The Cowgirl's Surprise Match Read online

  As Tristan said the date, he glanced to Chloe, confirming agreement, and she nodded.

  “But that’s just a little over six weeks from now,” Rina said. “That’s not a lot of time to plan a wedding.”

  “It is for a quick ceremony at the courthouse or in Vegas,” Chloe responded. “When I’m done with studio work in California on Shadow Valley, I’m headed to Canada for my next production. Trying to juggle everything in our lives and plan a wedding is too much. And we don’t want to wait.”

  “We don’t need a big wedding.” Love and pride shone in Tristan’s face as he stared at Chloe. “She’s agreed to become my wife. Nothing can top that.” He briefly kissed her on the lips.

  “But a wedding here would be so beautiful.” Rina looked from Tristan to Chloe. “We can easily plan something small and intimate.”

  “We could.” Chloe nodded. “But with the tabloids spreading false stories about me and the lead actor in the film being in a relationship, and paying for pictures and any scrap of news from the set, if we start planning a wedding, our personal life could be spun into some sort of crazy, jealous love triangle. We don’t want that. We’re even keeping our engagement a secret.”

  As Rina glanced down at Chloe’s left hand, a glum expression took over her face. “So you won’t get a chance to share the good news or show off that beautiful ring?”

  “No.” Chloe’s gaze drifted to the platinum band with a marquis-cut diamond. “I’ll have to keep this in my jewelry bag until we seal the deal at the courthouse or the twenty-four-hour chapel.”

  Chloe smiled, but Zurie caught the brief flash of sadness in her eyes. And the look of resignation in Tristan’s.

  He might not realize it now, but someday he would miss not seeing Chloe walk down the aisle. And they both might regret not sharing their vows with their family and close friends in attendance. But Tristan would take his disappointment to the grave to protect Chloe.

  Before she could second-guess herself, Zurie let the words spill out. “It won’t become a media circus if I’m making the plans instead of you.”

  Varying levels of doubt crossed Tristan’s, Chloe’s and Rina’s faces.

  “It’s a lot of work...”

  “We couldn’t ask you to do that...”

  “No. You’re already doing too much...”

  But the answer to Lily’s question showed clearly in Zurie’s mind. Her father would want her to make sure Tristan and Chloe had their big day. “Team Tillbridge.”

  The rallying cry her and Rina’s father had used to motivate the family to get things done caught Tristan’s and Rina’s attention. The doubt in their faces melted slowly into smiles.

  “Okay.” Tristan nodded. “If you think we can team it out, I’m game.”

  Rina nudged his arm. “Of course we can.”

  Confused, Chloe looked at the three of them as if they’d suddenly started speaking a foreign language. “Team Tillbridge? Team it out? I don’t understand.”

  Zurie reached out and squeezed Chloe’s hand. “It means family takes care of family.”

  Chapter Three

  In one efficient maneuver, Zurie parallel parked her gray Mercedes between two cars on Main Street. At seven forty-five on a Monday morning, the shops and residents in downtown Bolan were just starting to wake up. And she was beginning her first official day as Tristan and Chloe’s wedding planner.

  Five days ago, after she’d offered to handle the details of the ceremony and reception at Tillbridge, Tristan had insisted he take on more of her work as a trade. And then Rina had chimed in recommending Zurie take time off to work on the wedding and hand all her duties over to Tristan.

  The remembered moment made Zurie smile. She managed a horse stable and a guesthouse on a daily basis. How hard could one small wedding be? But seeing an opportunity to follow Lily’s advice, she’d jumped on Rina’s suggestion and feigned reluctance over taking time off. Then she’d bartered with them over how long she’d be out of the office. Otherwise they would have been suspicious. She hadn’t missed a day of work in years. In the end, they’d settled on her taking three weeks off.

  And they’d also decided to keep the engagement and the wedding a secret from mostly everyone until it happened. Tristan’s birthday was a couple of weeks after the weekend he and Chloe wanted to get married. They could use that as an excuse to pretend that Zurie was helping Chloe plan an early “surprise” party for Tristan, since Chloe was leaving soon after filming of the movie ended.

