“Mom always was a great cook. Olivia learned from her.”
“Thanks, honey,” Jackie Montgomery said and gave him a brush of her lips on his cheek.
“You were, Mom. Heck, still are.”
Jackie beamed from Travis’s compliments.
Plates full, the adults moved back to the table. Caroline found herself seated with Travis on her right and his father on her left and Sylvia Landry next to him. Mitch took the head of the table and his father snagged the corresponding chair at the other end. Across the table, Adam sat in an elevated chair between his father and mother. Next to Olivia was Lydia and then Jason.
Caroline allowed her gaze to move across the family faces, recognizing her small twinge of envy at not only their closeness but also their numbers. Becoming a doctor had required long hours of study and countless sacrifices, but she’d accepted long ago that a family and children would be one of those personal sacrifices for her professional career.
As soon as everyone was seated, Mitch stood and tapped his water glass.
“Olivia and I want to thank you all for coming tonight. We realize it was short notice but…” He reached over and took Olivia’s hand. She stood and moved to stand beside him. “We have news we wanted to share with all of you at the same time.” He looked at Olivia. “Right?”
She gave him a nod. “We do.” She turned to the family and an ecstatic grin broke across both their faces. “We’re pregnant.”
Suddenly everybody was talking at once, congratulating the couple, asking when the baby was due, asking Adam what he thought about having a baby brother or sister. The noise level continued to rise until Travis stood. He tapped his glass with his knife, but no one paid him any mind. A red flush climbed from his neck to his face. He tapped again and again, but the congratulations continued. Finally, he stuck two fingers between his lips and produced a shockingly loud whistle. All heads turned to him.
“Let me get this straight,” he said in a tone so quiet and calm it reminded Caroline of the weather right before a tornado. “You have gotten my sister, my unmarried sister, pregnant again? You lousy—”
Olivia answered his sharp whistle with one of her own. “You stop right there, Travis. I’m a grown woman. You have no right to pass judgment. I’m thrilled about this baby. Completely overjoyed.”
“Now, Olivia,” he started.
Mitch held up his hand like a football ref for a time-out. “Travis. Olivia has told the story a little out of order.” He looked at Olivia. “Don’t bait the bear. Behave.”
Olivia’s eyes twinkled as she linked arms with Mitch. “Oops. Maybe I should have mentioned this first. Mitch and I are getting married.”
The hoopla of congratulations started up again. Travis dropped back into his chair. Caroline leaned over and whispered, “Why do I think you guys used to torture Olivia and her boyfriends when she was growing up? I think you just got served some revenge.”
To her surprise, Travis laughed. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” He lifted his water glass. “Congratulations.”
“So, honey,” Jackie Montgomery said. “When is the big day? The wedding I mean.”
Olivia and Mitch exchanged a quick look before she said, “We’ve been talking about that. We want to do it soon, but since both of us have been through the big church wedding, we think a small wedding with just family would be perfect. Then maybe a big celebration with all our family and friends.”
“Sounds just like you two,” Sylvia Landry said. “So do you have a particular date in mind?”
“We were hoping we could piggyback on Travis’s annual barbeque. Most of our friends will be in town for that. It only makes sense to not make them come back just for our reception. What do you say, Travis?”
He shrugged. “As long as you two are paying, that works for me. But you do realize that the rodeo is in two weeks, right?”
“We know,” Mitch said, then hugged Olivia. “That’s what Olivia wants, and what she wants, I want.” He grinned at Travis. “We’ll pay for everything. The beef for the barbeque. The beer and wine. All the beans, cole slaw, bread plus the dessert, which will be cake.”
Olivia crossed over to Travis and draped her arms around his neck. “Besides, your baby sister is kind of knocked up. It’d be better if we got married quickly.”
Travis swatted her rear. “Mitch, I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
Olivia went back to Mitch and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Too late. He’s mine now.”
Mitch kissed her.
Adam, who’d been listening to the conversation, looked at his mother and said, “What’s knocked up?”
