Jesse

by C. H. Admirand

  He squatted down next to her and touched the tip of his finger to the end of her nose. “I’ve got to go help a friend, but you’re welcome to stay and visit with everybody.”

  “You really have to go?”

  Danielle’s heart hurt for the little one who had her daddy leave her, and it looked like cowboy Jesse was going to be leaving them too. “He just said he did, sweet pea. Now stop pestering Jesse.”

  “Yes, Mommy.” Lacy spun around and clamored up onto the swing and leaned against her mother. “Bye, cowboy Jesse!”

  He put his hat on his head and tipped it in their direction, and was gone.

  Dylan walked back outside, and asked, “Where’s he off to?”

  Emily got up and looked Dylan in the eye. “I don’t know.”

  Lacy was watching everything with interest, but Danielle didn’t want her daughter to get sucked into life out at the Circle G until she and Jesse figured out how they’d make their relationship work “Are you sure it’s OK that we stay? I could call my uncle.”

  Tyler leaned out the back door, and said, “Dinner’ll be ready in five minutes. You want to help me set the table, Lacy?”

  “Sure!” She flew over to the door and ducked inside before Danielle could remind her to wash her hands and watch her manners.

  “She’ll be fine,” Emily reassured her. “Now, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

  Danielle sighed and moved over so Emily could sit beside her. “What do you think happened?”

  Emily tilted her head to one side and seemed to be carefully considering the options. “Well,” she said at last, “knowing those wild-eyed Garahan brothers, anything from stealing a quick kiss to backing you into a corner and scrambling your brains with a kiss that would curl your toes—or the heart-stopping possibility of making love with the dark-eyed cowboy of your dreams.”

  Danielle couldn’t keep from laughing. “I guess they are more alike than I figured.”

  Emily nodded. “So, which was it: the sweet peck on the cheek, the full-bodied I can’t get enough of you brain scrambler, or a little afternoon delight?”

  Danielle sighed and confessed, “All of the above. I hadn’t intended to,” she said slowly, “but one thing led to another after he saw me in one of Ronnie’s satin and lace getups.”

  Emily scooted closer and whispered, “Which one?”

  Danielle closed her eyes and whispered back, “The turquoise set.”

  “Oh, the sexy tap pants and bra?”

  When she opened her eyes, Emily was eagerly waiting for Danielle to tell her more. She nodded.

  “And?”

  “What makes you think there’s an ‘and’?”

  Emily shrugged. “He’s a Garahan. There’s always an ‘and.’” As if that explained it all, she sat back and waited for Danielle to continue.

  With a worried glance at the back door, Danielle asked, “Can we talk about it later?”

  “OK,” Emily agreed, getting to her feet. “We should probably help with dinner.”

  Danielle followed behind and wished she didn’t have the feeling that Tyler’s fiancée would try to extract every last detail from her.

  But to her surprise, no one mentioned Jesse or the fact that he’d left in a rush to go somewhere. Odd that neither of his brothers spoke about where he was going.

  Danielle’s head was starting to pound from trying to figure out what was going on and whether or not it would affect their newly forming relationship. Finally, she let all thoughts of the tempting man go, and focused on the meal and the way she and Lacy had been accepted with open arms.

  The kitchen in the Circle G was filled with warmth and good-natured teasing. Jesse’s brothers seemed relaxed and at ease in their company. Although neither brother had any children, they had no problem including Lacy in their conversation or trying to draw her out when she fell silent.

  That’s when Danielle realized that, although their parents died when they were younger, they had a solid role model in their grandfather. She smiled and tried to catch up on the conversation.

  “So then what did Trigger do?” Tyler’s question must have had something to do with her daughter because he was waiting expectantly for Lacy’s answer.

  “He snuffled my hand and then nudged my elbow.” Her daughter’s eyes were shining.

  “Trigger’s smart,” Dylan said. “He knows if you had one piece of apple, you were bound to have more.”

  “Dylan’s right,” Tyler added. “Our grandfather used to keep apple quarters in his pockets. Trigger remembers and was looking for some.”

