As they jammed, Jody’s spirits had soared with every note. She could never return to the way things had been before he arrived, she realized. He’d stirred up too many emotions.
Yet she had to cut off his courtship, or pseudo-courtship, or whatever it was. Callum was too mercurial to be the man she needed, and she was too much herself to fit into his high-flying existence in California. At the same time, she didn’t want to deprive the boys of their father.
When he kissed her, Jody’s soul had ignited in a pure blue flame. No other man would ever be enough for her. Any chance at the marriage she’d always dreamed of had been ruined.
That was when the solution had hit her. It solved almost everything, including the fact that, subconsciously, she’d been waiting five years to hear words Callum would never speak. So she decided to say them herself.
“Let’s get married,” she said.
He stared at her blankly. For once in his life, Callum Fox was speechless.
“I can be the respectable Mrs. Fox and you can give the boys your name,” Jody went on. “When they start school, they’ll be able to look any bully in the face and say, ‘I do so have a father.”’
“Of course they do.” He clearly had no quarrel with that point.
“You can fly home to L.A. and tell your friends anything you like,” Jody went on. “I don’t care how you act as long as you don’t create a scandal that reaches Everett Landing. You can visit me every now and then. As far as anybody else is concerned, we’ll have a long-distance marriage.”
“What about as far as we’re concerned?” Callum asked.
“If we try to act like a real man and wife, we’ll end up hating each other.” She’d resigned herself to that fact long ago. “You’ll try to argue me into giving up the ranch and I’ll get jealous if you escort other women to movie premieres.”
“Why would I escort other women if I’m married?” He was sitting so close, she could have buried her nose in his neck.
Jody held herself rigidly straight. “Because it’s going to be a marriage of convenience.”
Callum ran one hand through his hair. “I thought those only existed in Victorian novels.”
“Not true,” Jody said. “You’ve heard of green card marriages, haven’t you?”
“Neither of us is a foreign citizen.” He appeared to be taking her seriously, at least, or maybe he was in shock.
“There’s a rancher on the outskirts of town who married a widow because they were both lonely,” Jody added, seeking ammunition. “Of course, we’d be doing the opposite, getting married and living apart, but it will take care of our problems.”
“How’s that?”
“I won’t have to worry about men pursuing me. No one will ask me out if I’m married,” she said. “Of course, you can date if you want to.” I don’t really mean that, do I? “I mean, taking actresses to openings and things like that.”
“I’d rather take my wife,” Callum said.
“You don’t have a wife.”
“If memory serves, you just proposed to me,” he said.
“I’d be your wife legally, but not in other ways.” She figured she’d spelled that out plainly enough.
From his seat beside her, Callum ran one hand up her wrist and caressed the inside of her elbow. Jody gave a delicious shudder.
“It isn’t going to work,” he said.
“It has to work!” Irked at her own vulnerability, she slid away on the bench.
“Be reasonable,” Callum said. “We can’t have a platonic marriage when your scent alone gets me aroused.”
“It does?” She could hardly breathe. She’d had no idea he felt that way.
“Come closer and I’ll demonstrate.”
Jody shook her head. “You react that way to lots of women! There’s nothing special about me as far as you’re concerned.”
“That’s not even remotely true,” Callum said. “Nobody compares to you. No one ever has.”
“It’s taken you five years to figure that out?” she demanded. “Let’s not forget that, during that time, you failed to visit me or even call. If I hadn’t entered your contest, you wouldn’t be here now. I think it’s safe to say that out of sight is out of mind as far as you’re concerned. Right?”
Although she could tell by his expression that Callum wanted to argue, he didn’t. “I’ll admit, I’ve tended to live in the moment. Five years ago, I was barely scraping by running a Web site and writing ad copy part-time for a hotel chain. I asked you to move to L.A. because I knew we’d have fun together, but when you turned me down, I figured I had to move on.”
