The Last Cowboy Standing

Three

When Travis spotted Danielle across the lobby that evening, he knew his hunch had paid off. Randal was with her, as he’d expected. They were part of a larger group that included her friends Astra, Nadine and Odette, obviously gathering together before leaving for a function.

She was dressed in a black cocktail dress. He wouldn’t call it basic. It was off the shoulder, with a lace trimmed neckline that sparkled with inset jewels. The hammered satin molded to her breasts, fitting her waist, and flowed smoothly down to midthigh. She wore delicate diamond earrings, and a thin, diamond choker.

Her shoes were silver, barely there, with long, thin heels that made him want to peel them off and toss them in the corner of his hotel room.

Randal clearly felt the same way. The man was practically salivating as he gazed at her shapely legs. Danielle was slender, very much suited to elegant clothes. But, with big, brown eyes and full, red lips, she looked sophisticated one minute, innocent the next. A man didn’t know whether to protect her or ravish her. Travis wanted to do both.

While the group chatted, he made his way closer. He’d picked up a suit in one of the hotel shops. It was basic, charcoal-gray, with a white shirt and silver striped tie. His hair was trimmed neat, his face clean-shaven. The only thing that differentiated him from the lawyers in the room was a pair of polished, black cowboy boots.

“Travis,” Nadine sang out, motioning him over. “Look, Danielle. It’s Travis.”

Danielle spotted him, and her round eyes went wider still. It might have been the shock of having him show up unexpectedly, but he hoped it was surprise at how well he’d cleaned up.

He’d made her at least an hour late for her workshops this afternoon. He should have felt guilty about that, but he didn’t. They hadn’t made any plans to see each other again. But he’d guessed that whatever evening shindig was being put on by the conference would start in the lobby.

Nadine skipped over and gave him a friendly hug. She was dressed in deep purple with lots of sequins.

She pulled back. “You look terrific.”

“Thanks.” He made a show of taking in her dress and her dangling earrings. “You look very beautiful yourself.”

She gave a delighted grin at the compliment.

His gaze moved to Danielle, catching Randal’s scowl on the way by, and experiencing a thrill of satisfaction.

“Good evening, Danielle.”

“Travis,” she acknowledged evenly, an unspoken question in her eyes. She likely wanted to know what on earth he was doing.

“Nice to see you again, Randal.” He nodded to the man. “Astra, Odette.” His gaze paused on a thin, expensively dressed, older woman, standing next to a man who looked to be her husband.

“Claude and Catherine Hedley,” Danielle introduced. “This is Travis Jacobs. Travis is from Lyndon Valley, Colorado. He’s a friend of Caleb Terrell, Active Equipment, one of my major clients.”

Catherine Hedley gave a warm smile. “So nice to meet you, Mr. Jacobs. Are you attending the conference?”

Travis stepped forward to gently shake the older woman’s hand. “Please, call me Travis. I’m not a lawyer, ma’am.”

Randal piped up. “He’s a bull rider.”

Claude Hedley looked surprised by the revelation.

“I’m a rancher, sir.” Travis held out his hand to Claude. “Our spread is next door to Caleb’s in Lyndon Valley.”

“And he won first prize last night,” Odette put in helpfully.

“Caleb diversified into Active Equipment many years ago,” Danielle elaborated, obviously trying to make up for the social gaffe of being acquainted with a bull rider. “While the Jacobs family has gone into politics, the arts in New York, and a fast-growing international brewing company.”

“The brewery is my brother-in-law,” said Travis, unwilling to push the spin too far. “I just take care of the cattle.”

Claude Hedley shook his hand. “Call me Claude. It sounds like your family is up and coming.”

“His sister is Katrina Jacobs,” said Astra. “The ballet dancer.”

Travis glanced at her in surprise.

“I’ve got internet,” said Astra.

“Danielle, your friend should join us for the reception,” Catherine Hedley put in. Then she looked to Travis. “We’re touring the Van Ostram Botanical Gardens.”

Randal obviously couldn’t hold his tongue. “I’m sure Travis has plans with the rodeo crowd.”

“As a matter of fact,” said Travis, glancing at his watch. “I just had a meeting postponed.”

“That settles it,” said Catherine with another smile. “You know, I do believe I’ve seen your sister dance.”

“She’s been with the Liberty Ballet for several years now.”

“That makes sense, then.”

“We can catch the limos out front,” Claude offered, stretching out an arm to invite them to proceed.

Randal swiftly sidled up to Danielle. They were slightly ahead of Travis as the group began to move.

“What are you doing?” Randal hissed at her in clear annoyance.

“What do you expect me to do?”

“Get rid of him.”

“How would you suggest I do that?”

Travis couldn’t tell whether Danielle thought getting rid of him was a good idea or not. It didn’t really matter, since he wasn’t going anywhere except with her. Randal might be able to snow Danielle about his intentions, but Travis was on to him, and he was going to force the man to show his hand.

