Falling For My Cowboy

  Falling For My Cowboy

  Cowboys of Sunnydale, Volume 2

  Allie Bock

  Published by Allie Bock, 2020.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Thank You!

  Sign up for Allie Bock's Mailing List

  Further Reading: My Cowboy Crush

  Also By Allie Bock

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

  Copyright © 2020 by Allie Bock

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Tugboat Design

  First edition

  Paperback ISBN:9798650249160

  Kindle AISN: B088WC66MS

  Draft 2 Digital ISBN:9781393779995

  Dedication

  To my husband. You were the inspiration for my story and I am thankful every day to have you in my life.

  Acknowledgements:

  Writing a book takes a lot of time and effort, and I couldn’t do it by myself. First off, thank you to Derek and Zack for reading and editing my story. Thank you to Grant and Jenna for beta reading and giving me valuable feedback.

  Chapter 1

  Melanie

  The sign said twenty miles to Sunnydale, TX and the nearest gas station. As I glanced down at my fuel gauge, the empty light flashed at me. Like I didn’t know my car was starving; we were all starving! The last stop was over a hundred miles back, and I forgot to buy food. My stomach growled at me the minute I thought about all the things I didn’t buy. I rubbed my abdomen in a circular motion trying to ease the hunger pains.

  “Well, Benny, I hope we can make it.”

  I glanced over at my Beagle and rubbed his long brown ears. He was the best co-pilot a girl could ask for as he never complained about my driving or my choice in music. Benny opened his one good eye, giving me a long look before he yawned and went back to sleep. He didn’t have a care in the world.

  “I wish I had your life,” I muttered to him before turning back to the stretch of highway.

  The empty light stopped flashing as my car started to spit and sputter.

  “No! No! Come on! We only have a few more miles to go.”

  With a last sigh, the car died as I guided it over to the shoulder of the road. I pounded my hands on the steering wheel in frustration, silently seething inside. I pulled out my cell phone, but all it said was “Searching for Service”.

  A tightness started in my chest and tears filled my eyes. Come on, Melanie, hold yourself together. The tears leaked out, running hot trails down my cheeks. Not this too, on top of everything. My retreat to my best friend stymied by a lack of fuel in my gas tank. Just perfect. What to do now? I looked over at Benny. He curled into a little brown ball, squeezing his one eye shut, totally ignoring me.

  “Well, buddy, I guess we are going to have to hoof it to town.” I wiped at my tears and blotted my mascara. “No need to have coon eyes as we walk into Sunnydale” I muttered to myself.

  I strained for his leash and my purse, both of which had slid under the seat. Next, I searched for some sneakers, or boots, or anything besides my cute strappy sandals. But, alas, in my haste to leave I’d only packed those super cute sandals and a couple of pairs of heels. What was I thinking! Stupid, Melanie. Just stupid. I grabbed the sandals without a heel, blew my bangs out of my eyes, and clipped on Benny’s leash to start my trek into town. I sure hope Sunnydale is more than just a one-horse town.

  The sweltering heat plowed into me when I stepped out of the car and onto the road: immediately, the sweat beaded on my back and ran down my body.

  “Why is it so hot in South Texas? It’s not even noon.” I complained to Benny.

  Of course, he didn’t care. He was too busy sniffing all around, making happy little noises in his throat the way Beagles do as he explored the large cacti, flowers, and jackrabbit trails. The sun continued to beat down as we walked. Thirty minutes later, my shoulders were burnt and the dirt clung between my toes while I dabbed the sweat from my eyes. How did everything fall apart? Where was my life going? Sunnydale could not get here fast enough.

  Pete

  I WAS RUNNING LATE as usual. Nanna had a lot for me to do this morning, which put me behind schedule for an important meeting at the bank. I had to convince my loan officer, Mr. Dillard, to extend my line of credit. A headache formed between my eyes as I thought about how poorly the last meeting with him went. How could I keep myself afloat with all the loan payments I had? If I couldn’t convince him, my life would change in a big way. Thankfully, Highway Four that ran from Nanna’s place to Sunnydale was flat and straight. Country music blared from my speakers when I saw something up ahead on the shoulder. Sure enough, it was a car, a little red Honda with New York plates. I slowed my old Chevy truck as I approached. It appeared empty of people, but there were a lot of clothes in the back seat. “Interesting,” I muttered to myself as I drove on to Sunnydale.

  A couple of miles later, I came upon a woman walking a little dog on the side of the road. The truck slowed as I approached her from behind. Her tanned legs seemed to go on forever to end in the littlest pair of white shorts I had ever seen and she wore a spaghetti strap tank top that showed off beet red shoulders. She teetered on some pebbles, as her arms flailed, and she fell on to her white short clad bottom. I cringed, that had to hurt. I steered my truck up next to her and rolled down my window. What kind of woman walked on the side of a highway in sandals and no sunscreen? I had to find out.

  “Excuse me, ma’am. Do you need a ride?” I leaned out the driver’s side window.

