by Iris Abbott
He and his various groups of friends tolerated her presence until Jackson traded in his swimming trunks and fishing pole for a driver’s license and dates with girls his own age. Mandy had her own group of friends, and she and Jackson drifted apart. She hadn’t even thought about him other than the occasional run in around Rancher’s Bend.
Then right before her high school graduation Jackson came home for summer break. She took one look and fell head over heels in love, or at least she thought she had. She began running more errands for her dad so she could run into Jackson around town. Even though he was older, she made sure she was invited to the same parties and social occasions as Jackson. She kept waiting for him to notice her, but he was too busy with women his own age. He didn’t even spare a glance for the skinny teen from the neighboring ranch.
Finally, when more than six weeks had passed without any progress, she decided to become bolder in her pursuit. She tracked him down to the local steakhouse where he was in the middle of a date with Katie Jones. Mandy had talked the hostess, a classmate of hers into seating her behind the couple. She shamelessly eavesdropped on their conversation, when things heated up, and she heard Katie talk about them getting a hotel so they could be alone, Mandy realized that she didn’t stand a chance with someone as experienced and sophisticated as Jackson.
She was in a hurry to get out of the restaurant and didn’t realize an empty chair at their table was sticking out slightly into the walkway. In her haste to leave, and with her head down, eyes firmly fixed on the floor hoping to avoid detection, she stumbled over the end of the chair. Her forward momentum sent the chair crashing into the table. Katie’s glass of wine spilled all over her new dress.
Katie jumped as soon as the cool liquid hit her skin. She glared at Mandy. “You,” she screeched! “It’s not enough that you follow Jackson all over town, now you’ve ruined our date and my new dress.” Malice dripped from every word, and she wasn’t done. She redirected her fury to Jackson. “This is ridiculous. If we went to a hotel, she’d probably try to peek through the windows. She’s almost reaching stalker status. I can’t deal with this! Call me when you have this situation under control.”
Mandy remembered how mortified she’d been. She’d offered to pay for the dress, but Katie had stomped off without a reply. Mandy had quickly followed not wanting to face Jackson’s wrath. That had waited until the next day when she’d had the bad luck to end up at the grocery store the same time as Jackson.
The assistant manager, a former classmate of Jackson, had precipitated the showdown. “Hey Jackson, where’s your shadow?”
The teasing comment was very unfortunate for Mandy who happened to walk into the store right at that moment. Oblivious to the undercurrents and the mockery of the assistant manager, Mandy made a beeline to Jackson with the intent of apologizing for her part in the accidental fiasco the night before. “Hi, Jackson,” she smiled. “I just…,” she got no further.
That was when Jackson lost it and launched his attack. “I’m not interested in you Mandy Tyler, I never have been. You’re a spoiled, selfish brat who can’t see past your own nose, or you’d realize I could not be attracted to someone as young and gauche as you are. Just give it up already and stop wasting your time and mine. I’m tired of seeing you everywhere I go. I’m beginning to get sick at the site of you.”
He’d been about to say more, but Mandy ran from the grocery store, her mother’s list all but forgotten. Mandy remembered the forgotten supplies about the same time she reached the ranch. When she’d returned home empty-handed, her mother had just shaken her head and gone into town herself. That night at dinner she’d kindly suggested Mandy give Jackson a break. When the gossip had continued over the weeks to follow her father suggested she attend a community college in San Antonio. Tired of being the talk of the town, Mandy agreed.
She’d settled into life in San Antonio first with school and then her job. Her parents came to visit her, usually a couple of times a month. She kept busy, first with school, and internships, and then a demanding job with long hours. She hadn’t even realized how much she’d missed her hometown and the people she’d grown up with until she came home for her father’s funeral.
Mandy brought herself back to the present. She had a long day ahead of her. The first thing she did was check on Magnolia and the new foal. Cream colored like her mother, the baby was gorgeous. Mandy decided to stick to the floral motif and named the filly Rain Lily for the white lilies that appear in Texas after heavy rains. All was well, so Mandy rushed through the rest of her chores. She wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to prepare both mentally and physically for her next meeting with Jackson.
****
Mandy was greeted like a long-lost daughter by Nancy Walker. “My dear it’s so nice to see you again. It’s been years since I last saw you. You certainly have grown into the most beautiful young woman I think I’ve ever seen. Your mother must be so proud of you.”
Mandy felt the blush creep onto her face. “I’ve been very busy with school and my job the past few years Mrs. Walker, but it’s nice to see you again as well. I’m glad you and Jackson could make it for lunch.” Not really, being around Jackson made her feel things that were best forgotten. But there was no way she could say that to Mrs. Walker.
Jackson grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “I promise she won’t be a stranger anymore mother.” Before anyone could question his cryptic statement, he smoothly changed the subject. “Lunch smells wonderful, and I’m starving. Shall we,” he offered his arm to Mandy who had no choice but to take it. Making a scene in her own home would be very childish, and even if she were no longer interested in Jackson, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of making a fool of herself.
