Logan felt his hurt subside a little. “So, this isn’t about you being embarrassed about us, just how it might look and affect Sandy?”
“Of course, I’m not embarrassed by us. But Sandy is building her place here and I don’t want to jeopardize that.” Pausing, she reflected. “Or at least in a in your face way.”
“Hmmm. I can accept that but you need to trust my family. They won’t judge you or Sandy harshly because we’re exploring feelings we have for each other.”
RJ never experienced any other family life or interactions other than her own. She avoided going to friends’ homes as a child because she heard the whispers about her parents. As an adult, she’d had a couple of semi-serious relationships but none moved to the meet the family stage. She was in unchartered territory here.
She shared those feelings with Logan. “I’m uncomfortable. I can apologize if it somehow offends you but I won’t apologize for feeling that way.”
Logan realized she didn’t trust him or his family in a way he took for granted. And, to win her heart he first had to earn her trust. And that, he realized would take some time. “I’m not asking you to minimize your feelings. But you need to trust me, and indirectly, my family. Wherever our relationship goes you will always be cared for and about with us.
RJ’s chest constricted at the thought of these good people accepting her regardless of her relationship with Logan. It was hard to comprehend. Is this what Sandy went through when she first met the MacBrides? If so, her sister’s bravery to push through old fears amazed her. She vowed she could do no less.
“I’ll try,” she pledged looking at him with reservation and a dusting of hope.
Kissing her lightly, Logan took her hand in his and led her into the house. “That’s all I can ask. Now let’s go introduce you to the youngest MacBride.”
* * *
“I’m doing everything I can to work it out with my superiors to get time off for the wedding. But you know how it is in the military, nothing is guaranteed until I’m on that plane,” Jacob MacBride said. He was currently displayed on the big TV screen in the family room through FaceTime.
“So, you’re coming up on completing your four years of service. Any thoughts on what you’re going to do?” Bea asked.
Jacob seemed to be looking straight at his mother. “I haven’t done anything official, but I’m leaning heavily towards re-enlisting.”
RJ could see Bea struggle to hold her smile in place. “Well, you need to do what feels right with your life. You know I would keep all of you close if I could. But that’s my life. You have to live your own.”
“I know mom,” Jacob responded. “That is the best gift a parent can give.”
“Well, enough about that. Just keep us posted.” Bea’s tone stronger again. “If you didn’t notice the new person in the room, this here is RJ. Sandy’s sister.”
Jacob’s eyes move across the screen to lock onto her. “Hey, Rizzo.”
RJ’s tentative smile slipped a little. Logan leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Big families, big mouths.”
Slipping Logan a sarcastic look she turned to the screen. “Hello, Jacob. Please call me RJ.”
Jacob’s eyes tracked to another person in the room for a brief moment, before returning to hers. “Sure. How are you getting along with the family?”
“Well, they beat me twice a day and lock me in a tiny box at night,” RJ said with a straight face causing all eyes to turn to her. Smiling devilishly, “Of course, they avoid hitting me with food. Apparently, they save that for each other.”
Laughter filled the room. “Sounds like you got my family pegged. But just so you know I am the champion mashed potato launcher.”
“Boy, come home and I’ll prove you wrong. Again,” Brand said. RJ could see the word boy caused Jacob to squint his eyes in irritation.
“You’re on.” Came the sharp reply. “Well, gotta go. We have training today. Love you all. Great to meet you, Rizzo.”
A chorus of goodbyes followed and then the screen went dark. The sudden silence was almost deafening. “I’m hungry,” Brand announced as he stood up. “When’s dinner?”
Bea was still quiet for a moment but took a deep breath, and expelled it. Standing up she headed to the kitchen. “It’ll be on the table in about fifteen minutes. Why don’t you all freshen your drinks.”
RJ watched as Hannah wrapped her arms around Bea’s shoulders as they stood at the stove and Bea tipped her head into the embrace for just a moment. Breaking the embrace, they started to busy themselves with the food.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Sandy whispered. “I’m so lucky to be able to become part of this family.”
RJ struggled to smile. Turning to her sister, she gave her a quick hug. “Yes, you are.”
12
Lifting the coffee cup to her lips, RJ continued to read the data on her screen. She’d spent the last couple of weeks commuting between Denver and Prickly Hill. During her down time in Denver, she had started researching demographic information and business data for the areas surrounding Grand Junction. Clay was right, there looked to be opportunity for a photography business. Always the planner, she tried to research the other opportunities in the area. She wasn’t unfamiliar with having to grab a second job waitressing or bartending to help make ends meet at times.
She had a growing sense of excitement about the possibility of moving closer to her sister. And, not one to kid herself, the idea of being closer to Logan was also part of that excitement. They tried to spend as much time together as they could when she was at the ranch. He’d shown her his home and on several occasions, and she had spent the night there.
