Stand By Your Man: The Dawson Brothers #5

by Parker, Ali

  “I hadn’t yet seen it on the corn, but have on the wheat. It appears to be exactly the same,” I said, looking it over. “Yes, the corn is showing the same exact symptoms as the other specimens.”

  “What do you think it is, Miss Dryer?” he asked.

  “I have ruled out an infestation of mites or some other bug. It seems to be a virus perhaps, but I cannot tell for sure, not yet. Not without doing some more testing,” I said, running my gloved hand over the brown spots on the leaves. It was then that I realized just how close he was standing to me. I could feel his arm rub against mine. I suddenly felt heated as I got a whiff of his manly scent. He definitely smelled like a man that had been working out on the ranch.

  “Yes, I came to the same conclusion, but that is as far as I got. But of course I don’t have the luxury of a lab. What tests have you run so far? What did you see under the microscope? And how powerful is your equipment?” He started in with all of the questions, just as I’d expected.

  I looked at him with annoyance. “You know Mr. Dawson, these things take time. There are certain protocols to be followed in the lab when doing experiments so there isn’t cross contamination and—”

  “I don’t have the luxury of time, Miss Dryer. We need to figure this out as soon as possible and figure out a way to fight it, if not stop it completely. There is a lot on the line here,” he said, sounding stubborn.

  I sighed, realizing this was not going to be easy at all. I was dealing with a stubborn man, and I was a stubborn woman.

  “Follow me, Mr. Dawson. We’ll go to the back and I’ll show you the other specimens, and the experiments that I’ve conducted on them so far,” I said, walking toward the back knowing that he was not going to be satisfied until I caught him up to speed with the work I had done to date.

  “Well, that’s a start,” he said, following me.

  I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. What an ungrateful jerk, I thought.

  “Oh, and call me Tanner,” he said, following me.

  “Alright Tanner,” I said.

  “Can I call you Madison?” he asked.

  “No. Miss Dryer is fine,” I said. I tried to restrain a smile as I walked ahead of him. Maybe it was a bitchy thing to say, but he was being a smart-ass as well.

  I spent the rest of the day catching him up to speed with my experiments and showing him my binder of results. I walked him through the computer database where I had logged the information from each experiment. Tanner was full of questions and I began to realize that he had more than just a basic education. It was obvious that he had a degree in agriculture of some kind, because he was using terms that were only used by the academics. I wished that Mr. Phillips had said that to begin with so that I wouldn’t have protested so much.

  Hours went by, and before I knew it, it was early evening. Time had flown by without me even realizing it. We said our goodbyes, and I went home thinking about everything that had happened that day. But I couldn’t get those hazel eyes out of my mind. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Tanner Dawson towering over me as I squatted on the floor picking up the glass. That moment had taken my breath away, even if I didn’t want to admit it. Why did he have to be so darn cute? It would only be a distraction.

  The next morning, I found myself putting on a little mascara, and a bit of lip gloss, something I never did before going into the lab. I didn’t want to admit that I was doing it for him, this reckless young man—a Dawson boy.

  7

  Tanner

  I had been wrong about her. Really wrong about the abilities of student Madison Dryer. It turned out that she was extremely smart, and knew exactly where to go with the research, even if she was a little clumsy. So far, everything she was doing was exactly what I would have done. I had to admit I was having fun in the process, but I wouldn’t tell her that. Because I wasn’t sure if I was having fun because I was back in the lab again, or because I was working by her side. She was incredibly beautiful, but she really didn’t seem to know it. She wasn’t anything like the girls I met at the bars. She was different and I liked that about her.

  Wednesday was no different than Tuesday, except that I was more comfortable working alongside her. But once again we stayed late trying to figure out what was going on with the crops, putting pieces of the specimens through different experiments. Just when we thought we were getting somewhere, it would push us two steps back. But that was just all part of the scientific process. I was in my element, and working alongside her only made it better.

