Big Sky Bachelor (9781460320624)

by Mcdaniel, Lesley Ann

  On Sundays, he’d started going to the little church in town, first by himself—slipping in the back after service had started—then accepting Owen’s invitation to sit with him and the other guys. The Greenes always sat near the front, and Janessa spotted him one time, giving him a sweet smile that spoke volumes. In that smile, Micah wanted to think he saw his mom letting him know she was pleased that, after all these years, he’d finally begun to reconnect with God.

  “Don’t let it go to your head,” Janessa said now, leaning in so close that her shoulder brushed against his arm. “But I think you have some fans.”

  Micah trailed her gaze to a pair of little girls who were weaving their way through the crowd like a couple of tiny missiles.

  He put his hands on his knees, and bent to their level. “Hey, Carrie. Hey, Chrissy. How’s the club going?”

  They chattered on in that fast-paced, overlapping way that only girls seem to understand. After they’d answered his question to their satisfaction, they said goodbye and disappeared into the market.

  Janessa smirked sideways at him. “Don’t tell me you have a junior fan club now.”

  “No.” He laughed. “I was sitting in the diner one day and those two caught sight of me and came over to ask for my autograph.”

  “How unusual.” She spiked the words with a playful hint of sarcasm that he pretended to ignore.

  “They told me that because of me coming to town, they’d started a riding club, so all the kids from school who didn’t have horses of their own could ride theirs.”

  “Oh...wow.”

  “It really got to me, so I offered to make a ‘guest appearance’ at their next club meeting to teach the new riders about horse safety. I have to say, it was about the most outright gratifying thing I’ve done in a long time.”

  He caught her giving him a thoughtful look. For a moment, he lost himself in the rich brown of her eyes, the shape of her face, the creaminess of her skin. He’d never been lost in another person like that before. Nowhere near.

  The urge to tell her how he felt about her took him by the throat and gave him a good shake. He was in serious danger of saying something that would force her to explain why she had no interest in settling down with anyone—something that might lead her to demand the same explanation from him. Instead, he focused on her lips. A big mistake, since that caused him to lean in closer to her. Dangerously close.

  “Micah Brody! Micah Brody!”

  They simultaneously jerked back from each other as the two kids they’d met the day of the movie premiere, the ones who had told him they’d chosen watching him in the rodeo over going to the carnival, ran toward him like a couple of calves out of the chute.

  “Well, hey, you two.” He looked up to see their mom weaving through the crowd in an only partly successful attempt at keeping up with them.

  The kids chattered excitedly about how much they were looking forward to the rodeo tomorrow.

  “We’ve been saving our car-washing money all summer.” The boy beamed.

  Their mom finally caught up to them, looking a little exasperated. “I told you two not to run off.” She looked at Micah and Janessa. “I’m sorry. They’re just so excited about the rodeo.”

  The girl bobbed up and down like a cork in a pond. “We’ve never been to one before, on account of they cost money.”

  The blush that crept up their mom’s face wasn’t lost on Micah. He looked at the kids. “Tomorrow’s going to be a mighty special day for you two.”

  “Come on, kids.” Their mom put a hand on each of their shoulders. “The parade’s about to start.”

  Just as she began to herd them away, Carrie and Chrissy bounded out of the market with the same enthusiasm with which they’d entered it. A moment of pure inspiration hit Micah.

  “Hey.” He leaned down to the boy and girl. “You should talk to these girls here about joining their riding club.”

  The four kids instantly bonded in an animated exchange over what the club entailed, and that yes, it was completely free.

  Micah looked over at the mom, whose eyes were welling. Giving Janessa a look that was only slightly apologetic, since he knew she’d understand, he reached into his pocket and took out the roll of ride tickets.

  When he handed it to the mom, she looked confused, then tried to hand them back.

  Micah held up his hands. “I really want you to have them.”

