by Karen Rock
The walls seemed to close in on him, fun-house style, as they stepped into the town hall. Wildflowers spilled from earthen-colored containers spaced around the hardwood floor, filled mason jars set in the center of each table and covered the entrance’s lattice bower. It resembled a Garden of Eden, wild and beautiful, just like Jewel.
Wicker chairs were everywhere, and they weren’t empty. Volunteers of all ages were scattered about, sitting alone or toiling in groups, talking and laughing as they worked. He dragged in a deep breath of floral scented air, grabbed a cup of sherbet punch and drained the sweet concoction in a single gulp. Beneath his dress shirt, his body grew sticky.
“Hey, you two.” One of Kelsey’s friends from out of town stopped by to hug them both. “Have you set a wedding date yet?”
“We have some things to settle.” Heath stiffened as Jewel passed by, face averted, carrying a box of napkins.
“Christmas Eve is my preference.” Kelsey waved her left hand, and her engagement ring sparkled beneath the overhead lights. “You know how I love red. And we could do white spider mums and...”
Beads of perspiration broke out across Heath’s brow. He tuned out the chatter, his thoughts turning in circles faster than a twister. He needed to confront Kelsey and tell her the truth. He didn’t want to marry her, but was worried about the consequences of breaking off their engagement.
Kelsey aimed a brilliant smile at him he struggled to return. The more she spoke about possible wedding dates, the deeper a hole she dug for him. He had to stop her, but how? He wouldn’t shame Kelsey in front of her friends and he didn’t want to hurt her.
On the other hand, he felt cornered. Herded. Trapped. Yes, he’d been headed in this direction all summer. Except his confused feelings for Jewel complicated everything, along with her advice to live his life for himself and not others. He couldn’t marry Kelsey when he cared for Jewel as well—a woman who’d never have him, even if he were free, he reminded himself.
“My fiancé will help you!” Kelsey said to a man passing by with a ladder. She kissed Heath’s cheek. “Now be a dear and help hang the daisy chains, will you?”
“We need to talk. Now.”
Kelsey nodded, distracted, her attention on volunteers hauling in supplies. “Of course. And I’m sorry for suggesting Christmas Eve when we haven’t firmed up our date yet. I guess I’m just getting excited for summer to end so we can start planning. Forgive me?”
“Let’s clear some things up first.”
Her eyes closed, and she breathed deep. When she opened them, they were bright with unshed tears. “I’m turning into a bridezilla already. Oh, Lord, I never want to be one of those.” She squeezed his arm. “We’re going to make everyone so happy. I’m thinking we plan on marrying December 12, my grandma’s birthday.”
She dashed away to direct the influx of supplies before he could respond, leaving Heath to follow the crew hanging the ceiling decorations. Kelsey was right. Their marriage would make lots of people happy...but what about his happiness? Jewel insisted he had a right to it, in whatever form it took.
A couple hours later, Heath stood with one shoulder propped against the wall. Out on the dance floor, yet another cowboy led Jewel through a two-step. The plastic sides of Heath’s cup dented as the man slid an arm up her back and drew her closer. Impotent jealousy torched his chest, yet he held himself in check. He had no right to intervene, to claim Jewel as he longed to. Watching her with other men, however, was killing him.
The song ended, and with a winsome smile, Jewel slipped outside alone. He tossed his cup, pivoted and strode through the open French doors after her. The darkness obscured his view. Then a slight breeze swept clouds from the moon and he caught sight of her fluttering rose dress as she stood alone, down by the pond. She pulled her hair loose from her ponytail.
The sound of the fountain grew louder as he approached. It must have muffled his footfalls because she jumped when he called her name.
She whipped around, the same anger spewing from her he’d seen the first day she’d come to work with him. She brushed at her cheeks and glared up at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.”
Her slender white neck moved as she swallowed. “Shouldn’t you be with your fiancée discussing your wedding plans?”
