Country Thunder: King Creek Cowboys Read online

  They returned with flaming dessert in water goblets.

  “Banana flambé.” Kit placed a goblet in front of Miranda, then Justin. “I hope you like bananas.”

  “Love them.” Miranda watched the blue flames dance on top of her dessert. “Looks yummy.”

  When they were all seated and the flames died out, Miranda dug into her dessert. She brought up a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate, and banana, and slipped it into her mouth. The flavors swirled over her tongue and she almost gave an orgasmic moan of delight.

  “Utterly amazing, both dessert and dinner.” Miranda gave a happy sigh when she finished her banana flambé. “You are a fantastic cook, Kit. Er, chef.”

  Kit laughed. “I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it.”

  “Do you prefer wine or whiskey?” Carter asked Miranda.

  “Wine,” Miranda said.

  Carter and Kit insisted Justin and Miranda relax in the living room as they cleared the table. It wasn’t long before they returned to the living room with bottles of wine and whiskey, and four glasses. Kit and Miranda each enjoyed a glass of merlot while Carter and Justin had whiskey.

  Miranda thoroughly enjoyed her evening with Justin’s brother and sister-in-law. They ended up staying well into the evening, Miranda having had two glasses of wine while Justin kept his consumption at the one whiskey.

  When they made their goodbyes, Kit hugged Miranda. “I hope we can get together again soon.”

  “I’d like that,” Miranda said. “I’ve had a wonderful time.”

  Carter gave Miranda a big hug, too. “Great to get to spend some time with you, Miranda.”

  She smiled. “Yes.”

  Justin received and gave hugs before they returned to the truck and headed home.

  Miranda looked at Justin. “Is the rest of your family as great as Carter and Kit?”

  He placed his hand over hers. “I like to think so.”

  She smiled. It had been a terrific evening, Carter and Kit having put her at ease almost immediately. It had felt so relaxing being with them. So comfortable. She hoped she’d have the opportunity to spend more time with them.

  Now she had to bring up something a little more nerve-wracking. “I mentioned my parents will be here Thursday.”

  He nodded. “I’d love to meet them.”

  Miranda cleared her throat. “I have to warn you. They think I should get back with Craig, so they probably won’t approve of you.”

  He glanced at her. “Even after what your ex did to you?”

  “They don’t know about that.” Her voice came out low. “I didn’t tell anyone. I guess because I was embarrassed, but also because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. My parents have known him since we were in elementary school, and everyone loves him.” She sighed. “He’d always been a good guy—until he lost his job and started drinking. He became a stranger to me because I’d never seen him like that. He wasn’t the same man I grew up with and married.”

  Justin looked like he was considering what she’d said. “Do you think maybe they have the right to know?”

  Miranda’s cheeks burned. “Honestly, I didn’t want everyone else’s perception to change about the person they love and care for. I guess I’ve held onto what he used to be when it came to everyone else. I was the only one affected by that change.”

  “If he does eventually move on, that could happen to the next woman.”

  She bit her lower lip. She hadn’t thought of that. “You could be right, but it’s not up to me to make sure all his future relationships are sound. I can only take care of myself, and I did what I thought was right for me.”

  Justin glanced at her. “I’m not judging you, Miranda. It doesn’t seem to be fair for you to have carried this burden alone.”

  She remained quiet for a moment. “I know you’re right. My parents would struggle with it, but in the long run they would believe me. I’m afraid of what my dad might do though.”

  “What do you think he’d do?”

  She pushed her fingers through her hair. “He’d go right up to Craig and light him up a blue streak. Craig wouldn’t know what hit him once my dad got through telling him where, when, and how.”

  Justin gave her a little smile. “Your dad sounds like a good man.”

  She laughed. “You’re right, he is. Mom’s a good woman, too, but on the pushy, commanding side.”

  “I’d still like to meet them,” Justin said.

  She hesitated. “You’re sure?”

  “A hundred percent.”

