To Catch a Texas Cowboy

By Julie Benson

Grace Henry needs a reboot. Laid off and unable to find a new job in her native NYC, Grace heads West to Wishing, Texas to run her best friend’s bed and breakfast. But before she hits the city limits, to her luck, Grace rear ends the chief of police’s truck. As the mouth watering western dream peels off his shirt to clean her cut, she reminds herself what cops are like—cynical, inflexible, curious and controlling. Her NYPD father taught her that fact.

FBI agent AJ Quinn is undercover in Wishing to catch a forger. Though his best friend lives in Wishing and he always longed to buy land there, Wishing is an annoying detour from his purpose, working major cases and fulfilling the vow to his father to make a difference in the world. But when Grace crashes into his life, AJ suddenly finds himself questioning his direction and determination to remain single.

Though Grace and AJ insist they don’t want a relationship and are wrong on too many levels to count, when the head says no, the heart says yes…..

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tule Publishing
• Release date: Feb 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781943963850

Julie Benson

Avid daydreamer Julie Benson always loved creating stories. A sociology degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and three boys later, she actively pursued a writing career to challenge her mind and save her sanity. Now she writes full time in Dallas, where she lives with her husband, their three sons, two lovable black dogs and various other creatures. While her house is never quiet. It is full of heroes.

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Author

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the Starbucks crew at Coit and Campbell in Richardson for all you do. Jason, An, Jenn, Josh, Nate, Matt, Shay, Susan, and last but certainly not least, Courtney. I’d be lost without you.

To the guys at Starbucks, Mark, Russ, Hal, Ted, Rick, and Tracy thanks for the encouragement, laughs and lively discussions.

A special thanks to the following friends who helped in ways I can never repay: Nancy Haddock, Jane Graves, Jo Davis, and Jennifer Jacobson. I’d be a sorry, neurotic mess without you. Lastly, a special thank you to CM McCullin and Kelli Lovelace for their incredible support and help with the ending of this book. If it weren’t for you two I’d probably still be complaining it wasn’t right.

Dear Reader,

The more I write, the more I see of myself in my stories. Often whatever issue I’m dealing with in life have a way of creeping into my stories to plague my characters. This was definitely the case in To Catch A Texas Cowboy.

With my youngest son a senior in high school and an empty nest on the horizon, my life will undergo a change soon. One as big as when I had children all those years ago. I find myself wondering about my purpose, my identity, and to quote a line from one of my favorite movies The Sure Thing, …who made liquid soap, and why.

So it shouldn’t have surprised me when the theme of coping with change worked its way into To Catch A Texas Cowboy, but it did. AJ and Grace find themselves facing major career changes. Ones neither of them are pleased with. Through their journey they learn something about themselves and what they thought they wanted out of life. Eventually they discover what I have, that some of the most rewarding opportunities and greatest joys can come out of life’s unexpected detours, if we’re open enough to recognize them.

I hope you enjoy AJ and Grace’s story.

Blessings,

Julie

Prologue

‡

"Getting dragged out in the middle of the night because two idiot teenagers vandalized the well is the perfect ending to one helluva day." Light from the full moon spilled out from behind the clouds accentuating the harsh lines on Andrew Quinn’s face.

Even if Ty Barnett hadn’t been able to see AJ’s face, the irritation and sarcasm filling his best friend’s voice made his mood clear.

Great job I’ve got, AJ continued. I was out of my mind when I took it.

Ty knew his friend took the job as Wishing’s chief of police to stay in law enforcement. Two months ago AJ showed up at Ty’s east Texas ranch looking as if an angry mule had thrown him to the ground, dragged him for miles, and stomped on him a time or two. All he’d told Ty was he’d left the FBI. When AJ learned Wishing hadn’t hired a chief to replace their friend, Jack Mitchell, who’d died in a plane crash, AJ took the job.

I can still call Sawyer. Isn’t he on the night shift? Ty said, referring to AJ’s assistant chief.

