Tangled Up in Texas

by Delores Fossen

  Hugh hemmed and hawed a couple of moments. “I still have those investors lined up for some new stores I’m buying, and they asked about Ryan and you.”

  Ryan huffed when Hugh didn’t add more to his explanation. “The investors want to know why his son and fiancée aren’t around. It’s making him look bad, and he’s worried they might pull out of the deal.”

  “For Pete’s sake,” Sunny grumbled.

  Now she knew why Ryan had thrown his hands in the air when she’d seen him talking to his father. She didn’t want to do any hand throwing, but she considered latching on to Hugh’s shoulders and trying to shake some sense back into him. He had a wonderful son, and he was too stupid or thoughtless to realize it.

  Hugh put his hands on his hips. “‘It’s useless to meet revenge with revenge. It’ll heal nothing.’”

  Ryan and Sunny groaned in unison. “That’s from Lord of the Rings,” Sunny pointed out with Ryan muttering in agreement. “And what does it have to do with your visit?”

  Judging from Hugh’s flustered scowl, he hadn’t expected her to call him on his attempt to use Tolkien. “Well, do you want me to be part of Ryan’s life or not?” he threw out there. “If so, then you know what you have to do.”

  Well, at least Hugh had used his own words, and Sunny didn’t have any confusion about that question or comment. It was emotional blackmail. If she said no, it could hurt Ryan. And she couldn’t say yes. No way could she tether herself back to this man who had dollar signs where his heart should be.

  “You’re not giving in to him,” Ryan murmured. It wasn’t defiance but rather hurt in his voice.

  Shaw, who hadn’t uttered a word through this, came closer, and he put his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “It’s not a book quote and excuse the language, but I’m sorry your dad’s a dick.”

  “What?” Hugh howled. At least that’s what Sunny thought he said. It was garbled and filled with what appeared to be righteous anger.

  Shaw ignored him, gave Ryan a few consoling pats on the back, then moved to Sunny. “I’m sorry your ex is a dick.” Then Shaw hooked his arm around her waist and snuggled her against him.

  She appreciated the support, but her heart was breaking for Ryan. Still, Sunny did enjoy the punch of shock—and failure—she saw in Hugh’s expression.

  “Sunny and I go way back,” Shaw said. Coming from Shaw, it didn’t sound like mere information but rather a warning.

  “I know who you are,” Hugh spit out. “I got almost daily reminders of you before Sunny and I broke up.”

  Sunny hoped she wasn’t going to have to explain that now.

  “You’re back together with him?” Hugh flung an accusing finger at Shaw before he huffed, “There are reasons your relationship with him didn’t work out before. Consider that, Sunny.”

  “There are reasons our relationship didn’t work, either,” she reminded him just as quickly. And the main one, Ryan, was standing there looking shell-shocked. Shaw must have noticed that, too, because he caught Ryan’s arm and hauled him closer to Sunny and him. A united front against a dick.

  “All right,” Hugh muttered. “Have it your way. But remember this, ‘no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.’”

  “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Shaw and she said in unison. “It’s one of the quotes on the menu at the diner,” Shaw added and then turned to her. “Does Hugh ever come up with anything original?”

  “Not very often.” The irony was that once she’d loved that Hugh could recite so many lines from books. That was before she’d realized it was his way of avoiding real conversation.

  “Fine then.” Hugh was back to snarling again. “Have it your way. But don’t come crawling back to me.”

  Hugh had aimed that at Ryan, not Sunny. The man was about to cross a line that would cause Ryan to lose his father forever. And she had to try to stop that from happening.

  Easing out of Shaw’s arm, Sunny turned to face the boy. She opened her mouth to say... She didn’t have a clue. But she had to do something to let Ryan know she didn’t want this rift, that she would help mend it.

  “No,” Ryan said before she could speak. “I’m not going to let you sacrifice yourself for me.” He shifted his attention back to his dad. “Sunny’s not getting back together with you. Neither am I. You’ll have to come up with something else to satisfy your investors.”