The adults laughed. Olivia kissed his forehead. “I’ll tell you later, but you’ll like it. It involves cake.”
“Goodie!”
The mood at the table was festive and the conversations lively. Caroline ate and laughed and tried to pretend she wasn’t affected by Travis’s closeness. The fact he’d pressed his thigh into hers hadn’t gone unnoticed by her dancing hippos, who’d added tumbling to their routine. She hoped her face and overenthusiastic laughter at Travis’s bad jokes didn’t tip her hand.
So she’d developed feelings for him. Big deal. She’d live. She leaned close a couple of times just to store a memory of his scent…clean and masculine with a touch of sandalwood.
Olivia stood. “Why don’t we have coffee and cake in the man cave so we can all watch Cash get those few points he needs to qualify for the Nationals in Las Vegas.”
“But, Olivia. It’s a man cave. Mitch told me no women allowed,” Travis said.
Everybody laughed.
“Tough,” Olivia said. “Tonight it’s an eighty-inch-flat-screen-TV-viewing room. Or else no dessert.”
“She plays rough,” Mitch said in a stage whisper. “You better just agree.”
Before everyone moved to Mitch’s man cave, the doorbell began to chime. Olivia and Mitch exchanged quick glances.
“You expecting anyone else?” Mitch asked.
Olivia shook her head. “Nope. You?”
“No. I’ll see who it is if you ladies will rustle up some coffee and dessert.”
“We’ll clear the dishes. C’mon, Jason. Give me a hand,” Travis said, stacking his plate on top of Caroline’s.
Mitch headed to the front door as the guys began collecting the dishes to carry back to the kitchen. Travis was shoving his chair under the table when Mitch returned with John Webster, Travis’s foreman.
“John. Is something wrong at the ranch?” Concern deepened the grooves bracketing Travis’s mouth as his lips pulled tight.
“Sorry for bothering you folks, but, Travis, there’s someone here who says he’s your brother-in-law.”
“Excuse me?” Travis’s brow knitted into a frown.
Caroline stopped walking toward the kitchen and turned around. Her stomach fell to her knees. Surely not…
“Says he’s her brother.” Webster pointed toward Caroline with his chin. “Said you two got married three weeks ago. I told him he was mistaken, but he demanded that I bring him over here.”
Noah pushed his way into the dining room. “Caroline,” he said, a catch in his voice. “This man said I was lying. Tell him I’m not. Tell him.”
“Noah.” Caroline pressed her hands to her chest in shock. “What are you doing here?”
Noah’s hands fisted. “Tell him,” he insisted. “Tell him you and Travis got married. Tell him I’m not lying.”
Caroline froze. How could she tell her brother that the whole wedding had been a staged scene for their grandmother? How could she tell him that she was the one who was lying? She risked a quick glance around the dining room. Everyone seemed frozen in spot watching the after-dinner show.
“Travis?” his mother said. “What’s going on?”
“Son?” his father asked.
Caroline swallowed, almost choking on the boulder in her throat. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”
Travis moved to he
r side and put his arm around her. “Now, honey. Don’t go taking all the blame. I wanted to keep our marriage a secret for a while too.” He plastered a big smile on his face. “Surprise. Caroline and I got married.”
Chapter Thirteen
Travis pulled her snug against him. He was pretty sure she was getting ready to confess all. He didn’t want her to say another word. When she opened her mouth to speak, he leaned over and kissed her. Her shoulders stiffened. Around them, a stunned silence filled the room.
He looked at his family. “Isn’t anyone going to congratulate us?”
“Of course, honey,” his mother said. “I think we’re all thrilled for both of you. We’re just a little…”
“Surprised?” Travis offered.
“Shocked,” Jason said. “Where are your rings?”
“Well, personally I don’t care where their rings are. I think it’s wonderful,” Olivia said, hurrying around the table. She pulled Caroline from Travis’s arms and embraced her. “You are my favorite sister-in-law.”
“Hey!” Lydia said. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
Olivia looked at her. “You haven’t made an honest man of my brother yet. This one…” She pulled back to look at Caroline. “I am so happy, Caroline.” She pulled Travis into a group embrace. “So happy for both of you. I can’t believe you didn’t tell us.”