  Gratitude washed over her face as she mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

  As she walked away with the four kids, who were now engaged in a lively discussion about horses, Janessa turned to Micah. “That was really nice of you.”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll bet that mom has to say no to them enough as it is. She deserves a break.”

  “It would have taken us all day to use those tickets anyway.” She smiled.

  “Hey.” He jarred. The parade was about to start and he needed to get Janessa to a place where she’d be able to see. “Come on. I don’t want to miss the parade.”

  She gave him a questioning look. He smiled to himself and guided her toward the place where her mama and Mr. Bloom sat next to Adam and Courtney in lawn chairs. He exchanged an anxious smile with Adam, hoping that this had been a good idea.

  If it wasn’t, it was too late now.

  * * *

  Janessa stood on her toes with her hands on the back of Mama’s lawn chair, ultra-aware of Micah standing next to her. As they watched the rodeo royalty, antique fire trucks and kids leading livestock on leashes, her arm occasionally brushed against his, sending a jolt through her that only added to the excitement of the parade.

  An earsplitting honk shifted her attention from the high school marching band in front of them to a string of vintage cars and trucks working its way up the street.

  “Oh!” Leaning in to get a better view, she clutched at Micah’s arm. “This is my favorite part!”

  With a start, she realized she had unintentionally gripped his biceps with both hands. She let go, quickly returning her hands to the safety of Mama’s chair.

  Much to her relief, he gave her arm a good-natured jab with his elbow. When she smiled up at him, he rewarded her with a wink that melted most of her self-consciousness and at least a little of her heart.

  Oooh, boy.

  As the vintage vehicles wended past, Janessa and Micah quizzed each other on their knowledge of years and models. Then she leaned forward to get a better view of a sleek-looking deep sky-blue 1949 Chevy Thriftmaster which was slowly making its way up the street in a scallop pattern.

  “Micah, look!” She backhanded him playfully in the ribs. “Someone has a truck just like mine.”

  “Yep.” He rubbed his side as if she’d wounded him. “Just like yours.”

  “Look how pretty it is.” An unexpected yearning took her in its grip. She had a photo in her room of her granddaddy standing next to Old Blue back when he was young and it was new. The photo was in black and white, but this was just what she’d always pictured her truck looking like it did in its heyday.

  She released a sigh. “I swear, if I could get mine restored—”

  She stopped herself, thinking the driver looked an awful lot like Owen. Then as the girl in the passenger seat leaned out the window and shouted “Janessa!” she realized it was Keely. She threw her hands over her mouth.

  Her family and Mr. Bloom were watching her now, as Owen honked the horn, and Keely waved her arms. The final giveaway was the banner draped across the side that read Bar-G Ranch.

  She let out a scream and started jumping up and down like a kid on a pogo stick. “That’s my truck!” She whooped again, then threw herself at Micah in a big hug. “I can’t believe it. This is the most amazing thing anybody has ever done for me.”

  “Hey, it wasn’t just me. Adam and
Owen and Beau helped.” He seemed to have no problem returning the hug. “Besides, I did it for myself, too, you know. Remember our deal? I couldn’t take any chances that I might wind up driving your car. I have my reputation to consider.”

  Coming out of the hug she slugged his arm, then leaned down to wrap her arms around Adam. She watched the tail end of the truck for a moment, and grabbed Micah’s wrist. “Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the end of the parade route.”

  “But the parade’s not over.”

  “I don’t care. I have to go see my truck.” She spoke over her shoulder as they started to weave through the throng. “How did you get it running? You said it was nothing but rust.”

  “Easy. We put the body of the old truck onto the frame of a newer one.”

  “That was easy?”

  “Okay, maybe not ‘easy.’ But it worked. And the guys and I had a good time.”

  She smiled, picturing the four of them bonding while drinking root beer and banging the dents out of Old Blue. Then, halting in her tracks, she whipped around and clutched his arm. “Hang on. Did you say you bought another truck?”

