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Rita Hestand Author
Category:
Romance
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN-10: 1449588565
Pages: 166
Copyright: Oct 5, 2009
ISBN-13: 9781449588564
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
A short contemporary romance novel. A sensual romance. Angela Cummings thought she had Mr. Right. Greg was handsome, respectable, smart, what more could she ask for? Except maybe...her son didn't like him. Then in rides Cooper Johnson on a broken down Harley, looking sexier than a man had a right to. But Cooper didn't seem to have much to offer...except maybe his love
A short contemporary romance novel. A sensual romance. Angela Cummings has been a widow for over ten long years. She thinks she's found Mr. Right in Greg Thompson, he's smart, handsome, respectable and what more could she ask for? Except maybe...her son to like him.
Then Cooper Johnson rides into town on a broken down Harley looking sexier than a man has a right to. Angela grew up with Coop, he even knew her husband.
Cooper is a searching man, looking for the elusive thing called a home. He's wandered far and wide and wants to settle down, but he doesn't show any outward signs of having much to offer a woman...except his love.
Can Angela go through with her plans with Greg when it's Coop that offers her love instead.
How can she marry one when her heart is with another?
Excerpt
Angela Cummings let out a muffled wail, as John Wayne stood above the rocks watching his mother's funeral in The Sons of Katie Elder, a little old man half turned in his seat to shush her from a couple of aisles down. She didn't know him personally, but she'd seen him in the theater before.
"Sorry," she muttered, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.
"You always were a sucker for this one, Angel," came a deep, husky voice that both startled and awakened her senses.
Angela whirled about, knocking half her popcorn onto the floor and nearly spilling her soft drink.
"I don't believe it—Cooper Johnson?" she shrieked as several people glanced their way.
"The one and only, but you're obstructing my view with all that hair artillery. I thought curlers went out a long time ago."
Angela's mouth hung in unwhispered gasp. She must have looked pretty ridiculous, as Cooper Johnson reached the distance to close it for her. His warm hand sent a river of reactions through her.
"Watch out, Angel, I might think you're glad to see me."
"Just a little surprised," she said trying to find her voice.
He leaned forward again, his warm breath tickling her scalp as he spoke. "Missed me?"
"Not really," she said and turned back around as though dismissing a pestering fly. "What brings you back to town?"
"You, naturally," he said smiling devilishly as she glanced at him over her shoulder.
Without warning, he slid a leg over the seat next to her and joined her. Her heart did a quick flip flop when she came almost eye-to-eye with him. She had forgotten how handsome he was, and how easily he aroused her senses.
He took her popcorn. "Maybe I better hold this, if we don't want it all over the floor."
He offered her the popcorn. Her popcorn.
Exasperation climbed all over her, but she squashed it with a purpose.
"I love this movie."
His eyes swept over her like a broom leaving wisps in its journey. "Yeah," he said with a husky note, and finally chuckled softly, his long arm stretching behind her. "They don't make them like the Duke anymore, do they?"
Again the little man in front turned around, "Do you mind? I'm trying to watch this movie."
Cooper nodded.
"No, they don't." Angela deliberately ignored the little man. "I love John Wayne, though." She saw the look Cooper Johnson was giving her and rushed to explain. "I mean, oh, not like you're thinking. More like a father. He's an icon, an image of what a real man should be."
"I can relate to that. He's a hard image to live up to, though."
"I seriously doubt anyone could," she quipped.
Suddenly, Cooper Johnson was smiling at her, a devastating smile that curled her toes, and made her heartbeat quicken. "There is, was, and always will be only one John Wayne."
"Darn straight."
Obviously perturbed by their constant talking, the little man got up and moved to the other side of the theater.
"Oops," Angela chuckled softly.
His hand fell against her shoulder, and she practically jumped out of her seat. Again he chuckled, obviously delighted by her reactions. The devil was in Cooper Johnson's eyes.
"You know," he drawled, his eyes traveling about the theater with open amusement. "It's hard to believe this place is still open. Most inside theaters are closing down these days. Nice to see some things don't change. Gosh, I remember hitching rides with my grandfather just to see the Saturday Matinees. John Wayne was usually a special back then. I'd get up before daylight to get my chores done in time. Most of the kids were here to watch Superman, but not me. No, I loved the shoot 'em ups."
Angela's mind fluttered back in time to her younger years. Cooper had been the big kid on the neighboring farm. They both walked to school on the same road every day, but never together. Cooper paid little or no attention to a skinny little girl in pig tails and braces.
"It was the only place to be on those long, hot Saturdays," she said with a slight curl to her lips. "They tried to tear it down once. But the townspeople got together and asked the owners if they would leave it open for late night oldies."
"And were you one of those townspeople?"
"Naturally."
"Somehow, I'm not surprised. I mean you were the only girl I ever knew who liked old movies better than the new ones. And, as I remember, you liked the shoot 'em ups as well."
"Didn't know you noticed."
"Hard not to when a little girl grows up practically in your own back yard."
"So, how's Josh?"
She was so used to answering the question, she did it automatically. "He's growing like a Loco Weed. He's ten now, and at times, quite a handful."
"Has it been that long? I'll bet Ed and Josie are proud."
Angela grew tense at the mention of her parents, her smile fading, as though someone erased it. Like opening a festering sore that wouldn't heal.
"I—I wouldn't know Coop. I haven't seen or spoken to them in years."
His surprise was genuine. "You're kidding?"
"No, I'm not."
He turned toward her, his eyes scanning her with purpose. "You mean to tell me, they're still sore about you marrying Raif?"