  I walked into the kitchen, and set my straw hat down on the counter. The smell of bacon and coffee was always a welcome aroma.

  “Well look at you. I haven’t seen you that cleaned up in years,” Abi said, as she stirred a pan of eggs on the stove.

  “Where’s Wyatt?” I asked, realizing she had breakfast duty all on her own.

  “He’s out doing a few of your chores before breakfast seeing how we all have extra duties now that you’re not here,” Dylan said walking in.

  “Well then, I might as well help out in the kitchen and takeover Wyatt’s place while I can,” I said, looking at Abi.

  “The pancakes,” she said, pointing to a bowl of batter. I rolled up my sleeves and took over making the pancakes while she finished the eggs. Just then father walked in with his newspaper under his arm and sat down at the table.

  “Morning,” we all said to him.

  “Morning. Dylan, how about some coffee,” he said, as he sat down at the head of the table and unfolded his paper.

  “Sure thing sir,” Dylan said, as he grabbed the pot of coffee and poured a cup for our father, and then one for himself. I held out my mug, and he topped me off.

  “Good morning. Boy it does smell good in here,” Connor said, walking in. We all said good morning to him.

  “Well look at you Tanner, you’re all cleaned up. Wait, does this mean you’re going to the college again today? Haven’t you figured out the big mystery already? We keep having to cover your chores,” Connor said, as he sat down.

  “These things take time,” I replied, flipping a pancake onto a plate.

  “Don’t give your brother a hard time, he’s doing important work. Working for the entire family,” our father said, without putting the paper down. He often did this, talking to us behind a wall of newspaper. He was listening to everything we said of course, but would only interject every now and then.

  “Yes sir,” Connor said. I looked over at him and gave him a grin. He just narrowed his eyes at me and stuck his tongue out. All things that Father couldn’t see.

  A few moments later I had a large pile of pancakes, hot and ready to go. I placed it on the table just as Wyatt walked in. He went to the sink and washed his hands.

  “Just in time. Breakfast is served,” Abi said, as she put a giant platter of eggs with diced vegetables and cubes of cheese on the table with a massive spatula. I grabbed the platter of bacon and set it down by the eggs on the table.

  Soon we were all digging in, eating the hearty breakfast and drinking coffee, water, and fresh squeezed orange juice.

  “How are things going with the research? Any leads so far?” My father asked me.

  “It’s going really well. Only two days in and we have already ruled out what it is not, and getting closer to what it is. The student I’m working with, Madison, thanks it is a virus just like I do. But it is a little rough working with her, she can be stubborn and sometimes she’s clumsy. In fact she can really get to me sometimes,” I said.

  Suddenly I felt all eyes looking at me and I could see Dylan and Connor were smiling.

  “Who is this girl? I have never heard her name before. You know I don’t like these girls in town, all of them are just itching to ‘accidentally’ get pregnant by one of you and take over the family farm,” Abi said. She was always suspicious of every woman that we dated. She didn’t take kindly to new women coming into the cozy atmosphere that we already had. She thought that every woman in town was out for the family
money and not interested in actually being in a loving relationship. Because of that she trusted no one.

  “It’s not like that Abi, we’re just working together. She’s not that type anyway, not the bar hopping type. She pretty much seems to live and breathe research. There is nothing to be concerned about,” I said to her.

  “It better be nothing,” she said.

  But I could feel Dylan and Connor smiling as though they were already thinking that I was sweet on this girl, but weren’t going to say it out loud.

  “Wyatt, I‘m here all day to pitch in. I can take over some of Tanner’s responsibilities,” Father said.

  “Well, we‘ve got it handled between us four now, but we could use you if it ain’t too much trouble,” Wyatt responded.

  “It ain’t. Remember I have done every single thing that all of you do on a daily basis. When I was growing up here I didn’t have as many siblings as you all. It was just me, your two uncles, and your granddaddy.”