“And I let you,” Jody conceded. “I can’t blame you for something that’s partly my fault. Still, fundamentally, the only thing that’s changed is that we have two sons.”
“That’s a pretty big change,” he said. “Tell me why our getting married in name only would be good for them.”
“It will placate the town gossips, for one thing.” Jody’s attachment to her idea grew as she spoke. “Also, it should make it easier for them to trust that you’ll come back, if they know you care enough to marry their mother.”
Callum considered. “Why couldn’t we be a real husband and wife even though we live apart? Other couples do it.”
“I told you, we’d be wretched. At least, I would be,” Jody said. “I’d miss you too much. I’d pester you and mope around and then I’d get mad. If I know up front that it’s simply an arrangement for the boys’ sake, I can get on with my life.”
“It’s important that we stay on good terms.” He sounded thoughtful. “Let me mull this over, all right?”
“Sure.” That was only fair, since she’d sprung this idea on him without warning. Besides, Jody was in no hurry, in case his answer happened to be no. If so, it would most likely be followed by “adios” and a quick exit in that ridiculous convertible. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a full afternoon ahead.”
When she returned from throwing on her grubby clothes, Callum was dishing out leftover apple pie for the boys. “Hey, Mom, are we going to buy jeans?” Jeremy said.
“It’s Saturday,” Ben reminded her.
She’d promised to take the boys shopping at Banyon’s Clothing Store. “Oh, darn, I forgot.” Jody had gotten behind in her chores since Callum arrived. She had to prepare for next week, when she, Gladys and Freddy planned to vaccinate the spring calves.
“I’ll take them,” Callum volunteered.
“You don’t need to.” Her protest sounded weak.
“I want to.” He made a shooing motion as if to herd her toward the door. “It’ll be fun to spend time with my sons. Besides, I’d like to talk to Ella Mae at the café. She’s a finalist, too, you know.”
Jody had been amused to hear about it. “All right. Have a good time.”
“You bet.”
As she turned to go, the sight of the three males standing close together, their silver-blond hair and supple bodies so much alike, tugged at Jody’s heart. She hoped Callum would go along with her idea. She wanted this relationship tied up neatly with a bow so it wouldn’t keep tearing at her heart.
RIDING IN AN OPEN CAR thrilled the boys, who whooped and chortled from their booster seats. Thank goodness they had no idea the decrepit vehicle was nothing short of a fashion felony, Callum thought wryly.
Everett Landing hadn’t changed much since he’d last seen it. The grocery store had been re-painted white with blue trim and the hardware store displayed computers and DVD players alongside tools in the window. Otherwise, there was a lazy 1950s feel to the sprawling main street that even the presence of a few late-model SUVs failed to dispel.
Although Callum knew that being stuck here after high school would have chafed him beyond endurance, he relished the small-town pleasure of walking into Banyon’s and greeting the salesclerk and two customers by name. All welcomed him warmly, although there were startled looks as they saw him with the boys. From the way their glances trailed between him and hi
s sons, he knew they were noting the similarities.
He forgot everything else as he helped the boys pick out clothes. Both wanted jeans, and they were delighted when Callum agreed to buy them new sneakers, as well. With a pang, he realized how tight money must be for Jody. Thank goodness he’d learned about the twins while they were little.
Ben’s taste ran to T-shirts with pictures of teddy bears and puppies. Jerry fell in love with a black-and-tan short-sleeved shirt much too large for him and refused to give it up. “I want it! It’s mine!”
“That’s an adult small,” the storekeeper, Al Banyon, commented. “It’ll come down to his knees.”
“I don’t care.” Jerry thrust out his lower lip.
What good was a father if he couldn’t indulge his child? Callum reflected. “I’ll tell you what,” he said. “We’ll buy this, but you have to pick out at least two other T-shirts that are the right size.”
His son reflected and came to a decision. “Okay.” He walked to the racks, grabbed two plain blue T-shirts, and returned with a triumphant smile.
