Seaside Cowboy's Love at First Sight

Chapter One

IT IS WELL KNOWN THATthe easiest way to control someone is by threatening the person they love.

At least, that was what Zoey Crawford’s father used to say.

According to her mother.

Zoey shook her head to clear her thoughts as she waited for the red light to change in a small coastal town half the world away from her real life. Although her “real” life had never been real, had it? She no longer knew what was true because the person she’d most loved and trusted with everything in her had been lying for Zoey’s entire life.

Mom was now in jail for trying to poison her cousin. Turned out she’d also poisoned Zoey’s mind with lies, her entire life.

Her chest constricted as cars zoomed past her.

What was she doing in the childhood hometown she’d been sure she’d never visit again? Or using the last name she’d vowed would never be hers again?

Okay, her father had another health scare, and she didn’t want more regrets in life than she already had.

Finally, the light changed to green, and she stepped forward. Engrossed in her thoughts, she took a step.

Someone behind her shouted, “Watch out!”

She tensed as she looked forward and kept walking.

Who needed to watch out? For what? Her cousin said it was a low-crime area except for pickpockets during the tourist season, so she kept her scuffed-up purse and shopping bags clutched to her chest.

Bad enough she’d had her luggage stolen from the airport carousel after getting here. Low-crime area her foot. That was why she was out and about on Main Street—she’d had to buy clothes, and she’d opted for the thrift shop to avoid attracting attention.

The longer people here didn’t know who she was, the better.

A motor’s rumble made her head whip to the right.

The roar increased as her eyes widened at the souped-up silver truck with tinted windows charging at her—and showing no sign of slowing down.

She had the green light. It was still on. Huh? What was happening?

Then someone’s hands jerked her back. Before it all registered, the truck flew through the place where she’d been seconds ago.

Her jaw dropped. Then a shiver ran down her spine, despite the warm day and the bright sun. One of her shopping bags slipped onto the asphalt, and she didn’t risk wasting a moment to pick it up as she stumbled back into the boardwalk’s safety. Her hands shook. Her insides, for that matter, as well. Everything in her seemed to jellify.

“How... What... What was that driver thinking?” she muttered under her breath.

But wait. Someone had just saved her life. She whirled around and nearly bumped into a tall deeply tanned man in a brown cowboy hat and leather cowboy boots. Wow. Those had to be the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. As blue as the proverbial ocean.

Gathering her wits, she shook her head. She didn’t return here to stare into a man’s eyes—or at the ocean, for that matter.

“Were you the one who pulled me back?” she whispered.

He nodded. “Usually, people drive much slower here and stop at the light.”

Yup. Apparently, it was just her who attracted bad drivers and people with sticky fingers. But her mother didn’t raise her to be impolite. Though lately, Zoey had to question everything about how her mother had raised her. “Thank you for saving my life.”

He nudged his cowboy hat back further, letting more light into those ocean eyes, and shifted from one foot to the other. “I was just at the right place at the right time.” He extended his hand. “I’m Barrett Lawrence, by the way.”

She shook it. “Nice to meet you. Though not so nice nearly being run over. I’m—”

Wait. Who was she gonna say she was, anyway? She didn’t want him to know her real name. At least, not yet. She wanted to be liked for who she was, not this uncomfortable newfound status she’d never asked for. The status attached to being a Crawford, though she hadn’t been one since her childhood.

Then her left hand touched the embroidered flowers on her blouse. “I’m Tulip.”

“That’s not your real name, is it?” His head cocked, and those eyes studied her, unnerving her and—oddly—sending her blood rushing through her veins.

The latter must be adrenaline still coursing through her. No other explanation.

“No. It’s not.” She lifted her chin.

He accepted her words without irritation. “Lovely to meet you, Tulip.” He released her hand and gestured to the crossing where the light changed to green again. “Did you need to get to the other side? And is it okay if I pick up your bag?”

She followed his gaze and cringed. After several cars ran over her just-bought clothes, they’d be no good. And after a recent scare, the idea of another driver pressing on the gas instead of the brakes made her swallow hard.

“Shall we?” He offered his elbow to tuck her hand in.

Right, as if she were ninety years old and needed help crossing the street.

“Yes, we should.” She squared her shoulders and marched forward—okay, more like jogged forward. Then she picked up the wrinkle-battered shopping bag with traces of tire marks.

He kept up with her, and once she was on the safety of the other boardwalk, she stole a glance at him. With a square jaw covered in a slight stubble and a T-shirt branded by a ranch logo stretching over his muscular torso, he was ruggedly handsome.

Not that she’d cared to start a romance here. She had trust issues the size of, well, the ocean she’d just flown over. And she’d planned to go to, well, the other side of that ocean as soon as her biological father—a stranger to her really—felt better.

Barrett caught her staring, causing heat to churn inside her. “I don’t claim to know everyone in town. But you look new here?”

She wasn’t a tourist, and she’d spent the first years of her life in this coastal town. But she could barely remember them, so she responded carefully. “I’m unfamiliar with this place.”

She was also unfamiliar with her own dad, whom she’d believed to be a horrible person nearly all her life. Oh, let’s face it, at this point, she was unfamiliar with who she was.

Her entire life had turned out to be built on quicksand. She felt like she was sinking in it.

He brightened. “I’d love to show you around.”

The offer was surprisingly tempting. She forced herself to shake her head as they walked along the sidewalk near the tourist shops. “No, it’s okay. I’d rather do it alone.” For years, her mother had instilled in her that people could be dangerous.

