by Ciana Stone
"Jo it is. And I'm Jason. Come on in."
She smiled up at him as she mounted the steps. One obstacle had been overcome, but she couldn't help wondering what would happen when it came time to interview Justice Weathers. He just might prove to be a hurdle that couldn't be conquered.
And unfortunately, she thought she now knew why.
*****
JD heard voices when he walked into the back door of the main house. He proceeded through the laundry room and down the hall to the kitchen. What met his eyes had his blood pressure rising.
The room was full of people, lights, cameras, and Jo. He stopped short of the door, his gazes zeroing in on her. God help him. Seeing her hurt more than a kick to the head from a spiteful horse. Yearnings he had never learned to quell rose up so strong it almost choked him.
"Pop." He stepped into the room.
All the men and his father turned to look at him at the same time Jo's gaze moved in his direction. He hated the way her gaze affected him. That familiar ache claimed him and as typical, guilt reared its head. That made his gut clench, but then guilt always did. He ran from it as hard as he could, and as had become predictable, whenever guilt surfaced, in its wake was anger.
Anger he could handle. In fact, it was welcome. Particularly if he had something or someone to direct that anger toward.
"What're they doing here?"
He saw the hurt on her face and steeled himself against the pang of regret. Her being there could ruin his family. He couldn't let that happen.
"This is Jolene Windwalker, son. From Country Western Life Network, and her crew. They're here to—"
"You need to leave." JD directed his comment to Jolene.
"Now hold on." His father stood. "This is my house and my guests. I'll be the one saying who stays and who goes and for now, the one going is you."
"Pop, you don't get it. If you let her—"
"I said leave JD."
JD looked at Jolene. "Fine. But I need a word with her. In private."
Jason looked at Jolene and she nodded. "It's fine, Jason." She turned her attention to JD. "Why don't we step outside? Jason, if you'll excuse us? Guys, I won't be long."
"You take the time you need, Jo." Jason smiled at her and then cut JD a hard look. "And you remember your upbringing, son."
It downright stung to have his father chastise him like a teenage boy but JD let it pass. He gestured toward the hallway and when Jolene rose, led the way. He opened the back door and held it for her to precede him.
She walked out onto the back porch and turned to face him. JD stepped up close to her, close enough she had no choice but to tilt her head back to look up at him. It reminded him she wasn't a big woman, maybe five foot four.
"I don't want you here, Jo."
"This isn't about you, Dylan – or is that Justice, or JD? I don't quite know what to call you."
"Call me whatever the hell you want, but you being here is a bad idea."
"For whom?"
"My family."
Jolene understood his recalcitrance, but couldn't reveal that to him. At least not now. She didn't imagine there was much she could say that would make a difference. Just his stance told her he would not back down.
He stood there, towering over her with a glare, daring her to defy him. She was ashamed that rather than fear, she was a little aroused. He was a big package of raw male angst and anger, sexy and strong with waves of energy pouring off him. She mentally slapped herself. She couldn't let this man get to her in that way.
"If you can prove that this show will cause any harm or damage to your family then I'll leave."
That seemed to give him pause since he didn't have a comeback. She took things out of the personal arena and into the professional.
"Mr. Weathers, I'm not here to hurt you or your family. I'm simply here to do a segment for our show. And it's one your father has approved. Surely you can't think he would give his approval on something that might harm the family?"
"He doesn't realize."
"Realize what?"
"That not everyone will understand."
"Understand what? That he was a scared boy whose brothers convinced him to leave home for fear of being jailed over an accident? That could happen to any kid, and especially a poor kid involved in the accidental death of a child who came from money. Surely you can see that."
"What I see is you wanting to tell things about this family that shouldn't be told."
"You mean the curse."
"Yes, that damn curse. We'll sound like a bunch of superstitious fools."
Despite her annoyance at his behavior and in spite of her reaction to his nearness, she forced herself to focus. "I understand that. In fact, your cousins had the same fears. If you'd like, I can allow you to view the footage we filmed on them. I mentioned a curse, but only as a colorful sideline. I didn't focus on it."
"So you put it in the show."
"Yes, briefly. It was pertinent due to trouble they had with someone poisoning their water and trying to ruin their ranch."
"A curse was pertinent?"
Jolene blew out a breath. "A wealthy woman in the area was shunned by your uncle and later by his son. She was quite insane. She had extensive research done on the family, all the way back to the 1800's when the curse was set into motion by a woman named Sara Whitestone. Sara was shunned by one of your ancestors and attempted to kill him. Instead, she killed an innocent housekeeper and was hanged for the crime.
"The woman who commissioned the research not only believed the curse was real but also believed that she was inhabited by the spirit of Sara Whitestone. She believed it was her duty to ruin the Nash family and she did a lot of damage, even going so far as to have a member of their extended family shot.
"So, yes, it was pertinent. However, I didn't expound on it, I only used it in the context in which it played a part in the events that took place."
"I don't want this family even remotely connected with that damn curse."
"Well, I'm sorry, but you can't avoid that since you are related to them."
"I can if you walk away from this."
