Deadly Desperados (2 page)

“Okay.”

Jake grabbed his coat from the back of the couch and shrugged into it, his mind rolling as he watched Ally rummage in the refrigerator. She said she was fine but … something was off.

“I love you, Ally,” Jake said.

“I love you, too.” Ally’s second attempt at a smile made Jake feel a little better – but only marginally.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Angel.”

Ally waited until Jake closed the front door and disappeared down the walk before voicing what was really vexing her. “I guess that means you’ll be missing Valentine’s Day, huh?”

“It’s colder than Hoth in the middle of a blizzard,” James Hardy announced, rubbing his hands together before removing his coat and hanging it on the rack by his office door. “We only have two more weeks of this before the weather starts to break … and I can’t wait.”

From his spot on the couch, Jake arched an eyebrow. He’d hurried to the office to explain why he needed time off, but when James wasn’t there he found himself dwelling on Ally’s odd reaction to his imminent departure. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. She didn’t yell or scream. She didn’t pout. Still, he could tell something was bubbling beneath her usually transparent surface, and for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Where is your head at?” James asked, moving toward his desk chair and flipping on the floor heater before sitting. “I just made a perfectly good
Star Wars
joke that would’ve made you roll your eyes any other day.”

“Sorry,” Jake said, focusing on his boss. When he first met James, he was immediately drawn to the man’s stellar work ethic and protective nature. In the year since being introduced to the Hardy family – and falling in love with Ally – Jake found that James was more than just a good boss and man. He was also loyal and funny … his bad
Star Wars
joke notwithstanding. “That was a really lame joke, though.”

James rolled his eyes. “I’ll have you know that Mandy loved that joke last night,” he said, referring to his beloved wife, who just happened to be a science fiction and fantasy geek. “She rewarded me for my stellar standup routine.”

“I’ll bet,” Jake said, cracking his neck. “Did she reward you with money or kisses?”

James’ expression turned serious. “You seem distracted,” he said. “What’s going on? Is Ally driving you nuts because she’s going stir crazy due to the weather? You should’ve tried living with her in a small house when we were growing up. We tried to lock her in the closet a few times just to shut her up.”

“Ally is great,” Jake replied. “Well, she
was
great before I told her I had to leave town for a few days. That’s why I’m here actually, I was hoping I could take a few days off.”

“Sure.”

Jake was surprised by James’ swift response. He didn’t expect his boss to reply in the negative, but he was expecting questions. “That’s it? Don’t you want to know what’s going on?”

“If I’ve learned anything about you, Jake, it’s that you’ll tell me what you want me to know,” James answered. “You seem upset, though. I’d be happy to listen to whatever is on your mind.”

Jake sighed, dragging a hand through his hair as he got to his feet. “It’s my Uncle Ben – and you don’t need to make any rice jokes, because Ally has beat that horse until it’s not only dead but turned to ash,” he said, causing James to smirk. Jake related his conversation with his uncle to James, going into a little family history to make his boss understand how close he was to his uncle. When he was done, James was thoughtful.

“And this is your father’s brother?”

Jake nodded. “After my father died he helped raised me,” he said. “It wasn’t the same as having a father, but he was always great. I spent summers on his Kansas farm. He taught me about animals and … well … hard work. I think he’s the reason I have such a good work ethic.”

“You definitely have a good work ethic,” James agreed. “What do you think about his suspicions regarding the land developer?”

“I don’t know anything about him yet,” Jake said. “I figure I’ll handle that when I get out there. It’s just … I worry that he’s in over his head. Land out there like my uncle’s can go for a premium. If someone wants that property, they might go dirty to get it. My uncle isn’t exactly known for being a bastion of patience.”

“I guess you got that trait from your mother’s side of the family then,” James quipped, rolling his neck as he considered his next statement. “You can have as much time off as you need. I want you to consider taking me with you when you go out there, though.”

Jake balked, stunned. “What? You want to go with me?”

“I’ve never seen Kansas before … and the weather here sucks right now.”