  Ronnie and Emily were quietly watching their men interact with Lacy and smiling. Danielle had a good idea of what was going on in their minds. Tyler and Dylan had the makings of wonderful fathers. They were kind and paid attention to her daughter, showing that they had patience as well as intelligence.

  She’d seen the same qualities in Jesse, but hadn’t wanted to think of him in that particular role. But after the way they’d nearly burned each alive with the passion they both fought to restrain, she might have to reevaluate the situation.

  Emily finally spoke up. “So, when do your cousins arrive?”

  Tyler and Dylan shared a conspiratorial glance and grin. “At the end of next week. They’re going to be helping us move the herd.”

  Ronnie looked confused. “I thought you were doing that this week with Timmy and his friends.”

  Dylan stroked his fingers along the side of her cheek. “We were, but when Jesse told us that Tom and Mike were coming in a week or so early, we decided that the herd could last another week where they are.”

  “There’s still plenty of pastureland where they are,” Tyler said. “We just didn’t want them to overgraze it.” Looking at Danielle, he explained, “Pastureland needs to be rotated and replanted in order to ensure that our longhorns are getting the proper diet and not some of the weeds that could be dangerous to their health.”

  “Are your cousins really firemen?” Lacy wanted to know.

  Danielle was surprised that her daughter knew about them. Before she could ask Lacy how she knew so much, her daughter added, “And the ones from Colorado are really lawmen, just like Marshal Dillon?”

  Tyler and Dylan started to laugh, and Lacy’s little chin jutted out. Before Lacy could say something inappropriate, Danielle said, “We’re both big fans of TV marshals and cowboys. My mom actually encouraged my fascination, and Lacy sort of carries on the tradition.”

  “Somebody’s been talking about us,” Dylan said with a smile.

  Danielle laughed. “I don’t know who or how, because I only just heard about them coming today.”

  Lacy leaned closer to Dylan and confided, “Ms. Beeton stopped by the diner today and told us all about it.”

  “Did she now?” Emily asked. “Well, it must be true if Mavis knows about it. That woman is hardwired to the gossip chain in town.”

  Ronnie’s gaze met Danielle’s. “Well, one thing’s for sure—we can definitely use your help organizing the All-Male Revue for the celebration.”

  Danielle’s eyes widened, but no words came out. “You don’t really mean what I think you mean, do you?”

  Dylan and Tyler started to chuckle. The deep rumbling sound was identical to Jesse’s. She wished Jesse were here to the point that she actually ached for him.

  “This is strictly G-rated entertainment,” Emily said. “The ladies over at the Lucky Star wanted to contribute to the celebration but didn’t think the former mayor—”

  “He hasn’t been indicted yet,” Tyler reminded her.

  “Well,” Emily pursed her lips and continued, “he should be behind bars for what he tried to do to Jolene and me.”

  Tyler reached over, grabbed her hand, and brought it to his lips. “The truth will come out and he will pay for trying to railroad you and Jolene out of your business and out of town.”

  “This sounds like the plot to an old-time Western!” Danielle couldn’t believe stuff like this
was still happening today. “Are you making this up?”

  Dylan frowned at her. “No, ma’am. The real crime is that Emerson thought he could get away with it, that he was above the law.”

  She shook her head. “No one is above the law… well, they shouldn’t be.”

  “Exactly,” Dylan agreed. “But it’s out of our hands.”

  “Too bad the sheriff hasn’t arrested anyone in the shooting yet.”

  “Did somebody get shot?” Lacy was riveted to the conversation, and Danielle was worried that her little girl was going to have nightmares. She wanted to change the subject but needed to hear the answer first, so she asked, “Did they?”

  Ronnie sighed. “No, but unfortunately, it was the sign hanging outside of the Lucky Star and my shop.”

  Danielle liked the way the brothers were actually trying to soothe their women. It showed that they were worried about them, that they cared. And then it hit her—they were in love… truly. Ronnie and Emily had the good fortune to have men such as the Garahan brothers in love with them… but then again, now Danielle might too. From what she’d witnessed the few times she’d been out at the ranch, the men worked hard, fought hard, and loved their land, their women, and their animals… and not necessarily in that order.

