Tex Times Ten

by Tina Leonard

  “I didn’t think so. So why are you in my face?”

  “I’m just giving you an explanation, bro. I didn’t want you stomping all my hard work into the ground just because you couldn’t let go.”

  “Let go?”

  “That’s right. A man shall leave his home and cleave to his wife,” Last paraphrased from the Bible. “Nothing in the book of successful marriage suggests spending honeymoons apart.”

  “You don’t know everything, Last,” Tex said, his fury boiling over. Grabbing his brother by the collar, he jerked Last’s shirt up over his head so that he couldn’t fight. Then he dragged Last over to the newly painted gardening shed and powered him inside. Locking it, he walked away.

  Last banged on the door and then opened the side window to yell out, “You can’t fool me, Tex! I know an empty garden when I see it!”

  Maybe, Tex thought. But that was between him and Cissy.

  “DO YOU LOVE HIM?” Gran asked Cissy after they’d helped put the overexcited children to bed. Cissy and Gran had spent the later part of the evening marveling at the miracle that had brought their family back together. After the children went to bed, Cissy and Gran had brought out the fragile painted teapot and the oatmeal raisin cookies, taking them to the wicker table on the enclosed patio. They sat together on the floral-print sofa, enjoying this quiet time together.

  “I don’t know, Gran. Yes, I love Tex. But I know not to be in love with him. My heart isn’t listening to my good sense.”

  Gran nodded. “He did do a lot for you.”

  Cissy sipped her tea. “That was the nature of our agreement. There were things each of us needed. When all the requirements were met, the marriage agreement was over.”

  “And yet couldn’t there have been the foundation of a real marriage?”

  “I don’t hope for that. Tex is the kind of man who treasures his bachelorhood and his lifestyle. He is a nice man. I believe he would always do whatever he could to help me in any way, any time I asked him. But that’s not really love,” Cissy said. “It’s obligation. And chivalry. It’s what cowboys do. They work hard. They rescue. They take care of weaker things.”

  Gran sighed. “Do you like this new blackberry tea?”

  “I think I do. Where did you buy it?”

  “I didn’t. Tex brought it to me.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes. When he slipped me money for the children before he took you to the riverboat.”

  Cissy was so surprised she couldn’t speak for a moment. “I had no idea.”

  “I imagine not. As you said, cowboys take care of weaker things.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t like to be an obligation or a woman a man has to take care of.”

  “It does go against the grain,” Gran agreed. “Especially for you. You’ve taken care of us for so long that I believe you’ve begun to think you can’t let anybody take care of you.”

  “I feel like you do take care of me, though,” Cissy protested. “Having my family back together was all I ever dreamed of.”

  “Still, I’d like to see you have something just for you. I wouldn’t mind seeing you give your marriage a real chance.”

  “I learned a long time ago not to expect more than what I was given.” Cissy touched Gran’s hand. “Don’t worry for me. There was so much more than I ever expected with Tex that I can’t be sad. It’s over. I truly don’t expect to see him again.”

  “Will you divorce, then?”

  “I suppose. That was always the plan.”

  “What will you do now?”

  Cissy poured herself and Gran more tea. “Jellyfish offered me a job on his boat. He’ll be taking a new tour up the river in a week. I can stay here, or I can go on and work. It depends on how much you feel that you need help.”

  “Truthfully, I feel that the kids will want to spend time with their parents and vice versa. Those kids are going to be in shock for a long time. Good shock, of course, because I know in their hearts they had stopped believing in a miracle.”

  “I know they had,” Cissy said softly. “And it broke my heart.”

  “You know, your folks would have come back if they could have, Cissy. They didn’t mean to leave you kids behind. Drunk drivers are every mother’s nightmare—”

  “Let’s not talk about it,” Cissy interrupted. “I think I will go on Jellyfish’s new tour. He’s got a bunch of international luminaries who called him when he returned from his short jaunt with Hawk. It’s part of a tour that wants the full experience of America, and the original boat they’d hired had gotten damaged. So Jellyfish would be happy to have the help, and I’d be happy to have the job.”

