Cowboy Strong - Includes a bonus novella Page 2

  “It’s Daddy.” She could barely get the words out before she started sobbing as if her heart was broken. Nothing ever rattled Alana, and he’d never heard her voice crack like that.

  “What happened?” Paxton stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, coaxing her head to his shoulder. “Let it all out and tell me what I can do to help.”

  “The doctor said he’s got cancer. And only six weeks to live.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” The soothing words came naturally to Pax. He knew Alana wasn’t the type who needed to be coddled, but he hated seeing her so upset.

  “He doesn’t want anyone to know, but…” Another round of weeping began. “I have to talk to you before the whole town finds out.”

  “I won’t tell a soul,” he promised. “And I’m glad you came to me. You can’t carry around something this big and this sad all on your own.”

  Alana pulled back and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. “I’m sorry for getting all emotional on you.” She took a step back and sat down on the nearest bale of hay.

  “Hey, that’s what friends are for. When is he starting treatments? Do you need me to take him to the doctor or help you on the ranch? Tell me what to do.”

  “No treatments.” She hiccupped. “It’s an inoperable brain tumor, and Daddy says he wants to die with dignity.”

  “Alana, I’m so, so sorry.” Pax blinked back tears of his own. It was hard to imagine the strapping man he’d known his whole life wouldn’t be with them for much longer. “Please know that I’m here for you and for Matt. I’d do anything at all for y’all.”

  She took a deep breath, and he could tell she was fighting to get words past the lump in her throat. “Daddy has said”—her lip quivered and she took a second to compose herself—“so many times that he wants to live to see me settled down and married, and that his biggest wish is that he gets to walk me down the aisle someday.”

  Pax gave Alana a bittersweet smile. “I’ve heard Matt say those very words several times, myself.”

  “I want his wish to come true, Pax.” She took another deep breath and then began to talk very fast, as if she had to get the words out in a hurry. “I told him that we’d been dating ever since you came back to Daisy, and that we’d been planning to elope sometime this summer. So you can either fake break up with me right now, and I can go home and tell him the sad news, or you can go along with my story. I said we’d planned to get married on June sixth in a small family ceremony at the church here in Daisy. It’ll be a small thing, and after he’s”—she sniffled—“after he’s…I can’t say the word. When he’s with Mama in heaven, we’ll have it annulled.”

  “Whoa!” Pax threw up both palms defensively. “You did what?” He couldn’t wrap his mind around what she’d asked of him. They’d been neighbors and friends their whole lives. They’d attended the same small rural school and the same church. And there was no doubt that there’d been sparks between them, but to marry her? Sweet Jesus in heaven! “You want me to pretend that we’re engaged? To lie to a dying man?”

  “But it will make my daddy so happy in his last days,” she said. “And you can’t tell anyone that it’s all fake, not even Maverick, because we have to make Daddy truly believe it. He’d be devastated if he knew I made it all up. Please, Pax. It’s not for very long.” Her big brown eyes shimmered with tears.

  He couldn’t say yes to such a crazy idea! But then he couldn’t very well say no, either, now, could he? God, he hated to see a woman cry. If he agreed to what she was asking, he’d be a married man in a month.

  “I know it’s a lot to ask,” Alana said. “I shouldn’t have told him that we were dating until I asked you if you were willing to go along with it.”

  Pax took her hand in his and tapped her ring finger. “I wouldn’t be the kind of cowboy who didn’t even buy you a ring.”

  “I’ve got Mama’s engagement ring,” she said. “That way you’re not even out money on this deal.”

  “All right,” Pax said before he lost his courage. “I’ll do it.”

  She threw her arms around him and said, “One more thing, and it’s a big one. Would you please, please ask Daddy for my hand in marriage?” He’s old-fashioned and…”

  Pax liked the feeling of her body pressed against his chest. “Of course,” he whispered. “I hope he don’t see right through the lie.”

