Clint appeared beside him. "I do not envy you."
Brandon laughed. "One is leaving and hopefully the other one is, too."
His friend glanced at him. "Oh? Which is which?"
"Gemma's leaving tomorrow."
"And you're going to let her go?"
His heart hurt at the idea, but he wouldn't hold her back. She had a dream and he remembered how that felt. "Yes, I'm going to let her go."
"Mm."
"What?"
Clint shook his head. "None of my business."
"Since when has that stopped you from giving me unsolicited advice?"
"I'm not one to give advice on affairs of the heart," Clint said.
He took off his cowboy hat, then settled it back on his head.
"You've been married how long?"
"Forty-three years."
"Then I think you qualify. I have two unsuccessful years under my belt."
Clint eyed him for a moment, then went back to watching the horse. "You probably won’t like what I have to say."
"Probably not, but go ahead. Dazzle me."
Clint laughed. "My dazzling days are over."
"Then give it to me straight."
"You shouldn't believe either of them."
"Really? I can understand not trusting Jessica, but Gemma has never lied to me."
"She'd never lied intentionally. I'm not sure she even knows she lied."
"What did she lie about?"
"You'll have to find that out for yourself."
CHAPTER TWO
Jessica sat in the rocking chair when she came back with a glass of water. "Stardom isn't all it's cracked up to be."
"I'd rather find that out for myself," Gemma said. "We've had this conversation before."
Gemma didn't want to be flippant. Who knew how this woman could help her in the future. She was a bigwig in the industry, though Gemma had heard rumors of how difficult she could be.
"You want my advice?"
"Uh, not really, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway."
Jessica laughed. "Find someone you can trust to be with you on your journey."
Gemma thought of Brandon. She could trust him. "Physically on my journey, or just emotionally?"
"Emotionally. You can't always bring that person with you, but knowing they are in your court will help you through the dark days."
"Are you having dark days?"
Jessica flashed her a sardonic grin. "I am. Never thought I'd see them."
"And you came back to see if Brandon was that person to trust?"
"I came back because I knew he wouldn't turn me away."
"But he wants you to go."
She waved a hand, a frown forming on her face. "Yeah, guess I misjudged the situation."
"Do you have somewhere to go?"
Jessica nodded. "I do. Helen at the bar and I are friends from way back. She'll take me in for a few days."
"So what's next for you?"
"Not sure. Your plans?"
"I pick up my car today, and then tomorrow morning, I set off down the road again."
"And leave Brandon behind."
Gemma was not going to share how she felt with Brandon’s ex-wife. She was questioning her plans to leave. She liked what she had with Brandon. She even liked Iowa. "He knew my plans from the beginning."
"That doesn't mean he didn't lose his heart."
Gemma waved away the idea. He didn't feel anything for her. Too bad she felt things for him. Things she didn't want to feel.
"You love him," Jessica said as if she'd been reading Gemma's thoughts.
"Don't be silly." She stood. "I'm going to work on his cookbook. Excuse me."
***
Brandon had nothing else to do, and he was cold and getting hungry. Clint had gone back to his own house to check on his wife. Brandon had no reason to stay outside, and the wind had picked up. He hoped the storm due tomorrow would wait until evening.
He entered his house to find Jessica on his rocking chair. He didn't want her in his space. He didn't want to think about her and if she was really pregnant.
He wasn't noble enough to marry her and raise another man's child. She grimaced.
"What?"
"I'm just a little crampy."
"Okay."
He didn't want to get involved in female things, so he didn't say anything else, and found Gemma at his island with her laptop opened, her fingers flying.
"Hey," he said after he'd watched her for a moment.
She jumped as if she'd been doing something wrong. She clicked to minimize something. What remained was one of his recipes partially typed in.
Not in the mood for any confrontation, he dismissed her actions. "Lunch?"
"It's early."
"I worked hard already," Brandon said.
"Then let me make something," Gemma said.
"How's your foot?"
"Fine. Much better than yesterday. The ibuprofen is working."
"Then pick a simple recipe."
She tapped her chin. "How about your grilled cheese. You have the ingredients?"
"Which one?"
"The goat cheese one," she said.
"I just got some from the creamery. I'll get out the ingredients."
"Thanks."
She went back to her laptop for a moment, then closed it when he said he had all the items she needed.
"Is Clint here?"
"He went home for lunch. It's only you and I."
"No, there's Jessica."
"Oh, right. Forgot about her."
Well, at least he'd wanted to.
***
Gemma thought it odd that he'd forgotten about Jessica, but she didn't say. She was glad he hadn't seen the e-mail she'd sent to Helen with Brandon's recipe to be made from tonight's potluck.
She'd had a hard time choosing, but settled on a chicken dish, a casserole.
Now she stood in front of the stove, waiting for the pan to heat. She'd assembled all the sandwiches and they sat on a board beside the cook-top.
With the pan hot and butter melted, she put the first sandwich in the pan. The sizzle reminded her of how Brandon made her feel. Who knew cooking could be so sexy.
"Turn down the heat," Brandon said.
He lazed against the island, watching her. She liked that he was close. She did as he suggested.