  “So that’s why your shop looked so new.” She’d wondered about that. “At first I thought your shop was historic, but then parts of the front looked so new, and when I walked inside—”

  “With the exception of the very front downstairs, my building is over one hundred years old, and part of the reason I was targeted.”

  Danielle didn’t know what to say to that, but figured there was definitely more to the story than the little bit her uncle had told her the other day. With a glance in Lacy’s direction, she turned back to Ronnie, and said, “I’d love to hear more… later.”

  Everyone seemed to realize that the conversation was headed in the wrong direction, given Lacy’s age. In silent agreement, Ronnie changed the topic back to the celebration. “We’re also going to have a barrel riding demonstration, and Dylan is going to let me ride Wildfire.”

  “But that’s his horse.” Lacy had been sucked in by Ronnie announcement. “Won’t Dylan mind?”

  He pressed his lips to his wife’s cheek. “She wouldn’t marry me unless I promised she could ride Wildfire.”

  Danielle smiled. The Garahans were a constant surprise to her. They seemed so tough on the outside, but inside was a soft center where their women were concerned. Jesse had proven that earlier. “What about your cousins?” she asked. “You don’t have enough horses for them to ride, do you?”

  Tyler grinned. “Noticed that did you? Most of the ranchers out here have spare horses that don’t get ridden every day. It’s hard work, but Quarter Horses are up to the challenge and the best breed for ranching.”

  “We’ve already lined up four horses for them to use,” Dylan said. “Two from the Double M and two from the Bar N.”

  Tyler nodded. “In exchange, while our cousins are here, we’ll be helping both ranchers move their herds as well.”

  “It sounds as if you live in a very tight community.” Danielle was surprised. “I would have thought that ranchers preferred to do things themselves.”

  “It’s true,” Tyler said. “We do, but times are tough, and we all need to work together to keep our way of life moving forward and our ranches from going under.”

  Ronnie and Emily shared a glance, but whatever they were thinking was a mystery to Danielle. Finally, Emily said, “The idea behind Take Pride in Pleasure Day is to draw the community together… ranchers and town folk… and raise enough money to help pay down a few of the ranchers’ feed bills and mortgages.”

  “The town folk depend on the ranchers to purchase their goods from them, and the ranchers depend on the town folk to keep them supplied.” Ronnie added, “This was the perfect solution for everyone.”

  “What else will be happening aside from the barrel riding?” Danielle hoped there would be something else for Lacy to do, because she wasn’t going to let her attend the revue.

  “We’ve got food lined up: the BBQ Pitt is supplying ribs and barbecue beef sandwiches; there will be cotton candy, homemade lemonade, and iced tea… isn’t your uncle donating pies?”

  “I don’t know.” Danielle wondered why he hadn’t said anything, then realized why. “He hasn’t mentioned it, but we’ve been really busy.”

  “There’s a lot to do and we’d love to have you help, if you aren’t too busy helping Jimmy make the pies to donate.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “Me too!” Lacy practically bounced off her chair.

  “You too, darlin’,” Tyler agreed. “I bet you could help run the lemonade stand.”

  “Really?”

  “Ms. Beeton is in charge of the drinks. I’m sure she’d love your help.”

  “Can you call her, Mommy?”

  “We could stop by and visit with her on the way back to the diner,” Ronnie offered.

  “Sounds like a plan.” Dylan brought Ronnie’s hand close and kissed it again. “Hurry home, darlin’.”

  Danielle knew it was time to leave. “Thank you all for a wonderful meal, but I need to get Lacy home and put her to bed.”

  “Awww—”

  “We’ve got to get up early to help Uncle Jimmy.”

  Lacy’s frown turned around and she told everyone, “He lets me help with the secret.”

  “What secret?” Dylan asked.

  “Can’t tell.” Lacy grinned. “But it goes into his pie crust.”

  Before her daughter could spill the beans and the family recipe, Danielle started to clear the table, but Tyler got up, grabbed her by the elbow, and steered her toward the back porch. “You and Lacy go sit a spell on the swing while Ronnie says good-bye to Dylan. Emily and I will clean up; Dylan can load the dishwasher.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, now, she’ll be right out.”

