by June Faver
Breck turned onto the road leading to the Garrett homestead, driving through a big, horseshoe-shaped archway with the name Garrett emblazoned over the top. He crossed over a cattle guard, jarring the truck in passing. The entire procession rumbled through the entrance behind them.
Leah gazed around. Fenced pastures lined both sides of the road, with cattle grazing on lush grasses. This was Ty’s home turf. This was what he was used to. She pressed her lips together, silently comparing her current surroundings with the small, run-down ranch owned by her grandmother.
When Breck stopped the truck, it was in front of a large, rambling, Spanish-style ranch house with red tiles on the roof. The front was landscaped with flowering bougainvillea in a deep-purple color and lots of vibrant-pink crape myrtle. The effect was quite lovely. Leah could see at once this place had been groomed with loving hands.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Leah. Be ready.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be prepared.” She unbuckled her seat belt and was in the process of climbing down when Ty appeared to offer a hand. Just the sight of him made her feel warm all over.
He grinned, his hands lingering at her waist. “Here you are.”
Eddie ran up to greet her, barking his welcome. Lucky followed, waving his tail from side to side.
“I’m okay, at least for the moment. It was sure nice of your dad to pay so much to get me out of there.”
Ty frowned. “Yeah, I’ll have to thank him for that.”
The other trucks pulled in around them, and Breck took his leave, backing out and then zooming back the way he had come.
Leah gazed around, overcome with shyness. “Wow! This is quite a place.”
Ty nodded. “My dad’s empire. It was…different when Mom was alive.”
She slipped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “Different? How?”
He shrugged. “It felt like a home. Now, it’s just an enterprise.” He patted her arms. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
Holding her hand, he led her toward the house, first walking through a shady pergola with some sort of stone floor. It immediately felt cooler, as though they had entered a leafy tunnel. Flowering vines grew up on the sides, letting the last rays of sunlight filter in to touch her as she passed.
Ty held the massive front door open and quickly stepped inside behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her back against him, kissed the side of her neck. “I was so worried about you.”
The tension that had held Leah in its talons for the past two days slowly drained away. For the moment, she felt safe, protected. “I was really worried too, but mostly about Gracie. That was very nice of you to get your dad to go check on her.”
He huffed out a snort. “He wasn’t my first choice. I tried Colton and Beau first but couldn’t reach either one of them. Finally, I called Dad, and he was willing to drive to the school to pick her up.”
Leah gnawed her lower lip. “I need to talk to her. She must be worried sick. I’ve never been away from her overnight.”
“I’m sure your grandmother or my dad has the teacher’s number.”
She nodded, somewhat comforted.
Beau and Colton entered through the front door, and Leah stiffened, but Ty didn’t release her. She sighed, glad he wasn’t ashamed of caring for her, glad he hadn’t stepped away from her when faced with his brothers’ scrutiny.
“Where’s Dad?” Ty asked.
Colton grinned, tossing his hat on a rack beside the front door. “I believe he’s taking Miz Fern on a grand tour of the ranch.”
She felt Ty’s arms tighten around her. She patted his forearms. “That was nice of him.”
“Come on, Leah,” Ty growled. “Let’s get something to eat. You must be starved.”
Colton nodded. “Hey, we’re all hungry. Let’s rustle up some grub.” He thumped Beau on the chest, and the two raced ahead of Leah and Ty.
She glanced at him, but he rolled his eyes and gestured for her to follow in the direction his brothers had gone.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Leah was amazed at the layout. The Garrett kitchen seemed as big as Gran’s entire house. There was a cavernous eating space with a table and a dozen chairs. It was situated in a corner with a lot of glass looking out on a deck with another lush garden. There was also a long bar with seating on the outside and a preparation area lined with shiny stainless-steel appliances on the inside.
Beau and Colton were peering into a large, brushed-steel refrigerator that appeared to be very well stocked. Between the two of them, they were pulling items out and setting them on the granite countertop.
“We can grill,” Colton said. “Here are a couple of chickens and some steaks.”
“And a salad.” Beau tossed all manner of fresh vegetables on the counter. “And baked potatoes.” He set a half dozen large potatoes near the sink.
“You just relax, Leah,” Colton called over his shoulder. “We’ll take care of everything.”
“Oh my goodness,” Leah said. “I’m not used to being waited on.”
Colton raised an eyebrow, fixing her with an amused stare. “You mean my little brother Tyler hasn’t shown you what a great cook he is?”
Leah smiled, glancing from Colton to Ty.
Ty gave a one-sided grin, looking a bit sheepish. “I haven’t had occasion to cook lately.”
Colton made a grunting noise. “Slacker! You’ve been making this lovely lady cook for you? You weasel.”
Beau pounded Ty on the shoulder, laughing. “Just chill, Big Brother. Colton and I will throw supper together. Fire up the grill, Colt. I’ll make the salad.” He took a big colander and put all the vegetables in it, then set it in the sink and turned on the tap.