“Yes,” Jason said with a suspicious glint in his eye. “Why haven’t you mentioned this? Noah—it’s Noah, right?”
Noah nodded.
“Noah says you two got married almost a month ago. Why keep it a secret?”
All the color had drained from Caroline’s face. Her body shook like his old truck with no shocks. Travis feared she was either going to faint or blurt out the truth. They needed to talk…privately. They needed to get their story straight before going public. Her reputation was at stake.
“Noah, we—”
“We haven’t worked out all the logistics,” Travis interrupted her to say. “Like our rings.” He pulled his wedding band from his front pocket and slipped it on. “We just weren’t ready to go public.”
Jason’s gaze flicked from Travis to Caroline and back. “The logistics, like where to live? I mean, Caroline is still living in her house in town, right?”
Travis grabbed the lifeline tossed him by his brother. “Sometimes. We tried her staying at the ranch, but it was such a long drive to town every day. Caroline thought it’d be better if she stayed in town during the week when she’s on-call for the emergency room.”
Jackie Montgomery came over and pulled Caroline into a tight embrace. “I’m so happy. Thank goodness, you two finally got the hint. I mean, when I think of all the times I’ve thrown you together.” She laughed and kissed Caroline’s cheek. “I knew when I met you that you’re exactly what Travis needs. I promise to be the most awesome mother-in-law. I’ll never interfere in your lives or stick my nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“Can I have that in writing?” Mitch joked.
“Hush,” his future mother-in-law said. “I’m not making you that promise.”
Caroline laughed and Travis could see her shoulders relaxing as some of her tension let up.
“Not to change the subject,” Travis said, “but what are you doing here, Noah? Do Patrick or Leslie know where you are?”
Noah assumed a defiant pose. “I’m not going back. I hate it there.”
“Not my question,” Travis said, his voice coated with steel. “Do your uncle and aunt know where you are?”
Caroline went to Noah and took his hand. “What happened?”
“I just hate it, Caroline. They’ve moved into Mamie’s house like…like they own the place.”
Caroline understood his loss…of home, of his grandmother, of everything he knew. “That’s what Mamie wanted, Noah,” she told him in a quiet voice. She brushed his long hair off his face. “She wanted you to be able to stay where you’d been. She didn’t want you to have to move.”
“I don’t care,” he said, jerking his hand away from hers. “I hate them. I want to stay here. With you and Travis.”
“Oh, Noah. I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Caroline said. Her house of cards was teetering. Soon it was going to fall and bury both Travis and her. She wasn’t going to let Travis look bad because of her mess. “Travis and I—”
“We’ll talk about it,” Travis interrupted. He looked at his watch. “Cash will be riding soon, and I think Caroline and I have brought enough chaos to tonight’s dinner. Maybe we should take Noah home and contact his uncle and aunt. They must be frantic since—” he glared at Noah, “—I’m sure they don’t have a clue where he is.”
“You don’t have to go,” Olivia said.
Travis hugged his sister then held out his hand to Mitch. “Congratulations, man. She’s too good for you.”
Mitch shrugged good-naturedly. “I know, but let’s keep that between us. Maybe she’ll never figure it out.”
Caroline hugged Travis’s parents. “Thank you for, well, for just being so great. I’m sorry we’ve thrown a kink into tonight’s after-dinner plans to watch Cash ride.”
Jackie kissed her cheek. “Are you kidding?” She grabbed Travis’s arm and pulled him over for a kiss too. “I’m so happy for both of you.” She gave Noah a squinted look. “I don’t know you, son, but if you’re going to be hanging around this family, you’d better learn right now that we don’t like liars, cheats or dishonesty in any fashion. If you’ve run away from home, you’d best get on the phone to let those people know you’re okay.”
