The Last Single Maverick

by Christine Rimmer

  A silence on his end, then gruffly, “Are you all right? Did something…happen?”

  She blinked, swallowed, let out a slow breath. And told him the truth. “I was sure that I’d totally freaked you out. That you had to be thinking I’m some kind of gold digger.”

  He made a bewildered sound. “Whoa. Wait. Why?”

  “Okay, now I hear your voice, it all seems completely ridiculous that I could have thought that.”

  “Joss, why?”

  “Because of what I told you. About marrying Kenny anyway, even though he cheated and I caught him in the act, marrying him because he had money and could, um, support me in the style to which I hope to become accustomed.”

  “Oh, right.” He was smiling. She could hear it in his voice. “The big, messy house and all those loud, undisciplined kids who really shouldn’t be allowed to color on the walls.”

  “You can get special paint, you know. Washable paint. And yeah, that would be it—the style to which I can’t wait to become accustomed.”

  “Listen to me, Joss. Are you listening?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t think you’re a gold digger. Not in any way. Got that?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So can I have your cell number?”

  She rattled it off. “And can I have yours?”

  “Absolutely.” He gave it to her. She rolled over and scribbled it down on the complimentary notepad by the phone. “And about tonight,” he said, “dinner at Jackson and Laila’s? I’ll pick you up at five-thirty.”

  She grinned to herself. She’d never actually told him she would go, but so what? She wanted to go, and she was going to go.

  “I’ll be waiting,” she promised. “Outside, under the porte cochere, where you dropped me off just now.”

  * * *

  Jackson’s house was wall-to-wall family and friends.

  To Jace, it looked like just about every Traub in the state of Montana was there, not to mention all the Traubs from Texas. And there were other well-known Thunder Canyon families represented. There were Cateses and Cliftons and Pritchets, all of them related to the Traubs—if not by blood or marriage, then by the bonds of longtime friendships.

  Friends and family filled the big living room, the kitchen and spilled out onto the wide front porch and into the tree-shaded backyard. Jackson had a professional-sized smoker barbecue going along with an open grill. The mouthwatering aromas of mesquite-smoked ribs, barbecued chicken and grilling burgers filled the air.

  Jace had arrived with Joss just a half hour ago. She was a knockout in dressy jeans that hugged every curve and a silky shirt the color of a ripe plum. He’d whistled at her when she got into the car at the resort. Hey, even a best friend could show his appreciation when a woman was looking good.

  His plan had been to keep her close at his side all evening, so his mother wouldn’t have a chance to start working on her, pumping her for information about “how things were going” between them, trying to convince Joss that she would love living in Midland, Texas. But within fifteen minutes of their arrival at Jackson’s, Laila had dragged Joss off to look at some old picture albums. He’d tried to stick with them, but Jackson had called him outside to help him flip burgers.

  And now Ethan had caught up with him. “We need to talk. Come with me,” Ethan commanded.

  Jace shouldn’t have followed, but he knew he was going to have to face his big brother down at some point. Might as well get it over with. Ethan led Jace to the edge of the yard, to a secluded spot beneath a cottonwood tree, where he commenced to put on the pressure.

  “I just want you to drop in at the office for a few hours tomorrow,” Ethan coaxed. TOI Montana had its offices on State Street not far from the Town Square. “Let me show you around. You can see how far we’ve come in the past year.” Ethan had made the move to Montana only the summer before. “The shale oil operations are surpassing even my expectations.”

  “I know you’re doing a great job, Ethan. I’ve seen the reports, but tomorrow’s a busy day. Remember? We’re all taking off in the morning, going riding up Thunder Mountain for that family picnic.”

  “That’s right.” Ethan frowned. “I forgot about the damn picnic. Tuesday, then—or come in early tomorrow. The ride up there doesn’t get under way until ten or so. We won’t have a lot of time, but at least I can show you the corner office that has your name on it.”

  Jace thought how he’d be happy to admire the new offices. But if he did, Ethan would only be all the more certain that he could talk Jace into coming back to TOI. “I’m out of the oil business, Ethan. I know I’ve told you that more than once.”

