by Sable Hunter
When the Austin skyline came into view, he felt a sense of peace come over him. While Louisiana would always be his roots, Texas was his home now. And nowhere did the lifeblood of Texas beat stronger than in the heart—the capitol—weird, wonderful Austin. Taking the downtown exit, he found a place to park his old jalopy and headed over to 6th street. Austin was known as the ‘live music capital of the world’ and its title was well deserved. A myriad of sounds and tones filled the air—everything from jazz to country to R&B.
From out of nowhere the notion hit him that Cato couldn’t hear any of this. She lived in a world of constant silence. How could she stand it? It seemed to him the deathly still would be far louder than any atomic bomb in the world. Heath feared he wasn’t nearly as strong as she was. The inability to hear would drive him mad.
Yet, Cato maintained one of the most positive attitudes of anyone he’d ever met. Oh, she talked a bit funny, but he found it endearing. For all practical purposes, she was an absolute delight. Beautiful, sexy, smart as a whip and desirable to the extreme. In other words, she was all wrong for Heath McCoy. Love was not in his future so there was no use torturing himself.
“Heath!” He heard his name called. Turning, he saw Dushku standing outside the Iron Cactus, waiting on him. “You’re late.”
Joining Jimmy, he shook his hand, noticing how women watched them. Heath didn’t know if any of the looks were for him or if they were all for the dark handsome Austin entrepreneur. Oh well, everybody needs a wingman. “Why don’t you have a date tonight?” he asked.
“Actually, I had three, but I canceled them,” Jimmy said over his shoulder as they followed a waiter to a secluded table on the roof. For a moment they enjoyed the view of the city and the Colorado River. The lights were amazing. Heath would never get tired of looking at it as long as he lived.
“Why did you cancel?” he asked after they’d ordered a round of beers.
“I knew we’d see each other this weekend, but you sounded like you needed to talk,” Jimmy answered honestly. “So what’s up?”
He might hide things from his family, but he never hid things from his best friend. “Women.”
“Ah.” Jimmy lifted his head and smiled, holding up his phone. “Speaking of, I hacked a few dating sites. Now my face and profile is appearing worldwide in forty different languages.” He thumbed from one photo to the next. “I now have fifty prospective dates in Paris, thirty-four in Brazil and as many as we want in Austin. Just say the word and I’ll fix you right up.”
Heath had no doubt Jimmy could and there was no doubt he needed sex. Heath realized his body was cocked and primed. A man could only go so long without release. If only he didn’t have one dark-eyed darling on his mind. “I’m ready. Work your magic.”
The waiter brought their drinks before Jimmy could respond, although Heath was amused to see Jimmy’s shocked expression. His brown eyes had gone wide and his mouth had dropped open. “Seriously?”
“Surprised?”
“Fuck, yeah.” Jimmy laughed. “This is awesome.” Taking a swig of a dark microbrew, he began to search his cell. Heath watched, amused. Some men had a little black book, Jimmy had a database. “Hmmm, let’s see, I know you like a more traditional girl. I’ve got you covered.” He found a message from a beautiful blonde and showed it to Heath. “How about this one? Her name is Silver and she has a roommate I’ve been wanting to meet.”
Heath looked at the Nordic beauty. She appeared to be cool as a cucumber, stacked and ready for action. “You do know I’m not shopping for a wife.” He reminded Jimmy, probably unnecessarily.
“I remember.” Jimmy grinned. “Believe me, neither am I. These girls are looking for a good time, not a wedding ring.”
With a few movements of his thumb and fingers, the deed was done. “We pick them up in an hour. I suggest we take my car.”
“Ha!” Heath snorted. “You don’t think Blondie would appreciate Ole Red?” Jimmy knew him well.
“Probably not.” A few more clicks on his phone and he smiled with triumph. “We have dinner reservations at the Driskill Hotel. I’ve reserved the Cattle Baron suite for you and the Governor’s suite for me. Drink up!”
