Brenda Harlen - Claiming The Cowboy's Heart

He shook his head. “Not you, too.”

Sky’s brows disappeared beneath her bangs. “Too?”

“Kate mentioned her name earlier,” he explained.

“Maybe because Macy’s the only person in Haven who has the kind of experience you need.”

“How does everyone seem to know so much about her?” he wondered aloud.

“It’s Haven,” his sister pointed out unnecessarily. “Everyone knows everything about everyone in this town—unless they’ve been living under a rock…or buried in the details of a property renovation.”

“Well, I interviewed her today,” he admitted, and lifted his glass to his mouth.

“And?” she prompted.

“And…she’s got the kind of experience I need,” he agreed.

Sky set a bowl of mixed nuts on the bar beside his glass. “So why haven’t you hired her?”

He nibbled on a cashew. “I don’t know.”

“You’re attracted to her,” Sky guessed.

He scowled, not because it was untrue but because he was uncomfortable with the accuracy of his sister’s insights. “Where is that coming from?”

“The fact that I know you. And the fact that she’s an attractive woman, but not at all your type,” she cautioned.

“You’ve always said I don’t have a type,” he reminded her.

“You might not show any preference between blondes, brunettes and redheads, but since your one failed attempt at a grown-up relationship—”

“I’ve had several grown-up relationships,” he interjected.

“I’m not talking about sex,” she said dryly. “I’m talking about meaningful interactions that happen with your clothes on.”

“Now you’ve lost me.”

She sighed. “And that’s Isabella’s fault. When you were with her, you actually seemed to be growing into a mature and responsible human being. But since she broke your heart—”

“She didn’t break my heart,” he denied.

“—you’ve been all about having a good time,” she continued, ignoring his interruption. “And Macy is all about responsibility.”

“I can’t remember the last time I had a good time,” he lamented.

“At Carrie and Matt’s wedding—with Heather,” she surmised.

“Oh, yeah.” He smiled. “That was a good time.” Until Heather decided that one night meant they were back together again. “It was also seven months ago.”

“Working for a living really sucks, huh?” she teased.

“You know I’m not just putting in a few hours at the hotel every day. I’m helping out at the ranch every morning, too.”

“Why is that?” she prompted, because she got her kicks out of digging into other people’s psyches and prying into their motivations. “You’ve made no secret of the fact that you want a life away from the ranch, but you keep going back.”

“Because there are chores that need to be done.”

“You don’t think there are enough hands to manage without you?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Okay, so maybe I don’t want the old man to forget that he’s got two sons.”

“He’s not going to forget you,” Sky assured him. “He’s also not going to get over being pissed off any quicker just because you’re mucking out stalls every morning.”

“I know. But at least when I’m there, he has to talk to me.”

His sister’s sigh was filled with exasperation. “He’s reverted to the silent treatment again?”

“He’s barely spoken a dozen words to me since January 2,” Liam confided. Because the holidays had officially ended then and, with them, the détente Katelyn had imposed on her family. During the period of eight days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, she’d forced her father and brother to play nice, threatening to celebrate Tessa’s first Christmas without them if they couldn’t get along. But now the holidays were over and so, too, was the father-son ceasefire.

“I’m sorry,” Sky said. “Obviously Dad’s going to need some time to accept that the hotel is more than a whim to you…assuming it is more than a whim.”

He scowled at the implication. “You think I’d invest all my money—and a fair amount of our grandparents’—on a whim?”

“Maybe not,” she allowed.

“Not to mention that the whole town will benefit from the reopening of the hotel,” he assured her.

“Everyone except the owner of the Dusty Boots,” she remarked dryly.

“No doubt there’s a specific type of clientele that will still opt to pay the hourly rate at the budget motel.”

Sky chuckled at that. “No doubt,” she agreed. “And in addition to being an opportunity for the community, the hotel is an opportunity for you to finally escape the ranch you’ve hated since—”

“I’ve been thinking the hotel should have a bar,” Liam said, deliberately cutting his sister off. “It would be nice to have a place to grab a beer without being psychoanalyzed by the bartender.”

“A bar isn’t a bad idea,” she said. “A restaurant would be even better.”

“Have you been talking to Grams?”

“Occasionally, since she happens to be my grandmother, too. But yes, she told me about The Home Station.”

He shook his head. “We don’t have a restaurant, only a solarium where we’re going to serve breakfast. I don’t know where she got it in her head that we should offer an upscale dining option, but you shouldn’t encourage her.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Sky mused.

“It’s not happening,” he assured her.

Then a movement in the corner of his eye snagged his attention and he turned his head for a better view of the waitress delivering a tray of drinks to a nearby table. His gaze skimmed slowly up her long, slender legs to a nicely rounded bottom, trim waist and—

Sky interrupted his perusal by reaching across the bar to dab at the corner of his mouth with a cocktail napkin, as if he was drooling. He swatted her hand away and resumed his perusal.

Between the ranch and the inn, he’d had little time for anything else since the wedding his sister had referred to—and even less interest. But somehow, after months had passed without anyone snagging his attention, he’d felt his body unexpectedly stir in response to two different women in the same day. Obviously it was a sign that he needed to readjust his priorities and find the time—and a willing woman—to help him end this unintended period of celibacy.

Then the waitress turned from the table, and his jaw nearly dropped. Because the female he’d been eyeing wasn’t different at all—she was Macy Clayton.

Chapter Three

“You didn’t know she worked here?” Sky guessed, her tone tinged with amusement.

Liam shook his head. “This job wasn’t on her résumé.”

“She’s only been here a couple weeks. Or maybe I should say back here, because apparently she worked for Duke when she was in high school.”

“Is she a good waitress?”

“Why? Do you want to hire her to work in your restaurant?” his sister teased.

“There is no restaurant,” he said firmly. “And I’m asking you because you have an opinion about everything.”

“Then I’ll tell you that she’s got great people skills. She’s friendly without being flirty, and she knows when and how to placate an unhappy customer but she’s not a pushover. Definite management material.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said dryly.

“And I’ll go put in your food order.”

“I haven’t told you what I want.”

“Steak sandwich with mushrooms, onions and pepper jack cheese with fries.”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” he admitted.

With a smug smile, she turned toward the kitchen.

And he shifted his attention back to the waitress who’d caught his eye. “Macy.”