That’s all I need. AJ strode across the field toward the small fenced off area surrounding the wishing well that the town had designated as a historic park. On the top of a soft rolling hill, the land flattened out. Clumps of trees stood in the distance, as if on guard.

But it wasn’t what city folks would call a park. There weren’t slides, swings, or benches. A simple area with a limestone well and four headstones. Simple, compared to the role it played for the town.

Sawyer’s a decent cop, but he worries too much about what people think, rather than what he should do. I don’t get why Jack promoted him. Hell, why he thought the town needed an assistant chief.

Jack didn’t. When Chief Weston announced his retirement, he created the job, and promoted his buddy’s middle boy.

That explains a lot.

Ty nodded. Jack couldn’t walk in and say the position his predecessor created was unnecessary. That would’ve been a great way to start the working relationship with his staff, especially Sawyer.

Thanks for calling me instead. If you’d called Sawyer, he would’ve called the mayor, Mary Ann at the historical society, and then considered calling me. Can you imagine what panic we’d have?

As they strolled across the grass to the far side of the well, Ty thought it odd that if it weren’t for the fence and the small iron post with the brass plaque explaining the legend, no one would realize the rough limestone well with the weathered roof held any importance.

Wishing’s economy revolved around cattle and horse ranching, the local medical devices components factory and tourism generated from the town’s wishing well.

Long before Ty’s time, smart and enterprising businessmen used the legend originating with two sisters to draw regional tourists, figuring those who came to make a wish would spend money at Wishing’s hotels, B&Bs, shops, and restaurants.

The oldest sister, Anne met and married Sam Watson out east where she’d grown up, but then the couple moved to Texas. Anne’s life here with her husband and three children was perfect, except for missing her sister, Alice. When the Civil War started, Sam enlisted, leaving his wife to run the farm and care for the children. Overwhelmed, Anne begged Alice to come to Texas, and Alice agreed.

The women held onto the land and kept the children fed. When the men who’d survived the war started returning home, Sam wasn’t among them. The more time passed, the more hopeless Anne grew, eventually taking to her bed.

Worried, Alice stood crying at the family well and tossed in a coin, wishing for Sam to return to the family who loved and needed him. According to the legend, a couple of days later, Sam returned, brought home by a stranger who’d nursed him back to health after finding him by the side of the road.

While I’m glad you were here to run off the teenagers, what were you doing at the well? AJ asked. Don’t tell me you were making a wish. I thought you didn’t believe in the legend.

A year ago Ty would’ve said all he cared about was the money the well and its legend brought to town. He’d have laughed at anyone insisting a wish he’d made for someone out of the deep and abiding love the sisters shared had come true. But since Cassie, Ty wondered if there wasn’t something to it.

I was checking on a mare due to foal, and discovered Lulabelle had gone exploring again, Ty said referring to his seventeen-year-old escape artist mare. Her tracks led this way. For some reason, it’s one of her favorite spots. That’s how I stumbled onto Shane and Ethan creating their little art project.

Who knows how much damage they would’ve done if you hadn’t found them.

AJ stared at the black spray-painted words: losers count on wishes. This needs to stay between you and me.

As the head of the Chamber of Commerce, I agree. Ty nodded. If word gets out, everyone will call for special meetings to deal with ‘the issue’, and Mary Ann will lead the charge.

AJ rubbed the back of his neck. Yup, I can see her insisting I post a guard twenty-four seven to protect the well, and Mayor Timmons would jump right on that band wagon.

I know this job can be a pain in the ass, Ty said. It’s sure as hell not glamorous, and won’t get you big-time atta boy pats on the back, but how you deal with this will have a huge impact on the town.

I need to put the fear of God into Shane and Ethan to keep their mouths shut.

I know both boys’ parents, and they’ll back you up. They won’t want this getting out either.

Hopefully a hefty fine and threatening them with a night or two in jail will scare them enough to keep them from pulling another bonehead move like this.