Jimmy’s good mood was contagious. Now all he had to do was get a certain someone off his mind so he could give his body some much needed sexual relief.
* * *
The rest of the work week was fairly uneventful for Cato. She attended a music festival to chronicle some original Texas bands, put together a tour of Hill Country wineries and mapped out the best wildflower routes for spring tourists. Floyd had gladly relinquished custody of the website to her so she was having a blast making it more user friendly and chock full of information. She had a whole list of other things she wanted to include: best BBQ restaurants, list of scenic overlooks, the state’s best farmer’s markets and much more.
Mr. Redford had also drafted a letter to Heath McCoy requesting permission to do some groundwork at the caves on Highland Ranch. He’d ordered some sensitive metal detection equipment, the best money could buy. Cato didn’t really understand why he would spend six thousand dollars on a GPX 5000 which could conceivably see through solid rock. She thought they were more interested in the idea of its historical significance than any real monetary value. The idea that Jim Bowie and others had prowled the region meant more to Cato than finding minerals which would mean tearing up the picturesque countryside to extract gold or silver.
Floyd had also laid out land plats of the whole region. She’d seen him talking on the phone with someone about the caves. The little she could pick up by watching him, he’d been telling whoever was on the other end of the phone call about how they reached deeper into the mountain and he wasn’t sure how much was on Highland’s property. Again, Cato didn’t know why that mattered. Most probably she would understand it as they learned more.
At the moment, however, she was leaving work behind and packing for the weekend with the McCoys. To say she was nervous was putting it lightly. After laying out her clothes, she flipped on the tap to take a hot shower. The water would relax her, hopefully. As she undressed, she stared at herself in the mirror, trying to see herself the way Heath would. She supposed she was pretty enough, for a curvy girl. Her face wasn’t too bad, sort of heart shaped with a slightly turned up nose. Cato thought her eyes were set too wide and her mouth was a little big, but Savannah said men liked those traits. She’d done her best to put her mother’s criticism behind her, but sometimes doubts and insecurities reared their ugly head.
Pulling her hair back, she studied her profile, sucking in her cheeks. Dang, she looked like a chipmunk. And her hair had a mind of its own. Cato didn’t know how many times she’d straightened it, but there was really no use. As soon as the least bit of humidity hit it, the corkscrew curls were back. Maybe she should cut it, get the weight off of her neck. Turning to gaze over her shoulder, she considered whacking off the length. The strands reached to her butt. Less hair would certainly be cooler for her. Oh well, no time now. She’d just have to face Heath as regular old Cato.
Now for the hard part—an assessment of her naked self.
Cato wasn’t exactly ashamed of her body. She just didn’t feel like there was much to get excited about. If she’d had her druthers, her breasts would be perkier and her bottom would be smaller. But no amount of dieting seemed to change her natural shape. Tessa’s mother had called her a natural breeder, which made Cato laugh. Most women could get pregnant, the term was just a female invention to excuse a wide butt. Stripping down to the altogether, she turned one way and then the other, pretending she was Heath seeing her naked for the first time. Squinting her eyes, she studied her reflected image. Well, it could be better. But what you see is what you get. Cato was tired of observing from the sidelines, she wanted to experience life to the fullest. And to her, that meant sex. The reality of her shortcomings didn’t deter her from having dreams. And getting that cowboy naked in a bed was high on her list. It might never happe
n, but it sure was fun to think about.
Oh well, if she didn’t get cracking, she’d never get to Highlands. Laughing at her woolgathering, Cato stepped under the spray and began to wash away her cares. Looking back, Cato realized her life could have gone a couple of different ways. Even though she was kept on a tight leash, she’d had choices. Most of the choices she had were internal, how she would react to events, whether or not she would give up hope for a future, how she would let her mother’s attitude and the attitudes of others mold her own dreams and opinion of herself. Tessa and her mother, unbeknownst to Edith, had given her an outlet to express herself and obtain a glimpse into a life other than what she had at home. Most people would have been appalled to know what Cato really thought, but in her mind, the assailant who tried to rape her had not been as big of a threat to her as her own mother. She’d spent her lifetime trying to be just what Edith wanted and to win her love. She hadn’t been successful. Night after night, she’d lain in her bed and pondered her future. The present might have looked bleak, but Cato wasn’t about to give up. And any future she could envision always included a relationship with a man and a family of her own with children who would never doubt their value, even if they weren’t perfect.