"I assure you I wouldn't put the network in a position of liability nor damage my professional reputation with anything I use on your family. I will not do anything to embarrass you or any of your family, Mr. Weathers. In fact, this may benefit you."
"You will never be a benefit to this family."
"Pardon?"
"You heard me. I want you gone, Jo. I don't want you talking to my father or my brothers and I damn sure better not find out you've ever talked to my sons."
It dawned on her that her original assumption was correct. Justice Weathers wasn't scared of the curse being mentioned, or being connected to the Nash family. He was afraid someone would find out he was in her bed the night his wife killed herself.
"I'd never tell them."
At those words, he actually took a step back from her. She pressed the advantage and stepped toward him. "No one will ever know about us. At least not from me."
"I didn't—"
"You didn't have to. I know what happened."
She didn't expect him to react so dramatically and so was unprepared. Suddenly his big hand was around her throat. The pressure didn't cut off her breath entirely, but it did constrict her breathing. She reached up with both hands, clamping onto his wrist and his grip tightened.
"Dy—JD." Her voice rasped. For the first time, she felt fear.
The anger in his eyes transformed into a look she couldn't read, and then changed again, into something she could. He leaned down, his face close to hers, so close she could feel his breath as his gaze locked to hers.
Jolene refused to look away and refused to give into the fear. Whatever she feared, it was not as deep or powerful as that which had him in its grips.
"Jo." This time there was no anger in his voice. What was there unhinged her.
Her grip on his wrist relaxed and for a moment she thought he was going to k
iss her. Then he shoved her from him. "It's not going to happen. This—this will not happen. You do what you came to do but know that if there's one second or one word I don't like I'll find a way to stop it from being aired. I'll convince my father to refuse to sign the release. You understand?"
"Yes."
"Then we're done here."
With that, he turned, walked down the steps and across the yard.
Jolene watched him leave and stood on the back porch for a few minutes after he had disappeared from view. Dylan, JD, or whatever he called himself, affected her on many levels. Yes, the sexual attraction was there, almost overpowering, but there was more. She still saw in him a man who desperately wanted to be saved.
Perhaps she could have dismissed that as a foolish notion if she didn't know something of his past. But she did, and she knew it was his past, specifically what happened between them three years ago that was instrumental in his pain.
She collected herself, pushing thoughts of him into the background of her mind, turned, and entered the house. Everyone was waiting in the kitchen.
Jason but didn't speak until she'd taken a seat.
"So, you want to tell me what's going on between you and JD or do I need to ask him?"
"Pardon?"
Jason gave her a look she recognized. She'd seen it on her grandfather's face. That look said I might be old but I'm not stupid. He waited and when she remained silent, he spoke. "Jo. I'm not trying to nose into your business, but I'm also not going to keep my nose out if there's something that affects one of my boys.
"JD has his share of – of problems, but for the most part he's a caring and kind man. His behavior today isn't typical. And I saw the looks between you and him. Something's going on that's got him all tied up in a knot."
Jolene's first reaction was to tell him it was nothing. Her second was to say it was none of his business. She did neither. Instead, she went with the truth, or as much of it as she could tell.
"I know he was at an auction the night his wife died, and that he feels guilty about it. I guess that's what bothers him. That I know."
Jason's gazed locked with hers and he was quiet for a long time. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, I imagine so. The question is, how are we gonna make this work?"
"I don't know, Jason. I wish I did. I can do the piece with you and your other sons and when I finish, you can let your whole family see it, including JD. If anyone has an issue, I can revise or I can tell the network to can the whole thing. That's up to you."
He nodded. "Well, I guess that's a good a plan as any. But I'd suggest you steer clear of JD 'till he gets that mad under control."
"I think that's a good plan, too, sir."
"All righty then. So where were we?"
"You were telling me about meeting your wife in Florida."
"Oh yeah." He sighed and leaned back in his chair, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. "Man was she a sight for sore eyes the first time I saw her…"
Chapter Seven
Jolene called out to Cody as she saw another rider approaching. "Hey, we've got company!"
Cody, who rode off to one side, turned to look in the direction Jolene pointed. She then turned her horse with a little kick to ride in closer.
"Recognize him?" It wasn't hard to tell the rider was a man.
Cody scrunched her eyes a bit and stared for a moment then shook her head. "Nope."
"You get many people out here?"
"Nope. We're not on my land anymore."
"We’re trespassing?"
Cody snorted. "No. Not really. Man who owns his piece is in his eighties. Walter Jones. Nice old fella, but he has a bad back and can't do much these days. I go over every week or so and check on him. He's got a sister staying with him now, helping with the house. Widowed last year. She's in her seventies, but still pretty spry."
"So, are we just going to sit here and wait on whoever that is?"
"Yep."
Jolene shrugged. Cody was an interesting woman, and from what Jolene could tell, a good person. Plain spoken, down-to-earth and sometimes hilarious, she was also fiercely protective of people she cared about. From Jolene's observations that seemed to include every person in Cotton Creek.
She watched Cody who watched the rider. When the man drew his mount to a stop in front of them, Jolene split her attention from Cody to him.
