by Codi Gary
“You do not know my mother. If you did, you would fear her too.”
Jessie laughed. “Somehow I doubt that.”
Suddenly, he had an evil idea. “Then why not come with me? Distract her from the fact that I’m late?”
“Thanks, but I’m not really a family dinner kind of girl.”
He watched her gather up her paint tin and roller, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. “What else are you going to do?”
She hesitated. “Probably go back to the hotel and take a bath.”
“What are you going to do for dinner? There’s nothing open on a Sunday night.”
He could see he had her. “Seriously? Nothing?”
“This is small-town Texas, sweetheart. We respect the day of rest.”
“Well, shit.” She walked toward the back of the bar with her hands full. “I guess I’ll just wait until the bakery opens tomorrow.”
Red trailed behind her with his own equipment, frustration pulsating through his body. “Are you always this stubborn?”
“Are you always so pushy?” she countered.
She kicked the back door open and Red followed her down the back porch. “Okay, how about this. I just spent several hours toiling away out of the goodness of my heart. So, how about you do me a solid, and tell my mother that.”
Jessie twisted the hose, shooting him a dark look. “You know, nobody likes a mama’s boy.”
“I am not a mama’s boy. I am a man who respects his mother. There’s a difference.”
“Not from where I’m standing,” she said.
“Oh, for Christ sakes, fine! Starve! I’ll face the firing squad alone,” he hollered.
Stomping back toward the open backdoor, he paused when she called out to him. “Hey, Red.” He turned slowly to face her once more and her mouth was quirked in a smug little half smile. “Does dinner include dessert?”
He looked at the starry night sky and prayed for strength. “Usually.”
“Fine, I’m in.”
* * *
As Jessie followed Red out to his family’s home, she had to take calming breaths. The last time she’d sat down with any family had been her own, and that was many years ago. Not even counting the time she’d brought Will home, the night her father had announced he was marrying Silvie and that the three of them were moving in had been the worst family dinner ever. She’d gone toe to toe with her dad until Silvie had been in tears, and her two daughters had been giving her the is this girl for real look. Apparently, strong language had been a thing rarely used by their mother.
Her father had sent her to her room, and she’d gone, only to climb out and spend the night with her friends at a party, where she’d drunk way too much and made out with some sophomore who was another group’s designated drive. So not only had she been sick the next day and grounded, she’d spent over a month trying to get rid of the little dweeb.
And now she was about to walk into a family dinner with a man she hardly knew and wasn’t even dating. Good times.
He pulled into the drive of an older white house that looked small and cozy, but she had a hard time imagining raising five children in it.
“Please tell me you did not share a room with all four of your sisters,” she called as he got out of his car.
His cheeks reddened and he looked so embarrassed, she almost felt bad. “No, the house is bigger than it looks. My parents own the drug store in town and saved up enough to add two rooms on the back.”
“Wow. So, your sisters had to share a room and you got your own?” She sounded completely appalled, and he almost rolled his eyes.
“Yep, but before you feel too bad for them, there’re only two bathrooms, and one is in my parents’ room. So, I had to share my bathroom with four girls and take my shower at night my whole life.”
She bit her cheek, trying to stop her laugh, but it came out as more of a snort. “You poor baby.”
“I am a poor baby! It was the only way I could get a hot shower.”
Just as he was reaching for the knob, the door swung open, and a short blonde woman with a familiar scowl shouted, “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
The older woman didn’t see her yet, and Jessie stood back and watched as Red grumbled, “We have company.”
“What…oh.” His mother was staring at her curiously, and Jessie resisted the urge to smooth her wild ponytail. At least she’d lost the bandana.
“Hello,” Jessie said, hoping no one noticed the crack in her voice. Why was she so nervous? She didn’t normally care what people thought of her, but these were potential customers, right? It wouldn’t hurt to be personable.
And it has nothing to do with the hot guy standing next to you, and wanting his family to approve of you?
She silently hushed the voice in her head as Red’s mother pushed him out of the way. “Come in, dear. I apologize for answering the door that way, but we have dinner at six on Sundays, and I was worried when this one wasn’t answering his phone. You can probably tell by the size of him, he doesn’t miss many meals.”
Red’s mother winked at her, and Jessie laughed. “No, I don’t suppose he does.”
Red leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek as he passed. When she pulled away from her son and zeroed in on Jessie, Jessie couldn’t read her expression.
“You can call me Hannah, and you’re Jessie?”
“That’s me.” Jessie stepped into the house, surprised when Red’s mom hugged her. It was a short, affectionate embrace and Jessie was shocked at her urge to melt into it.
Hannah released her with a wide, welcoming smile. “Is that short for anything?”
“No, my dad had something about outlaws, so I’m actually named for Jesse James, just the spelling is different.”
“Well, I…well. Make yourself at home, Jessie. Albert’s father is in the living room with his sisters.”