  Ethan blinked. “Aw, now, Jace. You know you don’t mean it. You’re an oilman to the core.”

  “I was an oilman. Not anymore.”

  Ethan reached out and hooked his arm around Jace’s neck, getting him in a headlock, then fisting his free hand to scrub a noogie on Jace’s head—like he was five again or something. “Snap out of it, little maverick,” Ethan muttered, using the pet name their father used to use on them. “What else you plan to do with your time? We Traubs might have more money than we know what to do with, but that’s because we’re hard workers. We earned every cent and we keep earning until they lay us in the ground.”

  “Let me loose, Ethan.” Jace said the words quietly, but he’d had about enough.

  Ethan let go. “I didn’t mean to get you all riled up.”

  Jace ran a hand back over his hair. “Oh, right. Put me in a headlock and pull a noogie on me and then say you didn’t mean it.”

  “I’m only trying to help you get your head on straight.”

  “It’s my head. And it feels plenty straight to me.”

  Ethan gentled his tone. “All I’m asking is for you to come and have a look at what we’ve built here.”

  “And I would be more than happy to do that, if that was all you were up to.”

  Ethan’s lip curled, and not in a smile. “You calling me a liar, kid?”

  Jason really wanted to pop his big brother a good one, but he valiantly managed to keep his fists at his sides. “In case you’ve forgotten,” he said way too softly, “I’m thirty-three years old. I haven’t been a kid for a long time now.”

  “Well, stop acting like one, then. Ever since you tangled with Jack Lavelle’s little girl, you’ve been moping around, throwing your life away, acting like you don’t care about anything anymore.”

  Again, Jace reminded himself to hold his temper. “Ethan, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The hell I don’t.”

  “You’re here in Montana. And I’ve been in Texas. And Ma and Pete have been filling your head full of their own assumptions about what’s been going on.”

  Ethan demanded, “So what was going on?”

  “Nothing the least mysterious. I want to find a different kind of work, that’s all.”

  “And Tricia Lavelle didn’t break your heart?”

  “It’s a long story. I don’t want to go into it.”

  “Hah. She did a number on you. You’re the last single maverick in the family and it’s getting to you.”

  “Will you stop it with the maverick talk? I’m not six anymore. And Ethan, you’re not Dad.”

  “You fell for Tricia, thought you’d finally found your woman. But she dumped you flat, crushed your hopes and walked all over your tender heart. Admit it.”

  “I’m not admitting anything. Get off my back.”

  But Ethan just kept on. “You love the oil business. You always did. You love it the most of all of us in the family—next to me, I mean.”

  “People change.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Ethan insisted. “Not for a minute. You got your heart broken and that set you on a downward spiral and all I’m trying to do is help pull you out of it.”

  “Look, Ethan, how many times do I have to tell you? You’ve got it all wrong. You’ve been listening to Ma and Pete. And they don’t know
what they’re talking about.”

  “They know you were going to marry Tricia Lavelle. And then suddenly, it was over. And you were dragging around like someone shot your favorite hound dog, saying how you were through with the oil industry and getting out of Texas.”

  “It’s not their business. And it’s not yours either. Give it up.”

  “I’m only explaining that I get the picture, loud and clear. You’re a mess, Jason, and what you need is to come back to work.”

  “I have been at work. Until last Wednesday, as a matter of fact. I have remained at work well past the time I was supposed to be finished because Ma and Pete pulled every trick in the book to get me to stay. But I’m done now. And I am not going back.”

  “A man needs to work.”

  “And I plan to work. Just not for TOI.”

  “Then doing what, Jason?”

  “Something completely different. A business of my own, something hands-on.”

  “TOI is hands-on. It’s our company.”

  “Listen, Ethan, I don’t know another way to say it. I’m done at TOI and I don’t know yet what I’ll be doing next.”

  “You don’t know yet,” Ethan echoed in a smarmy singsong. “Well, that’s okay, because I know. You’re coming to work for me, here, in Thunder Canyon.”

