Her Fated Cowboy (Harland County Series) Read online

  Feeling claustrophobic, he strode to his massive mahogany desk and saved the lines of gaming codes he’d been working on when his supplier had called. Concentration completely shot, Cole switched gears. Time for open-spaces.

  He packed up his laptop and left his office. The hum of his secretary’s computer tower was the only noise emanating from that floor. Since it was the weekend, only he and a few security guards graced the halls of McCall Enterprises. A routine he found both preferable and profitable.

  When his father had retired three years ago, he’d handed Cole a very lucrative business. Since then, he’d added PC games to their list of marketable software. Between that addition and his almost constant work ethic, Cole took pride in the fact he’d increased the holdings and net worth of McCall Enterprises by almost a third.

  He was young, successful...and miserable.

  Cole stopped dead. Where the hell had that thought come from?

  Shaking his head, he stepped into the elevator. Must be from lack of caffeine.

  To clear the unwanted thoughts, he focused his attention on his Masters problem. By the time he reached the garage, he’d reasoned out a solution. Another smile cracked his lips. He’d promised his mother he’d be there when the girls arrived but that didn’t mean he couldn’t work around the ranch.

  Something always needed mending or a chore needed attention. Connor, his older brother by one year, ran the Wild Creek Ranch. The two thousand plus acres were not only home to the McCall’s but housed over a thousand head of cattle, five prize winning bulls and twenty horses ranging from Quarter to Stallions. And even though his brother employed full-time ranch hands, Connor always welcomed the help.

  Feeling slightly better, Cole left the underground parking garage and began his daily sixty-minute southern commute over familiar roads to the ranch. Slipping his sunglasses on, he made a mental list of the things he wanted to accomplish and, visitors or not, he would get them done. Then at least the day wouldn’t be a total waste. He’d make it to the ranch by noon and, with any luck, he’d be dirty and grimy by the time the girls arrived.

  That should be enough to keep them out of my way.

  Jordan shook her head at the familiar southern Texas scenery, her long French-braid grazing her shoulder blades as she turned off the highway, and onto McCall property. Speeding down the two mile-long dirt driveway bordered by bluebonnets and wild daisies, she shifted her glance from the road to the dashboard clock. Two-fifteen. They’d made good time.

  “Feels like we’re driving down the déjà vu trail.”

  Her sister Kerri McCall nodded from the passenger seat. “Yeah, it’s hard to believe it’s been ten years. I can honestly say I didn’t expect to ever come back.”

  Jordan spared her sister a glance. “Come back? We’re only here for two weeks to help the McCall’s prepare for their 40th Wedding Anniversary Party.” Staying? Her grip tightened around the steering wheel. Hell, no. They weren’t staying. “You make it sound permanent.”

  “Oh, jeez no.” Kerri shuddered before smoothing the violet linen skirt of her spaghetti strapped sundress. “I’m back on that plane to California the day after the party. I hate leaving my kitchen—well, our restaurant—in someone else’s hands for that long. I mean, we’ve only been open a year and a half, what if—”

  Jordan grabbed her sister’s knotted fingers and gave a gentle squeeze. “Relax. It’ll be fine. Mario is more than capable of handling the kitchen for that short period of time. You’ve trained him well. And I have faith that Leon will take care of all my managerial duties while I’m stuck here too.”

  Heck, the guy had practically been doing that since the place opened. Jordan was a fulltime L.A. police officer and wasn’t always able to be at the restaurant. She worked around her shifts. The man had more than proved himself. She squeezed her sister’s fingers one last time before returning her hand to the wheel.

  “Believe me, if I could’ve gotten us out of this visit, I would have. Hell, I was all set to give Mom and Dad the ‘our restaurant is too new, we can’t leave it’ speech, but they’d already talked to Megan.” Her lips twisted. Too bad, too. Jordan had rehearsed that line for three days. She was golden.

  “You know, sis…I realize Megan has been your best friend since we moved to California as teenagers but, no offense, I hate her right now,” Kerri grumbled, smoothing her unwrinkled skirt for a second time.