“I’m hungry,” Ben said after Callum finished paying.
He checked his watch. Three o’clock. Usually he sent his secretary out for a latte about now. “Let’s stow these in the trunk and see what they’ve got at the Downtown Café.”
They sauntered along the sidewalk to the corner of Main Street and Mesquite Avenue. The sight of children playing at the elementary school across the street unlocked happy memories of Callum’s own school days.
Inside the gleaming eatery, a couple of cowboys were chowing down one of the café’s famous round-the-clock breakfasts. The only other occupant was a pretty, dark-haired waitress mopping the tile floor.
Callum chose a table near the window. The waitress disappeared, exchanged her mop for an order pad, and returned.
“Hi, I’m Evelyn,” she said. “Hello there, Ben and Jerry. What can I get for you folks?”
“Can we have a sundae, Daddy?” Ben asked.
When she heard the name “Daddy,” the young woman dropped her pen. Apologizing, she scooped it up. “I didn’t realize…I mean, you must be…I, uh, guess you’re a good friend of Jody’s.” She smiled.
“That’s a safe bet. I mean, yes, I am,” he said. “Let’s make that three sundaes. Is chocolate okay with everyone?” Two small heads nodded. “One coffee, too, please.”
“You bet!”
“I’d like to say hello to Ella Mae, if she isn’t busy,” he added.
“I’ll tell her right away!” The young woman gave an excited skip as she hurried to the kitchen.
“Do you guys eat here often?” Callum asked.
“Grandpa and Grandma used to bring us,” Jeremy said. “Mommy says we can’t ’ford it.”
“They make yummy burgers.” Ben rested his chin on his palm.
“From now on, you and Mommy can eat here a lot more often.” Callum hoped Jody wasn’t going to argue about his paying her a generous monthly allotment. If they got married as she’d suggested, there would be no question about his helping to support them. That was one point in its favor.
While the boys amused themselves by identifying letters in their plastic-covered menus, Callum’s mind remained fixed on Jody. Just thinking about their embrace this morning made him want her so much he ached. If she hadn’t interrupted their kiss, history might have repeated itself.
She was right, though, that attempting to have a real long-distance marriage might blow up in their faces. Neither of them had any experience at maintaining intimacy even under ideal conditions. As for a marriage of convenience, however, he didn’t see how they could be sure of resisting the temptation they hadn’t been able to resist in the past.
In order to make a decision, Callum needed some criteria. What would the rules be, and did they have a chance at succeeding? If only there were some way to test their resolve….
“Oh, look!” Ben jumped up. “It’s Abner!”
“Who’s Abner?” Callum hoped this wasn’t going to turn out to be another rival for Jody’s affections.
Jeremy pelted past him. “Hi, Abner!” He squatted to stroke a large calico cat. Joining him, Ben ran both hands through the thick fur.
The cat rolled onto its back, purring so loudly the sound echoed from the restaurant walls. “He’s certainly friendly,” Callum observed.
“He’s so outgoing, Ella Mae says he thinks he’s a dog.” Evelyn poured him a full mug.
A clap from the kitchen doorway announced the presence of a large-boned woman in her sixties. “Abner! Bad cat!” cried Ella Mae. “Go on, boy! Out!” Startled, the feline let out a disappointed sound halfway between a groan and a whine as it got to its feet and slouched away. “Sorry, folks,” the owner announced. “He’s not allowed in here, but he gets curious.”
After shutting the door behind the cat, Ella Mae fetched a plate of homemade cookies and passed them out to her customers. “This is by way of an apology,” she told Callum as she took a seat across from him. “It sure is good to see you. You’ve been gone far too long.”
“It’s good to be back,” he said, and meant it. His mother had died not long after he graduated from college and his father, who liked to visit cousins in Arizona, used to drive there and on to California once a year in his motor home until his death five years ago. As a result, Callum had become almost a stranger around here.
