Ryan’s head popped up, his attention torn from his video game, with a puzzled look on his face. Probably because of the babe remarks. “Hi, Jo.”
While Jo buckled in, Chad laid his arm on the seat and backed out. “I called my mom this morning. She’s looking forward to all the company today.”
He stared into her eyes. Hopefully, he was trying to silently communicate that he’d taken care of warning his mom about their scheme. “Can’t wait for chili and corn bread.”
Linda grunted. “Is that what we’re having? Your mom knows I don’t eat carbs, Chad.” She leaned forward and looked up at the darkening sky through the front windshield. “We’re still planning to be back by three, before the snow starts, right, baby? My p-l-a-n-e leaves at six.”
Chad’s shoulders stiffened as he merged onto the highway. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”
So that coward Linda hadn’t told her poor kid she was only staying for the day.
But Jo was glad they were going to be back that early, because Shelby had just called to tell her she had another date later. A guy named Chase. He was a Realtor, and Shelby had known him for years. He’d needed a last-minute date for a friend’s art exhibit. Maybe he’d be a better fit than Scott had been.
As silence settled over them in the car, awkward took on a new meaning. Chad met her gaze in the mirror. “Have you heard back on the bids for the restaurant yet?”
“I’m expecting them early next week. I hope they come in close to budget. It’s going to be tight.”
“Randy will treat you fair. He knows he has me to deal with if he doesn’t. I’d be happy to go over the bids with you when they come in.” He smiled in the reflection.
Normally, she would have told Chad she could do it without his help, but he was an architect after all, so she tamped back her independent streak. Besides, it was what a fiancée would do. “I’d like that. Thanks.”
Jo leaned down and slipped Ryan’s new Chester book from her bag. “Hey, look what I brought you.”
Ryan’s head popped up, and he smiled. “Can we read it now?” He tossed his video game aside.
Linda grunted from the front seat again. “You told me you hate to read, Ryan. What’s up with that?”
Ryan’s little shoulders drooped. “I like Chester.”
Really? What mother took offense to her kid reading a book? Or maybe it was because Ryan was reading it with Jo. Well, too bad. Linda could have sat with Ryan if she’d wanted to instead of sitting up front and making googly eyes at Chad.
It was going to be a long day.
By the time they arrived at the ranch, it was clear that Chad had read Linda’s intentions correctly. She was trying to win him back. That his fiancée was sitting in the backseat hadn’t stopped Linda from laying her hand on Chad’s shoulder and flirting with him the entire ride.
It was irritating, but she’d decided after her last kiss with Chad, being friends was all they were going to be. It’d be too easy to fall for him again and get hurt.
She’d missed her best friend and was ready to try to move on. Her mom had said people make mistakes when they’re young. The pain written on Chad’s face when they’d talked about Bryce showed that Chad clearly felt remorse for what had happened. And, in his defense, he’d tried to make amends again after Bryce died, but she hadn’t been ready.
Maybe she’d even go to the cemetery with him, if he still wanted to go. She needed to move fully past that part of her life too. Then maybe she’d be ready for a new man. One who would want to start a family, and who’d be focused on their relationship instead of some all-consuming career like Chad had.
Chad tapped the horn as they approached the ranch house. Mary came out of the barn, waving and signaling for them to join her. They pulled up in front of the house and all piled out of the truck. The icy wind had picked up, so Jo leaned down and zipped up Ryan’s coat. “Ready to go see the baby horse?” She used to love to visit the horses on the ranch with Chad.
Ryan stood patiently as Jo pulled on his wool cap. “It’s called a foal, Jo.”
“You’re right. I sometimes forget how smart you are.” She gave his pudgy nose a tap with her forefinger.
Linda appeared and stuck out her hand in Ryan’s direction. “I got this now. Come on, Ryan.”
As Jo stood and watched Linda tug Ryan toward the barn, he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. It reminded her that no matter what a jerk Linda was, she was his mom and he was happy to see her.
A big arm slipped around her waist. “Now she’ll probably pretend to be a good mother in front of my mom. It’s all part of the act. Ready to start our own?”
