3. Lucas
Chapter 3
Lucas
T he sun beat down mercilessly on the dusty streets of Sagebrush, Texas as I stepped out of my now dusty rental car. I squinted against the glare, feeling decidedly out of place in my crisp button-down and designer jeans. Logan and I had made the trip in just over three days. After he’d nearly passed out driving on the second day, I figured it was better to stop for the night than risk our lives any further. The motel in the middle of nowhere was surprisingly expensive. Our only saving grace was that Logan’s family agreed to put us up for free during our stay. I’d left him there to get caught up while I headed into town for some reconnaissance.
As I made my way down the main street, boots crunching on gravel, I caught sight of a tall figure emerging from the general store. The man moved with a gait that spoke of a lifetime spent in the saddle. Sun-bleached hair peeked out from under a well-worn Stetson, and startling blue eyes met my gaze for a moment before quickly looking away.
I felt my breath catch in my throat. But just as soon as the stranger appeared, he hopped into a rusted out red pickup and was gone, dust trailing behind him despite the paved road .
I stood there for a moment, frozen in place, watching the truck disappear down the road. Something about that brief encounter had stirred something within me, a feeling I couldn't quite name. Well, I could name it, but that’s not what I’d come to Sagebrush for. Shaking my head, I gave myself a quick mental reprimand. Clearly, I’d been watching far too much cowboy themed porn lately. Besides, what was I gonna do? Fall in love with the first half attractive cowboy in town? That was pathetic. I didn’t even know if he was a decent person. Then again, in most of those fantasies, I didn’t really care… Besides, after this month, I wouldn’t be a decent person anymore anyway.
Scoffing at my own ridiculousness, I tried to refocus on the task at hand. I had a job to do, after all. And as much as I’d love to get a piece of country ass while I was in town, I didn’t want to end up the victim of a hate crime, either. Best to just wait until I was back in familiar territory to scratch that itch. Stealing was enough crime for me right now, anyway.
Scanning my surroundings, my gaze came to rest on a small local diner straight out of the 50s. It seemed like as good a place as any to start gathering information so I could leave as soon as possible. Crossing the empty street, I made my way over, snapping a couple quick candid photos as I went. As I pushed open the door, a bell tinkled overhead, and the hum of conversation momentarily ceased. Every eye in the place turned to regard the newcomer, whose designer clothes were so out of place, and I felt my face flush under their scrutiny.
“Well, howdy there, stranger,” called out a friendly voice from behind the counter. I looked up to see a bleach-blonde woman with her hair jacked up to Jesus and a toothy smile that was far too welcoming. “What can I do for you?”
I made my way to an empty stool at the counter, acutely aware of the curious glances following my every move. “Just passing through,” I replied, trying to act casual. “Gonna be in town for a week or so and wondered if there’s anything I shouldn’t miss? ”
“Well, a slice of the best apple pie in Texas for one,” she grinned, giving me a wink.
I couldn't help but smile back, her warmth infectious despite my unease. “Sounds perfect. I'll take a slice and a coffee then, please.” I bit back the inclination to ask about prices, but I didn’t want to give anyone the idea I was desperate. That would just paint a target on my back.
As the waitress bustled off to fetch my order, I took a moment to look around the diner. Most of the regulars had gone back to their conversations, forgetting me and my freshly pressed jeans. Most of them were the type of folk I’d expect in a place called Sagebrush. They were the picture of rural living, hats and plaid as far as the eye could see. However, in the back corner was a booth full of little old church ladies who were whispering excitedly as they stared at me. It looked like I was going to be the topic of conversation at their next bible reading.
“Ain't seen you 'round these parts before,” the waitress drawled as she returned with my slice of pie and a steaming mug of coffee. “What brings a city slicker like yourself to Sagebrush?”
I smiled and pulled the plate toward me. The scent of apples and cinnamon worked its way into my nose, causing my mouth to water excessively. “Work,” I managed to reply, swallowing hard. “I'm here to…” What was the lie Logan and I had come up with again? “Uh… gather some local flavor for an advertising campaign, I guess.”
She raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of her mouth. “Local flavor, huh? You write for one of those big magazines or something?”
“Or something,” I nodded. I didn’t particularly want to spill my entire life story to a stranger I’d just met, but she seemed nice enough. I settled for the basics instead. “My company wants me to scout several places across the country for food festival potential. One of the executives thinks he’s got a grand idea.”
“And what do you think?” she asked.
I decided to pepper in some truth. “I think he’s the boss’s kid who needs a project to feel useful. And his father is enough of an ass to make sure it happens no matter the cost.”
That got her laughing, and it was infectious. I found myself chuckling along with her despite myself. It felt good to relax a little after the tension of the past few days.