  Philippa Gayle, the guesthouse manager and executive chef of Pasture Lane Restaurant at Tillbridge, had been let in on the hush-hush ceremony. She’d agreed to cater the food for the reception and would handle most of the preparation herself.

  Today’s meeting at Rina’s apartment above the café would start the ball rolling on ideas for the wedding cake Rina was going to make, as well as other ideas for the ceremony they would discuss later with Tristan and Chloe.

  Zurie grabbed her black-and-blue animal-print bag from the passenger seat and got out. As she slipped the strap of the bag on her shoulder, she rounded the car and stepped onto the sidewalk. She joined the handful of dog walkers and joggers who were out for exercise and the employees heading to the shops linked together in strip-mall fashion that weren’t open yet.

  Sun glistened off water cascading down the stone fountain in the square located in the center of town. She would have cut through the space to reach the other side of the street, but workers mowed the grass around the benches and clipped pink and white flowering bushes lining the path.

  A middle-aged jogger went around her without breaking his stride.

  Maybe she should put running back onto her new healthy agenda. Years ago, she used to run three to five miles every other day. It would fit right in with not skipping meals, getting more sleep and enjoying time riding her horse, Lacy Belle. She’d even started meditating over the weekend...or at least she’d tried. Who knew breathing could be so darn challenging? She did it all the time.

  Lily had suggested she try a variety of things to better her health, including a hobby. She’d never really had one of those. School, barrel racing and helping out where her parents needed her hadn’t left time for much else. By the time she’d reached her midtwenties, her focus had been finishing her master’s degree in business and spending time with her father learning how to run Tillbridge.

  Before she’d turned thirty, she’d been on a steep learning curve trying to catch up on all the things he hadn’t gotten a chance to teach her. Trying to fit anything or anyone outside the stable into that equation had been impossible.

  As Zurie walked past the ice cream shop near the left corner, the new manager, a dark-haired woman, gave her a quick smile before rushing into the establishment. The place had been sold, briefly closed for a few weeks and then reopened.

  What was her name? She hadn’t formally met the new manager yet. Tristan would probably be introduced to her at the mayor’s business breakfast mixer at city hall that morning. She could find out the details about the manager and status of the ice cream shop from him. Wait. Tristan had said he couldn’t make it this week. If she kept the wedding planning meeting to forty-five minutes, she could attend in his place.

  A large pebble crunching underneath the sole of her low-heeled sandal drew Zurie’s gaze downward. No, she couldn’t go. Her jeans and short-sleeved peach-colored blouse were too casual for a professional gathering.

  Fear of missing out started creeping in. She shoved it away. Aside from the wedding, her focus for the next few weeks was letting go of stress and taking in joy with every breath, like the beginner’s meditation audio she’d listened to that morning had instructed.

  She drew in a deep inhale, rich with the scent of freshly cut grass...and coffee.

  Longing rose as she recalled the early-morning ritual of grinding her favorite blend of Colombian beans. Making the coffee in a French press and, when it was ready, pouring the steamy goodness into her A Yawn Is a Silent Scream For Coffee mug.

  Disappointment pushed out an exhale. Drinking herbal tea, coffee’s unfortunate step cousin twice removed, wasn’t cutting it. She needed her caffeine fix. But she had to stick with the program. Her stomach was feeling better since she made the switch. Maybe the faint nagging headache she’d been experiencing lately, along with feeling jittery, would go away, too.

  After waiting for cars to pass, she strode across the street toward Brewed Haven. Unlike the other businesses on the street, the two-story light-colored brick structure on the corner with large storefront windows on the first floor stood on its own.

  A steady stream of customers entered and exited from the café with bags undoubtedly containing delicious pastries and cups filled with freshly brewed nirvana.

  Thinking Zurie was headed inside, a friendly woman held the door open for her.

  Suddenly, it was as if her feet had minds of their own and Zurie was propelled inside.

