The Sheriff's Mail-Order Bride (The Watson Brothers #2)

by Ann B. Harrison

  “Hip still sore?”

  “Yes and no. Bit stiff, and that’s to be expected. Can’t see it ever getting back to how it was. The cold makes it ache something fierce.” Chance rubbed his hand over the joint.

  “Maybe you’re overdoing the rancher thing. Let Callie do more or get another hand to help out.”

  “She already does more than her fair share. I discussed bringing in more help. She reckons we can deal with it ourselves. So, how about dinner? Want to give me a hand getting it started?”

  “Gina said she wanted to do it. Cooking is her thing apparently and she can’t wait to play in this kitchen some more. She was just getting the steaks out of the fridge when we had to have the discussion about what we’re going to do.” He avoided his brother’s gaze, a wave of embarrassment washing over him.

  “What happened with Cindy was a fluke, Rory. Don’t go using the lies as an excuse not to commit because you’re scared of something going wrong again.”

  Chance was never one to hold back on his punches, but Rory knew that. “I wasn’t using that as an excuse.”

  “I think you are.”

  “Drop it, brother. This is my life and I’ll make my own decisions. You weren’t there when we grew up so don’t go getting all fatherly on me now. I managed just fine then and I will now too.”

  Chance stood up and advanced on Rory. His back ramrod straight, his mouth set, and there was a cold chill in his eyes Rory had never seen before. He stood nose to nose with his brother. “Don’t ever throw that in my face, understand? I did the best I could for all of us and you bloody well know it. If I’d stayed, the old man would be dead by now, more than likely by my hands, and I’d be locked up. You kids would have starved if not for me because he drank every penny he managed to make.”

  They butted chests, quick to fire at each other, a trait they’d shared as youngsters. “Bullshit. He supported us, fed us while you were living it up with the good life. Just because he spent most of his time in the bottle didn’t mean we went hungry. You weren’t there, so how could you know?” The anger was quick to build in Rory. Years of tampering down the disappointment of having to be the eldest in the house, and therefore the most responsible one, took its toll and he lashed out, pushing his hand into Chance, knocking him off balance.

  Chance fell against the kitchen island, a groan of pain rushing past his lips. “You have no idea.” Footsteps pounded down the stairs and seconds later Callie and Gina hurried into the kitchen.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Callie stepped between the two of them, pushing Rory back.

  “Big brother here is giving me some of his wisdom. Pity he didn’t hang around long enough to do it when we really needed him. Instead he shot off as soon as he could and became a ‘super rodeo star.’” He pulled a face, and made air quotes. “What a great life you had, Chance. People throwing themselves at you, telling you how wonderful you are. Bet that was nice compared to what we had to deal with. And now you’re trying to tell me how to run my life. Classic Chance, you haven’t changed.”

  “You really are a fucking idiot, you know that? I love you and all, Rory but open your eyes.” Callie turned to her husband, reaching out to him. “Are you okay?”

  “Let it be. Just leave it, okay?” Chance grabbed her hand, pulling her close.

  Gina stood at the door, a terrified stranger caught in the middle of a horrible family argument.

  “No, I won’t. Its time he knew the truth too.” Callie kissed him, then turned from her husband and looked at Rory. “Who do you think paid for your living expenses when you were growing up? Your schooling and clothing? It wasn’t your father because we all know how he was managing. It was Chance. He took every fall, every kick to the kidneys, and every roll of applause was for his brothers. Even when he’d had more than he should have to take and wanted to retire, he kept at it so you could have what he thought you all deserved.” She took a breath, fire filling her eyes. “The only way he managed to get out of it was by being almost killed.”

  Rory’s stomach dropped. A taste of bile rose in his throat. He glanced over her head at his elder brother. “No, you’re wrong. We survived on Mom’s life insurance. It wasn’t much. It was enough for us to get by on.”

  “There wasn’t any life insurance. Never was.” Chance sighed. “Look, I never wanted you guys to feel responsible so I let you think the old man was doing okay. It wasn’t your fault then and it isn’t now. I did what I thought was right at the time and if that meant I wasn’t there for you, well I’m sorry.”

