The Cowbear's Summer 0f Love (Curvy Bear Ranch Book 7) Read online

  “So where are you and your brother ultimately headed?” Greg asked.

  “Canada.”

  “The frozen north?” Greg joked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why?”

  “Andy got his draft card.”

  “He’s a draft dodger?” Greg pulled away from her and stopped walking.

  “A conscientious objector,” she corrected. When he scrunched his brows together, she added, “He doesn’t believe it’s a just war. We don’t belong over there.”

  “But it’s his duty to his country,” he said.

  “What if your country is wrong?”

  “I don’t think it’s our place to question our leaders.”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “It’s like questioning our parents. It’s something we just shouldn’t do.”

  She laughed and placed her hands on her hips.

  “God, if my dad could hear you now, he’d hug you.”

  “Does he know about your brother’s draft, uh, situation?” he asked.

  “Yeah. He’s probably got half of the San Francisco Police Department out looking for him. But Andy told him he was going up to Canada until the war ended. He wasn’t going overseas to kill innocent civilians.”

  “They’re not all innocent,” he said.

  “Maybe not all of them, but I’ve already seen enough questionable news reports to make me wonder what’s really going on there.”

  “Does your dad know that you’re helping him?” he asked.

  “Yes. But it doesn’t matter,” she dropped her gaze to the pebbles along the shore. “He disowned me a few years ago.”

  “Why?”

  “I dropped out of school my senior year of high school. I’d rather just go out and experience the world instead of sit in a classroom listing to the teachers drone on about wars from hundreds of years ago. The past and the future don’t matter as much as now does. People need to live in the present and enjoy everything life has to offer, don’t you think?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “I think history’s important if we learn from it.”

  “But how much do you think humanity’s actually learned? We’re still running around the globe killing each other.”

  “We’re fighting communism. It’s a threat to democracy,” he said.

  She sighed. Arguing with people like him was pointless.

  “Where did you go after your dad kicked you out?” he asked.

  “For a while I was living in Golden Gate Park.”

  “With all the other hippies?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled at all the carefree memories that came rushing back. “It was amazing. I met people there who blew my mind.”

  “I always thought hippies were stoned out of their minds all the time,” he said.

  “Some are. Some just want to escape reality. But a lot of us just want to reach a higher plane of enlightenment. I still believe that peace and love can rule the world,” she said.

  As he smiled at her, beams of moonlight illuminated his face. Warmth flooded her body. The sudden urge to kiss him rushed through her like wildfire. She took a step closer to him and tilted her head up. At five foot ten, she usually stood eye-to-eye with most men. Not Greg. He towered over her by several inches.

  His gaze dropped to her lips. The tip of his tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip. He had the kind of sensual mouth she’d dreamed about—a movie star’s mouth. She took another step toward him until they stood close enough that she could feel his breath in her hair.

  “Daisy,” he whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  “I really need…” his voice trailed off as he ran his hand through his short hair.

  She slid her hands up his chest in a bold move. When he didn’t pull away, she interlaced her fingers behind his neck and drew him down. His mouth hovered a breath from hers when he broke the silence.

  “What do you want to do with your life?” he asked.

  “What?” She immediately released him and stepped back. What kind of a question was that at a time like this?

  “What are your goals in life? Do you want to get married? Have kids?” he asked.

  “Are those the only goals you think a woman can have?” she challenged.

  “No. But you can’t spend your life living in parks. What happens after you get to Canada with your brother? Are you staying up there with him? Are you going to get a job?”

  “Wow.” She backed away. “Now you sound like my old man. I thought you were... you know what, never mind.”

  She turned and stomped back toward the camp. It wasn’t the first time she’d encountered a man who thought that a woman’s place was barefoot and in the kitchen waiting for her man to come home from work. She couldn’t picture herself trapped in a house, married to a man who would control everything about her life. The women’s movement would ensure that would never happen to her.

  How could she have been so stupid to want to kiss a guy like him? Ugh, she’d been blinded by lust. Hadn’t she learned not to let her carnal interest in a man cloud her judgment?

  “Wait,” Greg called.

  “We’ll be gone in the morning,” she snapped.

  “Let me—” He grabbed her arm. “That didn’t come out right.”

  “It came out the way you meant it. Don’t apologize for that.” She yanked her arm away. “Anyway, goodnight. We’ll be gone before the sun comes over the mountains.”

  She scrambled into her tent and zipped the flap closed. Her breath came in short bursts as tears formed in her eyes. Why did his comments bother her so much? She didn’t want to become another unhappy, barefoot and pregnant housewife like her mother. Was that so wrong? Was it terrible that she wanted to live a life filled with adventure?

  When she didn’t hear Greg leave, she shivered with trepidation. He didn’t seem like a violent man, but he did have a shotgun. How much did he hate hippies and draft dodgers?

  She listened carefully to the sound of him picking up the shotgun. He paused at the entrance to her tent. Her heart thundered in her chest until he trudged off into the forest. When she released her breath, a single tear trickled down her cheek. He thought she was a loser. Somehow that hurt her far more than her father’s rejection.

