by Gigi Moore
Jax still didn’t understand how his brother had gotten on Tamara’s bad side to begin with. The actions his brother described were so unlike the meticulous Jess that Jax knew. Sounded like he’d been a reckless man too in love to care what anyone else thought as long as he got the woman he wanted.
Clearly, Jess was too far gone already and Tamara was too pissed to care.
Jax definitely had his work cut out for him.
Chapter 9
“I don’t appreciate being ambushed.”
“What ambush? I told you I had a surprise comin’ for you.”
“You didn’t tell me it was the daughter I haven’t spoken to in nearly twenty years.”
Jeremiah paused on the front doorstep, slammed his fists on his hips as he turned and faced Bailey. “Now is that my fault? Besides if’n I had told you Tamara was comin’, it wouldn’t have been a surprise, now would it?”
Bailey growled. “Does she know about—”
“—the cancer? No. I ain’t told her…yet.”
“Are you threatening me, you interfering old coot?”
Instead of responding to his long-time friend’s question and insults, Jeremiah said, “I just told her about your accident fallin’ off your horse. I didn’t tell her how or why.”
Bailey nodded. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I want you to be civil to the gal.”
“I’ll be civil.”
“Nice wouldn’t be bad neither.”
“Wouldn’t that get her suspicions up?”
Jeremiah stared at Bailey, a man who was practically like a brother to him—his only brother. He couldn’t believe they stood there as if it was just any other day of the week, discussing Bailey’s estranged daughter’s long overdue homecoming and Bailey having an inoperable brain tumor that would kill him soon. “Well, how long do you think you’re goin’ to hide your illness from her while she’s here? You have to go for chemo, and—”
“I’m not the one who asked her to come here!” Bailey threw up his hands as much as he could while cradling two crutches under his arms.
“If you don’t hold it down, everyone’s goin’ to know what’s goin’ on for sure and long before you want ’em to.” Jeremiah watched as Bailey closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, jaw muscles working as he gritted his teeth.
“You think you and the boys could keep her occupied while she’s here?” Bailey opened his eyes and looked at Jeremiah with a silent appeal shining out of his brown gaze.
“I’ll do my part. And I’m sure the boys will too. You know we all love her. But you’re goin’ to have to talk to her sometime. And sooner or later, plain old curiosity and concern is goin’ to bring her around in your neck of the woods to talk to you whether you want her to or not. She is your daughter.”
Bailey sighed, leaned on one of his crutches, bent his head and pushed a hand through his long silver hair. “I know I’m stubborn, all right? And I know I ain’t exactly been fair to the child, but—”
“There’s no buts about it. Either you’re goin’ to reconcile with her while she’s here, or she’s goin’ to know everything before she gets ready to go.” Jeremiah opened the door and held it for his friend, ignoring all the grumbling and cussing he heard in his wake. “It’s up to you how and from whom she finds out.”
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a pushy cuss?”
“Not for a couple of hours.”
Bailey chuckled despite the gravity of the situation. “What am I going to do with you?”
“The question isn’t what you’re goin’ to do with me, but what you’re goin’ to do with your daughter and how soon.”
“Seems like someone beat me to the punch and done something with my daughter already, at least to her.” Bailey pointedly arched his brows and Jeremiah rubbed his fingers over the grizzled hair growing out of his chin and jaw.
“Yeah, about that…”
“Did you plan for them to sleep together along with everything else you planned?”
“I know what you’re doin’, and it ain’t goin’ to work.”
“What, pointing out facts?”
“You’re trying to turn the situation around to bein’ about me and my boy when it ain’t about us. It’s about you and Tamara.”
“Looked like Jess had a little something to say about that.”
“You just worry about your daughter. I’ll worry about that fool son of mine.”
“Which fool son would that be, Pop?”
* * * *
Jax watched each man as they slowly turned to him in the vestibule and wondered what he had walked in on the tail-end of. His pop and Bailey looked right uneasy to say the least. But the latter man took no time rebounding to his usual cantankerousness.
“The fool son who upset my daughter ‘fore she even set foot on the property. And seeing as I can tell you two troublemakers apart, I’m guessing that wouldn’t be you,” Bailey said and gave him a pointed look. “Where’s your brother?”
“Out at the barn and stable. He’ll be in directly.”
“Not so sure he’ll be welcomed.”
Jax shot up his eyebrows. “By you?” It wasn’t like Bailey could demand Jess be fired like he had with Noah. The Double R wasn’t only Jess’s home. Jess owned part of the venture,,more responsible for its popularity and increase in revenue the last few years than anyone else Jax knew. Noah, on the other hand, had been a wrangler with no real ties in the community besides the ranch and the misfortune to fall for the progeny of the owner’s trusted confidant and friend. The man hadn’t had a chance.
“By Tamara,” Bailey said.
Jax put his arm around Bailey and felt the man’s hard brown gaze on him as Bailey cut him a look. “You don’t have anything to worry about with those two. I happen to have it on good authority that everything is going to work out just fine.”
