by June Faver
Big Jim nodded, his expression serious. “I understand. My dear departed wife felt the same way about my horses.” He then invited her to help unload the back of his truck.
Beau watched his father become an oversized playmate to a five-year-old. He opened the door as Big Jim and Ava carried lumber and other supplies through the house to the fenced backyard. Beau’s chest felt tight. He wished he could have been there when Ava was born. He wished he could have heard her first word and seen her take her first step. Now, he was determined that he and his family would always be a part of her life. After all, Ava Moore was a Garrett.
* * *
When Dixie pulled into the driveway, she sucked in a breath. There were two big silver double-dually extra-cab pickup trucks in front of the house.
She sat for a few moments, immobilized by fear, her heart beating out a little pitty-pat. “Wait a minute. This is my house. I’m not afraid to go in there.” She pulled the key out of the ignition. “I don’t care how many Garretts are in there.”
She climbed out and slammed the door, doubly irritated when she found the front door ajar. She stormed inside, prepared to face down the whole pack of Garretts, but found the house eerily silent. Room by room, she searched for Beau and, more important, her daughter, but the house appeared to be empty. A tingling sensation coiled around her spine. Okay, this is weird.
Suddenly the sound of laughter erupted from the backyard. She wondered if the damned Garretts were having a party on her back porch.
Dixie opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the screened-in back porch. “Oh!”
Beau and his father had built some kind of structure with a pen around it. They were laughing with Ava, who seemed to be carrying on a lively conversation. The expression on her daughter’s face allayed all of Dixie’s fears.
Beau saw her, and a wide grin spread across his face. “Dixie! Come on out and see your brand-new rabbit hutch.”
Ava whirled around. “Mommy! I made a bunny house. Beau and Grampa helped me.” She ran to Dixie’s arms as soon as she stepped off the porch. “See!”
“Grampa?” But Ava was dragging her by the hand to admire the hutch.
“What do you think?” Beau asked. “Do you think Bertram and Anastasia can be happy in their new home?”
“Um, yes. I’m sure they will be. It’s—”
“Isn’t it pretty, Mommy?” Ava gazed up at her expectantly.
Beau and Big Jim were gazing at her too. They all looked extremely proud.
“Well, yes,” she said. “It’s a palace fit for a prince and princess.”
Ava clapped her hands and danced around, her gleeful expression causing Dixie’s throat to constrict. Beau and his father had made her daughter happy. She choked back the taste of tears. “Thank you so much, Beau…Big Jim.”
“No need for thanks, Dixie. You’ll find there’s nothin’ I wouldn’t do for my granddaughter—your little girl. Or for you.” Big Jim held out his hand, and she reached for it without thinking. His grasp was warm and callused. “Aw, c’mon, Dixie. We can do better than that.” He leaned closer and clasped her in a warm embrace.
Dixie stiffened and then took a deep breath and released it. She wrapped her arms around Big Jim’s torso, returning the embrace.
When he released her, she saw Beau and Ava grinning at them.
“We have an important decision to make,” Beau said. “We have to choose the perfect color for the bunny palace. Any thoughts?”
Dixie smiled. “Color?”
“Yeah, I was thinking purple, but Ava wants blue. And Dad was thinking bright pink.”
Big Jim let out a loud guffaw.
“Uh, I’m not sure… How about something earth-toned? You know, brown…or beige?”
Ava made a face, and Beau turned his thumb down.
She shook her head and laughed. “Okay, then. Blue it is.”
The look on Beau’s face caused a flutter in her chest. It was as though she had crossed over some bridge into another dimension.
“I think we’ve done enough work for one day,” he said. “How about if I fire up the grill and throw on some steaks? Anybody else hungry?”
“Oh, yeah,” Big Jim said. “Let’s get that fire goin’.”
“Steaks? I don’t believe I have any steaks on hand.” Dixie tried to recall what was in the refrigerator and freezer. Certainly not steaks.
“Gotcha covered, babe. Dad sprung for dinner.”
Big Jim shrugged. “I thought we should break bread as a family.” He arched a brow and gazed at Dixie. “That’s okay, I hope.”
The word family hit her like a punch in the gut. “Mmm, yes. It’s fine.” Am I being assimilated as a Garrett?
* * *
Beau left the fire-building to Big Jim and Ava and followed Dixie into the house.
She kept her eyes averted and her lips pressed together.
Oh, brother. I’m in it now. Too soon…way too soon…
She opened the refrigerator and stared inside at the bags of food Big Jim had hastily stowed. “Oh, my!”
“I’m sorry, Dixie. My dad was…um…overenthusiastic.”
She reached for one of the bags and set it on the countertop. “Veggies. Looks like Big Jim was hungry for a salad…and corn on the cob…and potatoes.” She laid out all of the vegetables.
Beau could not penetrate the defensive wall she had erected. “Hell, Dixie. If you’re mad at me, it’s okay to just come right out and say it. I can’t take this distance between us. It’s like you’ve locked down.”
She glanced up, green eyes revealing not anger but anguish. “I—I’m just having a little trouble with all this…this—”
He took her in his arms, cradling her head against his shoulder. “Baby, I’m sorry if I went too far. I was happy to spend a day with Ava. And my dad…he’s thrilled to be a grandpa.”
