Catching the Cowboy: A Small-Town Clean Romance (Summer Creek Book 1) Read online

  “I did. Thank you.” Emery closed the laptop and tucked the flash drive back in her handbag. “Where to next?”

  “Well, Mitch actually offered to give you a tour of Summer Creek while I see to some errands in Burns. I’ll be back in about three hours, when Cricket gets out of school. We’ll swing by and pick her up before going back to the ranch.”

  Three hours seemed like a long time for him to run errands, but Emery wouldn’t mind the opportunity to explore. She really needed to get started on working off the community service hours, too, so she could use the time to figure out where to start.

  “That’s agreeable. I’ll see you in three hours.”

  Hud took the laptop from her, then backed out the door. “Just don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.” He grinned at her and left, his footsteps on the stairs echoing back into the library.

  Legs weakened from the bright wattage of Hud’s smile, she drew in a cleansing breath, then turned to the mayor. “I’d love to see the town from your perspective. Do we have time for that tour?”

  Glad she’d worn comfortable shoes, Emery and the mayor, who insisted she call him Mitch, walked from one end of town to the other and back again. She’d learned there were exactly four streets parallel to Main Street, one of them a dirt road called Railroad Way that ran next to the railroad tracks on the west side of town. A dozen smaller avenues intersected the streets, all numbered, beginning with First Avenue at the south end of town.

  The mayor took her to lunch at the Early Bird Café. The establishment seemed to be a popular place to dine in spite of its age. The décor appeared to have been new decades ago, perhaps when Eisenhower was still president. The owner, an outspoken woman named Maudie, came out of the kitchen to inform Emery she didn’t make exceptions to what was on the menu when Emery asked the server if she could substitute chicken for grilled steak on the salad she ordered.

  “Don’t mind her,” Mitch whispered. “She’s been cranky ever since her husband ran off with a waitress.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Did that happen recently?”

  The mayor shook his head. “Back in 1996.”

  Emery didn’t know what to say to that and changed the subject to the collection of old buildings across the street from City Hall. One building currently housed business offices and didn’t look like it was in as dire need of repair as the others. But Emery could picture all the old structures restored and brimming with new businesses.

  The town could be cute and welcoming if it tried and if the citizens put some effort into fixing it up. Only, it seemed no one cared.

  When she mentioned it to the mayor, he shrugged noncommittally. “They care, Emery, too much. It would break their hearts and their bank accounts to put in the time, money, and energy only to have it fail.”

  “But it might succeed. My uncle said if you could get people to drive into town instead of driving past it you could get visitors year-round. It’s too bad the road heading up to the lake bypasses the town. Maybe you could get the deputy to authorize a roadblock.

  Mitch grinned. “I like the way you think, but that’s not going to happen.” He took a drink from a glass of lemonade, grimaced, and stirred three packets of sugar into it before testing it again.

  Emery didn’t bother to taste hers before adding sugar. She wondered if Maudie had left out the sweetener on purpose just to teach her a lesson. If so, she’d add the old woman to her list of people to avoid while in town. “I don’t know how much Hud told you about my circumstances, but I’m required to put in three hundred hours of community service here. Do you have any suggestions on a place to begin?”

  “I do have some ideas. For now, you could probably help out at the school. The principal would need to run a background check and vet you, but I’m sure if he spoke with your uncle, he’d be happy to have help out there. One of the classroom assistants is out of town this week. They could use an extra hand with the younger grades.”

  Emery didn’t think it would be too hard to spend time with sweet youngsters like Cricket. “I could do that.”

  “Great. After lunch, we’ll walk over to the school. I’ll introduce you to the principal.”

  Emery’s cheeks heated as she recalled her introduction to Principal Schock and Deputy Strickland last week. They’d visited the ranch to see what kind of depraved criminal Hud was harboring in his home and allowing to corrupt his daughter. Thankfully, the men had been nice and calmed her fears that she was about to be arrested. The deputy had shamelessly flirted with her, and the principal had seemed quite sincere in welcoming her to the community.