  “No big deal.” He attempted to keep walking, but she remained rooted.

  “But, that must have cost a fortune. I can’t accept that.”

  “Janessa.” Taking hold of her shoulders, he looked at her with a seriousness that caught her breath. “I wanted to do this for you. I know you don’t want to drive your truck around Seattle, but at least now it’s not rusting out in the back garage anymore. Besides, you’re the one who said I should do something for somebody else. I made a lot of money in the rodeo, and I want to do some giving back.”

  Warmth rushed over her, along with the smallest sliver of willingness to see what the future might hold with this guy. As they stood there, his eyes locked on to hers with an intensity that hinted he might be feeling the same.

  “Micah, sugar!”

  A blur of blond hair piled high over an artfully made-up face burst through the crowd like Texas Tornado in stiletto boots. Janessa retreated back as the woman pulled Micah into a crushing bear hug. He stood there, not participating in the hug but not exactly stopping it, either.

  Who was this woman? She didn’t look much older than Janessa, but her short skirt and formfitting fringed cowgirl blouse gave her a self-assured appearance that caught Janessa up in an unexpected cyclone of insecurity.

  Finally, the woman stepped back, gripping Micah’s upper arms with carefully manicured fingers.

  “Aw, sugar. I’m so glad to see ya!” The words stretched out in a Texas drawl that was as thick as honey and at least as sweet.

  Micah blinked. “Carly?”

  The blonde...Carly...beamed up at him. “I knew you’d be surprised to see me!” Her gaze flipped to Janessa and the sugary smile faded to a flat red line. She held a beat, then turned back to Micah, the corners of her mouth curving up faintly. “Did ya miss me?”

  Micah rubbed the back of his neck, which had mottled either from embarrassment or the intensity of the hug. Just as he was about to answer, his eye hooked on something in the crowd and his face went white.

  Janessa followed his line of sight to an unfamiliar Stetson-wearing man with a slight paunch shoving his way through the parade-watchers, his eagle-eye gaze honed in on Micah.

  “Dad.” Micah breathed out the word barely louder than a whisper.

  Janessa’s heart raced. Everything he’d told her about his dad hadn’t painted a very healthy picture of their relationship, and as far as she knew, Micah hadn’t intended to remedy that any time soon.

  “Well.” The man raised his hands on approach, as if he might be expecting a hug. He cocked his head. “You don’t look very happy to see me.”

  Looking from one man to the other, Janessa grabbed her elbows and faded back a step. Carly, on the other hand, sent a bright Texas smile to both men. Clearly, the elder Mr. Brody’s presence here came as no surprise to her. What was going on?

  “I don’t want to talk to you right now, Dad.” Speaking through clenched teeth, Micah held up both palms like a shield.

  “Hey.” Mr. Brody flicked Janessa a disapproving glower, then jabbed a finger at Micah’s face. “We talk when I say we’re going to talk.”

  Carly caught Janessa’s eye. Subtly, her lips shifted into a smile as she eased around Micah and effectively inserted herself into the space between him and Janessa.

  “So, how do y’all know Micah?” Her voice seemed friendly and conversational, but masked a curious appraisal.

  Janessa squinted. The question felt oddly timed but, given Carly’s proximity, she had little choice but to focus on her rather than on the barbs flying between the two men.

  “I...uh...” How much did she really want to tell her? “He works at my family’s ranch.”

  Incredulity flickered across the face that seemed disarmingly pretty under all that makeup. Then her mouth lifted and she thrust out a hand. “I’m Carly. Micah’s...” The pause stretched like taffy, ending in a sticky sweet, “Good friend.”

  The emphasis she put on the word friend implied more than its conventional meaning. Janessa stared dumbly, ignoring the offer to shake.

