“Nothing to be sorry about. Let’s get you inside, shall we? Maybe a glass of water?”
Buttercup nodded again.
“I’m Jake,” the man said, gently grabbing her elbow to guide her to the house. Feeling faint she was grateful for the assistance. Having daydreamed about the handsome man for hours, she couldn’t believe that spewing up all over the place was the way she had finally introduced herself.
“Nice to meet you,” Buttercup chuckled weakly.
“Oh, we’ve met before,” Jake said confidently. “Jess’ wedding. I was the DJ.”
Not wanting to sound impolite, Buttercup answered, “Yes, I remember.”
A loud chuckle came from Jake. “No, you don’t. Every person in Poke Town spoke to you that night. It was your first visit to our tiny Texas town. The night must have been a whirlwind for you. I saw you shake at least a hundred hands. There’s no way you noticed the DJ. That’s quite all right with me though, because I certainly remember you. Purple dress.”
“Carrie bought me that dress,” Buttercup said softly. “I arrived only hours before the wedding and Carrie was so sweet and kind. She had it all picked out for my arrival, demanding I change into it right away.”
“Well, she did a fantastic job,” Jake answered kindly. “It looked so pretty with your green eyes.”
Buttercup felt her cheeks flush at the compliment.
“Whoa, little hill here, you going to be okay or do I need to carry you?” Jake joked as they stepped over a tiny incline. Unnecessarily, Jake tightened his hold on her elbow.
Buttercup flinched. She didn’t mean to, or want to but she did. Her eyes met Jake’s widened brown ones. The warm eyes shone with concern as they gazed down at her. Jake loosened his hold on her but did not release her arm. The smile on his full lips was reassuring.
Buttercup smiled back.
Approaching the back door that led to the kitchen, Buttercup said, “Thank you. I think I can take it from here.” Her head felt less faint than before, her legs were no longer loose like spaghetti.
Looking her over, brow furrowed with concern, Jake said, “I think I’ll just see you in. If you don’t mind, that is.” The last statement was a courtesy. Buttercup could tell this man wasn’t going anywhere until he had safely transferred her care to her brother, Ray.
“Okay,” she murmured.
Jake smiled his smile again, it seemed to permanently stay on his tan face. His light manner and happy aura was a stark contrast to what she had become used to in her old life. Now, here at the ranch she was safe. It felt like that had been the life of another woman all together.
Opening the door, gesturing towards the threshold, he said, “In you go.”
The spot on her arm where he had once held her now felt lonely. Buttercup stepped in front of him, entering the house. Closing the door behind them, Jake stayed close to her as they made their way to a barstool.
Ray looked up at her curiously as he continued stirring the big pot on the stove. “You okay, Buttercup?”
“I’ll get there.” Slumping down into the first barstool at the island, Buttercup leaned on her elbows, head in her hands.
“Brought you a patient, Ray,” Jake said. “This little one tossed her cookies. All of them. You must have overfed her.”
“Not possible,” Ray’s deep voice answered as Buttercup studied the pattern of the white and gray granite countertops. She did not yet trust herself to look up for fear that seeing the simmering pot of food would turn her stomach once again. Coming around the counter to where she sat, Ray placed his hand reassuringly on her back. “Buttercup?”
The weight of Ray’s hand on her back calmed Buttercup and brought stinging tears to her eyes. Her throat closed tightly. Throwing up in front of someone she had been crushing on was embarrassing enough. Crying in front of him would be absolutely humiliating.
As if reading her thoughts, Jake said, “I’ll let you recover, Buttercup.” The way he said her name in his thick Texan accent made it sound like it was melting on his tongue. “Ray here will take good care of you.”
“Thank you, Jake,” Ray said as his hand continued to rub wide circles on Buttercup’s back.
“Sure thing,” Jake said. Buttercup snuck a peek at Jake as he turned to leave. His smile was gone, worry crossing his handsome face. He looked as if he did not want to leave her.
