“No, I suppose not,” she murmured.
“Damn straight.” He laid his hand over hers again and quieted those nervous fingers. “You’re taking charge, Naomi.”
“That’s not how it feels.”
“I can see that. But trust me on this—you’re the one calling the shots here. You’ve left Maverick in your dust already, and he’s only going to get dustier from here on out.” He squeezed her fingers until he felt her squeeze back. “Us getting married? That’s a good thing. For all of us, baby included.”
She sighed. “I just don’t know how this day got away from me. One minute I’m dreading talking to my parents, and the next I’m engaged to you.”
“I don’t know why you think marriage to me is such a damn hardship.”
Her gaze narrowed on his. “I didn’t say that—fine,” she said when he smiled. “Make jokes. We’ll see how funny you think it is when I’m living at the ranch with you.”
He shrugged to show her he wasn’t bothered. “You’re a good cook and you’re already pregnant, so all I need to do is keep you barefoot and in the kitchen.”
She laughed then slapped one hand to her mouth to hold the rest of it inside. Toby grinned at her. God, he loved hearing that wild, deep laughter come out of such a wisp of a woman.
“You’re making me laugh so I won’t obsess about what a mess my life is.”
“Is it working?”
Thinking about it for a second or two, she finally said, “Yes. So, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
He watched her as, still smiling to herself, she looked out the window at the little town still buzzing over their news. Royal had seen a lot of upheaval over the last few months. Thanks to the mysterious Maverick, things had been changing right and left. It wasn’t just him and Naomi making a major shift in their lives. Some of Toby’s friends had made sudden changes that at the time had completely surprised Toby.
Hell, there was Wes Jackson for one. Toby never would have thought that man would settle down and get married, and now the man had a wife, a daughter and another baby on the way. Tom and Emily Knox had worked out their problems and seemed stronger than ever, and even Naomi’s best friends, Cecelia and Simone, were happy and settled into real relationships.
Toby knew that Maverick had been at the heart of all those changes. Sure, the man had been trying to ruin people, but in a roundabout way he’d helped them instead.
Toby had stood on the sidelines, watching his friends take steps forward in their lives, and wondered when he would be Maverick’s target. But the nameless bastard hadn’t come for him at all, but Naomi. Seeing her worried, upset, had torn at him enough that he was willing to put aside his anti-marriage stance. And actually, the more he thought about it, the more marrying Naomi made sense. He’d get a family out of it without having to worry about getting in too deep emotionally.
All he had to do was make sure she didn’t back out.
“Hey, Toby,” Clay Everett called out, “you got a minute?”
“Sure.” Toby glanced at Naomi. “I’ll be right back.”
* * *
She nodded when he slid out of the booth and walked to the table where Clay and Shane Delgado were having lunch. Toby’s strides were long and easy, as if he had all the time in the world. He was tall and confident and seemed so damn sure that they were doing the right thing, and Naomi really wished she shared that certainty.
Clay, Shane and Toby were all ranchers, so no doubt they were talking about horses or grazing pastures or summer water levels. Her gaze swept them all quickly. Shane had long brown hair, a perpetual five o’clock shadow and a killer smile. He was both a rancher and a real estate developer. Clay was the strong, silent type with short brown hair, a lot of muscles and a limp he’d earned riding the rodeo circuit. After the accident that had ended his rodeo career, Clay had started a cloud computing company and had found even more success. Then there was Toby. Toby was both an inventor and a rancher and, from Naomi’s point of view, the most gorgeous of them all.
She blinked at that thought and realized that for the first time she was looking at Toby without the filter of the best friend thing. And it was an eye-opener. When he looked up at her and gave her a slow smile, something inside her lit up—so Naomi instantly shut it down.
Surprise at her own reaction to him had her tearing her gaze from his and reminding herself that this marriage was a platonic one and now was not the time to start noting things she never had before. Toby was standing for her like no one else ever had. He was being the friend he always had been, and she should be grateful. Maybe, eventually, she would be.
But at the moment, her own pride was nicked, and Naomi hated knowing that she needed the help. He was right, of course. Raising a baby on her own was a daunting idea, but she would have done it. Now she didn’t have to face the future alone. She had her best friend standing beside her. The only real question was, was it fair to him?
“Here’s your tea,” Amanda said, sliding two tall glasses of icy amber liquid onto the table.
“Oh, thanks.” Naomi reached for her glass and took a sip.
“It’s decaf tea for you, sweetie.” Amanda tossed a glance at Toby, Clay and Shane, deep into a conversation, then looked back at Naomi. “I’d expect to see a smile on your face, just getting engaged and all.”
Naomi sighed a little. Amanda Battle was a few years older than her, but growing up in the same small town meant they’d known each other forever. Amanda’s blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her eyes were sharp and thoughtful as she studied Naomi. “What’s going on, Naomi? A woman engaged to a man like Toby McKittrick should be all smiles—and you’re not.”
“It just happened so fast,” Naomi said, already leaning into the lie she and Toby had created out of thin air.
“Not too fast, since you’re carrying his baby,” Amanda reminded her.
