Coming Home to Texas

by Victoria Chancellor

  “Won’t they already be busy for Valentine’s Day?”

  “Probably, but I’m not worried. They’ll work us in. They have to.”

  “And I’ll call my mother and publicist in California tonight and my booking agent in New York in the morning.”

  “What about your father?”

  She waved her hand dismissively. “He hasn’t been a part of our lives in twenty-four years. I won’t look him up to ask him to my wedding. I don’t even know where he lives, and frankly, I don’t care.”

  Travis nodded, unsure of how to respond. He guessed that she had some unresolved anger at the man, but this wasn’t the time to pursue his suspicion since she’d been so adamant that her father wasn’t—and would never be—a part of her life.

  “What about your parents? I know they’re divorced, but will they both come?”

  He thought of his socially active mother in Palm Springs. The last time he’d talked to her, around Christmas, she’d been pursuing an orthodontist. At least she’d get new veneers out of this relationship. And his father, still unhappily married to a woman he’d left his first wife, Travis’s mother, for about twenty years ago. They lived on the East Coast and stayed busy with tennis, golf and mutual friends—most of whom were equally unhappily married.

  If his mother came to the wedding, his father wouldn’t. And vice versa. So he wasn’t counting on his side of the aisle to be filled with kin, with the possible exception of his sister Kate’s family. Unless her son Eddie was still sick with the flu, she’d be here. Gloating, probably. She’d always said he would get married again, when he met the right woman. Once she found out he and Jodie were expecting a child, she’d go ballistic.

  “Sweetheart, I’m not sure who will show up on Saturday, but we’re not going to let that spoil our day.”

  JODIE RETREATED TO THE relative safety of the guest room. She had plans to make that she hadn’t discussed with Travis. Perhaps he didn’t want to think about the complexities of weddings and marriage, but she had to consider everything. Such as having her dress and accessories shipped or packed for her mother to bring to Texas. Other than that, she didn’t need anything else right now.

  She would keep her condo for when she’d be staying in L.A. She might as well be comfortable. Besides, she loved the location and the view, so it didn’t make sense to give it up for a marriage that still didn’t seem real.

  First, however, she should do as she’d mentioned and call her mother and sister. She was pretty sure her mother would come, but her sister Chelsea…Well, she might come if she was between relationships and would accept a paid airline ticket. Chelsea worked as a hostess for a trendy L.A. bistro, making enough to afford her own apartment and not much else. She usually had a high-roller boyfriend, however, so she enjoyed good food, expensive wine and many gifts. Jodie didn’t approve of her sister’s lifestyle, but she loved her anyway, and she wanted her at the wedding.

  But before she could ask Chelsea to be her maid of honor, she needed to call her mother, who was still her closest friend. Her mother had taught her financial responsibility and self-esteem when the rest of the world seemed be saying she was too tall and too fat to find a good husband, which was the way to get ahead. Looking back, Jodie realized that wasn’t necessarily the message she should have gotten, but while she was going through puberty and then learning about romantic relationships, that seemed to be the truth.

  She dialed her mother’s number on her cell phone, visualizing her at home. She’d probably be reading a good book, drinking tea and petting her lazy cat, Fred.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Mom. What are you doing on Saturday?”

  EARLY THE NEXT DAY Travis and Jodie returned to Ranger Springs after going to the county clerk’s office for a marriage license. They parked around back to avoid seeing as many people as possible as they headed for Schuler’s Jewelry Store.

  “Mr. Schuler, I hope you can keep a secret,” Travis said to the smiling, dapper jeweler.

  “I never let anyone know Grayson Phillips bought an engagement ring for Dr. Amy, now, did I?”

  “No, you sure didn’t,” Travis said with a smile. “We’re getting married on Saturday, so we need some bands.”

  “No engagement ring?”

  “No time,” Travis replied, putting his arm around Jodie. “We have to keep this quiet because my fiancée is rather famous and we don’t want a bunch of reporters here before the big event.”