Surprised by her sudden intense longing for him to stay, Buttercup looked away. “Thank you, Jake,” she said shyly, dismissing him as she knew she should.
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. Reaching out, Jake smoothed down her hair, gently. A shiver ran through her at the delicate touch. “Feel better,” Jake said, softly.
“Thanks,” Buttercup muttered. And she was sure she would, if she didn’t die of embarrassment, first.
After her humiliating incident of getting sick in front of Jake, Buttercup tried not to allow her thoughts to become wrapped up in him, but there he was, day in, day out. The weather warmer, his muscular arms showed underneath his thin tee shirt as he worked. His smile, the straight white teeth shining behind the full lips still made her day.
The man had Buttercup making up random excuses to go out into the yard. She needed to help Harry find a baseball. Evan wanted to practice his soccer and Buttercup was the only acceptable goalie. Henny Penny seemed to have a little limp that Buttercup wanted to keep an eye on. The list went on and on.
What drew her in and had her returning to the yard was the way Jake looked at her. The way his face lit up just as she would come around the corner. It reminded her of watching someone open a present. Just her showing up, in his sightline, seemed to be a gift to him.
Though they didn’t spend any time alone together—Jake was hard at work and Buttercup was busy with the boys, she liked seeing him, knowing he was there.
Every day Jake would somehow ‘bump’ into her and they would chat casually, getting to know one another. They rarely spoke for more than fifteen minutes before being interrupted by a little someone who needed help or attention, tugging at Buttercup’s hand and pulling her away. But then she would go back out into the yard for something else and Jake would take a little break from his work. And they would get to chatting again.
Buttercup had shown up with only the clothing on her back and the ten-year-old dress from the wedding in her possession. Jessica had taken her shopping in Clinton. Ray had told Jessica, ‘spare no expense’, and Jessica hadn’t. Buttercup, unused to having beautiful things, was now outfitted with clothes, matching shoes, designer jeans, and a facial. Many pieces of the clothing she had picked out were the same violet of the dress Jake had loved. Buttercup had told herself that she chose that color because she loved it—not because Jake had told her it looked beautiful with her green eyes.
This morning, she had carefully chosen her favorite of the shirts. Spending a little extra time on her hair than usual, and even putting on a dot of lip gloss, she made her way to the yard. Carrying her empty basket, Buttercup went to check on the chickens, for the first time that day. Rounding the corner to the coop, she was surprised to find Jake, waiting for her within the chicken’s fencing. Just the sight of him had her heart pounding.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hello yourself, Buttercup,” he drawled. The wide, white smile spread across his face, the light came to his eyes.
“What are you doing hanging out with the chickens? Aren’t you working today?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Oh.” Instantly overwhelmed by shyness, she felt a blush rise in her cheeks.
“The truth is, I finished the garage two days ago. I rehammered every nail over the past two days, just stalling. I can’t bear to leave here and think I won’t at least get to catch a glimpse of you every day.”
Her breath caught in her throat.
“Talking with you has become the highlight of my days. I’m going to miss that.”
“Me too,” she breathed.
“I was try
ing to stay professional. You know—not asking out the boss’ little sister? I figure I might as well be honest about how I feel seeing as I no longer work for your brother now.”
“What do you mean?” she stuttered. After catching moony glimpses of Jake for weeks his admission seemed surreal.
“What I want to say is that I remember the first time I saw you. You wore that purple dress; your eyes were so green. The way you sat so quietly talking to all the old ranchers sweetly. That shy little smile you gave them—I knew it was making their day as much as it was making mine.”
Looking away from his warm gaze, she mumbled, “That’s nice of you to say.”
Placing his fingertip under her chin, he tilted her gaze up to meet his. “It’s true.”
They stood quietly for a moment, considering one another’s faces. The touch of his fingertip made her knees weak, but she held his gaze.
Lowering his finger from her chin, Jake’s question surprised Buttercup.