  “Okay.” She blew out her breath. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  He smiled at her. “Consider me duly warned.”

  She relaxed in her seat. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe her parents would let go of their hope she’d get back with Craig. If not, she’d have to tell them why she left him.

  “What does your dad like to talk about?” Justin asked.

  “Fishing, the Dallas Cowboys, and traveling around the U.S.,” Miranda said. “He’s a big history buff.”

  “We have a lot in common,” Justin said.

  She smiled. “That’s true.”

  “And your mom? What does she like?”

  Miranda looked thoughtful. “She’s not your typical mom. She’s not into crafts, she doesn’t do horses or fishing. She shops.”

  “Not sure I’m any good when it comes to that,” Justin said. “Unless it’s livestock and supplies, I’m out of my league.”

  “Definitely not those things,” Miranda said. “Mom’s a shopping champ. Clothes, purses, furniture, décor, and kitchen gadgets. She is a fabulous cook.”

  Justin laughed. “I’m striking out all over the place.”

  “The best thing is to get my dad on your side.” Miranda grinned. “Win over Dad and you’ve won half the battle.”

  Justin pointed to the sky. “A shooting star.”

  She looked through the front windshield. “I see it.”

  “It’s lucky to see a shooting star.” He flashed her a grin. “Make a wish.”

  She closed her eyes and made the most schoolgirl wish she’d ever made. That things would work out with her and Justin.

  “Done.” She opened her eyes and smiled.

  He answered her smile. “What did you wish for?”

  “Ha.” She shook her head. “No telling about wishes.”

  He gave her a cocky grin, as if he knew exactly what she had wished. Her whole body tingled in response.

  She looked at the clock that showed it was almost nine-thirty. “When do you need to be home?”

  “I told Shari I’d be back by ten-thirty.”

  She gave him what she hoped was a sexy look when he looked at her. “Then you have a little time to spare?”

  Hunger flared in his gaze. “Seems I do.”

  She turned her palm face up and he linked his fingers with hers and squeezed.

  Her belly did an amazing number of flip-flops as they neared her home. It had been a great evening, which was going to turn perfect by the time the night ended for them.

  Chapter 12

  The sound of a car driving up caught Miranda’s attention and she smiled. Had to be her parents. She walked out of her home, into the bright sunshine, and met her parents’ car in the driveway.

  Her mom, Betty, stepped out of the rental car and shut the door, her flowy multi-colored caftan ruffling in the breeze. Richard, her father, climbed out at the same time.

  Miranda went to her mom and hugged her, the familiar scent of jasmine flowing over her. “Hi, Mom.”

  Betty leaned back and took Miranda by the shoulders and gave her a once over. “You look good.” She gave a big sigh. “I dare say you’d look even better at home where you belong.”

  Miranda tried not to laugh at her mother’s predictability. “So glad you’re here.” She turned to her father, who had just reached them. “Hello, Dad.”

  “How’s my one and only girl?” Richard enveloped her in a big hug. “Y
ou wear Arizona well.”

  “I’m doing well.” She stepped back and looked from Richard to Betty. “I’ve missed you both so much.”

  “Then it’s time to come home,” Betty stated.

  “I am home.” Miranda swept her arm out to encompass her house, corrals, and barn. “This is where I belong now.”

  Betty looked around her silently before resting her gaze on the mobile home. “That’s where you live?” Her tone was disapproving.

  Miranda tried not to bristle. There was nothing wrong with living in a mobile home, but she didn’t want to go into that. “It’s temporary, until my house is built.” She gestured to the location where the construction workers would start on her new home. “They’ve been delayed on another project, so mine won’t get started for another month.”

  “I’d like to see the blueprints.” Richard loved architecture, and even if this was just a house, he’d enjoy looking things over.

  “It doesn’t look like it will be very big.” Betty looked skeptically at the spot. “Is the floorplan nice?”