  “I understand. Let me show you some diamond eternity bands that I think would look lovely on your bride.”

  Jodie agreed and smiled rather stiffly. Travis wondered if she was thinking about the term “eternity,” but he could hardly ask her in front of Mr. Schuler.

  Although love was meant to last forever—at least according to the diamond ads—that’s not what he was looking for. He did, however, hope their marriage lasted a lifetime.

  Later that night they had dinner with Hank and Gwendolyn, which was surprisingly comfortable. Since they’d all known each other before, they caught up on mutual friends and favorite charities and current events. Around ten o’clock Jodie began to yawn discreetly. Travis took that as his cue to get her home.

  “I’m sorry I’m so sleepy lately,” she said as he drove the short distance back to the ranch.

  “That’s okay,” he said. “You’re sleeping for two now.”

  Jodie smiled as she laid her head back against the seat. Travis sighed when he realized he’d be sleeping alone…again.

  Chapter Six

  Jodie’s mother and sister arrived on Friday with her dress, shoes and a whole bunch of questions. While Chelsea looked around the house and sneaked outside for a smoke, Jodie helped her mother unpack.

  “How can you be sure about marrying him so soon?” her mother asked as she unzipped her suitcase in the guest bedroom she shared with Chelsea. “You only met him in January.”

  “Well, when it’s right, it’s right,” Jodie replied, grabbing some hangers from the closet. She wasn’t ready to tell her mother and sister that she’d come to Texas because she was pregnant and was now marrying for the sake of her career. If she and Travis had been able to completely recapture the magic they’d shared…But they hadn’t. Their memorable kiss on Tuesday night had left her breathless and wanting more, but they’d both been able to resist the desire.

  Unlike when they’d first met. When they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other.

  “I know you think I’m marrying too quickly, but you have to admit that Travis is quite the catch.”

  “He seems to be.” Her mother frowned as she removed a stack of underwear and a package of hosiery. “He seems almost too good to be real. Are you sure he’s financially secure? Did you check out his credit report?”

  “No, and I’m not going to. He’s a very successful architect,” Jodie claimed as she placed her mother’s beige Chanel suit on a hanger. “He gets commissions from all over the world. When we met, he was in Europe, where he’s designing a new cultural center. He does both exclusive homes and public buildings.”

  “I’m just saying that you can’t be too careful.”

  “I know all I need to know, Mom.”

  Her mother sighed, holding a nightgown close to her chest. “I know what it’s like to be so much in love that you make decisions…well, decisions that might be better made after some time getting to know each other.”

  “I’m getting married now, Mom. Can’t you just be happy for me?” Jodie wasn’t about to admit she and Travis weren’t madly in love. That was the only excuse—except an unplanned pregnancy—for getting married so quickly.

  “Of course I am. You just surprised me, Jodie. You’re not usually so impulsive.”

  “Travis says he follows his intuition, but I call that being impulsive.”

  “I do, too.” Her mother sighed and placed her beige pumps on the floor of the closet, next to the mother-of-the-bride suit.

  “So he wanted to get married o
n Valentine’s Day, and he pretty much swept me into the plans.”

  “I just hope you’re happy with your decision in six months or a year. After all, you could have had a big wedding in the wine country, like you’ve always talked about.”

  “I know.” She’d had her perfect wedding planned for years, just in case she found Mr. Right. An outdoor wedding in an arborlike setting, with all her friends and family. A huge cake, good wine and excellent nouveau cuisine. A beautiful photo to appear in all the magazines.

  Well, she’d at least have some good photographs. She’d hired one of her favorite photographers, who was flying in this afternoon from New York. He’d make sure she had a wedding album she’d be proud to show her son or daughter someday.

  This is your father, she’d tell her child. Isn’t he handsome? He’s tall and well-built and sexy. No, scratch that! She wouldn’t be mentioning that to her child, no matter how true. She’d have to come up with a really convincing story, though, such as, Your father and I felt an immediate attraction. Yes, that would work—and it certainly wasn’t a lie.

