Corey's Catch (West Series Book 8) Read online

  Corey’s Catch

  ~ West Series ~

  Corey & Bella

  © 2014 Jill Sanders

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  Summary

  Corey has dug himself into a hole so deep, he can’t see a way out. His only goal now is to see this rough patch through. But then Bella Thompson waltzes into his life and knocks him on his ass—figuratively and literally. Now, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to prove to her that his wild days are a thing of the past.

  Bella isn’t sure why she’s chosen to stay in the small town of Fairplay, Texas, after her aunt’s funeral. But she’s never been one to back out of a situation. And after running into one of the sexiest and most headstrong cowboys she’s ever met, she doesn’t plan to start now.

  Corey’s Catch

  by

  Jill Sanders

  Chapter One

  Corey stood on the front porch of his old man’s cabin and frowned as the police car drove away. It wasn’t the first time his old man had been hauled off, nor did he figure, would it be the last.

  Half the time anymore, he worked to pay the legal expenses from his old man’s troubles. His dad, who seemed to only be getting crazier as he got older, had been taken down to the station more than a dozen times in the past six months.

  As it was, he’d had to sell his newer truck to pay his lawyer, Grant Holton. Shaking his head and leaning against the post, he wondered how much this trip would end up costing him.

  Wes Tanner, one of Fairplay’s sheriffs, had hinted that maybe it was time to stop fighting and let his dad go into a state facility.

  “There are places for people like him,” Wes had said, wiping the sweat from his brow with a bandanna.

  “People like him?” He’d been confused.

  “Your dad’s getting up there in years. You know…” Wes had leaned on the railing of the deck. “Some people lose their minds a bit the older they get.”

  “Like Mrs. Nolan?” He’d felt anger kick him in the gut, hard and swift.

  “Hell.” Wes shook his head. “I don’t think your dad would do anything that drastic.”

  “No, but you’re suggesting it.” He’d pushed off from the porch and had stood his ground.

  Wes shrugged. “He did just shoot your neighbor’s dog with rock-salt pellets for peeing on his truck’s tire.”

  Corey sighed and relaxed a bit. “Yeah, I’ll be heading into town to see how much the vet bill will be.” He shook his head and seriously thought about buying some flowers for old Mrs. Thompson. After all, the dog was the old lady’s best friend. Actually, Corey had really liked Dutch, the woman’s albino mutt. Dutch was only in their yard because Corey had been feeding it scraps while the older lady was laid up with the flu. During the past month, he’d also been helping her out with her other animals and her ranch, which bordered his father’s property.

  Kicking the door open, he stormed in to change out of the bloody clothes and into a dress shirt and dress pants he kept at the place. He knew he had a busy day ahead of him, kissing ass and paying for his father’s bad temper.

  One of the stops on his list was to Mrs. Thompson’s place to let her know that Dutch had been taken into the vet with his hindquarters bloody and full of rock-salt pellets.

  Corey was thankful that he’d changed out the shotgun shells in the old man’s gun a few weeks back. Otherwise, the dog could have been seriously hurt and his father would be looking at bigger charges.

  His heartstrings tugged when he remembered how Dutch had looked up at him as he’d helped carry him to the back of Chase Graham’s truck. Chase was the local vet, and he’d assured Corey that Dutch would be fine and most likely ready to go home by the following day.

  Still, he knew that he couldn’t afford a vet bill on top of the lawyer bill he knew was coming, along with the bail money he’d have to come up with. Maybe it would be cheaper for him to have his dad hauled away and locked up. At least he couldn’t get his hands on a gun again.

  After showering and driving into town, he stood in the lobby of Grant’s office and waited for the bomb to drop. His next stop would be the vet clinic, but for now, he needed to see if his father could get out on bail and what exactly the charges would be.

  “Corey.” Grant opened the door and motioned for him to go in. “I just got off the phone with the courthouse.” He shut the door behind him and motioned for Corey to take a seat.

  “And?” He wiped his sweaty palms on his dress jeans.

  Grant shook his head. “Looks like they want to ship him to Tyler this time.”

  “What?” He almost jumped out of his chair. “What for? It was just rock salt.”

  Grant sat down behind his desk and nodded. “And the dozenth time he’s been seen before the judge in five months.”

  “Six,” he mumbled, resting back.

  Grant looked over at him from his computer screen. “Four and a half, actually. I know his record is pretty clean up until just before New Year’s and we talked about his health issues. But I can’t help but wonder if there is something else going on. Have you two been getting along okay?” Grant leaned closer.

  “Sure.” He shrugged. “He’s just getting moody. Like all people his age do.”

  Grant shook his head. “Most elderly don’t go from model citizens to this.” He pointed to the large file with his father’s name on it.

  “What do you suggest I do? Leave him in the pen?”

  Grant leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “What about going with the plea of insanity?”

  They’d talked about this a few times. The option, at this point, was looking better than it had a few weeks ago. After the trial, and if convicted, his father would be sent to a state facility a few towns away. The one where Travis’ mother still lived. Looking across the table at the man who’d been shot by the woman made him remember just how crazy his friend’s mother had been. Was his dad really heading down the same path? Could he really afford for the next incident to be a person instead of a dog?

