Her Favorite Cowboy (The Watson Brothers #4) Read online

  Her Favorite Cowboy

  A Watson Brother Romance

  Ann B. Harrison

  Her Favorite Cowboy

  Copyright © 2017 Ann B. Harrison

  Kindle Edition

  The Tule Publishing Group, LLC

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-1-946772-69-5

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Watson Brother series

  Excerpt from Chance for Love

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Tyson Watson took another sip of his whiskey, immune to the fire burning down his throat. After the first two glasses, the numbness had set in and he could have just as easily been sculling water for all the good the liquor was doing for him. He stared at the bottle, somehow blaming it for the foul mood he was in and then tried to focus on what he was doing.

  Wife wanted, no frills or fancy ideas. Must be willing to live in the country, help on the ranch, and not be afraid of commitment.

  Commitment. Such a damning word. It burned a path across the top of his head, wrapping its tentacles down the cortex of his brain, giving an extra squeeze to piss him off. Layla Cox, Queen of Independence, scared shitless of commitment. At least with him anyway. Tyson took another swig of whiskey and cursed. Damn her to hell. Got him wound up in knots over her, used him as a sex object for the weekend when she attended Rory and Gina’s wedding to scratch an itch, and then… nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing!

  He was punching above his weight the moment he laid eyes on her. Made sense to him even if his brothers tried to convince him otherwise. Hell, just look at him. Poor cowboy with a rundown ranch and little prospect of it getting any better any time soon and then take a look at Layla Cox. The high-powered big city lawyer who screamed sophistication and dripped money from every pore of her perfectly smooth skin.

  Oh, they were good in bed together. So good they only surfaced for food and drink in the two days she’d been back in Marietta. What a diversion that must have been for her, a far cry from the normal soirees she attended with the city’s high and mighty movers and shakers. Such a change from the suits she probably dated. How slumming with him must have been an eye-opener for her.

  Tyson in his Sunday best clothing. A pair of jeans without a rip in them, a hand-me-down white shirt from Chance and Tyson’s best hat. At least his boots had scrubbed up with a lick of shoe polish. God knew he couldn’t have afforded another pair. Not until he got this horse trail riding business underway and then most of the profits, if any, would go back into the ranch. He could live with things the way they were.

  And that was how he knew Layla would never be the one for him. He’d seen photos of her apartment on her flash big iPhone. All white and beige and clinical-looking. Just as well he hadn’t seen them before he brought her to his bed. He’d have died of embarrassment. The gold and brown shag pile carpet in his shack, flattened in most places, worn though to the floorboards in others, was so far removed from her apartment’s almost white carpet that he cringed even now thinking about it.

  He glanced through the bedroom door and stared bleary-eyed at the rumpled sheets on the permanently unmade bed. It’d been hard to strip them off to wash after that weekend, but only because he didn’t want to lose the scent of her when he crawled into at night, waiting for the phone to ring, knowing it was all a dream.

  “You tried, boy. You gave her everything you could and she left with a smile on her face but no promises.” Saying the words out loud only added to the helplessness that had tormented him since she’d waved, climbed into the taxi, and hurried back to her life. He slammed the glass down on the table and stared at the muted television screen.

  Tyson blinked, rubbed his hand across his face, the beginnings of a headache already creeping in. He was so tired and lonely. It was the lonely bit that got him the most.

  He stared at the notepad and the advertisement he’d started to write. Chance had dug Tyson in the ribs, told him to either contact Layla or get over it and move on, find a wife, and settle down. He’d even reminded him how successful all of his brothers had been finding mail-order brides. Chance and his Aussie wife Callie were blissfully happy, living up the road on their own ranch. Rory and Gina had made a snug family home out of the rundown house over the hill. Even the doctor in the family, Evan, had come home and found love in a not so romantic chain of events.

  So why did Tyson have to be the only one trying to do things the old-fashioned way? “Go and write an ad,” said Chance. “What harm could it do? You might get lucky.” As if! Tyson picked up the pen and clicked it a few times, trying to come up with a witty ending. Mustn’t be too city-orientated. No, that didn’t sound right. Must like animals. Obvious, you idiot, if she’s going to live on a ranch. Must phone back after a date.

  He threw the pen down, picked up the glass, and drained it. This wasn’t working for him. He grabbed the page, ripped it from the notebook and stalked into the kitchen, the almost empty bottle tucked under his arm. With angry movements, he stashed the bottle under the kitchen sink, left the glass on the counter, and turned to the phone hanging on the wall beside a pegboard. “Ring why don’t you?”

  Tyson took a thumbtack and jammed the paper on the board, glared at it for a few seconds, and then turned off the light before stumbling to bed.

  *

  “Hello.”