  The majority of the people she met had been genuine and kind, caring. Nell assured her the residents of Summer Creek were a tight-knit group that were more like family than just neighbors.

  Emery had yet to decide if that was a good or bad thing. She’d already discovered gossip traveled like wildfire through town. As she walked around Summer Creek with the mayor, people had stopped and introduced themselves, asking her about Portland, teasing her about riding any horses lately.

  Even though she didn’t like any reminders of the foolish thing she’d done that landed her in her current predicament, she took their joking in stride and offered a bright smile to each and every one of them.

  At the school, the principal gave her a tour, introduced her to several teachers, including Cricket’s, then suggested she return the following morning if she’d like to put in community service time there. A step ahead of her, he’d already had the deputy run a background check on her and spoken with her uncle.

  Eager to start crossing off the hours so she could return to what she viewed as civilization, Emery agreed to be at the school first thing in the morning. She’d worry about how she’d get there later.

  From the school, she and Mitch strolled past the health clinic, in peril of closing since the doctor wanted to retire, then back to City Hall. The mayor talked about the old hotel that took up most of the block across from City Hall. Despite the boarded-up windows and crumbling front entry, she couldn’t help but imagine what a grand place it had once been.

  Emery decided Summer Creek needed someone to revitalize the town, and she knew just the woman for the job.

  Chapter Ten

  Emery wasn’t certain if she or Cricket was more excited about her spending the day at school. Proudly leading her up the steps, the little girl bypassed Ethel the goat as she chewed what looked to be a welcome flag from someone’s yard. Cricket turned back and gave the goat a few pats, then introduced Emery to all her little friends on the way to her classroom.

  The principal thought it might ease her into the rigors of school life to be in Cricket’s classroom. Emery liked Cricket’s teacher, Laini Sullivan, and enjoyed helping with the first and second grade students.

  After lunch, Emery joined two other teachers who had recess duty in keeping an eye on the students, then Principal Schock asked her to help with the preschool and kindergarten class.

  The teacher, Miss Watson, seemed relieved to have another adult join her for the afternoon.

  “Everyone, this is Miss Brighton. Let’s welcome her to our class,” Miss Watson said, looking at her students.

  “Welcome, Miss Brighton,” the students chorused.

  An impish-looking boy raised his hand.

  “Yes, Pauly? What is it?” Miss Watson asked.

  “What’s community service?”

  The teacher glanced at Emery then back at Pauly. “It means volunteering to do something that will help others.”

  Emery nodded in agreement when the children all turned their focus to her. She could only assume some of the parents had been talking about her reason for being in town and their children had overheard.

  “You know, it might be good for us to do a community service project,” Miss Watson said, drawing the attention of the children back to her. “Let’s spend time making thank-you cards for people in the community who might not always receive the gratitude they should.”


  A little girl in the front row scrunched her face up in thought. “Like the mayor. He does lots of good stuff, but we don’t always say thanks.”

  “Exactly right, Julie.” Miss Watson smiled at the child.

  Soon, the children were busy designing artistic masterpieces with colorful paper, crayons, glitter, and glue.

  A few students made cards to give to the elderly who came to the community center every Thursday for the senior citizen’s luncheon. Two little girls giggled as they made cards for Deputy Strickland. Emery couldn’t blame them. The police officer was young and attractive, and he seemed good-natured. Other students made cards for the doctor and vet, and Julie made one for the mayor.

  The scent of crayons and glue hung heavy in the air as tiny hands worked on their creations. Emery and Miss Watson helped the students write messages inside the cards.

  A knock on the door interrupted them. The portal opened, and the school secretary motioned for Miss Watson to step into the hall.

  “Continue working on your cards and listen to Miss Brighton,” Miss Watson warned before she walked out of the room and closed the door.

  One moment Emery was helping a little girl write a note in her card. The next, the children had morphed into wild animals, running amok around the room, wiping glue everywhere and tossing glitter around like confetti.

