A Cowgirl's Heart Page 10

  “I will. But first, I need to get the others back here,” she said determinedly, sitting taller as she came to a decision. “He can’t break me if I’m not alone.”

  Her friends’ faces ran the gamut of expressions, Frankie looked sickly horrified, her eyes wide with terror for the predicament Deb now found herself in. “Bloody heck, Deb.”

  Luciano stood stoically beside her. He looked meaningfully toward Joao. “Maybe it’s time you call those people.”

  Mitch put an arm protectively around Deb. “The only way he’s bloody getting his hands on Gracie is over my dead bloody body. He isn’t taking her anywhere.” Megan wordlessly left the room. Deb experienced a stab of hurt that her friend could so easily shrug her off in this hour of need.

  Gabi decisively pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Let me call some people.” She scurried from the room, closing the bedroom door behind her.

  Megan re-entered the room holding a handgun like she meant business, a vengeful gleam in her eyes. “If he shows his face around here again, he can say hello to my little friend.” She slapped the side of it meaningfully onto her palm for emphasis.

  “Holy heck, Megan!” exclaimed Frankie, her mouth open in shock. “When did you start being a thug? And more importantly, where have you been hiding it?”

  “Under my bed. I wanted to be able to protect us if we needed it.” Deb was ashamed she had doubted her friend’s loyalty, but more so that she had put her in a position that she had felt she needed to protect them and buy a gun.

  Gabi strode triumphantly back into the room, a picture of satisfaction. “I think I might have a solution.”

  “Is it permanent?” Mitch asked.

  “Not as permanent as Joao’s, but probably more legal and he won’t bother us again.” She sat down, consulting the notes she had written. The friends leaned forward. “Okay, here’s the plan…”

  Chapter 18

  The dive Mitch, Luciano and Joao entered was too decrepit to even deserve that title. Mitch’s boots threatened to be sucked off by the sticky floor fighting him for possession of his footwear. Long before his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, his nostrils were assaulted with a horrific stench of rancid food, spoiled beer and stale cigarette smoke. Cobwebs hung like chandeliers from the ceiling, making him duck as he made his way forward toward the scarred and stained bar.

  “Classy,” Joao muttered, swatting an errant web from his hat.

  “What can I get ya’ll?” drawled the bartender, casting a lazily assessing eye over them.

  “They’re here to see me.”

  Tucker lounged in a corner booth, beer in hand. Mitch was impressed the man had the internal fortitude to swallow the brew from the cracked and chipped mug. Luciano looked at the others in distaste at the thought of joining him and touching any more of the furniture than was absolutely required. Mitch didn’t blame him, grimacing as he parked himself gingerly down.

  “Do you have it or what?” Tucker demanded, arrogance stamped over his face. “I must admit, I’m surprised you guys are playing Deb’s errand boys, but I don’t care as long as you got my money.”

  “I reckon a bloke like you is gonna be real popular in prison.” Mitch leaned back, the leather backrest creaking in protest at the movement. “Don’t you, fellas?”

  Luciano smiled grimly. “I’m sure there are a lot in there that are more experienced than you at bareback riding. Will want to see if you can last the full eight seconds.”

  “Just give me the money,” Tucker blustered. “I don’t have time to listen to your garbage.”

  “It’s not too late for me to make a phone call,” appealed Joao. “We don’t have to tell Gabi.”

  Luciano pursed his lips considering. “I do not have any secrets from my Querida, but I could make an exception for this.”

  Tucker’s head swiveled like a spectator at the tennis as he followed the interplay between the men. “I don’t know what the heck you guys are talking about, but I’m out of patience.” He stood angrily. “Be sure to tell Deb that this is all your fault for jerking me around.”

  “I’d bloody sit if I was you,” Mitch growled, slapping the table, a move he instantly regretted when his palm stuck to the clammy surface. His face must have clearly conveyed the threat as Tucker obediently dropped back into his seat. “Much better. Now, where was I? That’s right, you going to prison.”

