Hang Tough (3 page)

For hundreds of miles there'd been nothing but flat land. Little in the way of trees, just sickly-looking bushes. She'd been tempted to pull the car over after a tumbleweed—an actual tumbleweed!—had blown
across the road. But before she pulled out her phone to snap a picture, the wind bounced it over a fence and into a group of cows.

After cresting a hill, Jade noticed a long line of trees that didn't fit in this rugged setting. The rest of the area was craggy, with rock outcroppings here and there. She slowed on the gravel road and turned onto a driveway—also gravel—that bisected the tree line.

When the house came into view, she couldn't contain her laugh. GG's place was a mishmash of styles, a cross between a Grimms' fairy-tale cabin and something out of a Dr. Seuss book. The front door, curved on the top and painted a glossy purple, made it seem like you could walk through an eggplant.

But her amusement was short-lived when that door opened and a big guy, wearing the kind of cowboy clothes she'd seen on TV, stepped out to block access to the house. With his arms crossed, his legs braced, his face hidden beneath his hat, his body language was perfectly clear:
You will have to go through me to get inside.

That got Jade's back up. Who did this macho yokel think he was? She was Garnet's granddaughter. She had every right to be here. Him? Not so much.

Before Jade decided the best way to circumvent Mr. Large and In Charge, GG appeared beside him. She paused, grinned, clapped her hands and barreled down the steps.

Jade scrambled out of the car and met GG halfway.

GG had always been stronger than she looked, but still, GG shocked her when she picked Jade up and spun her around in a circle. Then she set her down and hugged her hard.

“You are as beautiful as ever.” GG trapped Jade's face in her hands. “But I'm a little ticked off that your dad sent you to do his dirty work.”

Jade knew her best defense was an attempt at ignorance. “GG—”

“Don't deny it, K, cutie pie? It'll save us both a lot of round and round if we lay our cards on the table from the start.”

“I am happy to be here and very happy to see you.”

“I'm happy to see that you didn't pull up in a dadgum U-Haul.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or are you the lead car and there's a parade of moving vans behind you?”

So she
was
paranoid. “No, GG. It's just me.”

GG looped her arm through Jade's and started toward the steps. “You're here in time for lunch.”

When they reached the porch, Jade noticed the cowboy sentinel now blocked access to the stairs.

“Tobin, you can lower them hackles. Come over here and meet my granddaughter.”

His boot heels struck the wooden planks in measured steps that seemed to echo the beat of Jade's heart. She didn't look up until the man cast a shadow over her.

And her heart stopped completely. Oh man. He was steal-your-breath-and-common-sense handsome. Tall and broad and just . . . big all over. The stubble on his jaw wasn't affected like the city guys she knew who didn't shave in an effort to appear more manly. This guy probably scared his razor away. He probably hadn't shaved because he had important manly stuff to do and didn't waste time with trivial stuff like running a blade over that beautifully chiseled face.

Her gaze wandered up to his eyes, which were an arresting blue-green. Had to be contacts. No one's eyes were that color without enhancement. Regardless. Those eyes were as cool as his standoffish demeanor. His lips were flattened into a thin line too.

She bristled when his gaze slowly took in every nuance of her face as if attempting to put the pieces together. That scrutiny prompted her to step forward until they were boot tips to flip-flops, their bodies almost touching. Mr. Rugged Sexy-Eyed Cowboy needed to know that he didn't intimidate her.

“I'm GG's only granddaughter, Jade Evans. I can see by your confusion
that I wasn't what you expected, so let me clear it up for you. Yes, I was adopted as a baby, but that doesn't mean—”

“Whoa, there, tiger. I wasn't questioning your parentage. And since I haven't seen pictures of you or your parents—
ever
—anywhere in this house, let alone seen any of you bother to step foot in Wyoming, I had no preconceived ideas about you.”

Not the answer she'd been expecting. But he had managed to get in a dig about her family anyway.

“Now, now, no fighting. No need to get indigestion before we eat lunch, is there?”

Jade watched a sweet smile bloom across the man's face as he looked at GG.

“If you're truly making liverwurst sandwiches, Miz G, I'll guarantee indigestion.”

“Oh, you.” GG flapped her hand at him. “I know you hate it, so of course that's not on the menu for today.”

