She gave him a doubtful once-over. “You look like you can barely take care of yourself, Mr. Rodeo Cowboy. Did I hear right? You have busted ribs? And does the splint mean you have a broken arm?”

  He sighed loudly and sat down. “Yep. I had an out that went all to hell,” he said with the same disgust he’d felt that day. “But I can help feed and easy chores like that.”

  She stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “I’ll remember that, Rodeo. And I appreciate the offer.”

  He caught her gaze before she looked down. It was filled with a new warmth. His heart thumped, and he bit back a smile.

  She opened a sealed pack of cards and began to shuffle as Wayne sat down at the table. “How about we trade off dealing tonight, Alexis? We haven’t done that in a while, and I need to change my luck bad,” the older rancher said with a grimace.

  She shrugged. “No problem. I’ll start, and then we’ll shift to the left.” Dave had come in, and he took the seat next to her. “Dave, we’re shuffling the deal tonight. You feeling lucky? You’re dealing after me.”

  Dave chuckled. “I could use some luck after some of the hands I had last night.”

  Wayne laughed. “That’s what I said.”

  Her hands manipulated the cards with easy precision, shuffling them time after time.

  Dane asked, “When did you learn to play poker, Alexis?”

  She looked up and met his gaze, an edge of pain in her eyes. “My daddy taught me when I was five. He loved playing cards, and my mom said it was a waste of time, so he had nobody to play with at home until he taught me.”

  Her gaze grew faraway. “We wagered kernels of deer corn, and my daddy was tough. He didn’t let me win, but he always explained why I’d lost. I soon learned strategy and how to figure out what cards might be in play and what might be in the deck. He taught me how to read tells and what to do with that information.”

  “By the time I was in my early teens, he let me bet real money with his buddies—just small pots, but it was exciting. I was hooked. I loved the game, and I’ve enjoyed playing ever since. It’s just that, until recently, I never made the time.”

  She frowned and looked down at the cards, the muscles in her jaw bunching as she clenched her teeth.

  Damn, he wished he knew what had gone wrong for her. Wished that he could help.

  “That’s quite a story,” Dane said. “I’ve been playing since high school. Well, playing seriously since I went on the road. A lot of cowboys kill time playing cards when they’re not traveling between rodeos. Going out on the town palls pretty quickly. You get tired, and you just want to hunker down in peace and quiet and hit the sack when you’re ready. It’s like any other job.”

  He took a sip of his Kentucky bourbon. “Alexis, I’m thirty-four, so that makes it twelve solid years of intense playing. I can’t even imagine how good you are after playing seriously since you were five. That makes, what? Twenty-six years?”

  She smiled. “Pretty damned good—but then there’s Lady Luck to consider. Poker is as much in the cards as it is in the skill.” She looked around the table where all of the players were now seated. “Who feels lucky tonight, gentlemen?”

  “Let’s play and find out,” Carl said with a nod to Alexis. “I’m ready for Lady Luck to bless me.”

  Alexis sped the cards to the men, two down and the final one up.

  Dane looked at his cards. King, jack, and nine of spades. Interesting. He kept his face carefully blank as the bets went around the table. He was dealt a faceup ten of spades on the next round. His pulse picked up speed as he looked at his hand. Next, he was dealt the seven of hearts. He stayed in the game. Alexis looked to have a good hand going as well, judging by the cards he could see on the table. He kept an eye on her.

  When he received the faceup ten of diamonds, his heart plummeted. He took a drink of his bourbon, managing his poker face perfectly. He had one more card coming to get a king-high straight flush.

  He wouldn’t put it past Alexis to have four of a kind or a full house, based on what she was showing on the board. But he would beat her if he got his queen.

  Then he realized that he didn’t want to beat her. He wanted her to win every hand—to take home as much money as she possibly could. Yet he couldn’t let it be obvious that he was helping her when he bowed out of hands that he felt he could win.

  The final card came facedown. Damn! It was his queen. Careful of his expression, he added it to his hand. And when the bet came to him, he folded.