Her thoughts shifted away from her research and landed solidly on Logan. Looking out the window of her apartment she smiled. Logan could make her laugh or want to pull her hair out. But he never lashed out at her. Oh, he could get mad but he never demeaned or threatened her. The night before she was to head back to Denver they had planned dinner together. She was at his home starting supper when he came stomping into the mud room. His temper had inventive cuss words streaming from his mouth. She remembered feeling frozen in place, not sure what to do when he walked into the kitchen. His scowl was ferocious. But he stood there in just his boxers apparently having stripped off his dirty clothes. She found herself struggling to not laugh at the sight of him. When he stomped over to the refrigerator, yanking it open for a beer, he scowled at her in earnest, then stormed out towards the bedroom.
Laughing now at the memory, she felt her heart tug. She had risked again that night. Following the beast into the bedroom, she heard him get into the shower. Stripping, she walked into the bathroom and saw him propped up with one arm against the shower wall and his head under the streaming water. Opening the glass door, she slid up behind him. He’d stiffened at first, but as she started lathering his back he had relaxed and reached for her. By the end of shower, the water had grown cold, but they were both in better humor.
Her ringing phone pulled her back from her memories. Picking it up, she checked the caller ID. Well, hell. There went her good mood.
“Hello, Mom.”
“Well, at least you answered my call. Don’t think I don’t know that you use that caller thing to avoid my calls.”
Sighing, RJ asked, “What do you want?”
“Hmph, not even a How are you? You’ve always been a disappointment to me and haven’t changed.”
“Well, the feeling is mutual. So, either tell me what you want or I’ll assume this call is over.”
Sniffles or what pretended to be sniffles came across the phone line. “I just want to see my baby married. I need your help.”
“No.”
“Dammit, girl. I mean it. I need some help here. We’ve rented an RV so we can have transportation and lodging. Sandy said we could park on the ranch. But this thing is a gas guzzler. I need a little extra for gas money.”
RJ’s internal warning system went off. “Who is part of the we, mom?�
��
“Well Hank is going to come. I can’t go anywhere without him by my side. Your uncle Tom and a couple of your cousins are thinking about it.”
Ding, ding, ding. That warning system was turning into a full-blown alarm. “Does Sandy know who’s planning on coming with you?”
“No. I just told you we aren’t final yet.” Her mom snapped. “So how about sending me five hundred. That should get us there.”
“No. I told you I’m not sending you any money. Let the others all chip in.”
“You know there’s not a lot of work out here. How like you to deny your mom help, the mother of the bride I might add, and to act so uppity you can’t help the rest of your family. I did a little research on Clay’s family. They own a lot of land and businesses. I guess Sandy’s landed in the gravy. Her fiancé should help.”
RJ went cold on the inside at her mother’s words. “I’ve told you before I’m not helping those lazy S.O.B.’s. And, I’ll warn you now, don’t plan on bilking money from Sandy now or in the future. So, if that’s all you wanted. Goodbye.” RJ disconnected the call and threw her phone on the table.
Fury and disgust built inside her to the point she was about to explode. Grabbing her keys, she marched out of her apartment. A long walk was needed to calm herself down. God, how did she and Sandy come from such people. It was one thing to be poor. It’s another to be lazy and shiftless. After walking for about an hour, RJ realized she should have warned Sandy. But knowing their mother, she probably already called her. Sadder, but calmer, RJ headed back to her apartment to call her sister.
* * *
Logan stared at his phone. He’d just finished his first cup of coffee when the text came through. What did she mean she wasn’t coming as planned? He knew something was not right last night when they spoke. But when he had asked, she just told him she was tired. Now this. Deciding he needed more than a few typed words, he hit the call button on his phone and waited for her to pick up.
“Logan.” Was all she said in greeting.
The tiredness in her voice had him pulling back from wanting to demand what was wrong. “Hey. So, what’s up that you can’t come up here as planned?”
“I’m just busy. Plus, I need to catch up on some stuff around here.”
She sounded so flat. Concern grew. “So, when are you thinking you’ll be able to come back up?”
“Other than the aerial shots, everything else I need to do both for the wedding and marketing project I can do from here.”
Wow, that hurt, but he had to ask. “What about us? Spending time together?”
There was a pause before she spoke again. “We’ll see each other in a couple of weeks. I mean it’s not that long of a time, and I’m sure you have plenty to keep you busy also.”
“What’s this all about, Rizz? Are you trying to avoid me?” He didn’t care anymore about tact. He was damn well going to find out whether or not she was dumping him.
“No,” she stuttered into the phone.
Not satisfied he pushed more. “Talk to me, Rizz. What the hell is going on?”
“Look, I’m just not in a good place right now.” She was clearly moving from tentative to angry. Logan took that as a good sign.
“So? You think a relationship only works when you’re in a good mood?”
“Clearly not, otherwise I would’ve walked out that last night we were together,” she snapped.
“Well, then get your ass up here and I’ll scrub your back this time,” he snapped right back.
The pause on the other end of the call started concerning him. Then he heard a giggle and smiled.
“Jerk.”
“I’ll own that,” he told her. “Now tell me what’s really going on.”
“I spoke with my mom yesterday. It wasn’t pleasant, but then again it never is.” She sighed.