Evelyn returned with three scrumptious sundaes. The kids dug in. He ate at a more leisurely pace while he and Ella Mae brought each other up to date on their lives. She nodded appreciatively when he admitted he was the boys’ father.
“I always wondered about that,” she said. “The older those boys get, the more they look like you. I figured maybe something had gone on between you and Jody, but she didn’t like to let on and I’m not one to pry.”
“How come other people didn’t notice?” Callum asked. “Or did they?”
The café owner gave him a knowing smile. “People see what they want to see. Besides, Jody had another boyfriend before the kids were born. He moved away when he realized she could never really love him, or so I heard. I never did believe she had a fling with that rodeo rider, though, no matter what people said.”
“What rodeo rider?” He glanced at the boys, but they were absorbed in making mush out of their ice cream.
“Nobody to be concerned about,” Ella Mae said. “Now, I wanted to talk to you about Abner.”
“The cat?” Callum remembered about the contest. “Oh, right. You want to take him to Paris.”
She folded her arms on the table. “I entered the contest after I saw a picture on the Internet of some cats traveling with their owners. They looked real cute, but the more I think about it, the more I worry that Abner might get lost. I appreciate your making me a finalist, Callum, but I won’t feel bad if I lose.”
He thanked his lucky stars that she’d smoothed over the situation. “I’m sure our readers found the idea amusing.”
“Ever think about moving back here?” Ella Mae asked abruptly. “We’ve got a lot of nice things happening in central Texas. Maybe you could run your business from here.”
“I’d love to spend more time with my boys, but I don’t know if that’s feasible.” Callum had a packed schedule: supervising weekly story meetings, mediating staff disputes, handling sudden emergencies. Sometimes his ability to crank out a last-minute cover story or charm a celebrity averted disaster. Family Voyager needed him at the helm, in person.
“Well, you’d better do something before we end up with our own soap opera.” Ella Mae indicated the waitress, who was disappearing into the kitchen. “Evelyn’s got it bad for Bo Landers, and he’s got it bad for Jody. Or hadn’t you noticed?”
“I noticed,” Callum said between bites of ice cream. “The part about Bo and Jody, in any event.”
“She doesn’t look sick,” Jerry said.
“Excuse me?” Ella Mae leaned over and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Nobody’s sick, sweetheart.”
“You said Evelyn’s got it bad.”
She uttered a bark of laughter. “When somebody has it bad, that means they’re in love. My point is, this whole tangle needs to get resolved and your father is the only person who can do it.”
“Any suggestions?” Callum asked.
“Follow your heart,” said the café owner.
He wasn’t accustomed to following, he was accustomed to leading. Maybe that was part of the problem, he conceded. Maybe he talked too much and listened too little.
That was going to change. Callum intended to listen to Jody, even if it meant facing the possibility that a marriage of convenience was the right way to go.
CHAPTER FIVE
IF JODY had figured she could spread the word quietly that Callum was the boys’ father, her hopes of discretion received a knockout punch on Sunday morning. As the four of them arrived for church, Ben greeted everyone he knew by announcing, “This is my daddy!”
“Mine, too,” Jeremy said, a bit defensively.
Although a few people had already heard the news from Ella Mae and Bo, most were startled. Jody caught a disapproving frown from Melody Lee, a former PTA president who’d tried to get Jody fired from her teaching job when she became pregnant. Others shook Callum’s hand, glad to see him again and willing to suspend judgment.
“The Prodigal Son has returned,” he told the preacher ruefully.
“To stay, I hope,” came the response.
“We’re working on that,” Callum said.
He’d certainly been working at being a father. Last night, he’d introduced the boys to the game of dominoes. Although they couldn’t add their scores, they’d relished the challenge of counting and matching the dots on the tiles.
Jody’s throat tightened as she recalled childhood evenings at the kitchen table playing with this same worn set in the company of her parents and friends. That was the way family life ought to be. If only she could have that kind of closeness with Callum for more than just a few days.
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