Wishing on a Rodeo Moon (Women of Character)

by Brannigan, Grace

  The girl held out a hand to Tye with a big smile. Her dark hair was short and curly. Her somewhat familiar blue eyes told Tye she could like her in a minute.

  "Hi, Tye. Don’t tell me you don’t remember me?" The girl’s face fell.

  Tye studied her dark eyes and a smile welled inside. "Amy, Jake's little sister. It took me a minute." Tye reached forward spontaneously and enclosed Amy in a hug.

  "Oh, Tye, I’m so glad you’re back with Jake ―"

  She pulled back. "Hold on Amy, I’m not back with Jake, not in the sense you mean." She drew a deep breath. The thought of belonging to Jake created all kinds of shivery feelings inside. "This is only temporary. I’m his tenant." Tye almost felt amused by the chagrin on Amy’s face.

  "God! I’m sorry." Amy opened her blue eyes wide and turned down her mouth. "I remember how romantic it was, you and Jake."

  "That was a long time ago. Now we’re friends." If she said the words enough, would she start to believe that’s all she felt for him? Tye wondered.

  Amy cocked an eyebrow. "Friends? You’re as closemouthed as Jake. My brother doesn't say anything unless he's forced to."

  Tye silently agreed. "How are your sisters, and your mother?" she asked. She hadn’t asked Jake much about his family. It had felt too personal.

  "They’re fine. With me out of the house Jake’s finally getting a break." Amy gave her a gamine grin and in a friendly gesture urged her toward the steps leading from the pool to the lawns below. "As you can see my oldest sisters, Janice and Luanne are here. Mom and the others live out of state. I came over to see if you'll join us. There’s plenty of food."

  Tye could see the tables crammed with food, lawn chairs scattered all about. Her stomach growled.

  "You can even play football if you like."

  She swallowed with difficulty, then said lightly, "Um, thanks. I don't play football."

  "I remember you used to." Amy bit her lip. "What I meant to say is it’s a fun get-together." She looked out toward the playing field.

  Curious despite herself, Tye followed Amy down the terraced steps.

  "Everyone is dying to meet you. They’re being polite and giving you space. As you can guess, I’m not the polite type."

  Tye threw her a quick look. "‘Giving me space?’"

  "Jake’s phrase."

  Tye looked at the other girl with raised brows. Jake had been talking about her to Amy?

  Amy grimaced. "I kind of walked in on a conversation he was having with Ben." She tossed her head back, her expression somewhat defiant.

  "Jake thinks I need space?" Tye asked, tongue in cheek.

  Amy caught her teasing smile. "Jake says I don’t think before the words come out. I know everyone would like to meet you."

  "That's nice of you to say so, but actually I'm right in the middle of an article I’m writing."

  "I know you went to school for journalism, but I didn’t know you had pursued writing."

  "My articles all have a rodeo slant. Unless you read those type of publications, you wouldn’t be familiar with my byline. It’s nice to have that second income when I’m on the road and the winnings are scarce that week."

  "Can the article wait?" Amy asked impulsively. "From what Ben's said about you, I didn't think you’d want to miss a party."

  In the old days she’d never miss a party, Tye ruefully admitted to herself. "Ben’s been talking too?"

  "I probably know more about your rodeo days than I know about Ben."

  Tye looked out over the flat pasture, fixing her gaze on a lone, scrubby tree against the horizon. "That sounds like rodeo days, as in past tense." She felt tension invade her body. Was everyone talking about the mess she had made of things?

  "I wasn't implying in the past." Amy said, flustered. "I heard Ben telling Jake about how you planned on returning, as soon as you got better."

  "True," Tye said shortly. "I guess the general consensus is I'd have better luck walking on the moon than returning to rodeo." She ran her fingertips down her leg.

  Amy placed a slim hand on Tye's arm. "That's not it at all. Jake admires your determination. Not one of the Miller women is what I'd call adventurous. At the slightest hint of a problem, we call Jake and let him take care of it." She let out sigh. "We’ve all taken terrible advantage of my brother. I think he’s never married because we’ve made so many demands on him over the years he hasn't had the time. What woman would tolerate that? I guess you figured that out a long time ago, Tye."

