Real Cowboys Love Cats (Horse Mountain Shifters Book 2) Read online

  “Sure thing.” He saluted her playfully and left.

  After he put everything in its proper place, Abram worked on his current project, refurbishing and modifying a small carriage for Nugget, one of the farm’s two miniature horses.

  Abram loved working with his hands, particularly when he could make something old and unused beautiful and workable again. The seat cushion had mildewed and worn away, and the wood underneath had rotted. He needed to make a new bench. As he worked, the saw roared, buzzing through thick pine and leaving the smell of fresh sawdust permeating the air.

  Davis appeared in the doorway and waved while holding up a small paper sack in his other hand. Abram turned off the saw. “How ‘bout you lose the apron and safety gear and let’s sit down for lunch.”

  “Alright.” He tidied up a bit and washed his hands before meeting up with his cousin at one of the picnic tables by the lake. He sat at the other side where a bottle of water and two sandwiches wrapped in foil had been set out for him. “What’d we get?”

  “Gram sent us some avocado and bell pepper sandwiches. They’re tasty.”

  “Thanks for bringing me food. It’s nice of Gram to feed us but are you sure it’s not too much for her?”

  “Actually, not too long ago, she refused to leave her cabin except for special occasions, but since you came back home, she seems to have caught her second wind.”

  Abram pursed his lips in reflection. “I’m not sure I’m worth all the trouble, but the lunches she sends for us every day make it easier to conform to the vegetarian lifestyle you guys live.”

  Davis curled his lips in disgust. “I can’t believe you ate meat.”

  “I didn’t grow up on Horse Mountain with two equine-shifter parents, and after dad got sick, well, mom was human. She loved a good steak. So do I.”

  His cousin crinkled his nose while chewing with his mouth closed. “Just the smell of it cooking makes my stomach turn. I guess I better get used to it though. I don’t see Scarlett giving up fried chicken or bacon anytime soon.”

  “I understand how she feels. I miss cheeseburgers.” He sighed, picturing a big, juicy, ground-beef patty dripping in cheese served up in a sesame seed bun with pickles, mustard, and ketchup. “I can’t be the only shifter in the world who eats meat.”

  “Naw but you might be the only equine variety who isn’t a vegetarian. Abram watched as his cousin’s expression turned grave. “I walked into Scarlett’s cabin the other day and the stench of something she’d cooked was still in the air. I had to get out of there quick.”

  Abram noticed the creases on Davis’s forehead and the way he looked off into the distance. I guess he’s worried. As much as his cousin loved Scarlett, surely, a little thing like dietary differences wouldn’t come between them. “You two are the perfect couple. “Y'all will work it out. If you like, I can help you with desensitizing yourself to meat and the gut-tempting smells of it cooking.”

  Davis’s lower eyelids contracted as his face lit up with a smile. “Thanks, man.”

  “We’re family, right?”

  He nodded. “Gram was more than a little pissed off about your mom not bringing you back here to be raised.” He took another bite.

  Abram shrugged. “My mom wanted to be the one to take care of me without a lot of interference.”

  Davis swallowed before throwing him a poignant look. “How’d that work out for you?”

  Abram’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s an honest question.”

  He didn’t meet Davis’s gaze as he answered. “It was okay. I turned out alright.”

  “Was it brutal? I mean puberty is hard enough as it is, but I’d have thought I was losing my mind if I’d been the only one I knew going through the awakening. How did you handle it?”

  “I’d had my first shift before dad died. I seem to remember thinking it was fun, but without my father, it didn’t feel right. I just stopped until the awakening made it impossible to avoid.”

  “Did you freak out?”

  “Nah. Mom prepared me for it. Told me what to expect.”

  Davis set down his sandwich and shook his head. “How could she possibly know?”

  Abram shrugged. “Dad told her all about it.” He didn’t want to acknowledge how right Davis was. Having his body betray him had been excruciating. Sometimes the urge to transform was so palpable he could hardly stand it. More than once he’d woken his mom up in the middle of the night to drive him out to the country or take him to a secluded wooded area where he could shift.