“Have you been hurt before?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“You carry yourself as someone who, maybe, has been—hurt.” His jaw clenched after he said the word a protective look flashing in his eyes.
Buttercup considered his statement. She was not one to share personal stories or feelings. She had learned that life was hard, and it was best to become hardened to survive it. But something in his earnest gaze made the truth roll from her tongue.
“I have—been hurt, that is. My mother abandoned me. My father was absent. I was that latch key kid they talked about. The one microwaving their own dinner by the age of eight. And my choice in boyfriends…” her thoughts trailed off. She had already said too much.
“Tom?” he asked, concern filling his eyes. Jake’s jaw set in an angry reaction to speaking the name.
“Yes, Tom. How do you know of him?” Buttercup had never mentioned to Jake the fiancé who had once had such a tight hold over her. She preferred to keep their conversation light, putting on an air of a carefree fun young lady. Hiding her scars from the world, from Jake.
“After the wedding, I asked Ray about you. He said you had a boyfriend, so I left well enough alone. After you left Poke, when I was doing some handyman work for your brother, I overheard him talking to Wes. Ray didn’t think Tom was a good guy. He and Wes had contemplated going after you.”
“Sometimes, I wish they would have. But I was a grown woman and needed to make my own decisions,” Buttercup said in a whisper.
He reached out, running his fingertips down her cheek, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “If you had even known who I was I would have gone after you. But you didn’t even know I existed. That would have been a strange rescue, wouldn’t it?” he chuckled.
His touch was so—gentle. To tuck her hair behind her ear, such a small gesture but something she had not experienced in her lifetime. She had to be hard, take care of herself.
That was what had attracted her to Tom. She had mistaken his jealousy, control, for protection, care. Picturing kind Jake showing up at the door to challenge Tom, Buttercup gave a shudder. “That may not have been the best idea.”
“I’m just so glad you are here now. You have no idea.”
“Me too.” She gave a shy smile, hardly being able to believe the tenderness in his gaze was for her.
Jake spoke softly. “Tell me, why a man like Tom?”
She had only recently asked herself the same question. And she knew the answer. “Tom was, is a strong man. I liked that, that he was strong. A take charge guy who knew what he wanted. Other guys my age always seemed immature to me. I kind of grew up fast.”
“I am getting the sense that he was strong, but maybe not kind?”
“Y-yes.”
“Have you ever been with a strong man who was kind?” Jake stepped even closer to her. There was an electricity running between them.
Unable to meet his eyes, Buttercup looked over the busy flock of hens. She admitted shyly, “I’ve only ever been with Tom.”
“There are men who are as kind as they are strong. I can be that man for you. Let me show you.”
She spoke the words before she had time to think. “I’m not dating.”
To her surprise, the answer brought a smile to Jake’s face.
Running his fingertips down her cheek, he held her face in his hand. “I will be that man for you. And I will care for you. And I will be strong for you. I can make you happy.”
His hand felt warm and big against her face, making her feel small and protected.
“But I’m not dating right now.” She said it again, but she didn’t mean it. She could read in his face that Jake knew she didn’t mean it. She tried to hide the sheepish smile that was playing at her lips. Lightly his thumb brushed over her curving mouth.
“I will be all of that, and more.” Leaning down, he closed the space between them, kissing her softly. Tingles ran through her body at his touch. His hand slid from her cheek to behind her neck, pulling her in closer to him. His kiss deepened making her knees weak and her head feel light, as if she were floating. Feeling all funny, she thought, goodness this man knows how to kiss a woman.
That was the exact moment, she was hit in the shoulder with a football.
Laughter rang out as the naughty boys ran behind the coop, chanting, “Jake and Buttercup sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”
Pulling away, Jake laughed a deep laugh. His eyes gleaming from the kiss, he said, “Those boys have impeccable timing.”
“Yes, they do,” Buttercup murmured wanting Jake’s lips right back on hers.
Instead of kissing her again, Jake asked, “Can I pick you up at seven?”