“Kansas is pretty flat. I’m not sure how much you’re missing by never seeing it,” Jake said. “Still … do you really want to be away from Mandy? No offense, man, but you almost melted down when you were away from her before Christmas.”

“I really think that two heads on this will be better than one,” James clarified. “As for Mandy … well … she’s off work this week because a pipe burst in the courthouse basement due to the cold. It’s an old building, and because of potential electrical issues they can’t reopen until the building has been cleared by an electrician.

“The court is shut down for the week,” he continued. “I … go ahead and tell me if I’m overstepping my bounds and I’ll butt out … but I was thinking I could bring her. Warmer weather would do both of us some good. You’re right, though, I’m not leaving her. I just thought she could help keep Ally busy while you were working.”

Jake knit his eyebrows together. “What do you mean?”

James stilled. “I thought you were taking Ally with you,” he said. “I just assumed that’s why she was in a mood. She probably has no idea how to pack for Kansas.”

“I … .” Jake worked his mouth, his mind busy as he realized what James suggested. “I didn’t even consider that. I … how incredibly stupid.”

James clucked sympathetically. “It’s hard to start thinking of yourself as a ‘we’ instead of a ‘me,’ but I’m sure Ally would love to meet your family,” he said. “She’s off this week, too. She’s told Mandy just last week that she still hasn’t met your mother and sisters. Her nose it out of joint about that, by the way.”

“But … why?”

Jake looked like a deer caught in headlights and James couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not a woman, but after living with one who vacillates wildly between happy and pouty depending on the weather … or cramps … or her television schedule, I can tell you that not introducing a woman to your family is the same thing as being ashamed of them.”

“That is not true,” Jake argued. “I’m not ashamed of Ally. It’s just … my mother will fawn all over her and my sisters will interrogate her like we’re at Gitmo. I was protecting her.”

“That’s not how Ally sees it,” James countered. “In Ally’s head you’re hiding her.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Jake growled, his mind muddled as he mentally went over his morning conversation with Ally again. Loath as he was to admit it, James’ words might explain some of Ally’s reticence. “I should’ve invited her. I didn’t even think about it.”

“What did Ally do when you told her what was going on?”

“She acted sympathetic, but there was something off,” Jake admitted. “She seemed … sad.”

“You have plenty of time to fix it,” James said, his fingers busy on his keyboard. “What airport should we fly into?”

“Are you sure you want to go?” Jake asked. “I would love for you guys to go with us – that is if I can convince Ally to go with me now that she’s had a few hours to pout and work herself into a real tizzy – but you know you’ll be staying in cabins on the property, right? The farm is miles outside of town, and I’m going to want to be close in case there’s any action.”

“What kind of cabins are we talking about?” James asked, glancing up from his computer screen. “Do they have running water? Mandy isn’t going to do outhouses. I can tell you right now that she’s an indoor girl.”

“They have running water,” Jake said, making a face. “They’re small, though. It’s basically one big room with a kitchenette, fireplace, and bed. Then there’s a small bathroom off to the side.”

“I can live with that,” James said. “What county?”

“Kearny. The closest town is Lakin.”

“It will be fine,” James said. “It looks like they even have a day spa an hour away. If things get really bad we can shuttle them there for an afternoon.”

“I … I don’t know what to say,” Jake said. “This is going above and beyond.”

“We’re slow this week,” James replied, nonplussed. “Emma is due to deliver her baby in about a month. Finn can’t go anywhere. Grady can run the office. He can get me on my cell phone if anything pops up. There’s no reason to thank me.

“The truth is, I’ve been trying to think of something to get Mandy for Valentine’s Day,” he continued. “We made a promise after going completely overboard on Christmas that we would rein things in from now on. A trip to a warmer climate seems like a great compromise.”

“Valentine’s Day?” Jake’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Oh, crap. That’s only a few days away. That’s why Ally was so upset. It’s our first Valentine’s Day and she has big plans.”

“How do you know she has big plans?”