“You don’t understand. I haven’t ever been a part of so much…family. It’s somewhat overwhelming.” She lifted her face to gaze at him. “You have your dad and two brothers…and your brothers are married with kids.” Her lower lip trembled. “I guess I’ve always been a loner.”
“Loner? Are you kidding me? You were always Little Miss Everything in school. You went out for all the activities from debate to school plays. You were a joiner.”
She pulled away and shrugged. “I guess, but all those organizations were things I could leave behind. They weren’t a forever thing…but family is…”
He pulled her closer, placing a kiss against her temple. “Yeah. Family is forever.” He held her until he felt her rigidness ease away.
She gazed up at him. “I may not have much in the way of family, but I have friends.”
“Yeah, I met your dear friend Scott.” Beau shook his head. “He’s a complete bozo.”
She heaved a sigh and ducked her head. “Scott is not a bozo. He’s my best friend.”
“Dixie, I’m your best friend.”
“I mean, he’s my friend. Not my boyfriend.”
“Friends with benefits?”
She grinned at that. “No benefits at all.”
He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “So, you’re not…involved with your friend?”
“No. When Scott made a run at you, he was trying to get you to stay away from me.”
Beau let out a yelp and lifted her off her feet. He spun around several times before setting her down. “He did a helluva good job of that. Face it, Dixie. We were meant to be together.”
Ava ran in to the kitchen and stopped, hands on hips. “Grampa says for you two to get a move on. Those steaks can’t bring themselves.” She mimicked Big Jim’s deep voice.
“Yes, ma’am,” Beau said, trying not to laugh at her stern expression. “You go tell Grampa we’re on our way.”
She grinned
and raced back out the way she had come.
“Guess we better get on it.” He removed the steaks from the butcher’s paper and arranged them on a platter. “Ready?”
“You go ahead. I’ll make the salad.” She looked a little sad.
“I wish you could be happy that we’re all together now.”
“I want to be happy, but I have so many questions.” She shook her head. “Things just don’t add up.”
“We’ll figure it out. Just don’t give up on us.”
* * *
When Beau had gone outside, Dixie set about preparing the vegetables. She rinsed the potatoes and set them in the microwave to nuke but didn’t turn it on. Then she washed salad ingredients and let them drain in a colander.
She went into the living room and sank onto the sofa, her phone in hand. She selected a name and pushed the button.
“Hello, sweet cheeks. How is life in the boondocks? Is it dreary? You must miss the company of intelligent life-forms.”
She had to laugh. Good old Roger. “As a matter of fact, I was hoping you might be able to bring your great big brain and come for a visit. I warn you up-front, I plan to use you.”
He let out a snort. “I refuse to shovel cow dung or pick cotton.”
“It’s not cotton season, and the cow dung just sort of sits there and fertilizes the pasture.”
“In that case, count me in. What do you need?”
Dixie raked her fingers through her tousled hair. “It’s the books at my father’s store—my store now. I can’t understand a thing. It may be me, or it may be the very sweet guy who is trying to explain them to me. He has just been doing counts and recording numbers since my dad was killed.” She heaved out a sigh. “Maybe you can cut through the red tape and help me set up something simple that I can keep up with. I’m also expected to run the ranch.”
“Ah, say no more. Roger to the rescue.”
“You are the very best, Roger. Having a brilliant and talented CPA at my side is all the help I need.”
“I think the Golden Boy planned to drive out to the wilderness tomorrow anyway, so we can come out there together. He’s standing right here looking hopeful.”
“Of course,” she said. “Um, you might want to warn him that Beau and I are sort of back together again.” She heard Scott shout in the background, followed by several colorful curses.
“Whoa! How did that happen?” Roger asked.
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s a good thing. I mean, he is Ava’s father, and there seems to have been some kind of misunderstanding. I haven’t figured it out yet, but things are pretty good between us.”
Roger rang off, promising to drive to Langston with Scott the following day, which would be Friday. Now she would have two houseguests.
Dixie pocketed her phone, feeling immensely better. Just having her two pals around would restore some sense of normalcy. Maybe her life wouldn’t be so Garrett-centered.
* * *
After dinner, when they had all enjoyed steak, baked potatoes, and a nice salad, Dixie was surprised when the two Garrett men began clearing the table.
“What are you guys doing?”
Beau frowned. “What do you mean? We’re just cleaning up.”
“Yes, but…” She stopped herself, realizing that her mother had always taken complete charge of everything having to do with meals—the cooking, the serving, and the cleanup. She had almost said it was “woman’s work.” Mamie Moore’s claim. “I appreciate your help, gentlemen.”
Big Jim nodded in her direction. “We Garretts always pitch in.”
She couldn’t imagine her own dad doing the same. Not that he wouldn’t if asked. But Mamie guarded her kitchen fiercely. Maybe she felt empowered in the kitchen. Maybe the vast ranch and business in town were too much for her. Maybe she had staked a claim on that one room and refused to cede any of her power.
