Agent's Admirer (Culpepper Cowboys Book 13) Read online

  Agent’s Admirer

  Culpepper Cowboys Book 13

  Kirsten Osbourne

  Unlimited Dreams

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Kirsten Osbourne

  Copyright © 2016 by Kirsten Osbourne

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Introduction

  Megan Barrows has always loved her job and her home in Culpepper, Wyoming, but lately she’s been unsettled. She feels like her life is stagnating and it’s time to move onto something more. Her daily battles with Bob Bickel, the proprietor of Bob’s Burger Barn, are all that keep her going sometimes. The man is testy and difficult…and handsome and sweet.

  Bob Bickel has finally achieved his dream of owning a restaurant with all of his own recipes on the menu. He’s having a difficult time perfecting a taco burger, so he enlists the help of Megan, the most faithful customer he has. Together they work to perfect the burger several of the pregnant women in the area crave, while learning more about each other. Will Bob’s worries of the future keep him from taking a chance with Megan? Or will the two of them work through their issues to find out what a true partnership could mean?

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  1

  Megan Barrows took less than a minute to decide where to eat lunch. Bob’s Burger Barn had only been open for a week, but it was already her favorite place to eat. Bob Bickel, the proprietor and chef tended to get on her nerves, but the food was worth it. The things he did with a burger were almost sinful.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the Burger Barn and got out of her high-end SUV. After eight years of being a real estate agent in Culpepper, Wyoming, she knew the area and all of the dining establishments very well. She’d moved to the area for a man who had left long before, and she was still there, selling houses. When she’d sold a house for the second time the previous week, she had started to feel itchy. Like she needed to do something new or move on.

  Walking into the restaurant, she waited to be seated, even though the place was relatively empty. She’d gotten caught up showing houses, and it was much later than she usually went to lunch. Bob himself showed her to a booth, shoving a menu at her. “Don’t you have that thing memorized yet?” The man sounded even grumpier than usual, if that was possible. What was his problem?

  “It’s a good thing you are such a good cook, Bob, because no one would come back for your personality.”

  “You don’t like my personality, there’s a diner just up the road.”

  “There is, and they serve good food, but nothing compares to your burgers, Bob.” Megan sighed, pushing the menu at him. “I want to try the new taco burger you keep telling me you’re perfecting. Is it perfect yet?”

  “Nope. And you’re not getting a bite of it until it is.”

  “How hard is it to perfect a taco burger?” Megan gave him her best flirty smile, which wasn’t all that great, because it had been a few years since she’d practiced it. “Come on, let me try it!”

  Bob sighed. “Not yet. Maybe next time. With as often as you’re here, that’ll be tonight.”

  Megan made a face. “I have dinner in my crock pot. I’m going to eat that.” It wasn’t true, but it could be. She’d eat at the diner for dinner. Surely they were missing her because she’d been at Bob’s for every meal lately. Or she could get really crazy and cook something at home. Nah. She had paperwork to do. Who wanted to waste their time cooking?

  “Really? Because I think you’ve been here ten times in the past five days.”

  “Are you complaining that I eat here too much? Really? Because you’d think you’d be happy to have regular customers.”

  Bob groaned, sliding into the booth across from her. “I am happy to have regular customers. It’s just been a rough week.” He rubbed his hands over his face, dislodging the silly looking hat atop his head.

  “Rough week? How so? Every time I pass here the parking lot is full. How does that make for a rough week?” She propped her face in her hands and really looked at the man for the first time.

  Bob shrugged. “Found out Monday an old friend has cancer. It’s hard to think of the friends I went to school with being old enough to have cancer.”

  “Even kids get cancer, but I agree. It’s tough to hear that word.” She reached out and covered his hand with hers, surprising herself. “What kind is it?”

  “Breast, which is the kind that scares me the most, but I don’t know why.” He looked at her hand covering his on the table, feeling a great deal more than expected from her.

  “An old girlfriend?”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. We ignored each other in school, but then we end up working together in a restaurant a lot of years ago. Actually, we delivered pizzas together. We were always washing dishes and talking about our dreams.”

  “I’m sorry. What’s her name?”

  “Angela.” He took a deep breath. “You know how you have those friends who stick with you over time? That you just never lose track of because you mean so much to each other? She’s always been that for me. She used to invite friends to the store to set me up with. There was never anything romantic between us.”

  “What can I do to make you feel better? I wouldn’t mind trying a new burger you were experimenting with if it would help. Say a taco burger?”

  Bob laughed. “You know? I’m going to go make you that taco burger, and if you don’t eat every bite, I’ll…” He trailed off, having no idea what he’d do if she didn’t eat it all.

  “You’ll what? Chase me around with your spatula?” Megan looked at Bob as a man for the first time. He’d always been the incredibly difficult man who made delicious burgers to her. Now…well, he was good looking underneath that apron and chef’s hat. In fact, he was downright yummy.