  “Good morning, Layla.” Chance’s honey voice boomed over the phone. “How are you?”

  “Great, you and Callie?” And Tyson, tell me how he is. Does he miss me? Has he even mentioned my name?

  “She’s fine. Loving life as usual. Listen, can I get personal?” His voice quieted.

  “Sure. Ask away. Not like I don’t owe you a few favors myself.”

  “Are you and Tyson heading anywhere or was it all a flash in the pan?”

  She sucked in a breath, the pain of the question hitting her hard. If she had her way they’d be a couple by now but it would seem he had other idea
s. “No. Merely an infatuation. I got over it once I got back to the city.” Because he doesn’t care and it will never work out between us!

  “That’s okay then. You see, I have a favor to ask you and I had to make sure there was nothing between you before I did it because it would be awkward otherwise.”

  “No problem. Now you have me intrigued. What’s going on?”

  “It’s Tyson. He wrote this ad for a wife.” He laughed. “Seems I finally got through to him. Went down to pay him for a couple of horses he put my way and found it on his pegboard.”

  Layla sucked in a breath, her chest constricting painfully and she pressed a hand to her breastbone. She closed her eyes and tried to keep her emotions in check but it wasn’t going to be easy. Her heart pounded and her ears rang.

  “Layla, are you there?” Chance’s voice broke through the fog that had settled around her brain.

  She licked her lips, desperate for moisture before she spoke. “Yes, sorry. Something distracted me. Say that again.”

  “Tyson has written an ad for a wife and I know I’m playing big brother here but I was kind of hoping you could deal with it.”

  “What do you mean, deal with it?” Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and she raised a trembling hand to her cheek. Surely this ranked high up in the ‘you’re asking too much’ stakes?

  “Well, I guess what I was hoping was that you could vet the replies so he doesn’t get ripped off. You know what a soft touch he is. Last thing I want is for him to get hurt.” He cleared his throat. “The thing is, he’s likely to take the first woman that answers the way he is right now.”

  “What do you mean, the way he is right now?” I hope he’s lost the ability to speak, is what I hope. Then he won’t be able to sweet-talk any prospective brides like he sweet-talked me between the sheets and leave them waiting for the call that never comes. A sob rose in her throat.

  “Hey, you sure you’re okay? Sounds like you’re a bit emotional.”

  “No. No, no. I’m fine, a bit tired after a huge case but you know me. I love the fight, especially when I win big.” She lifted her hand and coughed. “It was a late night of celebration, far too late for the early start I had.” Actually, it was a late night vomiting over the damn toilet bowl with food poisoning from a lunch meeting but he didn’t need to know that. “So what do you mean, the way he is now?”

  “He’s been like a bear with a sore head and he’s taken to drinking more than usual. I think seeing the three of us so happy has made him question his lot in life. I think he’s doing the right thing, though. He needs someone; we all do.”

  “And you want me to pick that ‘one’ for him?” How could life be so damned cruel?

  “Look, I know this sounds bad since you and he, you know…”

  “Spent a couple of days in bed? Come on, Chance, as if you haven’t been in the same position, excuse my pun, and never looked at her again. This is life, we have affairs. I get that. But, moving on, you want me to vet the prospective Mrs. Watson for you?” Layla bit back the rest of the words she wanted to spit out, lest she sounded like a shrew who lost out.

  “Yeah. We go way back and I trust you. Would you mind?”

  “Yes and no. It feels a bit weird but if that’s what you want. Are you sure he wrote it? This isn’t something you and Rory hatched between yourselves to get back at him for all the years of being a gossiper are you?” After all of Tyson’s snipes at Chance and Rory having mail-order brides, he was the last person she expected to do the same.

  “I wouldn’t lie to you, Layla. He wrote it, I promise. I’ll scan it and email it to you later today and you can see for yourself. And if you could be a little bit circumspect about which papers you place the ad, I’d appreciate it.”

  Really? “You want me to place the ad too and filter the replies before sending them on to Tyson?”

  “Uh. Yeah. Please, if it’s not too much trouble.” Now he sounded unsure.

  “I guess. Leave it with me then. I’ll get back to you when I have something to report.” She hung up before he could say anything else.

  Barely holding it together, Layla pushed her chair from her desk and stood up. The view from her office never failed to thrill her. Today it made her feel ill and she staggered over to the couch and lay down, kicking off her killer shoes and tucking her feet up.

  “Why is he doing this? We could have been so good together?”

  Chapter Two

  Two weeks later, Layla picked up the phone and called Chance. “Chance, hi.”

  “Layla, any news for me? Have you found Tyson the perfect wife already?”