Caroline flinched at Jackie’s words. All those words fit Caroline. A liar and a dishonest person. And maybe a cheat, if she counted cheating Olivia and Mitch out of all of the glory for tonight’s announcement. If God had any mercy at all, He’d strike her dead right now. When He didn’t, she decided leaving was the best option.
She and Travis said their goodbyes and headed for their cars. Once the front door had shut, she whirled on Noah.
“You are in so much trouble, mister. You have no idea.”
Noah assumed his I’m-not-scared-of-you posture and sneered at her…until he found himself facing an irate Travis Montgomery.
“Let me tell you something, boy.” His Southern accent became quite pronounced with his anger. “You don’t have to love your sister, or even like her, but you will give her respect. You understand?”
Noah mumbled his answer.
“What’d you say?” Travis growled. “Speak up.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“I’m sir to you. And you’ll address Caroline with yes, ma’am. Got it?’
“Yeah.”
“Excuse me?” Travis barked. “You deaf, son? If you have any hope of staying here, you’d better learn some manners and I mean now. Got it?”
“Yes, sir,” Noah said through gritted teeth. “I got it.”
“Great.” He turned to Caroline who’d stood watching Travis whip her little brother into shape. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Can you follow me to my house?”
She nodded again.
“Okay. I’ll take Noah with me if that’s okay with you.”
She nodded a third time.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Caroline blew out a long breath. “Am I going to wake up soon from this nightmare? I mean, this is a bad dream, right?”
Travis chuckled. “At least your sense of humor is intact.” He brushed his lips against hers. “Follow me.”
Caroline dragged herself to her loaner car and got in. Sense of humor? She didn’t have a sense of humor. She was serious. This was the worst nightmare of her life.
She followed Travis’s truck taillights as it rolled down the road about ten miles and turned onto a concrete drive she was well familiar with. She’d hoped to be back at his place soon but not exactly like this. Her legs and arms were shaking…from anger first and
fear second.
Sure she’d be leaving Whispering Springs in only four months and would never see these people again, so what everyone thought of her was of minor concern. Of major concern was leaving here with Travis’s reputation intact. He’d stepped up and helped her when she needed it. Somehow she had to figure out how to make sure everyone knew she was the bad person in the marriage farce and Travis was the Good Samaritan.
Bright-red taillights flashed in front of her as Travis stopped in front of his old-fashioned farm house. Every time she’d been here, she’d parked in the garage, never in his circle drive. But each visit she’d taken a moment to appreciate the beauty of his place.
The large staircase that led up to a wrap-around porch supporting aged rockers. Potted green ferns hung from the porch eaves above the white railing. Dormer windows poked through the second-story roofline. This place was too big for one man. To her, it felt like the house cried out for a family.
As she turned her car, her headlights lit up a 1963 white Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud convertible.
“I’m going to kill him” she muttered as she slammed on her brakes. With a loud slam of her driver’s door, she announced her anger. “Noah!” She marched over to where he and Travis stood. “Do not tell me that you drove Mamie’s car down here.” Her breathing was rapid and noisy as she blew hot, angry air toward her fourteen-year-old-unlicensed-driver brother.
Rather than taking his usual defensive stand, Noah slipped a little behind Travis as though he could protect him from his sister’s wrath.
Travis’s gaze whipped from Caroline to Noah cowering behind him. “What did you do?” he asked in a scary, calm voice.
“I saw Aunt Leslie sitting in the Silver Shadow, Caro. It’s not her car. Mamie gave it to you, not them. Leslie had no right. I think she was trying to figure out how to take the Shadow from you.”
Caroline rubbed her hands over her face and tried to get control of her emotions. “So you what? Drove it down here?” She kicked a rock that had found its way onto Travis’s drive. She walked away, kicked a tire on Travis’s truck and marched back. “I don’t know what is going on with you, Noah. You’re fourteen. Do you have any idea how much trouble you’d have gotten in if the cops had stopped you? For all I know, Patrick or Leslie have reported this car stolen. That’s grand theft auto. We’re talking some serious jail time.” She raked her fingers through her hair. “Damn it, Noah. What is going on with you?”
Texas Tango: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 2 Page 17