  She quickly shook her head, but then nodded. "When Jake and I split, I was just about your age." Memories flooded her. She had been so young. She confessed, "I was very full of myself, and it’s true ― Jake had so much responsibility." She let her voice trail off, seeing the keen interest in Amy’s eyes. "It wasn’t meant to be."

  "If you say so," Amy said slowly. "But we’ve all made demands on Jake. It’s time it ended."

  "Is Jake’s seeing anyone?" After the words were out Tye couldn’t believe she’d said them.

  "Jake's really closemouthed about his personal life, but I know he hasn’t been seeing anyone for a while. I’ve noticed he's been different the last few months."

  "How?"

  "Jake’s life is predictable. I have to say it ― dull. I remember when Dad got sick and Jake gave up football. Everyone accepted that he’d take on responsibility for the family. We all benefited from the way he's made a success of the business, but enough is enough. My brother needs a life."

  Tye knew she had added to Jake’s problems by leaving all those years ago. Should she have stayed? Jake had had all that responsibility and no one to share it with. Who had been there for him? Tye felt ill, but she had to find out more.

  "How do your sisters feel about Jake’s lack of a social life?"

  "They've never had a reason to rock the boat." Passionately, Amy continued, "It's time Jake thought about himself. That’s why I moved out, though I wouldn’t tell him that. He’s making a name for himself with his wildlife carvings, and it’s something he really enjoys. Otherwise he seems to go along in the same routine ― no distractions or deviation from a set course. Get the picture?"

  Tye cringed inwardly. She had implied he was boring the previous day. She gazed out at the playing field, picking Jake out easily from the other players. "Jake’s always been dependable. Family is very important."

  "But now we can take care of ourselves. I’ve told my sisters to let their husbands tackle their problems. I worry about Jake being alone. Not that he appreciates me saying so."

  Tye could understand that.

  "My brother needs someone to love him passionately, above all else."

  Tye had loved him, but obviously not enough. She hadn’t been ready to commit to marriage. Jake had talked about babies.

  "These last months he's been distracted, which is not Jake. He's always on top of everything. When I was a kid it was darned unnerving. Even the family agrees Jake is not acting like himself."

  "And by that you mean in a predictable way?"

  "Right."

  Tye watched Jake intercept a pass. He leaped unbelievably high, his arms stretched upward, the movement pulling his shirt up to expose a width of tanned stomach. He had a look of such an intense concentration on his face that Tye found herself holding her breath, releasing it only when he caught the ball and ran with it. "Do you think Jake offering me this apartment is part of this new unpredictability?"

  "That's Jake's normal generosity. I'm talking about when his picture turned up in the papers that night. You know." Amy stopped suddenly and bit her lip.

  "Jake's picture?" Tye asked faintly. She had an intense need to know more. She had seen only one paper. She hadn’t asked about others.

  "The night you got hurt, Jake was there. As far as I know Jake hadn’t been to a rodeo since you and he split."

  A few more steps brought them closer to the food table. Curious despite herself, Tye followed Amy as she reached over and grabbed a handful of chips from a basket.
"I'm not surprised Jake reached you first. He takes charge."

  Tye clenched her hands together. Jake had gotten to her first? It was still a blur.

  "He's been taking care of us so long it's second nature by now."

  Tye looked toward the football game in the field. Unbidden, warmth crept over her. Jake had turned his attentions to her. He thought she needed looking after; she intended to convince him otherwise.

  Tye watched the game with interest. As Jake ran and shouldered his way past other players, an odd sensation began inside, an unfamiliar burst of yearning. The old itch to be in the thick of things caught her by surprise. It almost felt normal.

  "Do you know why Jake came to that rodeo, Tye?"

  Tye looked back at Amy. "No." She had wondered that same thing herself. "Jake used to go to rodeos." She accepted a handful of chips, wincing for Jake as he was grabbed around the knees and pulled to the ground. Fascinated, she watched as he disappeared beneath a mound of bodies.