  “Uh, no I haven’t had any replies that I’d consider appropriate yet. I do have some news but it’s not really anything I would discuss over the phone. I wonder if I can talk to you face-to-face?”

  This was personal but Chance was the one person Layla could count on to help her in her time of need. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, tried and failed to unsee the test kit in her top drawer. Her usual professional mask slipped and she swallowed, doing her best to get a grip on the current situation. She had to deal with this in her normal straightforward, no-nonsense manner if she was going to get through it. Especially since she was in the throes of finding his youngest brother and the father of her unborn baby, a wife.

  “Can I come and stay with you guys for a couple of days? I have some things to sort out in town and I don’t really fancy staying in a hotel. Too impersonal if you know what I mean and I’d really like to talk something over with you and Callie. I need a solid, reliable friend to use as a sounding board.” Please say yes, please.

  “Everything alright, Layla? Not like you to be asking me for help although I hope you know that I’d do anything for you. Normally, you’re the cool, calm, and collected one bailing me out of whatever crap I’m in. At least that’s how it used to be before I became a staid, old married man.” His concern over the phone reminded her what a good friend he was.

  Their relationship had started out as purely business with the company she worked for looking over his rodeo contracts and things had gone from there. She gave him advice on more than business and Layla would be the first to admit she’d saved his ass more than once. It was time for him to repay the debt.

  “Nothing I can’t handle. Thanks, Chance. I’ll let you know more when I can. Still have to arrange things this end then I can get a few days out of here.” She said goodbye and put the phone down, clicked her nails on the glass tabletop and closed her eyes. Breathe, just breathe. She could get through this, she could. Thing was, it blew her mind because she was no longer in control of what was going on. Tyson had fixed that well and good for her and she didn’t know whether to hit him or thank him. After all, she never put up much of a fight where he was concerned.

  Layla didn’t understand the hold he had over her. For one, he wasn’t her type at all. A cute as all out cowboy was never her idea of the perfect man. He wouldn’t fit into her world any more than she’d fit into his. At least that was the train of thought chugging through her confused mind along with the fact that he was searching for a wife and it wasn’t in her direction.

  Layla gave herself a moment to bring up his image in her mind, not that he was very far away from her thoughts. Especially since his brother Rory’s wedding anyway. He’d looked so damned handsome in his best jeans and shirt. The little string leather tie with the silver and blue horse’s head toggle, his cream colored Stetson, and the natural swagger had her before she could blink.

  But it had been like that from the first moment she’d laid eyes on him. The brother of her favorite client – clients actually, if she counted the work she did for Rory and Gina in the custody battle with Fisher’s grandparents—had intrigued her from the start. Every time she’d gone out to visit in their hometown, Marietta, Montana, he’d managed to get under her skin and she hadn’t complained. He was handsome, devastatingly cute in his own unassuming way, the odd one out in the family and Layla couldn’t
figure it out. She’d never been attracted to anyone remotely like Tyson. He was a cowboy, a down and quite happy at home in the stockyards man who worked with horses and cows getting his hands dirty.

  She was a city lawyer who didn’t believe in going out to collect her mail without dressing in a designer suit with her hair and makeup done. They were too different, from opposite sides of the track – hell opposite sides of the world if she was being truthful. She’d attended a prestigious girl’s college and a Swiss finishing school, and he’d gone to a community college and dropped out to work on a ranch. She lived in a swish white-on-white city apartment in a sought after area of Denver and Tyson lived in a ramshackle old ranch house in Marietta, boasting a leaking roof and a sagging front porch with kitchen appliances that had her shivering just thinking about them.

  But she couldn’t deny the attraction between them and giving herself over to the moment, or the champagne, had taken him back to his place after the wedding and spent the next two days in bed making love to him. It was the best weekend she’d ever had, the only time she’d felt truly alive apart from her first day in the courtroom. There was something to be said for the opposites attract theory. As different as they and their backgrounds were, it was the only place she wanted to be right now no matter that her brain was telling her different.

  The thing was, Tyson didn’t want her. He wanted a mail-order bride who wasn’t scared of commitment. It would seem she didn’t fit the bill.

  Now was the time to find out for sure and Layla would do it in her usual fashion. Breeze in, suss out the lay of the land, decide whether or not to make an offer of some sort and see if he took it. Layla didn’t do failure well on any level. Not in her business life, not in her personal life, so she hoped Tyson was agreeable to her idea.

  Layla reached over and grabbed a tissue from the coffee table. She stood up and blew her nose, gathered her thoughts. Her computer stared at her from the desk, the screen arrogantly showing businesses for sale in Marietta, Montana, home of the Watson boys and also home of the Lidderback Family Law firm, currently for sale on the main street. She mused for a moment, stood up, strode over to her desk, picked up the phone, and dialed.