Chapter Twelve
Maybe my mother was right.
Wait. Had she just voluntarily admitted that her mother was right about her and Avery? Jillian inwardly groaned.
Avery leaned her way. “Did you say something?”
Oops! She’d have to work harder to keep her thoughts to herself. “No. It wasn’t me.”
Avery leaned back in his chair at Jillian’s cousin’s wedding. They were seated at a round dinner table with white linens. A cupcake stand in the center held eight cupcakes decorated in purple and white.
Avery had been a perfect gentleman for the past couple of hours, but he’d also been incredibly quiet. She knew he was anxious to leave. So was she.
She turned her head his way. “We’re almost out of here. Just as soon as they cut the cake.”
He nodded in understanding, but he still didn’t say anything.
“Hello, Jillian,” said a voice from behind her.
Jillian shifted in her chair to find her oldest cousin, Mary, standing there. Her husband, a named partner in a law firm, stood next to her. The man wore a frown as though his face was permanently glued into that position. His gaze never met Jillian’s. She never did understand his uppity attitude toward her family, but she did her best to ignore it.
A fake smile lit up Mary’s face. “Beautiful wedding, huh?”
“Yes, it is,” Jillian said. “The bride and groom look so happy together.”
“Now, you’re the only spinster in the family.” Mary wore a smug expression as she slipped her arm through her husband’s.
Mary was right. With Jillian’s cousin, Karen, now married, Jillian was the last of her mother’s side of the family to be single. Normally this didn’t bother Jillian, but sitting next to Avery, it made her wonder just how pathetic she must appear to him.
“She isn’t alone.” Avery turned to Mary and then he reached out for Jillian’s hand. “We’re together.”
Mary’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you were nothing more than a plus one—someone to keep Jillian from looking so—lonely.”
Jillian’s whole body tensed as she struggled to keep her mouth shut for her mother’s sake.
Avery came to her defense. “You heard wrong,” he quipped. Then he turned to Jillian. “Would you like to dance?”
Stunned into utter silence, Jillian merely nodded.
Hand-in-hand they moved away from her sputtering and fuming cousin. Jillian was still trying to wrap her mind around what had happened when Avery led her onto the dance floor.
Suddenly Jillian remembered his injured leg. “We can’t dance.”
His brows drew together. “Why not?”
“Your leg. I don’t want to do anything to make it worse.”
“I might not be Fred Astaire, but I’m healing. I don’t think a little dancing will hurt.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. Now come here.” He held his arms out to her.
This wasn’t a good idea. But her body betrayed her and gravitated toward him. His arms were bands of muscles from his years of manual labor. His skin was permanently tanned from his days on horseback. And as he drew her close, she caught a whiff of his woodsy scent. She inhaled deeper and suppressed a sigh.
She wanted to ask what had come over him, but the other part of her didn’t want to ruin this moment. Her brain had turned to mush and her heart was doing a happy tap dance in her chest. For this moment, she was going to enjoy herself. And as they made their way around the dance floor, she caught the scowl on her cousin’s face. Jillian reminded herself that Mary’s bad attitude wasn’t her problem.
Jillian tilted her chin upward until her gaze met Avery’s. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do much,” he said modestly.
“Oh yes, you did. I don’t think anyone has ever made my cousin speechless before.”
“Has she always treated you like that?”
Jillian thought back, trying to recall a time when they got along. There wasn’t one memory that popped out in her mind—not as children and definitely not as adults. “I guess so. She always had to have the best. She always had to be the best. My mother blamed Mary’s attitude on her being spoiled as a child. I never wasted time thinking about it.”
“Something tells me she’ll never be content. Instead she’ll always be chasing after something bigger and better.”
Not wanting to squander this moment in his arms, Jillian changed the subject. “And how about you? Have you figured out what will make you happy?”
His gaze met hers. “I’m starting to get an idea.”
“Oh good. So you’ve figured out a way to buy the ranch?”
“Whoa! Slow down. I didn’t say that.”
“But you were going to. Come on, say it. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
He arched a brow. “Why do you care so much?”
She shrugged. “I just hate to see people give up on their dreams.”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
“Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I applied to a few online banks and they turned me down too.”
“Don’t worry. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
He smiled at her, making her stomach somersault. “You seem awfully optimistic.”
“I am.”
“Seriously? Why are you so invested in me buying the ranch?”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“Even if my being happy means living out on the road, moving from town to town while risking life and limb on an ornery bronc?”
She was over him. It shouldn’t matter to her where he hung his cowboy hat. “Yes, even then.”
This conversation reminded her of all the reasons she’d put Avery Wainwright in her rearview mirror. He was a loner and didn’t stick around long enough to cool his heels. She hated that he was giving up so easily on buying the ranch.
She pulled back just a little. Avery gave her a puzzled look, but she ignored it. She needed to think clearly and being so close to him skewed her thoughts.