He took a deep, pride-eating breath. “I’m not setting a wedding date with Kelsey and we haven’t picked out wedding rings.” One red lock clung to her tearstained cheek. He reached out to free it, but he hesitated a mere heartbeat away from her skin.
“No?” Her eyes widened.
He swore she quit breathing...quit blinking, and for a second, so did he. In a deliberate movement, he freed the curl. “She’s shown me dozens of pictures of wedding bands, but we’ve never gone to a jeweler.”
She exhaled a shaky breath, and he slid his right hand down her arm, cradled her hand against his chest and swayed them from side to side. “Dance with me.”
A little tension eased off her face. “To what music? I don’t hear anything but the fountain.”
“Slow drumbeat.” With one finger he tapped the beat into the small of her back. “Acoustic guitar.” He leaned down and hummed his favorite song in her ear. Her fresh scent intoxicated him.
She relaxed slightly, fitting perfectly into his body. In the soft, warm August air, they swayed together, moving to their own personal beat. His pounding heart kept time.
Craving more of her touch, he shifted and pressed his cheek to hers. Somehow it seemed like he floated above the ground, his blood ran warm in his veins, and he felt at peace—no, not just peaceful, invincible. For a moment, they escaped their troubles. No lawsuits, no feuding families, no struggling cattle, no fiancée—just the two of them dancing.
His song ended, his finger stopped tapping the beat, and they ceased moving from side to side. Jewel held perfectly still, keeping her hand in his, her head resting on his shoulder. He nuzzled into the warmth of her silky hair, tightening his hold. Jewel was becoming essential, like air.
He lowered his head and inhaled her scent at the nape of her neck, allowing his nose to skim along her inviting skin. Her chest rose and fell at a faster pace. His hand melted on the curve of her hip. He reeled with the force of his emotions.
“Heath,” she breathed out.
Forgetting every ounce of sense he should have in this moment, his hands wandered up her back, twining in her hair, bringing her nearer still. He closed his eyes to regain some control over himself. He wanted Jewel. He needed Jewel, but he had to figure out how to handle his situation with Kelsey without hurting those he loved first.
A car door slammed shut in the parking lot, startling them. Jewel swiftly pulled back and turned toward the rumble of the engine. They watched as the red taillights glowed toward them, then away when the car accelerated onto the main road.
Her eyes met his again. “What does this mean for us?”
He lowered his head to hers. “I don’t know.”
The moment the words flew out of his mouth, he regretted them. Sometimes when you see the line, you think it’s a good idea to cross it and be honest—until you do.
Jewel looked as if he’d slapped her. “You’re such a jerk!” She whirled on her heel and stalked off. “I’ll get a ride home with Justin.”
Darn it. Just darn it. “Jewel!” He ran after her. “Jewel, wait.”
But she didn’t. He caught up to her, grabbed her arm and turned her toward him. Darn it all to heck, tears poured down her face. What was he supposed to do now?
She sniffed and wiped the tears with the back of her hand. “Are you breaking things off with Kelsey at least?”
I want to, but I can’t.
The truth stuck in his throat. He wanted to tell her he would, but he couldn’t. Not yet. He hadn’t had a chance to process everything. The summer meant to bring him clarity, had
only confused him more.
She ran a hand over her hair. The pain in her eyes knifed him in the gut. “You’re a coward, you know that? I thought you were a nice guy. Sensitive. But really, you’re just clueless. You’re trying so hard...so hard to appease everyone that you’re making everyone miserable—me, you, Kelsey.” She gestured with her hands between them. “You can’t make anyone happy, not even Kelsey, until you’ve made yourself happy, too.”
Jewel brushed past him, bringing him to life. “Wait.”
She glanced over her shoulder. Pink rimmed her eyes, and her shoulders slumped forward. How come he’d never seen her exhausted before? Broken.
Jewel never tired. Or bent. At least, not before now. His conflicted heart was wearing her down and messing her up, and she deserved better. Her father had dismissed her—and Heath wasn’t treating her any better by playing with her emotions while he figured himself out.
