Today isn’t Short Snippet Saturday, but I have a fine fittin’ and rather long excerpt for Halloween from Cowboy Boss and his Destiny, Book #1 in the series. In the revision for this book, I cut a lot of scenes–this is one of them.
Anyone who reads the Newly Revised Edition of Cowboy Boss and his Destiny might enjoy this deleted scene. If you have read the original version, maybe you’ll like it as much the second time around. I might’ve shared a part of this another time.
Happy Halloween
Treat and NO Trick!
Since Cowboy Boss and his Destiny is the first book in the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight, the price is only $0.99. Thought I’d throw that in.
Note: Every year Tristan Carlson and his family members throw a Halloween Party for residents in their small town of Canyon Junction. They have hayrides, games for the kids, a beer tent, and a dunk tank for charity.
Oh, and they have live music, too. Judy, our ranch matriarch belongs to a local band with her lady friends. Tristan sings and plays a guitar, Jase plays a keyboard. I know, what a shock! Dane, well, he has his talents that I won’t tell here. Let’s just say when he’s home, he gets dragged up on the stage. This year, little Destiny is dressed as a princess. Not what I would have expected from her, but she insisted. The snippet will tell you what costumes Tristan and Nora chose.
Enjoy.
The smell of popcorn and hot dogs floated through the air. Spooky music rang out for all to hear. If not for his daughter, no one would have known who they were in their costumes.
Destiny jerked down on his arm. “Daddy, are you getting dunked in those clothes?”
“I guess I’ll have to. I can’t get changed with handcuffs.” He laughed mischievously, giving a sideways glance to Nora. “You know what that means, Des?”
“What?”
“Nora has to go in with me.”
Nora detected a bit of devil in that laugh of his. “Wait, what are you two talking about?”
“The dunk tank.” Tristan pulled her to a halt. “Oh, did I forget to mention the dunk tank?”
“Um, yes! I’m not going in the dunk tank.”
“You should have thought about that before you wanted to handcuff me, Ms. Sheriff.”
“Oh, good Lord, you are in so much trouble.” She raised her free hand to the air.
“It’s okay. We get dunked late, so we get to walk around like this all night.”
Destiny glanced at Nora and shook her head. “Silly Daddy.”
They went to all the children’s games with Destiny. When it got dark, he took her into the house to his mom, so he and Nora could go on the first hayride with the teens. Randy Drake drove the tractor that pulled it.
Climbing in the wagon wasn’t so easy handcuffed to another person. Tristan laughed as he sat up front. “Now we really have to be a team.”
“You’re still in trouble. So much trouble,” she said, shaking her head.
“Hey, if one of us falls off, we’re both going down, so hold on, Sheriff Trinity.”
Even in the darkness she picked up the smirk on his handsome face. Tristan wrapped his arm around her waist, forcing her arm behind her back with handcuffs on.
“Gotcha now, my pretty.”
“Oh, you’re in so much trouble.”
After the hay ride and a stop in the beer tent for a tall brew, Tristan checked his watch. “Guess what time it is, sweetheart?”
“Oh, no.” Nora jerked him to a stop.
“Oh, yes,” he said, his words rolling out before a booming laugh.
She attempted to speak in her best innocent tone. “You’re not really making me do this.”
“I’m sorry, but…yes, I am.” Tristan glanced at her shirt and pulled the top open. “No t-shirt underneath?”
“No, why?” She glanced to and fro as the townspeople walked around them in costumes, some laughing, other’s nodding to Tristan—easily recognizable once he removed his geek glasses.
“Because if you didn’t have cuffs on, I might suggest a…ah, a wet t-shirt.”
She eyed him in his geek clothes and bow tie. “Hmm. Wait. You wouldn’t care that every man here saw me in a wet t-shirt?”
“Not for here, honey. For later.”
“You’re awful bad tonight, Tristan.”
“If I recall, you asked for bad earlier.”
“In a kiss.”
“You need to be real clear. After all, I’m only a hot cowboy, you know.” He pointed ahead where many people were lined up waiting for the ranch owner. They chanted his name.
“This is for a charity. Since there’s two of us, we should bring in more money.”
“You’re not going to make me. Please get these off.”
“Of course, I am. Come on.” Tristan walked through the crowd with their handcuffed hands raised in the air for all to see. “As you can see here, I was arrested by Sheriff Trinity. In case you don’t all know her, she 
works for me.” He wrapped his arm around her. “You all can quiet your rumors.” He turned to Nora and lowered his voice. “I’m about to kiss you in front of all these people.”
“What kind of kiss?”
He took her into his arms and dipped her, giving a hard, sexy kiss on the lips. “That kind…for now.”
The crowd went wild. Nora wasn’t embarrassed. In fact, she cupped her free hand around his face and kissed him back. “No problem, baby.” Their gaze held until Selva, his ranch foreman, came up and bumped his shoulder.
“These people are waitin’ for you, amigo.”
Tristan chuckled and turned to the crowd. “There’s two of us at a time so you best get those pockets emptied.” He turned to Nora. “Ready?”
“I see where I have no choice. Let’s go get’um.”
“You realize with two of us up here there’s a good chance each throw will dunk us.”
“Yes, sir, isn’t that going to be fun? I’m glad I wear waterproof mascara, or you’d see the scary side of me.”
They both got in the tank and sat as close as they could. “Never going to happen. I don’t think there is a scary or bad side to you.”
“Let’s hope you never find out that I really do.”
Down they went!
They climbed back on the bench, a feat in itself. Martyn, his mom, Destiny, and Jase’s kids were at the front of the line. “Come on, sweetheart, are you really going to dunk your daddy?”
Destiny brought her arm back and let it rip.
SPLASH!
Again, they came up brushing hair and water from their eyes. Destiny was still laughing.
After at least fifteen dunks, Tristan called it done, and the next person came up. They walked through the crowd soaking wet, still handcuffed. He glanced around for his mom and Martyn and found them in the crowd. “We have to go get dressed, Mom. Can you keep Des until we come back?”
“Of course. We’ll be over by the stage. Grab your guitar, son.”
“Yep.”
“Oh, Trist?” Judy called after him.
He and Nora turned.
“Nice costumes.”
Nora grinned. “Thanks, Judy.”
“My mom likes us together,” he said on the way inside.
“I can tell.” She shivered. “Can we change now?”
“Finally. Get me out of these geeky clothes.”
“Get me out of these handcuffs. Be thankful you didn’t wear the knight’s costume. You would’a been a drowned cowboy.”
“You would’ve been the one to wear it, not me. I’ll meet you in the office. You get a front row seat, baby. I have a song special for you.”
For more on the series and the spin off series, click on the Book Page.
Thanks for reading! Have fun tonight and please be safe. 🎃🤠💀
Tell me about your costume if you’re going out or partying down. Me, well, if I went to a party tonight, I’d like to be a ________? What would I like to be for Halloween?
Thanks to Pixabay for the images. Except for my book cover.
and contented life. If Randy could be a part of it, her life would be complete, but…she isn’t the same woman Randy knew… She’s broken.