Sadly, she had not shared any of her knowledge with her only daughter. Now, Dixie was away from Mamie’s gastronomic talents and responsible for providing meals for her young, growing offspring. Maybe I should get a cookbook.
She helped carry the leftovers to the kitchen and found containers to store the extra salad. She watched Beau and Big Jim as they went about their task of scraping and rinsing the dishes before stacking them in one side of the sink.
Big Jim said good night, spending extra time with Ava. Then he left, a wide grin on his face. The sound of his big diesel motor roaring to life heralded his departure.
“Beau, you can stay here tonight, but you’ll have to leave tomorrow morning. I have guests coming early tomorrow.”
He held her by the shoulders, staring deep into her eyes. “What do you mean? Who’s coming?”
She exhaled. “I asked my friend Roger from Dallas to come help me.”
“Help you? Dixie, you’ve got me. You’ve got the entire Garrett clan on your side. Just tell me what you want us to do.”
“Um, how sweet. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I need a specialist. I want you to go home tomorrow morning or tonight if you prefer. I need to entertain my guests over the weekend. Roger is a CPA, and he’s going to help me figure out how to unsnarl the books at the feed store. My dad had a more complicated system than I know how to deal with. There are things that are taxed and other things that aren’t. My head was swimming.” She heaved a sigh. “Sadly, I’m pretty sure that Pete has just been jumbling things together, and I have no idea how to separate things.”
“Oh.” Beau appeared to be a little miffed, but he nodded. “I see. Well, just let me know what I can do to help.”
She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Beau. I appreciate you.”
He made a growling sound in the back of his throat. “Yeah, well, I’m going to appreciate you mightily just as soon as we put our daughter to bed.”
Chapter 8
Saturday morning, Dixie lay nestled in Beau’s arms. She opened her eyes cautiously, not really certain she wanted this little slice of nirvana to end.
Knowing how organized and punctual Roger was, she figured that he had roused Scott out of bed at the crack of dawn, loaded him with coffee, and the two were zooming their way toward Langston.
Beau looked so peaceful. A rush of emotion filled her chest. She supposed it was an equal mix of lust and love.
She sucked in a breath. Okay, I love him…but can I trust him? Her mother’s words kept echoing in her head. Words that made her mistrust all things Garrett.
She was pretty sure there had been a major misunderstanding. Knowing her mother, who could be hot-headed at times, she figured that there had been some kind of confrontation between Mamie and Big Jim, which she may have embellished, but what puzzled her most was Big Jim’s very convincing delight in becoming a grandfather. She couldn’t understand how he could refuse to acknowledge the kinship when she was a pregnant teen and do such a turnabout six years later.
“What are you thinking about, Miss Dixie?” Beau kissed her temple and snuggled her closer. “You look a little sad, but I’m willing to pitch in and exert myself to make you happy.” He rolled her over on her back and began kissing his way down her body.
“No! Wait! Stop!”
He raised his head, clearly puzzled. “What?”
“I have to get up. You have to leave.” She struggled to recover her composure.
“Right now? You must be kidding.”
“No, really. I have to get up and get ready. I need to get the mess at the store straightened out, and I need help to do that. I’m supposed to actually take over running the store. How can I do that if I’m swimming in the financials?” She struggled to untangle herself from Beau’s ardent attentions and the tangled sheets. “Please get up and leave.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, gazing at her appreciatively. “If you’re going to be that way about it, how
about if I take Ava home with me? I would love to entertain her today while you’re working.”
She knew Roger and Scott would be anxious to see Ava but decided to acquiesce. “Okay. That will be great. Let me help her get dressed.” She threw on a robe and made shooing motions at him. “Get a move on, cowboy.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled.
She raced down the hall to wake Ava and get her dressed.
In a reasonably short period of time, Ava was up and dressed and delighted to be spending the day with Beau.
Dixie stood on the porch waving goodbye, having gained Beau’s promise to feed their daughter a hearty breakfast at the Garrett ranch. She heaved a sigh before returning to the house for a quick shower.
* * *
A short time later, a shiny black Audi pulled up to the house, disgorging two males.
Dixie heard one toot of the horn and rushed to greet them. “Hey, guys. I’m so glad you’re here.” She embraced both men and then gestured to the house. “Please bring your stuff inside.”
Scott carried his duffel bag, along with Roger’s more elegant leather bag, and a garment bag with Roger’s freshly starched shirts laid over the cast on his wrist and forearm.
She directed them to the guest room she had hurriedly freshened up. Clean sheets and air freshener had worked their magic.
“Where’s my girl?” Scott asked.
“Yes, where’s that little heartbreaker? I’ve missed her so much.” Roger peered at Dixie over his glasses frames.
Dixie moistened her lips, nervous under his scrutiny. “Well, Ava is spending the day with her father and grandfather at the Garrett ranch.”
“Crap!” Scott shouted. “Don’t tell me you let that jackass cowboy get to you?”
Roger’s brows seemed to have climbed up to his hairline. “Do tell?”
“There seems to have been some misunderstanding. I haven’t sorted it out yet, but Beau had no idea I was pregnant, and his father may have been in the dark as well. I’m not sure what happened. You know my mom. She gets hysterical about any little thing.”