With Ethan you’ve got extra leverage. He’s got a football scholarship at A&M—

Enough said. I know how I’ll play that one. I’ll start with the Aggie Code of Honor. An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal or tolerate those who do. While technically this wasn’t one of those, the stunt fit the spirit of the code.

I’ll get white paint from home, and be back in ten minutes. While you’re fixing the fence, I’ll talk to our painters and their parents. AJ shook his head. Six months ago I was infiltrating a human trafficking ring, and now I’m dealing with teenager graffiti. I can’t believe this is what my professional life has become.

Ty let the comment slide, but as AJ stalked off, he grew more concerned about his friend. Funny how a tour in Afghanistan and the atrocities AJ had seen with the FBI hadn’t dampened his true-blue change-the-world spirit or made him bitter, but becoming Wishing’s chief of police was coming close.

Ty glanced over his shoulder at the well. He’d never believed in the legend, but since his sister, Aubrey, told him about the wish she’d made for him, Ty wondered. Then there had been the wish he’d made for Cassie when he thought she’d left for New York. He’d have lost his soon-to-be wife if not for this wishing well.

Maybe there was something to the legend after all, and if there wasn’t? What the hell? Making a wish couldn’t hurt. Ty shoved his hand into his pocket, pulled out a coin, and returned to the well. He tossed the money into the darkness. I wish AJ would figure out what he wants out of life, ’cause right now he sure as hell doesn’t know, and he’s becoming a pain in the ass.

Chapter One

‡

She refused to descend into self-pity. That’s what Grace Henry insisted as she slipped off her navy suit jacket and hurled the garment on the bed. After tugging off her pencil skirt, she slipped on yoga pants and a cotton tee, sank onto her bed, and grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand to return her mother’s call. Or rather, her mother’s two calls.

I hope this interview was better than the last, her mother said when she answered.

Her mother meant well. Grace knew that, but so many things she said to comfort, left Grace bruised instead. It went well. Now I wait to hear from them.

Grace resisted the urge to run to the bathroom and peer into the mirror to see if her nose had grown. What she’d said couldn’t be farther from the truth. How ironic when she’d been hopeful for this interview at the company of a casual friend. But she’d no sooner sat down across the desk from her supposed friend when the woman blasted Grace.

I only agreed to see you so you’d quit wasting your time. No one in this city will hire you. Word is you cut a deal to get yourself out of trouble. Those who don’t think that are scared if anything is the least bit suspicious in their company, you’ll bring the FBI down on them, too.

Numb, and wanting to run as far and as fast as possible, Grace thanked the woman for her honesty, snatched up her briefcase, and scooted out of the office. Never once had she considered defending herself. What was the point? Not a shred of evidence pointed at her involvement in the embezzlement at her former employer, but none of that appeared to matter.

How could this happen when she’d done the right thing? When the authorities swooped down, zeroing in on her ex, Derek, she’d been questioned because of their past relationship. At first the FBI suspected her of being involved, but when they failed to find evidence, they changed tactics. The interrogations stopped, and instead they approached her to gather evidence against Derek.

She’d agreed. How could anyone whose moral compass pointed close to north do otherwise? Unfortunately the information she turned over uncovered other financial irregularities, including massive overbilling of clients. That, combined with the embezzlement, toppled the company.

And people blamed her.

I hope you’re right about this job, her mom said, pulling Grace back to their conversation.

I’ll keep you posted. Since I just got home—

Asking about your interview wasn’t the only reason I called, her mom said, cutting her off.

Grace sighed. She shouldn’t be surprised her mother had an ulterior motive. That was their pattern, but today the fact stung. Just once she wanted a call to be solely motivated by her mother’s concern for her.

I was supposed to see Brianna tonight, her mother said referring to her only grandchild. But Leslie called yesterday to say she has a virus. I know it’s not true. They made that up because they’re mad about what happened last weekend.

Yet another family debacle. The last of many. Looking back on her childhood, Grace couldn’t remember a time when her parents got along or appeared to share genuine affection for each other, certainly nothing resembling love. Her father’s job as a New York City cop, and the fact he preferred to blow off steam drinking with his buddies rather than spend time at home, served as a constant problem between them. Her mother’s eventual coping strategy had been to have an affair. A fact Grace discovered one day in high school when she came home sick from school.