  A tiny frown creased Alexis’s forehead and quickly disappeared. Did she suspect that he’d thrown the hand?

  She won with four of a kind, as he’d suspected. The other men groaned.

  “Alexis, does your luck ever change?” Jim asked.

  “Oh, yeah, it does. I quit playing then. I don’t believe in going up against Lady Luck.”

  Dane ended the evening thirty-five dollars ahead, and he’d made that amount before his decision to throw the hands if he had to. He was the final man to leave the table, as he’d ordered a drink at last call.

  Alexis said, “I’ve been wondering something, Rodeo.”

  He had a feeling he knew what was coming. “What’s that?”

  “Why did you fold your hand when you had a straight flush of spades?” She seemed perplexed, not angry.

  “How do you know I did that?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Come on, now, I wasn’t born yesterday. You’re good, but you had the hand.”

  He decided that honesty would serve him best. “Alexis, you’re here every night for a reason. I don’t know what that is, but I suspect you’ve got money trouble. I’m not going to add to it. I want to help.”

  The corners of her mouth drew down. “I don’t need your charity, Dane.”

  “It’s not charity I’m offering; it’s friendship.” He took another swallow from his glass, his gaze never leaving hers.

  Her eyes changed from challenging to vulnerable, and she looked down at her hands. “It’s not necessary.”

  “I think it is,” he said quietly. “You’re on your own, and that’s a mighty tough place to be when trouble comes knocking.”

  She nodded and stood up. “Thanks, Dane. You’re sweet. But I’m doing okay.”

  He knew that she wasn’t, but she had her pride, and the last thing he wanted to do was take that from her too. “That’s good, then.”

  “Can I ask you a question? You don’t have to answer if you feel it’s intrusive,” he said.

  She’d started to walk away, but she turned back. After a few seconds, she said, “Go ahead.”

  “What’s your purpose in gambling every night here at the Cow? I know you must have a reason.” He held his breath, desperately hoping that she’d answer.

  After a long moment, she said, “I’m building a stake, and then I’m going to Vegas or Reno or Atlantic City—somewhere that I can make some real money.”

  It suddenly all made sense. He didn’t know what kind of problem she was facing or how much money she needed, but it must be a lot. “I see. Good night, Alexis.”

  “Good night.”

  He had a lot of thinking to do if he was going to make a difference in Alexis’s life. He couldn’t stand the thought of her facing her trouble alone. The problem was getting around that prickly pride of hers. But he was damn sure going to do that very thing.

  Alexis settled into bed after a quick shower and called her friend Jennifer Brown, who was a fellow night owl. Jennifer owned the local ice cream shop, which didn’t open until eleven in the morning. She always said that it was the perfect scenario—staying up late, then sleeping in and spending the rest of her day serving the best dessert in the world to the good people of Horsehead.

  Jennifer answered with her usual, “How rich are you tonight?”

  Alexis smiled. “I made almost $400. It was a good night.”

  “So tell me, was Mr. Sexy playing again this evening?”

  Alexis rolled her eyes and smiled. “Yes, Mr. Sexy came in. That’s kind of why I’m calling. I’m not sure what to think about the guy. He deliberately lost several hands this evening, and when I asked him about it, he said that he figured I was in trouble, and he wanted to help me. Jennifer, what am I supposed to do? I don’t know the man. I barely knew him in high school. Don’t you think it’s strange?”

  “Strange? Hmm. Maybe a little, but I also think it’s incredibly sweet. And let’s face it, girlfriend. You can use all the help you can get.”

  “But I can’t take charity, Jennifer. I feel awful enough as it is.” She sighed and turned off the bedside lamp. The darkness was comforting as she contemplated the desperate position that she was in.

  “Don’t think of it as charity. Think of it as a helping hand, one rancher to another. It’s what Texans do. You know that.”

  Alexis massaged her tense forehead for a long moment while she thought about it. “You’re right. It’s a Texan thing, I guess, and I shouldn’t let it get to me. Losing a few games is harmless enough. Thanks, Jen. I’m glad you were still awake.”

