Aidan: Loyal Cowboy: Aidan: Loyal CowboyThe Family Plan

by Cathy McDavid

  She was enjoying herself, reveling in her accomplishments and the realization of a dream come true. For the first time in days, she didn’t worry about her mother’s health. With her enjoyment came a sense that everything would eventually resolve itself. A foolish idea perhaps, but Jolyn didn’t care. She felt too good, too optimistic, to let anything spoil her happiness.

  Unfortunately, the feeling didn’t last. When she returned to the reception area, it was to see the latest guests arrive. At the sight of her mother and father coming through the door, her mood went from elated to anxious in the blink of an eye.

  * * *

  CHASE CAUGHT SIGHT of Jolyn heading back into the reception area. He’d have liked to follow and spend a minute with her but they were constantly surrounded by people and, more so in Chase’s case, pets. Which was a good thing and the whole reason he’d thrown the open house. From all appearances, they were both in for a slew of new customers.

  He was impressed with the way she handled herself, her poise and charm. Jolyn had really and truly come into her own during her time away. As a kid and later a teenager, she’d been constantly overshadowed by SherryAnne’s larger-than-life personality. Chase didn’t regret his marriage. If not for

  SherryAnne, he wouldn’t have Mandy. But he wasn’t sorry they’d divorced when they had and that Jolyn, by some minor miracle, was also single.

  “Your clinic is beautiful.”

  The owner of the Double S Ranch and matriarch of the Shaughnessy family offered her hand to Chase. “We’re going to miss you at the ranch.”

  “I’ll still come out. Just not as often.”

  “Anita appears a capable sort. I suppose we’ll manage with her.” “Capable sort” was high praise coming from Mrs. Shaughnessy.

  “You can still call me anytime for anything.”

  “I will hold you to that.” Her smile was tight but not unfriendly.

  He had nothing but the utmost respect for his oldest and dearest customer. The Double S was one of the best-run ranches in the area, thanks entirely to its owner, who, in her late seventies, still rode daily, overseeing each and every detail of the ranch’s operation.

  “Speaking of Anita, where is she?” Mrs. Shaughnessy inquired.

  “I’m not sure. She was here just a minute ago.” With Mike glued to her side as he’d been all afternoon.

  “Daddy. Daddy.” Mandy burst into the surgery, her gaze darting in every direction.

  “Over here.” To Mrs. Shaughnessy, Chase said, “Excuse me, please.”

  “If you run into Anita, tell her I’m looking for her.”

  Spoken like a true queen, thought Chase. “I will.”

  “Can I spend the night at ’Lizabeth’s house?” Mandy asked, throwing herself at Chase and hugging him around the waist.

  “I suppose. Is it all right with her mother?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about your birthday party tomorrow?”

  “I’ll be back early. I promise.”

  “Ten o’clock. We still have a lot to do to get ready.”

  “Okay.”

  They weren’t having many people over. Family mostly. Susan, Joseph, Chase’s cousin Gage, Gage’s wife, Aubrey, and Hannah, of course. Plus four or five of Mandy’s friends. Oh, and Jolyn. Chase was pleased that Mandy had invited her, and hoped this meant Mandy had become more accepting of his growing relationship with Jolyn.

  “Which means no staying up late tonight watching movies,” he warned his daughter.

  “I’ll bring ’Lizabeth with me. She can help, too.”

  Chase doubted that. Whenever the two girls were together, they fooled around more than they applied themselves. But he couldn’t refuse Mandy. It was her birthday, after all, and he was glad to see her so happy. She’d probably remain so as long as SherryAnne didn’t call again.

  “I’m going to go tell ’Lizabeth.” Mandy sprinted around a corner and was instantly lost in the crowd.

  Chase went in search of Jolyn, but was stopped by yet another guest who asked to see how the anesthesia machine worked. He didn’t escape for a full ten minutes.

  Finding his way to the reception area at last, he noticed while the open house was scheduled to end in thirty minutes, the crowd had yet to thin. He’d never imagined the day would be such a resounding success. For about the tenth time that afternoon, he stepped on a future patient’s paw.

  “Sorry, guy.” He scratched the dog’s head fondly, smiled at the owner and continued looking for Jolyn.

  And then he found her. She was standing in a corner talking to Sam Green, the owner of Mountain View Real Estate, where his Aunt Susan worked part-time. From the looks of it, their conversation was going well. Sam could be a valuable contact for Jolyn, referring clients in need of home repairs or new home construction to her.

  Chase decided not to intrude. He was thinking about going to the counter and nabbing a bite to eat when a voice from behind stopped him.

  “Congratulations on your new clinic, Chase. It’s very impressive.”

  He turned, slowly, to greet his newest guest.

  “Dottie.” He didn’t acknowledge her compliment.

  The invitation to the open house had gone out to everyone in town. He’d excluded no one. And even if he had restricted his guest list, Jolyn’s parents would have been on it. She’d built the clinic and would want her family to see it. Out of respect for her, Chase could tolerate her mother’s presence.