  “I ain’t going nowhere.”

  “And if you are a good boy and do what you’re told, then maybe you can avoid that. Now, Deb has friends, people that care about her. And they’re real smart folks, too. Now I wouldn’t expect you to understand what friends are like, being bloody unlikable and all, but where I come from, we all have each other’s back.” He rifled in his pocket and withdrew a large envelope. “I’m going to need you to sign these.”

  “Or what?” Tucker asked sullenly.

  “Or I can give all of the messages Deb has from you to a judge. And these blokes here”—he gestured at Luciano and Joao—“are more than happy to testify what happened here today. See, these smart friends of Deb that I mentioned, they also have high-powered attorneys. And do you know what those attorneys reckon?” He spread his hands wide in question. With no forthcoming answer from the deathly silent cowboy across the table, Mitch lifted his hat and scratched his head in thought. “Now, I’m a fairly simple bloke and not familiar with all this legal jargon, so you fellas will have to correct me if I get anything wrong,” he said to his friends. “But the gist of it was this. You’ve been a very naughty boy. And what you’re trying to do to Deb, I believe they call that extortion. Luciano, can you jog my memory with what the punishment for that is?”

  Luciano smiled grimly, a dark satisfaction gleaming. “Last I checked, fifteen years.”

  “Woah.” Tucker held his hands up. “Now, easy there. No need to get hasty. Maybe we can come to some sort of arrangement. Maybe I was being too greedy with the $50,000. Look, tell Deb I’ll take $10,000 and I’ll even give her more time to get it.”

  Before Tucker could react, Mitch reached across the table and grabbed a handful of his shirt. “You bloody listen to me,” he snarled, the anger rising off him like heat. “You’re going to sign these bloody papers, and then you’re going to get up outta here and Deb and that little girl that are too good for you, are never going to bloody hear from you again. If not, I’m going to open a can of trouble on your backside so big you’re going to wish you went to prison. Do you understand me?” he ground out through clenched teeth. Tucker gulped. Judging by the difficulty he had in swallowing, it must have been one heck of a lump. Tucker nodded mutely. “Good, now does anyone have a pen?” Mitch said, releasing his shirt and calmly sitting down.

  Joao held out a pen, disappointment plain in the downturn of his mouth. “It’s not too late for me to make a call.”

  “Maybe next time,” Luciano offered to his downcast friend. “Who knows, maybe Gabi will have a use for your particular talents.”

  Joao visibly brightened at his words. “You think she would be impressed?”

  “Anything’s possible.”

  The words shimmered and blurred as Deb stared down at the paper, a fat teardrop splattering on the page.

  “Hey!” exclaimed Gabi, whisking the document out of harm’s way. “We need that to be legible, not all smeared.”

  “I can’t believe it. It’s like this weight was pressing down on me and now I can breathe again.” She struggled to articulate the gift her friends had given her. Gratitude and love made the words thick in her throat. “How did you even know a lawyer to ask?”

  “Oh, that was easy,” Gabi said, dismissively waving her hand. “Bryce uses them all the time with his company, so I just called him and asked if he knew of a good one. He must send lots of work their way, ‘cause I dropped his name and they wrote that document up in a jiffy, gave me instructions, and didn’t charge me a dime.”

  “Remind me to send Bryce a bottle of—does anyone know what he drinks?” Deb
asked the group at large.

  “Bourbon,” Luciano answered shortly, shooting Frankie an unamused look at her snort of laughter.

  “Luc doesn’t drink bourbon anymore after the last time they drank together.” She giggled. “I believe Bryce broke him as far as that particular drink is concerned.”

  “Querida, I told you that in confidence,” Luciano grumbled. “I believe you will need to think of a way to make it up to me.”

  “I might have something in mind that will interest you,” she saucily replied, biting her lip as she looked at him. Luciano’s eyes darkened, his gaze riveted to her mouth.

