“But you’re—”
“I’m fine,” she repeated, flashing him a stubborn look.
As if she’d offered encouragement, he switched back to his earlier request “When are we going to talk? Tomorrow? You want to come to the ranch after church?”
“Alex will be here all weekend. As her hostess, I can’t abandon—”
He ignored her. “Say, Ms. Logan...” he began.
“Make it Alex,” the blonde responded with a charming smile.
He returned her smile out of habit. “I bet Tuck would be willing to give you a tour of his ranch tomorrow after church, if you’d like. He has a fine operation.”
He almost chuckled aloud as Tuck sent him a look of gratitude. No need to tell his friend that he was using him. Tuck was happy.
Alex glanced Tuck’s way. “Would it inconvenience you? I’d really like to see a working ranch.”
“I think I could squeeze in a tour. I don’t work much on Sundays.”
“Is that okay with you, Jessica? Can we tour the ranch?” Alex asked her hostess.
Cal held his breath, waiting for Jess to answer. He knew she wanted to avoid him, though he didn’t know why.
Finally she said, “I’ll take you out there and leave you with Tuck, if you want. I have an errand to run.”
The various participants finalized the plans and Cal leaned closer to Jessica. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Jessica gave a brief nod but didn’t look his way.
She didn’t want anyone to know they would spend that time together. As if they’d do something everyone couldn’t see. Like make love.
She chastised herself for such ridiculous thoughts. All they did was make her want the big galoot more. And she was already beside herself with her futile dreams.
Years ago she’d made the decision to give up that particular dream, to move on, but every time she saw Cal, she had to fight that battle all over again. With a sigh, she began marshaling her arguments to convince herself his six-foot-three frame, wrapped in muscle that would have most women drooling, was nothing special. His gray eyes that turned to silver when he was moved didn’t invade her dreams.
Most of all, his caring, his tenderness, his concern for her wasn’t important. She could live without Cal in her life.
Yeah, right.
And his stubbornness didn’t drive her crazy.
It had turned dark while they’d eaten. When they all left the restaurant, the men escorted the women to their cars. Not that there was any danger, but it was the gentlemanly thing to do.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Alex said softly as Tuck opened her car door for her.
“Me, too,” he assured her, a cocky grin on his face.
Cal trailed Jessica to her car. “I’ll be waiting,” he said, his gaze fixed on her.
Again all she did was nod.
He seemed to want something more, but Jessica slipped into her car. She’d already given him more than she should.
“I THINK you’re getting a head start on us,” Edith Hauk protested that night, arranging her cards.
The other three ladies at the bridge table looked up.
“Who are you talking to?” Ruth Langford demanded. “And a head start at what?”
Edith folded her cards against her chest and looked at Mabel Baxter with accusation in her eyes. “I’m talking about Mabel. I think she must’ve told Cal.”
“Told him what?” Florence Gibbons asked, seemingly disinterested in Edith’s complaint.
“About our bet.”
Ruth immediately laid her cards facedown on the table. “Wait a minute. No one said we had to keep it a secret.”
“You told?” Mabel asked.
“Well, I—I wanted to encourage Tuck.”
“How much did you offer him?” Florence demanded.
“I didn’t offer him any money!” Ruth returned, outraged by the accusation.
“You offered him something,” Florence insisted. “I heard it in your voice.”
“That’s none of your business,” Ruth said, raising her chin.
“I thought it was Mabel,” Edith added, distracting everyone from Ruth’s betrayal.
“Why would you think it was me? I haven’t even seen Cal this week. He only drops by every now and then.”
“’Cause he was the one kissing in public today,” Edith explained.
Mabel’s eyes rounded. “Who was he kissing? I haven’t heard of him even dating anyone recently.”
“Jess.”
“Jess?” Mabel shrieked. “Why, that’s—perfect,” she decided, a blissful smile settling on her face.
“Don’t you think we’re giving up, Mabel Baxter,” Ruth asserted with force. “There’s a big difference between kissing and making a baby!”
Mabel just smiled.
JESSICA SLIPPED into a back pew just as the music began. If she was in town, she always attended the church services, partly because she’d done so with her mother each Sunday. Also, because it made her feel a part of the community. Last, but not least, because Cal was always there.
Today he sat beside his parents, about halfway down the aisle.
He looked back, catching her gaze, and smiled, then motioned for her to join them. She shook her head and turned to the minister.
After the service ended, she quickly headed for the door. When she felt a hand touch her shoulder, she
expected it to be Cal. Instead it was his mother, Mabel.
