Coming Home to Texas

by Victoria Chancellor

  “Mornin’, Ambrose. You’re looking pretty today, Joyce,” he greeted the semiretired doctor and his new wife. “Dr. and Mrs. Wheatley, I’d like you to meet Jodie Marsh. She’s going to be in town for a few days until she needs to go back to Los Angeles.”

  “Why, hello there, dear. You’re the famous model, aren’t you?” Joyce asked. “Thelma told me she’d met you yesterday. You just missed her, by the way.”

  Jodie chuckled. “I don’t know how famous I am, Mrs. Wheatley, but I do model. I’m not sure I remember who Thelma is, though.”

  “Thelma Rogers. She’s the owner, editor and lead reporter for the Springs Gazette, our local newspaper.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Travis sensed Jodie’s concern over hearing that the newspaper editor already knew she was in town. “The Gazette is a weekly paper, and besides, Thelma doesn’t run any tabloid-style stories.”

  “Oh, I’m sure she doesn’t. I was just hoping to have a nice, quiet stay here for a few days.”

  “I’ll bet you go to lots of exciting places for your work,” Joyce said.

  “I stay fairly busy, but I don’t work all the time. There’s a growing market for plus-size clothes for business, casual and exercise wear. And I have some other…things I’m working on right now, too.”

  Travis wondered if she meant her cosmetics contract or their baby.

  “You’re not one of those skinny little beanpoles, either,” Dr. Wheatley added. “They look downright anemic to me.” He shuddered. “I like a woman with a good figure, like my sweetie here,” he added, patting Joyce’s hand.

  The strawberry-blond hairdresser smiled and practically blushed. Newlyweds, Travis thought with a mental shake of his head. Ambrose and Joyce were just two more of the happily married couples populating Ranger Springs. Two more of the people making goo-goo eyes at each other and acting as silly as teenagers. Getting married without all that silliness made a lot more sense to him.

  Jodie smiled at the older couple. “No one’s ever confused me for a beanpole. I tried dieting when I was a teenager, but I soon discovered that I couldn’t keep my weight down to a size six. It’s much more fun to eat enough to keep my weight up to a size sixteen.”

  “Just as long as you exercise and eat right,” the doctor added.

  “Believe me, I do.”

  “Well, it’s so nice to meet you, Jodie. I hope you have a nice visit in our town. It’s a good place to…well, settle down if you wanted to live somewhere normal.”

  The Ranger Springs matchmakers were still alive and well, Travis thought with fondness. Joyce and her sidekick, Thelma Rogers, had participated in several matchmaking projects over the past few years with great success. If one measured success by marriages, that is.

  Jodie laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

  Travis took her elbow. “I’d like to introduce you to Charlene Jacks, Kerry’s mother. She still works here at the café, although most of us assumed she’d retire now that two of her daughters are married to very successful men. Carole’s husband is CEO of a large food company.”

  “I’d love to meet her. Although I knew Alexi first, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Kerry, also. And their son Alexander is adorable.”

  The little boy was cute. Which reminded Travis that this time next year, he’d have a little boy or girl who would be equally adorable. Their baby would no doubt have blond hair, since he knew for a fact that Jodie was a natural blonde. And when the child grew up, he or she would be tall. If they had a son, he’d probably be muscular and athletic. A daughter would no doubt be long-limbed and curvy.

  He’d have to lock her up until she was thirty, just in case she had any interest in boys.

  “Travis?”

  He shook himself out of his daydreaming and smiled at Jodie. “Sorry. I was just about to take you back to meet Charlene.”

  They walked to the rear of the restaurant, toward the booths near the pickup window. The smell of bacon still hung in the air, but soon the fryer would be producing chicken-fried steak and French fries, and the grill would be full of burgers.

  “Mornin’, Charlene,” he said to the woman rolling flatware inside white paper napkins.

  “Travis! Good to see you.”

