by Kristi Gold
“You might want to wear full-body armor,” Austin muttered.
Maria stood, plate in hand. “Who wants peach cobbler?”
“I definitely do,” Georgie said as she came to her feet. “I’ll help you bring it in.”
The pair left the kitchen and when they returned, Georgie approached Austin and set the dessert in front of him, inadvertently brushing his arm in the process. That simple touch made him shift in his seat, especially when he got a whiff of her subtle perfume. He remembered that lavender scent well. He also remembered how her hair felt brushing across his chest and lower...
Damn, damn, damn.
After everyone was served, the conversation turned casual, while Austin kept his focus on Georgie and the way her mouth caressed the fork.
Caressed the fork?
Man, he needed to get a grip. He needed some kind of distraction. Something to take his mind off Georgie.
“Hey, folks, what did I miss?”
Worth showing up was not what Austin had in mind. He glanced at Georgie, who stared at him, midbite. He could imagine what she was thinking—where did this overly buff, tanned blond guy fit into the family tree?”
“You missed dinner, Surfer Worth,” Paris said. “How’s the yacht?”
He walked behind Jenny’s chair, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “The Jenny Belle is fine. How is baby Calloway?”
Paris patted her belly. “Growing like a pasture weed.”
“I see that.” Worth slapped Dallas on the back. “Looks like the lodge is almost finished. I’m champing at the bit to see it in its finished state.”
“We still have a couple of months before that happens,” Paris said.
Austin held his breath while hoping Worth made a hasty exit before he noticed Georgie.
Jenny scooted back from the table and stood. “Sugar, we have someone we’d like you to meet,” she said, shattering Austin’s hopes. “This is Georgie, a longtime family friend.”
Worth leveled his gaze on Georgie, grinned and eyed her like she was a prize heifer. “Where have you been hiding out?”
“College Station,” Georgie answered. “Going to college.”
“Veterinarian school,” Dallas added. “She’s going to be taking care of our livestock.”
Worth moved closer to Georgie. Too close for Austin’s comfort. “Then I guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you.”
The veiled innuendo sent Austin from his seat. “Cut it out, Worth.”
The man had the nerve to look shocked. “Cut what out?”
“Treating Georgie like she’s one of your conquests.”
Worth streaked a hand over his jaw. “Relax, brother. I’m just being hospitable.”
Jenny patted his cheek. “Just like his mama taught him.”
Maria rose and began gathering the empty plates. “Before the brawl starts, I need to clear out your Grandma Calloway’s good china.”
Dallas and Paris stood at the same time. “There won’t be any brawl,” Dallas said. “We’re going to go outside and act like civil humans, not animals.”
Georgie pushed back from the table and grabbed her glass. “I’ll clean up.”
“Or the boys could clean up,” Paris began, “and we’ll go out on the porch.”
Maria shook her head. “We tried that one time. Their idea of a clean kitchen leaves a lot to be desired. It took me a good hour to get the grease off the stove and rewash the pots and pans. If we all help, we’ll get it done faster.”
“You two mothers should join the boys,” Paris said. “Georgie and I will take care of this. That gives us a chance to get to know each other better.”
“I don’t believe the boys need a chaperone,” Jenny added.
“They might need a referee.” Maria rounded the table and came to Austin’s side. “Come on, Jenny. We could use the break and we also need to discuss some ranch business.”
Austin wasn’t in the mood to discuss business with his brothers and mothers. That would mean leaving Georgie alone with his sister-in-law to most likely discuss him. But if he protested, he would wind up catching hell from everyone over his presumed attraction to Georgie. Okay, real attraction to Georgie. He’d go along with the plan for now, but later, he had other plans for the lady...provided she was game.
Who the hell was he trying to fool? If he laid one hand on her, she’d probably throw a right hook. Not that the prospect of getting punched would keep him from trying. First, he had to get this little family meeting over with, and then he would put the Georgie plan into action.
* * *
“Do you have plans for the upcoming weekend, Georgie?”
She took the last plate from Paris and put it in the dishwasher. “Maybe I’ll unpack a box or two.” Or maybe she’d just sit around with a glass of wine and mope.
Paris wiped her hands on the dish towel, hung it on the rack near the sink, then leaned back against the marble countertop. “You should come here for the festival.”
“Festival?”
“I’m surprised Austin didn’t mention it.”
He hadn’t mentioned anything other than old memories. “We haven’t been together that long.” And that sounded suspect. “Together as in the same room, not together together.”
Paris smiled. “No need to explain. I already know you and Austin were an item in high school.”
More like idiots. “Yes, we were. Now what about this festival?”
“Well, Jenny came up with the concept when she decided to leave Louisiana behind and move here. We decorate the entire place and open the ranch to the public from the second to the last week in December. It’s family entertainment and it’s affordable.”
“How much?”
“Free.”
Very surprising. The Calloways she’d always known were in the business of making money, not giving the goods away. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Admission is the price of a toy, but that’s voluntary. No one is turned away.”