*
It wasn’t so bad after all.
At first, Avery was referring to the improvement with his leg. It appeared the damage wasn’t as severe as everyone had first suspected. Thank goodness.
But then his thoughts turned to this wedding and being Jillian’s escort. The longer they danced and the closer he held her in his arms, the faster his heart raced.
Jillian was always beautiful, but tonight she was a knockout. Maybe it was the peach dress with the short skirt and the teasing neckline. Or perhaps it was the way she had her blond hair pinned up with just wisps fringing her face. Whatever it was, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
That had never happened to him before. Sure he’d had his share of women pass through his life including a number of buckle bunnies, but none of them had turned his head. Tonight, Jillian had definitely turned his head. And he would love to have a casual fling with her, but there was nothing casual about Jillian. She was all about the flowers and romance, the dinner and starlight, the happily-ever-after kind of girl. She was the type of woman he’d gone out of his way to avoid.
Until now…
Attending this wedding with Jillian on his arm had him reconsidering his options. His gaze met hers. Perhaps he should roll the dice again and see what happened.
But could he ever be the man she wanted? The man she deserved?
He tried to imagine himself waking up each morning with Jillian in his arms. That wasn’t hard to imagine at all. In fact, that would be the easy part.
It wasn’t until he added in the baby that things got complicated. Diapers led to school and homework. Not to mention the car pools and the challenging teen years—
Jillian stopped dancing, jerking him from his musings.
He continued to hold her. “Why did you stop?”
“Because the music ended.”
He stood still and listened. There was nothing but the murmur of voices. The song ha
d in fact ended. He glanced toward the live band who were setting aside their instruments. And so his excuse to hold her in his arms had come to an end.
Avery reluctantly let her go. And then he presented his arm to escort her from the dance floor. He was still considering the tsunami of unexpected emotions that he’d experienced out on the dance floor.
Jillian stopped in her tracks and turned to him. “I think we should call it a night.”
“Now? But what about the cake?”
“I…I changed my mind.”
“If you’re sure—”
“I am.”
It was just then that he heard them call out for all of the single ladies to line up for the bouquet toss.
A worried look flickered across Jillian’s face. “We have to hurry.”
He couldn’t help but smile as she took him by the hand and led him to the coat check. He wondered why she was rushing away when she was the one who wanted to marry and have a baby.
Jillian was moving quickly, weaving her way through the crowd of well-wishers. He had to admit that he’d never seen Jillian run away from anything. So what or who had her moving so fast?
It wasn’t until they were outside and alone that he reached out for her hand. “Hey, slow down. There’s no one out here but you and me.”
“I just want to go.”
Snowflakes gently fell, adorning her hair. And then a flake landed on the tip of her nose before it melted. The street lamp made her eyes twinkle. His gaze dipped to her lips that were glossy and just perfect for kissing.
Without pausing to consider the ramifications of his next move, he reached out and pulled her to him. He leaned forward and claimed her lips. At first, she didn’t move as though stunned by his action. He lassoed his desire, not wanting to move too fast and scare her away.
Her lips were warm and soft. He moved slowly and hesitantly.
And soon she greeted his kiss with an eagerness of her own.
Her arms slipped up over his shoulders as his hands wrapped around her slender waist. He pulled her closer. At the same time, her fingers combed through his hair.
His heart thump-thumped, harder and faster. Jillian was so beautiful, both inside and out. And her kisses were as sweet as berry pie.
He never wanted this moment to end. It was as though he’d been waiting for it all of his life—as though he’d been waiting for Jillian. And she’d been right there in front of him all of this time, but it had never been right until now.
What would she say if he proposed they explore this new facet of their relationship? He couldn’t offer her any more than this magical moment, but maybe it would be enough. As she kissed him back with growing desire, his hope swelled.
Just as he was about to ask if she wanted to go back to his place, the door behind them opened. The sounds of voices made their way to them. Jillian jumped back like she’d been shocked back to reality.
Her eyes opened wide with surprise. “What did you do that for?”
“What?” He was so confused. “You mean the kiss?”
“Yes, I mean the kiss,” she said with certainty. “We agreed. You were my plus one. Nothing more.”
“It felt like a lot more to me.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Are you feeling all right?”
“I feel fine.”
She continued to give him a puzzled look.
He couldn’t help but laugh. This was the most unique reaction he’d ever received after kissing someone. Leave it to Jillian to question everything.
“How about we go home?” he suggested.
“I think that sounds like your best idea yet.”
“Better than the kiss?”
“Avery, stop. This isn’t funny.” She frowned at him. “That kiss…it can never happen again.”
Why was she fighting the obvious chemistry between them? Was she concerned because he was a sworn bachelor? Or was she still hung up on that guy he’d spotted her with outside Tangled Charms?
