Starstruck Cowboy (Working Man Series Book 1) Read online

  “All right, Maxi, I’ll stop my singing if you’ll stop your howling.” She reached over and clicked off the radio and smiled down at the basket on the floor of the cab.

  “I’m sure glad Baby is finally sleeping.” She threw a kiss toward the basket. “After all, she’s had a hard day. It wasn’t easy for her to see the chickens leave our ranch. Of course, I can’t say I blame her. It was hard for me, too. All we’ve got left now is the cattle. The cattle and this wad of dough.” She patted her pocket proudly at the amount she’d rustled up from the chickens. Star wasn’t a frail thing to fall under the spell of any man. That’s why she had demanded her price and didn’t back down until she got it.

  Noticing headlights approaching in her side mirror, Star watched a white stretch limousine merge from the highway onto the deserted backwoods road. The windows were tinted in the vehicle. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t see the occupants, only the silhouette of the driver. As the limo got dangerously closer to her old, rusty truck, she realized that the man in the cowboy hat driving was not going to back down and fall behind her as was proper for a merging car.

  “Damn you!” Star spat through gritted teeth, talking to herself again. “You think since you’re driving around someone rich that you’ve got the right to cut me off? Well, I was here first, buddy, so back down cuz I sure as hell ain’t gonna.”

  Maxi draped her paws out the passenger window, eagerly watching the drama unfold. Star pushed the pedal to the floor and kept pace. No one was going to make her look like a fool!

  Once again, she glanced out the opposite window, surprised that the driver was not backing down. The lane ended just up ahead around the bend where the narrow road cut through the side of a mountain. If one of them didn’t pull back soon, they’d crash into the rock wall. There was no way that two cars could possibly fit through the narrow underpass and she knew it.

  “That guy’s crazier than me.” Star shook her head in amazement. “I wonder who he is?”

  “Luke, let up already for Crissake!” Brent held tightly to the bottle of vermouth as he tried to pour Velvet another drink in the back seat of the limo. The liquor splashed onto the woman’s designer dress imported from Paris, causing the white cat on her lap to jump to the seat across from her.

  Velvet let out a scream. Quickly and apologetically, Brent grabbed a cloth napkin, desperately trying to blot away the stain.

  “Ruined!” she fussed. “My favorite dress is ruined by that idiot’s driving. I told you not to let Luke drive. Now look what he’s done.”

  Luke glanced in the rearview mirror and grinned from ear to ear. “Well, Brent’s trying to sweeten you up with this car he bought at the auction. However, he was too cheap to pay a chauffeur, so what did you expect, Ms. Berry-blue?”

  “Barabelle!” she snapped. “Quit trying to spite me.”

  “Luke, you wanted to drive,” Brent reminded him as he corked the bottle and put the alcohol back into the cabinet. He grabbed a dish of caviar and held a spoonful out to the cat. “As a matter of fact, you begged me to drive if I’m not mistaken.”

  Luke did, indeed, ask to drive, but it was only so he wouldn’t have to sit with Velvet for the entire trip.

  “You don’t need to give in to that cowboy’s every demand,” fumed Velvet, fanning the wet spot on her lap with a napkin that she’d pulled from Brent’s hand.

  Every demand? Luke chuckled inwardly at the thought. Only Velvet Barabelle got everything she wanted from a cheapskate like Brent Valens. He’d buy her cat caviar, but couldn’t manage to flip a few bucks Luke’s way for a warm beer or even a stick of gum. Brent paid his salary, but that was as far as it went.

  “Well, honey,” answered Luke from the driver’s seat. “It was either this or sit with you the whole way while Brent drove. And believe me, if I were back there I wouldn’t be pouring you martinis and feeding that damned cat of yours caviar.”

  Brent quickly tucked the caviar away into the cabinet, glancing over at Luke. “What’s the all-fire hurry anyway, Tyler?”

  “Just anxious to settle in for the night, that’s all. I’m dog tired.”

  “I hope this Brighton ranch has proper accommodations,” sniffed Velvet. “I’d hate to think I’ll be spending the night in some old barn, staring at stars through the rafters.”