He moved to lean against the refrigerator right next to the stove. "Put the lid on, too."
"You need to put all that in the recipe," she said.
He wrote that on her recipe sheet. "You going back and fixing these things?"
"I am."
Brandon touched her arm and smiled at her. His touch still sent a thrill through her. She thought she could touch him forever.
"Well, doesn't this look cozy and domestic," Jessica said from the door.
Gemma stiffened. She didn't consider this woman her rival, but the woman's presence made her uncomfortable. She had once shared a bed with Brandon.
"Don't, Jessica. No need to be catty. You hungry?" Brandon said.
"Yes, I am."
"Then sit. It'll be ready in a few minutes," Gemma said.
"He teaching you how to cook?" Jessica asked.
"I'm trying out some of his recipes."
"Right, for that Cowboy Cookbook." The disdain dripped off of Jessica's words and Gemma wanted to glare at her, but decided this was Brandon's problem. Not hers.
***
Brandon didn't know what to say to Jessica. Her attitude hadn't changed about his project. He appreciated what Gemma had accomplished while she was here, but he didn't want to argue. With anyone.
Right now, he wanted everyone gone so he could get back to his quiet life. People, especially women, were a lot of trouble. Instead, he set places for the three of them.
"So, how are your plans to leave, Jessica?"
She glared at him. "I have to call Helen. See if she can put me up for a few days until I figure out what I'm doing."
Not that he wasn't happy to see her go. If she was gone tonight, he could spend time with Gemma. Maybe they would have more sex. He had to figure out how to take Gemma in this kitchen without hurting her foot.
Maybe on the counter.
"What are you smiling at?" Jessica asked.
At that moment, his plans were probably written all over his face. He grimaced. "Nothing at all."
"First sandwich is done," Gemma said.
Brandon retrieved it and gave it to Jessica. "Enjoy."
"I will," she said before biting into it.
Gemma finished the other two, then sat at the counter between Jessica and Brandon. "These are good."
"You cooked them better than I do," Brandon said.
Gemma smiled. "I probably cooked them slower."
"Maybe. You'll have to note the slower time in the recipe."
"Wow, Brandon. Sounds like you're serious about this cookbook," Jessica said.
He finished chewing his bite. "I am. Gemma's helping with it and it may actually get published."
"It's only been a few years since you started it," Jessica said between bites.
"Amazing what can be accomplished when you have someone's support," Brandon said.
He could feel the anger coming off of her, so he didn't bother looking at her. She could stew in her own juices. She'd be out of his hair soon.
CHAPTER THREE
Gemma had hoped to escape the tension between Brandon and Jessica, but now she had a front row seat to the conflict. Lucky her. She thought they had hashed it out in the barn, but it didn’t seem that they had.
This was not what she'd stayed here for.
"So now I didn't support you?" Jessica said. "Who was there through your whole recovery?"
He dropped his sandwich on his plate. "Only because you thought I was going to go back to the rodeo circuit," Brandon said.
Gemma had no desire to referee this, but she was caught in the middle, physically and metaphorically. The grilled cheese congealed in her stomach. She had no reason to get involved. This wasn’t her fight, but she had to live with them for the next eighteen hours. Should she intervene?
"You gave that up too easily," Jessica said.
"The docs said I would be paralyzed if I had one more throw. You do remember what I did for a living," Brandon said.
He swiveled in his seat to look at Jessica. Gemma studied her also. She was a tall woman, probably coming close to Brandon's height. What a couple they must have looked like in their day.
Now they were so busy being mad at each other that they couldn't see the potential for friendship. Except for her last boyfriend, she'd remained friends with many of her past lovers.
"I wasn't convinced they were right," Jessica said.
"Well, I wasn't going to gamble with my ability to walk. I had other plans for my life. I always knew that I wouldn't be old and doing rodeo."
"You could have done something else involving rodeo," Jessica said.
"No way. I was done, and it was time to move on," Brandon said.
He stood grabbed his plate and Gemma's, then strode to the sink. He put them in there with more noise than he should have. At least these two didn't have children.
But maybe Brandon should marry her and raise her child. Gemma frowned, but it would solve a few problems.
"Okay, you two. Enough," Gemma said.
She couldn't help herself. Maybe if she got them to reconcile or at least be friends, she could go off to Hollywood with a clear conscience.
The two of them looked at her as if they had forgotten she was in the room. Based on their argument, they clearly had.
"You two obviously have some residual feelings for each other, why not hash out what you can so you can at least be friends," Gemma said.
"Why would we want to be friends?" Jessica asked.
"Because life is better when you look at the positive instead of the negative," Gemma said.
"I don't think we can figure things out," Brandon said.
"Then I'll help you. Right now I want to put my foot up and then we can all talk."
She grabbed her crutches then moved to the kitchen door. When she glanced over her shoulder, they hadn't budged. "Come on."
***
Brandon watched Gemma leave, then looked at Jessica, who had crossed her arms. Of course Gemma would want things to be right. She would also be the one making them right, but Brandon wasn’t sure he could let his anger with Jessica go that easily. It had sustained him through some tough times at the start of his farm venture. He sighed. There was no choice.