  Hugh stayed quiet, volleying hard looks at all of them, especially Shaw. Apparently, Hugh was putting the primary blame for his stupid failed plan on him. Sunny doubted that Hugh would ever admit that the failure was solely on his own shoulders.

  “Fine,” Hugh snapped. He repeated, “Don’t come crawling back to me,” which had probably come from a book, too.

  “You came to them, not the other way around,” Shaw pointed out. Calmly pointed out. Which was in direct contrast to the flood of temper visible in Hugh.

  Hugh stared at him for a long time, perhaps calculating if he could punch Shaw and then not get his own butt kicked. Hugh must have realized his chances were nil, that Shaw was more than capable of giving him a butt whipping, because he shifted his attention back to Sunny.

  “‘Deep roots are not reached by the frost,’” Hugh snapped.

  “Is that Tolkien again?” Sunny muttered, rolling her eyes. “And it doesn’t apply to anything that’s been said here. If you’re going to quote the classics, Hugh, at least come up with something that’s sort of relevant.”

  Hugh glared at her. “You’re a hack illustrator with no talent. You can’t do anything that isn’t scripted for you,” he snapped, and stormed off.

  Because Sunny was still in the book quote mind-set, it took her a moment to realize that Hugh’s parting shot had been an original, one that’d been meant to diss her. And it was a particularly sharp arrow that had hit its mark. Not because she believed it was true but because Hugh knew how important her job was to her. He knew the way to get to her was to belittle it.

  “Are you okay?” Shaw asked, and after she gave him a somewhat shaky nod, he repeated the question to Ryan, who also nodded.

  “I’m not a hack,” she muttered as she watched Hugh speed away. The fact that she could earn a living as an illustrator meant that she had talent.

  Of course, it was a whole lot more than that to her.

  Getting that job to do Slackers Quackers had proved to Sunny that she was someone beyond that little girl who’d wanted a weenie like her brother. That she had shaken off the toddler who’d put red panties on her head. It had been one of the best days of her life when J.B. Whitman had wanted her to bring his stories to life, and it meant Hugh was wrong. She wasn’t a hack.

  She wasn’t.

  And none of that mattered right now. Not with Ryan standing there with his heart crushed.

  Gathering her breath, Sunny turned to Ryan and reached out to give him a hug. One that she thought they both needed. Ryan stepped back and shook his head.

  “I need a minute,” he said. “I need a little time to myself.” And like his father had just done, Ryan went to the SUV and drove away.

  Maybe because she’d just listened to all of Hugh’s quote-spouting, another line from Breakfast at Tiffany’s came to mind. A quote that she hoped Ryan didn’t feel.

  “Home is where you feel at home. I’m still looking.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  SHAW FIRED OFF ANOTHER “just checking on you” text to Ryan, something he’d done both days since the boy’s father had acted like an ass.

  Not only acting like an ass to Ryan, but also to Sunny.

  That’s why Shaw had been sending her messages, as well. When she’d left the ranch after the blowup with her ex, she definitely hadn’t been Funny Sunny, and Shaw hadn’t been able to talk to her face-to-face since.

  Of course, Shaw hadn’t actually come out and asked either Sunny or Ryan if they w
ere truly all right. Or if they were still as pissed as he was about the ass’s behavior. But Shaw figured they hadn’t had any trouble deciphering the meaning behind his previous messages.

  You up for a ride? I have some new horses if you want to try them out.

  I’m heading into San Antonio today to pick up some things if you want to come along.

  My mom’s bringing over a casserole called turnip surprise. Might want to make yourself scarce.

  Sunny and Ryan had responded with no, thank you on the first two, adding that they were busy, but he was pretty sure their thanks were heartfelt for the heads-up he’d given them about the casserole. Shortly after that, Ryan had sent him a text that said, I’m all right. You don’t need to worry about me.

  Oh, if only that were so.

  Shaw was troubled not only because he liked Ryan and thought he was a good kid but because Sunny was worried. He hated knowing she was down in the dumps and no doubt trying to get the teenager through this emotional upheaval. Shaw wasn’t sure if or how she was managing to do that, but he’d soon find out because Sunny had finally accepted his invitation to come over for dinner tonight.

