by Myla Jackson
Libby raised her brows at his demand. “Say please.”
His brows lowered and he snarled, “Please.”
Libby grinned, poured the liquor and set it in front of him. “You know, dancing with another girl doesn’t ingratiate yourself with the one you want.”
Fuck. Now the bartender was giving him a hard time.
“Libby’s right,” Angus chimed in. “If you want Fancy, you have to woo her.”
“She doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Colin admitted.
Libby snorted. “That’s not what her eyes are saying.”
Colin’s gaze shot to where Dusty and Fancy danced, smiling at each other. What was Libby talking about? As far as he could tell, Fancy only had eyes for Dusty.
“Why don’t you ask her out?” Brody prodded.
Colin snorted. “She won’t go.”
“She’s a real estate agent.” Libby filled a mug full of beer and set it on the counter for another customer before continuing. “Hire her to find you a place of your own.”
“I don’t need another place,” Colin argued.
Angus leaned close to his brother. “If you don’t find a woman in the next three weeks, all three of us will need Fancy’s services to locate homes for us.” His brother spun on his stool to face the dance floor. “Either go after her, or find another woman. Time is running out.”
“Mom can’t be serious.” Colin tossed back the next shot of whiskey. It didn’t burn like the last one, and he was getting a little bit of a buzz starting. “McFarlans have lived at the Rafter M since they came to Texas over one hundred and fifty years ago.”
“She wants us to move on with our lives.” Angus’s brows lowered and he nodded toward their mother and Carl. “Like she’s moving on with hers.”
Charli Sutton appeared on the stage again. “And we have a winner! Carl Landers and Maggie McFarlan schooled the competition, and proved you’re never too old to be a winner at the Ugly Stick Saloon!”
Every cowboy and cowgirl hooted and hollered, congratulating the couple.
“I predict that before long, we’ll have a new stepdad,” Angus said.
Colin’s gut clenched. “We have to stop this.”
“You know Mom. She’s got a mind of her own and is as stubborn as they come.” Angus glanced at his watch. “And I don’t have time to bust them up. Gwen and Dalton are coming in from Dallas to go to the county fair with me tomorrow. I’m headed home to hit the sack. You coming?”
Colin’s fists knotted as Fancy and Dusty headed for the exit, arm in arm, laughing.
As Alexis had put it so clearly, he either needed to piss or get off the pot. Either he went for Fancy and risked falling flat on his face again, or he gave up and courted another woman.
His gaze panned the saloon, slowing briefly on the eligible young women. Alexis and Hayley Banks were out. Too young. He’d probably ruined his chances with them anyway by acting the fool tonight.
Mandy McAlister, a waitress at the diner, was nice enough, but Colin’s pulse didn’t speed at the sight of her.
Damn. Colin hated to admit it, but he still had feelings for Fancy. Was it head-over-heels, let’s-make-a-fool-of-yourself love? Hell. Since she’d arrived at the Ugly Stick Saloon, he’d done nothing but make a complete ass of himself.
A hand waved in front of his face.
“I’m leaving,” Angus said. “If you’re not riding with me, you’ll have to find another ride home, since we came together.”
“I’m coming.” A last glance at his mother and Landers made his blood boil and an idea take root. Maybe it was time to invoke a little reverse psychology. He’d show Fancy what she was missing and force her to spend a little time with him working on the Maggie-Landers breakup.
If all went according to plan, he might have a chance to win after all.
Dusty Cramer might have left with Fancy tonight, but he wasn’t the right man for her. Colin just had to show her who was.
Fancy sat back in the comfortable bucket seat of Dusty’s SUV. “Thanks, Dusty. I don’t know what I’d have done without you tonight.”
Dusty shook head. “Why don’t you just tell him?”
She shot a frown at Dusty her chest tightening. “Tell who what?” Was it so obvious? Did everyone see what she refused to admit to herself?
“That you’re still in love with Colin. Why don’t you tell him?”
Fancy faced the road ahead, her eyes stinging, the pain in her chest almost too much to bear. “I can’t,” she whispered.
“He seems crazy about you.” Dusty chuckled. “Hell, he fell at your feet and nearly picked a fight with me when I pretended to almost kiss you. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.” Dusty’s smile slipped. “And, for the record, I was tempted to make it a real kiss.” His fingers gripped the steering wheel and it was his turn for his focus to remain on the road.
Fancy studied Dusty in the light from the dash. “I’m sorry, Dusty. You’re a nice guy.”
“That’s my problem. If I wasn’t so nice, I might have a shot with the girls. Is that it?”
“No. You just haven’t found the right one.”
“I’ll be thirty-four on my next birthday. I have yet to be married and have no prospects.” He shook his head. “But this isn’t about me. Why won’t you tell Colin you still love him?”
A tear slipped down her cheek and she brushed it away. With a laugh that sounded more like a sob, she said, “I thought I was over him. Seeing him again makes me realize I’m not.” She looked up at Dusty through tear-filled eyes. “I can’t let him break my heart again…”
“Who says he’ll break your heart again?”