  He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “That’s from Alexi.” Travis had talked to him just two days ago to discuss plans for the cultural center he was designing.

  “I’ve been blessed with two wonderful sons-in-law.” She chuckled, a gleam in her blue eyes. “Now all I need is one more for Cheryl and all my girls will be happily married.”

  “Don’t look at me!” Travis replied, feigning horror.

  Charlene laughed, then smiled at Jodie. “And who is this lovely lady?”

  “Charlene Jacks, allow me to introduce Jodie Marsh. I’m sure you’ve already heard she’s in town.”

  “Yes, indeed. Welcome to Ranger Springs, Ms. Marsh.”

  “Please, call me Jodie. And I’m very glad to be here, and to meet you. I’ve known Alexi for several years and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Kerry. She’s a delightful addition to the royal family.”

  “I like to think so. And what about that baby of theirs? Isn’t he the most adorable child ever?”

  Jodie chuckled. “He’s a cutie.”

  She glanced at Travis and he could almost hear her thoughts. Our child will be cute, too. He smiled in reply.

  “Would you like a table or a booth? It’s a bit early for lunch, but I could get you some pie or coffee cake.”

  “We’re just stopping by to say hello, unless Jodie would like something…”

  “No, I couldn’t eat a thing. Travis fixed me a great breakfast this morning.”

  “Oh, really?”

  Now that bit of news was going to be all over town, Travis thought. Good thing they were getting married quickly.

  As soon as Jodie agreed with his plans.

  Chapter Five

  The second night in Travis’s house was as quiet as the first, Jodie thought as she looked out the window into the clear, cool night. She wasn’t as tired today, however, because she’d rested up from her flight to Texas. Still, she’d taken a nap after they’d gotten back from town, giving in to the demands of her pregnancy.

  She’d have to be careful when she went back to work because she didn’t usually have the luxury of napping in the middle of the day. Sometimes they worked from dawn to dusk, waiting for just the right light to achieve the art director’s vision for still photographs, or repeating the same movement again and again for film shots. That part of modeling was tedious, but seeing the finished product usually made it all worthwhile.

  Even though some aspects of modeling were stressful and occasionally boring, she loved her life. She’d love her baby, of course, and she was sure her career and motherhood would blend almost seamlessly. After all, hadn’t her mother been a great role model for single parenthood? Jodie knew that she had many more resources than her mother had possessed nearly thirty years ago.

  She’d enjoyed seeing where Travis lived. He hadn’t grown up here, but he’d decided to make Ranger Springs his home. Why? She’d needed to understand more about him and to get a sense of the people he cared about.

  He’d been a charming host, escorting her around the town square. They’d avoided both the Robin’s Nest antiques and gift store, whose owner would be able to provide flowers and decorations for a wedding, and Schuler’s Jewelry, where Travis said they might find rings, after Jodie declined to make an immediate decision. They had visited several other stores and establishments, where Jodie met many of Travis’s friends. All of them looked at her with interest and speculation. Apparently he was highly regarded in this quaint little town. Just as apparent was the idea that he didn’t bring many female friends to visit him here.

  He’d gone into his studio to work after dinner, explaining he had some things to take care of on one of his jobs. But a few minutes ago she’d heard him below, walking toward his room at the corner
of the house.

  She’d come to a conclusion sometime between dessert and wandering the great room of Travis’s spacious house. She had to talk to him now, before her decision churned in her stomach like the rushing water of the stream they’d crossed to and from town.

  She stood, smoothed her hands down her French terry loungewear and slipped her feet into soft slippers. The time had come to face the consequences of her actions.

  TRAVIS KNEW HE SHOULDN’T feel reluctant to approach Jodie. After all, they’d had no trouble communicating inside or outside the bedroom five weeks ago. Now, however, with her marriage solution and his marriage proposal standing like a brick wall between them, they seemed oddly disconnected. Strangely…shy around each other. He didn’t know why; he didn’t know how to fix it.

