The Sheriff and the Cowgirl

By Debra Holt

What happens when a tenacious sheriff takes on a determined cowgirl and her champion bull?

It’s never easy to make it in a man’s world, and cowgirl Tori Tremayne has chased the same dream most of her life—producing a champion bucking bull on the pro rodeo circuit. With her prize bull Maximus, she’s so close to winning top prize in the finals this year she can taste it. She can’t afford any distractions, especially not the tall, dark and swoony sheriff she’s admired all her life.

Sheriff Gray Dalton has been in love with Tori since they were kids. He doesn’t want to change Tori or derail her goals, but he does want to combine their dreams—build a life and family with her while she continues to pursue her career and passion. Gray knows he has to shake Tori up so that he can step out of the friend zone she’s so determined to keep him in.

Can Gray prove to Tori that with him she can have it all—career, love and a family?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tule Publishing
• Release date: Sep 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954894426

Book preview

A Special Note of Thanks…

When one comes to the end of a long journey, you usually have a mixture of feelings. I know that I do when a story comes to the end of the final page. This journey, bringing forth a new cast of characters and their individual stories, was a mixture of pain and joy. But I am so glad that this series, The Tremaynes of Texas, staked claim on a portion of my brain three years ago and would not let go.

This book, The Sheriff and the Cowgirl, is the fourth and final story featuring the four Tremayne siblings. Some say the best was saved for last. I wouldn’t say that because I don’t like playing favorites with my stories, but I do smile quite a bit when I hear those words from my beta readers on this one. I loved taking Tori’s story and mixing things up a bit. I knew she needed to have a romance that was special and romantic and yet, a little quirky with her vocation and a special hero that was her match. Add a four-footed ‘best friend’ with a sweet tooth and a penchant for tossing cowboys over the moon and I will admit it was fun.

But all good things must end at some point and this book puts the period on this series. However, readers who have read some of my other series know that there is always a possibility these characters might stroll through a chapter in another of my romances. Don’t be surprised.

Thank you to those of you who have given me the honor of your time and hard-earned money when you have chosen one or more of my books to read over the years. I look at the list and it is hard to fathom that I have twenty books published to date. And I see three more series and some stand-alone manuscripts waiting to be finished and sent out into the world. I will keep writing for a while to come…knock on wood…and I hope you will keep reading my stories and they bring you smiles.

Thanks to the wonderful team at Tule. It goes without saying that I am grateful to each of you for your dedication to each book and all your help in keeping me sane. Until we all meet again…please stay well and find time to enjoy a good book!

Debra

Prologue

"Road Runner is on the move. Hold on to your hat, Sheriff." The voice crackled over the radio in Gray Dalton’s SUV.

He keyed the mike. Ditch the cartoon names. I’ve got this. Move over to the river highway and monitor the early weekend traffic.

Ten-four, Sheriff.

Gray shook his head and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. This wasn’t a joke. And it was time it came to an end. Then he realized the words hit on another sore subject of late. The time was coming to put an end to a lot of things with this offender. But first things first.

Five minutes later, the heavy black rig flashed past his location behind the dilapidated old gas station clocking at eighteen miles over the speed limit. Gray blew out a heavy breath of frustration mixed with anger and flipped on the light bar, hit the siren. Dust flew up from his tires as he left his observation spot and pulled onto the blacktopped, two-lane highway.

Pull over, Tori. I’m in no mood today. Gray ground out the words to no one in particular except himself. Another half mile flew by. Then a flat stretch of roadway loomed ahead. Finally, the lights on the back of the fifth wheel and horse trailer combo rig flashed on as brakes were being applied by the driver. But she still didn’t stop, only slowed. That only raised his anger another five notches.

The red lights in front of him blinked a few times with her probably watching in her side-view mirror as she teased him, laughing at her little joke. Well, she wouldn’t be laughing when he did get her stopped. Not this time.

At last, the vehicle slowed enough to move over to the shoulder of the roadway. There was a turn in to where a wide area had been cleared for the row of mailboxes all situated on the same long beam that indicated several ranches were in the area. Tori had the good sense to aim for it, where the big rig would be off the roadway and he could exit his vehicle safely, too.

Both vehicles killed their engines. Gray reached for his Stetson on the dashboard and pulled it onto his head. Next, he grabbed the ticket book out of the console beside him. He didn’t write too many tickets, leaving that job to his numerous deputies. But today was the day to teach a lesson to a certain headstrong female. He exited his vehicle and then took his time walking the distance between the two.