  She rose to her feet and pushed her shiny brown hair out her eyes to stare me down. Those eyes were so green I felt like I was looking into a pool; the swirling depths sucked me in. They were the prettiest eyes I had ever seen. Her brown hair reflected the sun at me. It looked soft as it floated around her shoulders; I had an urge to run my fingers through it. My heart constricted and missed a couple of beats. My mouth dried out and my tongue felt wooden as it sat heavy in my mouth. I swallowed a couple of times and rubbed at my chest. A throat clearing brought me back to the present. She straightened her clothes and pulled her shoulders back.

  “How much farther to town?” An adorable Yankee accent tinged her words. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, pushing her breasts out even more. Focus, Pete.

  “Hmm...about fifteen miles.”

  Her nose and forehead wrinkled as she threw out her arms. “Seriously? I thought for sure I was closer.” She was so cute.

  “No, ma’am. It’s a ways, yet”

  She shaded her eyes and glared down the road for a few minutes. “How do I know you won’t abduct or murder me?” Her eyes snapped to me, demanding an immediate answer. She sure was a feisty one.


  I smiled at her and winked. “You’ll just have to trust me”

  She pushed her bangs out of her eyes and picked up the Beagle. “Well, I’ll just have to risk it. These sandals won’t make fifteen more miles.”

  She pointed to her feet. The sandals in question were dusty and tattered. Red nail polish peeked through the dirt as she wiggled her toes. The truck door screeched open when she tugged on the door handle and her vanilla scent filled the cab when she hopped onto the bench seat. The Beagle jumped on to the middle seat and licked my face from ear to ear.

  “Sorry, he’s never met a stranger.” She gathered him into her arms and held him tight. “He loves everyone.”

  The dog wiggled to get out of her embrace as she stared out the side window. Tension filled the cab as I drove to town. I flipped through a couple of stations and drummed my hands on the steering wheel, but those green eyes and shiny brown hair kept drawing my eyes to her.

  “So, what’s wrong with your car?” I broke the silence.

  She jumped and turned towards me.

  “Your car...you were walking,” I offered her a blank look.

  A blush crept up to her cheeks. She really was cute.

  “I ran out of gas.” She softly said and gazed down at her painted toes. She fell silent, again.

  “Just trying to make conversation, but awkward silence it is,” I muttered and looked back at the road.

  “Sorry. It’s just embarrassing to run out of gas”

  “If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to give you a ride.” I flashed a smile at her. “It happens all the time. In fact, I ran out of gas last week.”

  “What did you do?” She turned her large green eyes toward me.

  “I whistled and my horse came running in from the desert.” I tried to keep my face impassive but she raised an eyebrow at me. “You know, like in the movies.”

  A snort escaped out of her nose. “Is that a joke?”

  “Yep.”

  “It’s not particularly funny.” She returned to gaze out of the window.

  We pulled into Sunnydale, past the veterinary clinic and cattle sale barn. Mike’s Auto was on the corner of the only intersection with a blinking red light.

  “I can drop you at Mike’s. He owns the only gas station in town which also doubles as a fix-it shop.”

  She looked around the little town and turned those sea-green eyes back on me. “That will work.” She gathered her Beagle and purse as I pulled into the bumpy yard of Mike’s Auto. The gas pumps stood empty, the front windows were grimy, and the orange and yellow paint chipped on the Mike’s Auto sign while the open sign blinked through a covering of dust.

  “Thanks for the lift.” Her lips thinned into a smile that didn’t quite reach her pretty green eyes. “It was enlightening.”

  The dog leaped out of her arms and gave me lick that covered my face from chin to eyebrow and made me chuckle. I didn’t have time to answer her before she slammed the truck door shut. What a girl. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I climbed out after her. Man, I was going to be late for my meeting with the bank.

  Melanie

  HIS BROWN EYES SMOLDERED when he dropped me off at the repair shop. I felt the heat of his gaze through the window as I made my way to the building. It took everything in me not to stare at him when he picked me up. If I’d known men in Texas looked like that, I would’ve visited Delilah a long time ago. When the rusty pickup truck stopped next to me, it shocked me to look in the passenger window and see a man that looked like him. I’d expected the man to be wearing overalls with a beer belly and a ratty straw hat. He would have been missing front teeth and a wad of tobacco in his lip. Instead, this man was well-dressed in a button-up shirt and a cream-colored cowboy hat. He was cleanly shaven with chiseled cheekbones and eyes that sparkled when he smiled. I had to do a double-take with his pearly whites flashing and sandy brown hair falling across his forehead. He woke the dormant butterflies in my stomach. He was just breath-taking, and now he dropped me off at Mike’s Auto.

  The population sign of Sunnydale read a hair over two thousand people, and boy, was this town quiet. Tumbleweeds rolled down Main Street. Everything seemed old and worn out. From the flashing red light at the only intersection to the dusty storefronts, Sunnydale was just a blip in the road on the way to San Antonio.

  A throat cleared behind me, causing me to jump in surprise. A middle-aged man in grease-covered overalls and a stained, white T-shirt stood in the doorway, wiping his hands on a rag.