  But he could try by going to her room again and asking for her decision. What if she said no? Should he try one more time to convince her? Or should he give up, contact a lawyer and try to secure legal standing with the child? Dammit, he just didn’t know, and he hated uncertainty. He went with his gut feelings, took action and rarely regretted a decision.

  Maybe a quick shower would settle him down. He’d worked in his office after dinner, distracted by thoughts of Jodie most of the time, then went to the barn for his nightly check of his horses and the barn cat who’d taken up residence around Christmas. Everything had been fine, so he’d returned to the house. The silent, seemingly empty house. Except it wasn’t empty. Jodie was here, hiding from his questions in the guest room upstairs.

  It’s only been one day, he told himself as he shrugged out of his shirt and unfastened his jeans. Jodie needed some time to adjust, to weigh her options. Although she didn’t seem like the kind of person who lingered and overly debated a decision, she probably wasn’t as decisive as he. He needed to develop some patience where she was concerned, but dammit, she was under his roof, as tempting as ever, and she was carrying his child. How much patience could one man possess?

  A soft knock sounded on his door, then he heard her voice. “Travis?”

  Whirling around, he stepped into the bedroom from his walk-in closet to find her standing inside his room, larger than life in every way. More radiant, more beautiful and more uncertain than the woman he’d seen just hours ago.

  “We need to talk,” she said.

  He nodded, not trusting his voice. “Come in.” He gestured to the two armchairs in front of the cold fireplace. “I could start a fire.”

  “No, don’t bother.”

  “It’s no trouble.” The fact that she didn’t want to linger in front of a blaze dampened his spirits even more. She probably wouldn’t even sit down. She’d just tell him that she didn’t want to be married under his conditions, then leave.

  “Well, whatever you’d like.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief, knelt on the hearth and used the gas starter to light the logs he kept ready inside the grate. When he rose, she was right behind him and, before he could turn, he felt her fingers on his back.

  “You have a bruise.”

  “A little altercation with one of the heifers. I wanted her inside before the last storm. She wanted to play in the rain.”

  “Mmm,” she said, her fingers tracing the spot. Lingering a while longer than necessary. A good sign, he hoped. Slowly he turned to face Jodie, capturing her lingering fingers with his hand. Pressing her against his chest.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said softly, as though she might turn and bolt like one of his skittish longhorns.

  “I’ve missed you, too,” she whispered, her fingers pressing into his chest. Her presence raised both heat and goose bumps as he inched closer.

  “Ah, Jodie,” he sighed, angling his head for a kiss. A real, passionate, heart-stopping, tongue-melting kiss like he’d dreamed of for long weeks.

  She bolted, slipping out of his grasp before he could convince her to stay. “We need to talk.”

  He sighed, this time out of frustration rather than passion. “Of course. Let me get my shirt. I was just going to take a shower.”

  “I could come back if this isn’t a good time.”

  “No, that’s fine. I’ll take my shower later,” he said from inside his closet. A cold one, no doubt, when he remembered the desire in her green eyes before she’d stepped back. He returned, dressed. “Would you like to sit down?”

  She nodded, then stepped closer and took a seat in one of the chairs. She looked vulnerable as she pressed her knees together and tucked her hands beneath her thighs. She took her lip between her teeth, which made her seem even more nervous than when she’d told him she was pregnant.

  “Maybe the best thing would be to just tell me what decision you’ve made,” he advised as gently as possible.

  “Well, you’re probably right. That doesn’t make me any less nervous. I feel as though I’m making a decision that will affect my whole life. Maybe the most important decision of my life.”

  “I think you’re right. I don’t know what else to say, because I’ve already tried to make my points on why we’d be good together.”

  “You have. And you know I had to see the town, meet your friends. They’re very nice, by the way. The town was…cute.”

  He smiled. “Cute? I suppose it would be to a cosmopolitan girl like you. No skyscrapers, no parking garages, no multilane freeways.”