  “I really like it here, Mommy.”

  Danielle settled them on the swing and pushed off. “I do too.”

  “But I miss cowboy Jesse. Will he be back before we leave?”

  Although she was just as sorry he hadn’t been there for dinner, she knew the importance of keeping promises. She brushed a lock of hair out of Lacy’s eyes. “He would have told us if he was.”

  Lacy’s exaggerated sigh had her swallowing a chuckle.

  Danielle was staring off into the distance, down the road, when Lacy asked, “Can we wait right here on the swing for cowboy Jesse?”

  She turned to look down at her daughter’s upturned face and couldn’t help but smile. “Not this time, but maybe next time.”

  “You say that a lot.”

  “I don’t want to break any promises to you. You know that don’t you?”

  “Uh-huh… Daddy din’t care that he broke promises.”

  The screen door opened and Danielle was embarrassed to see Dylan and Ronnie standing there. Dylan was frowning and Ronnie was shaking her head at him. “Ready to go?”

  Lacy jumped off the swing and ran toward Ronnie. “Can we stay and wait for cowboy Jesse?”

  Dylan’s frown softened as he bent down and lifted Lacy onto his shoulders. “He’s gonna be real late tonight. Maybe next time.”

  Lacy sighed. “Now you sound like my mommy.”

  Everyone laughed as Dylan carried Lacy to Ronnie’s car and buckled her in. “You can come back anytime, Lacy.”

  Without missing a beat, she grinned and asked, “Tomorrow?”

  He was laughing as he moved away from the car. “That’s up to your mom,” he said, closing the passenger’s side door. “You just have her give us call and we’ll be happy to have you visit.”

  Lacy beamed as Ronnie got into the driver’s seat. “Bye, Dylan!” she hollered out the window. “Say bye to Tyler and Emily for me!”

  He stood and waved until they rounded the bend and were out of sight. “I really, really like it here,
” Lacy said to no one in particular.

  Danielle knew then that she would have to have that talk with her uncle tonight. He knew the Garahans, but would understand her hesitation to dive into a relationship with Jesse and would help her put everything into perspective. She couldn’t complicate Lacy’s life by getting all tangled up with another Texas cowboy until she and Jesse figured out how they’d make it work.

  ***

  Jesse was home by midnight and wasn’t surprised to find the light on or that everyone had already retired for the night. Hell, he wished Danielle was waiting on him upstairs.

  “Damn.” That thought came out of nowhere and rocked his concentration. Frustrated that it took so little to redirect his train of thought, he grabbed the wad of money from his front pocket and tossed it on the table. This time, he didn’t bother to leave a note. His brothers would know it was from him.

  Heading for the stairs, he felt weighed down by the responsibilities he shouldered. He needed to keep winning out at Devil’s Bowl, because the Circle G needed the money and it wasn’t right to expect his newlywed brother to keep working late nights at the carpentry jobs he’d taken on.

  He needed to find a way to get the Brockway ladies to agree to stay at the Circle G… he needed them in his life. Exhausted, he went to bed, but ended up lying awake, thinking of the paradise he’d tasted that afternoon. “Hell.”

  It was going to be a long, sleepless night.

  Chapter 14

  “That little Lacy’s a live wire.” Tyler lifted another forkful of soiled hay.

  Jesse grunted. He was tired, hot, and horny, and sure as hell didn’t feel like jawing with his brother. He wanted to ride into town, kidnap Danielle, and spend the day in bed with her.

  “Her mom sure is a looker.”

  If Tyler was trying to piss him off, it was working. “Yep.” Concentrating on mucking out the stalls, he wished it were tomorrow already; his cousins were due in and their help with routine chores would be a relief and might buy him some time to visit with Danielle and Lacy.

  “Have you heard the rumors in town?”

  A cold chill chased up Jesse’s spine. Sticking his pitchfork in the wheelbarrow, he wiped his sleeve across his sweaty brow. “Just get it said, Tyler.”