Mandy was nervous enough without having to touch Jackson. She tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow and allowed him to guide her toward the dining room table. Once again, she reminded herself that this get together was not about making a scene. That would have to wait for when they were alone. Besides she didn’t want to antagonize Jackson until she’d heard what he had to say. His intelligence was one of the things she’d always admired about him. Maybe he had figured out a way to save the ranch that they all could live with.
It appeared she was going to find out soon enough, it seemed like they’d just sat down to eat, and now Jackson was excusing himself and Mandy. “Well ladies it was a fine meal with wonderful company, but Mandy and I have some business we need to discuss.”
Mandy didn’t know why, but panic set in at the thought of being alone with Jackson. Funny but once that would have made her day, but not now. Now the thought sent dread coursing through her, and she broke into a cold sweat. Probably deep down she knew she couldn’t trust herself to be alone with Jackson for an extended amount of time. “There’s no rush, Jackson. I need to clear the table first.”
Much to her chagrin, her mother interfered. “That’s completely unnecessary. You cooked lunch, I’ll clean up. It’s about time I started pulling my weight around here again. I’m sure Nancy wouldn’t mind helping while we visit. We haven’t seen each other in a couple of months, and we have a lot of news to catch up on. You and Jackson go ahead and do whatever it is you need to do.”
Mandy wanted to roll her eyes at her mother’s meddling but caught herself just in time. She was sure that wouldn’t endear her to Jackson, not that she wanted to endear herself to him, not anymore. She knew what her mother was doing. Her mother didn’t want to leave the ranch. She probably saw Jackson as a white knight that had come to save the day. Mandy didn’t see him that way, but she didn’t see any other alternative either. She’d listen to what Jackson had to say, but the chances of her liking his suggestion were slim to none.
“All right, Momma.” She turned to Jackson, “if you’ll follow me we can get this over and done with as soon as possible.” She led him into her father’s study and closed the door with an ominous thud. Once out of earshot of their mothers Mandy plann
ed to speak her mind. “I know our families have been neighbors and friends for generations, but that friendship doesn’t seem to apply to us. I appreciate you trying to help, but I don’t appreciate you giving my mom false hope. Of course, it’s going to be tough on her, but it’s much better that she faces the truth now.”
Jackson didn’t even bother with a smile. It was about time Mandy realized he meant business. He bent toward her until his whiskey-colored eyes were level with her beautiful violet eyes. “There’s nothing false about it. I have a solution that will work for both of us.”
Mandy leaned a hip against the corner of her father’s large oak desk and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Oh really, this I’ve got to hear,” Mandy challenged. “We haven’t agreed on anything in a long time.”
Jackson arched a brow at her tone of voice but proceeded to lay out his plan. She was going to do more than listen. She was going to follow his plans. He wasn’t going to give her a choice. There was too much at stake. “My veterinary practice has been growing in leaps and bounds since I opened it four years ago. I just took on another vet to help with my caseload a few months ago, but he is not enough. I was already planning to hire a veterinary technician before I knew you were qualified. Seeing you in action last night helped solidify this plan in my mind.”
Mandy uncrossed her arms, let them drop to her side, and stared hard. “Okay, this I’ve got to hear.”
“I’ll use the capital I planned to sink into my business to pay off the note for this property. You, in turn, will lease the half of the ranch that borders my property to my veterinarian practice for the next ten years.”
Mandy frowned at him. I’ll have to drastically cut the number of cattle that graze on the ranch if I effectively cut my acreage in half. How am I supposed to keep the ranch afloat if I do that?” she wrinkled her nose, something she did when confused.”
Jackson felt some of the tension leave his body. She was interested enough in what he was saying to ask questions. That was a good sign. “For my plan to work you would actually need to sell all your stock. This would no longer be a working ranch. You would have trouble keeping it going by yourself anyway, you know that Mandy. Ranch hands come and go. You would have problems keeping enough dependable help. I don’t want you and your mother at the mercy of drifters passing through town.” He had to control a shudder at just the thought. Most were dependable and hardworking, but there was always the occasional conman looking for an easy mark.
Mandy crossed her arms and glared at him. “I’m not getting rid of my horses.” She probably sounded like the spoilt brat he thought she was, but she didn’t care. She would hang onto her horses as long as she could. She planned to board Magnolia and Rain Lily in San Antonio when she and her mother moved.
“You don’t have to get rid of the horses,” Jackson clarified. I’ll pay off the mortgage free and clear. You and your mom will get to stay here in your home. You’ll work in my practice. I’ll pay you the same salary you were making in San Antonio. That should be more than enough to take care of you and your mom’s needs. I’ll throw in free medical care for your horses as an employment benefit. I’ll also add routine maintenance to your entire ranch to my ranch hands’ list of chores.”
Mandy looked at Jackson in disbelief. It was an unbelievable deal. The ranch was too much for her to handle without having to give up her veterinary work and she didn’t want to have to do that. This would allow her to keep doing a job she loved, and her mother would get to stay in her beloved home. It seemed one-sided to Mandy. He was putting up the capital to save her ranch, but he was allowing her and her mom to maintain residence there. He was also going to take over repair and care of the acreage not used by the practice, plus he was offering her a job. It just didn’t add up in Mandy’s book.