  “Yes sir,” Wyatt responded. “Today we were going to go over the irrigation pipes and check for leaks. That is something Tanner does monthly, but hasn’t been able to keep up with his trip to Uncle Jake’s and now this. So if you can help with that it would be great.”

  “I’m on it,” he replied.

  “Pass the bacon,” Abi said.

  I handed her the platter of bacon. Then I got up and grabbed the coffee pot and poured myself another cup. I knew it was going to be a long day and I wanted to be alert. “Anyone else?”

  “Yeah, me,” Wyatt said. I topped off his cup. Dylan motioned at his cup and I poured for him as well. Then I threw out the coffee in the filter and made an entire new pot before sitting down to finish eating.

  “I can’t believe there’s not a word in town about whoever is doing this? Someone’s got to know something, but nobody’s talking,” Dylan said.

  “Maybe we should go out there and start doing some questioning,” Connor said.

  “No. Y’all will do no such thing. Stay out of it. Don’t be questioning people in town. It’s one thing to sit at the diner or be at the store and listen to what people say, it’s another to start interrogating people, and that is not your place. Understand?” Father said sternly.

  “Yes, Father” Dylan and Connor said.

  “They know better than that,” Wyatt said, scolding them. I couldn’t help but restrain a laugh. It was always a little bit funny when my brothers got into trouble with Father, even just a mild scolding. As long as I wasn’t involved in it.

  As we ate, the conversation turned to lighter things. Mostly about what was going to be done on the ranch that day. There was always a lot of work to be done, but with me not doing my share it was even more for everyone else. Father had always worked on the ranch, mending a fence or overseeing the work, but a lot of the time he was also doing the books in his office. He didn’t trust anyone outside the family to deal with the money. Wyatt was learning the books as well, to take over for Father one day. I had no interest in that stuff. Doing numbers and accounting was extremely boring to me.

  With breakfast over, we all washed our own plates and cups. It was just how we had always done it so there wasn’t a big pile of dishes for one person to do. This way each person only had one dish and one cup. But Abi and Wyatt usually washed the pots and pans since they were the cooks. This time I helped out with the pan and spatula that I had used to make the pancakes.

  Before I left I went back to my room and changed into a fresh shirt, one that didn’t smell like bacon and pancakes. I rolled up the sleeves to my elbows, looking at the tattoo sleeve on my right arm. Then I put on my straw hat and walked down the stairs and outside to the porch. Father was sitting there smoking his pipe and having another cup of coffee.

  “Tanner.”

  “Yes sir,” I said, going to his side.

  “We’ve already lost enough money on this crop situation. The break that we had to cut down, that was several thousand in corn, as you know. The line of the sick crops just keeps growing. We stand to lose the entire yield. We‘ve got to find out what’s going on, so do whatever you’ve got to do in that lab. Stay late if you need to. We don’t have a lot of time.”

  “Yes sir, I understand. I really do feel like I’m closer to an answer. My lab partner is really smart, smarter than I expected. Hell, she might even be smarter than me. We’re close Father, I can feel it.”

  “All right then, you get going and get to work. We’re counting on you,” he said.

  “Yes sir,” I said getting off the porch and jumping in my truck. I felt the weight of his words wash over me. It was a lot to have my father counting on me, on behalf of the entire ranch. It made me feel proud, but also anxious. My father wasn’t the type of man to ask for anything, and the fact that he was looking to me for this was very different, almost unsettling.

  Starting the engine, I backed my truck out of the parking spot and drove down the dusty lane over the cattle guard and onto the main road. I slowed down as I got to the line of crops. Father was right. It was getting worse, it was growing. There wasn’t very much time before it hit the rest of the crops.

  I drove faster, heading into town and to the college. I couldn’t be distracted with this girl, Madison. Sure, she was pretty, and smart, and I was thinking about her way more than I should be. But I really needed to focus on the problem at hand.

