by June Faver
As she sifted through the array of papers, a knot the size of a fist formed in her stomach. The enormity of the Garrett holdings was spread before her, spelled out in detail and alluded to in generalizations that were beyond her imaginings. She tried to comprehend the vast amount of wealth Tyler Garrett would fall heir to at some point in time, and that realization hit her like a truck. A big truck.
She read the will where Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Garrett had assigned all her worldly goods and property to be disbursed equally among her three sons, Colton, Tyler, and Beauregard. The will had been probated less than a year ago. Leah’s throat felt dry.
How could people have so much when others had so very little? And how could it not matter to Ty how little she had?
She leapt up to fill a tiny cup of water from the cooler, which made big glug-glug sounds. Her hands shook as she raised the cup to her lips. She managed to gulp it down and then crush the paper in her fist.
What if he’s only interested in me for the sex? I certainly was easy enough. He never said anything about being madly in love with me. I’m so stupid!
Tossing the remains of the cup in the trash can, she hurried to return all the papers having to do with the huge Garrett estate back where they belonged. She slipped them safely into properly labeled folders, now residing in neatly arranged, easy to find, very orderly drawers in the equally logically labeled file cabinets.
Leah leaned against the cool metal and exhaled. I’m such a total fool. Ty couldn’t possibly want anything more from me than just handy sex. I’m truly not good enough for him.
The door opened, and she steeled herself, terrified to turn around. She felt the man’s presence without even seeing him.
She pressed her lips together and squared her shoulders before pivoting to face a man who seemed to fill the doorway.
He frowned at her, as though he knew she had defiled his son. He removed the Stetson from his thick crop of silver hair and hung it on the coatrack. “Breck in?” he asked shortly.
Leah forced a smile. “Why yes, sir, he is. You must be Mr. Garrett.”
At his nod, she went to the closed door and tapped before entering. “Mr. Garrett is here,” she announced.
“Oh good.” Breck swung around and took his boots off the top of his desk. “Send him right in.”
Leah turned to find James Garrett right behind her, bigger than a Caterpillar combine and looking just as solid. Fierce brows knotted above crystal-blue eyes that seemed to be examining her in detail.
Breck had come out of his seat and hemmed her in on the other side, extending a hand to the behemoth. “Big Jim! Good to see you. Have you met Leah?”
The two men pumped hands while keeping Leah sandwiched between them and the door.
Big Jim’s fierce gaze returned to her. “No, I don’t believe I have.” He offered a paw.
Leah put her hand in his with as much trepidation as one might approach a bear trap. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Garrett,” she croaked.
“Folks around here just call me Big Jim.”
“Leah is a friend of your son Tyler’s,” Breck offered. “I’m so glad he brought her to me. She’s been a blessing.”
The blue eyes hardened to ice. “Is that so?” Big Jim’s mouth tightened, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “Well…we’ll have to talk more, young lady.”
Leah nodded, willing him to release her hand, willing him to stop dissecting her with his gaze, willing her own feet to move. “Yes, sir,” she whispered and slipped from the room. The door closed behind her, muffling the sound of deep voices in conversation.
Even though her legs felt like melted rubber, she managed to get to her desk before collapsing. She sat with her hands clasped together, the sound of her own heartbeat throbbing in her ears.
Oh no. Oh no. What does he want? What will I say to him?
In due time, the door opened, and Breck motioned to her. “Leah, can you step in, please?” He motioned her over to stand beside Big Jim. “I need you to witness his signature.” He showed her where to sign as witness after Big Jim had signed.
She formed the letters to her name slowly and deliberately, making certain her hand didn’t shake as she did so. Straightening, she laid the pen down. “Is that all, sir?”
Breck smiled. “That’s just fine, Leah. Thanks.”
She made it back to her desk, and in a short time, Big Jim emerged from Breck’s office, pulling the door closed behind him. He came to stand in front of her desk. “You and me need to talk, little lady. How about lunch?”
Leah was certain her heart stopped beating in her chest. She looked up at the towering personage. “I…uh…I brought my lunch, Mr. Garrett.”
A hint of a smile flickered across his lips, and his eyes crinkled. “I think it will be all right to leave it for another day. Come on. I won’t bite you.” He crossed to retrieve his hat from the coatrack beside the door.
She sucked in a breath and pushed back from the desk. “I’ll just tell Breck that I’m leaving…” she began.
“He knows.” Big Jim jammed the Stetson on his head and gestured to the front door.
Leah obeyed meekly.
Once outside, she was faced with another large diesel truck, this one silver, with an image on the side and the name Garrett emblazoned in black letters.
He opened the door for her and gave her a boost up.
As she sat on the high perch, she fumbled with the seat belt while she watched Big Jim round the truck and climb in on the driver’s side.
“Any preference?”
She shook her head, and he drove to the Mexican restaurant. He parked and got out, reversing the process wherein he rounded the truck, opened her door, and assisted her descent. At least she knew where Ty got his manners.