It didn’t really matter at this point. The moment had passed them by. Perhaps it was for the best. At least for now.
As they made their way to his pickup, he searched for a neutral subject to break the tension. “So you really think I should give up the rodeo and buy the Crooked S?”
Jillian hesitated as though searching for the appropriate answer. “I think you need to do what makes you happy.”
“I wish it was that easy.”
She paused beside the passenger-side door. “If it was easy, you wouldn’t appreciate it nearly as much.”
It was in that moment he realized the truth of her words. When his parents died, he had responsibilities and bills to pay. He couldn’t afford to chase his dreams—literally or figuratively. His parents’ life insurance was significantly less than he’d imagined. But somehow he’d managed to keep it all together.
It hadn’t been easy, but he was proud of the job he’d done caring for his brother and sister. Even with the trauma of their parents’ deaths, Jordan and Beth were two amazing young people. The fact he’d played a part in that made him proud.
Now, if he could summon all of that ingenuity and determination, he’d have a real shot at making his dreams come true. And he was beginning to think there was more to his dreams than he’d originally thought.
His gaze settled on Jillian. But was the thought of starting anything with her a mistake when they ultimately wanted different things in life?
Chapter Thirteen
Lesson number two was about to commence.
Monday had slipped by in the blink of an eye. Avery had been busy all day. This time it didn’t involve finishing the kitchen remodel. It was something far more important. With renewed vigor, he’d been on the phone with sponsors who’d shown an interest in him in the past. There had to be a way to raise the money to purchase the ranch.
Some of his contacts let his call pass to their voicemail. Some took his call and gave him a very blunt response—unless he could make a miraculous comeback on the rodeo circuit, they couldn’t help him. But there were a couple who promised to look into things and get back to him. Nothing concrete, but there was at least a glimmer of hope.
For now, he had to set aside the finances because it was time for his next baking lesson.
Jillian volunteered the use of her kitchen again since his was still under construction. And she’d mentioned working on a special project for the fundraiser. She cleared off the counter next to the stove for him before she settled at the breakfast nook to work on her jewelry.
Avery straightened and closed the fridge. “You’re out of eggs.”
She snapped her fingers. “I knew there was something I needed to pick up on the way home.” Her gaze met his. “Is that why you’re frowning?”
He didn’t know he was frowning. He did his best to change his expression to something more neutral, but he was obviously unsuccessful as Jillian continued to study him.
“You know,” she said, “you’ve been wearing that glum expression since you got here. If you’re not up for a lesson tonight, we can put it off until tomorrow.”
He shook his head. “I don’t have time to waste.” He grabbed a saucepan from under the counter and placed it on the stove before adding the appropriate amount of butter. “The first round is this Saturday and I want to be prepared. So I’ll caramelize the butter and then let it cool while I run to the store.”
“So if it’s not the lesson or the fact that I forgot the eggs, what’s bothering you?”
He really didn’t want to tell her, because he didn’t want her to look at him differently. Although, it would feel good to talk with someone—someone he trusted. Jillian had always been there when he had problems with the kids and she’d been discreet. Avery hadn’t realized it until now, but he just took it for granted that Jillian would always be there for him. Now, this was his chance to recapture that closeness.
“Avery, what is it?”
“It’s the ranch.” He stopped. Words like failed, rejected, and
turned down stuck in his throat. Jillian would think less of him if he admitted the truth to her.
“What about the ranch?” Her eyes lit up with interest. “Have you been working on the financing for it?”
He nodded as he turned his gaze back to the butter that was now melted. He grabbed a plastic spoon from the crock next to the stove.
“Not plastic,” Jillian warned. “It’ll melt. Try the drawer to your left. There should be metal spoons in there.”
He did as she instructed. It was so much easier to concentrate on baking rather than admitting to his failure. He just didn’t want to see the disappointment reflected in her eyes.
Her voice lowered to a soft, comforting tone. “I take it things aren’t going well?”
He swallowed hard. “You know that the banks turned me down.” When she nodded, he continued. “So I tried some of the rodeo sponsors. Even though I was last year’s champion, they want this year’s leader. And thanks to my injury, it’s thrown me too far back in the rankings to ever make it to the top again this season.”
“Well, there has to be another way to raise the money.”
“None that I can think of.” And he’d spent every wakeful moment considering all plausible solutions, but none of them held up.
“Don’t give up. I know how important this is to you. Sometimes it takes a lot of patience and a heap of faith to see dreams through to fruition.”
“Is that what you did in order to open Tangled Charms?”
She nodded. “It is. There were a lot of times when I didn’t see any way to make my dream a reality. The bank didn’t want to issue me a line of credit and the owner of the building already had an interested party. The list of problems went on and on.”
He knew where she was headed with this. “But you didn’t give up.”
“Exactly.” She glanced at the pan. “Keep stirring or the butter will burn.”
Sprinkled with Love Page 12