  Parking my truck on the college campus outside the research building, I tilted my rearview mirror a bit and checked my reflection. That wasn’t something I usually did, but I was doing it because of her. As soon as I realized that I stopped and put the mirror back into position. I shook my head at myself and got out of the truck.

  “Focus Tanner, focus,” I said to myself and headed to the doors of the building. It was going to be a long, long day.

  8

  Madison

  I walked into the diner, the smell of coffee was strong. There was a low murmur of conversation as people ate breakfast. I looked at the clock and saw I was right on time. I looked around the small diner and couldn’t see any sign of Jenna. I hadn’t seen her car in the lot, either.

  “Just one dear?” The waitress said, pushing a pencil behind her ear.

  “No, I’m waiting for a friend. There will be two of us,” I said.

  “There’s a booth right over here for you,” she said, grabbing two menus. I followed her to the far booth at the end of the row.

  “Thank you.”

  “Get you started on something to drink?”

  “I’ll have a glass of water and a coffee. Black,” I said.

  “Coming right up,” she said, and walked away. Just then Jenna walked in the door. She had a big smile on her face as she came right over and slid into the booth.

  “You’re awful cheerful this morning,” I said to her.

  “And extremely hungry. I definitely worked up an appetite last night,” she said with a sly smile.

  “Sounds like you got into some trouble,” I said, opening the menu.

  “More like trouble got into me.”

  “All right, who is he?”

  “His name is Trent, and he’s a cowboy. Also a cutie, with a great butt.”

  I laughed. “Well, it sounds like he fits all your qualifications. At least he puts you in a good mood, that’s a plus.”

  “Oh yes, it’s called amazing orgasms. If you would ever give a guy a chance you would know and you’d be in a good mood yourself, instead of wearing that sour frown on your face,” she said.

  “Hey, I’m just not a morning person, all right? And I haven’t had my coffee yet.”

  Just then the waitress came over and put a cup of coffee and a glass of water in front of me. Jenna looked at her, “I’ll have the same.”

  “Let me know when ya’ll are ready to order,” the waitress nodded and left to get Jenna’s coffee.

  “I think I really like this Trent, and it might be more than just sex. He’s a real gentleman, and not rude or brash like most of the cowboys ar
ound here.”

  “Well, good luck to you. There is no sanctity in relationships anymore so I wish you the best,” I said.

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Yes, yes, I know how you feel about men and relationships. Blah, blah, blah,” she said.

  I couldn’t help but to laugh.

  “Then tell me what is going on with you,” she asked.

  The waitress put coffee in front of her.

  “I will have the omelet with home fries and a side of fruit,” I said.

  “I will have a short stack of pancakes, a side of bacon, two scrambled eggs and a side of home fries,” Jenna said.

  I looked at her with wide eyes.

  “Coming right up,” the waitress said, taking the menus from us. Then she walked away.

  “What? I told you I worked up an appetite last night,” Jenna said to me.

  I raised my eyebrows at her.

  “What? Don’t look at me like that. I am not going to tell you details. A lady never tells. Now you were saying, what’s going on with you?” she asked.

  “Oh nothing, still working on the research. But Mr. Phillips gave me a new lab partner, and he is absolutely frustrating.”

  “He?” Jenna lifted her brow.

  “Yes, it’s a he. A he that is stubborn and rude. He thinks he knows everything. He thinks he’s smarter than I am, of course.”

  “What else?” she asked.

  “Well, he thinks that it’s a virus just like I do, so I have to give him credit for that. But he is just absolutely frustrating. He’s always bossing me around, he hovers over my shoulder to make sure that I’m doing something to his liking and not doing it wrong. He is just so darn—”

  “Cute?”

  “Yes.” I blurted out. “What? No. Not cute. Frustrating—I didn’t mean cute,” I could feel myself blushing.

  “No, but you sure are obsessing about him. I have never heard you talk about a guy this way. And you’ve certainly had lab partners before.”