“Is there anything I should know about the horses? Should I come out to check on them during the day?” Jazzy asked as she stroked a gray’s nose.
“No, I’ll let them out into the pasture before I’m done here. Why don’t you go on up and start Dad’s breakfast.”
“Trying to get rid of me?” she asked teasingly.
Yes, he was. But he couldn’t tell her that. When he didn’t answer right away, she asked, “Brooks?”
“Once Dad’s up, he doesn’t like to wait around for breakfast. I don’t want him coming out here and thinking he can help. Maybe you can head him off at the pass.”
“I’ll do that.”
When she swished by him, he almost reached out and pulled her into his arms. But he didn’t.
At the doorway to the barn, she stopped. “Sunny-side up eggs, or scrambled?”
“Any way you want to make them.”
She flashed him a smile and was gone.
Brooks groaned and picked up a pitchfork.
* * *
A wedding present for Jazzy.
Brooks strode through Crawford’s, not knowing what he was looking for, just hoping that when he saw it, it would be right. He was hoping he could find that one special thing that he knew she’d like. Jewelry was always the best bet, but thinking about it, he hadn’t seen Jazzy wearing much jewelry. Of course she wouldn’t to work with animals or painting or helping with construction at the new elementary school.
Pearls were a traditional wedding gift. His dad had given his mom pearls. In fact, he knew they were still kept in his dad’s safe. But this wasn’t going to be a traditional wedding. It wasn’t going to be a real marriage, so traditional didn’t work.
He glanced at vases and candy and even boots. He spotted sparkly earrings and a necklace that would have hung practically to her navel. But then his gaze fell on the right thing, the perfect thing, something that was necessary yet something that could be a little fashionable, too. The Montana Silversmith’s watch. His gaze targeted the rectangular-faced one with the black leather band and the scrollwork in silver and gold that made the band fancy.
When he saw who was behind the counter today, he smiled. It was Nina Crawford. She was looking as pretty and fit as usual, yet when his gaze ran down over the front of her, even in the oversize T-shirt, he could see the small bump.
“Nina, it’s good to see you.”
She frowned and laid her hand on her tummy. “It’s good to see you, too, Brooks. I guess you noticed.” She leaned close to him and whispered, “I just started showing, almost overnight.”
“That’s the way it happens sometimes. At least that’s what I’ve heard.” Though he did wonder who the father was.
Nina asked, “How can I help you?”
“Can I see that watch?” It was inside the case.
“That’s a woman’s watch.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Are you dating someone?” She sounded surprised and he knew why. Most everyone in town knew he’d said more than once, he’d never get married. But never say never.
“I’m not just dating someone. I’m going to marry someone.”
“Why, Brooks Smith! Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Jazzy Cates.”
“One of those volunteers from Thunder Canyon?”
“That’s right. She’s been helping out here since after the flood. I thought this would be a nice wedding present.”
“It’s a beautiful wedding present. Any woman would love to have it.” She stood back and eyed him again. “I just can’t believe you’re getting married. Did the flood change the way you look at life? It did for many folks around here.”
He couldn’t say it did, really, though Jazzy had maintained it had changed her outlook some. “Not so much. I guess I’m just feeling it’s time to put down roots and forget about the past.”
“That’s not so easy to do,” Nina said. “Take the mayoral election for instance. Collin Traub versus my brother. In the past, there was a family feud between the Traubs and Crawfords that no one even remembers anymore. But the bad feelings are still there. Who are you voting for?”
“Collin did a good job after the flood, bringing everyone together.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not. I saw him in action.”
Nina crossed her arms over her chest, “And my brother didn’t do a good job?”
Now he’d set his foot in it. “It’s going to require some thought, but I think my vote’s going to be for Collin.”
“I should charge you extra for the watch.”
“But you won’t.”
She gave him a wry smile. “No, I won’t. Do you want it gift wrapped?”
“You do that here?”
“Sure do. I have a pretty gold foil that should do the trick, if you have time to wait.”
“I have a few minutes. Thanks, Nina. I really appreciate it.”
* * *
“I don’t need you here,” Barrett said for about the tenth time.
Jazzy and Brooks exchanged a look across the kitchen table.
Barrett motioned to the papers Jazzy had spread across the table—pictures of wedding cakes and flowers, a list of guests and a to-do list that ran on for two pages. “You have lots to do and not much time to do it in. And you can turn off that damn monitor, too,” he told Brooks. “After tonight, I’m on my own. You have better things to do than babysitting.”
Brooks wasn’t sure he was ready to leave just yet. But he also didn’t want his dad’s blood pressure going up every time he thought about them being there. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“Uh-oh. Sounds like I’m going to get the short end of the stick again.”
Jazzy laughed and Brooks realized the sound broke the tension. She seemed to be able to do that easily.
“Jazzy and I will leave, but I come out here to help you with the chores first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. And she stops in at lunch to make sure you’re eating properly.”
