“Whoa, I outta punch you for thinking such a thing. Didn’t you hear what I said? You two should’ve been together all along. Good luck this time.” Wade went back to the computer and tossed his hat down on the desk.
If he had a dollar for each time someone in these past years said they “should’ve been together,” he’d be rich. Jake strode over to Wade’s desk, picked up the order sheet, perused the new orders, and grinned. New orders were always a good thing. “Wade. Bring Baby Bell over here tomorrow after T.J. goes to school. Put a For Sale sign on the stall.”
Wade pressed the temple to his reading glasses against his lip. “You sure? I might be interested in her myself. She’s always been a good horse.”
“That’d be great, but don’t keep her here. I’ll be back.” Jake sauntered toward the house. Paige had loved Baby Bell, but she’d found something better to love.
Once in the kitchen, he stood at the doorway and glanced around at the furniture in the living room—at the décor with some pieces he couldn’t name. The interior of the house needed a change. He did a slow stroll back through to the kitchen and into the family room. The wife to one of his customers did interior design work and had done this years ago. He’d call her this week.
Upstairs, he stood in the bedroom doorway, slid his hands into his back pockets, and scanned the room. His bedroom would be the first room to change. A rolling in his stomach happened while peering at everything Paige had picked out. In fact, he’d call the designer first thing in the morning. Jake sighed as he changed from good to working jeans. In his mind, he saw the makings of a long year ahead.
***
Beth shopped and had planned dinner while her mom was at church. She prepared an Italian one-pot meal. The comforting aroma of saucy and cheesy baked tortellini reminded her of her growing up years. By the time she returned from watching Trace ride, a nice dinner would be waiting. She planned enough for Jake and Trace, too. They’d have ice cream for dessert. Trace loved ice cream.
When there was a knock on the door, she suspected it might be Jake, but a quick glance at her watch told her they’d still be in church. She opened it, gasping. “Ross! Hi, what are you doing here?” She froze in her spot for a moment, shocked to see her ex-husband standing at her door. He hadn’t called in advance, but she smiled at seeing him again.
Ross embraced her. “Hi there, precious. How’s it going? Can I come in to give you some news?”
“Of course!” She held the door open and swept her arm forward for him to enter the living room. He looked good—tall and handsome, the way she liked men, so it was no surprise she had been attracted to him when they’d met. His near black, wavy hair invited fingers to run through it, but not hers. Blue eyes as clear as glass drew a person right inside his soul. Pulling herself back to the present, she ushered him into the living room. “I have coffee. Come on. When did you arrive?”
Ross removed his sport coat and dropped it to the sofa. “I had an early flight and ate breakfast at the airport. Then I got a rental car, took care of some business, and came here.”
“Oh, you’re here on business.” She motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen. Beth got him a mug from the cupboard and poured coffee. “Mom would have been pleased to see you. Earlier she texted saying she wouldn’t be home until late evening.”
“Yeah? Too bad. Well, I’m done with the business part, but my main reason for coming was to see you, darlin’. How’s your mom holding up these days? You hanging in there?”
She smiled at the word darlin’, the name he’d call her on purpose when they were out among friends—to make their love appear to be real. “We’re getting by the best we can. Yesterday, Mom returned from a trip to San Diego. Coming back home and seeing the house again kind of shook her up. Her first glance was to Dad’s chair, and I certainly can relate.” She poured a cup of coffee for herself and took a chair beside Ross. “I hope the reason you’re here is good news.” Beth’s curiosity came to the surface, though she had an idea what he wanted to tell her in person.
“Yeah, the news I came to share is good.” Ross nodded and peered into her eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the funeral, Beth. Truly, I felt awful missing it. I was out of town. Well, out of the country on business. You remember the traveling.”
“Um hmm. Don’t feel bad. You sent flowers.”
He stood and nodded toward the bathroom. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” When he left the room, she checked her phone for a message from Jake. He must’ve gotten busy after church. She spoke to Ross when he returned from the bathroom. “It’s great to see you again.”