Jessie walked in behind Red, and five red heads spun her way, one an older man with silver sideburns and the other four females. The women looked to be in their early to late twenties, and each one of them watched her curiously.
It was as if she was walking in front of a firing squad.
“Who’s your friend, Albert?” the older man asked, getting up from his chair.
Red waved his hand between them. “Dad, this is Jessie. She just bought the Watering Hole. I’m late because I was helping her with her renovations. Jessie, this is my dad, Al.”
Jessie stepped forward and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, Jessie.” Red’s father wasn’t quite as tall as him, but he was still a large man, and his hand encompassed hers with a firm grasp. “So you’re doing all those renovations yourself?”
“Well, I was, until your son stopped by to help.” Jessie shot Red an appreciative smile. “I’m going to have to hire some outside contractors, but for the most part, I’m hoping to do a lot of the work myself.”
“Have you renovated a bar before?”
Jessie chuckled. “No, but I watch a lot of DIY Network.”
Al threw his head back with a loud belly laugh. When he finally calmed down, he let go of her hand. “I’ll get you a couple of names of some guys I trust. They are very good and will give you a fair quote.”
“Thank you, I’d appreciate that.”
“I like a woman who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty,” Al said.
She saw Al give his son a pointed look and wondered what that was about, but before she could ask, Red’s four sisters surrounded her. Red drifted off toward the kitchen, and she cursed him for abandoning her.
“Hey there, I’m MJ,” the one closest to her said. “Next to me is Tabitha, then Mary Belle, and Fiona.”
“I prefer Tabby.”
“Jessie.”
“So how’d you get stuck with our brother?” Fiona asked.
“I heard that, Fi,” Red called from the kitchen.
His sister shrugged, and Jessie grinned. “Actually, I think he was
trying to make up for our first meeting.”
“What happened? What did he do?” MJ asked, her eyes twinkling.
“Well, I was listening to music and minding my own business when someone started pounding—”
A large hand covered her mouth, and Red hissed, “Quiet, woman.”
Jessie froze at the press of his big body against her back and the warmth of his breath on her neck, a thousand fluttering wings batting against her stomach and rib cage. If his sisters hadn’t been watching, she might have done something stupid like lean back against him, but she didn’t like being told what to do.
And he had called her woman. Bastard.
She bit into his hand, and he yelped, “Ouch! You little savage.”
“And you’re a sexist, loud mouthed—”
Suddenly, Jessie realized she was making a scene in his home and snapped her mouth closed.
“Oh no, please don’t stop!” Tabby begged, meeting her brother’s dark look with her tongue sticking out.
Her savior came in the form of Red’s mother, who took her hand and led her into the kitchen. “Come along, Jessie, I’ve made you a plate. You can tell me all about yourself.”
“What about me?” Red called behind them.
His mother sniffed. “You go outside and come back in when you’ve learned some manners.”
Jessie heard a round of giggles and fought a smile as Red cursed and stomped out the front door.
“Albert, when he comes back, tell him to go back outside and think about the way he talks to women.”
Her husband didn’t say anything, just nodded, but Jessie got the feeling he wasn’t listening.
“So, Jessie, are you married?” Red’s mother asked casually as she led her into the kitchen.
Jessie stiffened at the personal question. “No, I’ve never been married.”
“How about children?” Hannah asked, waving her to sit down at the table.
The older woman was bent over with her head in the oven, so she couldn’t see Jessie’s expression of horror. Who just jumps into a conversation with a question like that? “Do I have them or do I want them?”
“Both.” His mother was smiling at her sweetly as she set a plate down in front of her, but Jessie got the feeling there was something more going on in Hannah Calhoun’s mind.
“Um, I’m not sure.” Jessie watched Hannah suspiciously as she sat across from her.
“Hmm…don’t you like kids?”
Jessie was aware of MJ, hanging by the door, and cleared her throat. “To be honest, I haven’t thought about it. I suppose if I met the right man—”
“Oh, good. For a minute there, I thought you were one of those girls who never wanted children, and that just wouldn’t do.”
Wouldn’t do for what?
Red came back in and stood in the doorway, frowning. “Okay, Mom, I’m sorry for my rude behavior.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“And for being late for dinner.”
His sigh was heavy. “I’m sorry.”
“Fine.” Hannah waved him toward the stove like a benevolent queen. “Dish up your own plate. Everything is in the fridge. You just need to pop it in the microwave.”
“What happened to my plate?” Red asked.
“I gave it to Jessie.” Smiling at Jessie with a definite look of conspiracy, she got up from the table. “I’m going to see what your father is watching.”
Jessie got the distinct impression she just wanted to leave Jessie alone with her son.
Red made up his plate and finally sat down next to her. “So, what did I miss?”
“Oh, nothing much. Your mother was just asking me about my plans to reproduce.”
Red spewed a mouthful of food across the table, and Jessie whacked him on the back.
“She didn’t.”
“Oh yeah, she did, and I’m pretty sure if she could, she would have my ovaries examined tomorrow. She seems to think there’s something going on between us.”
