Coming Home to Texas

by Victoria Chancellor

  “We didn’t run off,” Travis protested.

  “Just a term of speech,” Neil explained. “And speaking of running off, I need to get back to Austin to catch my flight to L.A. I have a meeting tomorrow with that sixteen-year-old swimsuit sensation and her mother. Such a stage mother,” he said dramatically.

  “I’m sure you’ll do a fine job for them.”

  “I’ll see you next week when you’re in L.A. for the second round of meetings, right?”

  “Right.”

  Charlene came up to their table. “Can I get you something to drink?” she asked Neil. “And I’ll take your lunch orders whenever you’re ready.”

  Neil requested a triple skinny latte, at which point Charlene looked at him as though he were crazy. “We have regular or decaf coffee.”

  “Regular,” he answered with a sigh. When Charlene left, he rolled his eyes. “This town is so far behind the times.”

  Jodie felt embarrassed. Just yesterday she’d told Travis that Ranger Springs needed a Starbucks. Now here was Neil, expressing the same sentiment, only not quite as kindly. “They have very good coffee. And it’s not overpriced, either.”

  “Well, that’s hardly the point. If a person wants a latte, they should be able to have one.”

  Travis scoffed, but didn’t say anything.

  “I don’t remember ‘life, liberty, latte and the pursuit of happiness’ in the Declaration of Independence,” Jodie answered.

  “Don’t tell me you’re getting used to a small town. You, who doesn’t even like the ’burbs?”

  “This town has a lot to offer. Nice people, a safe community and a clean environment.”

  “Why, you’re becoming a country girl!”

  “Give me a break, Neil! I just got married.” She glanced at Travis and saw his slight smile.

  “I think Jodie is a country girl at heart. She’s all-American. She’s the ‘girl next door,’ according to the cosmetics company.”

  “She’s a California girl with a very bright future for the next few years.”

  Travis frowned. “What do you mean, a few years?”

  “She’s a model and a cosmetics spokesperson. How many over-forty cosmetics contracts do you think are granted? Not many, I’ll tell you. Jodie is smart to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.”

  “Neil is right. I won’t have this career forever.”

  “You can do whatever you want,” Travis claimed, but Jodie knew it wasn’t that easy. Her career in front of the cameras was limited to maybe another ten years, if she took care of herself. Before long, she needed to decide what else she wanted to do. Perhaps her own line of clothes or cosmetics, or both. Or perhaps something behind the cameras, finding and developing new talent.

  Charlene brought Neil’s coffee and took their orders—a club sandwich and chips for her, cheeseburger and fries for Travis. When Neil excused himself to wash his hands, Travis turned to Jodie.

  “We never did finalize plans to move your things to my house. Do you think you’ll have time to arrange that when you go back to L.A. next week?”

  “I—I’m not sure what my schedule will be. I’ll have to look at my planner.”

  “Do you have a lot of furniture?”

  “Not a large amount. Enough to fill a two-bedroom, twelve-hundred-square-foot condo. Most of it wouldn’t go in your house, though. It’s pretty modern. My home in Newport Beach has lots of white walls, huge windows and stainless steel in the kitchen.”

  Travis nodded. “We can put whatever you’d like above the garage. I finished out the space for an apartment, but never did furnish it.”

  Jodie felt like squirming under his scrutiny. He wanted her to tell him that she’d pack up everything right away and move to Texas. That she’d just travel when she absolutely had to, and make Ranger Springs her new home. But she didn’t feel that way, despite her defense of this small town. Her condo was home while she was in L.A.

  And Travis still called the ranch “his house.” Not “their house.” How could she give up everything she loved in California to move in with a man who didn’t think of them as a couple, even though she wanted him to understand?

  If she argued with Travis about this, however, he would get angry again and then they’d never make progress on their marriage. The best thing was to keep quiet about her feelings without out-and-out lying to him.

  “I’ll work something out,” she told him finally. She’d keep her condo…for now. She planned to make their marriage work, but she would also have a Plan B.