“That’s very generous. And it includes a festival?”
“Actually, the festival is invitation-only and all the proceeds from ticket sales go to shelters in the region. We have a lot of the local ranchers attending, and several rodeo champions, along with a few San Antonio VIPs with big bucks. The food is complimentary, but we have a cash bar for safety reasons.”
“Good idea. Free booze and rowdy cowboys is a surefire recipe for disaster.”
“Hunky cowboys,” Paris said with a smile. “I’d like to claim I haven’t noticed a few in town, but I’ve discovered pregnancy does not render you blind. It does mess with your hormones. Just ask my husband. He told me the other night I was wearing him out.”
Georgie did recall the hormone rush, and no place to go to take care of them. “I suppose you could say the D Bar C has its share of hunks.”
“True, and I suspect we’ll see several other sexy men this weekend from all walks of life. So if you’re available, please come. And you don’t have to worry about buying the ticket. It’s my treat. I could use all the support I can get.”
Georgie could use a night out, and since her son wouldn’t be returning until three days before Christmas, she had no prior engagements. Yet she had to consider the Austin element... “I’ll definitely think about attending, as long as something work-related doesn’t come up.”
“I’ll send good thoughts that no emergencies arise.” Paris laid her palm on her abdomen. “However, if I get any bigger between now and then, I’m going to need a wide-load sign to wear with my maternity cocktail dress.”
Georgie smiled, remembering how she had felt that same way during her own pregnancy. “Stop it. You look great. When are you due?”
“Mid-January, as best we can tell from the ultrasound. I’m not exactly sure wh
en I got pregnant. I found out the morning Dallas and I married the second time.”
“Second time?”
Paris laughed. “It’s a rather strange tale. The first time we married for all the wrong reasons. I needed a job and Dallas needed a wife before his birthday to keep control of the ranch, thanks to J.D.’s stipulation in the will. As it turned out, my ex-husband lied to me about my divorce being finalized. Dallas threatened him, I quit my position as designer for the new lodge and then he realized he couldn’t live without me, so we married in earnest. End of story.”
And quite a story it was. “I’m glad it worked out for you both.”
“So am I.” Paris flinched. “I swear, Junior here is playing soccer with my rib cage. Dallas is always asking me if the baby’s kicking so he can feel it.”
“Do you mind if I do?”
“Not at all, and thanks for asking. I’ve had complete strangers coming up to me in the store and patting my belly like a pet without my permission.”
Georgie laid her palm over the place Paris had indicated, and received a tap as a reward. “Wow,” she said after she moved her hand away. “Definitely a strong little guy. Or girl. Do you know the gender yet?”
Paris shook her head. “We’ve decided to be surprised.”
“Any names picked out?”
“If it’s a girl, Carlie. And if it’s a boy, Luke.”
“Please tell me that Luke isn’t the short version of Luckenbach to carry on the tradition of naming the kids after Texas cities.”
Paris grinned. “Funny you should mention that. Dallas thought it would be clever to name him Luckenbach, which I immediately nixed since it would be difficult for a child to spell it. Of course, he then came up with a whole alternate list, including Midland, Odessa, Arlington and the crowning glory, Texarkana.”
“Glad you decided on Luke and Carlie.”
They exchanged a laugh followed by Paris pressing her palms in her lower back. “These spasms are not fun.”
“I remember that pain and pressure. It makes it very hard to sleep, especially when it’s coupled with having to go to the bathroom five times a...” Her words trailed off when she realized she’d completely given herself away.
Paris raised a brow. “Sounds to me like you’ve had some experience with pregnancy.”
She saw no reason to lie to Paris at this point, at least about her child’s existence. “Actually, I have a five-year-old son.”
Paris’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t know that.”
“Aside from my mother and father, no one around here knows.”
“Not even the Calloways?”
“Not yet.” But if all went as planned, they would eventually know... As soon as she figured out how to tell the father.
“What about your son’s dad?” Paris lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m being too nosy.”
“It’s okay. I appreciate having someone to talk to. He hasn’t been in the picture.”
“I’m so sorry, Georgie. I hate it when a man doesn’t take responsibility for his child.”
“He doesn’t know.”
Once more, Paris looked stunned. “Why?”
“It’s complicated.” More than anyone would ever know.
Paris sent her a sympathetic look. “I can do complicated, but only if you want to talk about it.”
Although she’d only known Paris for an hour, Georgie sensed she could be objective, and nonjudgmental. Not to mention she’d kept the truth bottled up far too long. “When I found out I was pregnant, I tried to contact him and discovered he’d recently married. I didn’t want to rock that boat.”
“Is he someone you met in college?”
“No. He’s from around here. That’s one of the reasons I decided to return here to set up my practice. I needed to be close to my family, as well.”
“Then you plan to involve him in your son’s life.”
