Rodeo Blues (18 page)

I want a man by my side, not
a boy who's still licking his wounds.
Jolie's words came
back to haunt him.

The gravel crunched beneath his tires as he
brought his truck to a stop. He stared at the lumber, tools, and
other supplies stacked in strategic piles. Men hurried to and fro,
working to make the house he'd designed. Well, the house he'd
envisioned anyway. The talented architect he hired put it to paper
with detailed sketches.

Jolie thought he wanted to even the score
with Jhett. She'd been right in a sense. He'd come back home
because he had the means now to hurt those who had hurt him. It
just wouldn't be a punch in the nose. He'd get them where it hurt
the most, their bank accounts. He wanted to ruin Jhett Reeves,
bring him down a notch, and show this town he was not the poor boy
living in a tin can called a home. He would be the one who kept the
town afloat when Reeves couldn't. He had plans. They didn't need
Reeves Construction. He'd show them all.

I want a man by my side, not a boy…

He pounded the steering wheel in frustration.
Revenge wasn't sweet if it meant he'd lose the girl. Then it dawned
on him, there was another way he could handle Reeves Construction.
Funny how he needed Jolie's words of wisdom to make him see it.

"I can be that man you need, Jolie," he vowed
and fished for his phone in his pocket. He found the contact he
needed and pushed send.

"Hello, Tye-bo," his cousin said on the other
end.

"Jon, I need a favor."

"Sure thing. Whatcha need?"

"Don't buy out Reeves Construction."

"'Scuse me? What did you say?"

"You heard me. I don't want to buy it out and
close it down. I want to invest in it. I want to keep it
going."

"
Reeves
Construction? The family who
owns said business and made your life miserable, treated you like
trash, that
Reeves
Construction? Hell, they still think
you're gum that needs to be scraped off their boots. Never met such
disagreeable folks in my life, and that's saying something since
I've seen plenty of disagreeable people in my line of work."

Tye pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm
aware of their fondness for me."

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't go and
forget," his cousin said.

"I haven't forgotten my beginnings, but I can
make what happens next in my life count for something good. Hurting
Reeves Construction, not only hurts the Reeves family, it hurts the
workers as well. I'll ruin families. Jobs are scarce right now and
closing Reeves Construction won't make it better for the people of
Skeeter Blue. Besides, working with Jhett Reeves every day, as an
equal, is sure to get under his craw. What could be a better
revenge?"

"You might kill each other if left in the
same room. So…not seeing the upside to this."

"If it comes to that, I know this
lawyer…"

"Not funny, Tye-bo."

Tye chuckled. "Perhaps, but I'm not one to
hit a man while he's down, and Jhett is down for the count. Let's
set up a different meeting with Jhett Reeves and his father. Crunch
the numbers and tell me what we have and what I need to contribute
to keep the company on its feet until we find us some contracts. We
can talk later tonight when you have something." He ended the call
without a goodbye. He knew Jon would do what he asked.

He stepped out of the truck and headed over
to where he spotted a group of men wearing hardhats and sporting
tool belts. The tall man with gray sideburns, overlooking the site
and directing the workers, was Donnell McNab, the foreman. He'd
gone to school with his son, Ben, but he hadn't known him well
since he was a few years his senior. Donnell had been let go from
Reeves Construction due to cut-backs.

Tye paid him a hefty fee to keep quiet on
what was going on out here. He didn't want anyone in town to know
he was the one financing everything, mostly because he wanted to
buy his shares from Reeves Construction without Jhett becoming
suspicious and stopping him. He'd promised Donnell long-term
employment if he managed to keep his workers from breathing a word
of it too. It was difficult to find people he could trust, but
Donnell had proven his loyalty.

Donnell finally glanced his way then spoke to
the workers once more before jogging over to greet him. "Good
morning, Mr. Casper," Donnell said and held out his hand. Tye
returned the gesture. "You're here early," Donnell continued.
"We're just getting started. Trying to beat the heat." He chuckled
and shook his head.

"Not much chance in that, is there?" He
grinned. At half past six, the day promised to be a warm one. "And
please, call me Tye." He'd never get used to having people address
him in such a formal fashion.

"Sure thing," Donnell said. "I take it you're
here to see the progress we've made."

"I am." They headed inside the house. They
had indeed been busy, and it was coming along faster than he'd
expected.

"We're just about ready to put up the drywall
in this room," Donnell said, "but we're still waiting on supplies
from the outside company you wanted us to deal with."

Tye noticed the frustration in Donnell's
voice and inwardly winced. All this could have been avoided and he
knew it.

"They've told me we should have the shipment
by the end of the week," Donnell finished.

"About that…" He lifted his hat and smoothed
his hair back. "There's a company in town – Reeves Construction –
from now on, I want you to deal with them and them only."

Donnell's brow creased. "I thought you didn't
want to work with them."

"I've changed my mind. They'll have the
resources you'll need in town and you won't have to wait days for
the deliveries."

Donnell nodded, but Tye could tell the man
didn't understand his sudden change of heart. Why would he?

"I'm moving back to Skeeter Blue," he
explained. "How would it look if I don't rely on the local business
for this project? Gotta give back to the community," he added and
met the foreman's gaze head on.

"I'll contact Greg Marshal," Donnell said.
"He's the leadman there at Reeves."

"Good." They strode back outside and he
turned toward Donnell. "Thanks for handling all this. I should have
another job for you in the near future. I've been talking to Mayor
Dirkly about remodeling the arena and the fairgrounds. Would you be
interested in working on the project?"