“It’s obvious what I get out of this deal. What about you, Jackson? It seems so one-sided. My mom would hang her head every time she went to town if she thought she was a charity case.”
“Oh, I get plenty, darling. Lately, my practice has been doing the work of three full-time veterinarians and a technician. You’re going to be working forty-hour weeks plus on-call time. We’re very busy, it won’t be a cakewalk. I can’t remember when I last took a vacation. Of course, with three of us working things will ease off some, but with the added acreage, and the new barn and stables I plan to build, I expect my patient list and the workload to grow.”
Mandy wanted to be excited. It was the answer to all her prayers. She couldn’t help but feel like someone was going to snatch the rug out from under her feet and send her flying any second. She bit her bottom lip. She’d never expected Jackson to give her the time of day. Now here he was with a solution to her greatest dilemma. The irony was almost laughable, and she clenched her fists in an effort to stifle a nervous giggle. She took a deep breath and finally looked Jackson in the eyes. “It sounds great, Jackson. I just need time to think about it.”
“Time is something you don’t have too much of, Mandy. If old man Johnson had his way, you’d be out tomorrow, and that land developer would be moving in right behind you. That is a possibility that neither of us should be willing to accept. I tell you what, you discuss this with your mother after I leave, and then sleep on it overnight. I already planned ahead for this. I have an appointment with my business attorney first thing in the morning. I’ll have him draw up a legal contract for the two of us to sign.”
Mandy offered him a smile. It would make things seem more real if she had everything in writing. “I would feel much better about everything once it’s down on paper.” It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Jackson, she was just wary. After all, she was far from being his favorite person when she left town six years ago. “Will there be an employment contract as well?”
Jackson shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it, but that’s a good idea. We’ll start with a standard one-year contract, how does that sound?” He was trying to be as nonchalant as possible, in the hopes that it would put her at ease around him.
“Truthfully,” her violet eyes stared into his whiskey brown eyes, “like the answer to my prayers.”
“It will take my attorney’s secretary a little time to type out all the details. Under the circumstances, I’m sure he’ll put a rush on it though. Why don’t you and your mom plan to have dinner at the Walker Ranch Monday at six o’clock.”
Mandy nodded her agreement. “That sounds good, and Jackson, thank you. It’s a wonderful plan, and I would have never come up with it on my own.”
“You’re welcome, darling. Now see I’m not all that bad.” He winked at her and let himself out of the study before she even moved. She was still standing glued to the spot when she heard him and Nancy saying their goodbyes to her mother.
His sex appeal hadn’t dimmed any in the six years he’d been out of her sight. It was probably going to be torture to work next to him day after day, but for the sake of her mother and their home she could do it. Besides she knew better than to think Jackson would ever have a romantic interest in her. He’d made his feelings on that clear enough. She wasn’t even going there in her mind. This was all about business, and it was going to stay that way too.
****
Mandy stared at the contract and cashier’s check in amazement. Everything was actually spelled out in writing just the way she and Jackson had discussed a couple of days before at her ranch. “Wow, Jackson, I have to admit I was afraid you’d change your mind and back out.”
“Why would I do that, Mandy? I told you I already had plans to expand the veterinary practice. Quite frankly I was at a loss on how to do that because I was running out of room on my own ranch.”
Mandy felt relief sweep through her until then she hadn’t realized how tight she’d been wound. She relaxed the grip she’d been maintaining on the armrest of her chair. “So, what happens now?”
“First thing tomorrow, we go to my lawyer’s office and sign the contract in front of a notary. Then you’ll take the check to the
bank and take care of things on that end. I would go with you, but I have a few vaccinations scheduled at the new Quarter Horse farm.” Business came first, but he hated the thought of her tackling old man Johnson on her own.
“I’m a big girl now, Jackson. I am grateful to you for coming up with a way to save my mother’s home, and that makes everyone else happy too. I don’t need you to hold my hand at the bank.” She didn’t want to sound like the spoiled brat he’d called her before, but she felt like she needed to establish some form of independence right from the start.
“I’m aware that you’re all grown up now, Mandy.” That was an understatement if he’d ever heard one. The more time he spent around Mandy, the more his body noticed hers. “My ranch hands will take care of everything else. Just don’t be surprised to see them around the ranch as early as tomorrow. I’ve already left them a list of things that need to be done, including culling the herd of cattle on your ranch.” He paused to make sure he had her attention. “Let them do the job they’re being paid to do.”
Mandy arched a blond brow. “Meaning what?”
“There’s no need for you to be anywhere near the ranch hands while they’re working with the cattle.”
Mandy couldn’t say she was surprised. Jackson had always been a fast worker, and he liked being in control. She wasn’t going to argue with him about the cattle. They were going to be working closely together for at least a year. There was no need to antagonize him and get off on the wrong foot before she’d even started the job. “I’ll let Mother know to expect them then. What about my job,” she looked at the separate employment contract. There was no date on there. “When do I start?”