She hadn’t even planned how she would tell him. “Whether or not that’s an option would solely be dependent on his attitude. He’s not going to be thrilled that I’ve kept him in the dark for so long.”
Paris remained silent for a few seconds, as if she needed time to digest the information. “Georgie,” she began, “do the Calloways know this mystery man?”
She hesitated a moment to mull over how she would answer, and how much she would reveal. “Everyone knows everybody around here.”
Paris turned and began to fold a dish towel. “Okay. It’s not Dallas, is it?”
“Heavens no.” Georgie realized the comment was borderline rude. “Don’t get me wrong, Dallas is an attractive man, but he’s always treated me like a kid sister.”
Paris laid a palm on Georgie’s arm. “I wasn’t exactly serious. I can tell there’s nothing between you two. Which leads me to another question. It’s your decision whether to answer or not.”
Georgie braced for the query. “Ask away.”
Paris leaned back against the counter and studied her straight on. “Is it Austin?”
Georgie studied the toe of her boot. “Well...uh... I...”
“I know you two have been involved before,” Paris continued. “And I can tell you still care about him by the way you look at him.”
If Paris had noticed, what about the rest of the Calloways? What about Austin? Had she really been that obvious? “Yes, I cared about him a lot a long time ago, and in some ways I still do. Unfortunately I made the fatal mistake of letting those feelings get in the way of logic six years ago.”
“Then if you do still care about him, Georgie, you should tell him you have a child together.”
“I never actually said he’s the father.”
“You haven’t denied it, either.”
Georgie resigned herself to the fact that she couldn’t get out of this predicament without digging a deeper deception hole. “All right. Austin is Chance’s father. We got together the night after the reading of his father’s will. He was upset when he learned about J.D.’s double life, and I wanted so badly to comfort him. That’s how we conceived our son.”
Paris sent her a sympathetic look. “Austin is a good man. He’ll understand why you felt you couldn’t tell him at that point in time.”
If only she could believe that theory. “I had every intention of telling him, but when I found out he was married, I didn’t have the heart to mess up his life. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do. But when I learned he was divorced right before I finished vet school, I realized maybe I’d been wrong. Now he’s going to hate me for not telling him sooner.”
“He’s going to be angry, but I doubt he’ll hate you. And I know he won’t hate having a son. That’s why I believe you should let him know, unless you plan to keep your son hidden until he’s an adult.”
She needed more time to think. She needed to get home before her mom called.
With that in mind, Georgie turned to Paris and attempted a small smile. “I’m going to take everything you’ve said into serious consideration. In the meantime, if you don’t mind—”
“Not saying anything to anyone?” Paris returned her smile. “I promise I won’t mention it, and after you’ve told Austin, I’ll pretend to be as surprised as everyone else.”
“After you’ve told me what, Georgie?”
Three
Georgie startled at the sound of Austin’s voice, so much so she physically jumped. “We were talking about...uh... We were playing a game.”
He tossed the beer can in the recycle bin and frowned. “What kind of game?”
“A guessing game,” Paris said. “Georgie tells me a story from your childhood, and I have to guess which brother did what.”
Georgie thanked her lucky stars Paris had such a sharp mind. “That’s right. I just mentioned the time someone was
doing donuts in the Parkers’ pasture. I told her everyone thought it was Dallas, when it was really you, and she thought I should tell you to confess to Dallas to clear the air.” And that had to be the lamest fabrication ever to leave her mouth.
He strolled farther into the kitchen and frowned. “Yep, that was me doing the donuts on the night after I found out I got accepted into college. And FYI, Dallas already knows. He took the blame because he knew Dad would come down harder on me.”
Georgie recalled that fateful day when Austin had informed her about his college acceptance, and she had assumed he would be out of her life forever. Now just the opposite would be true, if she told him about Chance.
She did a quick check of her watch and saw an excuse to escape both Austin’s and Paris’s questions. “It’s time for me to go. I have to be up very early in the morning to make my rounds.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Austin said.
“Thanks, but I can make it to the truck on my own. Finish your visit with the family.”
“I see the family almost every day and Mom would skin me alive if I wasn’t gentlemanly.” Austin turned around and headed away. “I’ll wait for you on the porch.”
Great. Just great. The man was as persistent as a gnat on a banana.
Paris drew Georgie into a brief hug. “I’ve enjoyed our talk. Let’s do it again very soon.”
Georgie didn’t have to ask what they would be discussing. “That sounds like a plan. Maybe we can have lunch.”
“Lunch would be great. And I know you’re going to do the right thing and eventually clear the air, once and for all.”
That’s exactly what Georgie intended to do. She simply wasn’t sure when, where or, most important, how.
Now was not the time. Georgie recognized that reality the moment she stepped onto the porch and met a swarm of Calloways bombarding her with goodbyes.
Jenny gave her the first hug. “Please come again soon, sugar. I’ll make my juleps.”
“You’ll make her drunk,” Maria said as she gave Georgie a quick embrace, as well. “It’s been good to see you, mija.”