  “He’ll be so happy that he’ll never know.” Alana hugged him even tighter and then moved back. “Thank you, Pax. From the bottom of my heart and soul, I thank you. It’ll mean a lot of pretending, but…”

  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll get cleaned up and go talk to your dad this afternoon, and please put that ring on your finger,” Pax said. “If we’re going to do this, let’s make it believable for Matt’s sake.”

  She pulled a beautiful diamond ring from her pocket and handed it to him.

  It’s only pretend, he told himself as he took the ring from her, and I’d do anything for Matt. “If we’re going to do this, then let’s make it as real as possible,” he said as he got down on one knee and said, “Alana Joy Carey, will you marry me?”

  This might be the right way to propose to a woman, down on one knee with the ring in his hand, but Pax had always figured when he popped the question to a woman it would be in a more romantic place than the barn. In his mind, he’d be dressed up in his Sunday finery and everything surrounding them would be ultraromantic.

  “Yes.” She smiled.

  He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Thank you,” she said with a rather sisterly peck on his forehead. “Now we won’t be lying about the proposal.”

  Chapter Two

  Not much made Paxton Callahan nervous. Usually, he was as solid and steady as a rock. He could walk right up to a woman in a bar and have her in his arms and dancing in five seconds. He could sweet-talk his way around a deal when it came to buying cattle for the ranch without blinking an eye. But that afternoon, he was sweating bullets when he climbed the three stairs up onto the porch at the Carey house. On the way over to talk to Matt that afternoon he’d practiced several different versions of what he would say, but now none of them sounded right or even plausible in his head.

  He raised his hand to knock on the door, and Matt swung it open.

  “Come on in, Pax.” Matt stood to one side.

  Paxton wiped his feet and stepped out of the blistering heat into the cool foyer. He removed his cowboy hat and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair.

  “This humidity is a killer, ain’t it?” Matt said as he led the way into the living room. “Never seen it this damn hot in May. I hate to think about what it’ll be like in July, but then…” He stopped talking and sat down in a recliner. “Have a seat. Want a beer or sweet tea or something?”

  “Alana told me, sir.” Pax sat down on the end of the sofa and laid his hat on the end table. “I’m so sorry. If you need anything at all, call me, and I’ll come runnin’. And I’ll pass on the beer for now.”

  “Thank you, son,” Matt sighed. “I’m glad y’all have moved the wedding up. Getting prepared for the big day will keep Alana so busy she won’t have time to worry.”

  Pax cleared his throat. No matter what he said or how he said it, the next words out of his mouth weren’t going to be easy. “I really came to ask for your blessing on our marriage.” He spit the words out so nervously that he was sure Matt would figure out something was up.

  “Most fathers would ask a future son-in-law to take care of their daughter. Alana doesn’t need that from you.” Matt’s tone and expression were serious. “She can take care of herself and this ranch. What she needs is for you to love her, respect her, and stand beside her until death parts you, like the wedding vows say. You think you can do that?”

  Pax nodded slowly as he tried to figure out a way to agree to the terms without it being a big ugly lie. To love her, respect her, and stand beside her he could do, but that until-death-parts-y
ou thing was throwing butcher knives at his heart. Then he realized that it would be death that parted them—maybe not with his death or Alana’s death, but Matt passing on. “I can do that,” he finally said. “I’ve always respected Alana and loved her. Standing beside her won’t be a problem, sir.”

  “Stop calling me that.” Matt shook his finger at Pax. “You’ve both got my blessing, and I’d sure like it if you’d call me Dad after y’all are married.” He slid his phone from his shirt pocket and touched the screen.

  He waited a minute and then said, “Alana, honey, can you come to the house?” Whatever she said put a grin on his face. He ended the call and turned back to Pax. “She’ll be here in a few minutes. I want to thank you so much for agreeing to move the date up so I can walk her down the aisle. We’re both struggling with this whole thing, Pax. I’m trying to be strong for her, but this sucks.”

  “I can’t even imagine,” Pax said. “But like I said before, I’m here for both of you. All either of you have to do is pick up the phone and call me.”