“True.” Toby had claimed the baby as his already, so that didn’t even feel like a lie. Especially since the baby’s actual father didn’t even know about the pregnancy. “But he sort of sprung the proposal on me just this morning and I haven’t gotten used to it yet, I guess.” The best lies had a touch of truth in them, right?
“I know it must feel like a lot,” Amanda said, laying one hand on Naomi’s shoulder in sympathy. “But I was in your shoes once, remember?”
She did remember, and because she did, Naomi couldn’t understand why Amanda was being so nice to her. Several years ago, Amanda had been pregnant and agreed to marry Nathan Battle for the sake of the baby. But then she miscarried and called the wedding off. Amanda had left town after that but had come back a few years later when her father died, and almost instantly, she and Nathan had reconnected and set the gossip train humming. Today, though, Nathan and Amanda had two kids and were so happily married there were practically hearts and flowers circling Amanda’s head.
But back then, Naomi and her friends Cecelia and Simone were at the height of their mean girl reputations, and though it shamed her to admit it, Naomi had spread every ounce of gossip about Amanda that had come her way. Shaking her head at the crowd of memories that made her want to cringe, she managed to ask, “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Amanda threw another glance at Toby to make sure he wasn’t on his way back, then she slid onto the bench seat opposite Naomi. Tipping her head to one side, Amanda studied her for a second, then said, “Because I’ve been the center of gossip and I know how ugly it can make you feel. And, Naomi, you’re not who you were back then.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because the old Naomi wouldn’t be feeling bad about any of it.”
Yes, she would have, Naomi thought. Even back then, when she’d been the queen bee, guilt had haunted her whenever she allowed herself to think about what she’d said or done. Now Naomi relea
sed a pent-up breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. All the years she’d been coming to the Royal Diner, she’d never really had an actual conversation with Amanda. Years ago, it was because they were too far apart in age, and Naomi was too busy mocking people to make herself feel better. And then later, she’d been too ashamed of her past actions to talk to her. A small smile curved Naomi’s mouth. “Thanks for that.”
Amanda smiled again, shot a quick glance at the kitchen pass-through, then looked at Naomi. “Most of us did things when we were young and stupid that we come to regret.” Her smile turned rueful, but her green eyes never left Naomi’s. “So if you’re lucky enough to grow out of the stupid, then you have a second chance to be who you want to be.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“It’s not,” the other woman said. “But you already know that. You started that fashion show—which, by the way, I never miss—and you’re building a future with Toby.”
“True.” But if you were planning that future on a lie, did it count? Could it work? Not questions she could ask out loud. “Thanks. For the pep talk and, well, everything.”
“No problem.” Amanda scooted out of the booth, stood up and patted Naomi’s shoulder again. “Toby’s a good guy. You should celebrate.”
Nodding, Naomi watched Toby laughing with his friends. Texas cowboys, all three of them. And handsome enough to have women lining up just to take a look at them. Her heart twisted as her gaze landed on Toby just as he lifted his head, caught her eye and winked. That flicker of something bright and hot sparkled inside her again, and though she fought to ignore it, the heat lingered.
In reflex, Naomi returned that smile and quietly hoped that this marriage didn’t cost her her best friend.
* * *
Toby knew he’d catch his mom and sister off guard with his announcement. After lunch, where he’d finally convinced Naomi to take a small bite of his burger, Toby dropped her off at her condo to start packing. Then he’d driven straight to Oak Ridge Farms, his family ranch.
It was smaller than his own spread, but the ties binding him to the land ran strong and deep. His mother rented out most of the acreage to other ranchers and farmers, and his sister had her veterinary clinic in the remodeled barn. But no matter what changes took place, it would always be the McKittrick Ranch, and steering his truck up the drive would always make him feel the tug of memories.
He knew that he would beat the news of his engagement home, because it didn’t matter how fast word was spreading throughout Royal. His mother, Joyce McKittrick, didn’t approve of gossip, so she’d been cut out of the rumor loop years ago. As for his sister, Scarlett was too busy caring for the local animals to waste time or interest on gossip.
Toby had told Naomi that he wouldn’t lie to his family. So after he explained the whole situation to his mom and sister, he waited for the reaction. He’d expected they’d be surprised. He hadn’t expected them to be so happy about it. Especially since he’d made it clear that love didn’t have a thing to do with his reasons for this marriage.
“You’re marrying Naomi?” Scarlett McKittrick squealed a little, then leaped up from her chair at the kitchen table and ran around to hug her brother. “It’s about time.”
“What?” Toby looked at his younger sister when she pulled back to grin at him.
“Well, come on,” Scarlett said. “You two have been tight for years, and even a blind person would have seen the sparks between you.”
Sparks? There were sparks? Toby frowned a little as he realized that maybe all the lustful thoughts he’d been entertaining for so long had been obvious. Well, that was lowering, if his sister noticed something that he’d never seen himself—or allowed himself to see.
“Scarlett,” he said, automatically returning his sister’s hug, “there are no sparks. I told you it’s a marriage of convenience.”
“Yeah, I heard you,” she countered and gave his cheek a pat as she straightened up. “Doesn’t mean I believe you. I’ve seen the way you look at Naomi, Toby. And it’s not like you’re thinking hey, good buddy.”