The way he pandered to GG ticked Jade off. “Excuse me, but I didn't catch
your
name.”

That aquamarine-colored gaze winged back to her. “Tobin Hale.”

“Tobin Hale,” she repeated. “Is that one name? Like Billy Bob?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You're making a lot of assumptions about me, for us just meeting, Jade.”

She smiled at him. “Assumptions about you, Tobin Hale, are
exactly
why I'm in Wyoming.” She faced her grandma. “Since this is the first time I've been here, can you show me around after lunch?”

“I'd love that. Let's go inside. This bickering between you two is eating into Tobin's lunch hour. He needs to get back to work.”

Tobin pushed open the screen door and held it for them. “No need to rush now, Miz G. I believe I'll take the rest of the afternoon off so I can help you show Jade around.”

More like show me over the edge of a cliff
, she thought.

The interior of the house was as whimsical as Jade had imagined. The kitchen with its bloodred walls, crisp white cabinetry, dark gray countertops and wide-planked floor had a warm, welcoming country kitchen vibe. On the antique sideboard Jade noticed stacks of jelly jars. “GG, are those your strawberry champagne preserves?”

“You remembered! I put up a big batch.”

“I finished the last jar you gave me just this week.”

“This is the primo stuff. Better ingredients and all that. I'll hook you up with a case.”

Jade felt Tobin studying her so she met his gaze head-on.

“I'll even load it in your car before I send you on your merry way,” Tobin said helpfully.

Back where you belong,
went unsaid
.

“Tobin, dear, would you get out the plates?”

“Sure, Miz G.”

“Jade, be a doll and grab the milk out of the fridge.”

“GG, I haven't had milk with lunch for years.”

“The milk is for Tobin.” GG squeezed his biceps. “How do you think he got so big and strong?”

“I assumed from lifting cows or whatever.”

Tobin laughed. “Well, darlin', I'll take that
assumption
as a compliment that you think I'm capable of lifting a twelve-hundred-pound cow by myself.”

GG snickered. “You're gonna get quite the education, girlie, on life in the West. I guarantee it's nothing you learned at Columbia.”

Blushing, Jade grabbed the milk out of the fridge and set it on the table.

Tobin carried two plates, one loaded with sandwiches, the other with fruit, and parked himself between Jade and her grandmother.

Not a subtle move at all.

GG set a glass in front of each plate and passed out
Hello Kitty
napkins. “No liverwurst on the sandwiches, just turkey, ham, roast beef and salami.” She patted Tobin's muscled forearm. “I eat more meat when you're around.”

“The food is just an extra bonus for living here with you,” Tobin said.

So . . . was this where she just jumped in and asked
why
Tobin was living here? Or did she let the conversation develop naturally? Jade had zero stealth skills. She'd never needed any. Thinking back to all the episodes of
Veronica Mars
she'd watched where the sleuth tricked suspects into spilling their guts without much effort . . . well, she was drawing a blank on that technique.

“Are you havin' a sandwich? Or are you some kind of vegetarian?” Tobin asked.

Jade blinked, noticing he held the plate of sandwiches in front of her. “Now who's making assumptions? No, I'm not vegetarian. Not that there's anything wrong with it.”

“Agreed. It ain't my business how folks choose to live their lives.” His eyes gleamed. “In fact, I find it disturbing when people who haven't got the first clue about a person's life presume to horn in and take over.”

And it looked like the gloves just came off.

Good.

Before Jade responded, GG pushed back from the table. “Shoot. I left my pills in my room. Gotta remember to take them with lunch.” She quickly vanished through the swinging doors.

Tobin leaned close enough she could see the golden hair mixed in with the darker scruff on his face. “You might as well get in your car and hightail it back to New York City and tell your daddy that he won't succeed in throwing Garnet out of her house. I won't let that happen.”

“Why are
you
here, Tobin? Exactly what kind of . . . relationship do you have with my grandmother?”

“You watch yourself,” he warned. “I have nothin' but the utmost respect for Miz G, and that is why I will not let her family—a family
that's
never
been here to visit even
one
time in the years I've known Garnet—think they have the right to enforce any kind of decision on her. Your father does not know what's best for her and neither do you.”

“And you do?” Jade asked him with a sneer that matched his.