When he said nothing, the best thing that’d ever happened to him in his entire life up and left.
His heart clenched in pain as he trudged back up to the gala alone. Bad timing or not, he had to talk to Kelsey.
“Anyone seen Kelsey?” he asked a couple of the volunteers ladling punch. One pointed him to a group of high-backed chairs facing away from him.
“You’re one lucky girl,” Lara, one of Kelsey’s friends, said as he neared. “I never thought you’d lock down that gorgeous cowboy.”
“It’s not luck, it’s persistence,” Kelsey responded, her voice gleeful. “Once you’ve got them on the hook, you don’t quit until you reel them in.”
“Kelsey?”
At her name, she leaped to her feet, turned and twirled her pearl necklace into a twist. “Heath! You’re as quiet as a cat. How long have you been lurking behind me?”
“Long enough,” he said grimly, cupping her elbow. “Mind if I steal you away?”
“Now why would I mind that?” She waggled her fingers at her ashen-faced friends. “See how crazy Heath is about me? Can’t stay away one minute.”
Once they reached the empty rear hall, he jerked to a stop. “Did you make up that stuff about our wedding bands? I don’t recall picking any out officially.”
Kelsey’s lower lip trembled, and her wet lashes swept down to her cheeks. “What are you accusing me of?”
“Yes or no, Kelsey?”
She dried her tears and planted her hands on her hips, akimbo. “Fine. You forced this issue because you never want to talk about the wedding with me. I thought I’d jump start things to get you thinking about setting the date.”
“Why’d you have to bring it up in front of Jewel?”
One of her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Who cares? Jewel needs to know where she stands so she’ll quit mooning over you and meet some nice cowboy tonight. It’s only fair to her.”
Fury howled between his ears. “Fair?”
“She’s not your fiancée, I am. Like you said, she’s nothing more than a ranch hand.”
“She’s much more than that.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, bracing. “I—I kissed her.”
“You what?” Kelsey whispered.
“I’m sorry for betraying you, Kelsey. A snake couldn’t get any lower.”
“I warned you about spending so much time together.” Kelsey’s eyes sparked before she lowered her lids and sighed. “As long as it was just physical...a momentary weakness...”
“I’ve got feelings for Jewel.”
Kelsey gasped. “And what about me?”
“You know I care about you, but she’s opened my eyes to a lot of things.”
“If you want her, then why aren’t you with her?”
“Because I’m conflicted,” Heath admitted, his eyes imploring her to understand. “And even if I weren’t, she’d never give up her independence for me.”
“Then what’s the conflict?” Kelsey flung both hands in the air, as if warding off a stinging insect. “She doesn’t need a partner like I do. Daddy won’t give me the business unless I’m married.”
Heath stared into Kelsey’s flushed face, stunned. She cared more about gaining control of her family business than she did about him kissing another woman...about admitting he had feelings for someone else...
What’s more, the relief he felt meant he didn’t care about her, either. He didn’t love Kelsey. Just as Jewel said, by always doing what was expected of him, like staying with Kelsey and not chasing his own dreams, he’d done more harm than good. “This is all just a business proposition for you, isn’t it?”
Kelsey nodded before catching herself and shaking her head instead. “I—I need you, Heath.”
“Your father thinks you need me, but I disagree. I think deep down, you do, too. Tell him what a creep I turned out to be and how you’re ready to take over the business on your own.”
She flipped her eyes to the ceiling and released a jagged sigh. “I’d be telling the truth.”
“We both deserve to chase our dreams. I’m not your dream, Kelsey.”
She stared at him a long time, then slowly pulled off her engagement ring and passed it back. “I’ve loved you for a long time, Heath.”
“I loved you, too.”
“But you care about Jewel more.”
His shoulders rounded. “It doesn’t matter, since she’ll never have me or any man.”
“Then what’s next?”