  “Very few varieties of shifters are solitary creatures. Equine-varieties, in particular, are a social community. It had to be a tough life.”

  Abram exhaled and looked up at the sky. “What do you want me to say? Mom did the best she could to raise me on her own.”

  “Gram took your dad’s passing hard too. He was her baby boy. She wanted to help your ma look after you is all.”

  “Mom didn’t need to be judged by standards she couldn’t possibly live up to. She was a terrific parent, and she loved me. That’s what really matters.”

  Davis nodded. “Sorry. I know you miss her.”

  “Cancer’s a bitch. Mom beat it once and the shit came back five years later.” He took another bite.

  “I worry about Scarlett. Shifters rarely get cancer, but she’s human.”

  “None of us know how much time we’ll be given. No one expected a car crash to take my dad so soon. All we can do is keep moving forward and cherish whatever time we’re given.”

  Davis nodded. “Good advice. So how did you like Mittens?”

  Abram squinted while rubbing the back of his neck. After he finished chewing, he shrugged. “Mittens?” He grimaced. “Did you name one of those uncivilized cats?”

  Davis laughed. “This particular wildcat already had a name.”

  “I don’t like cats, man.”

  As he looked up, Davis’s lips curved into a slight yet enigmatic smile. He raised one eyebrow while tucking his chin a little. “Not even sweet smelling felines with long black hair and big, green eyes.”

  Abram scrunched up his nose and curled his lower lip in disgust. “That’s nasty. I had no idea your sense of humor was so sick.”

  Davis burst out laughing and continued until he had to hold his stomach. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out.”

  Abram placed his fingertips on his cheek and blinked rapidly. “Figure out what?”

  “You’re so dense.” Davis laughed some more and even snorted. Abram took another bite of his sandwich and tapped his foot, waiting for the elusive point in this insulting tirade. “I reckoned you and Miss Maddie Mittens would hit it off.”

  Hearing Maddie’s name elevated his heart rate, but he rolled his eyes to feign disinterest. “Are you kidding me?” He pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed. “That was a setup?” As the words sank in, he sat up straight and threw Davis a sideways glance. “Wait. Her last name is Mittens?”

  “No, yep and yes, siree Bob.”

  “What the fuck?”

  “No, I’m not kidding you. Yep, it was a setup, and her last name is, indeed, Mittens.”

  “She was hot, but I think I blew it. I told you I wasn’t a cat person. She took offense.” Plus she made me nervous as hell. Abram didn’t want Davis to know how attracted to her he’d been. If he told the truth, his cousin might think he’d never talked to a woman before.

  “I have a feeling you could learn to love them.” Davis pursed his lips, looking away as if he had a secret he didn’t want to share.

  Abram chose not to take the bait. “Doubtful.”

  Davis smirked. “Regardless, Maddie’s family uses the area by the old cabin in the private hiking trails for a retreat every year, but she likes to take a tour and camp out for the night about a week beforehand to get reacquainted with the lay of the land. If I don’t help Scarlett pick out our wedding flowers and address invitations this weekend, I’m toast, and Oliver is
out of town for the rodeo. It’s all you.”

  He considered how hard his horse had fought to come out when he was near Maddie. There was no way he’d be able to control himself overnight, but he was too embarrassed to tell Davis. “Can’t Melly do it?”

  Davis chuckled. “My sister and Maddie get along about as well as a rattlesnake and a honey badger.”

  “What’s the story there?”

  “Conflicting personalities—it comes down to lots of little things rather than one big blowout.”

  Abram rubbed his chin. “Just me and her?”

  “Yep.”

  “I don’t know. That woman takes a lot of unnecessary risks. Her door was practically wide open when I got to her house. She’s careless—seems like a bad idea.”