“Damn straight. I'm here to ensure that a moving van doesn't pull up and start dismantling Garnet's life piece by piece as she stands by helplessly and watches them haul it away.” He shook his head. “Not happening to her on my watch.”

Jade started to correct his assumption about the sudden appearance of moving vans as paranoid speculation on GG's part, but she decided to let his mistaken judgment ride and see where it led. “She's out here in the middle of nowhere—”

“That is a lame argument. She's been fine living on her own here for years.”

“Because she's heavily armed?” she retorted. “Lately she's been exhibiting the type of behavior that forces us to question her ability to make sound decisions.” She took a breath. “You think it's
fine
for her to shoot off guns in a public venue? It's
fine
for her to get arrested and spend the night in jail? It's
fine
to spend twenty thousand dollars on champagne? Or on—”

“It's her damn money,” he said irritably. “If she wants to drop that kinda cash on bubbly, it's not your father's concern or yours.”

“But it is my concern how much she's paying you for ‘protection services.' I highly doubt you're doing it out of the kindness of your heart.”

“You don't know a thing about me. But here's a hint. I'm stubborn as fuck. And you just showing up here out of the blue proves my point about there bein' way more at play than Garnet making a couple of bad decisions when she's defending her best pals.” Tobin pointed to the door. “That woman is selfless and nobody is taking advantage of her for that. Especially not her family who think they can lay down the law for her from thirty-five hundred miles away.”

“Happily, I'm not that far away anymore. I'll be living here for as long as it takes to get a feel for what she needs.”

Tobin eased back. “You know what Garnet needs? Honesty. Don't play off your sudden appearance like you got a wild hair up your ass to leave your fancy city lifestyle so you could experience the modern-day West. You'll hurt her if you allow her to believe you give a shit about her life in Wyoming.”

Jade felt her cheeks heat. “I would never hurt her.”

“You don't think not knowing anything about her life or her community doesn't hurt her? As you so annoyingly pointed out first fucking thing, you are her only grandchild. So how come I've never seen a picture of you?”

The blush spread from her face to heat her neck and her chest. “I don't know.”

GG sailed back into the kitchen. “Aw. You two didn't have to wait for me to eat. You should've just dug right in.”

He got plenty of digs in, all right.

Jade watched as Tobin turned and smiled at GG. “I'll sort through those tools in the shed and see if I can't find that missing bit. You enjoy lunch with your granddaughter. I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on.”

“Aren't you gonna eat? I know you're starved, young man. You told me so yourself.”

He grabbed a sandwich off the table. “It'll be a working lunch, same as always.” He locked his gaze to Jade's. “But don't you worry. I'm not going anywhere.”

T
obin didn't even taste a single bite of his sandwich after he stormed out of Garnet's kitchen.

He crossed the yard and headed straight for the machine shed. He threw his shoulder into the wooden door because it always stuck—not because he was pissed off.

But he
was
pissed off.

After slamming the door behind him, he didn't bother with the light. He didn't need anything out here; he just figured it was a place where neither Garnet nor her granddaughter would follow him.

Her annoying, pain-in-the-ass, argumentative granddaughter.

Her goddamned beautiful granddaughter.

Holy hell the woman was the most stunningly exotic beauty he'd ever laid eyes on. The round face with those almond-shaped smoky-topaz eyes. The warm caramel hue of her skin, her full mouth that almost distracted from the tip of her stubborn chin. And that hair. Glossy black that fell in a straight line below her shoulder blades. She was small—he topped her by at least a foot, but she had some delectable curves.

By god the woman had some balls showing up here and accusing him of having ulterior motives. Maybe he did; he refused to let an adult
woman be railroaded into life changes that would put her in an early grave. Yanking her away from her home and her friends . . . everything that made Garnet vibrant would wither away with no one around to appreciate it. He'd never doubted that's why she donned such outrageous getups. It got a reaction. It got people outside her normal circle talking to her. Or rather, Garnet talking to them.

He'd taken her to the farm and ranch supply store in Rawlins about six months after they'd become friends. He'd gone to get his supplies, which took ten minutes, and in that time he'd lost track of Garnet. When he found her, by the warmers where the baby chicks were penned, he watched her scoop up a baby chick and bring it over to an elderly woman sitting on a bench by herself.