“That’s exactly what it is. She’s my friend. That’s all.”
Shaking her head, Scarlett glanced at the wall clock and said, “If that’s how you want to play it, fine. Look, I’ve got to run. There’s a cow giving birth, and if she manages to pull it off before I get there, people will think they don’t need to call me for this stuff.” She grabbed her huge black leather bag and headed for the back door.
Once there, she stopped, ran her fingers through her short honey-brown hair and narrowed wide hazel eyes on him. “But I’ll want more details later, you hear? ’Bye, Mom. Don’t know when I’ll be back.”
And she was gone. Scarlett McKittrick was a force of nature, Toby thought, not for the first time. She’d always moved through life like a whirlwind, and now that she was a vet, it was even worse. Answering calls for help at all hours, she was dedicated to the animals she loved and as caring as their mother.
Scarlett did everything at a dead run, moving from patient to patient and keeping a grin on her face while she was doing it. Most people looked at her and thought she was too slight to do the kind of work she did. But Toby had seen his sister in action. When one of his mares got into trouble during labor, Scarlett had been there to save the foal and the mother. He knew she had the strength, determination and pure stubbornness to do a job most often thought to be a man’s purview.
When the door slammed behind her, silence settled on the homey kitchen. He glanced around quickly while he grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from the plate in the middle of the table. The walls were sky blue and the cabinets were painted bright white. Toby himself had painted the kitchen for his mother the summer before, and he figured she’d be ready for another change by next year. The floor was wide oak planks, and the fridge and the stove had been replaced with top-of-the-line new ones. But there were old pictures attached with magnets to the new fridge, and when he looked at the images of him and Scarlett as kids, he had to smile. His mom’s old mutt, Lola, was napping on a cushion under the bay window, and her snores rattled in the room.
Toby had grown up in this house and spent too many hours to count sitting at this very table. He’d done his homework here, had family dinners, come in late from a date to find his mother awake and waiting up for him. So it made sense to him that it was here that he and his mother had the conversation he could see building in her eyes.
Joyce McKittrick was short, with golden-blond hair that fell in waves to her shoulders. Her blue eyes were as sharp as ever, and she never missed a thing. She was, he thought, beautiful, strong and smart. Hadn’t she stepped up when Toby’s father died, to raise Scarlett and him on her own? Thanks to her husband’s life insurance, they hadn’t had to worry about money, but Joyce had never been one to sit back and do nothing. She’d boarded horses and given riding lessons to local kids. And she’d encouraged both Scarlett’s love of animals and Toby’s inventive nature. In fact, she was the one who’d made sure he got a patent on his very first invention—a robotic ketchup dispenser he’d come up with at the age of ten.
Joyce was his touchstone, the heart of their family, and she had given his sister and him the kind of home life that Naomi had missed out on.
“When you first said you were marrying Naomi, I was pleased. She’s a good person, and I’m glad she’s finally letting that side of her out to shine instead of hiding behind a mean streak that wasn’t natural to her.”
He smiled to himself. Trust Joyce to see past the surface to the truth beneath. Not many had, really. Naomi, Cecelia and Simone had been like a trio of mean for a long time. They had always seemed to enjoy setting people back a step. To strike quick with a sharp word or a hard look.
But times, like everything else, changed, and now the three of them seemed to be coming into their own. Naomi, especially, he though
t, had done well by letting go of her past enough to carve out the future she wanted for herself.
“Should have known you’d see through all that drama she used to be a part of,” Toby said ruefully.
“Of course I did.” Joyce waved that aside. “Her parents are...difficult and they made Naomi’s life a misery for her, I know. It says something about her character that she’s come so far all on her own.” She reached out and smoothed his hair back from his face. “Though she had a good friend, these last few years, to be there for her.”
“I have been,” Toby said, wanting her to understand. “And I’m going to continue.”
“I know that, too,” his mother said, sitting back in her chair to give him a long look. “But, Toby, starting a marriage with a lie isn’t the best way to go.”
“We’re not lying to each other,” he countered. “Or to you and Scarlett.” He’d known she’d feel this way, and he couldn’t blame her. But he could convince her he knew what he was doing. “Naomi needs me, Mom. That baby does, too. I watched you struggle as a single mother, and I don’t want to watch Naomi do the same. We get along great. We’re good friends.”
Apparently with sparks, he warned himself silently, and then dismissed the warning. “We’re good together, and this is what I want.”
“Then I want it for you,” she said, though her eyes said different. “All I ask is that you be careful. That you really think about what you’re letting yourself in for.”
He grinned and winked. “I’m always careful.”
“Not nearly enough,” she said, laughing a little.
“Honestly,” Toby said, stealing another cookie and taking a bite. No one made cookies like Joyce McKittrick. “I figured you’d have the most trouble with me claiming the baby as mine.”
“Not a bit,” she said, shaking her head firmly. “That baby is an innocent, and you and Naomi are doing the right thing for it. I just want to be sure it’s the right thing for you.”
“It is, Mom,” he said, his tone deep and serious. “I never figured to get married...”
A Texas-Sized Secret Page 5