She snorted. “We’re talking about Colin. How many women has he dated since I’ve been gone?”
“A few,” Dusty said. “Okay, a lot. But that might be because they weren’t you.”
“How do I know he wouldn’t date and dump me just like one of those women?” It still hurt that Colin had let her go to Dallas and never came after her. Sure, she understood the violation of the brother code, but after a reasonable amount of time, if he’d really loved her, he’d have come for her.
He didn’t.
“Why did you come back to Temptation?” Dusty asked.
“I was tired of the rat race in Dallas. It’s a big, impersonal city. I was nothing more than a tiny fish in an ocean of people.”
“Out of all those people, you couldn’t find a man you loved?” Dusty asked.
“I thought I had.”
Dusty glanced her way but didn’t say anything.
“I dated him for six months. I almost married him.” When she’d turned twenty-nine, she heard the ticking of her biological clock and would have married him to have children.
“But?”
He wasn’t Colin. He didn’t have calluses on his hands, he’d never been up close and personal with a cow and he’d never ridden a horse. He wasn’t Colin. Hell, all the men she’d dated weren’t the rugged cowboys she’d grown up with. She missed that.
“He knew,” Fancy finally answered.
“That you were still in love with another man?”
Fancy nodded. “I also came back to Temptation to get Colin well and truly out of my system.” Only the plan was backfiring horribly. No sooner had she been alone with the man, she’d dropped her panties and had sex with him in the storeroom.
“Seems to me you’re hurting yourself by resisting what’s right there in front of you,” Dusty said.
“I don’t care. I can’t go through life mooning over a man I fell in love with when I was barely out of my teens.” She bunched her fists. “I have to get over him.”
“Then do it.”
She laughed, a sob choking her throat. “How?” she whispered.
“Spend time with him.”
�
�What?” She stared at Dusty as if he’d lost his mind.
“Spend time with him and pick apart every fault. Maybe he’ll pick his nose, belch or fart in front of you.”
Fancy wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”
“That’s the spirit. Find all those little things that make you nuts, and blow them out of proportion.”
“He does want me to help break up my uncle and his mother. That’s annoying.” And necessary to her future peace of mind if she wanted to avoid awkward family functions.
“Then do it. Join forces. Maybe too much togetherness will breed contempt, and you will both part amicably.”
She had promised to help him with the Carl and Maggie issue. “It might work.” An image of Colin’s face as he’d thrust into her in the storeroom and the resurgence of her own desire at the way her pussy still tingled threatened to derail her mission before she’d made it out of the chute.
She just had to meet him in more public places, never be alone with him and keep her panties on!
Chapter Four
“Has anyone seen Mom today?” Colin asked the next afternoon as he entered the house through the back door. He’d been at one of his construction sites, checking on the progress of the finish carpenters applying baseboards and crown molding in the historic Victorian house he was remodeling for Judge Stephens. They were a week behind schedule and the judge was due back from vacation soon.
“She was here at breakfast this morning.” Brody’s fiancée, Jessie, stood at the stove, stirring onions and hamburger meat in a skillet.
His brother Brody was filling a large pot with water at the sink. “She said something about having a meeting at the diner and not to count on her for supper.”
“Will you be staying?” Jessie asked. “I’m making spaghetti.”
Colin sniffed the air. “Smells good.”
Jessie’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll have you know, I haven’t burned anything in over a week.”
Colin laughed. “You’ll make a fine cook, if you keep this up.”
“I’m better with horses,” she muttered. “But I’m learning from the best.”
“Mom.” Colin sighed. “Think she’ll be on strike forever?”
“I wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t,” Jessie reminded him. “And I really am getting better at cooking.”
Brody slipped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. “And you’re even better in bed.”
“Seriously, Brody. Couldn’t you wait until I left the room?” Colin turned away and would have walked out.
“Angus told me what happened with you and Fancy last night, after I left early.”
Brody’s words made Colin stiffen. How did Angus know about Colin and Fancy having sex in the storeroom?
“I’d have paid good money to see her expression when you fell flat on your face in front of her.” Brody chortled. “Way to make a good impression on the woman after eight years.”
Colin’s shoulders relaxed. He was still getting used to being on friendly terms with Brody after their estrangement. His brother bore a grudge against Colin for eight long years, refusing to speak or be in the same state with him for more than a couple of days.
Now that he was home for good, and in love with Jessie, they were almost back to being like they were before Colin had slept with Fancy.
Yeah, it was a twisted story, with lots of hard feelings, but they were getting past that.
Colin shot a wry smile over his shoulder at his brother. “It wasn’t my best performance.”
Brody pinned him with a glance. “So how long is it going to take for you to go after Fancy?”
Jessie nudged him in the belly. “Isn’t that Colin’s business?”
Brody hugged her against his side. “Not really. He needs to get on the ball. Time is passing far too quickly.”
Colin’s eyes narrowed.
“For what?” Jessie asked. “If Colin wants Fancy, he should take his time and treat her right.”
“He doesn’t have much time.” Brody raised his eyebrows in silent challenge to Colin.