The woman's hands were gnarled and she could only stroke the chick's downy head with a misshapen finger, but she wore a big grin the entire time Garnet cupped the chick in her hands. When the woman started to talk, Garnet listened. A harried woman around Tobin's dad's age came over and chewed the woman out for wandering off. Garnet held the chick out to the woman and told her the world would be a better place if everyone had more patience with children and old people. Kids because their excitement came from how they saw potential in everything and old people because they had to give up the things that were important to them, and that had defined them.

It'd really struck home that this sweet, kooky woman had such a big heart. She'd gone out of her way to forge a connection with someone who looked as if they needed it. That was the first of many times he'd witnessed Garnet's generosity.

He'd bet that Jade had benefited from that generosity. But how well did Jade know her grandmother beyond that?

You're just hopeful she's not the bad guy because she's hot. And a little mouthy.

Heaven help him, but that kind of woman was catnip to him.

Tobin had been prepared to square off against a moving company.
Nothing had prepared him for the mixed emotions she evoked with one haughty look.

But there was no doubt in his mind he'd still be squaring off against her.

After killing a couple of hours outside, he jogged up the steps and saw Jade lounging on the love seat next to the porch swing. Beside her was a laptop, a tablet, a cell phone and an e-book reader.

“Before you grill me on GG's whereabouts, I promise I didn't put sleeping powder in her tea. She conked out on her own in the sitting room.”

“Look, I never said I thought you intended to harm her. I said I didn't want you to
hurt
her. And before you go all ‘I'm an English major' on me or something, I'm aware of the similarities in the meanings of those two words. But that means you're also aware of the differences in their meanings.”

She smiled. Not a sarcastic smile, but a genuine
you amuse me
smile and damn if that didn't just cause a funny tickle in his gut.

“Pull up a chair, Tobin, and let's see if we can have a civilized conversation this time. Because looking at you . . .” Her gaze wandered across his shoulders and lingered as it moved down his arms. “I know I would lose badly in an arm-wrestling contest against you.”

Tobin laughed, but holy hell. That almost seemed like a compliment.

So that's her game. She'll use her beauty, her body and her charm to distract you and make you think she's not the devil.

“Why would we be arm wrestling?”

“For GG's affections of course. I've never had to share them.”

“Feelin' a mite competitive and jealous?”

Jade blinked those stunning topaz eyes and gave him a weak smile. “As a matter of fact . . . yes. And I do realize that sounds petulant.”

“Well, darlin', that's the best part of Miz G. She's got affection in spades.” Tobin sat across from her. “I feel the need to point out . . . a little slip of a thing like you? I don't see arm wrestling bein' one of your skills.”

“It's not. But that's my clichéd way of saying I'll go to the mat to do what's best for her.”

“Then when you're done you'll pack that mat up and send it to Cheyenne along with the rest of her stuff?”

She glanced at her watch, then back at him. “Wow. We didn't even make it to the two-minute mark that time without taking potshots at each other.”

At least she'd said
we
and wasn't placing the blame for sniping solely on him. “Let's try again. Did you get the grand tour of the house?”

“No. I unpacked my car and dumped everything in my room. That took a while. GG was sleeping by the time I finished.”

Tobin frowned. “I would've helped you haul your stuff upstairs.”

That surprised her. “I'm used to doing everything myself. And it wasn't bad. The last place I lived was on the sixth floor. The elevator didn't work ninety percent of the time. I think that room is bigger than that entire apartment was.”

“Miz G put you in the daffodil room?”

She nodded. “I did have some serious envy that you'd already claimed the rose room.”

“Why?”

“The bed is bigger.”

“That's the king-sized bed I brought with me. A guy my size doesn't fit well in a double.”

A moment of awkward silence passed.

Then Jade said, “It looks like we'll be sharing the upstairs bathroom, so I feel the need to warn you about leaving the toilet seat up.”

“As long as we're goin' with clichés, I'll warn you not to use my razor.”

Jade's thoughtful gaze roved over his face. “Doesn't look like you have much use for a razor anyway.”

He scratched his cheek. “Just not today. I wasn't aware we'd be expecting guests. Did she know you were coming?”

“Yes. She didn't tell you I was on my way here?”

“Nope. How long are you staying?”

“Depends.”