The window was already rolled down on the driver’s side. He noted that there were no animals in the trailer. The rig was not even a year old. It’s black, silver, and red markings were the same as the rest of the Four T ranch vehicles, except this one touted their rodeo stock producing logo emblazoned across its side panel. Gray knew the rig carried a price tag of six figures. But it also served as Tori’s business office on the road and her living quarters. The special compartment on the end had been outfitted to carry either her horse or sometimes, her prize bull, Maximus. It was chock-full of safety features and everything else her protective brothers could think of—along with his valued lawman’s input—to make certain Tori was safe in the thousands of miles she often covered on the rodeo circuit. Her dog, Gypsy, a strategic gift to her on Valentine’s Day from Gray, was her only companion on most of her trips. Her brothers were usually onboard one of the three semis or flying off to another site ahead of their arrival.

Geez, Gray. It’s a little hot out here you know. Why did you pull me over right now? Couldn’t wait to see my smiling face? The words came from the woman who hooked her elbow on the open window beside her and tossed a saucy nod of her head as he came to a standstill beside her door. For a moment, his intentions faltered. Those sky-blue eyes and flash of dimples always had a way to hook him. But he had practiced this moment quite a bit in his imagination and that included not letting her beauty and infectious laughter steer him away from his plan.

That was one reason he had kept his aviator sunglasses on. Just an extra layer of protection against those baby-blue eyes that made a man…made him…want to volunteer for a drowning death in their depths on any given day. Keep it business.

You were clocked at eighteen over the posted limit. Seems we’ve had this discussion before.

You pulled me over to tell me how fast I was going? This could have waited until I got home, and we could have a couple of glasses of iced tea in my air-conditioned living room.

His tone lowered and it was the one that usually caused offenders to be quiet and hope for leniency. License and registration.

The smile hesitated…and then faded on Tori’s face. She wasn’t finding the matter amusing any longer. Are you serious? This joke isn’t funny anymore.

On that we can agree. It’s neither a joke nor is it funny. License and registration. It’s time you learned a lesson.

Tori reached for the paperwork from the console. Gypsy’s tail was beating against the leather seat cushion of the passenger side as it had been since Gray walked up. Sit still, Gypsy, or he might nail you for disturbing the peace or some such nonsense. She shoved the papers at him.

He took them without a word. She watched as he began to write on the form in the tablet in his hands.

This is a fine way to welcome me home after a month on the road.

"Yes, it is a fine way. And one long overdue. It’s a reminder that might save your life…if you learn a lesson from it."

"I’m a good driver, Gray. You know that. I’m five miles from the ranch. I’m not even carrying any animals with me. I sent them on ahead with one of the trucks. I just was listening to some George Strait on the radio and in a hurry to get home to see my family…and a certain friend. A friend that I thought would be glad to see me and treating me a lot nicer right now."

Gray removed the ticket from the book and handed it over to her. She took it from his fingers, none too gently.

"Tori, I’ve warned you more than a few times about that lead foot of yours. And I am glad to see you. I want to keep on seeing you, alive and well. Last month, we lost the Beaumont twins, Matt and Jeff, along with the Hall’s girl, Sydney. All under the age of eighteen, all invincible, and all with speeding tickets in their file. I don’t intend to have you be another statistic…not in my county. Maybe this will get the point across."

Tori’s face had sobered, and her attitude had simmered some. I hadn’t heard about those kids. I know all of them. How terrible for their families.

Gray felt a tug in the center of his chest. He resisted the urge to soften his stance. But it was for her own good.

We’ve played this game one too many times. I’m tired of you blowing through my radar spots, making my deputies begin to expect this as some sort of game of yours each time you return to grace our lives for a few days. It’s a waste of their time and mine. So from now on, you can expect a ticket and if you get too many of those, then you’ll find a judge taking away that license of yours. That would put a damper on you being able to get from rodeo to rodeo. Someone else would have to do the driving.

The anger was back and flashed out in blue fire. Thanks for the warm welcome home. And the souvenir, she said, fanning the piece of yellow paper before tossing it on the dashboard. Am I free to go now, Sheriff Dalton?

He bit back what he wanted to say. He wanted to haul her out of that truck and kiss some sense into her head or shake some into it. Maybe both. Either way would be venting his frustration on the whole relationship situation between the pair of them. That showdown was still building.

You are free to go, Miss Tremayne. Just don’t forget to keep your speed within the posted limits from now on.

Tori didn’t say another word. She gunned the engine to life. Then she gave him a final parting glare. The rig moved off…slowly…following all the traffic laws until he lost sight of it over the far rise in the highway.

That was one hurdle handled. Gray knew that the next one they would face would be the most difficult. His mind still needed to argue with itself a bit longer. But in the end, he knew what was going to be the outcome. He had loved Tori Tremayne for as long as he could remember. Everyone…family, friends, neighbors… They all had watched him fall hard. And he was always there in the background, supporting her and cheering her on in dreams that most people thought were a bit insane.