  One small iced coffee wouldn’t hurt. The one with extra whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel and a little sugar and sea salt sprinkled on top.

  She slipped into the line leading up to the curved station.

  Three baristas prepared coffees and grabbed desserts and pastries from the glass case underneath the counter.

  When she placed her order, just saying the words iced caramel mocha gave her a caffeine-like buzz. Minutes later, the most beautiful creation ever to fill a clear plastic cup was in her possession.

  Napkins. She’d better grab some. The cup was a little sticky. Weaving through the crowd, she made her way to the condiment station and snagged a few from the dispenser.


  Taming the bag hanging from her shoulder with one hand while holding the iced coffee and napkins in the other, Zurie turned.

  And smacked into a human wall.

  Like a slow-motion scene in an action film, the clear domed top covering her cup of coveted mocha goodness came off, and iced coffee splashed up on a wide chest covered by a khaki-green athletic shirt.

  Dang it. She hadn’t even gotten a taste of her drink. Was it weird that she felt like crying about it?

  She tipped back her head and looked up into the naturally tanned face of Deputy Sheriff Mace Calderone. As she stared into his whiskey-colored eyes, Lily’s cure flirted in her thoughts.

  Tall...

  “Excuse me.” An attractive brunette squeezed by them to get to the napkins. She paused briefly and gave Mace a wide smile.

  He smiled and nodded politely at the woman as he moved out of her way. “Good morning.”

  The woman looked at the wet spot on his shirt, then glanced at Zurie with an “ooh, girl, you didn’t” smirk on her face.

  Zurie stepped to the side with him, feeling like she wanted to disappear. But she needed to get over it and apologize for dumping coffee on him.

  She set the half-empty plastic cup on the condiment station, dropped the soggy napkins in the trash and snatched dry ones from the dispenser. “I’m so sorry.” She dabbed the wet spot on his shirt. “I can’t believe I was so clumsy.”

  Mace took hold of her hand and the damp napkin. “It was an accident.”

  As the warmth of his fingers seeped into hers, Zurie’s heart rate kicked up. But then she started free-falling into his gaze. Something that calmed and excited her all at once almost tempted her into leaning into him. “But I’ve ruined your shirt.”

  “I can wash it. I’m just glad it wasn’t hot coffee.”

  His mouth curved upward into a wider smile that was even more intoxicating than his eyes.

  Tall, hot... And her mind didn’t need to go there. This was Mace—Tristan’s good friend, whom she used to tutor when he was in high school.

  She pulled her hand from his and stepped back. Droplets of coffee had landed on the front of his loose black athletic shorts and running shoes. She’d really made a mess of his clothes. “Now you’re going to have to take everything off.”

  Mace’s brows shot up. “Excuse me?”

  “I meant, you’ll have take off your clothes at home when you’re alone...without me...because that’s what you’ll have to do to...you know...clean them.”

  What in the world had she just said, and did it sound as outrageous to him as it had to her?

  His amused, puzzled expression answered the question.

  “I need to go. Rina’s waiting for me.” Zurie headed for the exit.

  * * *

  Mace stood in line at Brewed Haven, ignoring the curious glances at his shirt, but the scents of coffee, chocolate and caramel wafting from him were harder to overlook.

  The replay of Zurie bumping into him ran through his mind. Well, damn. That hadn’t gone as expected. He’d just wanted to say hello to her. Actually, he’d wanted to confirm it was really Zurie. Seeing her away from Tillbridge and wearing casual clothes was unusual. She should wear jeans more often.

  “Hi, Mace. The usual?”

  He shifted his thoughts from how good Zurie had looked and focused on the upbeat twentysomething brunette behind the counter. “Please. Thanks, Darby. And can you give me one of whatever Zurie Tillbridge ordered?”

  Fifteen minutes later he picked up his small coffee and Zurie’s iced caramel mocha. After securing Zurie’s coffee drink in a cardboard carrier, he left Brewed Haven.

