearing the sashes got up from the table and as each of them passed they offered him a smile and a flirty wave. The cute brunette towing the back of the line said in a disappointed tone, “Sorry about your luck, Cowboy.”

  He followed the sway of her tight bottom in the nice fitting jeans. He felt some tension behind his zipper but not any motivation to catch up to her.

  Maybe the time had come that he started figuring out his future.

  He’d always been satisfied living each day on the fly, but here lately, something had stuck in his crawl. His Ma text-lectured him almost daily on the fact that he wasn’t getting any younger. Maybe she’d planted a seed in his head.

  Life had changed for the Hawke family. His Ma and Rusty were married and living in Florida where they could enjoy the warm weather. His brothers were married too with kids and he was the lone wolf. Not that he envied their circumstances, maybe their happiness though. If he wanted to be honest with himself, the dating scene had lost its zeal. He’d never been much of a dater, but he’d definitely run his course with friends-with-benefits. He no longer looked forward to waking up to a new face and no expectations.

  He was changing.

  For instance, he thought Talia was a knockout. She was as wild in bed as she was out, never asked for breakfast, and that was tempting, until recently. When she’d flirted with him at the auction, he’d felt nothing, not even an itty-bitty tingle or awareness in his body. He’d been more worried about Daisy’s feelings.

  He saw how she’d looked at him in such a way that had made him cringe. Had she been disappointed? Hurt? Jealous?

  Nah. She liked nice guys and Boone didn’t necessarily consider himself “nice” or stable, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. He worked hard, paid his bills, did his duty in the community, but when it came to knowing what a woman wanted, he came up less than mediocre. He watched Hank and Creed and how they seemed attuned to what their wives needed. Bringing flowers, candy, but even more than that. They communicated their feelings and listened well.

  Did love do that to a man? Evolved him into being a good listener?

  “Hey, Boone. Can I get you anything?” Hank asked from behind the bar.

  “I’ll take a beer.”

  “Coming right up.”

  “How’s Helena and the baby?” Saying the words aloud still sounded alien. “Damn man, you have a wife, a stepchild and a kid on the way. When you take a leap you pick the highest cliff.” Boone whistled through his teeth.

  Hank popped the lid to the long neck and set it on the bar. “When a man knows what he wants he goes for it. Nothing should stand in the way. Helena’s still having morning sickness, but the baby is healthy.”

  “Is Freya excited to be a big sis?”

  “About excited as she can get.” Hank smiled but it faded as he rubbed his hand that had suffered the injury while he was a soldier.

  “Still having phantom pains?”

  “Not nearly as many.” Hank never complained, at least not to his brothers.

  “I’m proud of you, bro. It’s good to see you happy.”

  “Thanks, Boone. Did Ma tell you that she and Rusty are coming in for the gender reveal party on Sunday? You’ll be there too, won’t you?”

  “Shoot. I almost forgot. I’ll be there with bells on. I love myself a good gender reveal.”

  Hank laughed. “You have no idea what one is, do you?”

  “Of course. Okay…no. What is it?”

  “I didn’t know either until Helena educated me. It’s when everyone will learn the sex of the baby. I guess it’s a huge thing these days. I would have been good with a simple dinner, but if a big party makes my wife happy then I’m all for it. Happy wife, happy life.”

  “You and Helena don’t know the sex of the baby?”

  “Nope. We’ll find out when everyone else does. Helena’s best friend, Astrid, is visiting and handling all the details. They seem to be having a good time hanging out and talking babies. I’ve just been told to show up on Sunday and I’m fine with that. Any party I don’t have to help plan is a good time.”

  Boone saluted his brother and took a long chug of his beer.

  “Can I get one of those too?” Creed said as he joined his brothers.

  “Here you are,” Hank handed over a bottle. “I was just talking to Boone about the gender reveal party. Mindy volunteered you to help do the grilling.”

  “She did?” Creed frowned.

  “Yes, I did. Is that okay, honey?” Mindy stepped up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around his shoulders then kissed his cheek. “You have amazing skills at the grill, sweetheart.”

  Creed’s facial expression softened. He melted right before Boone’s eyes. “Sure. I guess you’ll let me know when I need to be there?”

  “Of course. I have the best husband.” She beamed.

  “I’d have to argue with that.” Helena snuggled up next to Hank and nuzzled his cheek. “Sorry, Creed, but my husband’s the best. However, he does work way too much.” She wore a shirt with “Baby on Board” written in sequined letters across the front.

  Hank wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. The love they shared seemed to take on a life of its own. “Aren’t you supposed to be home resting, my love?”

  “And miss Poppy’s celebration? No way. I also thought this was a good opportunity for Astrid to meet townsfolk. She’s over there mingling by the fire.”

  “Meeting townsfolk? Does that mean she’s staying longer?” Hank lifted a thick brow.

  Helena paled some. “That should be a discussion we have in private.”

  “Okay.”

  Boone looked from each of the happy couples and felt like the fifth wheel. “By the way, neither of you ladies are right. I’m the best brother. That’s why Ma loves me the most.”

  Creed elbowed him. “You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better. By the way, anyone know when Ma and Rusty will be in?”

  “Daddy called earlier and said they would land tomorrow morning,” Mindy said. “I’m going to the airport and picking them up.”

  As the conversation shifted to babies, Boone excused himself and joined Brody who was nursing a beer at a high-top. “I’m glad you’re back in town, bu
ddy,” Boone said. “Things just haven’t been the same without you around. Sorry it’s under these circumstances. You have a story to tell your grandkids one day how their grandpa got slammed and stomped on by a bull and lived to talk about it.”

  Brody touched his jaw where the healing scar looked like a bulging pink vein under his whiskers “It was time I put away my spurs anyway. I ain’t getting any younger and I don’t bounce back as fast. It’s good to be back in Cooper’s Hawk and seeing old faces. It’s also good to see Hank doing well. Last time I saw him he’d been paying regular visits to the worm at the bottom of the bottle.”

  “Yeah, he clawed his way out and now look at him. Wife, kids, and they’re expanding Pelican and opening a restaurant.”

  “Where are they living?”

  “Out at the farm. Now that Ma and Rusty are in Florida the place needs to be filled. Those walls aren’t meant for silence. Remember how we always had a house full as kids?”

  “Those were the days. You didn’t think to move in yourself? Get out of that dinky guest house.”

  “Nah. Too big for me.” He swallowed some of his beer.

  Brody whistled. “Damn. When will ol’ Cupid catch us too, buddy?”

  Boone shrugged. “I imagine when we let our guard down.”

  “It wouldn’t be the worst thing. Being back and surrounded by all this happiness it eventually becomes contagious. We’re getting older and our window of opportunity for a relationship is narrowing. I heard Poppy say that to Chynna.” He smiled. “It applies to men too, right?”

  “My body reminds me of getting older every day. This morning when I rolled out of bed my knees crackled louder than a goat chewing a pop can. All those hits I took on the football field I guess.”

  “I bet those boys you plowed hurt a helluva lot worse than you.” Brody saluted him with his bottle. “There’s Daisy.” He waved her over.

  Easing back on the tall chair, Boone swung his gaze toward the door and dropped his bottle on the table. Beer spilled out, pouring over the edge and puddling in his lap. He picked up the bottle but was too shocked to pay any attention to the liquid that penetrated his boxers.