  Jordan blew out a breath. “Yeah, me too.”

  Her sister’s phone rang out the first few chords of Beethoven’s Fifth. They locked gazes and, together, chimed, “Dad.”

  Smiling, Kerri flipped open her cell.

  “Hello, Dad. Yes. We’re on the dirt drive. We’ll be there shortly. Okay, bye.”

  “That’s the second time he’s called since we landed. Mom and Dad have only been here visiting a week, so it can’t be because they miss us.” Jordan chewed her lip. Intuition poked at her like her Captain’s agitated finger. “What do you think he’s up to?”

  Kerri twirled a smooth strand of shoulder-length brown hair around her finger and turned to her with wide brown eyes. “Up to? W-why would you think he’s up to something? You don’t think it has to do with Cole and Connor, do you?”

  Heart suddenly lodged in her throat, Jordan pulled to the side of the road and jammed the rented car in park. The last thing she needed was her parents playing matchmaker just because she’d once had a crush on the younger McCall. Okay, more like an obsession, but that was years ago. She’d long grown out of her Cole-worshipping ways.

  “Oh my gosh. You do think this has to do with the boys...” Kerri gripped her skirt and twisted the thin material tightly. “Turn around, Jordan. We’re going back to California.”

  “Whoa, wait a minute. Calm down.” She placed a settling hand on her sister’s bare shoulder. “We don’t know what Dad’s problem is…or if he has one. There might be another explanation.” There’d better be another explanation. “Besides, the guys are probably married with two point five children…well, except Connor—I bet he’s multiplied like a rabbit..”

  Expecting Kerri’s whimsical laugh to echo throughout the closed confines of the car, Jordan’s ears met with silence. She glanced at her sister’s dazed expression. What is up with her? She hadn’t been right lately. The divorce had really messed her sister up. When Jordan opened her mouth to ask, Kerri shook her head and reached for her bottled water.

  “No. The world’s safe from mini McCalls for now. Mom said Cole wasn’t dating and Connor was in between engagements.”

  Jordan’s heart stopped. “Mom said? When did Mom say this?”

  “Last month when we went shopping for the…trip.” Kerri choked. “Oh no. It never occurred to me,” she sputtered between bought of coughing.

  Jordan patted her sister’s back. “Don’t worry about it. I doubt that the guys would be interested. We’ve always been like pesky younger sisters to them anyway.”

  “You really think so?” Kerri wiped the tears from her face, then leaned back in the seat of their idling car and closed her eyes. “Good because I want to enjoy my career man-free.”

  “Amen, sister.”

  Jordan laughed. Man-free was definitely the best way for both of them to go this time in their lives, especially with their new profession still in its infancy.

  Not long after her husband had died Jordan had needed a distraction and jumped at the offer her newly divorced sister had made of opening a restaurant together. Comets—the thriving new business they’d poured their hearts and souls into—took up every waking moment. There was no room in their schedules for a social life…or a need.

  Any romantic ideas her parents had for them and the McCall brothers were a waste of time. They were barking up the wrong pair of females.

  “I wonder if the guys are fat and bald?” Kerri mused.

  She snorted. “I doubt it.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. And it really wouldn’t be bad seeing them again if I weren’t so darne
d embarrassed by the things we used to do.” Kerri snapped a hopeful glance her way, brushing aside a sweep of dark bangs. “Maybe they won’t remember.”

  “Are you kidding?” Jordan chuckled. “They’ll probably throw it in our faces as soon as we step out of the car.”

  Her sister tossed her hands in the air and turned pink. “Oh, that’s just great. I mean for goodness sakes, we once stole their clothes when they were skinny dipping!”

  “Ahh. I forgot about that.” Jordan slapped a hand to her chest and played with the scooped neck on her sleeveless, navy dress. Grinning, she recalled the whole event clear as day. “Boy, were they mad. I didn’t see what the big deal was, though. We gave their clothes back.”

  Kerri’s face headed for crimson. “Yeah, but not before they stalked out of the water buck naked after us!”