He laid his hand on her shoulder. “I’m moving back to New York. Leaving Texas. You probably know what else I have to tell you.”
“I have a suspicion.” Beth moved to the sink to get a warm-up of coffee. She refilled his cup. “Are you planning on sticking around town this afternoon?”
Ross sat and took a drink of coffee. “I can hang around a few hours if you aren’t busy.”
She didn’t think twice about asking him for dinner. “I fixed supper, but Mom won’t be here to eat it with me. Care to stay?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had your delicious cooking,” said Ross with a gleam in his eye. “I might as well. The food smells floating around here are hard to resist. Good timing on my part,” he quipped. “Seems your Texas tan is fading.”
“I’m working and not spending much time in the sun. Can you excuse me a moment? I need to send Jake a text.” Beth left the room and explained to Jake that she hated disappointing Trace, but she wouldn’t be able to make it over. She apologized, sorry herself she wouldn’t see Jake again today, adding, “I’ll call you later.” Last night with him was enjoyable, and she marveled at the fact of a possible new future together after all these years. She returned to the kitchen to set out dishes and remove the tortellini from the oven. “Come on, let’s eat in the dining room.”
He picked up the plates while she carried in a fresh pot of coffee, bread, and real butter.
“So Jake, huh? The same cowboy?” He paused and took a seat, chuckling. “Your teen heart throb?”
Beth unwrapped the loaf of Italian bread and took the top off the butter dish. “Yes, the same Jake I talked about before. He has a little boy. It was by chance we ran into each other again.”
“Probably not just by chance, Beth. You deserve to marry the right guy…to have a family.” Ross gave her an easy-going smile. “I’m engaged. We’re getting married in a few months.”
She sliced the bread without looking up at him. Her assumption had been correct. She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. From the smile on his face, it was easy to see how happy his girl made him. “I want to see you in a happy marriage, Ross.”
“I want the same for you, darlin’. Don’t hold back on your future. We both deserve this. Don’t let this guy get away.”
His lips parted, and he wore a sincere expression. It hadn’t worked out for them, but that didn’t mean the two of them shouldn’t be happy. He was right. They deserved this after what they all had gone through in the name of love.
Ross glanced around the room and fixed his gaze on the mountain across the street. “You fit here. I’m glad you moved back home. By the way, how about lunch tomorrow before I go to the airport? In the hotel, I saw a flyer for a bar restaurant I’d like to try before leaving.”
Beth hadn’t had enough time in at work to sneak a day off. It could be the last time she saw Ross, though. She’d find a way. There was no harm in sharing a friendly farewell meal together. “Sure, lunch can be arranged. Which restaurant?”
Ross slathered butter onto a slice of bread, peered at her, and grinned. “Golden Nugget or something close to that name?”
“Yeah, that’s correct. You’ll like it there. It has an interesting history!” How come they’d never eaten there when they’d come to visit her mom? Beth smiled to herself. Who had wanted to pass up an authentic Italian
meal at home, though?
Ross stretched his arms out wide, grinning. “Let’s meet. I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to check out of the hotel. By the way. Caroline sends her love. She insisted I tell you about the wedding face to face.”
Beth wet her dry lips and laid her hand over her heart. “She’ll be a beautiful bride. Now eat before it gets cold.”
***
By time Trace rolled in from church with his friend’s family, the sun was high. He let Trace read Beth’s text himself. Jake reckoned she had something planned with her mother. He’d give her a call later.
Since he didn’t want the whole day to be a disappointment to the kid, he nudged him in the arm after Trace followed him around the barn filling water buckets between pats to the dog and horses. “Change your clothes, Trace. I’ll bring our saddles out of the tack room.”
The glow in his brown eyes ignited. “Cool! I’ll be right down.”
Jake went into the stall to bring Atlas into the cross ties then got the saddles, bridles, and blankets. As he eyed the new saddle, he realized brown was the best choice. Not too long after, Trace came into the barn dressed in his blue jeans, boots, flannel shirt, and a brown felt Stetson. Jake grinned. The kid needed a haircut, too, for it poked out under his hat. Once his lanky body filled out, and the boy turned to a man, he’d be a lady killer.