God, he wished her a different family. “Tell me.”
After she told him about their conversation he wanted to punch something. “You could never be a disappointment to anyone. She’s just cruel.”
“Yeah, well. It still hurts.”
“Ah, baby. This is the time to run to me, not away from me.”
“I’ve never had that, Logan. I’m not sure I know how to accept it. And, I don’t want you or Clay or anyone in your family thinking this is about what you have.”
“Come home to me, Rizz.”
After several quiet moments, she gave him what he wanted. “Alright. I’ll be there late this afternoon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
13
It was a beautiful morning. The sky almost cloudless, and the green in the valley brilliant and beautiful against the high stark brown mesas. RJ found herself embracing the outdoors in a way she never would have imagined. She woke up alone, drowning in emotions. Needing to move, to process, she dressed and hopped into the UV left for her use and rode it to the top of the mesa closest to Logan’s home. Now looking out over his land, she tried to come to terms with what last night and early this morning meant to her.
He had been waiting for her when she drove up. She didn’t know how long she sat in her car looking out the windshield at him. But he waited for her to come to him. When she got out of the car, she walked up the porch steps and stood in front of him. He seemed to be wanting something from her she couldn’t understand. But she knew what she’d wanted, needed and forced herself to reach out for it. Taking another step closer, she broke eye contact with him, wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. It took a split second for him to wrap his arms around her and hug her tight.
They had slowly broken apart, and he grasped her hand leading her into the house and straight back to the bedroom. Letting go of her hand, he’d cupped her face leaning down to kiss her. Gently, at first. The heat that always followed had him tightening his grasp and delving deeper into the kiss. His hands moved down from her face, caressing her neck, then shoulders before moving between their bodies and lightly caressing her breast. Her nipples already hardened with desire begged for his attention. When he rasped his thumbs over them she melted into his body. Desire flowed down through her body until she whimpered.
They’d stumbled through shedding their clothes before landing on the bed in a tangle of limbs and desire. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He stroked her body until every nerve ending was alive before stroking the heat of her desire and sent her soaring. His need had him entering her before she’d come down from her first flight and together they drove each other over the edge, falling together.
All through the night, and early this morning, they had come together to ease the needs they both seemed to have. Somehow it was more, and deeper than before. He would caress her and get her to tell him more about her family. She would stroke him and ask him about growing up on the ranch. Childhood.
Out here in the fresh morning air she tried to come to terms with what was happening. For her, she never had anyone to run to and lean on before. He was making an impression on her and she was very much afraid of what would happen to her if they didn’t work out. Was this what Sandy had gone through? If so, RJ could understand why Sandy didn’t talk to her about it. Until now, RJ had no point of reference other than her own failed family. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. Smiling, she closed her eyes and let it just be. And with that silence came an awareness that scared her shitless. She was in love with Logan.
Now what? RJ was in unchartered territory. She was a pro at avoiding relationships with their mess of emotions to protect herself, so surely, she could keep her perspective about her relationship with Logan. She just needed to make sure she didn’t allow herself to rely on him. To expect more than what they had. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, worked hard to push her emotions back and sought her balance.
“You okay?”
RJ’s eyes flew open as she almost jumped out of her skin. Whirling around she saw Brand sitting on top of his horse leaning casually against the saddle horn. She co
uldn’t see much of his face as it was shadowed by his hat.
“Jesus, Brand, you scared the life out of me.”
He cocked his head at her. “Sorry. You okay? You looked like you were choking on something.”
If he only knew, she thought. “I’m okay. Just getting my head around some stuff.”
“Like my brother?” Brand questioned dryly.
“If so, you have a problem with that?” Hell, she just realized she loved Logan but needed to be cautious, and here was Brand sending signals she wasn’t sure she understood. But no one was going to push her around.
He studied her for a long moment, his intense personality and quiet manner could make anyone squirm. “Nope. He’s a big boy. But he is my brother and I don’t want to see him hurt. I’m thinking you are someone who could actually put a hole in him.”
Raising her eyebrows in surprise. First, because that was the most Brand had ever spoken to her. Usually, he was just quiet, and watchful. Second, because he really thought she could hurt Logan.
“What do you want me to say? If you think that I have the ability to hurt him I can assure you he has the power to devastate me.” She figured he was just the lucky sap to get an insight into her recent discovery.
He pushed the brim of his hat up allowing her to see his eyes a bit more clearly now. He was a handsome man, but formidable. “Well, then I guess you’ll both be careful.” He nodded before turning his horse.
“Brand,” she called out quickly causing him to stop and turn in the saddle. “Why don’t you like me?”
“Didn’t say I didn’t like you.” To her surprise, he grinned. “But then I didn’t say I did either. I guess we’ll see.”
“That goes both ways you know.”
“Yup.” Then he turned and kicked his horse into a trot.
RJ watched Brand ride off. He was a man of few words but honest with them. She could respect that. Hopping into the UV she headed back to Logan’s. Brand’s words about Logan gave her something more to think about.
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