  “I’ll make you go out dancing with me.” Suddenly the annoying customer, who was always asking for stuff to be taken off her burgers, was intriguing to him. He’d never really seen her as anything but a pain, and now…well, he wanted to take her out. What was wrong with him?

  Megan was surprised for a moment by his words, and then she grinned. “You know you don’t have to threaten me to get me to go out with you.” Her response surprised her as much as it surprised him.

  “How would I know that? I barely know you!”

  She shrugged. “You see me twice a day. I’m not a total stranger. Have you ever seen me in here with anyone?” She ate with clients every blue moon, but for the most part, she ate alone, the same way she did everything.

  “You were here with a man and a woman once. For the grand opening.”

  “Yeah, Austin and Dallas. I’d just sold them a house.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You’re a real estate agent? Why did I think you were someone hanging around spending her trust fund money?” She seemed like a trust funder to him. She was classier than most of the women in town, always wearing silk blouses.

  Megan laughed. “I have no idea. If I had trust fund
money, I certainly wouldn’t be in Culpepper, Wyoming eating burgers every day.”

  “Are you saying my burgers aren’t good enough for someone with a trust fund?”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “Go make my taco burger. No lettuce or tomato. And make yourself something if you haven’t eaten yet. It’s dead in here, and it might be nice to have some company to eat with for a change.”

  Bob nodded, walking away into the kitchen, humming a little beneath his breath. He liked Megan. Maybe he would make himself a burger and eat with her.

  He had his assistant, Kari, take her out an ice water while he cooked. If he was making a taco burger, he might as well make one for himself. He dropped a big order of fried cheese curds into oil for them to split, and put the tostada shells in the oven. He would use them as the bun for the taco burger.

  When the shells were done, he carefully spread a layer of refried beans on each of the shells and put the burger in between. For her, he added just taco sauce, and cheese to the seasoning that was already on the burger. He included all that along with lettuce and tomatoes for himself.

  He carried the food out to the table, sliding her taco burger in front of her, before sitting down across from her. “You’d better eat it.” He knew it tasted good, but it just wasn’t right yet.

  “I’m going to make sure I leave at least one bite, just so you have to take me dancing, now that you’ve threatened it. I want to get to know you better.”

  Bob frowned. “Fine. I’ll take you dancing. Where’s the nearest place to dance around here?”

  Megan picked up her burger, and crunched into it, frowning as a bit of the shell fell onto her plate. She chewed slowly, trying to decide how she felt about it. She loved all of Bob’s burgers, of course, but this one really was different. She blotted her mouth with a napkin before answering his question. “Culpepper Watering Hole. It’s the only thing in town open after midnight. How long have you been here again?”

  “Just a couple of months, but I’ve been working non-stop that whole time to open my little burger joint. Do you have any idea how long I’ve dreamed of owning this place?”

  She shook her head. Who dreamed of opening a burger restaurant? “I think it’s great you were able to make your dream come true. Why burgers?”

  He shrugged. “I just think they’re under-appreciated.” He nodded to her plate. “What do you think of the taco burger?”

  “I need another bite to decide.” She took the bite and chewed slowly. “I think I like it. I just wish the shell wasn’t so crumbly. It’s the perfect bun for it though.”

  “Valerie Savoy and May Bodefeld were in here a few days after I opened, and they were complaining you can’t get a good taco in all of Wyoming, which is why I decided to try the taco burgers. We’ll see what they think the next time they’re in town.”

  “Well, they’re only here one week out of the month,” Megan said dipping one of the fried cheese curds into ranch sauce. “Are you only going to make taco burgers that one day?”

  “No, they’ll always be on the menu. I just wish I could solve the crumbly problem.”

  “Could you serve them on flour tortillas?”

  “I tried that, but I didn’t like the texture as well. I’ll figure it out if it kills me.” He looked at her, noticing her pretty green eyes for the first time. They were an odd shade that seemed to change with what she wore. “So when are we heading to the Watering Hole?”

  “They have live bands every night. My schedule is pretty open.”

  “Let’s do it Friday then. Kari is working so I can have a weekend night off. I told her no, but it made her feel like I didn’t trust her.” He rolled his eyes. “Why can’t people understand that I don’t play games? If I say it I mean it. I like working weekends.”

  “I work a lot of weekends too. Comes with the territory.” She shrugged. She was used to having an odd schedule, and she didn’t care if other people worked strange hours as well.

  “Do you work for someone else?”

  Megan shook her head. “I’m my own boss. I did the working for someone else things, and I hated it. I like setting my own hours and working with whomever I want.”

  “Have you always lived in Culpepper?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. I’ve been here eight years now. I moved here to date one of the men who worked for the Culpepper Ranch. He took off to ride the rodeo circuit, and I said good riddance. I just never moved back.”

  “Back where?”