“There’s someone else I should get to know better.”
Kelsey’s nostrils flared. “Is there any girl in Carbondale you haven’t been kissing?”
“Not a girl...me. I need to figure myself out.”
He’d lost two women in one night, but maybe he needed to be on his own for a change. Like Jewel said, he’d never make anyone happy until he started with himself.
“Good luck, Heath.” Kelsey rose on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “When I’m through shredding your reputation, you won’t be able to hold your head up in Carbondale.”
“I expect nothing less.” He hugged her briefly, then stepped back. “I’d wish you luck, but you don’t need it. Those good old boys in the ranching supply world better watch out.”
Kelsey’s eyebrows quirked, and the corners of her mouth curled. “They won’t know what hit them, including my father. Should I go with the jilted, brokenhearted fiancée angle for sympathy points, or just tell him straight out that I’m taking over on my own?”
“Are you brokenhearted?”
She seemed to consider his question, then shook her head. “No. I—I actually feel free. No offense.”
“None taken. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” With a bittersweet smile, she briefly touched his arm, then turned away. “Bye, Heath.”
After searching for Jewel and learning James drove her home, Heath hopped in his pickup. He scrolled through his contacts, dialed a number and waited for the voice mail signal to end before leaving a message that might change his life forever.
“Mr. Parsons. Heath Loveland here. I’d like to come down to Nashville in a couple weeks if the offer’s still available.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“THE CATTLE WON’T get up.”
Daryl’s grim observation as they rode among the exhausted Brahmans shot panic through Jewel like an IV drug. It pushed through arteries, veins, and capillaries until it nearly incapacitated her. Black dots danced at the edges of her vision.
It was early dawn, the transient quality of the morning light casting just enough of a glow to reveal the listless Brahmans lying on the ground. Their tails remained motionless despite the swarming flies. Others stood with drooping heads, their breathing labored, movements sluggish and ribs visible. They’d nibbled the forage down to the roots and only a trickle of water wound along the streambed.
“Is there still water at Fresco Outlook?”
Daryl nodded. “I rode to it last night, but it’s a four-hour climb. Steep, too.”
Jewel gnawed on her bottom lip as her eyes traveled up the slopes of the surrounding mountains to the cresting sun. Sunrises usually filled her with hope. Instead, dread clenched her gut. Another hot, dry day. “They’re too weak. We’ll lose some in the attempt.”
Daryl leaned forward and braced himself on his saddle horn. “Their gut fill’s worse. So’s the eye and ear discharge.”
“And they’re coughing. They’re getting sick.” Blood streaks appeared in some of the excrement littering the field. How to save the precarious herd?
She glanced over her shoulder and spied Heath directing the dogs to harry cattle into standing again. Since the gala, she’d rebuffed his attempts to talk to her. Now he kept his distance, saying little to anyone, even his brothers.
He was getting married soon. Shouldn’t he be happy?
As for her, she was as dispirited as the Brahmans. If she didn’t have a job to do, she’d lie right down with them. Stupid her for being vulnerable. Instead of meeting her halfway when she’d “bent” like Sofia advised, Heath withdrew and shattered her exposed heart.
At least Kelsey hadn’t come around flashing her stupid ring and rubbing her impending marriage in Jewel’s face. Kelsey had what she wanted—a ring, a fiancé, a wedding date. What did Jewel have? Before Heath, she’d only imagined working Cade Ranch as range boss. Respect, attention, power. Now she envisioned more. A family. A partner. A home of her own where love, not power, meant respect. Problem was, she could only picture that life with Heath.
He rode up and his eyes connected with hers before swerving to Daryl. “Not much luck keeping them on their feet.”
Daryl yanked his brim against the first slanting sunrays. “If they can barely stand, how’re they going to climb?”
“There are no other watering spots closer?” Jewel asked. It was mostly a rhetorical question. She’d studied the Loveland Hills maps so many times, she could ride the land in her sleep.