“Let me guess who the authority is.” Bailey rolled his eyes, but Jax could see that he got to him, saw the man’s smirk turn into a slight smile.
“Trust me. Those two will be making beautiful music together in no time.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Bailey grumbled.
Jeremiah said, “Well, I’m not wastin’ any more time with you two fools. There’s a piece of cake and some ice cream callin’ my name and a right pretty gal I ain’t hugged in a coon’s age. I’m intendin’ to rectify that as soon as possible.”
Jax and Bailey both laughed as Jeremiah clapped and rubbed his hands together as if preparing to get into some serious devilment.
As soon as his father left, Jax turned back to Bailey with a grin and squeezed his shoulder. “So, going to tell me what top secret meeting took place between you two?”
Bailey just politely shrugged off Jax’s hug, chuckling and shaking his head as he grasped his crutches and haltingly followed behind Jeremiah to the kitchen.
Jax watched him go, knew the old man had something up his sleeves and figured he’d find out what sooner or later. Weren’t too many people that could keep a secret from him once he turned on the charm, much like there weren’t too many women who could resist him. If he needed to learn something, he promised himself he’d learn it. But not before he started working on getting Tamara and Jess back on speaking terms.
Jax followed the path Pop and Bailey had taken to the kitchen and thought luckily it was a big kitchen that could handle two people in it who really wanted to avoid each other without seeming too obvious.
He watched Bailey take a seat at and rest his crutches against the island in front of him while Maria and his dad bustled around the kitchen getting everyone a plate and bowl for their ice cream and cake.
Jess—always one to stand up and admit when he made a mistake and never one to avoid an uncomfortable situation just because it would be easier for him—sat at the end of the island farthest away from the doorway. Tamara sat on the opposite end a few feet away from Jax.
He sidled behind her, placing his hands on her shoulder
s and gently massaging before he leaned in to give her a friendly peck on the cheek. “Welcome back, Tamara,” Jax whispered and spied the intense look Jess gave him. He felt his brother’s barely reined in aggression and wondered how Jess managed to keep his seat and not leap across the island to slug him, especially when Tamara reached up to cover then squeeze one of Jax’s hands before turning to smile at him over her shoulder. “Hey, Jax.”
“Good to have you home.” He felt her stiffen beneath his fingertips, watched her glance dart around the room before landing and resting on Jess.
“It’s, um, good to be…back.”
He heard the slight tremor in her voice as she avoided saying home, a tremor like she fought back tears, then she cleared her throat and squeezed his hand again.
“So, you going to sit down and have some of this Welcome Home cake, make sure there’s as little left over for me as possible?”
“Leave it to him, he’ll eat the whole thing by himself,” Jeremiah said.
“I’d be grateful. Better for my hips and thighs.” Tamara chuckled.
“Ay, I keep telling her she is not fat. She is perfect.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Jax said and watched as Maria placed a saucer with a hunk-disguised-as-a-slice of cake on the island in front of Tamara.
“It is a celebration. Eat!”
Tamara grinned, pulled the plate closer and picked up the fork beside it. “Is she always so bossy?” she asked no one in particular but all four men present quickly chorused, “Yes!” before bursting out into laughter.
Maria paused in the middle of the kitchen with her fists on her hips. “Ay, then how come no one listens to me?”
Jax went to her, gently massaging her shoulders as he had Tamara’s. “Aw, we listen to you, Maria. We just have to give you a hard time before we do what you say.”
“And make me say things twice.”
“Only because we love hearing the musical lilt of your voice and your beautiful Castilian accent.”
Maria poked him in the stomach with her index finger. “You are such a flirt!”
Jax leaned in and kissed her nose. “But you love me anyway.”
She put an arm around his waist and stood on her toes to peck his cheek before giving him a sound smack on the butt. “Now go sit down and have some cake and ice cream.”
Jax saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”
Maria and Bailey finished doling out servings of cake and ice cream until everyone had a saucer and bowl in front of them and had started to dig in.
For a long time just the sound of silverware scraping across ceramic could be heard and Jax about thought he’d explode from the tension hovering over the room. The tension between Tamara and Jess alone practically suffocated him, overwhelmed him until he wanted to get up, grab both of them by an ear, drag them to the middle of the room in front of everyone and make them kiss and make up. Jax could see they wanted to.
Jax sighed and could see he’d have to dig in on this assignment and that neither Tamara nor Jess would make it easy for him. He’d always liked a challenge though.
“So, Tam, how’s business in the Big Apple? Litigation keeping you busy?” Jax asked, just for something to say and maybe get everyone else curious and to talking. The unnatural silence got to him, like having nothing to do. Even if the snooze button had been created for people like him who only saw a sunrise under duress, once Jax got out of bed, he didn’t feel right unless he had a sport to play or had some other way to work up a sweat. Perpetual motion best described him.
“Litigation is what it is. It keeps me busy and it has its ups and downs.”
“More ups than downs I reckon if the looks of that fancy luggage I saw Jess pulling out of the truck is any indication,” Bailey mumbled, but everyone at the island heard, including Jess, all the way at the opposite end of the island.