  Nodding his head, he kept his eyes glued to his hands. “I guess there’s no other option at this point. I can’t always keep an eye on him. Not with the work I’ve been doing anyway.”

  He’d been doing odd jobs around town to help pay for his father’s bills for the past two years. Several times, he’d thought about leaving town and heading into Houston, but each time, his father had done something stupid like this to stop him.

  “I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Grant said, typing on his computer. “I know my brother-in-law is expecting you in his office. He’s told me that Dutch should be ready to go home tomorrow. He’s tried to get a hold of Mrs. Thompson but hasn’t been able to reach her on the phone.”

  He nodded. “She’s almost deaf at this point. I was going to stop by and talk to Chase and then head over to her place myself.” He stood up and shook Grant’s hand. “Thanks for… everything.”

  Grant nodded as he shook his hand firmly. “I know things have been hard around the place.”

  Corey knew where the conversation was going. Grant was a good man and had on several occasions tried to convince him that he didn’t need payment. “I’ll cut you a check by the end of the month.”

  “Corey, don’t put yourself in any financial trouble to—”

  Corey stopped him by holding up his hand. “I pay my debts. We’ve talked about this. You’ll have a check by the end of the month.”

  Grant sighed and nodded quickly. Corey turned and walked out as he ment
ally calculated his finances.

  He’d been working with the West brothers for the last few months. Ryan and Reece had gone into business together. The newly settled Fairplay brothers had started a horse breaking and training business together. They had over a dozen colts and broncs they were working at the moment.

  Corey worked on the ranch four days a week, which helped pay the utilities at his dad’s place and his rent at the small apartment he rented from Travis in town.

  The way things were going, he figured he’d have to temporarily move out to his father’s cabin, since it was paid off, to consolidate his own bills, which would save him a little under a thousand dollars a month.

  He walked across the street to the clinic. The bell chimed overhead as he walked into the loud, sterile room. Several townspeople sat in the chairs along the windows, holding their various pets as they waiting for their chance to see the doctor. He walked up to the counter and asked to see Chase and was shown to the back room almost immediately.

  “How’s Dutch doing?” He shook the man’s hand when he entered.

  “Good. He did lose a chunk of his thigh, but he’ll have no problems walking.” He waved him back to a long room lined with cages and stopped in front of one. Dutch was asleep, his leg wrapped tight with gauze. There was a cone on the poor dog’s neck. “He’ll have to wear that for a while and there are meds he’ll need to take.” He turned to him. “I haven’t been able to get a hold of Betty.”

  “I’m heading out there after I see Travis about something.”

  He nodded and started walking back towards the front. Corey followed him. When they got to the front, he turned and shook his hand once more. “Dutch can be picked up anytime tomorrow.”

  “I’ll see to it. I’ll pay his bill tomorrow when I get him.”

  Chase dipped his head. “I’ll have it ready for you.” He turned to go. “Corey, for what it’s worth, I don’t think Mrs. Thompson will press charges.”

  “Thanks,” he mumbled and then turned to walk out.

  It was just a few blocks to where he knew he’d find Travis, so he strolled along the sidewalk.

  The newly renovated bookstore and coffee house was pretty packed when he walked in a few minutes later. Instantly, he heard his friend’s laugh and found him near the back corner, his face buried in his new wife’s hair as she slapped at his shoulder.

  “You two need to find a room instead of making the whole town sick by having to watch this gross display of affection,” he joked as he sat in the seat across from them.

  Instead of jumping apart, Travis just held onto Holly, the bookstore owner, even tighter.

  “We were doing just fine where we were before you sat down.” Travis looked over at him and frowned as he rested back against the booth, his arm still slung around Holly’s shoulders. “We heard about what happened this morning.”

  “Course you did.” He glanced around the shop and noticed that several people were looking his way. “Everyone has by now.” He’d lived in the small town his entire life and knew how everything worked.

  Fairplay, Texas, didn’t need a local paper to hear about what was going on. Not when there was Mama’s Cafe and Holly’s Bookstore and Coffee House.

  “How’s the dog?” Holly asked.

  “He’ll be ready to go home tomorrow.”

  “It’s a good thing you replaced the shells with rock salt.” Travis frowned down at his empty coffee mug.

  He nodded, then waved to April, Holly’s manager. She walked over with a cup of his favorite coffee and a blueberry muffin. He’d gone out with the blonde a few times, but then she’d met her new boyfriend. The pair was engaged to wed, which was how most of Corey’s relationships had ended.

  “Listen…” He looked to Travis. “I wanted to talk to you about the apartment.”

  Holly leaned over and kissed Travis’ cheek. “I’ll leave you two alone. I have some things I have to see to anyway.” She stood up and smiled down at him. “I hope everything turns out okay, Corey.”

  Nodding, he took a sip of his coffee.

  “So,” Travis said, leaning back. “What’s up?”

  He took a deep cleansing breath. “I’m going to move out to the cabin for a while. Until things are square with the old man.”