Mom was right. Only, she’d forgotten to mention that those dangerous people included Mom herself. A lump formed in Zoey’s throat.

His eyes dimmed, but he nodded. “I understand. I respect that. I grew up with a bunch of loud, rambunctious brothers. Sometimes I craved a quiet moment by myself.”

“I grew up alone.” Her stomach chose that moment to growl.

“How about a picnic in my favorite cove? Few people know about it, so only some crabs and seagulls might be around. You’ve got to eat, right?”

She was supposed to spend more time with her father. But he seemed to be feeling better, and he had around-the-clock nursing care, anyway. She’d told him she needed to get new clothes to replace stolen ones and not to wait for her for lunch. It was true, but she also didn’t know how to face him yet. Or how to love him. How to connect with him.

And all the luxurious things surrounding him, from the furniture to the tons of silverware she didn’t know how to use, reminded her she didn’t belong here. She felt like an imposter.

She’d be more comfortable with the crabs in the cove Barrett mentioned.

But hard-earned caution and her mother’s teachings won, and she shook her head, even as the aroma of baked pastries from the nearby café made her stomach growl again. “No thank you. I hope you’ll understand, but I wouldn’t go to a secluded place with a man I don’t know. Excuse me. I need to buy groceries.” She wasn’t used to someone else buying her groceries, and she didn’t want to be.

A part of her regretted dismissing him, and her empty stomach twisted. But she increased her pace as she entered the grocery store. The place met her with a cool wave of air-conditioning and the scent of papayas and mangos from the nearby fruit stand.

Then she frowned as he followed her inside, even if some part of her was glad he did. “Mr. Lawrence, are you stalking me?”

Maybe not the best words to say to someone who’d just saved her life. But her mother taught her to be careful. Though Zoey now understood the sad reason behind those lessons, they stayed with her.

He lifted his hands in a placating gesture. “Not at all. I need groceries, too.”

“Oh.” Heat rose inside her again, probably coloring her cheeks crimson like the apples she placed in a plastic bag.

Why did she assume he’d followed her here because he was attracted to her? Besides, she didn’t own this store. Nor did she have any interest in part-time ownership of her father’s hotels.

Barrett greeted several people, one of them a gray-haired lady who, from the conversation, Zoey understood was a retired teacher and had once taught him. Another one was his pharmacist for many years who now asked about Barrett’s mother. His manner, so friendly and relaxed, underscored her being an outsider in this close circle, standing outside the glass and looking in like she did minutes later in the frozen-food aisles—only she was the one cold and frozen inside.

Were all small towns here like this? Warm people knowing each other forever and knowing about each other?

Most likely, she’d never know. And she’d never get to know this person named Barrett Lawrence who now scooped up a little girl with pigtails, making her squeal in delight before putting her down, apparently, his pharmacist’s granddaughter.

“All these people can vouch for me if you don’t trust me,” Barrett said minutes later as he picked up a pack of cheese near her.

Zoey stiffened. “It’s not that I don’t trust you.” Okay, maybe she didn’t, but she didn’t want to say it out loud.

Her phone rang, and she stepped aside.

Her heart shifted as her cousin’s name flashed on the screen. They’d been best friends when they’d been little. Now they were strangers, as well.

But Kennedy and Dad were also among whatever little family Zoey had left. She answered the call while Barrett walked away, probably to give her privacy. A little sting told her she didn’t want to see him go. “Hello.”

“Zoey, are you settling in all right?” Kennedy didn’t ask whether Zoey was avoiding her.

That was a plus because the answer would have to be yes. “I’m grocery shopping.”

Thankfully, Kennedy didn’t say Zoey’s father had a cook for that.

“They have excellent salami. And their fresh-baked Danishes are awesome. Just wanted to tell you... stop by whenever you’re ready.”

“Aren’t you going to visit your uncle soon? You’ll see me there.” From discomfort, Zoey’s voice was drier than it should have been.

“I don’t want to intrude.” Clearly, Kennedy was the epitome of tact.

Compared to that, Zoey was tactless. But she didn’t want to compare because she’d come short alongside the intelligent, well-educated, well-mannered businesswoman. Kennedy had filled the role of a successful CEO so well that Zoey could never measure up and didn’t intend to try.

“You’re not intruding.” Zoey needed to change the topic, and she needed information. She drew a deep breath. “Do you know a man named Barrett Lawrence?”

“Sure. He’s my brother-in-law.”

Zoey’s jaw dropped for the second time in one day. Kennedy hadn’t taken her husband’s last name, but Zoey still should’ve recognized it. But what were the chances... Small world, indeed.

“We met by accident.” Ha! She almost snorted. That accident could’ve been disastrous if he hadn’t been so quick thinking. “And he invited me to a picnic at the cove. Is it safe to go?” The words rolled off her tongue before she could stop them.

“Of course.” Kennedy laughed. “He’s an awesome guy. I mean, I do love my husband. But that doesn’t mean I can’t say nice things about his brothers.”

At the risk of sounding paranoid... “Would you mind texting me his photo?”

“Sure. He’s in my wedding photos.” Again, very tactfully, Kennedy didn’t mention that she’d already emailed Zoey those photos and texted them, as well.

Zoey had seen the messages and knew what the attachments contained but hadn’t opened them. She didn’t want to get, well, attached.

“Okay, I’ve got to go.” She disconnected.

Maybe she was postponing returning to the unfamiliar mansion where she didn’t feel at home, where she could no longer pretend her world wasn’t turned upside down. Or maybe she was curious about the cowboy with an open smile. Only curious, nothing else.