  TRAVIS LIT A FIRE in the wide hearth in the great room. There was a chill in the air outside, but inside, it was warm. He and Jodie had spent yesterday and today together without getting into an argument.

  Even the photos and interviews with the reporters in town hadn’t been that bad. Neil had paved the way and Jodie had taken the lead in talking to them. He’d been able to play the role of the doting, noncelebrity husband. He was glad to stay out of the spotlight. As an architect he was well respected and he didn’t need the additional publicity. He turned down jobs all the time because of previous commitments or because he wasn’t interested in the client, property or function of the building.

  With the wedding, interviews and travel out of the way for now, perhaps he and Jodie could once again focus on their marriage. He’d been encouraged when she’d defended his hometown, telling Neil the attributes of small-town living. Before that, he wasn’t even sure she liked Texas.

  “Mmm, the fire smells good,” she said, strolling into the room in a pair of comfortable baby-blue sweats and bulky socks. She’d brushed out her shoulder-length hair and scrubbed her face. She’d probably done more than just washed off her makeup, but he really had no idea what her nightly routine was. It probably involved lots of those mysterious potions that women used in almost ritualistic sequences. He’d observed the behavior in both his ex-wife and his sister.

  “I made us some hot chocolate,” he said.

  “Sounds great. I hope you used lots of fattening ingredients. I’ve lost two pounds since we got married, and that’s not good.”

  “If you lose weight that easily, why not let yourself level off?”

  “Because my natural body size is probably a twelve, but that’s too big for regular modeling and too small for plus size. I need to keep my weight up, but at the same time, exercise quite a bit so I don’t get flabby.”

  Jodie certainly wasn’t flabby. She was well-endowed and substantial, soft where a woman should be soft, but her muscles were toned. He couldn’t imagine that anyone would say she was fat. He liked the way Jodie looked and felt.

  He took a seat on the couch facing the fire and she joined him there, picking up her mug of cocoa and leaning back against the pillows.

  “Thanks for letting me use your office. I’d forgotten to fax my initialed copy of the contract. Felicia handled some last-minute changes.”

  “No problem. Use whatever you’d like, whenever you need to. I do most of my work in my studio, so the home office is usually available.” He took a sip of hot chocolate, watching Jodie over the rim. “Was that the cosmetics company contract?”

  “Yes. We had to tweak the no-compete clause just slightly because of some of the modeling assignments.”

  “I hope they’re going to work with you on your schedule once they learn you’re pregnant.”

  “I’m sure they will. As a matter of fact, they might want to play it up. We may have to do some more interviews as a couple.”

  “That’s fine, but mostly I was concerned about your health. I hope they’re considerate of the fact that traveling will become more inconvenient for you…later.”

  “That’s very sweet of you to be concerned,” she said, smiling at him. “Most people I know are concerned that I work more, not less.”

  He rubbed some strands of her hair between his fingers. “I want you to be happy, Jodie, and I want our baby to be healthy.”

  “I know. That’s why it’s so sweet. I burs
t into your life, but you’ve taken everything so well, even when I made you angry.”

  “I didn’t mean to get angry. I suppose I had such unrealistic expectations for how things would be once we got married. I focused on getting through the ceremony, but I now understand that it takes more to make a marriage than saying vows in front of witnesses. It takes communication, and that’s what we’re working on, right?”

  “Right,” she said with a drowsy smile. She rested her cheek against his hand, which made him feel all warm and protective inside. Or maybe it was the fire and the hot chocolate, but he didn’t think so. Jodie was changing him in ways he hadn’t imagined two weeks ago.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said softly, watching her smile again.

  “I don’t have on a speck of makeup.”

  “You don’t need any to make you pretty. I think that cosmetics company knows that, which is why they picked you. You’re going to make them look good no matter what.”

  “That’s so nice. You make me want to cry.”

  “Don’t cry.”