  Pain filled Rory’s gut. All the years of wishing his brother was there for him when they were growing up were suddenly wasted. He’d done all he could for his brothers and suffered in the process. “You did that for us?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You guys mean everything to me.” Callie led Chance back to his chair and pushed him into it. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin against his neck. “So does this one and, if you haven’t noticed, you can’t stop her saying what she wants.”

  “Just telling it like it is.” She kissed his cheek.

  “We never knew.” Rory looked at his brother, admiration replacing the anger from a moment ago.

  “I didn’t do it to get brownie points. I did it so you guys could have a decent shot at life and I’d do it again. End of story.” Chance pulled Callie around and down onto his lap. She laughed and snuggled into him.

  I need this again. The love, the companionship that he has. He looked over at Gina hovering in the doorway and wondered if this was his second chance and, if so, did he really want to get that involved where his heart was on the line?

  *

  Gina watched the emotions rolling over Rory’s face, her heart pounding at the sudden burst of anger that had stemmed from the two men. Was this what she wanted for her child? Life in San Francisco had been fraught with violence in the poorer district where they’d lived. She’d hoped that she wouldn’t have to face it here in Marietta where it was a lighter pace of life. Maybe she’d been wrong about Rory.

  Gina kept to the stairs out of the way until things calmed down. Once they sorted out their differences, her heart slowed to a steady pace.

  How special would it be to have a brother like Chance who put his own wants and needs aside for someone else. She sucked in a steadying breath, and plastered a smile on her face before walking into the room. “Right, let me get on to dinner now the munchkin is fast asleep. I swear that little boy has more energy than me some days.”

  Callie laughed. “If he ever gets too much, send him my way. He is one gorgeous little bubba.”

  Chance held her tight. “We could always have our own, you know.”

  “I’m giving it serious thought after meeting Fisher, let me tell you. Can I do anything to help, Gina?”

  “No, please let me do this. It’s the least I can do. I love to cook and this is an awfully nice kitchen to do it in. I’ve never had anything quite like this before.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s wasted on me.” Callie laughed when Gina gave a shudder. “How about we open a bottle of wine? If I’m not mistaken, we have something to celebrate. Brothers back together at last.”

  Gina breathed a sigh of relief. She thought for a moment that Callie was going to say something about her and Rory and the reason she was here. That would be a discussion for when the men weren’t present. She didn’t want to put any more of a damper on the evening than the heated argument already had.

  Callie climbed off Chance’s lap and went into the pantry. She came out a few minutes later with a bottle of red wine. She held it up for inspection. “This do?”

  Chance looked at the label and nodded his approval, then stood up to gather glasses. Rory finally moved from the spot beside the kitchen counter and stepped over to his brother, halting him on his way back to the counter. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe you did all that for us and the old man never said a word.”

  Chance put down the glas
ses and hugged him, slapping Rory on the back. “I know if the wheels were turned, you’d do the same for us.”

  “You think? I’m not as keen on pain as you are.”

  “So why are you a sheriff’s deputy? Surely you cop a bit of agro every now and then.” Chance nudged him with his shoulder and took the bottle from Callie, unscrewing the top.

  “Yeah, but I have a gun to hide behind if things get too rough.”

  “You don’t look like the type to hide, to me.” Gina put a heavy skillet on the stove top and lit the gas before she turned back to the conversation. Her intended husband was built very nicely indeed. Broad shoulders, tall with a seductive swagger that she hadn’t picked up on before and a smile that would melt many a heart. “I bet criminals run and scatter when they see you coming.”

  “Don’t be fooled by his large imposing nature, Gina, he’s a softie at heart. He has a pretty good arrest rate though, let me tell you. Things here in town might be a bit calmer than what he’s used to, which will probably suit him in his old age.” He placed a glass of wine beside the cutting board where she was working.

  “How do you know?” Rory reached out and accepted a glass of his own.

