The Cowboy's Christmas Courtship

Maybe that explained the dark circles under Layla’s eyes? Not that a guy was supposed to notice those things. He’d learned that lesson from his sisters the hard way.

“Where do we start?” Brandon moved on past the stallion to the office.

Gage followed him inside and watched as the teen took a seat and kicked back, his booted feet on the desk.

“Get your feet down.” Gage knocked Brandon’s feet off the desk. “First, we have steers needing to be vaccinated. We’ll drive them into a round pen on the twenty where they’re pastured.”

“Fine. Let’s go.”

Gage motioned him toward the door. The two of them headed for an old farm truck. Jackson was stowing supplies in the metal toolbox on the back of the truck. He turned as they approached.

“Ready to go?”

“We’re ready,” Gage opened the door and motioned Brandon in. He joined Jackson at the back of the truck. “Is there anything you need me to grab?”

“Nope, I have lunch in the cooler and coffee in the thermos. We’re set to go.”

“Let’s do it then.”

“Gage, why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

Jackson shot a look at the cab of the truck where Brandon waited, and then back to Gage. “Don’t play stupid.”

“I’m helping Layla get control of her little brother before he lands himself in trouble.”

“Out of the goodness of your heart?”

“Yeah, why not?” Gage started to walk away but Jackson stopped him.

“When do you ever do anything just because it helps someone else?”

Anger flared but quickly evaporated because Jackson had a point. “So, I haven’t been the most charitable Cooper ever. But sometimes a guy sees the right thing to do and he does it.”

“And it has nothing to do with Layla Silver being downright pretty and available?”

“Layla’s pretty?” He scrunched his eyebrows in thought and scratched his chin. “Yeah, I guess she is.”

“She’s also the girl you treated poorly back in high school.”

“Well, maybe I’ve decided to make a few things right.” He was itching to get away from Jackson and this conversation, but Jackson didn’t appear to be letting go any more than a dog that had found a good bone.

“Making amends, are we?” Jackson headed for the driver’s side door of the truck.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“There’s a lot more to it than just doing a few good deeds to make you feel better.”

Gage whistled for Layla’s dog and pointed to the back of the truck. Once the animal was in, he walked around the truck to climb in. He wished he could get in his truck and take off, no looking back.

But he’d made a commitment, and he was going to see it through. Besides, even though he didn’t want to admit it, he didn’t feel like running.

* * *

After work that evening, Layla drove up to Cooper Creek Ranch to get her little brother. She parked her old truck in front of the two-story garage, but she didn’t get out right away. It felt too good to sit in the truck and relax. The silence felt almost as good as the sitting.

A scratching on the door of her truck caught her attention. She pushed the door open and Daisy jumped back, wagging her feathery black tail and panting ninety-to-nothing.

“Traitor,” she said. Daisy didn’t mind. Instead she licked Layla’s hand and then ran off in the direction of the barn.

Layla started walking in the direction the dog had gone, her feet dragging. The barn made her poor old wood building look miserable by comparison. Her barn had been built by her grandfather in the early 1900s. This barn was a metal building, half stable and half arena. It even had an apartment attached.

The Coopers had a little of everything. Quarter horses, bucking bulls, cattle, not to mention the banks, oil and apartment complexes. They were wealthy, but they were also the kindest people she knew. They were generous and good to their neighbors. Not that they were without their own problems. Not that their children, most now grown, didn’t occasionally do something wrong. She guessed she liked the Coopers because they were genuine and sometimes they messed up.

She walked to the barn but she didn’t go in. Early evening had settled over the countryside, turning the sky dusky gray and pink. In the field cattle grazed. It was peaceful. She needed that moment of peace. It was too cold to stay outside, though, and she’d left her jacket in the truck. She shivered, reaching for the door as it opened. She jumped out of the way.

Jackson Cooper smiled as he stepped through the door. “Layla, long day?”

“Always.” Every day for nearly eight years. She managed a smile. “Is Brandon making a nuisance of himself?”

“Not at all. We worked him hard today. He asked about pay and Gage said we’re putting part of it in an account for college and giving the rest to you to decide what he gets.”

“Really? That was Gage’s plan?”

Jackson grinned. “He came home responsible or guilty. Whatever happened, he’s trying to help you out.”

“He doesn’t owe me.”

“He thinks he does.”

“I should get Brandon and go. I’m sure you all have more to do than keeping my brother out of trouble.”

“Go on in. They’re in the arena. I’m heading home.” Jackson patted her shoulder and walked away as she headed into the barn.

She could hear them in the arena. Her steps slowed as she neared the entrance that led from the stable to the arena. She listened carefully to the clank of metal, the pounding of hooves, shouts from someone other than Gage or Brandon.

Through the wide opening in the arena she saw her brother in a metal chute, settling on the back of a bull.

She yelled out, “No!” But it was too late. The gate opened and the bull came spinning out, her brother clamped down tight on its back. She walked fast around the metal enclosure, keeping a cautious eye on the bull and her brother.

The ride didn’t last long. The bull spun fast and Brandon went flying. He rolled out of the way as Travis Cooper moved between him and the animal. Gage headed her way, grinning, obviously proud of himself. Quickly, something obviously clued him in to the fact that she was as far from happy as a woman could get. His smile faded and he shot a worried glance in the direction of the arena, where her brother had gotten to his feet.

“How dare you!” She pushed past him to open the gate now that the bull had been penned up. “Brandon, let’s go. We’re going home.”

“I’m not.” Brandon said, but then he had the sense to look a little worried.

“I didn’t give you permission to ride bulls. I don’t have the money for hospital bills. And I can’t...” She couldn’t lose anyone else. She swallowed the lump that lodged in her throat and refused to look at Gage. He had a hand on her arm but she shook her head. She didn’t want to see sympathy in his eyes.