“Yep.” How he could be so warm when it was cold out had always been a mystery to her. But she wasn’t above using some of his body heat, so she moved closer to his side as they slowly walked to the barn. “What happened when Ryan saw Linda this morning?”
Chad slowed their pace to give them time to talk. “He freaked out and cried at first, but then he got mad at her. I was kind of proud of the way he read her the riot act for leaving him behind. He was punishing her by ignoring her in the truck. But I don’t think he can keep that up. He loves her.”
“Funny how it’s possible to love someone and still be so mad you could punch them, right?”
They stepped through the sliding doors to the barn. As Chad shut them, he whispered, “Or poke them?”
She glanced his way and smiled. Safer not to answer that one. She wasn’t sure she still loved him, but feelings for the man were definitely still there. She’d settle for friends for now.
Mary was waiting for them, and her face lit up. “Jo! It’s so good to see you.” She opened her arms for a hug, and Jo gladly stepped inside the circle of love and goodness that was Mary. She was tall like Jo, soft all over, and had always made Jo feel welcome. Mary’s hair had turned a solid gray, but otherwise, she looked just as Jo remembered.
“I’ve missed you, Mary.” Jo hugged her back and then whispered, “I’m so sorry about Mike. I didn’t know or I would’ve come sooner.”
“I know, honey. No worries.” Mary leaned back and grinned from ear to ear. “You just look fantastic. Want to see what kept Chad so long yesterday?”
“Yes! Can’t wait.”
Chad said, “What about me? Don’t I get a hug too?”
Mary chuckled as she wrapped Chad up in a hug. “You’re a brave man, bringing both of your exes here.”
Chad released his mom and murmured, “Believe me, it wasn’t my choice. So don’t be mad if we don’t stay long, okay?”
“Whatever works. Let’s go see if Ryan has picked a name for the foal yet.”
As they walked down the middle of the barn, Jo searched on both sides of the aisle for the foal she’d gotten to name many years ago. But none of the horses looked familiar, and her heart sank a little. It was probably silly to think he’d still be there. Chad’s parents bred horses to sell. They only kept a few for themselves.
Then she saw him, his head bobbing up and down as if he recognized her and was waiting, and she let out a squeal. “There you are, Black Jack.” The huge horse was entirely black except for a perfect diamond of white on his forehead. Mary grabbed an apple from her apron and handed it over.
“I’ve missed you, buddy!” Jo blinked back tears of joy as she held out the apple while she stroked his muscled neck. She’d always wondered what had happened to him after she and Chad broke up. “I can’t believe he’s still here.”
Chad moved beside her. “I keep my promises, Jo. He’s all yours. We can go riding anytime you like.”
Black Jack had been born a few months after she and Chad had begun to date. She’d have known the horse was still there had they spoken in the last nine years. He’d promised her that if he ever got an NFL contract, he’d buy Black Jack from his parents for her. That he’d kept his word chipped away a large chunk of the wall she’d erected around her bruised heart. “Thank you, Chad.” She wiped her tears and smiled at Mar
y. “And thank you for taking such good care of him.”
Mary kissed Jo’s cheek. “It was my pleasure. Now let’s go see the new baby!”
Jo lagged behind for a moment and patted Black Jack a little more before she whispered that she’d be back soon, and then followed behind Chad and his mom. When they got to the birthing pen in the rear, Linda was staring at her phone while Ryan pet the foal’s head through the fence. “There you are, Grandma! Now can we go in and play with her?”
Interesting that Ryan called Chad’s mom Grandma, but he didn’t call Chad Dad. While Mary opened the gate, both Jo and Ryan quickly followed, but Linda grabbed Chad’s arm and tugged. “Can we talk for a minute?” Linda glowered at Jo and then turned back to Chad. “Alone.”
Chad drew a deep breath, like he always did when he dug for patience. “Fine.” He slid his arm from her grasp and held out his hand. “After you.”
The smug look Linda sent Jo’s way would have been annoying if Mary hadn’t murmured, “I never understood what high maintenance meant until I met Linda. I’m indebted to her, because I now know just what that means.”