“You need their support,” said Randal.

“They’ve already made me an offer,” Danielle countered.

“Getting through the door is only the first step.”

“Catherine invited him, not me.”

“Everything the man says and does tonight will reflect on you.”

Travis bit his tongue. He was tempted to tell Randal he’d do his level best not to spit and swear in front of the Hedleys. But he didn’t want Randal to know he could overhear.

The group was forced to split up, taking two of the black Escalade SUVs. Randal jockeyed hard, but ended up with the Hedleys and Odette, where he politely, if reluctantly, offered to clamber into the third-row seat.

Travis intended to do the same in the other vehicle, but Nadine insisted that she, Astrid and Danielle could fit in the middle seat, and Travis should ride up front. The driver slanted a covetous glance at the three beautiful women in his rearview mirror and gave Travis a discrete thumbs-up as they pulled away.

When Astrid expressed a desire for breath mints, Travis asked the driver to stop and hopped out to buy them for her. He took enough time to be certain the Hedleys’ group would have headed into the reception by the time the second Escalade arrived at the gardens.

Travis tipped the driver and helped each of the women out of the vehicle. The trees at the entrance were lit with tiny white lights. Glowing orange lanterns illuminated a stone walkway, while colored spots gave a fantasy aura to the leafy plants and flowering gardens.

Danielle moved up beside him as they passed a glowing, purple pond. “What exactly are you doing?”

Travis considered a range of answers and decided to be honest. “I’m making him stark raving mad.”

“Why? I’m sure you had far better things to do tonight than hang out with a bunch of stuffy lawyers.”

“You’re not a stuffy lawyer.”

“You know what I mean.”

“He’s going to show his hand, Danielle. He can’t stand the competition, and he’s going to make a pass at you. And then you’ll know.”

“Know what?”

Travis counted off on his fingers. “That he’s willing to cheat on his girlfriend. That this was never about a job. That he wants you back in his life, back in his bed.”

She went silent for a long moment. “It’s not true.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Why do you even care?”

The question stopped Travis. It took him a minute to collect his thoughts. “I care because he’s lying to you.”

They walked a bit farther in silence, beneath a canopy of oaks, green, red and blue spots glowing up their trunks.

Finally, she drew an audible breath. “What you’re doing doesn’t make sense, Travis.”

“Why does it have to make sense?” Even as he said the words, he knew she was right. He had absolutely no reason to meddle in her life.

“Everything has to make some kind of sense,” she countered.

“Maybe to a lawyer. But cowboys operate on instinct.”

She paused at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the pavilion, turning to face him. Astrid and Nadine were several yards ahead.

“And, what’s your instinct telling you?” she asked.

He gazed down at her. His instinct was telling him to kiss her, and kiss her hard. But he couldn’t do that here. Not that he could do it anywhere.

“It’s telling me he’s no good for you, Danielle. He’s no good for you, and I’m the only guy around to stop him.”

“I am a grown woman, Travis. I can stop him all by myself.”

Travis smiled at that. In many ways it was true. But his way was faster, and he didn’t like the odds that she’d end up getting hurt. “He’s too sneaky, and you’re too kind.”

“What do you mean I’m kind? I fight with you all the time.”

“It’s safe for you to fight with me.”

She tilted her pretty head sideways, and he couldn’t help but think it was the perfect angle to kiss. “Your instincts telling you that, too?” she asked tartly.

“Yep. And they’re infallible.” He offered her his arm to walk up the staircase.

* * *

Inside the reception, Danielle left Travis to his own devises. She quickly found herself swept up in a whirlwind of introductions and conversations with the who’s who of Nester and Hedley. It seemed they were interested in her South American experience. Brazil and Columbia were rising on everyone’s trade radar in D.C., and their expertise was weak for the region. They saw an opportunity to get in early on this new wave, and they wanted Danielle to head up an entire division.

It was a genuine, exciting offer that didn’t appear to have anything to do with Randal. In fact, she’d barely seen him since they arrived. The senior partners seemed to know her entire professional history, even details of Caleb’s Active Equipment activities and challenges in Columbia.

It was close to eleven when, throat raw from talking over the music, and feet sore from her high shoes, she pushed her way up to a bar stool and asked the bartender for a soda and lime.

“He’s watching you,” came Travis’s deep voice from behind her left ear. He took the stool next to her.

“He’s barely said a word to me all night long. Honestly, the only person creeping me out here, is you.”

“He’s known where you were every second.”

She angled toward him. “First, I don’t believe you. Second, I’ve been talking with his bosses. They’re the ones who have his attention, not me.”

Travis reached for a handful of the snack mix on the bar. “Keep telling yourself that.”

“I will, thank you very much.”

The waiter set her drink down in front of her and looked to Travis for his order.