  “Jolyn did an incredible job,” Dottie said, lifting a plastic cup of lemonade to her lips and taking a sip.

  “Yes, she did.”

  “I wish you the best of luck.” Her hand shook when she lowered the cup, the ice cubes rattling against the sides. Nerves? Chase didn’t think so. Dottie was made of iron.

  “I’m proud of her.”

  “You should be.”

  She’d lost weight. And there were dark circles under her eyes. Chase could see other small changes now that he was up close. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost. To his mind, she’d brought her problems on herself. She could, if she chose, leave him and Mandy alone. Her husband and children were content to do just that.

  “I wish Steven had been able to come down from Pineville today. He had to work.”

  Was her remark innocent or deliberate? Chase was never entirely sure with Dottie. At least he now knew for certain that Steven wasn’t at the open house. That took a load off his mind.

  “If you’ll excuse me, Dottie.” He’d done his part, made nice with Jolyn’s mother, endured the passing glances of everyone in the room who knew their past and had to be dying of curiosity.

  “Just a minute.” She laid a hand on his arm.

  Chase tensed, stared hard at her hand and fought to contain his dislike and distrust. This wasn’t the time or place for another confrontation with her. From across the room, he saw Jolyn weaving through the crowd toward them. She must also have decided not to make a scene because she stopped short just before reaching them.

  “I don’t want to ruin your life,” Dottie said, speaking softly so that only Chase heard. “You’re a good man, a good father.”

  “Then why are you?” he demanded with more bitterness than he’d intended.

  “I admit my motives were entirely selfish at first. I guess they still are.” The ice cubes in her cup rattled again, and she used two hands in an effort to quell the shaking. “But you may find my…current reasons more sympathetic.”

  Who did she thi
nk she was, coming to his house, suggesting he of all people would sympathize with her trying to take his daughter away from him? The fury he’d been keeping at bay suddenly erupted. “It’ll be a cold day in hell when that happens.”

  Dottie didn’t retreat from his verbal attack. Neither did she retaliate, as usual.

  “I’ll let you know when I get there,” she said simply, then walked away from Chase and kept walking until she was out the clinic door.

  * * *

  “I HOPE MY MOTHER didn’t upset you.”

  Chase willed himself to relax, and dismissed Jolyn’s concerns with a smile. “If anything, she was quite civil.” And she had been. Even her parting remark was delivered without venom.

  I’ll let you know when I get there.

  Chase had no idea what Dottie meant by her cryptic comment, other than to make him feel guilty, and he was resolved not to ask Jolyn. She’d received nothing but positive feedback on the clinic from guests, and several encouraging leads. Rather than spoil her high, he played down his confrontation with her mother.

  “She left without saying goodbye,” Jolyn mused.

  “I think she was tired.”

  They were going from room to room, emptying trash into big green garbage bags. The last guest had finally left shortly after seven. Chase had tried to send Jolyn, Anita and Mike home, saying he’d clean up tomorrow, but they’d all insisted on staying and helping. Anita and Mike were busy transferring leftover food into containers and taking them to the refrigerator in the house. Chase didn’t think he’d have to buy any food—human or dog—for a week at least.

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure your mother’s fine.” He reached for Jolyn’s hand and brought it to his mouth. They’d had so little physical contact the last few days. Chase was desperate for a taste of her. Even a small one.

  And it would be small if Anita and Mike had anything to do with it. The entrance door opened with a bang, letting Chase and Jolyn know their respective employees had returned. Later, he vowed to himself. He’d finagle a few minutes alone with Jolyn before she left.

  “Hey, there you are.”

  Anita poked her head into Chase’s office, where he and Jolyn had wound up on their trash collecting sweep.

  “Hey.” Chase didn’t let go of Jolyn’s hand. Why bother? Anita had already caught them carrying on earlier.

  “Food’s all put away,” she said. “Would it be okay if Mike and I split? Or do you need some more help?”

  Fate, it seemed, was on his side tonight after all.

  “I think we can manage.” Chase strived for a nonchalance he didn’t feel. In another minute, he’d be alone with Jolyn. Truly alone. And he planned to take full advantage of the privacy.

  “You sure?” Anita’s inquisitive gaze lighted first on Jolyn, then Chase.

  “Very sure.” Chase’s steely stare let her know her job was on the line if she didn’t beat it out of there pronto.

  “See you Monday, then.”

  “Hey.” He stopped her before she disappeared. “Thanks for your help. I couldn’t have done this alone.”

  “Job security.” She cranked up her thousand-watt smile. “I kind of like it here. And if you do well, I get to stick around.”

  “Mike have anything to do with it?”

  “He’s a definite perk.”

  Chase chuckled.

  In the next second, she was gone.