Jo laughed. Mary never said an unkind word about anyone, but that was as close as Jo had ever heard. Jo shook off Linda’s slight and turned to the foal. She caught the excited little spotted brown horse and held on tight to the adorable, spindly legged baby. “What do you think Ryan? What will you name her?”
Ryan patted the horse Jo held. “She looks like a chocolate chip cookie.”
She withheld her chuckle. Ryan always had junk food on the brain.
Mary said, “Then how about Coco? That’s a pretty name for a girl.”
Ryan shook his head, and then his face lit with an idea. “How about Bambi?”
The horse did look the part for now, but Bambi had been a boy. She glanced at Mary to see if Jo should break the bad news, but Mary just smiled and said, “How about Cookie, then, Ryan?”
Ryan still frowned as he considered, so Jo leaned over and whispered, “It’d be like a joke, right? For all the cookies Chad wouldn’t let you have?”
Ryan smiled. “Yeah. Let’s call her Cookie, Grandma! I can’t wait to tell Chad.”
Mary’s right brow popped up, and she tilted her head. “I’m glad to see you haven’t changed a bit, Jo. Because Chad’s going to need a challenge if he can’t play football anymore. No one challenges him better than you do.”
Had that been a compliment or not? As Jo pondered, Mary said, “He needs you now more than ever. And I’m not talking about just his knee. It’s the bigger person who can forgive, you know?”
Yeah. But could she ever fully forget?
That was the real question.
9
OH WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE, WHEN FIRST WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE.
“I know I messed up, Chad. Please. Can’t we try again?” Linda pleaded.
Chad crossed his arms and leaned against an empty stall. What a load of BS. Weary of it, he held up a hand to stop her. “Jo and I are very happy, and I hope you’ll be again too. Now can we talk about Ryan?”
“I’d rather talk about us.” Linda moved closer and laid her hand on his forearm. He’d swear she was wearing the perfume he’d given her right before their breakup. Something he’d had made especially for her birthday. “It’s not too late to change your mind. Engagements get broken all the time. I’d like a second chance, Chad.”
Linda was a snake. He’d been a fool to be charmed by her once. It’d never happen again. “Jo and I are getting married. And I want to talk about a custody agreement for Ryan.”
She stood on her tiptoes and leaned her chest against his. “Give me one night in your bed, and I’m sure I can change—”
His mother called out, “Are you two getting hungry for some lunch?”
Jo and Ryan were right beside his mom as they walked toward them up the wide aisle. Thank God they’d interrupted Linda’s lame seduction attempt. The last thing he’d do is sleep with her again.
Linda slowly leaned away, slowly enough for Jo to get an eyeful, most likely. “That sounds great, Mary.” Linda’s lips tilted into a naughty smile as she said in a whispery voice, “We’re starving.”
He turned his head in time to see Jo roll her eyes behind Linda’s back. When Jo reached him, she nestled her whole body against his and slipped her arms around his neck. In her best femme fatale voice, Jo said, “I’m famished too. For you, Chad.”
It took all he had not to laugh. But he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity she’d given him, so he laid his lips on hers and softly kissed her.
Heat shot straight to his gut. It made him want to plunder and take, but the way Jo’s body slowly relaxed against his as she snuggled closer and got fully into the kiss made him want to slow things down and enjoy her touch. To cherish her and show Jo it wasn’t just hormones that attracted them to one another. It was so much more.
When he finally ended the kiss and opened his eyes, they were alone in the cavernous barn. His mother must’ve moved Linda along so he and Jo could have a moment, even though his mom knew it was all a farce. She’d always loved Jo. Nothing would make her happier than if he and Jo worked things out.
“That was nice.” Jo softly sighed as a sweet smile lit her face. “But I really am starving. Can we eat now?”
“Fine.” He gave her rear end a sharp pat. “Way to kill a moment.”
Jo chuckled and slid her soft hand in his. “We were pretending.” She looked up at him and raised a brow. “Weren’t we?”
He slipped his hand from hers and moved ahead to open the sliding door for her. “Fool yourself all you want, Jo. I wasn’t pretending. And neither were you.”