  “Yes, but no rush hours, no stuck elevators, no rude people waiting for your parking spot.”

  “So true. So,” he said slowly, “did the ‘cute’ town sway you one way or the other?”

  “Actually, seeing you around the people who live here did more to sway me than anything else.”

  “Really?” He sure hoped that was a good sign.

  “Yes. I—I’ve decided we should give marriage—a real marriage—a try.”

  “I don’t want to try, Jodie. I want to succeed.”

  “Of course I want to succeed, also.”

  “Then we can’t go in thinking it might not work. I’ve already been divorced once and I’m only thirty-three. With a child on the way, I want us to be a real family. A permanent family.”

  “All I can say is that I’m willing to give it my best.”

  “Then I’m not worried, because you’re a very successful person. If you give our marriage the same effort you’ve given your career, then we’ll be fine.”

  Jodie looked as if she was trying to respond, but she couldn’t get any words past the knot in her throat.

  Travis felt a little choked up himself. He was getting married. He was going to be a father. And he and Jodie still had a mountain of issues to overcome.

  “I want to hug you, Jodie. I want to kiss you, but I feel as though you’re holding back. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know, Travis. I don’t know how to explain how I’m feeling. I know that for two and a half days we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. In January, it was like we’d known each other forever and were perfect together. Now I feel we’re practically strangers.”

  “Obviously we’re not strangers, since we’re having a baby.”

  “That’s what makes it so odd.” She shook her head. “Like I said, I can’t explain it. All I know is that we need to get acquainted all over again. We can’t jump back into the relationship we had in Monte Carlo.”

  “I agree, but maybe we could start by agreeing to be a little bit affectionate. When we feel like it.” And he felt like it a lot lately, especially with her sitting in his semi-darkened bedroom in front of a toasty fire.

  “I can do that.”

  He leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “Or we could do a lot more, whenever you feel like it. I just want you to know I’m willing to cooperate,” he added with a grin.

  She raised her eyebrow and said in a chiding tone, “Oh, now you’re willing to cooperate! After laying down the law about your plan versus my plan.”

  “I’m all for making us happy. Staying married will make us happy in the long run. Making love will make
us even happier in the short term.”

  Jodie laughed, then rose from the chair. “I think I’d better be going.”

  He stood also, which put them nearly nose-to-nose. Travis reached out and held her shoulders. She seemed more relaxed now than since she’d arrived at his door. He wanted to believe she was happier now that the decision had been made. The uncertainties of relationships weren’t good for either of them. A solid, stable union would provide the best basis for maintaining a marriage and raising a baby.

  “Good night, Jodie,” he said softly, then leaned closer for a kiss. He meant a simple parting kiss, to get them back into the affectionate mode. But the minute their lips touched, he felt the familiar fireworks he’d only experienced once before. Five weeks before.

  She slanted her head and responded tentatively at first, then more passionately as their tongues met and their bodies melded together. Her full breasts flattened against his chest and his arousal pressed hard against her stomach.

  Right where she carried his child.

  The thought sobered him from the intoxicating kiss, giving him some measure of control when all he really wanted to do was guide her toward his king-size bed.

  He eased away slightly, his breathing ragged. “That’s a good start.”

  “Start?” she asked breathlessly.

  “To being more affectionate.”

  “Hmm, affectionate. Yes, that’s a start.”

  “Because I’m not planning for a marriage in name only. If we need some time to get reacquainted, that’s fine, and perfectly understandable. But we really wanted each other last month.” Unless he’d completely lost his ability to read Jodie, both of them still wanted each other thirty seconds ago. He took a deep breath. “I think we’re going to both want to share the same bedroom very soon.”

  “I think you’re right. We just need some time.”

  “Not too much time, though, right?”

  Jodie gave him an enigmatic smile. “Good night, Travis.”

  “I’ll wake you in the morning. We’ll need to go to the county seat to get our marriage license, then I’ll call Bretford House and make arrangements.”