  “Billings. My mom and dad are still there. I take off for a few days every month to go see them, but my business is established here. No reason to leave.” She studied the man in front of her. “What about you? You’ve only lived here for a couple of months. Where are you from?”

  “Texas, by way of California. I moved to California, thinking that someone there would need a burger chef. No one did, though. I ended up being a sushi chef. Now, I ask you, why would a man with my talent with a slab of meat be a sushi chef? It was a disaster. I hated it!”

  “Did you make good sushi?” she asked. She’d never tried sushi, because she really wasn’t very adventurous with food, but she didn’t tell him that. She was sure he’d already figured it out by her special orders for everything on his menu.

  “Of course. I don’t do anything without doing it well. It’s part of being Bob.” He took another bite of his burger, savoring the taste. “I’ve got the taste just right on these. As soon as I figure out the crumbling issue, I think I’ll have a hit on my hands.”

  “I love the flavor.” Megan finished her burger and sipped at her water while watching him eat. “I like the fried cheese curds with it too. Maybe you should do a side of tortilla chips and a bowl of queso for a side with the taco burger, though. Just seems more sensible.”

  Bob considered that for a moment before nodding. “Absolutely. I’ll do that. And maybe a side of refried beans as well. Who doesn’t want to dip their chips in refried beans?”

  He finished his burger and slid out, bussing the table quickly. “I’ll be right back.” He carried the dishes into the kitchen, and walked back out with his phone in hand. “Put your number in, would you?” he asked, handing it to her.

  Megan input her number quickly, giving it back. “I need to get out of here. I’m meeting a client in fifteen minutes.” She dug her wallet out of her purse and pulled out a twenty.

  Bob held up a hand. “No money from you today. My treat. And don’t you dare try and tip me. I’m the proprietor. You should never tip me anyway.”

  Megan stood and grinned. “Okay, well I’ll need you to call me and tell me what time on Friday. I’ll polish my dancing boots.”

  “Sounds good to me.” He watched her leave, his eyes going to her bottom in her loose fitting slacks. He hoped she’d wear jeans on their date so he could get an idea of what she looked like underneath.

  After she’d left, he felt a smile touch his lips. He was still sad about Angela’s diagnosis, but it didn’t seem so devastating now. Megan and dancing were the perfect solution for everything.

  As Megan got into her car and drove off, she couldn’t stop thinking about Bob and his unexpected offer to take her dancing. She’d thought of him only as a chef before then, and an irritating one at that. How would he be as a dance partner or a boyfriend? She hoped she had the opportunity to find out about both.

  When Megan got home that evening, it was later than she would have liked. Instead of going out for something, she made herself a grilled cheese sandwich with turkey on it. It was her standby when she didn’t feel like going anywhere. She rarely cooked. Who had time for that nonsense?

  She sat down to eat her sandwich just as her purse rang. She got up and grabbed it, pulling her phone from its voluminous depths. “Hello?” She didn’t recognize the number, but it was local.

  “Megan?”

  “Yes, this is Megan.”

  “Hey, Meg. This is Bob.”

  Megan sank into her chair. It had been years since anyone ha
d called her Meg, and she’d always hated it. So why did it sound so incredibly sexy coming from his lips? “Hey there, Bob.”

  “What are you up to?”

  “Just sitting down to eat.”

  “Oh, I should let you go then.”

  “No, that’s okay. I can talk for a minute.”

  “Well, I was thinking. The restaurant closes in twenty minutes. I know we said Friday, but I don’t open tomorrow. How would you feel about going dancing tonight?”

  Megan grinned. She liked the idea more than she cared to admit. Going dancing on a Wednesday night sounded downright lascivious to her. She went to bed early on weeknights, just in case she got an early call for a showing. “That actually sounds good. The Watering Hole has a live band until midnight most nights.”

  “Give me your address and I’ll be there in an hour. I’m going to let Kari close tonight. It’ll be her first time to do it alone. Trial run.”

  She recited her address. “I’ll be ready for you.”

  “I’ll be on call tonight, so I may be getting some calls. Just so you know.”

  “That’s fine. I can handle mixing business with pleasure. Don’t forget your cowboy boots.” She ended the call and ate her sandwich, a grin on her face. She loved dancing—especially country line dancing. She hoped Bob didn’t have two left feet.

  She showered and blow-dried her hair before dressing in a pair of tight jeans and a button up shirt, her standard outfit for country dancing. She put on a pair of turquoise cowboy boots to match her shirt and stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom. She considered a hat, but her hair looked too good to cover it up.

  She dabbed on a bit of mascara and lipstick, and she was ready—ready for Bob and ready for life. She hadn’t dated since Brett, her rodeo man. She’d been asked out often—especially after the fiasco with the underwear models, but no one had seemed worthwhile to her. She sometimes went to the Watering Hole on her own, just so she could dance, but there hadn’t been a special man.