She stopped in her tracks and blinked up at him. After a few attempts at a retort, she finally snapped her mouth shut and marched ahead of him toward the house.
He smiled at his victory. Jo speechless didn’t happen very often.
Maybe what Jo needed to convince her he’d changed wasn’t hot kisses. Maybe what she needed was a little gentle handling. Like a skittish horse who needed to be shown she could trust him not to hurt her again. Maybe he needed to call Shelby and ask her to set up another blind date for Jo. With him.
Smiling at his new plan, he hobbled up the porch steps, but when he reached out to open the front door, his hand stopped. What if he won her back? Then what? He’d never thought she’d forgive him so it could actually happen—until now.
But she’d never leave Denver and her café, and he’d never stay. He belonged in San Diego, playing football. It’d never work, dammit. Maybe just being friends with benefits again was going to have to be enough.
Mary’s chili and her warm-from-the-oven cornbread were the best. Jo contemplated getting seconds. She was justifying the extra calories when Linda looked up from the phone in her hand and said, “The East Coast is having weather issues too. Looks like my flight is canceled.” She smiled at Chad. “And that means now I can have a sleepover with my favorite guys.”
Jo’s appetite instantly disappeared.
Chad wiped his mouth on his napkin and shook his head. “Ryan’s nanny is in the guest room. We’ll find you a hotel.”
“Or I can share.” The look Linda sent Chad’s way was so hot it was a wonder they weren’t all singed by the heat.
Jo couldn’t stand another second of fake, gold-digging dialogue. She stood, grabbed an armload of dishes, and headed for the kitchen. Mary was loading the dishwasher, so Jo took the bowls to the sink and began rinsing them. She whispered, “I can’t figure out what Chad ever saw in Linda.”
Mary shook her head in shared disgust. “No one can deny she’s a pretty woman. And she wanted to be Chad’s wife badly. It just so happened Chad was carrying around a big hole in his heart that he wanted to fill. He was tired of single life and wanted a family. You know how he sometimes has blinders on when he focuses on his goals.”
Jo nodded. That was exactly what had happened with them. He was so intent on making it big in the NFL that
everything and everyone else in his life took a backseat. “Does he know for sure if Ryan is his?”
“Yes. Ryan came with the papers to prove it. Evidentially, Chad’s former lawyer got suspicious and had Ryan tested.” Mary stopped working and faced Jo. “Poor boy lost the man he thought was his father, and then his mother, all in the same week.”
That must be why Ryan called Chad by his first name. “But luckily, Ryan gained a fantastic grandmother and a dad who’ll never leave him. I have to give points to Chad for trying so hard to be a good father.”
“Me too.” Chad’s mother filled two big plastic containers of chili to take home. Jo planned to commandeer one of them. Mary said, “Chad has told me how much help you’ve been with Ryan, and that he listens to you more than he does Chad. I hope you won’t disappear from Ryan’s life too. Or mine again.”
She loved them both very much. “I’ll be here for Ryan as long as he and Chad are in town. And I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed you until today. I hope you won’t mind if I come visit you and Black Jack now and then?” Jo loaded her bowls into the dishwasher.
Mary wrapped Jo up in a hug. “That’s what I hoped you’d say. Now maybe you’d better get back in there and be Chad’s doting fiancée before Linda gets any cozier with him.”
“Too late.” Jo gave Mary one last squeeze before she released her. “She just announced she’s spending the night with them. I hope Ryan’s not a kicker.”
Mary mumbled under her breath, “I hope he is.”
Still chuckling, Jo went back to the dining room. Chad had a deep frown on his face as he wrangled Ryan into his coat. “We’re going to head out so we’re sure to beat the storm, if that’s okay with you, Jo?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I have a—” She’d almost said date, “—bunch of things to take care of anyway.”
Chad slipped his hand around her arm and tugged. “Linda, why don’t you and Ryan load up. I need to show Jo something in the barn, and then we’ll be right there.”
Perfectly Ms. Matched (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Series Book 2) Page 9