  “I’m sure the Brightons will treat us like royalty,” Luke told her, just to get her to shut up. He hit the gas pedal and the limo lurched forward.

  “What in tarnation are you doing?” asked Brent.

  “Merging with traffic,” came Luke’s cool reply.

  “There hasn’t been any traffic on the highway for the past half-hour,” snapped Velvet. “And now that we pull off onto a scrub board of a road, you’re telling us there’s traffic? You’re crazy!”

  “Who’s crazy?” asked Luke, motioning with his head at the truck next to him.

  Velvet placed her cat on the back of the driver’s seat and peered out the darkened window. The old, rusty truck came so close to them that it almost grazed the side of the limo. “Who’d be so bold?” she asked with a gasp.

  “Don’t know,” replied Luke. “I can’t see the driver. All I can see is that motley hound staring at me out the window.”

  The limo jerked again as Luke sped up to keep pace with the truck next to them. Velvet’s cat climbed up to the back of the seat behind Luke. Then he tapped the brakes and hit the gas pedal in succession. The jolt of the car sent the cat sailing to the floor by Luke’s feet.

  “Foo Foo,” whined Velvet, looking over the front seat. “You poor thing. Brent, make Luke stop his follies before he hurts my kitty.”

  “Let up already, Luke,” Brent ordered with a gruff tone to his voice that told Luke the man was about to lose his patience.

  “All right, I will,” came Luke’s answer. “Just as soon as I get a glimpse of the man who’s challenging me. Whoever he is, he’d make a good stuntman. It’s impressive the way he’s maneuvering that bucket of bolts.”

  “You’re going too fast!” Velvet dug her long, red nails into the leather interior.

  Luke saw a bend in the road coming up quickly. He should back down since he wasn’t familiar with the area. Still, the guy in the truck wasn’t slowing down, and he must know the area well. Luke figured they weren’t yet in any real danger. He was rather enjoying this little adventure. It kept his blood pumping. Plus, he rarely backed down from a challenge.

  Nothing to worry about, he told himself. He might be driving a bit recklessly but he was still in control.

  “This isn’t fast,” replied Luke, being used to high speeds. “I’ve done stunt driving twice as fast as this.”

  “Maybe so, but not with us along.” Brent cupped his hands to his eyes and pressed his face to the darkened window. “Let the poor fella win, Luke. He’s not a stunt driver like you. He is sure to get hurt if you don’t back down.”

  By the time Luke figured Brent was right, it was too late. The truck bumped into him as he went around the bend. Luke’s fingers gripped the steering wheel hard as he straightened out the car, getting it back on the road. When he looked up, he was horrified to see a one-car underpass directly in front of him. With no other choice, being in this situation, he had to speed up and make it through the tunnel first or risk crashing into the side of a mountain.

  Brent would have a fit if he scratched the car after he’d just bought it. Luke was already a little ahead of the truck so he figured it wouldn’t be a problem. He stepped on the gas and sped through the underpass, leaving the truck safely behind them.

  A bloodcurdling scream went up from the back of the limo. Luke peered in the mirror to see Velvet’s feet sticking up over her head. He chuckled. Then, glancing into his side mirror as he emerged from the underpass, his heart almost stopped. The pickup screeched out of control and rolled over.

  Luke slammed on the brakes, not believing his eyes. Damn! There had been plenty of room, not to mention time for the truck to make it through the underp
ass. Something must have gone wrong.

  “My God, what have I done?” Luke threw open his door and ran back toward the overturned vehicle. The dog he had seen in the window just moments before ran up to him barking anxiously. He ignored it, and ran to see if anyone had been hurt. Approaching the truck, he stopped in his tracks as a bedraggled young woman with a dirt-streaked face climbed out of the open window of the overturned truck.

  “You bastard!” she shouted. “Just who the hell do you think you are cutting me off like that when I had the right of way?”

  Luke’s jaw dropped open and he was unable to answer. He had thought it was a man who had daringly challenged his driving. To his surprise, a redneck woman greeted him with language he could only expect to hear from a drunkard in a barroom brawl.

