Serious Cowboy (Cowboys of Duncan Ranch #2)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Zeke had barely registered the presence of the bubbly and vivacious curly-headed blonde at Tim’s office. She must be a new nurse or executive assistant or whatever. It didn’t matter. And even though something weird had happened to his fingers when he’d handed her the toy, he’d decided to ignore it. He was sure that little spark was nothing worth concerning himself over.

He hadn’t even been inside that office for probably three years, but any changes his friend had made to his medical practice were none of Zeke’s business. He didn’t have time to deal with anyone outside of his limited circle of people, a circle he intentionally kept small, anyway.

Even if Tim Blum had to be considered a definite member of that circle.

Zeke preferred keeping to himself. Analyzing and running quality control on the feed at the Duncan Ranch and keeping the livestock and animals at his place of employment healthy was his mission. Or when at home, he preferred to tinker with the many projects he kept going all at the same time. From the outside in, they might seem like silly hobbies, but they kept his mind and/ or body actively engaged. He was never bored and he liked it that way.

Currently, he was working on a broken ship in an unbroken bottle, sharpening the edges on a set of rusty gardening tools, and tuning up an old motorcycle engine. And now that he’d taken care of the wheel that had come off Brian’s tractor, he should probably find something else to add to his collection. He liked to think about these ongoing projects at all times and having four concurrent ones to ponder always felt like a nice, round number.

Yet unfortunately, he had plans tonight.

They were plans he’d tried his hardest to get out of, but when Tim Blum wanted something, he tended to get it. Also, he hadn’t been over to his friend’s house in months. Tonight was Tim and Amanda’s ten-year anniversary, and since they’d decided to renew their vows, his buddy had insisted— demanded , really—that Zeke show up.

He wasn’t happy about it.

Zeke especially wasn’t happy about having to dress up or at least dress up according to Montana standards. He wore the cowboy boots in his closet that were clean and shiny but pinched his toes, accompanied by a pair of black jeans, his best denim shirt, and a sport coat his dad claimed had shrunk on him. Zeke felt pretty certain the coat wasn’t to blame—his dad had gained a good thirty pounds in the past decade—but he accepted the offering nonetheless.

The only issue he had was that the sport coat gave off the odor of moth balls, so he’d been forced to spray the thing down in one of those scent removers about a dozen times. Then, he’d let it sit in the diluted winter sun.

By the time he put it on, the smell was mostly gone.

Still, he felt almightily uncomfortable, and not just due to his toes being pinched. This was the largest gathering he’d been a part of in a long while, and he knew he shouldn’t simply flee from these people. He knew most of them, so it wasn’t familiarity that was the problem. No, he just didn’t enjoy being around big groups. Or making small talk. Or socializing, in general.

Yet, he couldn’t say no to standing up for his best friend.

“Welcome all,” the officiate began once the group of at least two hundred and fifty had fallen silent. The Overlook Grand Mountain Lodge event venue was one of the only places in town that could accommodate such a sizable crowd. “We are gathered here today to join in the blessed renewal of the commitment that Amanda and Tim wish to make to each other for a second time in the presence of their nearest and dearest…”

The guy droned on and on, but Zeke did his best not to reveal the boredom creeping through his system. Instead, he fixated on a bright blonde head in the crowd, one that had the distinction of having a lot of springy curls. A ridiculous amount, if he was honest. Then, a little too late, he realized who that head belonged to.

The woman from Tim’s office. And she’d just locked gazes with him.

He hadn’t spent any time actually taking in her appearance when he’d come across her at his friend’s practice, but now… he couldn’t seem to glance away. Beyond all those curls were these pale blue eyes that reminded him of a summer sky just after sunrise. The color along the horizon that was so light blue as to almost be white. She had pert features, too, a small nose and delicate mouth that only made those eyes of hers more beguiling.

He blinked and as people started to clap, the curly blonde broke their connection. Amanda and Tim were kissing one minute and marching back down the aisle the next, so he added his own handful of awkward claps to the chaotic mix.

Zeke lost track of the woman until after the cake-cutting at the reception. He’d just taken a giant bite of the cake—a sugary buttercream number that was close to perfection—when he spotted her way across the expansive reception hall.