  “It’s bigger than it looks from here.” Miranda held back a sigh. “I’ll show you the floorplan of my new home, which will be perfect for me.” She smiled brightly. “Come on in.”

  Betty and Richard joined Miranda as she walked to the front door of her current home. She opened the door and let her parents in before following them and shutting the door. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the brightness of the outside to the dim interior.

  “Have a seat at the breakfast table.” She liked the brightness of the kitchen over the darker living room. “I have orange and apple juice, lemonade, and iced tea.”

  “Orange juice,” her dad said as she’d expected.

  Her mom was harder to predict. “Lemonade would be perfect,” Betty said. “It’s warm outside.”

  “You’ve got it.” Miranda ducked into the fridge and grabbed the carton of orange juice and pitcher of pink lemonade. Her lemonade wasn’t fresh squeezed like Kit’s had been, but it wasn’t bad.

  After Miranda had poured the drinks, including lemonade for herself, she carried them to the small table where her parents sat. She set the drinks down, then took the only remaining chair at the table since it seated three.

  “Looks like a nice little town,” Richard said. “Pretty small considering you aren’t far from the Phoenix area.”

  “Traffic was terrible.” Betty gave a dramatic sigh. They’d flown into Sky Harbor Airport, which was a high-traffic location.

  “It does get busy there.” Miranda looked from her mom to her dad. “I like the smallness of King Creek. I just hope it is many years before Phoenix sprawls out any farther. Justin thinks it’ll be a long while.”

  “Who is Justin?” Betty spoke sharply.

  Miranda swallowed. She didn’t want to explain her personal relationship with him—not yet. “He owns one of the ranches around here. I work with his daughter, Kaycee. She got thrown from a stallion and has a fear of getting on a horse again. She’s making good progress, so hopefully it won’t be long before she’s back in the saddle.”

  Betty looked slightly appeased that Miranda had been talking about one of her client’s parents, and not someone she was dating. “Do you have many clients?”

  “I am currently booked up for the next two months.” Miranda couldn’t help a smile. “So yes, I have plenty of clients.”

  “Sounds like you’re doing well here.” Richard set down his empty orange juice glass.

  Betty frowned at Richard. Clearly, she didn’t want Miranda to get too used to being here.

  “When are you returning to Texas?” Betty asked. “You certainly can’t like it here better than home. Your family and friends are there, not here.”

  There it was, faster than Miranda had expected.

  She didn’t want to get into it with her parents, especially her mom. “Why don’t you two move here? I’d love to have you closer.”

  Betty sniffed. “All of our friends are back in Texas, where you belong.”

  “I’ve found a few things we can do while you’re here.” Miranda looked at her dad, who loved nature and gardens. “The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is supposed to be incredible.”

  “I’ve heard of it.” Richard nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “The Phoenix area has a lot of restaurants.” Miranda looked to her mom, who loved fine dining. “One in particular in North Scottsdale came highly recommended. We can go there tomorrow night after we visit the gardens.”

  Miranda went on, “Thursday is the barbeque special night at the King Creek Corral, a local restaurant. I thought that would be a good place to eat tonight and you can enjoy the local color, and I know how you love barbeque, Dad.”

  They were also meeting Justin there. She had a pretty good idea how that would go over—as in not go over well at all. But she had to get her parents used to the idea of her dating men, of which she hoped would begin and end with Justin. This would be the first test.

  Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

  Justin swallowed a drink of Coke as he waited at the bar of the King Creek Corral, known to locals simply as the Corral. He had a view of the front door and wanted to make sure he spotted Miranda and her folks before they were seated.

  He cracked open a peanut shell from a small tin bucket on the bar top, then tossed the shells onto the sawdust and peanut shell-covered floor, as was expected of patrons.

  From the time he’d started dating as a teenager, he’d never had a problem winning over parents. He had a feeling that things weren’t going to be so easy with Miranda’s mom and dad. If they were set on her getting back with her ex, it was going to be a tough sell to get them to accept him as their daughter’s man. Boyfriend and girlfriend seemed too juvenile when it came to him and Miranda. She was his woman and he was her man.