  Again she asked herself why Jake had been at the rodeo the night she got hurt. Vaguely, she recalled his air of calm. She had never depended on anyone to such a degree. Yet that night she’d felt as if Jake held her life in his hands.

  Casually, she said, "I think I'm lucky your brother was there. I don't remember much, but I know he kept me focused."

  Amy stared at her with a pleased smile. "Do you think you'd be interested in him again?"

  Tye raised her brows in surprise.

  "I’ve always liked you, Tye. I think you'd be good for Jake, loosen him up a little."

  "Well, thanks for the compliment, I think," she said dryly. "You're an adult, Amy. You know relationships don't happen like that."

  "I’ll bet Jake went there to see you that night," Amy said stubbornly.

  Tye squashed the hope that rose within her. "No, Jake and I hadn’t seen each other in years." There had been no contact, though God knows she had tried to keep the lines of communication open in the beginning. Jake had ignored her letters, had hung up on her when she phoned, then had gotten an answering machine. "You’re wrong," Tye repeated.

  He couldn’t have been there to see her. Why now, after all these years??

  "Wrong about what?" Jake's voice came from behind them.

  With a squeal, Amy spun around. Tye turned more slowly, running her gaze over him. His hair was tousled, and he had a streak of dirt on one cheek, but he didn't look like he had broken anything under that pile of bodies. Why Jake? Why were you there that night?

  "Geez, Jake, don't do that ― it’s dangerous to sneak up on people." Amy playfully slapped her brother's arm.

  Tye took in his grass-stained T-shirt with cutoff sleeves, and the rip in the knee of his faded old jeans. Close-fitting, they hugged his legs, drew her eyes along their length. Her eyes lifted quickly to his face, and she found him watching her intently. She all but melted under that gaze.

  "Has Amy revealed all the family secrets?" Jake asked.

  He probably wouldn't like to hear his sister's theory about his love life or lack thereof.

  "If Tye's going to live with you, she needs to know what goes on around here," Amy said, lifting her chin.

  "For the record, squirt, she's not living with me." Jake ruffled Amy's dark curls with a gentle hand. It was a simple gesture of affection, but it reminded Tye of the old Jake.

  As he looked down at his sister, Tye gazed at his strong, decisive face, honesty and caring personified. She wondered how she’d had the strength to walk away from him. She was older now and maybe a bit wiser or maybe not. She had wanted to succeed at rodeo ten years ago, and she still wanted the same dream. What had really changed? She had had plenty of opportunity to do as she pleased, but Jake hadn’t had that. His life had been mired in duty, and her life had had a definite lack of it. Tye swallowed hard.

  "I promised to help flip hamburgers." Amy’s voice broke into her thoughts. "Will I see you later, Tye?"

  Tye hesitated, staring from Amy’s bright eyes to Jake’s watchful gaze. "I’ll be here for a bit," she said.

  "Great." Amy waved and walked to the other end of the food table, where the barbecue grills were set up.

  Tye stared at Jake. His gaze made her want to melt in a heap. She wondered if she was crazy to stay here. She didn’t know Jake anymore, but the old emotions seemed to be there, right under her skin. Being away from him all these years and not knowing about his life had been easier than being in the thick of his life now. What if she saw women at his house, staying the night? She couldn’t bear the pain. It would be worse than leaving.

  With the hair falling over his forehead and five o'clock shadow darkening his jaw, Tye wondered how she had ever had the temerity to think Jake could be boring. The man exuded raw energy, oozed sex appeal as if he had invented it. What she found really scary was the fact that although he had always seemed unaware of his attractiveness, she wasn't.

  "Looks like you've had a rough game," she said huskily.

  "All in fun." Jake lifted a brow and his mouth curved with amusement. "What about you, Tye? Are you having fun?"

  She enjoyed the trickle of sensation making its way across her shoulders. Jake’s intense gaze made her feel as if she were the only woman for a mile. "You know me, Jake, I never deny myself fun."

  "Maybe I can add to it," he said softly, reaching out to pull her closer.