  As Mace stood at the curb of the sidewalk waiting for traffic to pass, he took a long sip from his cup. The small boost of caffeine would get him through his workout but not prevent him from getting sleep later on.

  He’d planned on going to the gym near the sheriff’s department after leaving work that morning, but a little over an hour ago, after his shift ended, Tristan had texted him, asking that he stop by Rina’s place. After he met with her, he’d run a quick five miles in town, then drive home to get some sleep. But first he needed a clean shirt. Luckily, he had an extra one in his gym bag in his truck. Considering how the one he had on looked, Rina probably wouldn’t mind him changing in her bathroom. And since Zurie had mentioned she was going to see Rina, hopefully he’d catch her there so he could give her the drink.

  As he crossed the street, condensation glistened on the side of the plastic cup of iced coffee. With the swirls of whipped cream and stripes of caramel and chocolate packed under the domed lid, the drink could have passed for dessert. He’d never have guessed Zurie was a sugar fiend. Not that he spent that much time around her. But it hadn’t always been that way.

  Fifteen years ago, he’d been a starting sophomore quarterback more interested in chasing girls than passing his classes. When he’d started struggling in statistics, his attorney father had hired Zurie, who was a math whiz and in college, and issued an ultimatum—work with her as his tutor twice a week and get all his grades up or quit football.

  At first, showing up at the Tillbridges’ house to see Zurie instead of just hanging out with his friend Tristan had been embarrassing. But soon he’d looked forward to seeing her. She’d been easy to talk to, and she’d been patient with him and taught him how to study more efficiently. He’d finished that semester with a solid A average in every class. After she’d stopped tutoring him, they still had a good rapport. A little over twelve years ago, when he’d enlisted in the Marine Corps right after graduation, she’d been one of the last people to hug him goodbye before he’d left town.

  Memories continue to roll in as Mace reached his red crew-cab truck and took his black gym bag from the back seat. Four years ago, when he’d returned to Bolan instead of staying in Nevada, where his family had relocated, he’d noticed a change in her. She’d lost the happy gleam from her deep coppery-brown eyes and didn’t smile as readily anymore. The loss of her parents and Tristan’s father, Jacob, along with the responsibilities of Tillbridge, had taken a toll on her. When he’d first gotten to town, he’d let her know that he was there if she needed anything, but she’d dismissed him.

  He’d gotten the feeling she was seeing him as the teen he’d been instead of the man he’d become. That had disappointed him, but he’d accepted her decision. Since then, her interactions with him had been cordial but brief.

  Hell, what she’d just said to him in the café was the first spontaneous sociable conversation they’d had in years. And it might not happen again, considering just how fast Zurie had rushed out of Brewed Haven.

  Chapter Four

  Upstairs in Rina’s apartment, Zurie sat on the cream-colored couch, the only furniture in Rina’s living room along with a wooden coffee table.

  The sun shining through large tinted windows on the side wall gleamed on the clear packing tape strapped over the top and sides of stacked moving boxes.

  Rina had purchased an older home just outside town about a month ago that needed some TLC. Now that the contractors were done, she was finally making the big move.

  “It’s mimosa time,” Rina sang out as she walked through the archway on Zurie’s left from the kitchen, carrying two tall glasses filled with the orange juice cocktail. “They’re not as fancy as iced caramel mochas, but they’re just as refreshing. It sucks that you spilled your drink on the way up here. Are you sure you don’t want me to call downstairs and have Darby bring up another one?”

  “No. This is good.” Zurie accepted a glass from Rina.

  The way her morning was going, a breakfast cocktail might help. They were meeting about Tristan and Chloe’s wedding, so champagne was appropriate, and Rina’s breakfast cocktails were legendary.

  Bottoms up. Zurie took a long sip, and disappointment assaulted her taste buds. No alcohol? Rina never skipped putting alcohol in her cocktails, unless... Zurie took a good look at Rina. She hadn’t gained weight, but she did have that glow about her. Maybe it wasn’t just caused by Rina being in love.