  Davis hooted and howled while pounding his fist on the table. “Oh, wow. That’s funny.” He shook his head and grinned. “Trust me. Mittens can handle her business. If you did try something shady, I’d be leading a search and recovery party for your lifeless body the next day.”

  “Pfft.” Abram rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right.”

  Chapter Three

  When Maddie drove up, Abram was waiting for her by the barn with two ready horses. She couldn’t say she was surprised to be pawned off on Davis’s good-looking cousin. Her high school buddy was far too busy being head-over-heels in love to go camping with her this year. She watched Abram turn his back to calm one of the equines and took the opportunity to check him out. His sturdy build and broad shoulders whet her appetite, but the way his ass filled out his tight jeans was the main course. Yum. Too bad he doesn’t have sense enough to appreciate cats.

  “Hey.” He nodded at her as she stepped out of the car.

  “Howdy.” She couldn’t help smiling as he looked away shyly.

  “Did you bring your gear?” He pointed towards the trunk of her silver Lincoln Navigator. She pressed a button on her key fob and unlatched it. He helped her get everything together and loaded up on her horse. Apparently, she would be on Thunder, a sweet girl she’d had the pleasure of riding previously. Abram was on Clyde. He wasn’t actually a Clydesdale, as the name seemed to suggest, but the handsome brown draft horse was plenty strong enough to bear her companion’s considerable burden. “So Davis said you do this every year.”

  Maddie nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “I need to get you to sign the liability waiver and go over our safety regulations.”

  “No problem.” She took the pen and clipboard he offered her and scrawled her autograph before handing them back.” He took the signed form into the barn. If memory served, Davis had a small reception area with a bulletin board and a place to file paperwork in there. Abram wasn’t gone long before he came strolling out carrying a pink helmet.

  She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

  “Davis said you had to wear it and I wasn’t to take any back sass on the subject.” He looked down at his boots as he delivered the line.

  Her jaw dropped and she shook her head. “Did he now?”

  He removed his tan cowboy hat and ran a hand through his short brown hair. “He said a bunch of other stuff too—about spankings or something.”

  She placed a hand on her hip and shifted her weight. “He said you should spank my rear if I refused?”

  His cheeks turned red and he nodded. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  She laughed. “Too bad. I might like it.”

  His eyes widened and his lips parted. “Huh?”

  She snickered while twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. “That Davis, he’s been telling me my dad didn’t beat my butt enough ever since we became close friends. He thinks he’s funny.”

  Abram looked off to the side and scratched his head. “Geez, he talks to you just like he does Melly.”

  She scowled. “Don’t compare me with that little brat. She’s a pain. I always hated it when Davis would say we were alike.”

  “You’re a lot better looking.” His face turned crimson and he smacked his hand over his mouth.

  She did a double take. “Say what?”

  “I’m not looking at my cousin in any crazy way or anything. That is…What I mean to say…the two of you don’t strike me as particularly similar.” He caught her gaze for a second before looking away again.

  She smiled. Wow, you are too adorable. Maybe I’ll make a cat lover out of you after all.

  “So I’ll put my stupid, riding helmet on and we’ll be ready to go?”

  “Wait.” He reached into a saddlebag and then pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer. “Davis says you’re supposed to use this before you touch the horses. Don’t be offended though. He’s super anal ‘bout making everyone do it.”

  “I get it. He wants to keep the animals healthy.” She held out her hand, and he squirted a nickel-sized dollop in the middle of her palm. She rubbed her hands together, back and front and even between her fingers. “All clean. Time to go?”

  “Pert near. There’s one more thing I gotta get. It’s locked up in the storeroom.” He turned and then booked it back into the barn. Maddie took the opportunity to mount Thunder while she waited for him. A few minutes later, Abram returned with a pistol strapped to his hip.

  She raised an eyebrow. “A gun?”

  “When the weather’s warm, the sidewinders come out. If I see one, I’m not taking any chances on it biting one of the steeds.” He stepped into a stirrup and climbed up on Clyde before settling into the saddle. “Giddy up.”