  Chance held a drink up to his wife and then picked up his own. “Because I kept an eye on you, that’s why. I knew what you were all up to, all the time. Every bit of trouble you got into, every commendation for service, I heard about it.”

  Gina watched the play between the two men and smiled, letting the family bonding roll over her, desperate to be included in the circle. If things worked out for her and Fisher here at the ranch she would be a very lucky girl. The show of love between the two siblings warmed her heart and Callie appeared to fit into the mix just fine throwing her type of sass around. This was what she wanted for her baby boy. A family that was prepared to put others first and take care of them no matter what, just like Chance had done. She sent up a silent prayer that it would all work out, that she could do enough to make Rory so happy that he wouldn’t let her go.

  “To my brother, Chance. For everything you did for us and the way you still manage to stick your nose in, whether it’s wanted or not.” Rory lifted his glass.

  “To Chance.” Callie and Gina saluted the man of the moment and he grinned a little sheepishly before raising his glass.

  “To Rory and Gina. Second chances for each of you. All the best of luck.”

  Gina blushed and risked a glance at Rory. His gaze was upon her and a small smile creased the corners of his lips. She breathed a sigh of relief and sipped her wine, savoring the deep hint of plum on the back of her tongue. When she put her glass on the counter Gina looked at the meat, trying to decide what else to prepare for dinner. “So, salad or vegetables with this steak?”

  “I’ll eat anything I don’t have to cook.” Callie shrugged her shoulders, batting her eyelashes at her husband. “I can’t help it if I prefer to herd cattle than bake cakes.”

  “You’re the cook, do what you like.” Chance grinned at Gina. “I’ll eat anything you put in front of me.”

  “Same here.” Rory put his glass down. “Can I help with anything; peel potatoes or something for you?”

  Gina was lost for words. She’d never had anyone offer to help her before and she didn’t quite know how to respond.

  Callie butted in. “I’m going to go and check that the baby is still sleeping. Chance, you can come with me.” She grabbed her husband’s hand and the wine bottle. “Call us when you want the table set.” They laughed and hurried from the kitchen.

  “Um, that’s kind of awkward.” Gina could tell her cheeks were going red and kept her gaze on the wine glass. “They didn’t need to use Fisher as an excuse, once he’s asleep, he doesn’t wake up til morning.”

  “They do it all the time. Guess it’s what happens when you’re newly married and head over heels in love. I’ve pretty much gotten used to it.” Gina noticed a wistful tone to his words. “I think they like to make out and most of the time it’s where I can’t see them. I have to at least thank them for that. Don’t know if I could live with the scars it’d leave seeing my brother in a compromising position.”

  “That’s really sweet though, the way they act around each other.”

  Gina walked back into the pantry and grabbed the bucket of potatoes, then put it on the counter. She picked out four around the same size, dropped them into the sink, and looked hopefully at Rory. “You could scrub these for me if you like.”

  “Sure.” Rory put his wine down and reached for a brush and proceeded to scrub off the dirt. Gina chose a few vegetables from the chiller tray in the fridge and chopped them for a green stir-fry. She turned the oven on and then looked for tin foil to wrap the potatoes in. When Rory passed them over, she wrapped them tight in the foil and popped them in the oven to cook.

  After a quick sip of wine, Gina checked the skillet and turned up the heat, wanting it smoking before she put the thick steaks on it. She knew that first impressions mattered and the need to wow this family was foremost in her mind.

  “You look like you’re in your element here.”

  Gina smiled, realizing how relaxed she’d become talking to Rory. “If I could be anything I wanted to, I’d be a chef.” She looked up at him. “I never had the chance to go to culinary school or anything, so I used to make up recipes in my head, not that I got to cook them as much as I’d like to have done, given our circumstances. We were on a set menu at the diner where I worked and I didn’t get the chance to try out my recipes but that didn’t stop me from dreaming them up in my head.”

  “I’m sorry I can’t give you a definite answer straight away, Gina. Please don’t worry about your future. I’m sure we’ll work it out between us.”