Trace went into the stall to get Blue while Jake ran a brush across the curve of his horse’s back, and down his legs. “Hey, don’t forget your chaps. Those jumping cholla’s out there will get ya. Doggone but they hurt.”
“I like my saddle, Dad!” Trace brushed down his own horse in a race to beat his dad.
Jake gave him a hand getting the saddle over Blue’s back, but left the cinching to T.J. He finished his own saddle and bridle, donned chaps while watching out of the corner of his eye as T.J. did his own bridle, and was damn good at it. One day, he hoped his son would take over and keep the ranch and business going. It was a lot to ask of a young man these days. “Ready?”
“Yep. Check my saddle.”
Jake went over to Blue, loosened the cinch. “We need to move this saddle back a little more. Remember what I told you about how to fit it over the withers then slide it slightly back?”
“Sorry, Dad. It slipped.”
“Fitting the saddle can be a challenge. Withers aren’t always the same, son. That’s why we double check every time.” Jake ran his hand over Trace’s back before going to the other side of the horse. “If necessary, we’ll call out a saddle fitter to get the right fit here.”
Trace followed him around the horse so close that if Jake stopped, he’d wear the kid on the backside of him. “What’s a saddle fitter?”
“A guy, or I guess a girl, too, who makes sure your new saddle has the perfect fit to your horse. Since you have a new saddle, all I did was try it on the store dummy—”
“Store dummy? What’s that?” Trace laughed so hard he fell back onto his butt then rolled to his side, giggling.
Jake laughed with him. “Good one, kiddo. You know what I mean. It looks like the back of a horse you see saddles sitting on in some stores.”
Giggles got the best of him. His next sentence rolled out through a chuckle when he sat up. “I wanna see one.”
The goofy kid warmed his heart. “Sure thing, but you know I have one at the other barn. You see it all the time. Didn’t know it was a dummy, huh?” He came back around and whipped Trace’s hat off and pretended to swat him with it. “You gonna ride or sit there on your butt all night?”
“Ride!” Trace pulled his hat on and down low on his forehead, peering up at his dad. “Let’s hit the trail, Pops.” He grasped the reins and took his horse out to the step stand, got on him, and waited for his dad.
Before long, those skinny legs wouldn’t need a step stand. Jake moved the brush boxes out of the way and turned his horse around. Outside, he stuck his foot into the stirrup and swung his leg over. “After you, Mr. Giggles.”
Trace nudged his horse in the sides, and they trotted out of there. “I wish Beth came with us.”
“How come?” asked Jake. He would’ve liked for her to come along, but it had surprised him Trace brought it up. Maybe this was a good time to get T.J. talking about her.
“I like her, Dad. She smells good.”
“She does. Does this mean you wouldn’t mind having her around more often?”
Trace set the pace for their ride, and Jake beamed with pride. His son handled the horse in a trot. “It’s okay with me. She cooks good chicken.”
***
Monday, he had called Julie early, and it surprised him that she could come over this morning. Jake picked up what he could around the house and dusted for the first time in weeks. He’d have to hire a housekeeper because if anything needed done around this ranch, it had to involve working in the barn and property, not dusting a mantel. His ranch hands did most of the work nowadays, yet Jake made his appearance, still taking care of his own horses and lending a hand in the supply barn when necessary. Spending less time working the ranch than in the past, it soothed his soul to be out there when he did chores. The sun reflected off a windshield out front. Petite and pretty Julie Holt arrived early.
Jake greeted her at the door with a duster in his hand but tossed it to the stone hearth. “Come on in, Julie. You’re early.”
Julie held out her hand to shake his. “Jake Lawton. Nice to see you again.”
“How about we head upstairs. I’d like my bedroom to be the first room to switch out.” Jake set her books on the coffee table, taking a quick glance around the place.