“On?” he prompted.

“This and that.”

He eyed her electronics. “You don't have a job to go back to?”

“Not a full-time career-type job.”

“Got a boyfriend pining away for you?” he asked, suspecting a woman with her type of delicate beauty wouldn't be single.

“Not one of those either.” She paused. “How about you?”

“No boyfriend for me. Or girlfriend for that matter.”

Jade laughed. “I was going to say the same thing.”

“What are your plans while you're here?”

“What's with the twenty questions? Are you afraid I'll be boxing up the crystal and the silver personally so I know that you don't abscond with it?”

He grinned, appreciating that her quick wit hadn't masked her antagonism. It'd be interesting to see how hard he'd have to poke her buttons before that sharp tongue took over. “I'd be asking Miz G before you move stuff around here. She's particular about her things. It probably looks like chaos. But trust me; she knows
exactly
where everything is in this house. But if you don't believe me? Knock yourself out. See how lovey-dovey she is with you after she catches you messin' in her china cabinet or her kitchen.”

Jade sipped her tea. “Speaking of the kitchen. She made you lunch today, but do you cook for her?”

“Nope. I buy the groceries.”

“So you do the dishes and clean up after she cooks for you?”

He shrugged. “I hang out with her in the kitchen while she's cooking and cleaning up. She asks me to chop veggies, I'll do it. She asks me to scrub a fry pan, I'll do it. It's not like I've got a defined list of chores.”

She made a face but didn't respond.

Tobin rested his forearms on his knees and leaned forward. “What's put that wrinkle in your brow, darlin'?”

“Don't
darlin'
me,” she warned. “I'm not so easily swayed by sweet-talking cowboys.”

“Been around a lot of
gen-u-wine
cowboys in New York City, have you?”

“Sadly, no, but that's beside the point. I've only been here a few hours and I've already seen you use those sweet-talking ways on GG. So what has she promised you in exchange for your protection?”

Tobin knew his eyes had turned frosty, but he kept his tone even. “She did mention something about giving me forty acres and a mule.” When he realized Jade didn't get the reference, he backtracked. “Why are you so damn suspicious of me?”

“Seriously? You're a good-looking, unmarried cowboy who has moved into my grandmother's house and taken on the role of her protector. You can't see why my dad would have a problem with that?”

“Then your dad oughta nut up and confront me about it in person.”

The screen door banged open. Garnet strolled onto the porch, yawning. “Guess I needed that nap. That's where toddlers and old-timers are alike; we don't want to nap, but if we don't we're cranky-pants the rest of the day.” She squinted and her gaze flitted between him and Jade. “What's going on? Looks like you two were having words.”

“We were talking,” Jade said.

Tobin snorted. “Call it what it is, darlin'; we were arguing. Jade was trying to act all cute and charming, but I didn't buy any of it.”

“Jade? Charming?” Garnet slapped her leg with amusement. “Oh,
sonny. That's a good one. Jade is as cute as a bug in a rug, but she's so shy she failed charm school twice, didn't you, sweetie?”

“GG!”

“You failed twice? Now that I'd believe,” Tobin drawled.

Miz G poked his arm. “Your charm doesn't work as well as you think, or else you'd already have hooked yourself a girlfriend or a wife, wouldn't you?”

Jesus.

He'd forgotten about Garnet's equal-opportunity blunt streak.

“That's probably because he argues about everything,” Jade said.

“The hell I do. I argue when it's warranted.”

“I don't like arguing in any way, shape or form,” Garnet said.

“Then we'll stop,” Tobin said. “It'll be easier for some of us than others.”

“Yes, it'll be very easy for
him
to stop,” Jade said sweetly, “since he wasn't winning anyway.”

“Hard to get my point across when I'm bein' accused of everything from freeloading, to having undue influence, to expecting payment for my services.”

“I never said any of that,” she said hotly.

“But you sure were thinking it, weren't you, darlin'?”

“Oh, so you're a mind reader now too?” Jade leaned forward. “Tell me what I'm thinking right now.”

Tobin clucked his tongue. “Miz G doesn't like to hear that kind of foul language, Jade. As her
only
granddaughter, you should already know that.”

“Omigod. You are the most infuriating man I've ever met.”

“And I'm considered a nice guy around these parts.”