Nothing like his brothers applying pressure to the last single McFarlan man standing.
“Three weeks should be plenty if the woman’s willing and Colin plays his cards right.” Jessie pinched Brody. “Now let go of me so I can stir the sauce.”
Brody released Jessie and strode toward Colin. “Less than three weeks,” he corrected.
“Are you sure you’re okay with…you know?” Though Brody had told him to go for Fancy, it was still too new for Colin to believe it.
“He’s okay with it, Colin,” Jessie answered for Brody. “I know all about what happened between you, Brody and Fancy. Brody fessed up about it.”
Brody grinned. “I can’t keep much from this woman. She sees right through me.”
“She’s a keeper.” Colin winked when Jessie shot a glance over her shoulder.
“Yeah, and you need to find your keeper too. If it’s not Fancy, keep looking.” Brody’s voice lowered. “But make it soon.”
Colin glared at his brother. “Don’t push.”
Brody raised his hands. “Fine. I won’t say another word. Angus and I have the women we love. No matter what happens, we’ll be fine. But we’d be even better if you could find someone of your own.”
Rub it in, Brody. Rub it in.
Colin showered and changed into clean jeans and boots. He tossed on one of his nicer button down shirts and topped it with his best cowboy hat. Satisfied he looked decent, he headed for town. He hoped to find Fancy and implement his plan to win her over, while breaking up the disaster of Carl Landers getting his hands on the ranch and breaking his mother’s heart.
Twenty minutes later he entered PJ’s Diner and stopped short. The two women foremost in his mind sat huddled over a table in the far corner.
Fancy was pointing at a stack of papers and talking, while his mother leaned over the documents, nodding occasionally and asking questions.
What the hell?
Colin strode across the diner and stopped in front of the table, forcing a smile. He couldn’t really win over Fancy if he joined them frowning, now could he?
“Well, I didn’t expect to see you two together. What’s the occasion?” he asked.
His mother’s cheeks warmed and she laid her arms over the papers on the table. “We just happened to bump into each other and decided to have lunch. Didn’t we, dear?” She glanced at Fancy with an expectant smile.
Fancy nodded. “Why yes, of course.”
“Lunch would have been hours ago. It’s almost dinner time.”
His mother glanced at her watch and her eyes widened. “Good grief! Time flies.” She shoved the papers into her voluminous purse and closed it before Colin had a chance to see what they were. “I’m sorry, but I have to leave. I promised a friend we’d meet at the fair in an hour and a half.” She patted her hair, her cheeks rosy. “I have to get back to the house and change. I’ll be late if I don’t get moving.” Colin’s mother leaned across the table and patted Fancy’s hand. “Thank you for talking with me. I’ll think about everything you said and let you know my decision soon.”
“Take your time, Mrs. McFarlan.”
“Oh, pooh. Call me Mrs. M. Jessie calls me that, and I kind of like it.” She scooted out of the booth seat, stood and faced Colin. “Did you want something, dear?”
His brows descended. The women were keeping secrets from him. “To know what’s going on.”
His mother patted his face. “Nothing you need fret about. You have enough to worry about on your own, don’t you?” His mother winked at Fancy. “Don’t let him be a grump to you. He really is the most charming of my three sons.”
“Thank you, Mrs. M. I think I can handle him. You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late.”
Her eyes sparkling, Colin’s mother flashe
d a grin. “It wouldn’t hurt for him to wait a while. A girl needs to play a little hard to get.”
Colin’s jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe those words had come out of his mother’s mouth.
“Really, Colin. I’m old. Not dead.” She left the diner smiling, a stunned son spinning in her wake.
Fancy chuckled at the shock on Colin’s face. “I’ve never seen your mother so animated. Cut her some slack.”
He turned, his brows dipping low. “She’s talking about playing hard to get with your uncle.”
“I know.” Her fingers drummed on the table. “What are we going to do about it?”
Colin slid onto the bench across from her. “Break them up.”
“And how do you propose we do that?”
“Never leave them alone, for one.”
“That will be hard to do. We’d have to stalk them. Isn’t there a law against that?”
“Who cares? She’s my mother.”
“And my uncle.” Fancy stared across the table at him. “So what’s the plan?”
“You heard my mother. She’s meeting him at the fair in an hour and a half. We will be there to make sure they’re never alone. If they decide to go out for a late dinner, we invite ourselves along.”
“And if they decide to go to Lover’s Lane?”
“We follow them to make sure that’s where they’re going and call Dusty to buzz by and break it up. The sheriff’s department has always done the job.”
“Except for one night I seem to recall,” Fancy whispered.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” She faked a happy smile. “So what time are you picking me up for the fair?”
“If you need to change, I can follow you home and wait.”
Her heart skipped several beats and made up by thumping hard against her ribs. “No need to follow me. My Jeep is right outside. I’ll drive myself. Why don’t we meet at the fair in one hour? You know, get the jump on the old folks.”
“I’d rather pick you up at your place, so we don’t have two vehicles to deal with later.”
“Come by in an hour. I’ll be ready.” She scooted across the seat.