  Since Sunny was no fool, she likely knew the dinner invitation included sex. Or at least the possibility of sex if she was feeling up to it. However, Shaw truly did want to know how she and Ryan were doing, and he’d get the added bonus of having some alone time with Sunny. He missed her. He missed having the peace of mind he’d started to get when she was around.

  There are reasons your relationship with him didn’t work out before. Consider that, Sunny.

  That was what the ass had thrown at Sunny during the heat of their book-quoting argument. Nothing else the wanker had said made a lick of sense, but that comment had given Shaw a kick in the teeth. Because there had indeed been reasons things hadn’t worked between Sunny and him.

  Some of those things—their young ages, for instance—no longer applied since they were adults now. Ditto for them both needing to find their places in the world. Shaw hadn’t had to look far for his place. He’d always wanted to be a cowboy and run the ranch. After seventeen years with his name on the ranch letterhead, he’d proved he could do that, and Sunny had found a way to turn her love of art into a career.

  But there was the kid thing.

  However, maybe her feelings about that had changed now that Ryan was essentially her son. Maybe that had cooled down the baby fever.

  Shaw was mulling that over when Cait and Kinsley stepped into the doorway of his home office. Today Kinsley’s hair was cardinal red and stuck out in feather-like tufts. It looked like a hairdo that Avery would have come up with.

  “Can you look me straight in the eyes and say you’ve used a polynomial today?” Kinsley asked him—after she’d huffed.

  He couldn’t look her in the eye and say that he’d used that particular form of math on any day since high school, but judging from the way Cait’s eyebrows had pulled together, that wasn’t the right answer.

  “I take it this has something to do with your algebra homework?” Shaw said, though it wasn’t really a guess. Kinsley often complained about the assignments that the school was sending her, and algebra was at the top of her list. Plus, she had her math book tucked under her arm.

  “Not homework,” Cait corrected. “A test. The school wants Kinsley to come in next week to take her finals. I’m driving her to San Antonio today for a study group. While she’s studying, I’m hitting Taco Hut.”

  Kinsley expressed her opinion about the study group and perhaps missing out on the tacos with another huff and an eye roll. “I don’t see why I should have to take algebra. I suck at it.”

  “She does,” Cait readily admitted with a shrug. “But finishing the class is part of the deal we settled on. I told Kinsley you’d buy her a bunch of new clothes, but first she has to pass algebra with a C or better.”

  This was the first Shaw was hearing about the clothes, and while it didn’t seem like stellar parenting to offer a bribe for good grades, he couldn’t think of a better incentive. Nor could Cait or he step up to tutor the girl. Kinsley wasn’t the only Jameson who sucked at algebra. It seemed to be a defect in their gene pool.

  However, he did think of something.

  “Maybe Ryan can help you study?” Shaw tossed out there. “He’s smart.”

  Judging by her repeated eye roll and even louder huff, that wasn’t as good an idea as Shaw had thought it would be. “Then, he’d know how stupid I am. I don’t want him to know that.”

  “You’re not stupid,” Shaw assured her. He’d seen her grades, and math was the only area where Kinsley struggled. Amazing, considering everything she’d been through. “And Ryan wouldn’t think that. It’d probably make him feel good to help.”

  Or at least get the boy’s mind off his own troubles. On second thought, though, Shaw didn’t think he should encourage this sort of get-together.

  “Are you still seeing Ryan?” he asked.

  Apparently, that wasn’t a good response for him, either, because Kinsley looked at him as if he’d turned into a skunk and walked away.

  Cait shook her head and whispered, “Ryan’s been keeping his distance lately.” Then Cait headed off after Kinsley.

  Well, hell. Shaw had no idea why he felt the need to fix that, but he did. Fix it in a way that left both Kinsley and Ryan happy but without them actually being involved. He still didn’t think that was a good idea. Not only would Ryan be leaving for college soon, both Kinsley and he were neck-deep in emotional baggage. That could lead to sex.