“Jessica, I haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks. Is everything going okay?”
Mabel had always treated her like a daughter, and after Jessica’s mother’s death, Mabel had come regularly to the restaurant to have lunch with her.
Jessica kissed her cheek. “Everything’s fine. I guess Cal told you I was thinking of selling my restaurants?”
“Why, no! I had no idea. Do you want to sell them? If you need money, I could—”
Jessica laughed. When she’d first started, Mabel had backed her financially, but she’d paid her back within a year. “Thanks, Mabel, but I don’t need money. I’ve just expanded so much, that I never have any free time anymore. I thought I might try something else.”
“What? Another restaurant?” Mabel took a deep breath and lowered her voice. “
I
think you should start a family.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “I don’t think—”
“You’re twenty-seven, Jessica. It’s time you had some babies.”
“Don’t you think I should find a husband first?” Jessica teased, knowing Mabel would react.
Mabel surprised her, however. Instead of becoming flustered, Mabel calmly said, “Oh, I think we’ve got that taken care of.”
“What are you—”
“Ladies.” Mabel’s husband, Ed, interrupted them as he threw his arms around both of them. “I’m
starving. Are you ready to go, Mabel? Jessica, are you joining us?”
Jessica kissed his cheek, too. Never having had a father, she was particularly grateful for Ed’s kindness. “No, I have a houseguest, Ed, but thanks for asking.”
“You could bring your houseguest. Is it a woman? We’re not talking about a man, are we?” Mabel asked, a frown on her face.
“She’s a woman, but I’ve already started preparations for lunch.”
“But we need to finish our discussion. I heard—That is, I think we have a candidate for—”
“Mom?”
It was Cal, who’d just walked over. “What are you talking about?”
Mabel raised her chin and stared at her only child. “Nothing that you need to know about.”
Cal shifted his gaze to Jessica. “Secrets?”
“Don’t look at me,” she protested. “I don’t know what Mabel is talking about.”
“I’ll come to lunch tomorrow, at one. Can you meet me?” Mabel asked Jessica. “I’ll explain then.”
“Of course. I’ll look forward to it. Now I’d better get back to my friend.” With a wave of her hand, she walked away, glad to escape an encounter with Cal.
“Wait, Jess.”
Too late. She turned to find him directly behind her, having left his parents on the church steps. The shock of his presence caused her to stumble. Cal grabbed her shoulders to steady her, and his mere
touch had her struggling to maintain an even tone when she spoke. “What is it, Cal?”
His hands slid down her arms to her hands.
“Don’t forget you’re coming to the ranch at one.”
When his hands left hers and he turned away she felt cold and bereft.
As if I could...
Chapter Three
C
al paced the floor, checking his watch. It was almost one-thirty. Where was Jess?
The sound of a car engine had him racing to the front window. He hurried to the door and watched her get out. Her long legs were clad in jeans and she wore a green sweater that almost matched the color of her eyes. She’d pulled her raven-colored hair into one long braid that reached her waist.
During their childhood, he’d taken scissors and cut her hair. Both mothers had been horrified and he’d been punished. Now he understood their reaction. He thought he’d take a knife to anyone who dared to cut that glorious hair.
“’Bout time,” he muttered in greeting.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize you were on a tight schedule. We can talk another time if—”
“Trying to avoid me?”
“Why would I do that?” she challenged.
“I can’t think of any reason, but I’m getting the impression that’s what you’re doing.”
She walked past him without responding.
As she was about to sit on the flowered sofa in the
living room, he motioned toward the door beyond the dining room table. “Let’s go to the kitchen. We’ll be more comfortable there.”
The kitchen had been their playroom. That, or the backyard on pretty days. Rosa, Jessica’s mother, hadn’t wanted them messing up her handiwork, so she’d made them stay in the kitchen or outside until she’d finished cleaning.
“Have a seat,” he said, pouring two cups of coffee from the pot on the cabinet. “I even have your favorite cookies.”
He’d always teased her about her sweet tooth, though her love of desserts didn’t seem to affect her slender figure. She had curves in all the right places without any excess weight. Which, he was certain, had no doubt encouraged Johnny to hang around her.
“Let’s talk about Johnny,” he growled as he joined her at the table.
“Let’s not,” she replied, a cool smile on her lips.
“Why not?”
“Because my social life is none of your concern.”