  This woman wore breeches and chaps like a hired ranch hand would wear. She angrily rolled the sleeves of her checked shirt up to her elbows. Luke half-expected her to swing at him next. Her red hair was piled sloppily atop her head, reminding Luke of a bird’s nest. Several strands strayed from the flop on her head and fell loose against her cheek, framing her heart-shaped face. Her green eyes shimmered with a combination of daring and anger, feeding his curiosity of her bold nature. He had no doubt in his mind the little spitfire’s bravado was the real thing.

  “Answer me, you idiot!” The woman slapped the back of her hand against Luke’s chest to get his attention. “Why did you . . .” she stopped suddenly and sniffed the air.

  Luke smelled it, too. A pungent odor. Looking down to the ground, he realized they stood in the middle of a puddle of gasoline. A crackling noise caught both their attentions as they glanced back toward the overturned truck. A small flame shot out from under the half-closed hood.

  The dog gave a few warning barks and took hold of the woman’s pant leg with its teeth and pulled.

  “She’s gonna blow!” Luke grabbed the woman’s arm to pull her to safety. Brent stuck his head out the window of the limo and waved his hand for them to hurry.

  “Leave me alone, you big lunk.” The woman tried to release Luke’s grip on her wrist. “Baby is still in there. I’ve got to get to her before she’s torched like a pig on an open spit.”

  Luke’s eyes darted back toward the truck. The little episode had ended in a nightmare. He felt as if this were all his fault. If it weren’t for him, the woman wouldn’t have overturned her truck. And to make matters even worse, she was now telling him her baby was trapped inside. He had to save the poor child before it was killed.

  “I’ll get the baby,” he told her, and released his grip on her arm. “You stay put.”

  “No!” she cried. “Stay away from Baby.”

  Luke watched in amazement as the brave woman pushed past him, moving toward the sparking vehicle.

  “Lady, I don’t think you understand.” He gripped her arm to stop her. “That truck’s going to blow to kingdom come in another minute. I suggest you stop fighting me and get out of my way before we’re counting the stars in the Milky Way alongside your precious baby. You stay here where it’s safe. I told you I’d save your baby. It’s the least I can do.”

  “You’ve done quite enough already,” she fumed. “You’ve wrecked my only form of transportation, and now I’ll have to use the money from the market to buy a new truck.” She patted her empty pocket and her eyes opened wide.

  “Oh, no,” she cried. “My money must have fallen out of my pocket when the truck overturned.” She struggled against his hold “Let go of my arm and get out of my way so I can find it.”

  Not wanting to waste any more precious time arguing, Luke flung the woman to the side of the road, followed by his hat as he took off at a sprint for the truck. The sparks had turned to flames and he’d have to work fast if he was going to save the baby. He had done stunts before with burning vehicles, but this was different. This was real, and with someone’s life at stake. If he didn’t pull it off, the poor baby would die!

  He approached the truck and stuck his head in the open window, frantically groping around in the dark for the woman’s child. Nothing but a basket filled with blankets met his hand. He pulled his head from the window and glanced around the ground next to the truck. Scores of empty cages scattered the road, but no baby.

  Another flame shot up to the sky, and Luke shielded his face from the burning heat. He knew he had to get away from the truck before it was too late but he couldn’t leave without saving the child. A small noise from inside the vehicle caught his attention. It came from the basket of blankets. Instinctively, he reached back into the truck’s window and grabbed the basket and ran like hell.

  His body sailed through the air as the truck exploded behind him. He hit the ground hard, cradling the basket against his chest, and rolled.

  “Baby! You saved her.” The woman ran up to Luke who was rolling around on the ground in an attempt to put out a stray flame. Looking down into the basket, the blankets had moved aside and he realized he hadn’t saved a baby, after all. He held nothing but a frightened chicken!

  The redheaded woman snatched the bird from the basket just as it pecked his hand.

  “Ow!” he cried, throwing the basket to the ground. “That’s gratitude for you.” Luke rubbed his hand as he watched the woman hold the chicken up to her face and talk to it as if she were speaking to a child.