Why would a smart, pretty thing like Tori Tremayne want to raise the biggest, baddest bucking bulls in the country? Did she have a few screws loose? That’s what the usual conversations were among those who didn’t know her so well. She was determined to the point of almost being fanatical in her hunt for the Nationals ranking for her babies…to prove something to the sport she had cut her teeth on, and she wasn’t giving up.

To that end, she was on the road with their rodeo stock more weeks of the year than she was at home. And that didn’t lend itself to any romance having much of a chance. The odds were definitely not in favor of a long-term relationship. But nothing had been able to make his heart understand that fact. Until recently. Until her last brother’s wedding. Until Gray had sat down and looked at where his life was and what his future looked like and he knew he had some decisions to make for himself. And they might not involve Tori. That left him staring down an empty road…and an empty future.

Chapter One

Six weeks later…

"Today’s the tenth." That pronouncement came from the woman who placed another set of papers in front of Gray for his signature. Billie Dawson had been running the Sheriff’s Office of Drake County for the last four decades. That was longer than Gray Dalton, the present sheriff, had been alive. It was a fact that she used for leverage, along with those trademark arched eyebrows that spoke volumes without her saying a word. People were left in little doubt what her opinions were on any subject. The office was her domain, and few overstepped her boundaries.

That ‘In’ box was empty a moment ago. Gray pointed out the fact because it was after five. He had a long day that began with a call at four in the morning when one of Frank Lockhart’s trucks had been found under the Red Sandy River Bridge, thanks to a nephew who had taken it joy riding along with a six-pack of beer. Frank had called him directly and not the office. He didn’t want the kid to screw up his chances of a football scholarship to Aggieland. Gray had informed him that the kid needed to learn restraint and consequences for actions.

Very observant of you. The woman stood in front of the desk, arms folded around the folders in her arms, while she watched him with her steady hawk-like stare down. When you finish signing those I just gave you, then you will be done. That will still give you plenty of time to go home, shower, change, and be in place in time.

In place? Am I going somewhere in order to be in place? Gray looked up after signing the last signature on the final paper.

Of course you are. This is the tenth.

"We’ve already established that. Yes, I do know it is the tenth of the month. But it isn’t a holiday as far as I know. And I’m really not in any mood for cryptic games. It’s been a long day."

Those eyebrows began to edge up. He might be treading on thin ice and pushing his luck.

Tori Tremayne arrives back home today from Utah. She’ll be here by seven…right on time, according to Deputy Sheriff Ryan who reported that she passed his radar post ten minutes ago. That would make her estimated time of arrival seven.

Gray slowly shook his head. Amazing. Why would one of my deputies be tracking her whereabouts, timing them, and then transmitting a report to this office? And where is Officer Ryan on duty right now?

At the hill on Highway 327, at the county line.

For a moment, Gray was silent, his brain doing a swift calculation. He tossed his pen down on top of his desk, shaking his head. He pushed away from his desk and stood, taking his hat off the peg on the wall behind his chair. He pulled it down on his head.

Damn it, Tori. He should intercept her at Newton Avenue on the outskirts of town. Pull her over and toss her butt in jail. Her foot on the gas pedal tended to get heavier the closer she got to Faris…to home. After being on the rodeo circuit for the last six weeks, she would be zoned in on one thing—getting her bulls back home and into their pastures. He knew her drill as well as she did. He should. He had easily spent three-quarters of his life on the periphery of Tori Tremayne’s orbit. He had fallen hard for her when she literally hit him in the face with a swift kick of the ball they were using to play a game of dodgeball with on the recess grounds. He was nine and she was seven…going on seventeen.

That stunt had earned her a time out from recess the rest of the week. She was remanded to serve her time in the library. Because of the stitches in his forehead, he too, was on a medical time out…also in the library. And the rest was history, as people might say. There wasn’t a person in Drake County or most of that part of Texas, that wasn’t tuned in to the fact that Sheriff Gray Dalton had set his sights on Tori Tremayne. Except maybe the woman herself. And that had led Gray to do some deep thinking. He had found the resolve he needed over the last six weeks she had been gone.

Which was why he would not be going to intercept her. He would not be going out to the Four T ranch to lend a hand with the unloading of her babies. And he would be eating dinner alone at the Diner on the Square before heading home. But he would not be sharing that bit of news with the woman holding the door open for his exit from the office. Let her think she knew it all.

What he did do, once he was in his truck, was call his deputy. You sit at the Newton Crossing, and if she flies by you, then hit the lights and write her a ticket, compliments of the Sheriff of Drake County. Use those exact words.

The bell jangled above the doorway as Gray opened the door and stepped across the threshold of the diner a few minutes later. There was a nice crowd of locals having dinner. He nodded and acknowledged their His and evening, Sheriffs as he crossed the room to the long counter that ran down the side of the diner’s main dining room. Darcy McKenna owned the diner