  Of course, breathing could lead to sex for teenagers.

  It could do that for adults, too, and Shaw got a fast reminder when Sunny walked in. Even though he’d spent a good deal of the morning thinking about her, seeing her still packed a wallop.

  “Algebra woes,” she said, hiking her thumb in the direction where Kinsley and Cait had made their exit.

  He nodded. “Whatever you do, don’t suggest that she ask Ryan for help. Kinsley’s apparently a little sensitive when it comes to him.” The comment was a fishing expedition, with him trying to feel Sunny out when it came to the subject of her almost-stepson.

  “Yes.” On a sigh, Sunny tucked her hair behind her ear. “Ryan’s better but still down. McCall gave me the name of a therapist in San Antonio, and I made an appointment for him.”

  Good. Because teenage angst was as potent as teenage hormones. “Anything I can do to help?”

  She smiled a little. “Offering the horseback rides was nice. Thanks. So was checking on me. I like the duck emoji in the last text.”

  He’d had to search for that, and it didn’t bear much of a resemblance to Slackers. It’d looked goofy enough though that he hoped it’d lifted her spirits. However, other that the brief smile, he got no confirmation that it’d actually helped. Still, he’d keep sending the texts.

  “Sunshine’s pissed,” Sunny went on. “Your lawyer stopped her from publishing any of the sketches of you.”

  Yeah, he’d received word of that a few hours ago. It was a temporary victory that wouldn’t hold, but it had felt good to jab at Sunny’s mother. Sunshine would soon get around it once the legal guys read the agreement and confirmed that she did indeed own the sketches, including those of him.

  His lawyer had suggested Shaw sue Sunny to try to get the sketches back, but he’d nixed that. It’d only end up generating even more publicity for something he’d rather keep quiet.

  “Has Hugh made any other visits?” he asked.

  “No.” She smiled, then frowned. “He hasn’t spoken to Ryan, either.”

  That sucked, and Shaw wondered if he could try to get Sunshine and Hugh together so they could discuss how many ways they could screw over their kids.

  “You’re not a hack,” Shaw told her in case it needed to be said. “And you can certainly live your life without a script.�
��

  “I know.” But she sounded a little uncertain about that. Too bad her butt-wipe former fiancé had put that in her head. Of course, considering her childhood, thoughts like that were probably a permanent fixture in her head.

  “Are you here to cancel our date?” he asked.

  She nodded, and Shaw felt the disappointment slap him in the face. “Ryan’s in Austin today doing an orientation for his fall classes. He’ll be back around six or so, and I thought I should be there.”

  Okay, so she wasn’t just blowing him off. And besides, he should probably be around, too, after Cait brought Kinsley back from San Antonio. His mom might want to go to her quilting club, which would run late into the evening, and this would save Kinsley from being here alone or Cait having to hang out with her. Cait was already putting in her sister hours for the days and likely had work to do.

  “We can reschedule our dinner date,” Shaw told her.

  “Or we could have it now.” Sunny took two energy bars and a bottle of water from her purse and put them on his desk.

  While it wasn’t actually dinner, the items did intrigue Shaw. So did the fact that Sunny shut his office door and locked it.

  “Thinking about you is driving me crazy,” she said as she went around the desk, came up on her toes and crushed her mouth to his.

  Shaw hadn’t seen the kiss coming, but he had no trouble feeling it. All the way to the toes of his boots and everything in between. Suddenly, thinking about her was driving him crazy, too.

  He pulled her to him, again mindful of her incision, but Sunny didn’t seem to be favoring that part of her body today. She moved deep into his arms, her breasts against his chest. That gave him ideas.

  Ideas that involved long slow, kisses to every inch of her.

  Shaw started by deepening the kiss on her mouth while sliding his hands over her butt to align her just the way he liked. It was even better than when they’d fooled around at his place because today Sunny was wearing a dress. A soft yellow one that suited not only her name but Sunny, as well. Along with long, slow kisses, he intended to run his hand up her thigh and—