Read Online Cowboy Trouble (The McCord Brothers 1.5) by Delores Fossen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Delores Fossen
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, series, Western, Short-Story, Texas, ranch hand, cowboy, Bachelor, sensual, Novella, opposites attract, second chance, Past, elopement, Forever Love, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, Mistake, Spring Hill, Cattle Operation, Quickie Divorce, Still Married, Can't Marry, Father Chooses, Runion, Twelve Years, Rekindle Romance
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Thankfully, the only suicide attempt she’d had was twelve years ago, and Natalie wanted to keep it that way.
Rico nodded, managed a “You’re welcome.” Her mother lingered a moment longer in the kitchen and went with Marcus so he could take hold of her hand.
Later, Natalie would need to apologize to Marcus for being so abrupt with him. Or maybe not. He might take her apology as an opening to try to renew their relationship.
“You shouldn’t have brought her here,” Natalie said to her father the moment her mother was out of earshot.
“You gave me no choice.”
“Choice?” Rico repeated. Oh, no. This was going to get ugly. “You’re trying to manipulate Natalie, the way you’ve always done.”
“I’m trying to protect my wife. You don’t know what she’s been through—”
“I told him,” Natalie interrupted.
Her father snapped back his shoulders. Clearly surprised. Probably because she didn’t discuss her mother with just anyone. Of course, she didn’t just marry and have sex with anyone, either. Rico was, well, special.
That didn’t change things, though.
Her mother was perhaps still teetering on the brink of another suicide attempt, and Natalie had to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Dad, wait in the car,” Natalie insisted. “Please,” she added. “I just need to talk to Rico for a couple of seconds.”
Rico didn’t say a word. Neither did her father, but he knew that he had won.
And Rico knew that he’d lost.
Other than her weight, things hadn’t changed in the past twelve years, and they wouldn’t.
Her father walked out, not in that same angry way as when he’d stormed in, and he left Rico and her standing there. Staring at each other. Natalie had no idea what the right words were to say to him because there was no way to fix this.
Apparently, Rico knew that, too.
“Goodbye, Natalie,” he said. Rico brushed a kiss on her cheek and walked her to the door.
Natalie managed to hold back the first tear until she made it outside.
CHAPTER SEVEN
R ICO CURSED THE heat and the long-assed day he’d just had, which included going through a mountain of paperwork and tracking down some calves that’d gotten through a fence that Shane should have fixed. That resulted in more cursing—aimed at Shane that time.
Of course, Rico had to admit he’d been cursing a lot lately, so just about anything and anybody set him off. Now he had to go home, where there’d no doubt be more opportunities to dole out some damns , hells and worse swearwords. Because there’d be memories of Natalie everywhere.
Of her naked.
Of the sex they’d had.
Memories of her walking out, too.
Those memories were the very reason he’d been staying at the bunkhouse at the ranch for the past three nights. In fact, he’d left right after Natalie had, and he hadn’t gone back. Until now. But he was tired of being under one roof with a dozen snoring men, because that was also causing its own share of cursing.
Thankfully, he’d left some lights on, so he didn’t have to curse the darkness, too. He pulled off his boots and shirt on the porch. No sense carrying that stench inside. Once they’d aired out a bit, then he would clean them. He’d have to do the same to his house.
Or not.
He frowned when he didn’t see a mess in the kitchen. There should have been scrambled eggs, toast and leftover margaritas—the things he’d fixed for Natalie. But the only “mess” on the counter was the divorce papers. Someone had obviously cleaned, and he doubted there were fairy-maids or neat-freak burglars who’d do that.
“Mom?” he called out though his mother never just showed up unannounced. Even if she had, she certainly wouldn’t have cleaned.
Rico glanced around for a note from a neighbor or one of the townsfolk who’d heard about his second breakup with Natalie. No note, but he heard the sound of footsteps coming from his bedroom. The door was open, and the room was dark, so it took him a moment to
Rico nodded, managed a “You’re welcome.” Her mother lingered a moment longer in the kitchen and went with Marcus so he could take hold of her hand.
Later, Natalie would need to apologize to Marcus for being so abrupt with him. Or maybe not. He might take her apology as an opening to try to renew their relationship.
“You shouldn’t have brought her here,” Natalie said to her father the moment her mother was out of earshot.
“You gave me no choice.”
“Choice?” Rico repeated. Oh, no. This was going to get ugly. “You’re trying to manipulate Natalie, the way you’ve always done.”
“I’m trying to protect my wife. You don’t know what she’s been through—”
“I told him,” Natalie interrupted.
Her father snapped back his shoulders. Clearly surprised. Probably because she didn’t discuss her mother with just anyone. Of course, she didn’t just marry and have sex with anyone, either. Rico was, well, special.
That didn’t change things, though.
Her mother was perhaps still teetering on the brink of another suicide attempt, and Natalie had to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Dad, wait in the car,” Natalie insisted. “Please,” she added. “I just need to talk to Rico for a couple of seconds.”
Rico didn’t say a word. Neither did her father, but he knew that he had won.
And Rico knew that he’d lost.
Other than her weight, things hadn’t changed in the past twelve years, and they wouldn’t.
Her father walked out, not in that same angry way as when he’d stormed in, and he left Rico and her standing there. Staring at each other. Natalie had no idea what the right words were to say to him because there was no way to fix this.
Apparently, Rico knew that, too.
“Goodbye, Natalie,” he said. Rico brushed a kiss on her cheek and walked her to the door.
Natalie managed to hold back the first tear until she made it outside.
CHAPTER SEVEN
R ICO CURSED THE heat and the long-assed day he’d just had, which included going through a mountain of paperwork and tracking down some calves that’d gotten through a fence that Shane should have fixed. That resulted in more cursing—aimed at Shane that time.
Of course, Rico had to admit he’d been cursing a lot lately, so just about anything and anybody set him off. Now he had to go home, where there’d no doubt be more opportunities to dole out some damns , hells and worse swearwords. Because there’d be memories of Natalie everywhere.
Of her naked.
Of the sex they’d had.
Memories of her walking out, too.
Those memories were the very reason he’d been staying at the bunkhouse at the ranch for the past three nights. In fact, he’d left right after Natalie had, and he hadn’t gone back. Until now. But he was tired of being under one roof with a dozen snoring men, because that was also causing its own share of cursing.
Thankfully, he’d left some lights on, so he didn’t have to curse the darkness, too. He pulled off his boots and shirt on the porch. No sense carrying that stench inside. Once they’d aired out a bit, then he would clean them. He’d have to do the same to his house.
Or not.
He frowned when he didn’t see a mess in the kitchen. There should have been scrambled eggs, toast and leftover margaritas—the things he’d fixed for Natalie. But the only “mess” on the counter was the divorce papers. Someone had obviously cleaned, and he doubted there were fairy-maids or neat-freak burglars who’d do that.
“Mom?” he called out though his mother never just showed up unannounced. Even if she had, she certainly wouldn’t have cleaned.
Rico glanced around for a note from a neighbor or one of the townsfolk who’d heard about his second breakup with Natalie. No note, but he heard the sound of footsteps coming from his bedroom. The door was open, and the room was dark, so it took him a moment to
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