  “If you really want to marry Travis, then I wish you both every happiness. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for both you girls, Jodie.”

  She hugged her mother, smelling the familiar scent of Shalimar. “I know that, Mom. And I’m going to be happy. You just wait and see.”

  Chelsea burst into the room, bringing in the smell of outdoors mixed with cigarette smoke. Not a good combination. Jodie wished her sister would quit smoking, but Chelsea always claimed that she’d gain weight—a fate worst than death considering how hard she worked to maintain a size eight. Even now, she claimed she was too big. Men want thin women, she always said. Women admire you, Jodie, but I need a man around.

  Jodie thought her sister was mistaken. Without a man to constantly please, maybe Chelsea could discover who she really was inside.

  “Bridal jitters?” she asked, her eyes alight with laughter.

  “Not too much. Just a little mother-daughter bonding,” Jodie answered.

  “This is the first wedding for my girls.”

  “I’m not planning on another one, Mom,” Jodie said with a laugh.

  “No, but Chelsea might.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. Anything’s possible, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up for Hugh. I just found out he’s in debt up to his ears.”

  “That’s no way to start a marriage,” their mother said.

  “Right. But he’s fun. I’m going to keep him around for a while.”

  “Oh, Chelsea.”

  “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s not serious.”

  Jodie knew differently. Everything was serious for Chelsea until she discovered her current boyfriend’s flaws. Then she moved on to the next…and the next.

  “Well, at least one of my girls will be happily married.”

  Jodie hid her expression behind of big swallow of water.

  “Right. Then she can make you a grandmother.”

  Jodie choked on her water.

  “Careful, sis. I was just kidding.”

  “No problem. I knew you were joking.” But what about when she had to reveal the truth? Was her mother ready for a grandchild? Would being an aunt make Chelsea more responsible?

  But most of all, Jodie wondered if she would be a good mother…and a good wife. She would try to do the best for her baby, because each day she grew more and more protective of the tiny life inside her.

  “WE NEED TO GET THE press release prepared immediately, Jodie. This can’t wait until the local paper prints the story.” Her publicist, Neil Dupont, had been bugging her all morning to help write the copy. She didn’t want to deal with these details. That’s why she paid other people—so she could concentrate on her job. And her job tomorrow at noon was to play the loving bride.

  Jodie rubbed her temples and wished she could transport herself two days into the future, when the wedding and all that went with it was over. “Just make it brief. There’s no reason to go into details.”

  “I think we need to mention the details. It makes the story much more romantic,” her booking agent, Felicia Sparr, stated. Felicia was mid-forties, unmarried and practical almost to a fault. “We should fax this to our media contacts this afternoon, Jodie. I know you’re rushing into this wedding, but we’re just trying to help.”

  “I know, Felicia, but I…”

  “What about the honeymoon? Can we mention where you’re going? Just generally?” Neil asked.

  “I don’t know where we’re going. Travis is taking care of that.”

  “Geesh, Jodie, don’t you and Travis talk? This is important,” Felicia stated.

  She rubbed her temples again. “We need a professional.”

  “Exactly what I was saying earlier!”

  Jodie looked up quickly. “I know! We can call Gwendolyn McCauley. She’s Travis’s next door neighbor and a public relations expert.”

  “No disrespect, Jodie, but a PR person from the backwoods of Texas? I don’t think so,” Neil said.

  “Can it, Neil. Gwendolyn is the former public relations director to the royal family of Belegovia. She married Hank and moved to Ranger Springs. Now she does consulting for large companies in Austin and San Antonio. I think she’s qualified to edit a press release about a very uncontroversial wedding.”

  Felicia raised her eyebrows and looked at Neil. “She does sound qualified. Let’s fax her the release we’ve drafted.”

  “I’ll take it into Travis’s office and fax it myself, and I’ll call her. Why don’t you two relax? There’s wine in the wet bar refrigerator downstairs.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need us?”

  “No offense, but I’d like to be alone for a while.”