“There’s nothing wrong with being paid well for what you do,” he said.
“I don’t need you to defend me.” Tamara gritted her teeth and turned on her father. “But now that Jess mentioned it, there is nothing wrong with being paid well for what I do. I worked hard to get where I am and big deal if I like nice luggage. I earned it.”
“No one’s saying you didn’t.”
“Then what’s your beef? You haven’t said word one to me since I got here, but the first words you do let out of your mouth are a criticism.”
“Ain’t nobody criticizin’ anybody. Bailey’s just missed you is all. Same as we all did,” Jeremiah put in.
“He’s got a strange way of showing it.”
“Don’t see why I’ve got to show you anything. You already know I care about you.”
“How would I? The last time we spoke you spent the entire time outlining all my faults and the big mistake I made in leaving here. And since I’ve been in New York, you haven’t bothered to call or speak to me. So if that means you care, then yeah, I guess I know.”
“Phone works both ways, missy.”
“I don’t see why I have to make a move toward reconciliation when you made it perfectly clear how you felt about me leaving home even before I got involved with Noah. You just used him and his age as an excuse to punish me for wanting to leave.”
“If that’s what you think.”
“I don’t even know why I bothered to come back. It’s plain to see you don’t need me here, and that I’m far from welcomed.” Tamara pushed away from the island with an abrupt shove, the resultant noise of her chair legs scraping against the laminated wood floor deafening in the suddenly silent kitchen. She threw down her napkin and got up from her chair. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. If someone could just tell me which room I’m in…”
Jax stood. “I can take you.”
“No, just tell me.”
“I will show you to your room,” Maria said, showing each man at the table her wrath with a withering glare. She stood and put an arm around Tamara’s slim waist to guide her toward the doorway.
Jax stayed standing, and Jeremiah, Jess and even Bailey joined him as Maria led Tamara out of the kitchen into the hallway.
As soon as the women got out of earshot, Jeremiah threw his napkin down on the island top. “Well, what was that all about? Her first day back and you go and treat her like a pariah? I told you to be nice to her.”
“I know what you told me, but I also know that Tamara would see through nice like glass. I’m just being myself, warts and all.”
“Yeah, that’s for sure. But I know what you’re doin’ too. And don’t think alienating that gal is going to get you off the hook.” Jeremiah stood and pointed a finger. “Remember what I said, you old coot. I want more than a lick and a promise.”
“I remember, ornery cuss.” Bailey warily looked at Jax and Jess before glaring at their father. “Just leave me be. I know what I’m doing.”
“You’d better because I’m countin’ on you to make the gal’s stay a pleasant one and for you two to kiss and make up.” Jeremiah suddenly turned on his oldest, ignoring Bailey’s grumbling. “And that goes for you too. Whatever went on between the two of you on the way out here, you’d better do your best to make things right, or there’s goin’ to be hell to pay from me. Ya hear me?”
“Loud and clear,” Jess muttered.
As if Jess didn’t have enough to deal with worrying about making things up to Tamara on his own, Jax thought, now the ol’ man put the pressure on.
Without further comment, both Jeremiah and Bailey turned to leave, each in opposite directions. Jeremiah went passed Jax toward the living room and Bailey went passed Jess out the back door, presumably to his small ranch style house down the road a piece.
As soon as they left, Jess stared at him and asked, “Do you know what’s going on between those two codgers besides GOMS?”
Jax chuckled at his and Jess’s secret code name for Grumpy Old Men Syndrome and shook his head. “I haven’t the faintest.” But more than ever he intended to find out, especially if it had anything to do w
ith threatening his plans to get Tamara and Jess back together.
Chapter 10
Tamara finished unpacking and putting away her clothes as if she planned to stay for a while, but after the scene down in the kitchen, she doubted her ability to make it through dinner before hightailing it out of Dodge.
Despite her age, heated confrontations with her father still left her breathless and near tears. And like she had when she’d been a young girl, she’d wisely run off to her room away from him. If she’d stayed in his presence, she would have said something she would later regret, or she would have cried.
Tamara didn’t let anyone see her cry, not since she’d learned that once you let anyone know they could hurt you that bad, drive you to tears, that person had power over you. And no one, but no one, had power over Tamara Carpenter except Tamara Carpenter.
But boy did it hurt, holding in the tears until Maria had settled her into her room and finally left her alone behind the closed door. It hurt a lot to know that the old man still had so much influence over her emotions. She shouldn’t care a lick about what he thought of her. She’d proved she could make it on her own, that she didn’t need him to make her dreams come true, that she didn’t need his approval. Why couldn’t this be enough?
Because since she’d been a little girl and could see the sun in her daddy’s smile she’d been looking for not just his unconditional love but his approval.
Tamara knew this as well as she knew her own face in the mirror, but try getting her to tell her daddy that.
She had half a mind to march right down stairs and over to his house to give him a piece of her mind since unfinished business still stood between them.
Tamara thrust her hands out in front of her to see them still shaking. She wasn’t sure what caused it—the idea of another confrontation with her father or the aftereffects of Jax’s hands on her shoulders.