Ty kissed Leah’s fingers and seated her at the counter across from where Beau was working. “You sit here and keep an eye on my baby bro, and I’ll go out to make sure Colt doesn’t drop the steaks in the dirt.”
She watched him trail after Colton out onto the back patio. He finally seemed to be regaining some of his usual good humor.
Leah turned her attention to Beau, who was studiously laying the rinsed salad ingredients out on paper towels. “Do you want some help?” she offered.
Beau shook his head. “I couldn’t very well accept your help after giving Tyler a hard time for not cooking.” He glanced at her, his blue eyes as penetrating as Ty’s. “It’s just that our mother made it a point of teaching the three of us to cook. She said Dad was a disaster in the kitchen, and she didn’t want any of her sons to be so helpless.”
Leah folded her hands on the cool countertop. “She sounds like quite a lady.”
Beau sobered. “She was. Dad may have been the brains of the ranch, but Mom was the heart and soul of it.”
Leah pressed her lips together. It sounded like the Garrett brothers had been very fortunate in the parents they drew. Lucky indeed.
Chapter 14
Ty tried to relax. He opened the beer Colton handed him and let the icy liquid roll down his throat.
Colton opened the hood of the grill and turned the meat over, spearing it with a long fork. Beau had brought out potatoes seasoned and wrapped in foil to line up on the sides of the grill. The meal would be a typical Garrett production with beef from their own ranch.
Colton had been making small talk up to this point. He glanced at Ty and heaved a sigh. “Leah seems like a really nice girl.”
Ty nodded, took another sip of beer. “That she is.”
“Any…uh…plans I should know about?”
“Plans?”
“Don’t play dumb, jackass. You know what I’m talking about. Are you planning on making Leah a part of this family?”
Ty felt the muscles in his neck tighten up, and his shoulders wanted to crawl up to his ears. “Why would I want to make the poor girl suffer? I could just roll her
in poison oak. That would be about as pleasant.”
“Hey, we’re not so bad.” Colton glared at Ty, squinting through the smoke rising off the grill. “Don’t tell me you’re not in love with her. I can read you like a book, Little Brother. Large print edition.”
“I love her,” he said. “I’m just not sure I want to subject her to all this manipulation.”
Colton closed the top of the grill with a bang. “What’s the matter with you anyway? There are many thousands of acres here. You can pick your own little section and build your honeymoon cabin there. You don’t have to live in Dad’s back pocket, you know.”
Ty released a deep breath. “I know. I just don’t want Leah or her daughter to feel like they have to live up to some role Dad will write for them. I want them to enjoy being who they are without having to dance to his tune.”
Colton shook his head, frowning. “Man, you sound angry. Do you hate Dad that much?”
Ty reeled as though Colt had punched him in the face. “I don’t hate him. He’s my dad. But without really knowing how, I seem to have completely disappointed him. I just can’t be some little paper cutout like he wants me to be.” He finished his beer and rooted around in the cooler for another.
Colton pointed to the large outdoor preparation area. “Bring me that platter, Little Brother. Let’s plate up this meat.”
Ty straightened, staring at Colton for a moment before complying. He hoped his dad didn’t think he hated him. He sucked in a breath and blew it out before reaching for the platter. He set it close to Colton and backed away. It had been so very difficult to break out from under his father’s thumb. Now, he felt trapped again, and worse still, he had brought the woman he loved into it. She didn’t even realize what she was in for.
He stared up at the night sky, a thousand stars glittering overhead. Considering Colton’s words, he wondered if Leah would be content to live here. Would there be enough room for them to live as a couple without his dad interfering? Was there enough room in all of Texas for that to happen?
* * *
After dinner, Leah was surprised when Ty drew her away from the others. She felt his father’s and brothers’ eyes following them.
Ty escorted her to his truck, stating he wanted to take her for a ride. She got in, and he went around to climb up on the driver’s side. “Just thought a little moonlight drive was in order.”
She flashed a grin. “That sounds romantic.” Scooting closer, she leaned against his shoulder and softly laid her hand on his thigh.
Ty started the truck and headed out to what he described as one of his favorite places on the ranch. When they had driven to the end of the paved road, he turned onto one of the dirt roads that crisscrossed the property. Finally, he came to a stop at a little draw with a group of trees and a creek running through it. He lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Come on out. We can talk.”
A ripple of fear spread through her. That sounded ominous. What did he want to talk about? He stepped down and held out his arms to her.
Sliding under the steering wheel, she leaned down and into his embrace.
“Oh, Leah,” he said, gathering her close. “I don’t have any idea what my future holds.”
She pulled back, gazing up at him. “Well, that makes two of us. Tomorrow, I may be thrown back in jail and stay there forever.”
Softly, he kissed her lips and then again, not as softly. “C’mon,” he said abruptly. He led her to one side of the clearing where several large boulders were nestled together. He climbed up on the biggest one and held out his arms, pulling her up beside him.
She laughed nervously. “What are we doing here?”
“This,” he said. He leaned back and indicated he wanted her to join him.