  “And then there’s Delilah,” Gran reminded her. “She said you could work for her anytime.”

  “Yes.” She looked at her grandmother, her heart wiser than it had been before. “The first time I left Lonely Hearts Station, I was running away from Marvella, and I was running away from Tex. I’d known then I was in danger of falling in love with him. The second time I left Marvella’s, he accompanied me, and by then I knew I would need to get away from him if I ever hoped to get over him. All of his brothers frequent Lonely Hearts Station.” She sighed. “I want a fresh start.”

  “You’ll enjoy seeing the country, especially by river.”

  Cissy smiled. “I feel so happy when I’m on the water. I can’t even explain how soothing it is.”

  Gran hugged her tight. “Don’t be scared to come back, though. I’ll miss you dreadfully. Did I tell you that I love your hair?”

  “Do you really?”

  “Yes, I do. I loved you blond, but I adore the brunette, too. It’s sassy.”

  “That’s what Tex said, too.”

  “He wasn’t afraid of change, then.”

  Cissy laughed. “Some change, yes.”

  “But where you were concerned, no.”

  Cissy sat back, thinking about all the changes Tex had endured to make her happy. “I have a week here, and then I’ll take the job hostessing for Jellyfish’s month-long excursion. I’ll bring you back a souvenir,” she told her grandmother to change the subject.

  “Just don’t bring me a new husband,” Gran replied tartly. “I like the one you have.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  For five days, Tex ignored his brothers. He spoke, but in monosyllables, and usually just a grunt as he passed them in the halls.

  “It’s like he’s creating a new language,” Last complained as he and Navarro and Crockett watched him out the window. “Sort of like abbreviated verbal sign language in whale pitch.”

  “Jeez, Last!” Crockett slapped his baby brother upside the head. “What the hell did you just say?”

  “Lost me,” Navarro said. “Look at him out there, all alone, rolling wire by himself like a pariah.”

  “What I said,” Last enunciated, “is that ‘uh,’ ‘ho,’ ‘yo,’ ‘hm’ doesn’t make for successful communication. Instead of moving into the twenty-first century of language skills, Tex is creating an anonymous dialect.”

  “It’s your fault,” Crockett told him. “He hasn’t wanted anything to do with the family since you tore up his hallowed ground. We told you not to do that!”

  “It shouldn’t have made this much difference.” They watched as Tex clipped some wire and pulled some more. “It’s like he’s turned into…Mason!” he whispered.

  “Do not invoke the M-word on Tex,” Navarro said. “We wouldn’t wish that on a brother.”

  “Yes, but Last’s right. Tex is turning into a solitary bonehead.”

  “Tex says he’s not coming to the party tonight,” Last told them. “I told him it was a garden party, and though it was hard to understand in grunt form, I do believe he told me to shove my head up my butt. Or maybe he said ‘shut your hat up, Sir Tut,’ but I wasn’t hanging around long enough to play Professor Higgins.”

  “It’s your fault, dummy.” Crockett turned away from the window. “And now you’ve got all these babes coming h
ere so that you can do this cowgirl raffle thing for Mason, and I’m telling you, you’re standing on a landslide. Mason is never going to go so easily into such a trap.”

  “Maybe that shouldn’t be my goal,” Last said.

  “Have you ever considered that goal planning isn’t your thing?” Navarro demanded. “Last, has it ever occurred to you that maybe this isn’t the family that’s going to see a lot of Hallmark moments?”

  “That doesn’t mean I should wear a shroud of negativity,” Last shot back. “You wear the shroud, and let me shoot for the clouds.”

  “Whatever.” Crockett went into the kitchen. “For a cloud-seeking kind of guy, you sure shot Tex down. And he doesn’t have anybody to talk to about it. I mean, he can call his twin, but he won’t. And he won’t talk to us. So that lonely man you see out there is going to be what he’s going to be. Lonely and gardenless.”

  Navarro thumped Last on the arm as he went to sit across from Crockett. “Usually the family philosopher, this time he’s the family Philistine.”

  “Very funny.” Last stared out the window with determination at Tex. “It may be my fault, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to apologize. In my own special, optimistic way.”

