“I don’t have boots,” Tracy said, tapping her pen against her notepad. “Because?—”
“Because you weren’t planning to ride,” Cash finishedfor her and crooked his finger. “But since you are, let’s find you a pair of boots. Anybody else who needs to buy or rent some boots, follow me. I’ll introduce you to Beau who pulled shopkeeper duty this week.”
“I need some,” said Beth, a short woman with short hair, maybe fifty-five. “Be back in a jiffy,” she said to her cabin and riding partner, Lisa, and their wrangler, Ed.
While Sam, Jeff, Larry, and Ed began their usual instructions, demonstrations, and safety rules with those who had come fully prepared, Cash led Tracy and Beth into the Triple C Ranch-East Western Store & Stables. A good-sized store, Cash and Sam kept one-half fully stocked with cowboy hats, shirts, jeans, and boots. On the other side there were saddles, saddle pads, bridles, reins, stirrups, leathers, horse blankets, and grooming tools for those who fell in love with horses and riding.
“Beau will take care of you,” Cash said to Tracy and Beth, as well as Jacob, who was tagging along to take photos. “The store stays busy and everybody takes a turn running it, including Sam and me.”
“Welcome, ladies,” Beau said. Tall and nice looking, he was the best salesman out of all the wranglers. The store would be even busier than usual due to the upcoming holiday weekend and Cash was glad to have Beau with his skills in the shop. “I see we need boots,” Beau added with an appreciative smile at Tracy and then a smile for Beth. To Tracy he asked, “And jeans?”
“Got jeans. Just boots,” Tracy said.
“Right over here, ladies,” Beau said, leading them to the boots.
Leaving the women in capable hands, Cash headed to the door, and found Donna waiting for him. Cash had occasionally run into guests like Donna, and frankly, they could be a pain. Whenever that had happened in the past, he’d often elected to work in the store that week. But with his ranch being the subject of the magazine’s story, he didn’t figure that was the right thing to do this week. He walked Donnapast the filly he’d referred to as Spitfire, to the mare named Penny, which she’d originally said she wanted to ride. Cash began the instructions as he would with any guest but kept an eye out for Tracy.
When Tracy emerged from the shop, Cash grinned. Not just because she looked fantastic, but because despite the fact she said she only needed jeans, Beau had her fully outfitted in Western wear in the color known as cinnamon. From the buckskin Elsa-style cowboy hat on her head to the snug white shirt with cinnamon-colored stripes and cinnamon pearl snaps to match, to the form-fitting blue jeans, down to the cinnamon leather boots with black soles and heels. She looked more delicious than anything made with cinnamon that Cash had ever tasted. And now he had a name for the color of her hair.
Since there were only a couple of other customers who were regulars in the shop, at the moment, Beau escorted Tracy to Cash and Beth to Ed. As Tracy and Jacob spoke, Beau paused beside Cash and nodded to the mare next to Captain.
“She thinks her mare’s name is Spitfire,” Beau said quietly. “I think between the two of us andSpitfire, we’re gonna turn your journalist into a cowgirl sooner than later.”
Cash chuckled. “Yeah, don’t tell her the real name of her horse.”
Donna had overheard. She brazenly tugged on Cash’s sleeve, leaned in close enough to brush her bosom against his arm, and asked conspiratorially, “What’s her horse’s real name?”
“For now, it’s Spitfire,” Cash replied. Thanking Beau who returned to the shop, he casually stepped away from Donna to Tracy and Jacob. “Jacob, I hope you got before and after photos of your journalist. She’s made quite a transformation.”
“Yes, I sure did,” Jacob said. “May I get a picture of you and Tracy outside of your Western store?” Cash moved in front of the glass door to the store and when Tracy came tostand beside him, Cash shoved his hands into his front jean’s pockets. “Tracy, loop one arm through Cash’s and put your other hand on your hip.”
“Like this,” Donna said as she hurried to do so, on the other side of Cash.
Tracy posed as Jacob asked and he took photos that included Donna. That done, Cash worked with the three of them pointing out features ofSpitfire, Chief, and Penny. He also showed them the saddles and put names to the other gear they would be using to ride the horses. Tracy was taking notes when she got a call on her cell. She walked away to take the call, but Cash saw the expression of concern on her face. As he continued with instructions that Tracy needed for her safety and for her story, Cash was making note of what she’d missed.
Forget about the human-interest story on his ranch. What was Tracy’s story? Why had she been late today? Boyfriend? Boss? What? Who?
“Is everything okay?” Cash asked as Tracy returned.
“Yes,” Tracy said distractedly. “No.” With a halfhearted laugh she said, “I don’t know.”
“Can I help?”
“Oh, no. No.” She shook her head and then yanked on both sides of the brim of her new Elsa hat as if to make sure it didn’t fall off. She was spectacularly adorable in the hat. A city girl or maybe a small-town girl, instead of a country girl, but sensational. “Thank you, though, Cash.”
“Let’s not wreck your new hat on the first day,” Cash said and demonstrated with his hat how to adjust it by touching the top instead of dragging down the brim. “Try that next time.”
Tracy had watched and nodded seriously. “I will,” she said as she received another call.
The jangling of the ringer on the triangular sides of the chuck wagon bell signaled lunch in the outdoor kitchen and dining area where the sign above the wooden roof read;Cooper Café. With sides that pulled down, heating for thewinter months and fans for summer, it was simply and fondly referred to as the café. Sam’s wife, Kellie, would have all the fixings for a great welcoming first meal for the guests and wranglers.
“Let’s go to the café and eat!” Cash called. “We’ll saddle up after lunch.” Everyone started filing toward him, and with a glance at Tracy, he asked, “Coming?”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Be right there.” Tracy forced a smile.
Worries weighed so heavily on her that even when Cash, surely the best-looking cowboy on earth, had smiled at her earlier she’d not even had the presence of mind to respond in kind. She walked out of the stables and placed her cell to her ear.