He wanted to grab her and shake her until she changed her attitude. Didn’t she know the dangers lurking out there for innocent young women? They didn’t have much violence in Cactus, but he’d seen more than he ever wanted to.
“Jess, I’m only thinking of your safety.”
“And you do such a good job of it that half the men in the county are afraid to even speak to me.”
He didn’t see anything wrong with that. “Good.”
“So you want me to grow old alone? To never have children? To never love anyone?”
“No! Hell, no. I want you to be happy!” Cal roared.
Jessica knew that. She’d been under Cal’s protective umbrella since she was little. But her needs had changed over the years—and Cal’s protection hadn’t.
She’d vowed to give up on Cal and get on with her life. But it was so difficult. She got up from the table and crossed the room to stare out the back door.
“Let’s go for a ride,” Cal abruptly suggested.
She was feeling closed in right now. It might be easier to talk to him on horseback. She turned to him. “Okay.”
He led the way to the barn. “You remember when I first taught you to ride?”
Of course she did. Her life had changed when Cal had become a part of it. “Yes. You were a stern taskmaster... but good.”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt. As it was, your mother almost killed me when she found out.”
Not that her mother had been able to stop Cal. But she’d come to trust him. Several times when Jessica had pushed the limits as a teenager, her mother had consulted Cal before she’d made her decision.
Which had frustrated Jessica.
“Remember when she was worried about me going to the drive-in movie with Larry? She called you and you arrived with a giant flashlight. I’ve never heard such terrible language as you shone that spotlight on a lot of couples in a clench.”
Cal laughed. “I learned a lot that night.”
“Well, I didn’t. Larry was too afraid of you to even hold my hand, much less give me my first kiss.” Cal had been dating a pretty girl his own age,
and Jessica had seen him kiss her and been filled with jealousy. The only thing she could think to do was to find someone to teach her what Cal had already known.
“A good thing, too. You were too young to go to a drive-in movie.”
She sighed in disgust. “You think I’m still too young to go.”
He smirked. “Don’t have to worry about it. The drive-in closed seven years ago.” Then he sobered. “Your mother was a fine woman. She was right to call me.”
“You just say that because she usually agreed with you,” Jessica returned with a smile, fighting the unexpected tears. Though her mother had cleaned houses for a living and the Baxters were wealthy oil people, he and his parents had always shown her mother respect.
“That’s because I’m always right,” he informed her with a chuckle.
He lifted down the saddle she always used, along with the saddle blanket and bridle. “Can you carry these?”
“Don’t I always?” she demanded. He had taught her well about the care of the equipment and the animal she rode.
He slung his own gear over his shoulder and they headed for the nearby pasture where the horses were grazing. Cal gave a piercing whistle that drew his horse, a gelding named Olé, the cheer usually heard for bullfighters.
Jessica called softly to the sorrel mare Cal had dubbed hers ten years ago. She was simply named
Red. Even though it had almost been six months since Jessica had been to the ranch for a ride, Red responded to her voice.
“Hello, pretty lady. How are you?” Jessica crooned to her horse as she petted her.
“Guess she hasn’t forgotten you,” Cal said. “You’ve neglected her lately.”
“I’ve been busy with the restaurants.”
And avoiding you
, she thought. Even though Cal was sheriff, he lived on the small ranch his parents owned on the edge of town. Mabel and Ed were living in a nice house near the center of Cactus.
“So, if you sell the restaurants, you’ll have more time for Red...and old friends?”
Jessica looked at him sharply. “Are you insinuating I’ve neglected
you?
”
“You haven’t been around much lately.”
Her chin rose. “As if you’d notice. You spend all your time with the guys.”
He’d slung his saddle onto Olé and was fastening the cinch. Peering over the saddle at her, he said with a grin, “Careful who you say that to. Makes me sound like I like boys better than girls.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
She couldn’t hold back a giggle. Cal always made her laugh, even when she didn’t want to, “Not likely. You’ve been seen with too many women.”
“Hey, not all that many. I prefer quality over quantity.”
“Right. Quality describes Bunny Williams.” The blond, buxom cheerleader had been Cal’s steady his senior year in high school. Even though Jessica had only been fourteen, she’d been insanely jealous.
“Old Bunny. I’d forgotten about her.” He rounded his horse to check Jess’s saddling abilities. “Maybe Bunny fell into the quantity category. But a guy’s got to sow his wild oats, you know.”
Which brought them back to the topic of their discussion.
“When do I get to sow my wild oats?” she asked, her back to him as she finished the saddling. When he didn’t respond, she turned to look at him.