  They were head to head by then, and Jace knew exactly where this discussion was headed. Nowhere. As always, Ethan thought he knew it all. And Jace was not about to be bullied into going back to work doing what he didn’t want to do anymore. “Back off,” he said. “I mean it. Let it go.”

  “You’re my brother. And I love you. And I’ll bust your fool head open before I let you ruin your life.”

  Jace’s fists burned to start flying. But what would hitting Ethan prove except that, along with all his other shortcomings, he couldn’t control his damn temper even stone-cold sober? They were grown men, for pity’s sake. Well beyond the age of imagining they could settle a problem with a brawl. There was nothing more to say here. He turned to walk away.

  Apparently, Ethan got the message at last. He spoke wearily to Jace’s back. “Aw, come on, Jace…”

  Jason wanted to keep walking, but what good was that going to do either of them? Ethan could be a pushy, overbearing SOB, yes. But his heart was in the right place. Jace made himself face his older brother again.

  Ethan said ruefully, “You know I only want to help.”

  “Well, you’re not helping.”

  Ethan threw up both hands. “I only thought…a little tough love, you know?” He shook his head. “Lizzie warned me to stay out of it. You have no idea how much I hate it when she’s right.”

  Jason almost grinned. “Why? Because she’s right most of the time?”

  “She’s one hell of a woman, my wife. But she’s too damn smart.”

  “You know you wouldn’t have it any other way.” His brother’s mention of Lizzie had Jace thinking of Joss. He really had to go and find her before Ma did. He said, “The truth is, I’d been thinking about making some changes for a while now—since before I met Tricia, as a matter of fact.”

  “I…didn’t realize that.”

  “Well, now you know. Ma and Pete hate to see me go. They’re going to be on their own in Midland and even though they still want to run the show there, they don’t like it that all of us have pulled up stakes and moved on.”

  “Yeah,” Ethan said gruffly, “I get that. They didn’t like it much when I left either.”

  “Whatever they’ve been saying, I really have changed my mind about the family business. I want another line of work. Something completely different. No, I haven’t figured out what yet, but I’m not coming back to TOI. And I really need to go find Joss now.”

  One side of Ethan’s mouth quirked up. “You thinkin’ Ma’s gotten hold of her?”

  “I seriously hope not. Gotta go.” He scanned the yard as he headed for the back door. No sign of a hot brunette in snug jeans and a purple shirt. And no sign of his mother either.

  He went up the back steps and into the kitchen. “Do you know where I can find Joss?” he asked Laila, who was arranging the food buffet-style in the breakfast nook on a long, wide table covered with a red-and-white striped tablecloth, decorated with flags and red, white and blue candles and sparkly little red, white and blue Uncle Sam hats.

  Laila flashed him her dazzling beauty-queen smile. “Did I tell you I really like her? She’s fun and down-to-earth.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “And she loved looking at the pictures of all you Traubs as little kids. She told me she appreciated getting to see some of the old photos of your dad—Charles, I mean. She said you have his killer smile.”

  “I’ll bet she did,” he muttered drily. “But where is she now?”

  “You know, I think I saw her in the dining room a few minutes ago. She was chatting with your mom.”

  Jace stifled a groan. “Thanks.” He made a beeline for the formal dining room. No sign of Joss in there—or of Ma either. He moved on to the living room.

  And spotted them right away, sitting on the sofa, their heads bent close together. His mother was saying something. Joss was laughing and nodding. She didn’t look the least overwhelmed. Whatever Ma was filling her head with, apparently it wasn’t all that scary.

  But still. Joss was kind of jumpy about men—and for good reason. He didn’t need his mother freaking her out with too many personal questions and a boatload of assumptions about what was really going on between the two of them.

  He headed over there to rescue her.

  His mother saw him coming. She gave him a big, wide smile. Joss turned to meet his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief to see she looked completely at ease.

  Maybe Ma was minding her own business after all.

  But then he got close enough for her to speak to him. “Jason,” his mother said, suddenly looking way too innocent. “Ethan really needs to talk to you. He’s been looking all over for you.”