Barrett narrowed his eyes. “I don’t mind seeing her pretty face at lunch, and I’ll take your help with the chores in the morning. But I’m on my own after that.”
“Dad—”
“Don’t give me that tone of voice, son. You want to help out with the animals, fine. You want to help out at the clinic, fine. But then I need my private time.”
“Another condition, then. You get one of those new smartphones so we can talk face-to-face.”
“I don’t need—”
“Mr. Smith, I think you need to put Brooks’s mind at rest. He won’t be able to work if he’s worried about you. Is a new phone such a bad thing?”
Barrett sighed. “You two aren’t going to give up, are you?” After a lengthy pause, he decided, “All right, a new phone, Brooks helping out with the animals and with the practice, and you keeping me company at lunch. But don’t think that’s going to go on forever, either.”
“We’d never think that,” they said in unison, and then they both laughed.
Barrett shook his head. “You’re even beginning to sound like a married couple. So did you set the date?”
“I talked with the reverend tonight,” Brooks said. “Next Wednesday evening. Jazzy and I are going to the social hall tomorrow to check things out.”
“I’m paying for the reception,” Barrett said.
Brooks looked at him, surprised. “You don’t have to do that.”
“That’s not a matter of have to. I want to. It’s the least I could do for all you’re doing for me. Why don’t you two go take a last check of the barn, so I can watch my TV in peace.”
This time, Brooks didn’t argue with his father. He hadn’t seen Jazzy all day, and he’d missed her. It was an od
d feeling, one he couldn’t remember having even with Lynnette.
“I’ll grab my jacket,” Jazzy said and did just that. She pushed all the papers into a pile and slipped them into a folder.
Once they were outside and walking toward the barn, she said, “I think your dad wants some peace and quiet.”
“He’s used to living alone. I can see why having us around is tough.”
“So which cake did you like?” she asked him. “The one with the little pedestal, the layer cake with the flowers in pink and yellow around the border, or the all-white cake with a dove sitting at the edge of each layer? Melba said she can do any of them. She’s a terrific baker and offered to do it when I told her we were getting married.”
“It really doesn’t matter to me, Jazzy. Just choose one. Any one will be all right, as long as the cake’s good.” He could see that wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She wanted him to be enthusiastic. But he was having trouble with enthusiasm for this wedding when it was going to be fake. Certainly he didn’t want more than that, did he?
She stopped him with her hand on his arm. “You really don’t care?”
The night had turned cool and very damp. Suddenly snow flurries began floating around them. “It’s not that I don’t care, Jazzy. I want you to have what you want. Doves or pedestals don’t make a difference to me. But if they do to you, pick the one that makes you happy.”
She gazed up at him, and in the glow of the barn’s floodlight, he could see she looked confused.
“So it’s not that you don’t care, you’re just not particular.”
“That’s the gist of it. Though I do prefer chocolate cake to something...exotic.”
“Like white?” she teased.
He took her by the shoulders and gave her a gentle little shake. Her hair fell over his hand, turning him on. When Jazzy was around these days, he got way too revved up. Maybe he should keep his distance from her until the wedding. That wasn’t going to be so hard unless...
He had something to ask her...to invite her to do. “We’re getting married next week.” If he said it often enough, he might believe it.
“I know,” she said softly.
At that very moment, kissing her was the top thing on his to-do list. But he had to cross it off. “When we leave Dad’s, you’ll be going back to Strickland’s till the wedding. But when we move in together...I just want you to know you can trust me. I have two bedrooms and you’ll have your privacy in yours.”
“I wasn’t worried about—” She stopped and looked him straight in the eyes. “I trust you.”
She trusted him. That was a vote of confidence he had to live up to.
“Are we eventually going to move to Rust Creek Falls?” she asked.
He’d been giving that some thought. “That makes sense, too. Since the Kalispell practice found someone to replace me, there’s no need for me to stay there. After we’re married, we’ll look around and see what’s available.”
“It sounds like a plan.”
The snow was coming down a little heavier now, and Jazzy raised her face to it. A few flakes landed on her eyelashes—pretty, long, blond eyelashes. She opened her mouth and caught a few flakes on her tongue, giving him a grin.
His stomach clenched, his body tightened and he knew his plan to keep his distance would go along just fine as long as he didn’t kiss her.
Chapter Nine
Jazzy stood in the social hall of the church the following evening, still not quite believing she was planning her wedding.
Her wedding.
She’d never thought it would be like this. Her chest tightened and her eyes grew misty.
Standing beside her, Brooks must have realized her emotions were getting the best of her because he asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Not really,” she said, her voice betraying her.
He lifted her chin, and his touch excited her as it always did. “What is it?” he asked gently.
She summed it all up the only way she could. “It’s our wedding day. I never thought it would be like this—just something to plan and get through.”
He studied her for a very long time.
Then he asked, “Do you have that CD you burned at the office today of your favorite songs?”