Once inside, he asked the hostess for a corner booth. He tossed his Stetson on the seat and slid onto the smooth plastic beside it. When the waitress offered menus, he said, “We’ll both have the grande platter and sweet tea. That okay with you, little lady?”
She nodded. “Yes, fine.”
As soon as the waitress was out of earshot, he leaned across the table and spread his hands. “So, how much do you care about my boy?”
Leah felt her color rising. “A lot,” she said, barely above a whisper.
He searched her face, as though he might find some truth there.
The waitress returned bearing two tall glasses of iced tea and set them on napkins, then went to take another order.
Big Jim watched her depart, his jaw tight, and then turned his attention back to Leah. “I don’t know how much you know about the dustup between me and my son, but I gather you’ve seen him since I have.”
She clasped her hands together, interweaving her fingers for courage. “Yes, sir.”
“How is he?”
The look of concern on his face caused Leah to relax her shoulders, feeling some of the tension drain away. “He’s great.”
Big Jim’s eyes narrowed. “Where has he been since he left the ranch?”
“Um, he’s been staying with us at my grandmother’s ranch. Fern Davis’s place.”
The gaze became a trifle less fierce. “Davis? I know that place.” He seemed to be considering something. “Where is he now?”
“Right now, he’s in Dallas cutting a demo. I’m not at all sure what that means, but he seems to be really excited about it.”
Big Jim brushed his palms over his face and back through his silver hair. “Lord! I’ve made so many mistakes with that boy.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” she said, suddenly courageous. “He seems to have turned out to be a very fine man.”
Big Jim expelled a lungful of air. “That’s good to hear.” Shaking his head, he gazed into her eyes as though searching for some answer. “I know he’s a grown man, but he’s just so…so…”
Leah grinned in spite of herself. “Yes, he is.”
Big Jim pulled his glass of tea closer, a slow smile spreading over his features. “I think you and me are gonna get along just fine, little lady.”
The waitress brought them each a huge platter of Mexican food, with a stack of flour and corn tortillas on the side. Leah hadn’t thought she could eat so much, but it was delicious, and Big Jim seemed inclined to linger and converse about her favorite cowboy.
By the time they had eaten, she’d learned much more about Ty’s childhood and about his athletic prowess and high school honors. She learned he had graduated with a degree in agriculture from Texas Tech University in Lubbock and returned to the ranch, where his father had hoped he would forget about music and get serious about “digging in,” as he called it.
“I just don’t know,” Big Jim said. “I wish he could appreciate everything he’s been given.”
Leah swallowed, not wanting to intrude but feeling the desire to defend Ty in his absence. “I’m sure he appreciates everything,” she said. “He’s just got a lot on his mind now, what with the audition and all.”
“Audition? He’s auditioning?” The fierce blue gaze skewered her again.
“I—I believe so,” she stammered. “I mean, he’s got such a wonderful voice. Don’t you want him to find out for himself if he’s got what it takes to make it to the big time?”
Big Jim’s shoulders slumped. “You sound just like his mother.” He heaved a sigh. “My dear, departed wife thought Tyler sang like the angels. I blame her for filling his head with all this nonsense.” He waved his hand as though to stave off her objections. “I know he’s got a great voice, but there are more serious things to attend to. Our land is his real future.”
She took a gulp of her sweet tea, carefully setting the sweating glass down in the exact same ring it had imprinted on the soggy napkin. “I’m sorry you don’t believe in him.”
Big Jim gave her a measuring gaze. “And you do?”
“Why wouldn’t I? He’s got the talent. Somebody’s going to make it, and why not Ty?”
The dark brows drew together, causing her stomach to catch. “That’s for people who don’t have as much going for them as my sons do. I worked my whole life to make sure the boys would have something…and he wants to throw it all away.” He blew out a stream of air. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice. It’s just such a waste.”
Leah met his gaze, trying to gather her courage. “You make it sound like there’s a time limit on whatever you think Ty’s throwing away.”
He drew back, scowling. “You don’t understand. We’ve been through this before. This time, I told him if he left, it was over. I was writing him out of the will.”
The reality of this statement slapped her in the face.
His eyes narrowed. “So, you see…it does make a difference.” He leaned back in the seat and folded his arms across his broad chest.
The waitress came to clear their plates and slid the check on the table close to Big Jim’s elbow.
Without glancing at it, he reached into his breast pocket and took out a plastic card, slapping it down on top of the check.
Leah smiled when she realized Ty kept his plastic in the same pocket.
“You think it’s funny? I suppose now you’re not interested in him since he’s been cut off.”
Leah’s eyes opened wide. “No, actually, I like him even more.”
They stared at each other for a moment, neither flinching.
“Mr. Garrett,” she said finally. “I have a little girl.” She watched this information sink in on him. “And I love her with every molecule of my being. I will never intentionally do anything to hurt her in any way, no matter what choices she may make.” She picked up the tea and drained it. The only sound was the ice settling back into the glass as she set it down.
* * *
Ty spent the day with Will down in the studio. The acoustics were great, and he marveled at Will’s ability to balance sound and enhance his voice.