  “We understand, Jodie. Bridal jitters and all.”

  “Right.” What she really felt was closer to panic than jitters. Her stomach clenched and she felt slightly nauseous. She wanted to be alone, not surrounded by her business associates and family.

  “We’ll talk to you later.”

  Jodie nodded as they left her room. Alone, at last. She didn’t want her mother to look into her eyes to read the lie. She didn’t want to say or to do anything to show Felicia or Neil that this wasn’t an impromptu love match. She didn’t want to hear any more jokes from her sister about how this decision was totally out of character.

  Well, maybe she wanted to be out of character for a change. Maybe she needed to do something impulsive.

  Oh, like having sex in the shower with no protection, her little voice reminded her.

  Okay, that was impulsive, but she and Travis both had been carried away. Their passion had burned intense and immediate. She’d never done anything like that before, and neither had Travis, he’d claimed. She believed him. Travis was honest. He’d had no reason to lie to her then, and not now, either.

  Maybe she should focus more on his good qualities, she thought at she opened the door to his home office, and spend more time remembering those three magical days in Monte Carlo. If so, perhaps they could recapture the passion they’d shared…the passion that had created their baby.

  The simple reality of their child helped center her in the chaotic world of press releases and relatives and weddings. With a sigh, she sat in Travis’s desk chair, placed a draft of the press release in his fax machine and opened her address book.

  “Hello, Gwendolyn. I have a favor to ask.”

  VALENTINE’S DAY DAWNED bright, crisp and clear. Travis went through his regular routine; feeding the stock, cleaning out the stalls of his three horses, adding water to the tank for his longhorns and finally making coffee for himself. And Jodie. He’d had her as a houseguest for five days now, but soon she’d be his wife.

  He’d worked hard all week on the wedding, starting when he’d convinced the owner of Bretford House to allow the Valentine’s Day wedding. He’d been booked almost solid for both lunch and dinner, Travis had been told, with loving couples who wanted a special meal. If the wedding were an outdo
or event, no problem; they could set up tents. But not in February, when the temperatures during the day were forecast in the high fifties or low sixties.

  Travis had compromised by inviting all of the regular diners, who were his friends and neighbors anyway, to the wedding. That made the guest list a bit more extensive than he’d planned, but what the heck? A guy didn’t have that many weddings in his life…hopefully.

  He’d arranged for Robin Parker, the police chief’s wife and owner of Robin’s Nest Antiques and Gifts, to do the flower arrangements and decorations. Nothing in “Valentine tacky,” he’d told her, at which point she’d rolled her eyes. Robin was a former socialite from Houston, so she wouldn’t have done tacky anyway, he realized too late. He’d been just a little bit nervous, though, and his friends had been understanding.

  Hank McCauley would be the best man and Jodie’s sister Chelsea was going to be the maid of honor. They didn’t need any more people to stand up with them since this was a small wedding. He was grateful for that. His first wedding had involved a large cathedral-style church decorated in hundreds of white roses, hundreds of yards of white ribbons, hundreds of candles and seemingly hundreds of attendants. He hadn’t even known some of the young women in the ceremony!

  Well, this time would be different. Instead of not knowing the bridesmaids, he barely knew the bride!

  They’d have a small ceremony with just friends and immediate family. Her family, at least. He’d called his relatives, but if the wedding were being held in a church, his side of the pews would be empty.

  His father and his wife were leaving on a cruise to Bermuda on Saturday. His mother was recovering from her latest “procedure” and couldn’t possibly be seen in public with bruises and puffy lids. She certainly hoped he understood, and made him feel as though he were inconsiderate for getting married without sufficient prior notice.

  So much for his warm, loving parents.

  His closest relative, his sister Kate, would have come in an instant but her son Eddie was still confined with the flu and her workaholic, often-absent husband Ed was once again on a business trip. Travis really regretted that she wouldn’t be here. He truly enjoyed his sister and his nephew and had even purchased gentle horses so they would be able to ride with him when they visited.