  “He found me.” Jace tried not to scowl. “We had a nice, long talk. I think I cleared up a few…misconceptions for him.”

  “Oh?” Claudia gave him the arched eyebrow. “What misconceptions do you mean?”

  “Long story, Ma. But the upshot is, Ethan understands now that I’m not going to stay in Midland and I’m not going to work at TOI anymore—not in Texas, and not here in Montana.”

  His mother shot Joss a nervous glance. “Jason, really. This is neither the time nor the place to go into all that.”

  Oh, right. Now things weren’t going the way she’d planned, suddenly it was better if they didn’t talk about it now. Way to go, Ma.

  And he had to give Joss credit. She simply sat there looking gorgeous and completely unconcerned about whatever antagonistic undercurrents might be churning between him and the woman who’d given him life.

  He said cheerfully, “Just clueing you in, Ma.” And then he bent and kissed her still-smooth cheek.

  She grabbed his arm and held him close enough that he could smell the light perfume she always wore. Softly, she told him, “I love you very much. You know that.”

  “I know. And I love you, too, Ma.” He rose to his height again and spoke to Joss. “Hungry? The food’s on.” He held down his hand.

  She took it and rose to stand beside him and he felt like a million bucks suddenly, just holding her slim, smooth fingers in his. “Great getting a chance to visit with you, Claudia,” she said.

  His mother was all smiles. “I’m so glad we were able to talk a little. And don’t forget we would love to have you ride up Thunder Mountain with us tomorrow. The picnic will be such fun, and the views from up near the tree line are stunning.”

  “Thank you for inviting me,” Joss said. “But…didn’t you mention that you’re riding horses up there?”

  “Yes, we are. It’s a beautiful ride.”

  “I’ve never ridden a horse in my life.”

  “First time for everything,” Ma said brightly. “And there ar
e always calm, even-tempered horses available from the resort stables, mounts they keep especially for beginners.”

  “I’ll, um, talk it over with Jace.”

  “Wonderful.” His mother beamed.

  He asked, “You coming to eat, Ma?”

  “I think I’ll find Pete first.”

  “Well, all right, then.” He guided Joss ahead of him. She led the way toward the kitchen. After a few steps he caught up with her and spoke low so only she could hear. “So are you moving to Midland?”

  She laughed, a soft, enticing sound. “It was suggested.”

  They entered the dining room. He pulled her over to a quiet corner where they could talk for a moment or two undisturbed. “What else was ‘suggested’?”

  “Your mother said she thinks I’m lovely—her word—and she’s so glad you and I met and she really has a wonderful feeling about me.”

  “Well, three things Ma and I can agree on at least.”

  “Hey, at least your mom knows she’s meddling.”

  “Don’t be too sure about that.”

  “But I am sure. She wants you back in Texas, but she knows she’s out of line to keep after you. She gets that you’re all grown up and that it’s your life.”

  “She said all that?”

  “Well, not exactly. But I can see it in her eyes.”

  “Why am I not reassured?”

  “You should be. You should take my word for it. Backing Claudia off is going to be a piece of cake—unlike someone else’s mother I could mention.”

  Jace wasn’t so sure. “Ma filled Ethan’s ears with a whole bunch of complete crap about me. He decided he had to come to my rescue with a domineering attitude and some ‘tough love.’’’

  “Yikes. Just now, you mean?”

  He nodded, admiring the pretty arch of her eyebrows, the juicy curve of her mouth. She really was easy on the eyes. He’d never had a best friend so good to look at—but then, all his other friends were male and looking at them didn’t do a thing for him.

  She said, “I hope it all worked out.”

  “It did. I only wanted to punch his lights out.”

  The brown eyes widened. “But you kept your cool.”

  “Yes, I did, surprisingly enough. Ethan and I are on the same page now. And I have to agree that siccing Ethan on me was probably Ma’s main move. That didn’t work, so she’ll be about out of ways to get me to come to my senses and get back into life as I’ve always lived it. But don’t kid yourself. She’s not finished working on you.”