"She's not going to let up until we try," he said.
Jessica leaned on the counter as if she had no intention of moving. "Oh?"
He wouldn’t touch Jessica, but he wanted to drag her into the living room so that this confrontation would be over with.
"No, she won't. She isn't one to just sweep things under the rug. She's going to make us do this or annoy us into trying."
Jessica huffed. "Fine."
She stomped out of the room. Brandon cleared her place, then strode into the living room. Jessica sat in one rocking chair, so he guessed he was supposed to sit in the other.
Gemma had her foot on the coffee table. She had her head on the back of the couch.
"You okay?" Brandon said.
Her dark eyes opened to look at him, and he wanted to touch her face. Instead he trailed a finger through her hair. He didn’t want to see her in pain.
"Fine. Now sit and let’s hash this out," she said.
Brandon glanced at Jessica, who glared at him. "I'm not sure this will work."
"Of course it will. You once loved each other. You must have some feelings since you're fighting."
Brandon sat in the only chair left in the room. He wasn't convinced that he and Jessica could do this, but in the short time he’d known Gemma, he'd learned that she wouldn't give up.
If asked, he'd say he admired that trait, but also found it to be annoying. She wouldn't let things fester. She dealt with them and moved on. He found it sexy.
He didn't always take that tack. Nor did Jessica. Maybe that was their biggest problem.
"Where do we start?" Brandon said.
"Let me see."
Gemma tapped her finger on her chin. Jessica rocked with one foot, her legs crossed. She wasn't enjoying this anymore than Brandon was. He drummed his fingers on his thigh, looking at anything but Jessica. His foot tapped the floor in a staccato. He couldn’t seem to stop.
How did Gemma do this?
“I think each of you get to talk. You can’t talk over the other person and you have to listen to what I have to say,” Gemma said finally.
“Why are we doing this?” Jessica asked.
“Because it’s good karma to part as friends,” Gemma said. “And frankly, I bet you could use a good friend like Brandon right about now.”
Did Gemma know that Jessica had told him she was pregnant? He wasn’t convinced that she was, but maybe Gemma had picked up on something.
Jessica stopped rocking. “Why do you think I need a friend now?”
“Because I just read about your financial situation on Buzz feed. And I know that you’re pregnant,” Gemma said.
“How do you know that?” She turned to Brandon. “Did you tell her?”
He put up his hands. “It wasn’t me. You have not been a big topic of conversation for me and Gemma, sorry.”
“I figured it out by myself. You have that look about you.”
So she really was pregnant. He felt a little bad for wanting to kick her out.
***
Gemma knew that Jessica was pregnant, and this was why she wanted to get them sorted out. That, and she could leave with a clear conscience knowing that Brandon wasn’t alone in the world. Nor was Jessica, though she had less of a stake in that woman’s life.
“Well, then I guess I can’t
kick you out, can I?” Brandon said.
He was looking Jessica over, as if making sure she didn’t have tentacles or some odd body part. Gemma was not surprised by his statement. He had a big heart. She just had to play on that. “No, Brandon, you can’t. I’ll be gone tomorrow, so you can let Jessica stay. Even if it is still on the couch.”
“That won’t do long term,” he said.
Jessica stopped rocking, and leaned forward in her chair. “Could we not talk about me as if I’m not here? Brandon doesn’t have to put me up. I talked to Helen and she has room for me.”
“You talked to Helen?” Brandon said.
“She’s the only friend I made in this town. We’ve kept in touch.”
Gemma had caught an undertone between Helen and Brandon. Seemed funny that Helen was interested in Brandon while being friends with his ex-wife. She kept that information to herself. No need to complicate things, especially since Brandon clearly did not return Helen’s affections.
Brandon crossed his arms. “When were you going to tell me this?”
“I don’t think it is your business,” Jessica said.
He rubbed a hand down his face, clearly not happy. If he could just get past his anger, Gemma thought they could work this all out. She planned on trying her best to make that happen. That’s just how she was.
“You made it my business by showing up here.”
Gemma could see how this would escalate. “Jessica, he has a point. Now, please tell him your plans.”
Jessica frowned. “I’m not sure what my plans are. I hadn’t thought about having children ever.”
Brandon’s mouth dropped open. Obviously he hadn’t known about that. That might have been a deal breaker for him somewhere down the line. Maybe Jessica had done them a favor by leaving when she did.
“What about your finances?” Brandon said.
“I have a little tucked away that my accountant didn’t know about. You know, for a rainy day.”
“Can I ask how much?”
She shrugged. “A few hundred thousand.”
“So your situation isn’t as desperate as you’ve made it sound,” Brandon said.
Gemma liked that they were talking without any intervention from her.
“No, I guess not. I’m sorry. I’m scared.”
Brandon frowned and looked as if he wanted to go to her. His ego was probably not letting him yet. He hadn’t forgiven her. In that moment, Gemma knew that she loved him. She didn’t want to, but she did. He would help Jessica. She knew this, and that made him sexier.
The White Cowboy - Complete BWWM Romance Box Set Page 14