“I saw the Victoria’s Secret bag she tried to hide the other day,” Jake said, distracted. “That’s okay, she can bring it with her. This is going to work.”

James scowled. “You might be living with her, but Ally is still my sister. All that sex talk makes me uncomfortable.”

“You’ll live,” Jake said, moving toward the door. “Try to get us on a flight out of town as early as possible tomorrow.”

“Try not to cry when you beg my sister to forgive you,” James shot back.

“No promises.”

ALLY
sat on the couch; her eyes trained on a book when she heard the front door open. She’d been staring at the same page for thirty minutes, her mind jumbled thanks to Jake’s announcement that he was leaving.

She didn’t want to be petty, but the idea that he was taking off and leaving her alone on their first Valentine’s Day stung. She couldn’t help but be disappointed. She knew Jake’s family problems outweighed her sexy plans, and yet she couldn’t help but wallow in her own misery.

“Hey, Angel.” Jake settled on the couch next to Ally, shifting so he was close but not actually touching her.

“Did James give you the time off?” Ally asked, closing the book and resting it on her lap. Part of her hoped James somehow developed some nasty tendencies over the past twenty-four hours and told Jake he couldn’t go. The other part knew that was an obnoxious reaction. She was caught.

“Not only did he give me the time off, but he’s going with me,” Jake said, his eyes searching Ally’s face. “He thinks I might need some help and he’s anxious to get out of this cold.”

“Oh, well … that’s good,” Ally said. “I’m glad you’ll have back-up. I guess that means Mandy and I can hang out together while you guys are gone.” Even as she said the words, Ally was confused. There was no way James would just leave Mandy for Valentine’s Day. Maybe he forgot – just like Jake.

“Mandy is going with us,” Jake said. “James refuses to leave her behind and … well … he’s using the trip as a Valentine’s Day gift. He thinks a few days in a warmer climate will be good for them. Personally, I’m happy for the company.”

“Oh.” Ally’s voice was almost pitiful and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Jake’s steady gaze. “Well, that’s fine. I’m sure I can find something to do around here.”

“I’m sure you can, too.”

Jake waited. In situations like this Ally usually blew up and then Jake placated her with an offer after the fact. She wasn’t doing that today.

“Maybe I’ll see a movie or something,” Ally suggested, her voice low.

“Or maybe you could come to Kansas with me,” Jake said, internally sighing at how morose she looked.

Ally swiveled quickly, her hair flying. “What?”

“I want you to come with me, Angel,” Jake said. “It didn’t occur to me earlier that I should invite you. I was distracted by travel plans and getting time off from work. Now I realize that inviting you should’ve been the first thing I did.”

Ally worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “But … do you even want me to go? I don’t get the feeling that you’re keen on introducing me to your family.”

“Ally, I don’t know why you feel that way, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Jake said. “I love you. I want you to meet my family. I want you to go with me.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Jake said. “It’s not going to be all fun and games. I have work to do. Still, there are horses, cows, and James even found a day spa if you and Mandy get really bored. I … I don’t want to be away from you. This is the best of both worlds.”

Ally blew out a relieved sigh. “I … what about Valentine’s Day?”

“I figure you can bring the naughty lingerie you bought with us,” Jake said. “Yeah, I saw the bag. Don’t worry. I didn’t look inside. I’m taking your Valentine’s Day gift with me and I’ll give it to you out there.”

Ally’s mouth dropped open. “You bought me something?”

Jake snickered. “Ally, it’s our first Valentine’s Day. It’s a big deal. It didn’t occur to me when I left this morning that I would be gone for Valentine’s Day. I know that’s what you were really upset about.”

“Don’t kid yourself, I was upset about not meeting your family, too,” Ally admitted.

Jake smiled, relieved to see she was returning to her usual feisty self. He opened his arms and wrapped them around her slim body as she sank into the offered hug. “I love you, Angel,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I upset you.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay, Ally,” he corrected. “I’m still learning about sharing my life with someone. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to share it with you. That only means I’m an idiot sometimes when it comes to sharing. I need you to understand that.”