  Moving her hand to her chin, Carly studied Janessa with narrowing black-lined eyes. She tipped another glance at the men, then returned her focus to Janessa, giving the impression that she was about to stake her claim. “Listen.” Her demeanor softened and, for a moment, she looked like she wanted to be genuinely helpful. “Micah needed to get away for a while. We all understand that.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, indicating that by “we all” she at least meant herself and Micah’s dad. Janessa had to wonder who “all” else was included in that assemblage.

  “He’s had a really rough time. Trust me, I’ve been there for him through so many long nights when he couldn’t sleep and needed to talk.”

  Janessa’s heart slammed into her rib cage. Been there for him? Nights when he couldn’t sleep? The implications were obvious.

  Carly took on the countenance of someone about to break some really bad news. “He’s goin’ back to the rodeo circuit. Y’all know that, right? It’s only a matter of time, and his dad is convinced that it would be best for him not to wait. I’ll be handlin’ his PR, so I have a vested interest in his mental mind-set.” Her compassionate look suddenly turned possessive. “If y’all care about Micah and his future, y’all won’t stand in his way.”

  Janessa flinched, wondering what Carly thought she might do to interfere with Micah’s “mental mind-set.”

  Tilting her head, Carly gave her a compassionate look that would have been comforting under different circumstances. “I’m real sorry to have to tell ya that, darlin’.”

  Janessa’s stomach did a cartwheel. Why should it come as any surprise that he had female “friends” who would claim him as their territory? He’d warned her that he was a “nothing serious” kind of guy but, like a fool, she’d allowed herself to get mired in the quicksand of his handsome bull-rider charm.

  Heat rushed to her cheeks and she started to feel a little dizzy.

  Seeing that her counsel had achieved its intended effect, Carly gave her a final look and turned her attention back to Mr. Brody’s ongoing tirade.

  Wrapping her arms around herself, Janessa lowered her head. Even though their argument was happening in the most public of settings, she felt like an intruder, like she should remove herself from the situation in which she had no place.

  She pivoted to face the street as if the parade still held an interest. Maybe Carly was right. Obviously, Micah had some things he needed to work out with his dad, but the rodeo was his life. Maybe he really was going back.

  Anger jockeyed with heartache as she tried to tune out the conversation at her back. Wha
t had she been thinking? If it hadn’t been for Micah and his charisma, she would have kept up her pace at work, and she’d have the money she needed to move. She would have put time into researching apartments and jobs in Seattle, and maybe even called her school to find out why she hadn’t heard from them. Now because of him she was that much further behind and, to top it all off, she felt like a complete fool.

  As the tiny ballerinas from the local dance school sashayed past in their pink tutus, she pulled in a jagged breath. It wasn’t entirely his fault. Sure, he had helped her with her roping and fixed up her truck, but she had been the one to take those things to mean more than just a show of friendship. He hadn’t promised her anything.

  Feeling a sudden surge of remorse for her anger toward him, she glanced back over her shoulder. Catching her gaze, Carly lifted a warning brow over innocent china doll eyes, then slipped her arm through Micah’s. Still embroiled in the heated dispute with his dad, Micah didn’t acknowledge Carly’s action, but neither did he push her away. They clearly had an ease with one another that had to be the result of...what? Lots of sleepless nights spent talking?

  Humiliation burned into Janessa’s cheeks like a brand on a steer. Was fixing her truck the equivalent of “so many long nights” with girls like Carly? Did this Casanova customize his courting to fit the girl?

  There had been more to the roping and the truck fixing than just a show of friendship. He had seen her as a challenge, like a filly he’d wanted to break. And it had almost worked.

  She turned back to face the street, jarred by the sight of the big flatbed truck that a bunch of ranchers fixed up every year to look like a pirate ship. Her daddy had been one of the rancher pirates when she was little, and the abrupt reminder of him was like a tiny dagger to her heart.

  If only Daddy were here to guide her through this. To give her some fatherly perspective on how men think. Was that why she had sworn off relationships? Because she’d missed out on that guidance? The thought brought a fresh gush of tears to her eyes.