  “It’s all right, Baby. I’ll take care of you and Maxi, don’t you worry.” The chicken cackled and flapped one wing. Then the woman sank to her knees next to him and buried her face in the dog’s fur.

  Sitting up, Luke brushed the soot from his singed garments and wiped his blackened face with the back of his hand. “You mean to tell me I risked my life to save a stupid bird? I thought you said your baby was trapped in there!”

  Innocent and confused eyes drank him in. “I did. And you saved her. You saved my precious Baby,” said the girl.

  “What the hell . . . it’s only a damned chicken!”

  “Don’t let her hear you say that.” She cupped the chicken’s head with her hand. “She thinks she’s so much more.”

  “I assure you that thing is nothing but a pair of drumsticks to me, and I’m pretty hungry right about now,” shouted Luke. “Too bad she didn’t get fried, because I think I’d like her better that way.”

  The woman’s hand shot out and she slapped him hard across the face. The roar of the flames behind them was the only sound to break the deafening silence between them.

  “Guess that means I won’t be getting a thank you any time soon,” Luke spoke up. Spying his hat, he got to his feet and snatched it up from the ground, placing it carefully and precisely upon his head. “I suppose I’d better head back to the limo and phone the police and fire department.”

  “We don’t have them out here, rich boy,” she snapped. “You see, when something like this happens in a small town, no one really cares.”

  “But there’s got to be something I can do.” Luke watched her gaze move toward the burning truck and then over to the limo.

  “Got a bucket in that fancy car of yours, or someone who can help put out the fire?”

  “Just an ice bucket, a cheap middle-aged man, and a floozy.” Luke watched the woman suck in one cheek and squint her eyes as if she were considering the choices.

  “Got anything in that ice bucket that’ll ease the pain of losing my truck, all my money, and possibly stop this pounding in my head?”

  “Is Dom Perignon all right with you, ma’am?” When Luke spied the bewildered look upon the girl’s face, he knew she hadn’t the slightest idea of what he was talking about. “It’s something the rich folks drink to ease their pain,” he explained.

  “Then I guess it’ll work on a poor girl from Possum Ridge as well, won’t it? If you don’t mind giving me a ride to the farm down the road, there’s a couple of able-bodied men that can snuff out this fire in a matter of minutes.”

  “Did you say you’re from Possum Ridge?” asked Luke, wondering if he’d heard her correctly. “
That’s where I’m headed.”

  “Really.” She rolled her eyes. “That has got to be the line of the year if I ever heard one. No one the likes of you ever comes anywhere near the Podunk little town of Possum Ridge.”

  “No, really,” Luke tried to convince her. “I’m on my way to film a movie on some old lady’s ranch. Supposedly she and her bear of a daughter are . . .” Luke stopped short as he spied the look on the woman’s face. He should have chosen his words more carefully. Somehow, he had offended her with what he said. These backwoods people were really odd.

  The girl carefully placed the chicken on the grass at the side of the road to peck around. Then she ordered her hound to sit. Finally, she turned back to him.

  “I don’t know anything about any movie star making a film in these parts,” she informed him. “And there isn’t a soul that fits that description you just gave me, either. So why don’t you just turn around and be on your way, Mister? You are no longer welcome in Possum Ridge.”

  “You want me to leave?” he asked in surprise. It was the last thing he expected her to say after he’d just saved her chicken’s neck and she’d asked him for a lift. His eyes darted over to the burning truck and then back to her. “No. I can’t leave you here like this.”

  “Really, I insist.”

  “At least let me –”

  “No!”

  “But I’m –”

  “It’s not necessary.”

  “Ma’am, it’s my fault and I –”

  “It’s both our faults, and stop calling me ma’am,” she told him. Her nasty stare sent a shiver right through him. “Now, go.”

  As much as he wanted to leave this whole situation behind, it wasn’t in his nature to go before he’d cleaned up his mess. Luke couldn’t understand why she was acting this way.

  “Get out of here, now!” she spat, looking as if she wanted to kill him. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the farm down the road and several men already running to their trucks.

  Velvet and Brent kept harping at him from the limo to hurry. Neither of them bothered to get out of the car to see if anyone was even hurt.