Shock filled his gaze.
“Your
wild oats? Girls don’t—I mean, nice girls don’t do that.”
Jessica rolled her eyes and then swung into the saddle. “And what century are you living in?”
“Jess, you’re not—I mean, Johnny—Don’t you dare!”
Unable to handle his reaction, Jessica dug her heels into Red’s sides and was soon racing across the pasture, leaving Cal still in shock.
It didn’t take him long to react, however. She heard Olé’s thundering hooves closing in on her lead. Knowing he was catching up to her and approaching a closed gate, Jessica eased back on the reins, slowing Red to a sedate lope, then down to a walk.
Cal let Olé run until he reached her side before pulling on the reins. He said nothing, however. He’d stepped on too many land mines the past two days.
It wasn’t that he didn’t know things had changed. After all, he hadn’t been alone when he’d sowed his wild oats. But he’d never thought of Jessica as a woman, someone who would—He shut down his thoughts. He couldn’t go there.
“Jessie,” he said in a low voice, “I didn’t mean... You’re still my little sister. I—”
“No!”
His brows soared. Had he misstepped again? He’d always thought of her as his little sister.
Not when she kissed you
, an irritating voice reminded him. He shook his head. He didn’t want to go there, either.
“What do you mean, no?”
“I’m not your sister.”
“Well, no, not technically, but—”
“I’m not your sister, technically or otherwise.”
“I didn’t mean we were blood-related, but I’ve always treated you like—”
“Don’t I know it!”
“Why am I not getting to finish a sentence? What have I done that’s so bad? Why am I in the doghouse?”
“Do you know how intimidating it is to date a woman the sheriff treats as his personal property?”
“Of course I do. That’s how I knew you were safe. And I didn’t treat you like personal property... I mean, it’s not like I was dating you or anything. I just treated you like my little sister.”
They’d reached the gate and she sat, solemn-faced, in the saddle as he leaned over to open it. They both rode through and then he refastened the latch.
“Heaven forbid you should ever become a daddy,” she said with a resigned air.
“Hey! I’d make a great daddy!” he protested, becoming more and more confused by their conversation.
“You’d never let your little girl out of the house without an armored division to accompany her.”
He grinned. “I’m not that bad. I’d only require a posse.”
When the corners of her lips tilted up, he relaxed a little. He loved to see Jessica smile. Her low chuckle was a bonus.
With her response, he felt able to ask an important question. “Jess, what am I doing wrong? I’ve upset you, but I’m not sure how.”
She pulled her mount to a halt and reached over to cup his cheek in her hand. “Oh, Cal.”
He covered her hand with his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “That doesn’t tell me much.”
She snatched her hand away and started Red moving again. She never seemed to want him to touch her anymore. After she came back from Texas Tech, he’d noticed a change in her, figured she was growing independent. He’d tried to back off. He’d moved to Dallas for a couple of years, and when he returned, there’d seemed to be a lot of space between them.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said as he caught up to her again.
“I can’t.”
“Why not? You used to tell me everything.”
“Cal, we’re not children anymore.”
“I know that. I don’t follow you around now.”
“No, but you’ve warned the male population within fifty miles to stay away from me.”
“That’s it? You’re not getting enough dates? I can fix you up with...let’s see, Donald Hoskins. He’s a nice guy.”
“He’s a nerd, big-time!”
“Well, there’s Arnold Beatty.”
“He’s the postman.”
“So? The mail is important.”
“He’s also divorced with two kids.”
“You’d be a good mama,” he assured her, watching her carefully.
She sighed as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “You don’t understand.”
“I understand that Johnny is the wrong man for you.”
“Most women like to make that decision for themselves.”
“I’m saving you the trouble,” he assured her.
She rolled her eyes again. “Thanks but no thanks.”
He shrugged his shoulders and remained silent He knew his warnings wouldn’t go away. As long as she stayed in Cactus, she’d be safe.
Except for Johnny.
Not that he was that bad a man. Johnny had gotten into some trouble as a juvenile, but he’d grown up. Now he sold used cars and was doing pretty well, from what Cal could tell. But there had been one incident of domestic violence with a girlfriend. And the man didn’t accord Cal’s warnings the respect Cal thought they deserved.
“Is it because he’s not from one of the oil families?”
He frowned and reached over to pull her horse to a halt. “That’s low, Jess, and you know it Your mother didn’t have oil money, and it never bothered either me or my parents.”