“I’m honored to be doing this for you. I know you were never happy with what Paige had picked out. It was big of you to let her have her way.”
“It didn’t matter at the time. Well, it’s time for a change now. T.J. will help with the rest of the house, but the bedroom is all mine.” He brushed his hand forward. “This way.”
Upstairs, he stood outside the door. “I want something masculine in here,” he growled and puffed out his chest. “No more frills and lace. Argh!”
Julie laughed. “I have the perfect bedroom set for you. I’ve been dying to order this for one of you cowboys around here, but not mine.” She tapped her finger against her cheek while surveying the room. “I see something in natural log instead of this white furniture and fabric headboard. We’ll get rid of the scalloped, flowery boarder. I’ll show you pictures when we go back downstairs to see if you approve.”
“Log? I like it already.” A dominate male lion’s roar nearly slipped out. It didn’t get much more masculine than log. Maybe she had something in black leather to go with it.
She walked around measuring his room. “What do you want to do with this furniture?” she asked, toying with her tablet.
“Ah, heck if I know. Burn it?” Jake shook his head as he peered outside, where he’d rather be. “I don’t know.”
She held her tablet at the ready to input data. “Would you prefer to sell or donate? I can help either way.”
He raised his hands. Like he said, he didn’t know. Whatever she chose worked for him. “Somebody might like it, but donate it as long as they don’t know it came from here.”
“No problem. I work with a charity organization in and around Phoenix. They’d be happy to take this. You’ll get a tax credit and—”
“Yeah, fine, whatever. Yep, let’s do it. They can have the rest after the beginning of the year.” Julie held the tablet against her buxom breasts—the ones he tried not to notice.
“Let’s go down to take a look at the books. Would you like your room painted, new pictures? The bathroom? Of course, you would. I’ll take this week to get your supplies ordered and give you a call in a couple days to confirm the date. With my connections, I can have your bedroom delivered soon if you want it before Christmas.”
“Sure. I’ll leave everything up to you. You seem to know what I want. Whatever goes with log.” He mentally pounded his chest like a
big gorilla every time he said log. Jake headed downstairs behind her and waited until she took a seat on the soon-to-be-gone sofa. He sat across from her in a matching white chair he wouldn’t miss.
She removed samples from her bag, skittered through them, nonchalantly peeking up at him now and then. “You might like this better. This bed frame is hand crafted from reclaimed oak planks from 1800 barn wood. Trust me, it looks fabulous. It so speaks Jake Lawton!” Julie touched his arm and laughed again.
He nodded in agreement, trying like hell not to grin. “Barn wood is what I need.” More chest pounding went on in his mind.
Julie smiled and stood. “You’re the best customer I’ve ever had. If only they could all be like you.”
Standing when she did, he slipped his thumbs through the front belt loops on his jeans. “I tell ya what, Julie. Line up the guys who have been burned. I’m sure they’re no different than me. Easy. Get the job done. Move on.”
“I’ll take it under consideration.” Julie’s brow furrowed. “Justin and I are sorry for what happened to you, Jake, and of course about Paige.” She packed her books up and reached for his hand again. “Great doing business with you. Let me get an estimate, and when I call you in a couple days, we’ll go from there. Have a nice day. Give your boy a hug.” Julie strolled toward the door. “Oh, um, I hear Beth Mar…Mar…whatever is back to stay.”
Detecting a subtle smile, he remained nonchalant. What’d she know about it anyway? “Marconi. We had dinner the other night.” Maybe he should put it in the Canyon Junction Gazette so anyone who didn’t know could learn it firsthand.
“I didn’t grow up here, but Justin told me you two used to be an item in high school.”
“Yep, I guess.” Jake’s jaw tightened, and he checked his watch. He removed his hat from the peg and held the door open while she scooted through. Wasn’t anything left to secret anymore? Word spread like smoking brittlebush. “Remember, burned husbands equal the best customers.” At her SUV, he held the door open and stepped back while she loaded her items. “Tell Justin hey.”
Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love #1) Page 10