  “Thank God for that,” Matt said. “Knowing she won’t be alone will make it easier to go when I have to leave.”

  Not knowing what to say, Pax nodded.

  “I don’t want you kids to worry about a thing. I’ll take care of the whole wedding so you can enjoy your short engagement. I’ve already called the preacher and got the date on the church calendar. That’s one thing y’all don’t have to worry about.”

  “That’s great,” Pax said with a smile. But thoughts circled in his head like buzzards flying over a dead bull out in the pasture.

  How fast would word get around? The preacher would have told Trudy Mason, the church secretary, to put the date on the calendar. Then she was sure to tell her son, Billy Ray, who had worked on Callahan Ranch for several summers while he was in high school. Pax hoped he had a chance to tell Maverick and their grandmother the news before they heard it through the grapevine.

  Alana arrived before either Matt or Pax could continue their conversation. She removed a pair of work gloves, nodded toward her father, and crossed the room to kiss Pax on the cheek.

  “I’ve given you two my blessing.” Matt inhaled deeply. “I want you to respect Pax in this relationship and not be as bullheaded as you usually are.”

  Alana sat down on the arm of the sofa and slung her arm around Pax’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best, Daddy.”

  Pax had danced with Alana at the Wild Cowboy Saloon more than once. Hell, they’d been dancing around each other for years, and his heart had never skipped a beat one time—except in elementary school, when he literally ran from her and got winded. Maybe it was the fact that she was wearing an engagement ring, but something was definitely different now. Her touch had caused a stir down deep inside of his heart like nothing he’d ever felt before.

  He sensed that he should do something so he laid a hand on her knee. “We both will, darlin’.” He smiled up at her, hoping that it was enough to convince Matt he was serious.

  “Let’s all have a good cold beer,” Alana said. “Then I’ll get changed and ready for our date to celebrate us telling the world. The way this town likes to gossip, I’m surprised that we weren’t found out months ago.”

  Date?

  They hadn’t talked about a date or a celebration.

  “I’ll skip the beer and be back in half an hour to pick you up.” Pax stood up and gave her a quick peck on the lips. That almost breathless feeling in his heart got even stronger.

  “Better make it an hour. Where did we decide to go?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s a surprise,” he said. “Wear something nice. I guarantee it’s better than going to a hamburger joint.”

  “Ahh, shucks.” She played along. “I had my heart set on a double meat and cheese from The Burger Palace.”

  “I remember when Joy and I got engaged,” Matt said. “We went to The Silver Dove in Amarillo to celebrate. I actually got down on one knee at that restaurant and gave her the ring. I took her back there to celebrate every one of our anniversaries, and I’ve gone back every year since she passed away on our anniversary for the memories.”

  A single tear left a silver streak down Alana’s cheek. “Daddy, we don’t have to go out tonight. We can stay right here, and the three of us can have supper together. It’s the first day that…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

  “No way!” Matt declared. “This is an important night for the two of you. Go make memories that will last as long as mine have. Besides, you gave me your word that you’d let me live life as normal as possible, and now I’m asking that neither of you smother me.”

  “That’s a tall request,” Pax said.

  “I’d rather live for the moment than worry about the end,” he said.

  “Then that’s what we’ll do. Besides, don’t you have a poker game tonight with your buddies?” Alana reminded him. “It is Wednesday, after all.”

  “Yep. We’re playing over at Carlton’s tonight.”

  “They’re your closest friends, Daddy. Are you going to tell them?”

  “Nope, and neither of you are either. We’re going to spend our time planning a wedding, not a damn funeral,” Matt answered. “Now, Alana, you get on upstairs and make yourself presentable. Pax, you go do whatever it is you need to do to take my baby girl to a nice place, and I’m going to Clayton’s. We’ve got things to do, so let’s get after them.”

  “Nothing has curbed your bossiness,” Alana smarted off.

  “That’s my girl,” Matt chuckled. “That’s what I want to hear and see. We’ve had our time of cryin’, now let’s do what that song says, let’s live like we were dying.”