  Feeling an intruder to the intimate closeness between her friends, she glanced over to Mitch. He returned her gaze, unblinking, a deep yearning in his eyes.

  Luciano stood. “I am glad you and the bebe are safe, Deb. Mitch, I was proud to stand with you today.” He offered a firm hand to Mitch. “Now, I need to get my woman home before she tells all my secrets.”

  The love between them was obvious as Deb bid her friends farewell. She found herself envious of the strong bond they shared, a future they were forging entwined together.

  Unbidden, a great rush of all the tension and emotions that had built up over the last few days gushed from her. Great heaving sobs shook her body, the release cathodic. Then, he was there. His strong arms wordlessly promised all would be okay. Through the haze of tears, his beloved face came into focus.

  “I can’t believe it. I’m finally free of him.”

  He lovingly wiped the tears from her eyes, his touch tender. “I promised you I’d never let anyone hurt you again and I meant every word of it. In fact, I’m almost thinking that this might turn into a full-time job for a bloke.” He dropped down to one knee. “That is, if you’ll let me.” In his hand, he held an opal ring. “Deb, I keep telling you how much I love you and I love that little girl. It would make me the happiest bloke this side of the black stump if you would marry me.”

  Deb’s heart overflowed as she gazed at the cowboy she loved, the man who had, she now realized, always had her back and always would. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “With everything I have, yes.” The last word had barely left her lips before Mitch leapt to his feet, knocking both of them over. Deb landed safely on Mitch, before he rolled her onto her back. He adoringly brushed the hair from her face.

  “Well, my first job as your official fiancé is to make sure you’re kissed at least ten times a day.”

  “Only ten times?” Deb teasingly protested.

  “Oh, that’s the bare minimum, I promise.” He gazed into her eyes, passion stoking a fire inside her belly. “And I always keep my promises.”

  He lowered his face until his lips touched hers, his love flowing through the caress of his skin touching hers. As Deb closed her eyes and she lost herself to the sensation, she realized her cowboy had finally done it.

  He had captured her cowgirl’s heart.

  Epilogue

  Held within Mitch’s strong embrace as they swayed together, Deb felt deliciously, completely, and utterly loved. “Are you happy, Deb?” he asked solicitously, love shining rapturously in his gaze.

  He waited expectantly as she mulled her answer over. “I used to think love is what you found in fairy tales, but love isn’t a feeling of bliss or constant butterflies. It’s more a feeling that, no matter what happens, you have someone who has your back. It’s unconditional. A couple of weeks into falling in love, it feels like Christmas morning. A couple of months into love feels like time has stopped. And a couple of years into love, it feels like home.” She stroked his face tenderly as they danced. “And make no mistake, Mitch Eddison. I’ve loved you since kindy. I was just too blind to see it.”

  “So, is that a yes, then?” he teased, “I reckon it feels like a yes.”

  She gave his shoulder a gentle little tap. “It’s a yes.”

  “Then, give your husband a kiss,” he commanded.

  Deb happily obeyed, the look in his eyes taking her breath away as the kiss ended. He stepped back, breaking the contact between them. Deb raised her eyebrow at him in question. Mitch simply smiled and crooked his finger, gesturing for her to follow. She curiously complied as he walked across the dancefloor to Sra Ana, Grace on her knee. He knelt down before them, his face level with the little girl.

  “Gracie, can Daddy have the honor of this first dance with you and Mommy?” Deb’s heart swelled so much that, for a moment, she couldn’t feel anything except love for this wonderful man.

  Her smile turned watery as Grace smiled and waved happily at Mitch. “Reckon a bloke can take that as a yes.” He scooped Grace up in one strong arm, the other wrapped around Deb’s waist, and led them back to the dancefloor.

  Frankie, Gabi and Megan stood together. “Is that just the most precious thing you’ve ever seen?” Frankie blubbered. Megan silently offered a packet of tissues to her, then passed it to Gabi before discreetly dabbing at her own eyes. She wordlessly raised her glass to her friend in salute at her happiness.