“Yes,” she said warily, glancing toward her purse that was sitting on one of the tables.
“Hold on a minute. I’ll be right back.”
When he started to stride away, she clasped his arm. “Where are you going? We really should get back to your dad.” They would be moving out this weekend. She’d be going back to Strickland’s until they married and Brooks would be staying at his condo once more.
“If we’re leaving him on his own this weekend, we have to trust him to behave. But I asked Charlie to make an unexpected visit after we left tonight. They’re probably deep into a discussion about what teams are going to make it to the Super Bowl this year.”
When he turned away from her again, she asked, “But where are you going?”
“Patience, Jazzy. I’ll be right back.”
Men said they didn’t understand women. That was definitely a two-way street.
For a few minutes, Jazzy believed Brooks had deserted her. Maybe that’s what she expected. In the end, wasn’t this kind of marriage all about that? Leaving each other with no strings? Unfortunately for her, she was going to have strings.
She wandered about the hall, thinking about flowers for the tables. Maybe white mums...
Brooks reappeared. He ordered, “Give me the CD.”
She did and he went to a little door mounted on the wall and inserted a small key. He opened it, manipulated whatever was inside, and came back to her without the CD. Moments later, her music began playing and he opened his arms to her. “Okay, let’s take a spin and see how it feels.”
Was he serious? She felt a little ridiculous.
“Come on, Jazzy. Let’s do more than plan. Let’s practice our first dance.”
When she still hesitated, he offered, “Look, I can understand you don’t want me to treat our wedding as if it’s just an appointment on the calendar. I’m not. Let’s dance.”
She felt a bit foolish now. After all, their wedding was an appointment on the calendar. It wasn’t a real wedding. That fact made her so deeply sad.
Gratefully, Brooks didn’t see her underlying confusion because he went on, “I think we’ve been trying to avoid the pretense of the whole thing. You hate deceiving Dad as much as I do. We just have to keep remembering the greater good.”
So that’s what he thought they were both doing, pretending for the greater good. She wasn’t pretending. As world-shaking as it was, she’d fallen in love with Brooks Smith! Who knew that could happen in these strange circumstances? All she knew was that she never felt this way with Griff or anyone else, for that matter. She was an experienced dater. Truth be told, she hadn’t even gone on anything resembling a date with Brooks. But each time they were together, it felt like a date. Each time they were together, she was sinking deeper into a whirl of emotion—and she wasn’t sure how she’d ever pull herself out.
Gosh, she should write a country song.
Stepping closer to Brooks, she let him take her into his arms. His clasp was loose at first as the music swirled around them. As she gazed up into his eyes, however, his hold tightened a bit and then a bit more. She liked the feel of his strong arms around her. She liked the feel of the softness of his T-shirt against her cheek. He was so...so...male and she felt as if she were drowning in that...drowning in him.
She had to distract herself before she started weaving dreams that would never come true. “Do you really believe your dad will be okay if we leave?”
“He’s not giving us any choice. I found someone to help him with chores morning and evening.
He’s the son of one of Dad’s neighbors. And I’m going to insist Dad keep his cell phone on him at all times. I’ll be at his practice during the day if I’m not out on call, so I can check on him between patients. With Charlie checking, too, all the bases will be covered.”
All the bases except home base...her heart.
“I really want to rent a place in Rust Creek Falls so we’re closer to Dad,” Brooks continued. “But I checked with the real-estate agent. Since the flood, a nice place is hard to find. My condo in Kalispell will have to do until something becomes available. In fact, why don’t we take a drive there when we’re finished here?”
Touring the condo where Brooks lived would tell her even more about him. “Sure.”
Suddenly Brooks released her, but he didn’t go far. He reached into the pocket of his jeans. “Before I forget.” He withdrew a chain with two keys. “There’s a key to my place, and a key to Dad’s.”
She held them in her palm and the reality of living with Brooks shook her a little. She pocketed the keys. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Taking her in his arms again, he brought her closer.
She’d watched couples dancing on TV. She’d danced with a few of her dates, too. But the pleasure of dancing with Brooks surpassed anything she’d watched or anything she’d ever felt. Now that they were pressed even closer together, she let his thighs guide hers. She let her cheek actually rest against his shirt. She could feel him breathing.
Although she fought against it, a happily-ever-after dream began to take shape and there was nothing she could do about it.
* * *
On Friday, Jazzy slipped Brooks’s key into his door lock and opened the door. Then she waved to Cecilia who gave her a thumbs-up sign and drove away.
Everything seemed under control in Barrett’s clinic, and Brooks was going to be out on calls all day. There hadn’t been any appointments at the Buckskin Clinic. For now, any emergencies that came in there were being forwarded to his dad’s place, anyway. So Jazzy had told Brooks, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Cecilia would drive her to his place and she could make them dinner. His father seemed to crave more privacy and independence now that he was feeling better, and Brooks had liked the idea.
Marrying Dr. Maverick Page 11