"Morning, ladies."
"Morning." Cody's voice was not exactly friendly, but neither was it hostile.
"Nice morning for a ride."
"Particularly on someone else's land."
There it was. That undercurrent of suspicion and protectiveness that did not surprise Jolene.
The man smiled. "Indeed. As I understand it, this particular parcel belongs to Mr. Walter Jones."
Jolene bit back a smile at the look of annoyance that flashed across Cody's face. "Yep. And you're not him."
The smile that bloomed on the man's face accentuated his good looks. "No, I'm not. Pardon my lack of manners. I'm Wesley Pursell. My family has a spread just west of here."
"Pursell?"
The look that came on Cody's face sent warning bells ringing in Jolene's head. "I've heard that name." She blurted. "Oh, sorry. I'm Jolene Windwalker. Not a resident, just a visitor. And my friend here is Cody Sweet – a long-time resident."
"Cody Sweet?" The man looked at Cody and grinned. "Lord. The last time I saw you, you were – let's see, about ten years old, sitting on your daddy's knee at the pig pit."
Cody didn't return the smile. "What are you doing on Mr. Jones's land?"
"Just taking a ride, same as you, Cody."
"I doubt it."
"Now that's not very friendly."
"You're right. Come on Jo, let's head back."
Jolene looked from her to Wesley Pursell. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Pursell."
"And you, Ms. Windwalker. You say you're visiting? Relatives perhaps?"
"No. I'm with CWF network and here to do an episode on a local family."
"Interesting. Maybe you should talk to Cody about her family. Her father was quite the character in his day, I hear. And a bonafide hero."
"Yes, I'll do that. Good day, Mr. Pursell."
"Good day, miss – and Cody."
Cody didn't bother to say goodbye, she just turned her horse and kicked it into a gallop. Jolene did the same and caught up with her. It was several minutes before Cody slowed.
"Okay, what's up with that?" Jolene asked.
"With what?"
"Wesley Pursell. The moment he said his name you looked like you wanted to hiss."
"You've heard about the Pursells, right?"
"Yes, it came up in the research and from Mrs. Nellie Mae. They're the richest family in the county, have little to do with anyone but are good to the town and support the school and most notably the football program. Big in cattle, big in horse racing, and bigger in oil."
"Yeah. Oil."
"You aren't a fan of the oil business?"
"I don't think much of rich people who swindle poor ones."
"They swindle people?" Jolene's journalistic ears perked up.
Cody blew out a loud breath. "When I was little I remember my dad talking with some other men at a pig pickin'. They were saying how Pursell – senior that is – anyway, he dang near drove half a dozen ranches into the dirt, undersold them so they couldn't make a fair living. Then when they failed, he offered loans. 'Course, they couldn't keep up the payments since he was still competing with them at the market, so he ended up buying them out for pennies on the dollar to get their land."
That was not a new tale. It'd been told in every state where there were small family-owned farms and ranches. Jolene didn’t approve, but recognized it for what it was, the way of the world. The rich got richer, and the poor struggled to survive.
"So you don't like him for what his father did?"
"You think he's any different?"
"I don't know."
"Well, he's not. The
way I hear it, he's been making mountains of money for the last fifteen years. First in Alaska, and later in Montana and the Dakotas. Buying up land and mineral rights hand over fist. He's turning Pursell Oil into one of the biggest in the country."
"And that makes you mad because?"
"Because—because it does."
Jolene fell silent. She didn't know Cody all that well, but her reaction to Wesley Pursell seemed unnatural. She thought about it as she rode, replaying the meeting in her mind. Then it hit her. The look on Cody's face when she saw Wesley.
Cody was attracted to him. "So, you knew him when you were a little girl?"
"Yeah. He'd come to the bar now and then."
"Was he already in the oil business then?"
Cody shrugged.
"What was he like back then?"
Another shrug preceded a long silence. "He was okay."
"He's sure good-looking."
"If that's your type." Cody's head turned and moved slightly, chin tilting up in a slight jerk as her head turned to the right and her eyes shifted in the same direction.
Ah ha. There it was, Cody's 'tell'. Everyone had one; some were just harder to spot than others. Wesley Pursell might well prove to be as awful as Cody made him out to be, but Jolene would be willing to bet he wasn't half that bad.
He was, however, a man who possessed something that got to Cody Sweet and the one thing Jolene had figured out about her new friend was that she was damned determined to never give her heart to another man.
She'd been burned once, and she didn't intend to get anywhere close to another romantic flame. Jolene understood the pain of the burn all too well, having experienced something similar. The difference was, Jolene would run headlong into the fire if given the chance, while Cody would run the other way.
Not that it mattered. JD Weathers was not likely to ever give her a chance, and it was his fire she craved.
*****
JD walked out of the barn at the same moment his father, Jolene and three of her crew rode up on horseback. Jason's face was split in a grin, something JD didn't see too often. There was a smile on Jolene's face as well and despite his resolve not to give her the time of day he couldn't help but notice how pretty she was when she smiled.