  “Me too, honey. You’ve got it tough enough. You don’t need to be worrying about this silly business too. Good night.”

  Deciding that she was too anxious to sleep, she got up and went downstairs for a cup of hot cinnamon tea, her favorite go-to when she couldn’t relax. While she was letting it steep, her Gran walked into the kitchen. Alexis stood and gave her a gentle hug. “What are you doing up at this time of night?”

  “Your Gramps is hurting something fierce, and I came in to get him one of his pills, honey. Can’t you sleep? I hate to see you staying out at that bar until all hours of the night. Anything could happen to you, sweetheart.”

  “Try not to worry, Gran. Horsehead’s a safe town.” She hadn’t told her grandparents about the problem at the bank—that when her father had mortgaged the ranch thirty years ago, he’d set it up with a $180,000 balloon payment.

  She’d just found out that it was due in less than three months’ time, and the bank had already warned her that they wouldn’t refinance. She’d spoken to the other bank in town, but she had had no luck there either. Unfortunately, the Snowdens’ cattle business, like many others in the area, wasn’t doing well enough to warrant help.

  Her grandparents were still grieving terribly over the loss of their son, and she couldn’t add to their pain. So, as far as they knew, she was just hanging out at the bar night after night. She hated it that it made them think less of her, but she’d rather that than the alternative.

  Her tea finished steeping, and she took her first steaming sip. It soothed her jangled nerves, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of it heating her belly as it went down.

  Jennifer was right. It really was sweet of Dane to want to help her. She’d never heard of a serious poker player deliberately throwing a winning hand to benefit someone else at the table. It was rare and wonderful when she really thought about it. Instead of being weirded out, she should be overwhelmed by the kindness of the gesture.

  She took another sip of the sweet cinnamon tea. In fact, she decided that she was impressed by his kindness. The man was amazing, and she was grateful that he cared enough to help her.

  Suddenly feeling warm and comforted, she finished her tea in the silent old farmhouse. It had been her home since she was born and, if she had anything to do with it, it would remain her home for many years to come.

  Dane had been on the phone for the better part of the morning putting the elements of a plan in motion. There was one last thing to set up, and it was critical. He put in a call to one of his best friends. “Jace? How’s it going, bud? Have a few minutes to talk?” Jace was a local cowboy and rancher, and they’d known each other all their lives.

  “Go ahead. I’ll just finish pouring out these cubes while you talk,” Jace said as a feed sack rattled in the background.

  Dane told Jace about the situation with Alexis and his desire to help her, then added, “So, she’s hardheaded and full of pride. I was wondering, if things go my way tonight, could you feed at her place for a bit?”

  Jace chuckled. “Bro, you must have quite a plan cooked up. Sure, as long as she shows me what she needs, I’ll be glad to take care of things for Alexis. I know she’s been having a rough go of it this past year.”

  “That’s what I heard. What exactly happened with her parents?” Dane asked.

  “From what I understand, the truck driver who hit them had been fudging his hours on his digital logbook. He’d been on the road a lot longer than it showed, and he fell asleep at the wheel. Alexis took it hard. She and her dad were damn close. You never saw one in town without the other.”

  Oh Lord. She must still be devastated. “That’s really awful. I’m not sure how Alexis is managing as well as she is. That’s why I want to help if I can.”

  Jace chuckled. “You always were a softie at heart—looking out for the underdog in high school. You’re a stand-up guy.”

  “I appreciate your help, Jace. I owe you one,” Dane said.

  “No, you don’t, bro. I’ll catch you whenever I need a favor. Leave it at that.”

  Chapter Three

  By Tuesday evening, Dane had everything in place. He strode into the Purple Cow and immediately saw Alexis, meeting her gaze with a confident smile.

  She raised an eyebrow and nodded her greeting.

  After claiming his bourbon at the bar, he arrived at the table. “I’m ready for a visit from Lady Luck tonight.”