“Are you hungry?” Travis asked her. “Those little crab puffs and cheese squares didn’t do it for me.”

“I’m not leaving yet.”

“I’ll take a beer,” Travis said to the waiter. “Whatever you’ve got on tap.”

“It’s by the bottle, sir.”

Danielle couldn’t help but grin as she stirred the ice in her soda and lime.

“Anything from DFB?”

“Mountain Red?”

“Sounds great.”

The waiter turned to the glass-fronted refrigerator.

“This isn’t a honky-tonk,” Danielle pointed out.

“Are my country roots showing?”

She realized how snobby she sounded. “An honest mistake. No big deal.”

The waiter returned with an open bottle of Mountain Red and a chilled pilsner glass. Travis handed him a tip, and Danielle realized she was the one who lacked class.

“How’s it going?” Travis asked her as he tipped the glass and poured in the amber liquid. It foamed slightly at the top of the flared glass.

“They seem serious,” she answered, gazing at the bubbles in her own drink. “They know a lot about me.”

“Yeah? All good?”

She smiled to herself. “They think it’s good. They know what I did for Active Equipment and a few others, and they want me to head up a South American division.”

She couldn’t help replaying the conversations in her mind. If Claude Hedley was to be believed, she’d be on the cutting edge of a global wave of interest. The earning potential would be massive, and she’d be in a position to set her own priorities and parameters.

“You going to take it?” asked Travis.

“I’m thinking about it,” she answered honestly. Then it suddenly occurred to her she was talking to a close friend of Caleb’s.

She quickly turned to take in his expression. “But...uh...”

He caught on quick. “You don’t want me to tell Caleb.”

Her hand went reflexively to his forearm. “I’d never ask you to lie. But it would be better for me if you didn’t mention it to him right away.”

He took a reflective drink of his beer. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to put you in that position.”

“I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I really didn’t think this through.” Where had her common sense been yesterday when she’d mentioned this to Travis.

“Unusual for you?” he asked.

“Very.”

“He’s coming over.”

“Who?”

“Randal. Who else.” Travis’s gaze went down. “You’re touching me, and he feels threatened. He’s about to stake his territory.”

She immediately realized she hadn’t taken her hand from Travis’s arm. Then she realized his arm was warm, hot actually under her fingertips. He was solid, strong and alive. She didn’t want to pull away.

“Don’t panic,” Travis muttered in an undertone. “But I’m going to touch your hair.”

“Wha—”

Before she could finish the word, he gently brushed the back of his knuckles along her cheek, smoothing her hair back over her ear.

She froze, every nerve ending in her body focusing on the gentle touch. Pings of awareness and desire shot out, sending signals of desire to every corner of her body.

“Dani,” boomed Randal’s voice. He wrapped a hearty arm around her shoulders and gave her a pat. “It looked like things went well?”

Travis’s hand fell away. “Hello, Randal.”

“Oh, Travis.” Randal pretended he’d just noticed him. “How’re you holding up here?”

“Managing just fine,” Travis responded.

Randal turned his attention back to Danielle. “What did they say? More importantly, what did you say?”

“She hasn’t made up her mind yet,” Travis put in.

Randal sent him a glare. “I asked Dani.”

“Well, Dani told me first.”

“Travis,” Danielle warned.

He was entitled to whatever theory he concocted, but that didn’t give him the right to pick a fight.

Randal drew back his shoulders, lifting his chin. “She did, did she?”

“They offered me a South American division,” she quickly told Randal.

“That’s great.” His shoulders relaxed. “I’m going to head up Europe, starting in September. We’d be at exactly the same level, on the partners’ floor. I don’t have to tell you, that’s an impressive way to enter the firm.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Danielle agreed.

“The expense account is unlimited. The benefits are top-drawer, and the work is some of the most intellectually stimulating—”

“Randal?” she interrupted.

“Yes?”

“I’ve been listening to the sales pitch all night.”

Travis stifled a chuckle.

Randal’s attention immediately flew to him. “You got something to add here?”

“Not a thing,” said Travis, polishing off his beer. “You’re doing just fine all by yourself.”

Randal glared a moment longer, but then something caught his attention across the room. “There’s old man Nester.” He squeezed Danielle’s shoulder, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial level. “Give me three minutes to break into the conversation, then come over and join us.”

He walked away.

Travis looked at Danielle, and she stared back.

“Well?” he asked.

She was all schmoozed out. Her feet were swelling. Her makeup was about to crack. And the last thing she wanted to do was humor the wheezy, narcissistic Edger Nester through what she’d heard tended to be half-hour-long discourses on the flaws in judicial procedure. If she took the job, she’d have to put up with it. But she wasn’t there yet.

“I’m out of here,” she told Travis.

His hand went immediately to her elbow, helping her down from the high stool, before turning them to a nearby side exit.