Her Cowboy Dilemma

“Make that a double order, Winnie,” said a deep voice behind her. “And leave some space for cream in the coffee.”

Cassidy knew that voice. Slowly she turned, holding Stephanie like a shield between her and the tall, broad-shouldered man who’d just entered the café.

Sure enough, there stood Dan Farley. The local vet had some Native American blood, which accounted for his high cheekbones, jet-black hair and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Though he’d spoken to Winnie, it was Cassidy he was looking at, with cool dislike.

“Hey, Farley.” Darn her voice for coming out so soft and weak. She lifted her chin. “How are things?”

“Busy.”

He knew she’d been going to college in Bozeman, and must have noticed the suitcases and boxes in the back of her truck, but he didn’t ask about her studies or show any interest in whether or not she was moving back to Coffee Creek. Stepping past her as if she were nothing more than an inanimate obstacle, he made his way to the counter, where he pulled out his wallet.

Heck and darn, but the man had a way about him. Cassidy glanced at the two women at the back to see if they felt it, too. Sure enough they both had their eyes on Coffee Creek’s sexy vet. One of them pretended to fan her face with her hand. The other laughed and winked at Cassidy.

Cassidy didn’t wink back.

He wasn’t that good-looking.

She gave him another glance, seeing only his profile and long, muscular build.

Okay, maybe he was that good-looking.

Still, he probably hated her and she had only herself to blame.

Winnie set two coffees in to-go cups on the counter, then bagged them each one of the homemade cinnamon buns baked fresh every day by ex-bronc rider Vince Butterfield. A veteran of the rodeo circuit and a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, Vince had licked a lifelong dependence on alcohol and in his sixties had begun a new career as a baker. His mother’s old recipe for melt-in-your-mouth sticky buns, thickly topped with frosting, was his new claim to fame.

Five minutes ago, Cassidy had been craving one of them desperately. Now her stomach churned at the thought. What were the chances that she and Farley would happen into the café at the same time? Pretty darn slim. So slim, in fact, that she hadn’t run across him here once in the past four years.

Other than at the church last July, she hadn’t seen him anywhere else, either.

If he was called out to the ranch when she happened to be home, she always made herself scarce. She’d avoided him at the funeral. If his name came up in conversation with her brothers, she tried not to listen.

And now here he stood, just a few feet away. Making it very hard not to remember... But no. She would not think back to that night. She couldn’t bear it.

“So where are you off to now, Farley?” Laurel asked, her tone friendly. Everyone in the Coffee Creek area called the vet by his last name. Probably to avoid confusion with his father, also named Dan, whom he’d worked with before the elder Farley and his wife had retired to Arizona.

Farley glanced briefly at Cassidy again, before answering. “Coffee Creek Ranch.”

Though there were plenty of reasons why the vet might have been called out to her family’s ranch, Cassidy’s first thought was for Sky. At fourteen years of age, every day was a blessing. “What’s wrong?”

“Your mother’s young palomino is sick. Sounds serious.”

“Lucky Lucy? Oh, no.” She was glad Sky was okay, but this news was almost as bad. Her mother had bought the beautiful three-year-old palomino just this year and Cassidy loved her. Lucy had a wild heart but a gentle soul. Though she was her mother’s horse, Cassidy had felt a special connection with the mare from the first time she’d ridden her.

“Any idea what the problem is?”

“From the symptoms Jackson described, sounds like strangles.”

“Really?” In all of her twenty-five years they’d never had a case of strangles on the ranch. She didn’t even know that much about it, other than it was a highly contagious, serious infection of the nose and lymph nodes.

“I’ll have to examine the horse and run some tests to be sure.” He added a generous amount of cream to his coffee, fitted the cup with a lid, then grabbed one of the bagged cinnamon buns. “See you later, Laurel. And thanks.”

No word to Cassidy, whose ranch he was heading for. She might as well be an empty bar stool for all the attention he’d paid to her. Wordless herself, she watched as a half-dozen long strides took him out the door.

The café fell silent then, and Cassidy realized that Laurel was looking at her, eyebrows raised.

“What’s up with you and the vet?”

Cassidy shifted Stephanie to her other arm. She’d planned on staying for a while to visit, but the bad news about the ranch had her suddenly anxious to get moving again.

“Why do you ask?”

“Are you kidding? Sparks were flying here, and they weren’t the good kind. Farley isn’t the chattiest of people, but I’ve never seen him be downright rude before. And the way he all but ignored you? That was rude.”

Yes. It sure had been.

“I guess he figures he has his reasons.” Cassidy went around the counter to deliver Stephanie back to her playpen. She didn’t seem very happy about being set down until her mother wound up a musical mobile that had been affixed to the side of the playpen.

“How do you get any work done with such a cute distraction around?” Cassidy bent to give her niece one last kiss.

“It’s taken some adjusting, by me and the staff. Eugenia and Dawn have been great. And even Vince has taken a few turns at rocking Stephanie when she’s being fussy.”

“That I’d like to see.” Vince was the epitome of the tough, silent cowboy from another era.

“I know. Isn’t it amazing what babies bring out in a person?”

“It sure is.” Though Farley hadn’t seemed moved by the baby at all. Of course, if she hadn’t happened to be there, he probably would have been much friendlier to Laurel and her daughter. “Is there anything I can do to help you before I leave?”

“We’re fine,” Laurel assured her. “Eugenia’s shift is starting in about half an hour. That’ll give me a chance to take Stephanie upstairs, feed her and put her down for her nap. She’s a great sleeper, thank goodness. Gives me a couple free hours every afternoon.”

“Sounds like a good system.” Cassidy counted out money for her order, then picked up her drink and her pastry. Now that Farley was gone, her appetite was returning. “I’d better get going.”

“Wait one minute. You’re really not going to give me the scoop on you and Farley?”

“Nope.” Cassidy gave Laurel a warm hug. “I’ll be back to have a longer visit in a few days. Or I may drop in on you and Corb at the ranch one evening.”

“I’ll look forward to it. But be warned. Next time I see you, you better be ready to tell me what’s going on with you and the vet. He’s considered the most eligible bachelor in town, you know.”

Cassidy wasn’t surprised. The guy had presence. And those eyes...

“The single women of Coffee Creek needn’t worry,” she assured Laurel. “I’m not going to be any competition where Dan Farley is concerned.”

She was out the door before Laurel had time for a comeback. Not that it mattered. She was so not going to tell Laurel about the history between her and Farley. She’d never told anyone and she’d bet Farley hadn’t, either.

Chapter Two

Dan Farley settled his coffee cup into the holder of his truck, then wolfed down the cinnamon bun in two minutes flat. Sweet and spicy...just like Cassidy Lambert.

The little witch.