Despite their divorce when Grace left for college and despite both remarrying, her parents couldn’t let go of their anger and move on. If anything, their bickering had grown worse, as evidenced by Brianna’s baptism last weekend. To eliminate potential problems, her brother assigned each parent a specific time to attend the celebration at his house. But that hadn’t worked, because the pair got into a shouting match in the driveway in full view of the neighbors, loud enough for the guests inside to hear.

Grace wouldn’t blame Grant if he was mad, but instead she said, It could be Brianna is sick.

If that’s the case, then why doesn’t your brother answer his cell? Why hasn’t he returned my calls?

Poor Grant. His voice mail had probably reached capacity hours ago, and because he hadn’t dropped everything to call her back, their mother’s imagination shifted into overdrive. See, things could be worse. I don’t think Grant and Leslie would lie about Brianna being sick to keep you from seeing her.

Oh, yes they would, her mother insisted, her tone bordering on whiny. They know nothing would hurt me more than keeping my granddaughter from me. They’re punishing me. Brianna’s already changed so much, and babies forget people quickly. I don’t want to miss out on her life, especially when what happened wasn’t my fault. It was your father’s.

Grace rolled her eyes, hating her mother’s the-devil-incarnate tone when she referred to Grace’s father. Didn’t she realize half of who her children were came from their father, and in criticizing him, she criticized her children, too?

If he hadn’t arrived early, we wouldn’t have run into each other. Then everything would’ve been fine, but I’m the one who’s suffering the consequences. Her mother’s sigh radiated over the phone. Please, Grace. Talk to Grant. He’ll listen to you if you explain it wasn’t my fault.

Yeah, but then Dad will hear what I did, and he’ll be mad at me.

No matter what she did, how hard she tried to play peacemaker, she ended up with someone upset with her, and she was tired of it. With her life in shambles, she didn’t have the energy for these battles anymore. She thought about telling her mom no, but that would only result in more pleading, guilt, and delay the inevitable. I’ll see what I can do.

Thank you, dear, her mom said, her tone much brighter since her daughter had acquiesced. Phil wanted me to remind you you’re welcome to stay with us until you find a job in order to save money.

Phil was a nice guy, and loved her mother, but knowing they’d had an affair before her mother’s divorce made the situation awkward. That, and the fact that she knew too much about their relationship thanks to her mom using her as a confidant. I’ll think about it, Mom.

You should cut expenses, because who knows how long it’ll take to find a job.

Grace winced. She could’ve done without that reminder today.

Plus, moving in with us would be a great chance for you to get to know Phil better. I know how uncomfortable you still are with him. It would mean a lot to me, Grace.

Her chest felt as if someone had reached inside and squeezed her heart. This wasn’t what she needed right now. Why couldn’t her mother put her first, instead of asking for help when Grace had nothing left to give?

Grace mumbled another she’d think about the offer, ended the conversation, and then feeling an overwhelming need to vent, she called her best friend, Cassie.

I need the best-friend-this-too-will-pass-and-life-will-get-better speech, Grace said when Cassie answered. Tell me I’ll find a job, and won’t be forced to move in with my mother and Phil, because that is so not part of the plan I have for my life. Can you think of anything scarier?

I take it today’s interview was another rough one?

Same song, thirty-first verse, but this one was really bad. To qualify as rough, it would’ve had to go much better.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell Cassie what had happened. People said the truth hurt, and boy, did it, especially when she hadn’t been ready to move on from denial. But now she’d been forced to.

You’re a smart, competent woman with great business skills, and someone’s going to realize that.

The question is will it happen before I’m eligible to join AARP?

Cassie chuckled. At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor.

Some days it felt as if that was all Grace had left.

I don’t know if it’ll be comforting or not, Cassie said, but trying to hire a manager for the inn is teaching me interviewing isn’t any fun from the other side, either.