Cato wiped tears from her eyes as she stepped out of the shower and dried off. The past wasn’t something she could change. In one of her philosophy classes she’d read that the events in one’s life molded a person into what they would become. Cato believed this. She had struggled through hard times, but she had emerged stronger. When her mother had tried to hold her back, Cato had obeyed, but she’d never given up. She believed she had something to offer the world and she intended to find out what that was as soon as possible.
Her mother was gone now, going on a year, and Cato had no regrets. Even though her mother had been hard on her, Cato had done her best to be a good daughter. She’d stuck by her, taken care of her and been there for her even at the moment of her death. But now, she was a whole state removed from south Louisiana, nosy neighbors and a hovering priest. She was ready to experience all that life had to offer. With a smile, she admitted she was more than ready to lose the virginity which was still hanging around her neck like a millstone. Since being on her own, Cato had played catch-up, reading erotic romance novels, trying out sex toys and learning her own body. Blushing, Cato admitted that she enjoyed it. Just thinking about what Edith Vincent would say to Cato’s brazen behavior made her shiver. Oh well, it was her turn to live now and she intended to grab onto life with both hands.
Picking up her breasts, she thumbed her nipples and thought of Heath sucking on them. The very idea made her wet. Yep, it was time. “Ready or not, Heath McCoy, here I come.”
* * *
“So you and Jimmy went dicking around last night?” Tennessee asked his brother, who looked bleary eyed even after his third cup of coffee.
“I did have a date, if you must know.” Heath rubbed his face. If he could’ve slept till noon, he would have felt better. But he had responsibilities. The resort had to be checked on periodically. Even though Stella and her husband were great at their job, sometimes it was always smart to keep a hands-on approach. He’d decided to have some vacation specials, package deals for Valentine’s Day and one especially for honeymooners. The favorite idea of his, however, was cementing a relationship with the Vanishing River cruises to showcase the eagle nesting grounds, the wineries along the lake shore and a special cruise to view fall foliage. Compared to what he was going through right now, trying to keep his mind off Cato, business seemed like a walk in the park.
“A date?” Tennessee was surprised. “With who? Cato?”
Heath grimaced. “No, no.” He shook his head emphatically as if the idea was more than he could bear. “Jimmy arranged a hookup for me last night.”
“A hookup?” His younger brother repeated the words as if the idea was foreign to him.
“Yes, I had a nice dinner with a beautiful blonde and we continued the evening upstairs at the Driskill Hotel.” Tennessee’s chortle of amusement irritated Heath. “What’s so damn funny?”
“Nothing’s funny,” Tennessee murmured as he looked through the mail. He froze, a letter in his hand. While Heath was staring out the window, he put the document in his back pocket to look at later. He didn’t really want an audience when he read this particular piece of correspondence. Recovering his composure, he continued the conversation with his brother. “I’m just surprised, that’s all.”
Not as surprised as I was, Heath thought. Especially after his less than stellar performance in the bedroom. God, he didn’t know if he was out of practice or if the woman just hadn’t turned him on. He’d never apologized to a female so much in his life. The only thing he was grateful for was that he hadn’t given her his last name, nor had he been honest with Dushku. In fact, he’d let on to his friend that a good time was had by all. This was one incident he didn’t want following him around for the rest of his life. “Well, don’t be. I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday.” Heath rose from the long trestle style kitchen table to look down the road. “Somebody’s coming. Isn’t it a little early for guests to begin arriving?”
“Not this one, I asked her to come early.” Pepper came breezing in like a breath of fresh air, giving both of the men a kiss on the cheek.