“Okay,” she murmured. “But I’m not dating.”
Jake leaned over, applying a chaste kiss to her cheek. The sunshine smile crossed his face. “Wear the purple dress, if you still have it.” Whistling as he walked away, he threw one satisfied smile over his shoulder at her.
Buttercup watched Jake and the back of those jeans slung around his trim hips depart. She would be ready, and she would wear the dress. Just a little hang out as friends. She was not going to date anyone after her long, sordid relationship with Tom. At least that’s what she told herself as she stood by the chickens, watching Jake make his way across the yard.
Seven could not come soon enough.
Upon finding out Buttercup was going out with Jake that night, Jessica had demanded Ray take the boys, then locked the two women into her master bathroom. Buttercup had noticed Jessica received a firm swat at her command, to which she had quickly changed the demand to a sweet request. The little display between the married couple sent a flutter to Buttercup’s tummy and a blush to her cheeks.
“Just sit down, Jess. You are making me nervous.”
“I can’t Buttercup—I’m a hairdresser at heart. Now, let me finish fixin’ this gorgeous mane of yours. That Jake Hargett has been in love with you since the moment he laid eyes on you at the wedding. You were all he talked about for a good, solid year. I swear he hasn’t had a decent relationship since.”
“But he didn’t even speak to me at the wedding.”
“You had a boyfriend. Jake wouldn’t go near you. He believes in loyalty. Man, I wish you could have seen his face when Ray told him you were back in Poke. And for good this time, we hope. Jake especially. He is most definitely in love, and he has his sights set on you.”
“He can’t love me.”
“I know what love looks like. That man loves you.”
Her body wound tight with nervous energy. This was more serious than just a date to Jake. And she had already declared she was not even dating. “Then I’m not going.”
“You are going. And your hair is going to be perfect if you would just sit still.” Turning up the heat on her curling iron, Jessica began to make large loose curls in Buttercup’s long locks. Speaking animatedly as she worked, Jessica said, “Now, Buttercup, I don’t want to scare you anymore than you already are, but I think you ou
ght to know, Jake isn’t looking for anything casual.”
“What does that mean?”
“That man knows what he wants, and it’s you, and I’ve never seen him not get what he wants. I’ve known him for a long time—he was Kevin’s best friend. I’ve watched him grow up and he is one determined young man. Ran a successful DJ business at the early age of sixteen. Bought his first truck at eighteen. Skipped college and started his remodeling company. Bought a house before he was old enough to buy beer—the whole nine yards. Never looked back.”
Buttercup looked down at her purple dress. What did she think she was doing? After Tom, Buttercup had sworn off men. And she was losing her nerve to go on this not supposed to be a date, date. What Jessica said next made her tummy flutter and what was left of her bravery whittle down to nothing.
Jessica leaned over her shoulder, whispering to Buttercup, “One more thing, Buttercup. That man is going to want to spank your butt.”
Buttercup covered her mouth as she gasped. Looking at Jessica’s reflection in the mirror as she curled a long tendril of Buttercup’s dark hair, she tried to read Jessica’s face to see if she was joking. She wasn’t.
“Are you serious, why on Earth would he want to do that?” Buttercup looked away from the mirror, the pink that had risen in her cheeks was too much for her to bear. She felt the blush was going to give away her secrets.
“I know it’s a lot to process but it’s true. Jake is a spanking man, every bit as much as Ray is, and as Wes is.”
Buttercup had noticed the unique way the two couples had interacted, the men often giving the woman a single look, to which they often blushed, as she was now. She also had not been blind to the swats, the arm grabs, the whispered words. And the loving looks of adoration.
Maybe it was as Jake said. Tom had the sternness she craved but without the tender love and kindness every woman needed from her man.
Catching her eye in the mirror, Jessica spoke softly, “I know you want that type of man, Buttercup.”
“How?” The blush now turned to a beet red resting high on her cheekbones, but Buttercup held Jessica’s gaze.
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