  “Sometimes I can’t help it. My hormones are going crazy. I feel so emotional at times. Other times I just want to sleep for a week.”

  “I think tonight you want both—a good cry and a long night’s sleep.”

  “Maybe,” she said, smothering a yawn. “But maybe that’s not all I want.” She turned to look at him with luminous eyes and a sultry smile. His heart skipped a beat and emotion surged through him, warming him more than the fire. When he kissed her, she tasted of chocolate and a promise of passion. But there was a hint of more, a glimpse of forever, that left him shaken. He didn’t want all those soft emotions, even as he embraced the passion. He wanted a solid marriage, a happy wife and healthy baby. He’d never mentioned love, yet that seemed to be what Jodie silently offered. He didn’t want love…but he desperately wanted Jodie right now.

  They made love in front of the fireplace. She urged him on, her hunger a tangible force in the quiet house. With effort he kept himself in check, bringing them both to pleasure. She might be disappointed that he wasn’t the wild and innovative lover he’d been in Monte Carlo, but he would never hurt Jodie or their baby.

  At the same time, he wasn’t willing to let himself be hurt by falling in love. Respect and passion—those were enough.

  GWENDOLYN CALLED the next morning as Jodie was sipping her one and only cup of real coffee. Despite her unease when she recalled Travis’s unusual restraint, which made her try even harder to unleash the passion she knew he was capable of giving, she’d slept well and felt ready to take on the world.

  She felt like taking Travis back to bed with her.

  “Hi, Gwendolyn. What’s up?”

  “I meant to tell you this last night. We’ve started an exercise class at the community center. I know you’re probably accustomed to a fancy gym, but if you’d like to join us, you might find it fun.”

  “That sounds great. When is the class?”

  “At ten o’clock each morning. I’m going over soon. We always have a nice turnout. You could meet some of the other ladies from town.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll get directions from Travis and see you there.”

  She hung up the phone and turned to her husband. “I’m going to exercise with Gwendolyn. There’s a class at the community center.”

  He frowned. “Are you sure you’re supposed to do that when you’re pregnant?”

  “My doctor said I could continue doing anything that I normally do, as long as I don’t overexert myself. I don’t think an exercise class here will be very strenuous. Not like a hot spinning class at the gym in L.A.”

  “Hot spinning?”

  “High-speed stationary biking in a superheated room. Not that I would usually take that class.”

  Travis grimaced. “Still—”

  “I’ll be fine, Travis. Don’t worry about me. I’m as healthy as a horse, remember?”

  “Even the best horse can founder or go lame,” he said with a frown.

  “Not me,” she said, rinsing out her coffee cup and placing it in the sink. “Exercise is good for me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jodie had a great time at the community center exercise class. Gwendolyn had introduced her to a few women she hadn’t met yet, and she saw several ladies she remembered from the Four Square Café and the wedding two weeks ago.

  “Come by when you need your highlights touched up,” Joyce Wheatley advised. “I know you’re used to one of those fancy salons in the city, but I can do the same thing right here in your new hometown.”

  Jodie still felt a jolt of surprise when people referred to her moving to Ranger Springs, but she didn’t correct them. She still didn’t know how she felt about moving here. Travis’s house was nice, but it wasn’t yet home. And, darn it, she didn’t know what would make the house a home. That wasn’t her area of expertise.

  “I’ll make an appointment with you, Joyce. I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job.” And if she didn’t, Jodie could always have her stylist in L.A. fix the color. She didn’t want to hurt the older lady’s feelings, and to be honest, Joyce did a lovely job on her own hair, which was a natural-looking strawberry-blond.

  After the class, they walked to the café for lunch. Jodie really enjoyed Gwendolyn’s company. The English lady didn’t know it yet, but they shared being pregnant. Jodie was slightly less than two months, while Gwendolyn was about four months along. It wouldn’t be long now, however, before everyone knew her secret.

  “I’m going to stop by Robin Parker’s store for something Travis asked me to do. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow, if you’re going to be at class.”