  Tye tensed with a mixture of desire and disappointment when his arm settled platonically on her shoulders. Surely she didn’t want him to kiss her again?

  "I’m glad you decided to join us," he said. "Come and meet my friends."

  "I couldn't resist coming over." Tye smiled with real amusement. "I had to see if you played football in a suit, since I’ve rarely see you in anything else these last few days."

  Jake’s grin made Tye want to lean forward and kiss his mouth. "You sound like Amy. She thinks all I know is work. I'm surprised her skill at digging until she hits a nerve hasn't scared you away."

  "She thinks you need a love life."

  Jake looked startled, then a guarded expression came over his face. "So she's been telling me."

  "The consensus is you're secretly pining for someone." Tye had always been one to stir up trouble. She couldn’t stop the words.

  Jake’s light eyes pinned her. "Are you asking?"

  "Yes, I guess I am."

  Jake shook his head. "You were never one to back off, were you, Tye? I have women friends." He stared at her as if gauging her reaction. "Some more special than others. Do you have a specific reason for asking?"

  Tye straightened her shoulders and gently twisted out from under Jake’s arm. "Just curiosity," she lied, telling herself she didn’t need to know more about him. "After all," she added lightly, "we have ten years to catch up on."

  "Curiosity." Jake nodded his head, but his eyes seemed to be telling her something else. Tye felt a leap of emotion. What did he really think about their past relationship? "What else could it be? We’ve been apart too long to go back."

  Tye forced herself to nod. "That’s right, Jake. It’s been too many years. We both agree on that." For a moment she wished she could go back, could erase the old hurt and pain. From time to time she could still see it in Jake’s eyes ― the memories, the truth between them.

  Just when she thought she would learn something from him, he pulled back. "Never repeat mistakes," he agreed, his voice hard. He lifted his gaze to her. "Come on. It's quite painless, meeting my friends. Not as bad as a trip to the dentist."

  Tye hesitated. "If you recall, we more or less agreed not to invade each other's privacy."

  "Sure. But one little barbecue doesn't mean we’re sleeping together,"

  Jake’s derisive tone made the color flow into Tye’s cheeks. The words conjured a surprisingly sensuous picture in her mind. But the derision hurt.

  She found her reaction alarming. Strange sensations assaulted her. The thought insinuated itself that Jake as a lover would be exciting and unpredictable. A shiver worked
its way across the back of her neck. Don't go there, she warned herself. Trouble. Delicious trouble.

  "Come on." Jake held out his hand to her.

  Tye drew a fortifying breath. Slowly, she reached out and took it. Feeling his wide palm engulf hers, his fingers close gently but firmly on her own became quite an intimate experience.

  "On one condition," she said, holding back a moment. "I'll stay for a little while, then I’ll leave."

  "Done." His big hand squeezed hers. The smile he gave her warmed her from head to toe. They walked toward his friends, and Tye knew it was his ingrained consideration that made him slow his steps to match hers. She held her hand stiffly in his, all too aware of the trembling of her arm. She had never felt such a sensation of walking into quicksand in her life, and all because a man was treating her carefully. A man she still loved, but who no longer saw her as anything but an old acquaintance.

  Tye knew then and there, for the first time in her life, that she would have to watch her step. Jake Miller was a dangerous man. A man who could hurt her, if she were careless. He cared about her getting well, but that was the extent of his interest. If she wanted to remain whole, she had better remember that.

  § Chapter Eight §

  Around eleven that night Tye sat on the stone wall in front of the house with Jake beside her. She waved as the last car drove away, the red taillights disappearing onto the highway.

  Jake turned to her, one brow lifted, a satisfied smile curving his lips. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how did meeting my friends rate?"

  Tye deliberately put her nose up in the air. "For such a pushy guy, you have amazingly nice friends."

  Without thinking about it, she jumped off the low wall, then let out a muffled groan as her leg began to collapse. Jake took a quick step forward and gripped her upper arms to support her.

  "Easy there, or you’ll end up in the rose bushes."

  Tye jerked her arms away. "I’m fine." Carefully, she walked sideways down the steps to the blacktop drive.