Donnell grinned. "Sure would, Mr.
Casper."

"Tye," he corrected. "Good. As soon as I have
all the details, I'll arrange a meeting with Greg Marshal. So the
both of you can work out all the details."

"No problem, and thank you, Tye." They shook
hands.

Tye strode back to his truck, feeling as
though he was finally heading down the right path.

Now for his next stop.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tye strode into Trinkets Galore to find Jolie
giving two teenagers instructions on how to set up the booth at the
fairgrounds. She then handed each of them a box full of items. Once
they were on their way, she glanced at him.

"What brings you by?" She sounded miffed as
she headed around to the other side of the counter as if she wanted
to put some distance between them.

"About last night," he began, and she held up
her hand.

"Let's forget it ever happened. I'm glad you
were smart enough to put a stop to it." She chuckled, but wouldn't
look at him as she traced the design on the counter. "It wouldn't
have been smart on our part to fall into bed – again." Finally, she
did look at him and he wished she wouldn't lick her lips the way
she was doing right now. It just made him want to kiss her.

As for making love to her… It would never be
wrong in his way of thinking, but he knew she wasn't ready for the
commitment he wanted from her. She was in love with what they had
in the past, and what they meant to each other when they were
teens. She wasn't in love with him now. "You're right," he said.
"It would have been a mistake."

"Oh...of course," she stammered. "It would
have been."

He nodded. "We're married though."

"But—"

"Let me finish…please," he added and she fell
silent. "We're married. I know this is a problem for you, and we
can talk to Mayor Dirkly and try and convince him to give us an
annulment, but I'm still hoping you'll give me a chance…give
us
a chance. I'm not sorry we're married, Jolie. I know you
don't want to hear that, but I'm not going to lie to you. My only
regret is I didn't make it perfect for you. I botched that up big
time."

Her features softened as she peered at him.
"I was there too. We couldn't have had a barroom wedding if I
hadn't said yes." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You
want me to give you a chance, but I have to be able to trust you,"
she said.

"But you don't." Tye knew this. Could see it
in the way she looked at him, as if she expected him to disappear.
"How can I put your mind at ease?"

"Last night Jhett said he was meeting with
you on Monday. Why? The truth this time."

"I want to help his company," he didn't
hesitate to tell her. Sure, he only came up with the plan a few
hours ago, but it was the truth now.

"You want to help Jhett?" she said without
hiding her doubt.

"No, not Jhett. Truthfully, I don't even like
the guy. I'm interested in the company. I have money, Jolie. I'm
not the poor pathetic boy you knew with no means. I want to invest
in Reeves Construction, turn it around, and make it prosper."

"First off, I never thought you were a
pathetic boy. I always knew you would make something of
yourself."

"The other night you didn't believe I could
take you out to a nice restaurant."

She sighed. "I guess it would look like that,
but that wasn't it. I just didn't want you to think you needed to
impress me with extravagant dinners. I'm a small town girl. I don't
do fancy dinners."

"Okay," he nodded. "No fancy dinners unless
you say so." He gave her a smile and she seemed to relax a bit
more. "What was the second thing?"

"Why does Jhett think you're going to sue
him?"

He shrugged. "Can't answer that one. I have
no idea. What would I be suing him for?"

"For trying to run you out of town all those
years ago. For beating you up… I don't know."

Tye laughed. He didn't know he had Jhett so
scared. "I don't think either one of those would hold up in court.
Besides, what proof would I have? His word against mine, and not to
mention, it is ancient history. What else do you have questions
about?"

She leaned her elbows on the counter. "Are
you leaving town once the rodeo is over?"

"I'm done with rodeos, and I'm tired of
living out of a suitcase. I'm home for good. Skeeter Blue is where
I want to be."

They talked for nearly an hour after that
with only a few interruptions from patrons. He even helped out by
making some of the fancy coffees people ordered.

He told her about going back to school and
getting his Master's in geology and finance. She told him about her
time away at the University of Houston.

"I earned my Master's in accounting," she
said. "My first job was at a Houston hospital in the accounting
department. I enjoyed the experience, but I always knew Skeeter
Blue was my home. I saved my money and came back here to open
Trinkets Galore."

The easy banter between them felt like old
times when they would sit in her room, him on the floor, her lying
on the bed, as they talked about the future and what they wanted to
be when they grew up. Sometimes they would just talk about the
latest issue of the comic book they were both reading, or they'd
chat about the new movie they wanted to see.

She glanced at her watch. "I don't mean to
put an end to this, but I have to relieve the girls at the
fairgrounds for lunch."

He didn't want to go either. This bond they
shared right now was still new, still so fragile, he feared if they
said goodbye, even if it only for now, it would ruin the progress
they'd achieved. "I'll walk with you to the fairgrounds," he
offered. It would also give him more time with her.

She locked the store and they headed on their
way. As they turned the corner of Main Street, he could see the old
cemetery in the distance with its tombstones, crosses, and statues.
It's where generations of Skeeter Blue folks had been buried since
Mr. Skeeter Blueford, or Skeeter Blue as he liked to be called,
founded the town in 1849. He'd been a cattleman when he arrived in
Texas with a wife and four boys.

Tye's mother was buried in the cemetery. So
was Jolie's. He didn't realize he'd halted his steps until Jolie
spoke.

"He's buried there," she told him and he
looked at her. "Your father," she clarified. "He's buried next to
your mother. He must have bought the plots together."