  Travis nodded his head as he took a sip of his coffee. “Sure, we both knew this was coming sooner or later.”

  He felt his shoulders relax. “I know the lease isn’t…”

  Travis leaned forward. “Don’t worry about the lease. There’s a clause in there for emergencies. This applies.”

  He nodded, looking down at his cup. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it. Do you need any help? You know, moving. Or with the old man?”

  Corey shook his head, still not meeting his friend’s eyes. “No, I’ve got it.” He finally looked up. “Sounds like they’re going to move him to Conifer.” Travis’ mother was serving twenty at the same facility his dad would be at.

  Travis’ eyes met his. “How long?”

  He shrugged. “The judge will see him later this month.”

  “Maybe it’s for the best.” Travis leaned forward. “My mother can’t harm anyone else. She actually thinks she’s on vacation.” He leaned back.

  “My dad…” He shook his head and took another sip of his coffee to try and soothe his throat. Then he laughed. “Yeah, I just don’t see that going well.”

  Travis tilted his head. “It’s better than the alternative.”

  Corey knew what he was talking about. About how Travis’ mother had almost killed a man and then had driven home to make fried chicken for her family as if nothing had happened.

  He nodded and then looked up at him. “I’ll have the place cleared out by the weekend.”

  “Take your time. If you need anything…”

  Corey nodded and then stood up and tossed some money on the table to pay for his coffee and muffin, which he’d hardly touched. “Thanks.”

  Walking back to his old truck, he dreaded the next stop. Not that he didn’t like Mrs. Thompson. Actually, just the opposite. The older woman had always been a part of his life. She’d been his longest running neighbor.

  His father’s father had owned the land and cabin. When his mother had been alive, they had lived in town. Then after she’d died of cancer, his father had moved out to the cabin. Corey had lived there for a few years until he’d graduated. Then he’d spent a while moving around, living at friends’ houses until finally he’d rented the apartment in town from Travis’ father, which Travis had inherited upon his father’s death last year.

  As he drove out of town and headed back to the cabin, he thought about moving out of town once more. Selling the cabin and land and getting the heck out of Dodge.

  But he knew that running away from his problems wouldn’t solve anything. Dust kicked up behind the truck as he flew down the dirt road towards Mrs. Thompson’s larger place.

  The woman had a dozen or more acres that housed two large barns and a house big enough for at least a dozen kids, even though she had never married or had children of her own. She had been an animal lover instead. There were dogs, cats, chickens, horses, and cattle. At one point, she’d had a few pigs and goats, but she’d sold those off, telling Corey she couldn’t stand the smell.

  He stopped his truck behind her new pickup and frowned when he noticed the front door wide open.

  Mrs. Thompson was in her late sixties and very independent. The woman was a workhorse when it came to keeping up her land. But she’d been sick the last few weeks and he’d made a point to stop by a few times a week to check up on her.

  He hadn’t been by her place for a few days, and he was worried when he walked up to the porch. Instantly some of the dogs and cats rushed him, begging for attention and food.

  “Mrs. Thompson?” he called out, swinging the front door open. It was dark in the house and he had to blink a few times to see clearly.

  Sweat dripped down his back as he stepped into the l
iving room. At first, his mind didn’t register what he was seeing. There on the floor, surrounded by her beloved animals, was Mrs. Thompson, her eyes wide open, staring up at the ceiling, unseeing.

  Chapter Two

  Bella stopped her small car at the end of the drive and rested her head back against the headrest. There was no way her Miata would make it down the drive. Climbing out, she groaned when her three-inch heels sank in the rich Texas soil.

  Swatting a few bugs away from her face, she walked around the small car and leaned into the trunk to get her bags. She was so occupied with thoughts of how she was going to carry the heavy bags down the road, she didn’t hear the truck pull up behind her.

  She had just pulled one of the heavy bags towards the edge of the trunk when she heard a voice directly behind her.

  “Car problems?” The deep male voice shocked her and she spun around quickly. Her arms flung wide as she turned.

  When the back of her hand hit something solid, she pulled her arms closer to her chest as she watched a very tall man lose his balance and fall backwards until he sat in the dirt. He looked up at her as he held his jaw.

  “Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, wiggling his jaw a few times.

  “Oh! I’m so sorry.” She leaned back on the trunk of her car, horrified that she’d almost knocked the man out. “Are you alright?” She held a hand out to help him up.

  He glanced down at it and then dropped his hand away from his face and smiled up at her.

  She gasped again, this time from the sheer shock of how sexy the man was. Even sitting in the dirt with a growing bruise on his chin, he was dripping sexuality.

  She blinked a few times as she watched him stand up, without her help. She was thankful that he’d been too busy getting up to notice her second gasp.

  “No harm done.” He stood next to her and she had to crane her neck to look up into his blue eyes. He was wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt and an old pair of jeans. His tan boots had a light dusting of dirt on them and they looked well worn. He’d removed his hat and was holding it in his hands when her eyes moved back up to his. He had sandy blond hair with a slight curl; the color matched the stubble on his face.