“Well, honey,” she said, leaning in mischievously, “if it's local flavor you're after, you came to the right place. We've got more pie per square mile than any big city I've ever seen.”
I took a bite of the pie as she spoke, and my eyes widened in surprise. It really was as good as she'd claimed. “This is incredible,” I mumbled around a mouthful of flaky crust and warm apples.
She beamed with pride. “Told ya. Now, as for things to do...” She tapped a finger against her chin, thinking. “The fair is in town this weekend. That's always a sight to see. Not to mention there’ll be food trucks from all over with everything you could ever want to eat and prize-winning barbecue champions. And if you're feeling adventurous, you could try out the pie-eating contest. Yours truly is supplying all the pies.”
“This is really good,” I smiled, taking another bite. “But I’m not gonna win a pie-eating contest.”
“Who cares about winnin’?” she laughed. “Just go for the pie.”
“Then I can spend the next month in the gym trying to work it all off.”
“Oh?” She gave me another sly grin. “You look pretty slim and handsome to me. Got someone back in that big city of yours to impress?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but snapped it shut. For a moment I almost forgot where I was. Last time I checked, Texas went red in every single election, and I wasn’t exactly looking to run into trouble. If I was going to be in town for a week or so I didn’t want any bigots chasing me or causing trouble for Logan’s family.
“Not really,” I said at last, deciding on a half-truth. “But dating’s a lot easier when you’re skinny. ”
“Don’t you worry honey,” she smiled, patting my arm affectionately. “Us girls like a man with a little meat on his bones.”
I swallowed hard and pulled my arm away from her. “Uh-huh. I… uh… I’m sure they do.”
She cocked her head to the side, reading me like an open book. “I’m sure the fellas don’t mind either.”
My heart nearly hit the floor. How did she figure me out so fucking fast? I sputtered, trying to come up with a way to deny her claim, but nothing came to mind fast enough.
“Don’t you worry, baby,” she said, giving me another wink. “Some folks might not like that sort of thing, but I don’t see any problem with it. God made you just the way you are, and he doesn’t make mistakes.”
I let out a sigh of relief and smiled. I wasn’t particularly religious, but her words held no ill intent. However, before I could get another word out, the bell over the door tinkled once more, and we both turned to look.
My breath caught in my throat. It was him — the man from earlier, the one with the piercing blue eyes and the worn-out Stetson.
He strode in, all long legs and broad shoulders, his presence filling the small diner. He came up to the counter, and I finally got a good look at him. Up close I could see the blond stubble on his strong jaw, and the way his shirt stretched over his well-toned pecs that I wished I could drown in.
As the cowboy settled onto a stool just two seats down from me, I couldn't help but steal glances in his direction. His profile was chiseled perfection, all sharp angles and rugged masculinity. I watched as he removed his hat, revealing a mess of sun-bleached hair that somehow made him look even more rugged and handsome. I felt my jeans twitch as I thought of what it would feel like to run my fingers through it.
“The usual, Beau?” the waitress asked, her tone warm and familiar .
He nodded, flashing a smile that made my heart skip a beat. “You know me too well, Dolly. Damn near left town without getting somethin’ to eat. That’s the whole damn reason I came to town in the first place.”
“Maybe you need to take a break once in a while,” she replied, giving him a stern look. “You’re always runnin’ around here like a chicken with its head cut off. Take a vacation!”
“Can’t,” he answered simply. “The cattle don’t take days off, so neither can I.”
His voice was deep and rich, with a slight drawl that sent shivers down my spine. I tried to focus on my pie, but I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering back to him. As if sensing my gaze, he turned slightly, those blue eyes meeting mine once again.
This time, he didn't look away. His gaze filled my chest with excitement that quickly pooled in my groin. I had to tear my gaze away from him if I wanted to remain decent in front of all those strangers.
“Duty calls, honey,” the waitress said to me, patting my arm once more. “You enjoy your pie and let me know if you need anything else.”
I nodded, my mouth still full of apples. As Dolly bustled off to tend to other customers, I found myself sneaking glances at the cowboy - Beau - from the corner of my eye. A moment later Dolly dropped a steaming mug in front of him. It seemed I wasn’t the only one that liked to drink coffee in the middle of the afternoon. He seemed focused on his cup at first, his strong hands wrapped around the mug, but I could have sworn I caught him looking my way once or twice.
The diner soon fell into a comfortable lull, the soft clink of cutlery and murmured conversations creating a soothing backdrop. I tried to focus on my pie, but my mind kept drifting to the man just a couple seats away. It was hard to think about anything else when such a pinnacle of masculine beauty was so close. I swore I could almost smell the scent of sweat and leather rolling off him .