  “I certainly will. I’m dedicated to having a very healthy baby and not embarrassing myself by being a total ‘greenhorn’ when it comes to delivery.”

  “Don’t tell me Hank is putting pressure on you to become one of those natural childbirth, frontier women who has a baby and then goes out and plows the north forty!”

  Gwendolyn laughed. “Not quite that horrid, I’m glad to say, but he’s thrown out a few hints about how hardy Texas women are. We’ll just see about that!”

  “Good attitude. I’ll see you soon.”

  Jodie walked to the corner, then crossed the street. Robin’s store was in the middle of the block, which also faced the town square. She imagined the view in the spring and summer would be wonderful with all the trees and, no doubt, annual and perennial flowers.

  The smell of potpourri and candles mixed with furniture oil to form a powerful scent as Jodie entered the store. The antique cash register was located in what appeared to be a counter from an old movie theater. As she looked around, she realized this was an old theater. Robin had done a fantastic job using the old space. Above, in what had been the balcony, were two bed-and-breakfast rooms. Neil had stayed here twice, but Jodie had never had time to come downtown to see the B and B.

  “Jodie, how nice to see you.”

  “Thanks. Your shop is lovely. Travis has said such nice things about the place that I wanted to stop by.”

  “Travis is a sweetie. He’s always throwing some business my way.”

  “This time he’d like to hire you for some help at his house. Er, our house. I’m still trying to get used to being married.”

  “No wonder, since you’ve been married about two weeks now, right?”

  “Right.” Jodie felt like squirming. Married two weeks and already they needed a nursery? Could she trust Robin with her secret?

  “What do you need help with?”

  “We want to redecorate one of the guest rooms.”

  “Oh? I thought Travis was finished with his decorating.”

  “Well, he was. We’re changing the function of one of the rooms.”

  “Function? You mean like a study or a media room?”

  “Not exactly.” Jodie sighed. “Can you keep a secret? Decorator’s confidence, sort of like a doctor or a lawyer?”

  “Of course. My husband is
chief of police. If I started blabbing everything I know, I’d be in big trouble.”

  Jodie glanced around to make sure no other customers lurked behind shelves. “We need one of the rooms as a nursery…but no hurry.”

  “Oh, Jodie, how great. You’re going to start a family right away.”

  She grimaced and placed her hand on her stomach. “Actually, we got a little jump on the family. But we don’t want anyone else to know yet, since we just got married. It’s private, and besides, it wouldn’t be good for my career.”

  “Oh, I understand. I won’t tell anyone.” She smiled and leaned closer. “And if anyone sees me with baby colors or patterns, I’ll just say they’re for me.”

  “You, too?”

  “Three months and counting,” she said, also placing a hand on her tummy. Jodie could barely tell, but there was a slight bulge in her khaki slacks.

  “Congratulations!”

  “You, me, Carole Rafferty and Gwendolyn McCauley. There must be something in the water around here,” Robin said with a chuckle.

  “In Monte Carlo, too,” Jodie said with a smile. Both of them laughed and Jodie felt a camaraderie building between herself and the eclectic group of women who now called Ranger Springs home.

  “How far along are you?”

  “A little less than two months.”

  “Any morning sickness?”

  “None, although I’ve had a little heartburn or upset stomach after a few dinners. I’ve also developed a sudden need for naps.”

  “Oh, I know what you mean.”

  “While I’m here, do you have a rest room I could use? I drank so much water after exercise class.”

  “Sure. Just around the corner at the end of the counter.”

  Jodie smiled again at Robin, then hurried off to the rest room. She’d heard that pregnant women felt sudden urges to urinate, but so far she hadn’t experienced that yet. This was the garden variety, too-much-to-drink need.

  The rest room was decorated in red velvet and old movie posters, which was very fitting for the era in which the theater had probably been built. The stalls had been given a black, gray and white faux marble finish to match the countertop. Robin certainly did have a flare for design.