"And other things. I lived with them after Raif died. For a while. I fought with them for nine months about having Josh. They thought I was too young to be a mother. And dad couldn't take it after old man Sullivan fired him from the mill. I took the bad mouthing as long as I could stand it. But after Josh was born, and I saved up enough money, I got out of there. It took three years, but I did it. You just can't go home…after something like that."
One of the brothers died on screen and Angela couldn't stop her tears, or was it simply the fact that Cooper dredged up old memories she preferred not to deal with.
He handed her a hankie from his back pocket.
"I suppose the Sullivan's made up for it, though?"
Again Angela wanted to cry. "Not hardly. Raif's sister, Reba convinced the Sullivan's that Josh wasn't related. Something about the Sullivan men having a special birthmark. Raif had one on his arm, but I never paid much attention to it, at the time. I think poor Mrs. Sullivan was upset about the rejection, though. She was very fond of Josh. She had visited him every week before Reba came up with the startling conclusion. I was so upset with them I decided to change our name back to Cummings. I felt Raif would understand."
"Sounds like a bad soap opera. So, what are you doing in this one horse town, then?"
Angela dried her eyes, and blew her nose. "When I left my folks, I called my uncle and he invited me and Josh to come and live with him. He wasn't in the best of health, and needed our help as badly as we needed him. Unfortunately, he died a couple of years ago and left his farm to Josh and I. Since then, we've have made Corsicana our home."
"Moved to the big city, did ya?" He smiled at her.
She shrugged and returned her attention to the movie.
"That must be your Uncle Henry?"
"Why, Coop," Angela said looking at him squarely, and slipping into the familiar nickname she used to use, "I didn't know you knew Uncle Henry."
Cooper nodded, his eyes crinkled, and a slow, invading smile lit his face. "Oh, yeah, Henry Gates and I go way back. I worked for him when I first left home, ironically. I think he must have helped every green horn kid this side of the Red River get a foot hold. I'm sorry to hear about him passing on, though. I was fond of him."
"I never knew you worked for Uncle Henry. Doing what?"
"Farming, what else. But I doubt he would have talked about me, or any other kid he helped. I never heard the man brag."
"But what happened to your family, Coop? I mean …you were so good at farming, I can't imagine you leaving home."
"I'm sure you remember how me and my old man had it out, more than once. Knock down, drag out's. At least on his side. I'd never hit him, had too much respect for him.
But there comes a time when you have to admit, things aren't going well. And, since Henry and my dad had been good friends once, I went to him. Begged him for a job. He gave me one. Got me back on my feet, gave me confidence and direction. Unfortunately, dad and I never settled our differences. He died last week. We had his funeral the other day. That's what brought me back to town."
His closeness sent a current of awareness through her as his light scented cologne teased her. Lord, he was sexy! But where was her mind? He was talking about a death.
"Oh, Coop, how insensitive of me. I read about it in the paper. I was so shocked, I mean, he was still a young man. It was his heart, wasn't it?"
Cooper nodded, his gaze going over her curiously.
"I should have gone to the funeral, but I was afraid I'd run into my folks."
"You would have, they were there. They didn't stay long, but they were there. I thought it pretty nice of them to come, since dad wasn't the best of neighbors."
"So, how's your mother and Brag taking it?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Mom's doing better than I expected. It's Brag who can't accept it. They were pretty tight."
"Yes, I remember."
Angela pretended to be absorbed in the movie, but every now and then she'd catch a glimpse of him through the corner of her eyes. Handsome like an aged oak tree that weathers the storms. A seasoned man. His dark ash-brown hair hung loosely to his collar, tapered and neat. Oh, yes, age looked good on Cooper Johnson, Angela decided quietly.
Cooper wasn't as old as Greg, her fiancé, maybe thirty-three or four. But there was no comparing Greg and Cooper. They were two entirely different people. Complete opposites. Greg was like an older Ken doll, immaculate in every respect. Cooper simply exuded a raw, male sensuality that couldn't be ignored.
"I suppose you and Caroline are married now, with a house full of kids?" She asked the question before contemplating why.
He smiled paying more attention to her than the movie. "Hardly. She married Kenneth Martin seven or eight years ago. Last I heard, they moved to Dallas."
He dug into her popcorn, unmindful of her pleated frown. "Kenneth Martin? But I thought you and she…"
"There were a lot of girls back then. Mostly big boobs and no brains." His eyes traveled her once more, taking in her baggy sweats and rollers with renewed interest. "Don't get me wrong, Angel, I know I was pretty immature. But time has a way of changing things."
"Are you saying you've changed?"
"I'd like to think so. By the way," he said, nudging her with his elbow, teasingly. "I like your disguise. It's so…original."
"Who said—"
He shook his head and gave her soft chuckle. "Ah, come on, Angel, nobody wears artillery anymore. Who are you hiding from?"
She made a face at him, bringing back childhood memories of his constant teasing.
When she didn't answer, he leaned toward and whispered. "So, have you remarried?"
"No." Then seeing his sardonic glance she went on to explain. "And it's not because I'm pining away for Raif. But I do have a child to raise, you know."
He was a hunter, his grin entrapping her like a snare. "That's good news. It makes my trip here worth it. You know you're about the last person I figured I'd run into. Last time I saw you, you were rounder, and prettier than a snowman at Christmas."
"I was pregnant!" she said nearly choking, her skin suffusing with a blush she was sure he couldn't see.
"Mm, and on you it looked good, Angel."
She could feel his eyes on her.
It made her nervous, and she bit a fingernail.
"Some things never change. Be seeing you, Angel."
And then he was gone, as quickly as he had appeared.
~ * ~
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