  “That was my buddy Tag Baker’s favorite song for a long time,” Pax said.

  “Yep, and it’s a good one.” Matt stood up and held out a hand toward Pax. “Welcome to the family.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Pax had panicked when Alana first told him her plans, but things had gone more smoothly than he could have imagined. One month out of his entire life wasn’t so long, and God only knew what a wonderful neighbor Matt had been. Matt had been there to help Pax and Mav out of plenty of scrapes. He owed the man. And Matt deserved to rest in peace.

  Pax settled his hat back on his head. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

  Alana slipped her hand into his and walked with him out onto the porch. Her hand fit into his as if it had been formed specially for him. “Thank you so much, again.”

  “Hey, that’s enough thanks.” He gave her a hug because she looked like she needed one. She’d known about her father’s diagnosis for less than a day. The real sorrow hadn’t even had time to settle into her heart and soul. “You’d do the same for me if Mam was in Matt’s boots. Besides, if this was real, you wouldn’t thank me all the time.”

  “All right then.” She hugged him back. “Are we really going somewhere fancy or can I wear jeans?”

  “Put on your prettiest dress, darlin’,” he said. “I’m takin’ you out for a celebration.”

  He waved from the window of his truck when he got inside, then quickly rolled up the window and turned on the air-conditioning. He got the call from Maverick about the time he pulled into the driveway at his ranch. He figured his brother had already heard the news, and Pax dreaded answering the phone, but he finally hit the accept icon. “How mad are you?” he asked.

  “About what?” Maverick said. “Bridget and I are here with Mam. We got done at the lawyer’s a little early so we stopped by, and then we’re going to have supper before we come on home.”

  “Hello, Pax,” his grandmother said.

  “You’re on speaker.” Bridget’s Irish accent had faded a little in the five months she’d been in the States, but not a lot. “You’ve got me, Maverick, Mam, and Laela.”

  “Well, y’all only have me, and I’ve got some big news,” Pax said.

  “You got the old tractor fixed that we’ve been workin’ on?” Maverick asked.

  “Why did you t
hink Mav was mad at you?” Mam asked.

  “I asked Alana to marry me, and she said yes.” He spit it out all at once before they could ask another question. “We’ve been kind of secretly dating since I’ve been home, and—”

  “Bullshit!” Maverick cut him off. “That’s the biggest crock of crap I’ve ever heard out of you. Last week you couldn’t wait to get to the Wild Cowboy to blow off steam.”

  “Alana was there, too.” Pax wasn’t lying. Alana had been there, and he’d avoided her all evening.

  “I’m not a bit surprised,” Mam said. “Y’all have both fought the attraction between you since you were teenagers. I don’t know why it took you this long to admit it.”

  “I’m not surprised, either,” Bridget said. “When you’re in the room together, I can see the heat between y’all.”

  “I still don’t believe it,” Maverick said. “You’re either yankin’ my chain or you’ve lost your mind.”

  “I gave her an engagement ring today. I went over to ask Matt for his blessing this afternoon. Alana and I are about to go out to celebrate this evening.” Pax heard another phone ringing in the background.

  “Hello, Trudy,” Mam said.

  Pax rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. Thank you, God, he mouthed.

  “Yes, we’ve already heard. Pax told us all about it, and yes, ma’am, I’m all for having a wedding shower at the church sometime this month. Let me know what you need me to do. Bye now,” Mam said. “Okay, I’m back. I guess you heard me talking to Trudy?”

  “Yes, I did. Matt told me that he’d called the church and put the date on the calendar,” Pax said.

  “I’ll believe it when I hear the preacher pronounce you man and wife,” Maverick said. “I don’t know what you and Alana have going, but you’d have told me if you were dating her.”

  “Like you told him all about me, right?” Bridget asked.

  “That was different,” Maverick said.

  “And on that note, I’m going to go get ready for my celebration date with Alana tonight. See y’all at breakfast, and I’ll be up to visit you soon, Mam. Bye.” He ended the call.