At least we can gripe about the process together. You know the old misery loves company thing.

Cassie had moved to Wishing, Texas, four months ago to raise her niece, Ella, when her sister and brother-in-law died in a plane crash. Along with that responsibility came running a bed and breakfast. However since then, Cassie’s art career had taken off, and she spent time helping her fiancé, Ty, run the cowboy experience tourism business on his ranch, leaving her little time for the B&B.

I either get applicants who have food service management skills, but no idea how to handle the marketing, or I get people with marketing skills who don’t want to do the cooking and cleaning side of the job. But what’s worse is they lack personality and people skills, which is probably the most important qualification for the job. Whoever I hire has to make people feel at home.

You can teach someone a lot of things, but you can’t do a personality transplant.

Cassie giggled. I’d hoped to have someone hired by now. With Ella, working with Ty on the ranch tours, the wedding coming up, and my next sculpture due ASAP, I’m running on fumes and out of time. Trying to keep two careers running is a disaster.

I’m tired just listening to all you have to do. I wish I could help.

Grace, you’re brilliant, and someone is going to hire you sooner than you think. Cassie’s excitement bubbled through the phone.

Have you suddenly become psychic?

I want to hire you to manage The Bluebonnet Inn.

Grace laughed, the emotional release easing some of her bottled-up tension. Thanks, I needed a good laugh.

I’m serious.

The interview process has fried your brain. What do I know about running a B&B?

Don’t worry. Chloe had notes and to-do lists detailing everything from preparing for guests to cleaning after they leave. You shouldn’t have any problem, considering you’re smart, organized, and have an eye for details.

Flattery won’t help. I still think you’re crazy.

"No, I’m not. She had the process outlined so well I could do the job, and you’re way more qualified to run the inn than I was when I started. You’ve got the business, marketing, and management expertise. You’re great with people, and a good cook."

That means a lot coming from a woman who set the stove on fire the first time she used it.

Hey, not the wisest thing to say to someone who offered you a job, and thanks for bringing that up because Ty, Ella, and half the town still giving me a hard time about it isn’t enough, Cassie fired back. No matter how many times I say it was more smoke than anything, and barely qualified as a fire, I can’t live the incident down.

Girl, if it had flames, it was a fire, Grace said in all seriousness, but two seconds later burst out laughing.

I’m glad I can provide comic relief.

I appreciate the sacrifice since I haven’t had much to laugh about lately. Grace sobered. Only Cassie had stuck by her, helping to pick up the pieces. I’ve missed you, and us talking like this.

While she had other friends and acquaintances, or rather believed she had, no one ever understood her like Cassie. No one made her laugh when she felt like crying.

What do you say? Will you take the job?

Maybe the idea wasn’t as harebrained as Grace first imagined. Her business and marketing background would be an asset running the inn. The thought of a new challenge sent tingles racing up her spine. Could this be fate’s way of saying she needed to move in a completely new direction? Make a fresh start?

She considered her life in New York. Friends she’d believed would be there for her during hard times had avoided her as if she had a contagious disease. Then there was her family. The people who should put her first, ones she should be able to count on, drained her with their squabbles and insistence she play peacemaker. Escaping the family drama was a powerful lure.

Starting over with a clean slate, where no one other than her best friend knew what she’d gone through, sounded tempting. And Texas might be far enough for her family to leave her alone. She could catch her breath, sort out her life, and piece herself back together. Cass, I’d love to manage The Bluebonnet Inn for you.

*

The day AJ met Ty when they moved into Utay Hall at Texas A&M University in Squadron Twenty-One of the Corps of Cadets, he knew they’d be friends, but they’d become much more. Ty was the brother AJ never had.

Over the years, Ty’s family ranch, the Bar 7, became AJ’s second home. He loved visiting, especially in the summers. Fishing, riding horses, shooting targets and tin cans, swimming in the lake. What wasn’t there to love? But living, or rather working, in Wishing? He’d found that to be a horse of a completely different color, but then