  He arched an eyebrow at Jolyn. Though he ached to kiss her, to take her in his arms and again explore the soft curves and tantalizing angles of her body, he hesitated, allowing her to make the first move. Or not. In light of her recent family issues, she might have decided a relationship with him wasn’t worth the problems that came with it. He’d understand. Sort of. Okay, maybe not understand as much as respect her wishes.

  It was hell being a gentleman.

  “I guess the cat’s officially out of the bag,” she said, arranging and rearranging the items on Chase’s desk.

  “About us?”

  “I was referring to Anita and Mike.”

  “Ah.” He threw the last of the trash into the garbage bag and knotted the plastic ties.

  “I think we’re last week’s news.”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “What?” She laughed. “That people have someone else to gossip about besides us? Hardly.”

  “That people were gossiping about us in the first place.”

  “I’d venture to say my family’s been the topic of many a dinner conversation these past couple of weeks. An honor I’d gladly relinquish.” She smiled, a warm, genuine and sexy smile directed right at him. “But no, I don’t mind the gossip nearly as much as I thought I might.”

  “No?”

  She shook her head and shifted, her movements slow, languid and very inviting. The dress rustled, swished, then resettled around her bare legs.

  Steady, boy, Chase warned himself. He couldn’t tell if she was enticing him on purpose or not. His body didn’t know the difference and responded with a will of its own.

  “Good.” Forgetting all about his commitment to let her make the first move, he came around the side of the desk.

  She met him with open arms, and the eagerness with which she slid into his embrace left no doubt she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  Lifting her by the waist, he set her on the desk, knocking over the items she’d so carefully arranged. His fingers slid beneath the hem of her dress, discovering a creamy expanse of smooth thigh that turned need into an insatiable hunger. She wrapped one calf around the back of his knee and proceeded to incite his desire to even further heights by scraping her nails up and down the muscles of his back.

  If one of them didn’t come to their senses soon they’d… what? Make love? Hell, yes. It was what he wanted. Jolyn, too, or so her questing fingers and inability to draw a decent breath seemed to indicate.

  He pulled back, gazed into her face and momentarily lost the power of speech. It was then that he realized the incredible depths of his feelings for her. No woman had ever struck him dumb before.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” he said, finding his voice. He smoothed the worry lines from her forehead with tender strokes of his fingers. “Let’s go into the house.”

  She cradled his face in her hands and pressed a light kiss to his lips, letting him know she returned his feelings. “Yes. Let’s.”

  Chase eased Jolyn off the desk and into his arms where, if he had anything to say about it, she’d spend every minute of the night—and many more nights to come.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Would you like something to drink? A glass of wine, maybe?”

  “No, thanks.” Jolyn stood in Chase’s kitchen, just inside the back door.

  She’d visited the Raintree home often while they were growing up. The kitchen and living room. Not once had she ventured into the bedroom area. The very idea of it felt somehow forbidden.

  And exciting.

  “Have something if you’d like,” she told him. “Don’t let me stop you.”

  “Fine. If you insist.” His arm snaked around her waist, and he lifted her against him. Sampling her lips, he said, “Much better than wine.”

  “I agree.”

  She stood on tiptoes, sinking deeper into his embrace and feeling headier than if she’d drunk an entire bottle of the finest champagne.

  Chase must have been as impatient as she to make love be
cause he stooped and caught her behind the knees, picked her up in his arms and carried her through the house.

  He kicked open the master bedroom door, entered and gently set her down on the bed. Skimming his lips lightly across hers, he said, “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

  Seconds later light poured from the doorway of the adjoining bathroom. The sound of a medicine cabinet being opened reached her ears. He was probably getting protection. Good. One of them, at least, was thinking ahead.

  Chase returned, leaving the door cracked open. A tiny sliver of light illuminated his broad-shouldered form from behind as he moved toward the bed. He stopped next to where Jolyn lay and tossed something onto the nightstand.

  Condoms, she guessed. And more than one. He really was thinking ahead.

  Then, he started to undress.

  He began with his belt and shirt. Both items landed in a heap on the carpeted floor. Jolyn watched him, mesmerized. The well-defined muscles of his naked shoulders, arms and chest were a tribute to his active life. She would have liked to skim her hands over the enticing ripples and planes but that would come in time. For now, she much preferred to watch.

  With each article of clothing he removed, he looked at her, studying her reaction, and only when she let out a soft sigh did he continue. Jolyn held her breath as long as possible, not wanting to hurry the process. No man had ever undressed for her before, and she liked it.

  The slight smile that had been playing around the corners of his mouth vanished when he unsnapped his jeans. Hand poised on the zipper, he went still. She rose onto her knees, the mattress dipping beneath her weight.

  He wouldn’t stop. Not now. She’d never forgive him if he did.

  “I have to see you, all of you,” he said, his voice rough with need.

  Her hands shook slightly as she pulled the dress over her head. Still kneeling, she faced him in her skimpy bra and even skimpier panties.

  A low grumble of appreciation emanated from deep in his chest.