He took off the headphones and grinned at Will, sitting in the recording booth. “Don’t make me sound too good,” he said. “I don’t want to fool them into giving me a chance and then fall flat on my face.”
Will made a scoffing noise. “Trust me. Everyone will be doing this much and more. You’ve got a great sound. I’m just giving you a bit of glamour.” He stepped out of the recording booth, grinning as he pulled his collar up and gave an Elvis-style lip curl.
Ty howled with laughter. “I suppose you want me to wear a little eye shadow too.”
“Not hardly,” Will said. “You need to remember, if you make it onto the show, you’ll have to depend on the voters to keep you there. A lot of the voters will be chicks. You’re a reasonably good-looking guy, but you could use some sexing up.”
Ty drew back, frowning. “What? That sounds disgusting. You’re kidding me, right?”
Will shrugged. “Yeah, I’m kind of messing with you, but kinda not.” He took the headphones and hung them on a rack behind Ty. “If you want to win this competition, you’re going to have to work on your image.” He made a circle around Ty, looking him over critically. “The hair’s good, but don’t get it cut before your first audition. Women like that disheveled look. You look clean as a choirboy right now, but you need a little sex appeal to sell the package.”
Ty stood with his hands fisted at his waist. He shook his head. “I don’t know about this.”
“Just listen to me.” Will tugged on the back of Ty’s shirt, adjusting the fullness in the back so the shirt tapered down close to his sides in the front. “Let’s send a few shirts to be fitted to show off your manly physique, and while we’re at it, you need to open up a couple of buttons. It’s okay to show a little chest hair.”
Ty laughed. “Come on, man. That’s not me.”
Will stepped back, crossed his arms over his chest, and raised one eyebrow. “How much do you want this?”
Ty regarded him, noting the serious expression. “I want it a lot.”
“Then you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get there, and that means boosting your sex appeal. Whatever you do, don’t mention your girlfriend to anyone. All the women out in TV land want you single…unattached…available. Understand?”
Ty huffed out a breath of air. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Chapter 8
After Big Jim dropped Leah off, she spent the rest of the day working on the files, but her mind was whirling with all she had learned over lunch. She saw a lot of Big Jim in Ty, but Ty was much sweeter. Must have gotten that from his mother’s side.
In her heart, she was certain she didn’t care about Ty’s inheritance, but she thought it was just plain mean of his father to disinherit him because he was trying to go after his dream. Well, Ty can just stay with me on the ranch…with Gracie and Gran. We can be his family.
She drove home that evening thinking over all that had happened that day. She felt both good and bad about meeting Big Jim Garrett. She wasn’t sure why he had invited her to lunch. He had obviously been surprised when Breck introduced her as a friend of Ty’s, but he seemed to have some deeper purpose. That was what she wasn’t certain about. She wasn’t sure Ty would want her talking to his father, but Big Jim hadn’t been willing to take no for an answer.
She hoped Ty would understand and not feel betrayed. As she turned onto the caliche road leading to Gran’s place, she considered her position.
Ty’s father had assumed that she meant something to Ty…that she was his girlfriend. Good thing he didn’t ask how long they had known each other.
And she recalled the look of surprise that crossed his face when she told him she had a daughter. Maybe Ty wouldn’t have wanted her to disclose that information. Maybe he would want to make that announcement himself…or maybe not. Maybe he wasn’t serious enough about her to take h
er home to meet dear old Daddy.
She pulled up to the house and turned off the ignition. She saw Gracie standing inside the screen, watching for her. A flood of warmth filled her chest. Yes! This is what it’s all about. This is what makes it all worthwhile.
She got out of the car and went to meet her daughter, who had been followed by the dog parade. It seemed that Ty’s dog, Lucky, was as fond of Gracie as Eddie was. At least they were sharing her affections.
That night, after dinner, she sat with her arm around Gracie, watching a situation comedy on Gran’s old television set. There was still a tall antenna affixed to the side of the house, so they had access to three major stations and a local one out of Lubbock, where they read the farm and ranch reports all day.
“Mommy,” Gracie whispered. “Do you ever think we’ll be like them?” She gestured with her cast toward the television where actors portrayed humorous family interactions.
“What do you mean, baby?” Leah asked.
“You know…a family? With a dad?”
Leah felt her throat tighten. “I don’t know. Is that what you want?”
Gracie nodded. “Yeah. I want a dad.”
Leah wasn’t sure how to answer. “You know not every family is happy together. Sometimes, people don’t get along.” She heaved a sigh. “Sometimes, being a family isn’t like it appears on TV.”
“I know, but it can be good, can’t it?”
“Yes, it can. Sometimes, everyone is happy.”
“That’s what I want. I want you to be happy too. I want Ty to be my dad.”
Leah was stunned. “Oh, honey. I don’t have any idea how that could happen. I mean, Ty is a very nice man, but I have no idea what he has in mind.”
Gracie turned to gaze up at her mom, wide brown eyes demanding answers. “Well, can you ask him? Ask him if he would like to marry us.”
Leah sat up straight. “No! Absolutely not, and I forbid you to even suggest such a thing to him. That is not open for discussion.”