“Well, I sure as hell didn’t give her that idea.”
His disgusted tone rubbed her wrong, and she tried to bite back the hurt. “I never said you did.”
* * *
Red realized too late he’d made a complete ass out of himself. It had been his idea to drag her to his parents’ house, knowing full well his mother was going to get “ideas.”
Maybe you wanted to see how they’d react to her because you’ve got some ideas of your own.
He shoveled a bite into his mouth, chewing it slowly as he tried to come up with something to say. “I’m sorry I dragged you here and that I snapped at you. My family is pretty loud and opinionated, and it can be irritating.”
She didn’t say anything at first, just chewed her food thoughtfully.
Nervously, he continued, “I know what you’re thinking, that I’m loud and opinionated, but I—”
“You’re right. I was thinking that,” she interjected.
He stopped his apology and took in the little curl of her mouth that said she was being ornery. Just a few days with the woman, and he already knew what her smiles meant.
“Well, I’m sorry.”
She took a sip of her water and surprised him by saying, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t make fun of you about your relationship with your family. I can understand wanting to stay close to them…well, okay, I can’t, because I never had what you do, but I think if I’d had a big, loud, boisterous family, it would be hard to give that up.”
It was a little bit of herself he didn’t think she even realized she’d shared, and he pushed for more. “So, what was your family like?”
She paused, and he thought she would avoid the question again, but instead she said, “It was just me and my dad for a long time. My mom left when I was a kid, and so it was just us against the world, you know?”
“Yeah? So where is he?”
“In California with his other family.” When he sucked in his breath, she laughed. “Not like that. I just mean that he remarried when I was eighteen and with his new wife came two daughters a little younger than me.”
“Oh, okay. You didn’t get along with them?”
He watched her cheeks turn pink and wondered what he’d said to strike a nerve. “Can we not talk about this?”
“Sure, but…”
“Seriously, I don’t really like talking about my father or my life in California, okay? So can we just not?”
He shut up and ate his food, wondering what was so horrible that she couldn’t even talk about it.
Chapter Six
Jessie said good-bye to Red’s family and started to walk down the stairs to her car, when she heard the door open behind her. She turned around, and instead of Red, she discovered his sister MJ behind her.
“Look, I don’t know you, and I know my brother can be an ass sometimes, but he’s got a good heart. Please don’t hurt him.”
Jessie blinked. She’d never been warned off as a heartbreaker before, and it was a little flattering. “We’re not like that… I mean…actually, I have no idea what we are, but I’m not going to hurt your brother.”
“Good, because I like you, and I would hate to have to kick your ass.”
Jessie choked on a laugh. “Me too.”
Red stepped out behind his sister and scowled. “What are you telling her?”
“About the time you wet the bed and Mom hung your underwear from the antennae when she drove us to school.”
“Shut up. That never happened.”
“Sure it didn’t.” MJ disappeared into the house after giving Jessie a wink.
Red glowered at her. “It didn’t.”
“I believe you, really.”
Jessie fought hard not to laugh as Red scowled at her. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m good.” She shivered as a cool breeze brushed across the back of her neck. At least, that was what she told herself. It had nothing to do with Red’s proximity or the light, sexy
scent of him.
He ignored her and started down the stairs, waiting for her to follow, which she did. In fact, she kind of liked Red’s old-school insistence of walking her to her car and driving her home. He was a little bristly on the outside, but Jessie had a feeling he was a good guy.
Good guy or no, don’t start getting all enamored.
She could admire an attractive guy with good qualities without getting interested. She liked Red, despite his nosiness, and she really needed a friend.
He opened her door for her and stood behind it as she came around. Before she climbed in, she stopped and patted his hand. “Just so you know, I had a really good time. Your family is fantastic, and I like them.”
He stared down at her intensely before holding out his hand. “Let me have your phone.”
She frowned at him, and he rolled his eyes. “Come on, I was just going to put my number in for you.”
Reluctantly, she gave it up and watched as he typed on the pad. He handed it back to her, and when his hand squeezed hers, her heartbeat sped up double-time.
“If you ever need anything, I’m here. I figure you need at least one friend in Loco.”
Every smart-ass thing that came to mind froze on the tip of her tongue when she saw the sincerity in his gaze.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He continued to just give her that pensive glance, like he was trying to get to all her secrets. Nervously, she pulled her hand away. “Well, I guess I’ll talk to you later. Thanks for today and dinner and everything.”
She climbed in and waited for him to take his hand off the door before she closed it. As she pulled out of the driveway, he gave her a little wave, and she took off, cursing her heart. The stupid thing had hoped for half a second he would kiss her.
And that was the last thing she needed.
* * *
Red walked into his trailer, cursing. What had possessed him to give her his number?
If you ever need anything…blah…blah…you are a sap.
Could he have looked more like a desperate loser?
He sat down at his computer to write a scene where the hero looks like a complete ass, and his fingers flew across the keyboard.