  ***

  The next morning, Daisy woke with a kink in her neck. She crawled out of the tent and into the chilly pre-dawn air. A rosy glow illuminated the sky and cast a faint glow on the mountains. She smiled. No matter what happened the day before, a new day always brought with it the promise of a new adventure.

  “You’re up early,” River said as he walked up from the lake.

  “You are too.”

  “I thought you might have snuck off with that guy last night.”

  “No,” she said. “He wasn’t my type.”

  River shrugged and set another small log on the campfire. She moved closer and warmed her hands over the flames.

  “So I figure we could stop for breakfast in town and then head into the park,” he said.

  “Do we have enough money left?” she asked.

  “Yeah. When we get to Mammoth, I’m going to set up near Minerva Hot Springs and play for tourists. We should be able to make plenty up there.”

  “What if the park rangers kick us out?” she asked.

  “Once they hear me play, they won’t have the heart to stop me,” he said with a grin.

  “They stopped you in Salt Lake City,” she said.

  “Mormons.”

  “No. I think the cops were upset that a group of hippies were gathering outside the church and blocking the sidewalk,” she said.

  “They really flipped out when they brought out the tear gas,” River said.

  “Yeah. The cops are turning more militant every day.”

  “It’s only going to get worse,” he said.

  “Not if we can stop it,” she said. “If we keep spreading the message of peace, people will listen.”

  “That’s what I love about y
ou. You’re such an optimist,” he said.

  “What do you love about her?” Meadow asked as she sauntered out of the tent.

  “Her optimism,” River said.

  “Yeah, she’s got enough flower power in her veins to charm even the most uptight asshole. Speaking of which, how did it go last night?” Meadow asked.

  “Fine,” Daisy turned and yanked one of the tent poles out of the ground. “We should get going before he comes back with the shotgun.”

  “That panty-waist won’t come back,” Andy said. “But we do need to get going soon.”

  As she dismantled her tent, she tried to put the conversation from the previous night out of her mind. But she couldn’t stop thinking about one of his questions. What did she want to do with her life? She’d never really stopped long enough to think about it. Maybe that was the point of everything though—just living in the moment and seeing what the day will bring.

  “You almost ready?” Andy asked.

  “Yeah.”

  She quickly stuffed the rest of the tent into the bag and carried it along with the metal pole over to the bus. After laying everything down in the back, she circled around to the front and hopped into the passenger seat.

  She waited while Andy kicked dirt over the fire until it went out. Meadow and River were already pawing each other in the back seat. She groaned. As much as she loved them both, their overwhelming happiness grated on her at times. A twinge of jealousy sparked in her heart. If she really wanted to be truthful, she wanted what they had. Why was it so easy for some people to find the love of their lives and an epic journey for others? And how would her journey end?

  “We’re off in a cloud of heifer dust,” River hollered as Andy hopped into the driver’s seat.

  “What does that even mean?” Daisy asked with a hint of annoyance.

  “I don’t know. It’s something my dad used to say when we went on road trips,” River said.

  “Well it’s stupid,” she said.

  “Someone’s grumpy today,” Andy said.

  “Whatever.”

  She turned and scrunched up against the vinyl seat. Although she’d slept fairly well after crying herself to sleep, she could have used a few more hours.

  The key scraped as Andy slid it into the ignition. He turned it and the car clicked a few times until the engine sputtered to life. It had been doing that for days. At some point they’d have to take it to a mechanic.

  “You got the map, River?” Andy asked.

  “Yeah. Head back up to the road and turn left on the main highway,” he said.

  Andy hit the gas. A loud dinging noise sounded in the engine a second before it died.

  “What the hell?” Andy mumbled.

  She sat back up in the chair as he tried to turn the key again. This time the engine clicked once before silence enveloped them.

  “Ah, shit,” River said. “Did it finally die?”

  “Dammit.” Andy opened the door and hopped out. “What do you think it is?”

  “Definitely engine problems,” River said as he opened the rear door. He leapt out and circled around to the back to join Andy.

  “We should have stopped at a garage in Salt Lake City,” Meadow grumbled.

  “The boys are stubborn as hell.” Daisy twisted around in the seat to look at her. “Now we’re stuck here. We’re at least six or more miles from town. We’re going to have to walk in and get a tow truck and then get it fixed.”

  “We don’t have money for that,” Meadow said.

  “I know.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “I don’t know,” Daisy said. “But Andy will figure something out. He always does.”

  Her brother was nothing if not resourceful. He’d find a way out of this mess.

  “I hate being broke all the time,” Meadow said.

  “Me too. Do you ever think about stopping somewhere for a few months? We could get jobs, save up.”

  “For what?” Meadow frowned. “If we stop now, we’ll end up just like the all the other squares. Do you really want to be a sellout?”

  “No.”

  “Why are you even asking about a job? River can get us anything we need. He might be lazy in some respects, but he can sure hustle when we’re broke.”

  “You’re right,” Daisy said.