  “Settle down, children,” Emery said in her most authoritative voice, although fear lent it a tremor. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to gain control of the students.

  Pauly, a child Emery deemed particularly naughty, ran up to her and smeared his sticky hands down the front of her skirt. He possessed the audacity to step back and stick his tongue out at her. “My mommy says you’re a sandalless, wonton woman, and shouldn’t be here.”

  The brazen rascal drew back his foot, like he prepared to kick her, but the door opened and Miss Watson marched in.

  “What is going on in here?” the teacher questioned in a tone that immediately silenced the students.

  Like mice caught stealing cheese, the children scurried back to their desks and quietly finished their work.

  Emery could hardly breathe let alone think. She knew something a five-year-old said shouldn’t rattle her, but it had. If the boy’s jumbled comment meant someone thought she was a scandalous, wanton woman, she certainly didn’t want anyone thinking badly of the Cole family because they allowed her to stay with them.

  After an eternity, the bell rang, ending her torturous day. She thanked Miss Watson for her time and walked out front to wait for a ride home. Nell promised someone would be there to collect her and Cricket.

  Cricket ran up to her and started to say something, but snapped her little mouth shut at Emery’s disheveled state and gave her a studying look.

  “Were they mean to you, Emery?” Cricket asked, her eyes wide with sympathy as she took Emery’s hand and held it between her own.

  “Something like that,” Emery mumbled. Tears burned the backs of her eyes, but she forced herself to smile for the child’s sake.

  A pickup pulled up to the sidewalk and the driver waved at them.

  “It’s Aunt Jossy,” Cricket said, immediately brightening. She ran over to the pickup and climbed into the backseat where Jossy kept a booster seat for her. Emery followed at a sedate pace.

  When she’d first met Jossy Jansen last week, she’d been slightly intimidated by the older Cole sibling. Restless energy fairly pulsed from Jossy along with a vibrancy that made her seem larger than life.

  But Emery had found her to be kind, funny, and intelligent. The woman didn’t take any sass from Hud and managed to make Emery feel like part of the family over breakfast. They’d all gone over to her place for dinner Friday evening, then Emery had seen her at church Sunday. However, she was surprised Jossy picked them up this afternoon knowing how busy she was on her own ranch across the road from Summer Creek Ranch.

  “You look awful,” Jossy said, giving Emery a long glance as she climbed into the pickup. “What happened?”

  Emery glanced down at her black skirt. She doubted even Nell’s special laundry treatment liquid could remove all the glitter and glue. The pink sweater with a matching shell had looked nice when she arrived at the school, but now bore crayon stripes across the sleeves and a questionable substance Emery sincerely hoped was glue on the front hem. The hair she’d neatly pinned into a tidy chignon that morning hung around her face in limp strands. If that wasn’t bad enough, the outspoken boy’s words echoed in her thoughts. Did people in town think she was a tactless loser or had questionable morals?

  “They stuck me in with the preschoolers this afternoon,” Emery finally said, fighting the urge to cry.

  Jossy bit her lip, appearing to struggle to hold back a laugh, and pulled away from the school. “The only thing worse than a room full of little ankle biters is a room full of teenagers. They’re like demon-possessed rabid beasts. If Jim tries to stick you in with the sophomore class, run for your life.”

  The beginnings of a smile tickled the corners of Emery’s mouth. She leaned her head against the seat and turned to look at Jossy. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”

  Her uncle had been spot-on when he proclaimed Cricket looked like Jossy. From the black curls on her head to her beautiful blue eyes, Cricket was a miniature replica of her aunt. Of course, she looked like her father, too, but anyone who didn’t know would assume Cricket was Jossy’s child. The only telling sign that she belonged to Hud was the faintest hint of a dimple in her chin and her ability to lift her right eyebrow in an expression exactly like his.

  Emery had seen it enough the past week to recognize it well. Hud tended to be a man of few words, but what he lacked in verbal communication, he made up for with one of the most expressive faces she’d ever encountered. She could tell at a glance if he was happy, sad, mad, contemplative, hungry, or tired.