  So true. Wearing only mischievous, twinkles in their dark eyes, the two teenage brothers had stalked boldly towards them. She still remembered in detail the way the water had glistened and glided off their tanned bodies and dripped from places not so tan. What an introduction to the male anatomy! Her adolescent body had tingled with an unknown excitement.

  “Well,” she cleared her suddenly dry throat to repair her present day body’s reaction to the memory. “I would’ve given the clothes back, but no! They got out knowing we’d turn tail and run.” Jordan’s grin broadened. “I could still hear them laughing half a mile up the field.”

  “Yeah, we sure did get an eyeful.”

  Kerri keyed right into her thoughts and together their laughter reverberated throughout the stationary car.

  Elbowing Jordan’s arm her sister continued, “Remember that time Cole was in the barn making out with that well endowed cheerleader? It sure was mysterious how those horses got in there and chased her down the road.”

  Jordan raised her brows in mock innocence. “Wasn’t it though? I never could figure out why the horses all decided to take a stroll through the barn all at the same time.” Snickers trickled from their lips and she slapped Kerri’s knee. “And you’re one to talk. I seem to recall an episode with a very muddy dog and Connor’s party date dressed in white.”

  With a sheepish grin, her sister reluctantly confessed. “I know. I couldn’t help it. Ashley had been teasing me about my braces before Connor came downstairs.” She raised her hands and shrugged. “The hose was there, the dog was there; I just reacted.”

  Laughter once again echoed throughout the car and lessoned their tension. Jordan fell back against her seat and sighed.

  “Man. Those were the days. Embarrassment and all, I wouldn’t trade our past with the McCall brothers for the world.”

  “You’re right, Jordan. I don’t know why I’m making a big deal out of it. That was the past. We were kids and we did kid things.” Kerri clasped her hands together on her lap, the color in her cheeks returning to its natural glow.

  “Exactly. Why don’t we fix our faces and get back on the road?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  They pulled out their makeup, repaired the damage all the laughter and tears had caused, then stowed the makeup in their purses.

  “Well I don’t know about you but I’m ready to get this reunion over with. You know,” Jordan lifted her hands and turned to face her sister. “Until now, I hadn’t given Cole a thought in over five years. I really have been doing just fine without him.” Even though, that hadn’t been the case in the past.

  “Yes, and I don’t need a man..” Kerri pushed her visor up with a snap. “If Mom and Dad have any matchmaking ideas, they can leave us out of it.”

  “Amen, sister,” Jordan repeated. “Okay. We can do this. We’re only here for two weeks to cater and put this event together. After the McCall’s Anniversary party we can go back to our lives at home.” Jordan stuck the car in drive and sped off in a better frame of mind.

  She spotted Kerri’s sideways glance, and could guess what was coming.

  “Jordan, what are you going to do if you and Cole still have an attraction to each other?”

  And there it is.

  “Nothing,” she answered honestly. “We had our chance in the past. I’m not interested in him now.” Her hand shot up to stop Kerri’s protest. “Loving, then losing Eric has taken its toll on me. I know Cole and I used to have a kind of connection. We always did and probably always will. But times have changed. I’ve changed. The last thing I’m looking for is to reconnect with Cole McCall.”

  For most of her life, he’d been a constant shadow hanging over her shoulder, immobilizing her love life with his laughing brown eyes and mischievous grin.

  Until, after a secret visit a few years ago, Jordan had managed to put him safely away.

  She shifted in her seat. It was nice to be out from under his spell and she was desperate to stay that way.

  I will not allow myself to become obsessed with him again. No way. Quieting her mind, she buried wayward emotions and hardened her heart.

  “Fate—or our parents—might have other ideas,” Kerri pointed out.

  Ignoring her sisters’ last remark as the ranch came into view, Jordan gazed at the place that long ago used to be their second home. They’d spent equal time between here and their own house, which, back then, had only been ten miles away.

  Big and beautiful, the McCall homestead still looked the same. With a backward u-shape, the Spanish two-story had a long porch out front and balconies all around the two jutting wings. Off to the side sat the stables, a garage, ranch-hand quarters and the infamous barn.