  That well-arched brow of hers rose again. “Really? I didn’t think you much cared whether you won or not.”

  “Tonight, I do, Cowgirl.”

  She gave him a slight smile. “Game on, Rodeo.”

  The other players soon drifted in, and the deal would travel around the table again that night.

  Dane played hard every hand, winning more than losing but making sure that he hedged his bets early on if Alexis had the makings of a good hand. He didn’t want to go head-to-head with her. Not yet, anyway.

  As the room became hazy with smoke and the hours passed, he took an envelope from his shirt pocket and slid it across the table to her. Wayne had the deal and shuffled noisily as she lifted the flap, her gaze never leaving Dane’s.

  When she’d opened the folded notepaper, her gaze lowered. As she read, her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open slightly. She looked up, locking eyes with him, hers narrowed as if trying to read him. Slowly she nodded, then swept the note and envelope from the table.

  Alexis steeled herself. She wouldn’t look at Dane. The words in his note had burned themselves into her brain:

  Alexis, I propose a final game at last call—just you and me. My wager is $10,000. If I lose, it’s yours. If you lose, you spend seven days and nights with me, and you do whatever I ask.

  And Lord help her, she’d agreed. That $10,000 would complete her stake for Vegas. She just couldn’t pass it up, no matter how much she dreaded fulfilling her end of the bargain if she lost.

  Wayne dealt the first three cards and, when she reached for hers, her hand was shaking. Dammit! Enough! She clenched her fist and then picked up her cards. Despite her best intentions, she glanced at Dane. His look said that he’d noticed her trembling, and his eyes were warm and encouraging.

  Returning her attention to her cards, she was determined to put the reckless wager out of her mind.

  The rest of the night passed in a blur. She won some hands and lost a few—she really had no recollection of the details.

  Last call sounded like a death knell in her ears. Yes, she desperately needed the money, but holy hell, could she really follow through with her promise if she lost the wager? Oh God, please don’t let me lose!

  She gathered the cards from the table. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse Dane and me, we have a special wager on a final game.”

  The curious men got up from the table but stood around to watch.

  Dane took an envelope stuffed with cash from his coat pocket and tossed it down.

  Alexis shoved the note back into the envelope and slid it to the center of the table.

  The men exchanged confused looks.

  Dane shuffled the cards, then dealt two down and one up. She had a king of spades turned up, and in her hand she held a jack of hearts and a nine of diamonds. He had an ace of diamonds showing.

  He dealt another face up. He had a jack of diamonds, and she’d been given a nine of spades.

  Next, he got a four of diamonds, and she received a nine of hearts. Her pulse picked up speed. She had three of a kind. Not bad. But he had three diamonds showing. A flush beat three of a kind. Damn!

  He delt the last upcard, and hers was a two of hearts. He got a five of clubs.

  Now he dealt the final card down. She received a three of spades. She wanted to howl. Three of a kind was the best she could do. She laid down her three nines, along with the king and jack.

  He smiled and tossed down his flush of diamonds.

  She’d lost. Suddenly lightheaded, she stared down at the table. How the hell was she going to fulfill her part of the bargain? Do whatever he asked for seven whole days and nights? She barely knew the man, for God’s sake.

  He stood and put the money back in his coat pocket. “Alexis, I’ll see you at your place Thursday morning at eight.” He handed her another envelope. His grin was teasing when he said, “Good game.”

  Her eyes narrowed. No way was she showing how scared she was. “See you then, Rodeo.” As he walked over to the bar to settle his tab, her heart sank to her toes. She was well and truly in the shit now, and it was her own damn greedy fault.

  She decided not to read the note until she went home and showered.

  However, by then, she still wasn’t ready. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was terrified of what was inside that envelope. The longer it went unopened, the longer she could believe that she wasn’t a complete and utter fool.

  After fixing a cup of her favorite tea, she sat at the kitchen table and slit the note open with a knife. Dane had sealed it this time. With trembling fingers, she read:

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17