Although the rock was not exactly comfy, when she curled up next to Ty and he offered his cushy shoulder for a pillow, it wasn’t so bad. Gazing up at the heavens, she drew in a breath. The clear night sky overhead looked as though an enchanted jeweler had thrown a zillion diamonds out onto black velvet. The moon glowed white, giving everything an ethereal radiance. “Oh my!”
“Exactly.”
She could hear the smile in his voice. “This is beautiful.”
“It is. I wanted to ask you if you would like to have this view every night for the rest of your life.”
“Well, sure. It’s gorgeous.”
He leaned toward her, grinning. “I mean, would you like to live here with me for the rest of your life?”
Her heart did a flip-flop in her chest. “Like, married?” Her voice broke.
“Yeah, that’s the deal. I don’t have any idea what’s going to happen in the next couple of months. I don’t know if I’m going to get kicked off the Idol show the first week or go on to the finals. I don’t know if I’m good enough to make a living at it.”
“I think you are, Ty,” she said softly.
“But this”—he gestured around to the clearing—“this is what I can offer you right now. If I stop trying to chase a dream and move back here, I can give you and Gracie a secure place right here. We can grow to be old people and have our bones buried right here.”
She stroked the side of his face with her fingertips. “Ty, you know I’m in love with you.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow. I may get thrown in jail and never come out, so I can’t make any plans…and then there’s Caine. He’s bound to come back into my life and screw things up again.”
“Doesn’t matter. I will spend every nickel I own for your defense. There is no way this murder can be pinned on you.” He planted a kiss against her temple. “And so far as this Caine goes, he has no place in our lives.”
“But I can’t be the cause of you giving up your dream. For your information, I would follow you anywhere you want to go. If we live in the back of your truck while you’re singing in bars, I could do that. But I couldn’t make Gracie go through that with me. She needs something stable. If I can make it through tomorrow, and Breck clears up this mess, the best thing I can do for Gracie is just return to Gran’s and go to work every day…and take care of her. Let her have a normal life where she goes to school and graduates and has a fair shot.”
He nuzzled her cheek. “You mean give her all the support you never had?”
How come he always hits the nail right smack-dab on the head? She sighed, nodding vigorously.
“That’s what I want for her too.” He leaned back and stretched, gazing up at the starry night.
“This is a beautiful place, Ty. When things get straightened out for both of us, can we talk about it again?”
He chuckled and rolled up to a sitting position. He leaned over and kissed her nose. “Sure we can. I’m just glad to know you would live in the truck with me.”
* * *
Leah was a basket case the next morning. Although the bed in the guest room was quite comfortable, she had slept fitfully. In her dreams, she had entertained the Carter brothers, including Ray, with his face caved in, as well as Caine. She was running, not sure who was chasing her, but when she looked back, her shadowy pursuers were gaining on her.
Waking before the alarm sounded, she sat up on the edge of the bed and pulled on her previous day’s clothing. She dropped her head into her hands and let the fatigue and tension wash over her.
There had seemed to be an endless number of guest rooms in the Garrett household. Gran had been shown to a very nice room. She had run her hand over the satin comforter and said, “This is real nice. I’ll sleep like a baby right here.”
Ty, however, had led Leah to his former room and told her to let him know if she needed anything. She had a pretty good idea of what he needed, and she probably did too. She just wasn’t comfortable giving it to him in the house where his father and brothers slept…not to mention her grandmother.
; Resolutely, she stood and made her way to the bathroom, cleaned herself somewhat, and ran her damp fingers through her unruly hair. She gathered it in the scrunchie she had worn the day before and surveyed the results. Not good, but relatively clean.
She tidied the bathroom after herself and opened the door to find Ty standing in the hallway, leaning against the doorjamb.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered.
She smiled, feeling instantly better. “Good morning. You didn’t have to get up this early to see me off.”
“I didn’t,” he said pleasantly. “I got up this early to accompany you. I’m not going to let you go without me.”
“Oh, Ty. That’s so sweet.”
He insisted he wanted to make her something for breakfast, but she refused. Her stomach was tied up in a knot, and she feared she wouldn’t be able to keep anything down.
When Breck Ryan came roaring down the private road in his pickup, Leah was waiting with Tyler standing by her side. She had the feeling that this was what she could count on her whole life through if things worked out with Ty. If I don’t go to jail on some trumped-up charges. If I don’t screw up the best thing that has ever happened to me…other than Gracie. Can’t screw that up either.
Breck drew to a stop beside them. The passenger side window came rolling down silently. “Hop in,” he said. “We can talk on the way over.”
Leah looked up at Ty, and he gave her a kiss before helping her up into the truck. “I’ll be right behind you.”
When they were on their way, Breck gave her a stern look. “Pretty serious between you and young Garrett?”
“I think so. Everything is just such a mess right now.”
“I understand that. Now, you’re going to be deposed. You need to tell the truth, because you will be under oath. I’ve found that sometimes, omitting some tiny little bit of information can really trip you up in the long run, so just answer the questions truthfully. If I feel a question is not appropriate, I’ll interrupt.” He glanced at her again, concern written on his face. “Do you understand?”