  “Don’t sweat it. Save it for the hike back to town. Unless…”

  “What?”

  “Unless he can take us.” Meadow pointed toward the front window.

  Daisy turned around to find Greg standing with his hands balled into fists at his sides. He stalked over to the passenger window and motioned for her to roll it down. She did so reluctantly. Boy were they in for it now.

  Chapter 5

  “I thought I told you to leave,” Greg snapped.

  He rubbed the throbbing vein in his neck. He couldn’t believe they were still on his property. They’d promised to leave twice and they hadn’t.

  “We’re trying to,” Daisy said.

  “Hey, get away from my sister.” Andy hurried up from behind the bus. “We were on our way out but our engine died.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Greg said.

  “Trust me,” Andy said. “I want to get out of here as much as you want us to leave, but we’re stuck.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Something’s wrong with the engine. We haven’t figured out what yet,” Andy said.

  “Want me to take a look?” Greg asked.

  “Sure.”

  He followed Andy to the back of the bus and looked into the engine. He fiddled with various valves and lines but nothing was broken or disconnected. As he continued to poke around the engine, the car door opened and shut. He glanced up to find Daisy watching him. She bit the edge of her nail while she watched him.

  Although his heart ached at the thought of never seeing her again, he had to get them off his property. He leaned back and whipped a bead of sweat from his brow.

  “You guys don’t happen to have a tool set, do you?” he asked.

  “No,” River replied.

  “All right. I’m going to run back to the farm and grab some tools. I’ll be back as soon as I can, but it might be a while if my dad’s up.”

  “Thanks, Greg,” Daisy said.

  “I’ll be back soon.”

  He turned and hurried into the forest. Daisy’s earthy scent stayed with him as he trekked through the woods. His bear begged and pleaded with him to find a way to make her stay, but he couldn’t. After spending two years in auto shop in high school, he knew his way around most engines. Ultimately they were all the same.

  When he reached the barn, he glanced around but didn’t see his dad. He quickly gathered up the tools in a bag and headed back toward the front of the barn. He’d almost made it when a large shadow passed across the entrance.

  Greg froze. Shit. He’d been caught red-handed.

  “Hey, son. What are you up to?” his dad.

  “Uh, I ran into some people up on the road. Their car broke down so I offered to try to help them get it going again.”

  “They’re not on our land, are they?” his dad asked.

  “No,” he lied. “I won’t be long.”

  “Want me to come with you?” his dad asked.

  “No. I think it’s a simple problem. I’ll be back in no time.”

  “All right. But if you need any help, let me know. I can’t stand these dammed unprepared tourists always roaming around here. I wish we could afford to buy all the land from the road in to our place,” he griped.

  “I think we have enough land as it is, dad.”

  “Without your brothers here to help, we have a handful with what we have,” his dad said. “But when they come back, I’m going to try talking to the county again. They’re not doing anything with the land anyway. I don’t know why they refuse to sell it.”

  “Maybe they’ll change their minds,” Greg said.

  He doubted the county would decide
to sell to them, but he needed to placate his dad long enough to get away. Although he hadn’t explicitly told the hippies to stay with their bus, he couldn’t risk having them show up at the farm. His dad would flip out.

  “I should get going,” Greg said.

  “Right. When you get back, I want to saddle up a couple of horses and ride the fence line.”

  “Sounds good, Dad.”

  He bypassed his father and hustled toward the tree line. When he reached the edge of the forest, he glanced back to make sure his old man wasn’t following him. He wasn’t.

  Good. At least he’d be able to keep this whole situation a secret. Well, provided he could fix the bus. He’d worked on one years ago so he had a good idea of what could go wrong. It shouldn’t take too long to get to the bottom of the problem.

  The hippies stood in a tight group behind the bus. Andy jiggled a few engine parts as Greg strolled up. He dropped the bag of tools on the ground then bent down to choose a wrench.

  “I’m going to have to take it apart to see what’s going on,” he said.

  “Be my guest,” Andy said. “It’s not like we have much choice at this point.”

  “You’re welcome,” Greg said sarcastically.

  Andy really didn’t like him. Or maybe he just didn’t like having anyone around his sister. Either way, he stood to the side with his arms crossed over his chest. When Greg smiled at Daisy, Andy narrowed his eyes. Yep, he definitely didn’t want Greg talking to Daisy.

  In an act of defiance, he pulled a flashlight out of the bag and held it out to her.

  “Would you mind holding that for me?” he asked.

  “No, not at all,” she said.

  “I can do it,” Andy said as he rushed forward.

  “I have it,” Daisy said. She snatched it from Greg’s hand and clicked on the light. “Where do you want me to shine it?”

  “Wherever my hands go.”

  He knew exactly where he’d like to put his hands right now and it wasn’t on car parts. Daisy was wearing a new yellow romper today. It had a thick ruffle around the neckline that swayed across her breasts as she moved. Her long legs ended in a pair of worn leather sandals that had seen better days. Sparkling pink nail polish glimmered on her toes.