  Abram’s stallion began trotting along at a steady pace. Maddie prompted Thunder with a couple of taps of her boots and then she followed his lead. The smell of fresh grass, hay, and musky horses hung in the air as they galloped along a familiar, well-worn path. They passed by the paddock and then around the outdoor riding arena until the turf they tread gave way to the less manicured landscape of the trails.

  Wildflowers and tall trees abounded. She took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air as she admired some blossoming dogwoods near a huge oak. A slight breeze kicked up, fluttering the leaves of the Quaking Aspens, and birds chirped over the sound of acorns crunching under the horse’s hooves.

  No matter how many times she traveled these trails, she always found something new to hold her in the awe. She glanced at Abram. “Have you had a chance to explore much of the Banks family lands yet?”

  Abram turned his head her way and nodded, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his face. “I’ve done my best to see most of it. I love being outside. I guess that’s why I studied garden design and turfgrass management, but I only managed to get my associates before mama got sick.”

  She pursed her lips into a grim line. Davis had mentioned his cousin only moved to Horse Mountain at their grandmother’s insistence after the death of his mother. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Which one?” He uttered the comment absently, but the meaning of his words shook her to her core. She didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to her mom or dad. He glanced at her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a downer.”

  “No, no, I’m at fault for bringing…” A lump formed in her throat and she couldn’t speak.

  “How ‘bout we forget the heavy or depressing stuff? I want to talk about you. How did you get into cybersecurity?”

  “Hmm, seems like forever ago when I made the decision to study computer science. I did some research—the pay’s good and demand is high. Plus, I found several scholarships designed to encourage girls to study technology.”

  “Cool. Women kick ass. More people should recognize it.”

  “You got that right.” She grinned. I like him more already.

  “So they taught you all about chasing down hackers in school?”

  She laughed. “Not exactly. I mastered the basics there but I learned more on the job. I started off working at an internship with the state bureau of investigation. The work was rewarding but the stuff you see wears on the soul.

  “Sheesh, I imagine so.”
<
br />   “Yep, so I only did that about a year and a half before taking a boring job building firewalls. Between that and some self-study, in a few years, I was good enough to freelance and only take the gigs I want.”

  “Nice. You’re a smart cookie, Maddie Mittens.”

  She snickered. “If you say so.”

  As Thunder galloped along, crisp, clean air whisked around them and fluttering the loose strands of hair hanging down from under Maddie’s helmet. She held tight to the reigns and closed her eyes, losing herself in the familiar sounds and smells of the wilderness. A honeysuckle, growing nearby, provided shade for squirrels as they chattered and scurried. She kept her eyes closed and did her best to ignore the noisy critters as she breathed deeply, concentrating on only scents. A fox had come through there not long ago, likely stalking rabbits. Anyone, who wanted to hunt next weekend, would find plenty of game. The corners of her mouth turned upward as she opened her eyes.

  She startled, gasping and straightening her back as she realized Abram had been watching her. “Sorry, I was just checking on you, but when I saw how lost in the moment you were, I couldn’t look away.” His eyes widened as soon as the weight of his words hit him. The rosy tint lighting up his cheeks played nicely against his sea-green eyes, and the way he clenched his jaw when he got nervous showed off his chiseled features.

  You’re not so hard on the eyes yourself, cowboy.

  “I…um…that is to say, it’s really easy to get caught up in the atmosphere up here. That’s what I meant. It’s nice to see how much you’re enjoying it.” He offered a slight smile and nodded as if he were proud of coming up with a plausible cover story.

  “It’s beautiful land. The Banks family has owned most of Horse Mountain going back as far as anyone can remember.”

  “True. Supposedly, one of our ancestors was the first European to step foot on the mountain. We’re also related to the natives who were already there. The Martin’s own a bit of the property on the eastern side.”

  “Who are they?”

  “Distant kin, I think. Scuttlebutt is they were a branch family that split from the main clan, but I don’t know any details.”