  “I hope so. I like it here. The snow is so pretty on the mountains and the air is much cleaner than in the city. It’d be a nice place to bring up children.” And with luck there will be more brothers and sisters for Fisher to play with. This was a gamble she couldn’t afford to lose. Desperation made her question every nuance, every word uttered, wondering if it was the one that would end her chance of a brighter future. But more than anything, Gina was a fighter, a go-getter and she wouldn’t give up her big chance without a fight. She had the feeling the lonely deputy would be worth all the angst she was going through right now.

  “Do you think you could be happy with me?” He watched her closely, his fingers wrapped around the stem of his glass.

  “You seem like a genuine type of guy and I can understand why you’re doing things this way rather than dating and all. You know I’m doing this for Fisher and I don’t want to lose sight of that. But I like what I’ve seen of you and your family. I guess if we work on it, we can make it happen.”

  “I’m glad you decided to come here, I really am. I think you’ve done me more good in one day than I’ve done for myself in the last few years.”

  She breathed an inward sigh of relief. “I’m pleased to hear it. Now I think I can put this steak on. Want to set the table for me? I’d hate to interfere with the newlyweds’ quiet time.”

  “Sure.” He put out placemats while Gina moved the slabs of steak onto the grill. The sharp sizzle of meat making contact with the heat sent up a rush of smoke and the smell of steak filled the kitchen. In a fry pan, she tossed butter and a small splash of oil. When it melted together she tossed in the green vegetables and stirred them while keeping an eye on the steaks. “Better call the others if they want to eat. It won’t be long now.”

  Rory walked to the stairs and hurried up. She could hear the knock on a door and then voices before he returned. “They’ll be down in a minute. Want me to check on Fisher?”

  Gina shook her head. “He never wakes up once he’s down.” She mixed the vegetables again before pouring them into a bowl. “Put these on the table please.” Rory took them and did as she bid. The steaks were cooking well and Gina looked at the color changing before turning them over. “Right, two minutes and then five for resting and we’r
e done.”

  Rory collected the salt and pepper and hot sauce from the pantry, placed them on the table, and then leaned on the counter, watching her.

  Chapter Seven

  When she’d finished her meal he could see her eyelids getting heavy and insisted she leave the cleaning of the kitchen to him.

  “I’ll gladly wash up every night if you cook like this.” Callie chewed the last morsel of meat from the T-bone steak and dropped it on her plate, sucking her fingers clean.

  “That was divine. I’ll second my dear wife’s idea. Keep her away from the stove and we’ll clean up.” Chance ducked the swing Callie playfully sent his way. She squealed when he grabbed her, trapping her hand in his.

  “Let me walk you up. You look all in, Gina.” Rory had held her chair out when she stood up, swaying slightly on her feet. “It’s been a big few days for you.”

  “Yes, it has but I expected a certain amount of upheaval. Thank you all for being so welcoming. I really do appreciate it more than I can say.” She smiled and then looked at Rory who held his hand out to her.

  When she took it, he smiled and gripped her fingers. “Let’s get you tucked in.” Her eyes widened and he kicked himself. “I didn’t mean I was going to tuck you in. I mean you can do that.” He gave up and pulled her out of the kitchen and up the stairs, ignoring the roar of laughter behind him.

  “It’s okay, I know what you meant.” She held on tight as he helped her upstairs. They stopped outside her bedroom door which was slightly ajar. Gina pushed it open and glanced at her baby, fast asleep on his back, hands over his head and blankets kicked off. His little mouth worked as he talked in his dreams.

  “He is the sweetest little thing.” Rory couldn’t believe how attached he already was to the chubby little boy.

  “Yeah he is. But I’m biased.” She wiped a hand over her eyes and yawned. “Sorry, it’s been a tough couple of days and I’m bushed.”

  Rory rested a hand on her shoulder and glanced into her eyes. “Go to bed and don’t worry about anything. I have to go to work in the morning but you can sleep in as long as you like. I should be home just after three o’clock. If you need anything call me or drive down to town. The sheriff’s office is easy to find.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before stepping back.