  “Can I help you, miss?”

  His eyes roamed up from my strappy sandals to my white shorts to my designer shirt. I felt disgusting from the dust and sweat covering me; I wiped my hands on the back of my shorts. He glanced down to my one-eyed Beagle making himself at home. He went over to Benny and scratched him behind the ears.

  “Would you like a biscuit, buddy?” He reached into an old coffee can and pulled out a large dog bone.

  “My car ran out of gas outside of town. Could you help me?” Nerves fluttered around in my stomach as I blurted out my problem.

  “Sure, but it might cost ya.” He gave me a crooked grin. He was missing a few front teeth and tobacco stuck between those that remained.

  “What?” I stammered.

  “Just joking.” He laughed and stuck out a somewhat clean hand. “Mike.”

  “Melanie.” My hand was engulfed in his. He shook it vigorously, rattling my teeth in my head.

  “So, Miss Melanie, what brings you to our little piece of heaven?” He motioned me inside the building.

  “I’m visiting a friend,” I stated as he grabbed a couple of Dr. Peppers from an old brown fridge and handed one to me.

  “Does this friend have a name?” A hiss escaped his can as the top popped. He chugged most of the can before sighing.

  “Delilah Allen. She lives in San Antonio.” At that, Mike started to chuckle until his round belly was shaking.

  “Do you mean, Dee Allen?” He wiped the tears from his eyes. “Haven’t heard anyone call her Delilah since her confirmation.”

  “Yes, how do you know her?” How did this Mike guy know her? She always claimed she was from San Antonio.

  “I went to school with her older brother, and her folks live down the road from mine.” He shifted paper around on what looked like a piece of plywood working as a desk. “Well, I’d love to help you out, but I’ve gotta get the mayor’s car running first. He’s a bit of a drama queen. But you can just sit right here until I’m done and then I’ll take you to your car.”

  The door banged behind me, and the room suddenly felt small and warm as the man that gave me a ride towered over me.

  “That’s alright, Mike. I’ll take her back to her car.”

  His warm breath fluttered across the top of my head. Everything in me froze. He was so close to me, I swear, electricity bounced between our bodies. Mike grunted in acknowledgment. He drew out a red gas can from under a shelf, and the man took it from him. “Put the gas on my tab.”

  “Sure thing,” Mike added some tallies to a scrap of paper hung on the corkboard before heading back to the garage.

  As the door swung shut, the wailing of a steel guitar filled the air. Oh, country music, where the songs are about your dog dying, your mom going to prison, and big trucks. The tall, handsome man took the can outside to one of the pumps. In the brief minute of quiet, I powered on my phone. It pinged with incoming text messages from my mother and one voicemail from my ex, Vance. I deleted it without listening to it. I’m done with men...at least for now. I texted Delilah to tell her where I was, but all she sent back was a smiley face. Before I knew it, I was back in the truck headed out of town. The man’s nearness made it hard to breathe. The air was sucked out of my lungs and my body forgot how to function. He tried to start a conversation a couple of times, but I was focusing too much on my breathing to respond to him. Breathe, Melanie, in and out. It’s not the first time you’re in a vehicle with a hot guy, and it won’t be your las
t. He drove his truck to my little Honda. It didn’t take much for him to get it running again.

  “There you go.” He slapped the roof of my car. “All set for the rest of your trip.”

  “Do I owe you anything?” I asked as I searched for my keys in my bag.

  “Nah, just buy me a drink next time I see you.”

  I was about to say I probably wouldn’t see him again but he was already heading back to his truck. I looked at Benny and shrugged as he scratched an itch. We piled into the car to finish the drive to San Antonio.

  I WAS EXHAUSTED AFTER all the driving. I angled my car into a parking spot in front of the apartment building that Delilah lived in. The red brick building blocked the sun as I looked for her apartment number to ring her doorbell.

  “Coming!” Her chipper voice sounded through the intercom.

  In a few seconds, my best friend opened the door for me. Relief sang through me as I embraced her. “Oh my, what happened to you? You look awful.”

  “Thanks, can we go in before I start bawling in the entryway.” I tightened my grip on Benny’s leash and blinked back the tears.

  “Let’s order pizza and drink some wine,” she said as she ushered me into her living room. My stomach gave a loud rumble in agreement; it had been hours since I last ate and the hunger pains were back. After the pizza was delivered, she opened a bottle of wine and split it into two glasses.

  “So, Mel, what’s going on? We’ve been friends for years and this is the first time you’ve ever come to visit me; like, drove countless hours from New York City to see me.” She curled up across from me on her plushy sofa and sipped her wine. Her brown soulful eyes stared at me waiting for answers.

  “Well, a lot actually.” I bit into my favorite pizza, pepperoni with extra cheese. The deliciousness caressed my taste buds, and I closed my eyes to enjoy every bit of the cheesy goodness before responding. “Do you remember when I told you about how Mary Lou’s Boutique was sold to a corporation last month?”