  After a final twirl, the newlyweds broke apart, Grace still ensconced in her daddy’s arms. “It’s time for all the single ladies to come to the dancefloor to catch the bouquet!” Deb excitedly announced.

  Megan drained her glass and stepped determinedly onto the floor. Gabi remained resolutely beside Frankie. “She means you too, Gabriella,” Sra Ana called from the side of the room. Gabi rolled her eyes, but obediently trotted out to join the others, already gathered.

  Mitch, having retreated from the floor, found Luciano, Joao and Bryce in front of the dessert table. “I’m glad you were able to make it,” he said, offering his hand to Bryce.

  “It’s my pleasure. And now I can finally try some of this famous pavlova Luciano is always bragging about his Querida making.”

  Mitch laughed. “Thanks again for everything you did with helping Deb.”

  “Don’t mention it. I just gave Gabi some contacts. Anyway, can ya’ll imagine what that gal would have done to me if I hadn’t helped?” He shuddered in mock horror at the thought. “That just doesn’t bear thinking about.” He pulled a small silver hip flask from his coat pocket and took a sip as if to wash the disturbing thought from his mind.

  The men watched as the women out on the floor began to jostle for position while Deb turned her back in preparation to throw the all-important bouquet. A flash of flowers shot high in the air, the technicolor sea of gowns swirling like currents in the ocean as they surged forward and one triumphant hand closed around the prize. The crowd parted to reveal the owner of the hand—Gabi.

  Bryce wordlessly handed the flask to Joao. Luciano, laughing raucously, slapped him on the back in congratulations.

  Out on the dancefloor, calm had been restored and, once again, Mitch, Deb and Grace had returned to their own private world. “Both of my girls look beautiful tonight,” he said, a suspicious moisture in his eyes. “I might possibly be the luckiest bloke in the world to have such a good-looking family.”

  Family. The word struck a chord in Deb’s soul. The three of them were a family, the very center of each other’s universe. But it was more than that. They were lucky to be part of something bigger. She looked over to her friends and realized she had found what she had never known she was looking for. And the kicker? She’d had it all along. These people in this room, they were her family. She was home. She felt it in her cowgirl’s heart, now and forever.

  The End

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  A cowgirl’s passion
- sneak peek

  Gabi paced in the aisle, her frenetic nervous energy frothing inside her, bubbling to the surface. It was this very same jitteriness that kept her muscles taut, as if perpetually ready for flight as she restlessly moved.

  “You should sit down,” Joao calmly suggested, his eyes glued to the giant screen as it flashed up the contestants that were next to run. “There are still five more to go till Frankie.” He gave her a small, sideways smile. “Besides, Luciano will have finished his pep talk and will be out here with us before she runs.”

  Gabi grudgingly sat beside him, her foot twitching. Joao looked at it and then back up to her face, his lips quivering as he tried to suppress his laughter. “Don’t you dare laugh at me, Joao Rojas!” she demanded, forcing her limb to be still. “I swear I don’t know why Frankie was so excited that you guys could make it to see her ride. It’s just more aggravation, if you ask me.”

  “I have not seen you nervous since you stopped wearing pig tails. It always seemed cute to me.” He cast dark, laughing eyes at her. “I sometimes wish that maybe you’d wear them again.”

  Gabi’s scathing retort died on her lips when she spotted Luciano making his way toward them. Jumping from her seat, she pushed past several disapproving spectators in her haste to get to him. She grabbed his arm. “Is she ready? How did she say Sampson felt? Maybe I should head back and see if she needs anything.”

  Luciano laughed, his eyes crinkling as he put his arm around her and forcibly returned her to her place. “How long has she been like this?” he asked the grinning Joao.

  “Long enough that I worry she might cramp up from the pacing. I have tried to keep her hydrated.”

  Gabi let an exasperated sigh. “Are you going to tell me how she is or not, Luciano?”