  Most of the time, he frowned at her, and she assumed that meant he was just displeased at having to put up with her. Maybe it was time to call her father, explain what the child had said at school, and beg to return to Portland.

  “Is it being turned into a human art project that has you so quiet, or did something else happen at school today?” Jossy asked as she turned onto the Summer Creek Ranch lane.

  “Something else, although I may never purchase anything with glitter again. I think it’s embedded in my skin clear down to the bone.” Emery rubbed at a spot on the back of her hand. Had one of the kids somehow gotten ahold of super glue? Three attempts at washing her hands hadn’t lifted any of the sticky residue. It might take weeks to wear off.

  Jossy stopped the pickup at the end of the front walk and turned to smile at Cricket. “Give me a hug and kiss, baby girl, then you get on inside the house.”

  Cricket hugged her aunt, kissed her cheek, then hopped out of the pickup and bounded up the front steps. As soon as the little girl disappeared inside the house, Jossy put a hand on Emery’s arm, keeping her from escaping. “What happened?”

  “One of the children informed me his mother says I’m a sandalless wonton woman and shouldn’t be here.”

  Jossy didn’t laugh, but Emery could tell she wanted to. She pressed her hand against her mouth and stared out the side window for a moment before inhaling a sharp breath and looking back at Emery.

  “If the ornery little munchkin had bright red hair, don’t take it to heart. His mom hasn’t had a nice thing to say to anyone since she found out she was pregnant with him, which was a few months before her parents forced her to marry her husband.” Jossy leaned back, her fingers drumming a rhythm on the steering wheel as she tossed Emery a sassy grin. “A sandalless wonton woman. That’s an … interesting description. So you’re running around in your bare feet eating Chinese food?”

  Emery smiled. “I assume he meant scandalous wanton woman, but I like your take on it much better. Chinese food sounds really good.”

  “Ask Grammy to make sweet and sour chicken. It’s better than you’ll eat in a restau
rant. And if you talk her into making it, tell her to invite me for dinner.” Jossy patted her shoulder. “Don’t let comments like that get to you. You’ll be fine. When you stick it out and finish your community service hours, you’ll show all the naysayers how wrong they are.”

  “Thanks, Jossy. I appreciate the ride home and the advice.” Emery got out of the pickup and waved to her, then went inside to see what Nell had in her arsenal of cleaning supplies that would tackle glue.

  The next morning, Nell drove Emery and Cricket to school. Emery hesitated to get out of the car, although Cricket waved once, then raced up the steps, anxious to see her friends.

  “Tell Jim not to feed you to the lions today,” Nell said, giving Emery an encouraging look. “You can do this, honey. They’re just kids.”

  Emery repeated, “they’re just kids,” to herself so many times throughout the day, she wondered if she’d mumble it in her sleep. After she explained why she felt a different classroom might be better suited to her abilities, the principal sent her to work with the high school students in their English and science classes.

  No one smeared glue or disgusting substances on her, but she spent several hours avoiding a group of high school boys. They leered at her like she was the star of some tawdry, uncensored video they’d been forbidden to watch. Uncomfortable, she endured their probing looks and whispered comments. She assumed by tomorrow she’d be old news, and their attention would focus on something else. At least she hoped it would.

  The final bell rang, and Emery gladly escaped outside, grateful for the fresh air and sunshine that would help clear her head. She’d barely taken three steps beyond the main door when four teenage boys rushed up, encircling her.

  “Miss Brighton, would you do us a favor?” a boy named Chris asked. His expression looked innocent enough, but he held something behind his back that made her question his motives.

  “It depends on what that favor entails,” she said, trying to act confident and carefree in spite of how unsettled she felt. Two of the boys were tall, and one of them looked like he excelled at lifting weights. She would be powerless against them if they decided to do anything to her. However, since she was right outside the school with people milling around, she didn’t think any harm would befall her.