Heath accepted the kiss, but he groaned at her comment. “Don’t tell me. It’s little Miss Congeniality, the punch cup wielding trespasser.”
“Oh hush, you’re excited, I know you are.” Pepper dismissed her irascible brother with a smile as she hurried outside to meet her new friend.
Tennessee leaned on the kitchen island, elbows on the granite countertop and observed Heath as he paced in front of the window, casting doubtful but curious glances toward the woman who was parking next to the barn.
“Don’t you think you ought to go help with her bags?”
“I feel like I should be packing mine and hightailing it out of Dodge.” Heath leaned back on his heels, actually considering if he could find a good enough excuse to vacate the premises. He let out a long breath. Missing the BBQ might be forgivable, but the weekend was more than that. With all the extra help who would come, they would cut the bull calves, making steers out of the males so they would fatten up for market and be more docile in the process.
“Maybe you’re mistaken.” Tennessee slapped him on the back. “She’s probably not after you at all. Besides, Caesar will be here and he’s a ladies’ man. If Pepper is determined to get those two together, she will. You know how hardheaded our sister is.”
Seeing that Cato did have more than one bag Heath started out the door. He would have to be hospitable at the very least. As he left, he gave Tennessee a parting shot. “Surely Cato has better taste in men than Caesar Arness.” Amy hadn’t, but not every woman was as shallow as Amy.
Tennessee shook his head. “Better taste, like you?” he asked, but Heath was out of earshot. His brother wasn’t fooling him for a minute. He’d have to get a bet going with Jaxson and Philip to see who could guess how many hours into the weekend the big man would succumb to the Bayou girl’s smile. “Just keep foolin’ yourself, brother. You ain’t foolin’ nobody else.”
Now that he was alone, he took the letter out of his pocket. The paternity test. He’d tried to think back to the last time he’d slept with Molly. Dammit, it could be his baby. She was two months pregnant. The fact that he hadn’t seen her in over a month didn’t matter. If the baby was a McCoy he’d have to take her back, even though he knew it would be a mistake. Insisting that she have a blood test had started a battle royal between them, but Zane had won that war for him. Now for the answer…
Ripping open the envelope, Tennessee closed his eyes and then opened them.
His heart went up in his throat.
He was about to become a father.
* * *
“I hope I’m not early,” Cato voiced as she tried to watch Pepper to see what she was saying and at the same tim
e keep an eye on the object of her desire, who was making his way—reluctantly it seemed—down to where they were standing next to her jeep.
“No, you’re right on time. I’m glad you’re here. You can help me take care of some last minute things, fun stuff I assure you.” Pepper wasn’t dense, she could see where Cato’s attention lay and she could see her brother was watching their visitor just as close.
“I want to help,” Cato assured her, before turning to greet Heath, who was gathering up her suitcases. “Thank you. I always seem to pack too much.”
“Over-packing seems to be a female malady,” he grumbled.
Cato tried to follow him to see what he was saying, but she didn’t catch all of it. “Thanks for having me.” She aimed her comment at the both of them.
Heath didn’t say anything more and Pepper linked her arm with Cato’s, gave her brother a glare and began escorting her across the lawn. Cato was surprised to see that their home wasn’t landscaped like one would normally see in central Texas, with drought resistant plants. Rather, the McCoys’ front lawn was lush and laid out like a courtyard with an ornate stone fountain in the center. In some ways, the beautiful house and grounds reminded her of home. Instead of a stone lodge looking structure like Tebow, the Highlands was constructed more on the order of an antebellum plantation with a wide veranda and large columns. “Am I the first to arrive?” Cato asked, a bit embarrassed. She turned to look at Pepper to see her answer.
“Yes, but I’m relieved. This party is considered an occasion in these parts. It isn’t formal, most of it takes place outside and the dress is casual, but people come from all over. Ryder and I do our best to act as hostesses, but the task is rather daunting.”