Suddenly, Beau's deep voice broke the silence between us. “You're new 'round here, ain't ya?”
I looked up, startled, to find those piercing blue eyes fixed on me. “Uh, yeah,” I managed, clearing my throat. “Just got into town.”
Beau nodded, his eyes still locked on mine. “Thought so. Don't get many strangers 'round these parts.”
He took a sip of his coffee. The way his lips curled around the edge of that mug made me jealous. It made me wonder what they’d feel like wrapped around my — “So what brings you to Sagebrush?” he asked, his question interrupting my sinful thoughts just in time.
I hesitated, unsure of just how much to reveal. “Work,” I finally said, echoing my earlier response to Dolly. “I'm here to scout the area for a potential food festival.”
His eyebrows rose slightly. “Food festival? In Sagebrush?” He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see the day. There’s hardly anything in this old town except dust and tumbleweeds.”
I couldn't help but smile. “Yeah, it's a bit of a long shot. But my boss seems to think there's potential here.” I leaned in, lowering my voice. “But between you and me, I think he’s full of shit.”
Beau leaned in a little closer too, his voice dropping to meet mine as he smiled. “I think you’re right.”
“Gonna be anything good at the fair?” I asked, straightening back up in my seat. “Dolly said they’ve got lots of food there.”
“They sure do. Some of the best in Texas.” He gave me a big toothy smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way that made my heart sing. “In fact, you should check out Old Turner’s Barbecue while you’re there. I heard it’s some of the best in the world and he’s got the trophies to prove it.”
“I’ll make sure to do that,” I nodded, mentally taking note of my first target.
Just then, Dolly appeared with a neatly folded paper bag and placed it in front of Beau. “There’s your lunch to go, as always,” she said with a smile. “Don’t know why you’re too good to eat with the rest of us though.”
“Sorry, darlin’. I’ve got some fence posts that need repairing and those cows aren’t gonna feed themselves.”
“Well, you tell those cows to give you a break, huh?”
“I’ll let them know, but I don’t think they speak much English.” He got up from his seat, grabbing the paper bag. “Thanks, Dolly. I’ll make it up to ya, I promise.”
“Don’t worry, I know where to mail the bill,” she said playfully, giving him a pat on the back of the hand.
Then he stepped up to me, holding out his rough, calloused hand. “Nice to meet you stranger.”
I gulped but took his hand. “Lucas.”
“Beau,” he replied with a tip of his hat. “Have a nice day now, ya hear?”
“You too…” I said, my jaw going slack as I watched him walk away. He was hot from the front but that ass. Damn. Talk about a work of art!
As soon as the bell tinkled and the door shut, Dolly was right next to me. “It’s like a couple of possums fighting in a ten-pound sack, ain’t it?”
“What?” I asked, completely knocked out of my daydream by the weirdest thing I’d ever heard. “What does that mean?”
“Beau’s ass,” she said, nodding toward the door. “Pretty good, huh?”
“I… I don’t know. It’s fine I guess?”
She gave me a good hard look, shaking her head. “Yeah well, when you’re done droolin’ like a rabid coyote, finish your pie. We don’t let things go to waste around here.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I found myself saying as if it were a habit I’d been brought up with.
But even as I returned to the pie, I found my thoughts wandering back to Beau’s ass. And that, despite my earlier attempts to avoid such things, was making my designer jeans increasingly tight. With a concentrated effort I forced my thoughts back to work and the fair. I had a job to do while I was in town and then I could finally get back to my life in New York. Hopefully a better life.
As I finished my pie, I couldn't shake the image of Beau from my mind no matter how hard I tried. Those gorgeous blue eyes, that strong jawline, the way his shirt hugged his muscular frame... I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts once more. I was here for work, not to lust after some cowboy, no matter how devastatingly handsome he might be.
“So, about that fair,” I said to Dolly, who was wiping down the counter nearby. “When exactly is that happening?” I already knew the answer, but I wanted to seem friendly to cover my tracks.
“Starts tomorrow evening,” she replied with a smile. “Goes all week through the following Sunday when they do the big rodeo. You sure picked a good time to come to town, honey.”
I nodded, pulling out my phone to make a note. “And where will it be?”
“Just on the outskirts of town at the county fairgrounds. It’s massive, so you can't miss it. Follow the lights and the smell of funnel cakes,” she winked.
“I’ll do that,” I said, finalizing the note in my calendar.
“Beau will be there too,” she added, quickly. “Just in case you were wonderin’.”
Heat flushed to my cheeks, and I knew I was turning bright red. “I’ll uh… keep that in mind.”