  Miranda walked through the front door, followed by a woman with her dark hair in a knot on top of her head, and a thickset man who looked like he’d gone prematurely gray.

  Justin slid off his barstool, leaving his Coke behind. He walked over the sawdust-covered floor to Miranda, who gave him a nervous smile when he reached them.

  “Mom, Dad.” She caught her parents’ attention. “This is Justin McLeod. He’s having dinner with us.” She turned to Justin. “This is my mom, Betty, and my dad, Richard.”

  Betty looked startled, then like she was holding back a frown. Instead she gave a tightlipped smile as he took her hand and gave it a firm but gentle grip. “A pleasure, Mrs. Hawthorne.”

  “Mr. McLeod,” she said before removing her hand from his.

  “Justin, please.” He smiled.

  She gave a slight nod. “You may call me Betty.” She sounded like it was all she could do to be polite.

  He extended his hand to Richard. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hawthorne.”

  “Call me Richard.” He gripped Justin’s hand hard enough to crack his knuckles.

  Justin resisted shaking his hand out after Richard released it.

  He moved closer to Miranda to let her parents know he wasn’t intimidated but refrained from kissing her or putting his arm around her. He didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable—or more uncomfortable than she already was.

  “The hostess is ready to seat us.” Miranda looked brightly to each one of them, an act that seemed a little forced.

  They waited for Betty and Richard to go first. Justin followed with Miranda, resting his hand lightly on her lower back.

  She looked over her shoulder and mouthed, “Sorry.”

  He smiled and winked.

  She smiled in return.

  After the two women were seated in the booth, Richard slid in next to his wife, and Justin moved in beside Miranda.

  Betty’s expression remained frigid, cold coming off her in waves. Richard looked appraisingly at Justin, as if examining him up, down, and inside out.

  The server showed up immediately following the hostess’s exit. She took
their drink orders with a promise to return for their meal choices.

  Everyone turned their attention to their menus. The loud chatter around the restaurant and the country music kept at bay what would have been absolute silence. Justin didn’t feel the need to attempt to break the ice with Miranda’s parents. He’d let her keep control of the conversation and their interactions. Justin intended to be himself.

  The server arrived with their drinks and took their dinner orders before retreating.

  Justin drank from his large iced tea mug and waited.

  Miranda broke the silence. “I mentioned to you earlier that Justin’s daughter is my client.”

  Betty raised a brow. “I see. You are dating a client’s parent.”

  “Miranda is excellent at her job,” Justin said. “Kaycee will be back on a horse in no time. I can see her itching to. With your daughter’s help, it will be soon.”

  “I’ve seen her in action,” Richard said. “She’s great with kids.”

  Betty sniffed.

  “I understand you’re a Cowboy’s fan,” Justin said to Richard. “Last year was a good year for Dallas.”

  Richard nodded. “Are you a fan?”

  “Arizona Cardinals.” Justin relaxed in his seat. “Been a huge fan since I was a kid.”

  “You must have been young.” Richard seemed to be warming up.

  “I was born in 1988, the year they came to Arizona as the Phoenix Cardinals.” Justin brought up the game between the Cowboys and the Cardinals last fall. Richard obviously loved his Cowboys, which had won the last matchup.

  Miranda spoke with her mom, who was clearly still uptight. Justin heard Miranda say something about shopping at the Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons, and her mom’s icy demeanor melted a little. Not much, but some.

  The server arrived with a helper and their BBQ dinners were set before them, along with a basket of cornbread squares and ramekins with honey butter. Both Richard and Justin dug in to the cornbread, their conversation moving on to fishing.

  Justin wanted to include Betty, but it was clear she had no interest in anything they talked about, or in talking with Justin, period. He was truly at a loss as to how to connect with Betty. She wasn’t like any of the moms he’d met in the past.