  She stopped in front of the house, shut off the engine and squared her shoulders. This was only a visit. I have a new life in California.

  Texas was no longer in her blood.

  Then why did it feel like she belonged here; like she’d just driven up to her fire-in-the-fireplace, hot-chocolate-simmering, warm-blanket-waiting...home? Why did her soul rejoice at the site of the front patio where she used to chase Cole; at the driveway where he’d taught her to drive before she was old enough for a permit; at the corral where she’d learned to ride; at the property where she had her first kiss?

  Because I’m a sentimental fool.

  The front door banging open pulled her thoughts and her gaze to her parents rushing out, followed closely by Mr. and Mrs. McCall.

  Withdrawing her phone from her purse, she winked at her sister and punched a number. “Hello, Dad?” she said into the phone while leaving the car. “Just wanted to let you know we’re here.” Smiling, she walked toward him.

  “Good to know. Thanks for the call.” He grinned, snapped his phone shut and pulled her into a hug. “You’re crazy.”

  “Yeah, I know, but you love me anyway.”

  “You’re darn right I do.” He kissed her cheek, then reached for Kerri.

  “Hi, Mom,” Jordan said. “Did you miss me?”

  “You know it.”

  Hannah Mitchell was a very beautiful woman. Hair shorter and lighter now that she was in her late fifties, she was still very becoming. In fact, her parents made a striking couple, and she realized with a start, they too would be celebrating their 40th anniversary later this fall.

  Her mother squeezed her again before she stepped aside to allow her to greet the other couple.

  “Mr. and Mrs. McCall.” Jordan smiled. “Two more tolerant people I’ve never known—my parents excluded, of course.”

  Enveloped into alternating hugs, Jordan returned the favor. As she tried to pull away from Mrs. McCall, however, the woman held tight for a fraction of a second longer.

  What in the world was that all about?

  “It sure is good to see you again girls. This old place hasn’t been the same without you.” Mr. McCall chuckled.

  “And look at the two of you. You’re just beautiful,” his wife gushed. “I’m glad you both came. It sure will be nice to have some laughter back in this house again.”

  Jordon frowned. Why would they stop laughing?

  About to ask, she opened her mouth bu
t the sudden appearance of a familiar awareness zapped the words from her lips.

  Fastened to her body like a too-tight jumpsuit, a tingling sensation started at the base of her neck and rushed like a current to every extremity. She rubbed her arms, ordered her racing pulse to settle and air to return to her lungs. This strong, engulfing feeling hadn’t existed since…Cole McCall.

  He was there behind her, she knew without looking.

  With her sister’s indrawn breath cooling the air at her side, Jordan figured she was turning around to face trouble. A gasp bubbled up her throat. Okay, double trouble.

  Holy Texans…

  With the gasp still clogged in her throat, she inspected the pair of virile men approaching from the stable. Their strides sure, their forms vaguely familiar; their attributes—wow.

  Even if she hadn’t known them, these men would’ve caught her attention. They had a commanding presence with two distinctly different airs. One, a few inches taller, had a set of broad shoulders that appeared laid back and welcoming, while the other loomed stiff and unyielding.

  Damn. She swallowed. This visit would be so much easier if the Brothers McCall had gotten dumpy instead of...wow.

  Gaze automatically drawn to Cole, she avoided his face to admire his wide-expanse of chest, biceps and forearms. Who knew building software codes could produce muscles like that? Her throat dried. Lordy, his shirt clung to him like a second skin. Stretched possessively over his physique, the material of his grubby white t-shirt rippled as he walked.

  Butterflies stirred in her stomach. .

  Damn. Leave it to Cole to spark life into her body. Unwelcomed life. She didn’t want to feel.

  The further south she investigated the harder breathing became. Snug jeans hugged lean hips and an awareness of his masculinity stabbed at her core. Slowly warming like a spring thaw, her insides prickled in an explosion of sensations, awakening needs dormant too long.