Ms. Curly Blonde drew attention to herself like flames drew in moths. She flitted about from one group of attendees to the next, pausing by Amanda. He didn’t know where Tim had wandered off to, and to be one hundred percent candid, he didn’t care that much. He was intrigued by the blonde and felt a strong need to keep tabs on her, even though he didn’t want her to notice him. Zeke watched as the pair of women peeked over in his direction and had to fight the impulse to duck.

It was one thing to study her when she didn’t know it and something altogether different to have her be aware of his scrutiny. Worse, Amanda raised a glass toward him with an enormous smile on her face. And directly after that, the curly blonde aimed her high-heeled steps his way.

He froze like a deer caught in headlights.

“Hello, again,” she greeted him like they were the oldest and dearest of childhood friends. “You’re my brother’s best buddy, Zeke, right?”

Great, Amanda must’ve let the cat out of the bag. Of course, Ms. Curly Blonde would’ve noticed him standing up there by Tim today. The messaging wasn’t exactly subtle. Also, that meant this could be none other than Callie Blum, his buddy’s baby sister, a sibling Tim had mentioned often in passing. Zeke searched his brain for information about her, but he was notoriously bad about pretending to listen when he actually wasn’t.

From what he could recall, she’d lived in another state, likely Washington since that was where Tim had hailed from. Made sense. Not that he paid much mind to other people’s places of origin. One thing he did pay mind to was how she didn’t look a thing like the rest of his friend’s family.

While the Blum’s were tan skinned with narrow features, Callie had a rounder facial structure and one of the palest complexions he’d ever seen. It was like an alabaster bowl he’d once found in his mom’s attic. It basically glowed.

She glowed.

He thought all of this but didn’t voice a word of it. Instead, he offered her a brief bob of his head.

“Uh, yeah,” he said with his usual lack of social grace. “Zeke Knight.”

“Ooh, I’m so glad I’m finally getting to meet you more formally.” Then, the woman had the audacity to loop her arm around his. “So, tell me about yourself. I want to hear all of it. Every pertinent detail.”

He attempted to pull free of her, but it was as if she had suckers like an octopus, which didn’t make releasing himself without using more strength than he wanted easy. Zeke didn’t have any phobias or fear of contact with others, he simply preferred to keep his distance, and that included now.

Zeke had learned the hard way that relationships would never work, not for him. Not that he wanted to talk about that bee’s nest. Or think about it. So, he tried to avoid romance and dating—or even the possibility of them—like veterinarian’s tried to prevent parasites. Or hoof rot.

He again attempted to wriggle out of her grip. “Tim’s calling me.”

“Really?” Callie questioned him with a delighted smile, as if she didn’t believe him, holding on more tightly. “I don’t hear him. I don’t even see him.”

She had him there. His friend was nowhere to be found. Figured. Where was his buddy when he needed him?

Zeke shifted again, but she held him fast. What did this woman have on her palms, anyway? Duct tape? Also, her hands felt wonderfully warm on his arm, which meant he had to rid himself of her immediately. He already found her more interesting than he should.

Luckily, after hunting for an out, he caught site of Bryce and Lindsey Duncan. Nice. At Lindsey’s quizzical gaze, he raised his chin and half-dragged himself and by association, Callie in their direction. Zeke paused for long enough to again attempt to loosen her hand. When that didn’t readily work, he told a little fib.

Desperate times, and all that.

“Gotta go. Boss is signaling to me to come on over. Must be official ranch business.”

Whether it was the surprise of his statement or the puzzled expressions on two of the most well-known business owners of Rocky Ridge, he didn’t know, but Callie at last uncoiled her grasp on him. Zeke took advantage of this freedom and half raced across the high-ceilinged and lavishly decorated room. Dodging flower-strewn tables and ribbon bedecked chairs, he reached his quarry.

“But…” he thought he might’ve heard Callie yelp, but he kept going. In fact, he didn’t even say much to Bryce or Lindsey.

“Zeke, nice to see you out and about,” Lindsey told him cordially, since Maggie Duncan, the mother of the four Duncan brothers, frequently chose to go gallivanting across the country with her husband, Bryce’s wife had taken up the mantel of matriarch of the family.

“Lindsey,” he said, still strolling by. “Bryce.”

His boss merely offered him a nod, which was fine by Zeke. He thought he might’ve heard his name being called out by a familiar curly blonde woman’s voice, but he was already out the door.

Gone.

And considering the stickiness of the situation involving someone who happened to be his best friend’s younger sister, Zeke planned to stay that way.