  TEX HEADED OVER TO MIMI’S to check out the small pond on the back forty that their properties shared. It was the Cannady pond, though, by the Jefferson’s measure, simply because the sheriff had been the one to maintain it over the years. The pond was just right for swimming and even a little paddleboating.

  Mimi had suggested he try out his gardener’s frustrations on some water lilies, an idea that fairly intrigued him. Rather than put up with the plans for tonight’s shindig, he planned to map out his strategy.

  There’d be no pressure on him this time, Tex thought with satisfaction. It was Cannady water and a Cannady plan. Failure was an option, which he appreciated. For once, he wanted something that he could create on his own.

  And in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help some satisfaction that Cissy had playfully suggested water lilies and cattails to him on the river. Maybe it was time to embrace a different plant. And a different mind-set.

  “Hey,” Mimi said, coming up behind him.

  “Hi, Mimi,” Tex replied. He pointed around the plan. “You need a weeping willow out here, too. ’Bout the time the baby’s old enough to want to swim, there’ll be shade.”

  “That’s a great idea. I’ve always wanted to landscape this pond. I’m glad you don’t mind doing it, because it’ll be a job.”

  He gestured back toward her bounteous rose garden. “Not like you couldn’t do it yourself. Your roses are amazing.”

  “Uh-huh. I’ll just watch you turn this pond into what it should be.” She sat down cross-legged on the ground, watching him sketch his plans. “Guess you’ll be at the garden party tonight.”

  “Don’t think so. Have no desire.”

  “Why?”

  Shaking his head, he said, “Too many reasons to count. I may go into town.”

  “Or you can stay right here with me after I get home from the hospital. I can feed you dinner, if you don’t mind warmed-over lasagna.”

  “Why don’t you want to go to the party?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do.” Tex gave her a sideways glance. “Mason?”

  “Well, maybe. There’ll be lots of pretty girls there, and…you know me, Tex.”

  “Yeah.” She’d hired Helga, and no one was ever going to tell him it was for any reason other than to keep Mason safe from female enticement. “How are you feeling?”

  “In the mornings, a little strange. Otherwise, fine.”

  “Sure you don’t mind warming up lasagna? I think I’ll take you up on the offer. Last has been acting shifty, and I’m afraid he may have something up his sleeve where I’m concerned.”

  “Like what?”

  “Don’t know. But when he’s got the fix-it bug eating at him, who knows what he’ll do. He’s even got little name tags on the table at everyone’s seat. He called them ice breakers, but I wouldn’t count on just ice being broken.”

  “Oh? Who’s seated next to Mason?” Mimi asked too nonchalantly.

  Tex shrugged. “I didn’t look. I just checked to make certain my name wasn’t on the table.”

  “Well, I’d love to have your company tonight. I’m going to walk over and say hello to the Union Junction Style girls for a minute, but that’s all.”

  She’d beat a hasty retreat if Last put his stupid plan for Mason into action. Tex chose to ignore that he’d participated in a bachelor raffle himself. Last’s plan was so dumb it was unbelievable, because Mason would never “win” a woman willingly. “You know, Mimi, I could take you to a movie,” he said, knowing how hurt she might be tonight. “Or we could go looking for baby stuff. I would love that.”

  Her gaze was perceptive. “So, what is it you don’t think I should see tonight?”

  “Nothing, exactly. As you said, though, it won’t be much fun with single girls, single guys, when we’re the only married ones. You know. We’d feel like chaperones. I don’t want to feel like a chaperone, do you?”

  “I also don’t want to feel like I’m being baby-sat,” Mimi said with spirit. “So why don’t you tell me exactly what’s happening tonight, or I’m going to be certain that you’re baby-sitting me.”

  Mimi and Cissy were so much alike. He sighed. “I’m not sure, but I know it won’t be something I enjoy.”

  “Are you and Cissy going to stay married? Once you came home, I thought you weren’t, but the way you’re acting, it sort of feels like you’re trying to be faithful and honorable.”

  “Oh, yeah. That’s it,” Tex said. “It would be dishonorable to hang around a bunch of single, cute, interesting women.”

  She stared at him. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or you? Because frankly, I’m starting to think that you really did fall in love with Cissy and just won’t let yourself admit it.”

  He had a sneaky suspicion she was right, but it wouldn’t do him any good to let that confession leak. “Let’s go shopping for baby clothes. Come on.” Helping Mimi to her feet, he practically dragged her to her house.

  “But I’m going to the hospital first,” Mimi protested. “I want to see Dad. And then I’ll swing by and get you, and we’ll vacate the premises.”

  “That’s a deal,” Tex said with satisfaction. “It’ll give me time to shower and keep me out of the range of Last’s motives all at the same time!”

  TEX HAD BARELY SHOWERED and made it down the stairs before Mason collared him.

  “Hey,” Mason said. “There’s no place card out there for you on the table. Or placard, as Last loves to call them. It’s so dopey it’s embarrassing. He acts like we’re going to be taking high tea with the queen.”

  “I’m taking Mimi shopping for baby clothes,” Tex told his older brother. “As old married folk, Mimi and I feel it incumbent upon ourselves to skip this little shindig.”

  Mason jerked his head toward the backyard. “Last has me sitting between a brunette and a redhead. There’s a blonde sitting across from me, and there are ethnic varieties represented on the diagonals. One might say that I’m surrounded by a smorgasbord of beauty. Which makes me very unhappy.”

  “Hey, call it a happy accident,” Tex said. “I’m outta here.”

  “Oh, no, you’re not.” Mason pointed toward the backyard. “You at least have to say hello to our guests for the sake of manners. Especially since our baby romance planner isn’t here to do his part as host.” Mason’s voice dripped with displeasure.

  “Where is Last, then?”

  “Hell if I know. When he gets here, he’s dead, though. He’d better get here,” Mason said with determination. “He’s been gone for two hours, and if his idea of stirring up romance is to surround me with dolls and then disappear, he’s got rocks in his head.”

  “Yeah, most men would complain about such harsh treatment by their brother.” But Tex followed his o
lder brother out to do his duty by the Jefferson name.

  “Wow, these girls sure look good for a garden party,” Tex said, amazed. “Mason, you should count yourself lucky Last thinks this highly of you. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t be sharing.” He greeted the women who would sit with Mason that night.

  “Well, brother, then you must do the honors,” Mason said, practically forcing him onto the bench. “And I’ll take Mimi shopping for baby clothes.”

  Tex hopped up off the bench. “Oh, no, I wouldn’t think of it. Shopping is so boring. You enjoy these lovely ladies.” He gave Mason a shove so that he nearly fell into one of the women’s laps.

  “Good manners dictates that I, as eldest, make certain that my brothers are all suitably cared for,” Mason said between gritted teeth. He got close enough to Tex’s ear to mutter, “You have to save me. As you can see, Last has some devious plan for me.”

  Sighing, Tex sat, forcing a smile for the ladies of Union Junction Style. Once upon a time they’d been Delilah’s girls at the Lonely Hearts Salon, and had done a big favor for Union Junction during the big storm. He owed it to them to sit and be a good host.

  Mason was right. He could take Mimi shopping for baby clothes, and he, Tex, would not die enjoying the babe lottery seated around him. Sweeping the name tag with Mason’s name on it aside, he said, “I’m cutting in on this dance, ladies, if you have no objection.”

  “No,” they all said, smiling. Mason appeared to give a sigh of relief and began loping toward Mimi’s house.

  Tex grinned at the ladies around him. Too bad if it messed up Last’s plan of finding Mason a woman. One day, Last was going to have to learn not to interfere in people’s lives.

  “So, it’s sure good to see you again,” he said gallantly to his guests.

  “Hey, everybody,” Last said from behind him. “Look who I found.”

  Tex turned with a preset smile on his face.

  Cissy stared at him, and at all the beautiful women next to, across from and on the diagonal to him. Her rivals from the salon days.

  “Hi, Cissy,” he said weakly, cursing Mason and Last and himself most of all.