“Oh, Tuck, you need to give her a chance to explain. She's your mom. You only get one. Maybe she only suspected that day. Or maybe the clues were so vague she felt she was imagining them until the truth came out.”
Val crossed to him and laid his head on Tuck’s leg. Jenny scooted closer, leaning against him slightly as if offering some kind of comfort, reaching out to take his hand and threading her fingers through his.
He looked at her. “I don’t need pity,” he said harshly.
She looked at him and smiled. “I know, I'm not offering pity. Just support. What can I do to help? Even Val senses you’re upset.”
“The is the first time I’ve talked about it. I’ve moved on over the years. It doesn’t seem as bad now as it did then.”
“Time heals everything or at least lets us move on. People change. As we grow up different things become important. Old hurts fade.”
“True,” he said, his other hand caressing the dog’s ears.
“Would you want her back?” Jenny asked softly.
“Not in this lifetime. We were young. I’ve learned a lot in the years since I left.” He glanced at her. “She was sort of clingy. I thought I’d like that, but now I’m not sure. If I were to get involved again, I’d want it with a strong woman, one to be a partner with, not someone to take care of all the time.”
♥ ♥ ♥
Jenny smiled, but felt her heart drop. He wouldn't want a clingy woman, one who never knew if she'd have a flashback or not. One who lived with uncertainty all the time.
Not for her the normal way of things, find a mate, build a life together.
Not that she was thinking marriage. Jenny hadn’t even gone on a date with Tuck. She needed to offer support but not go imagining a future that might never be possible.
They sat in silence for a while and then heard Sadie coming down the hall.
The older woman smiled when she saw them sitting closely on the sofa, hands entwined. If she only knew how the conversation had solidified Jenny's thoughts. No romance on the horizon.
“I hope I’m interrupting something,” she said with a wide grin.
“We’re just talking,” Jenny said with a smile.
“Ummm. So, I have an update about the dance. I was talking with my friend MaryLou just now and she and Harry are going to take me.”
“I thought you were going with us,” Jenny said.
“I appreciate the offer, but I think it best to go with my friend and her husband. I’ll see you there,” Sadie said.
She spoke about her longtime friends for a while, then Tuck said it was time for him to leave.
Jenny and Val walked him to the door.
“You’re going home tomorrow, right?” he asked as he put on his jacket.
“Yes. I'll be there for a few days. I don’t have another gig lined up.”
“I could come out and start splitting some of that wood we cut up.”
“That’d be great. If you have time.” She would put any thoughts of romance away, but couldn't resist the idea of spending some more time with Tuck.
He nodded and opened the door, putting his hat on. He stepped outside then turned to look at her, cupping her face in his warm palms.
“I’m glad you’re you, Jenny,” he said softly then gave her a quick kiss.
“Goodnight.”
She stayed at the open door as long as she could before cold made her close it.
“You okay?” Sadie asked from the hallway behind her.
“Yes. Sorry, I let all the heat out.”
“You two have a chance to talk?”
Jenny nodded.
“Good. I’m going to go to bed. Tomorrow’s a big day–I graduate to being on my own again.”
“Except for Dolores,” Jenny said.
“Yes, but she’s been working for me for many years. We make a good team. I’ll miss you, though, Jenny. It’s been good to have someone around during the days and evenings.”
“I’ll pop around to see you from time to time. I’m not going anywhere.”
“And, I was glad to hear, neither is Tucker Mason.”
Jenny nodded with a smile. Could she move beyond the PTSD? She had to if she ever wanted a shot at a normal life.
As she prepared for bed sometime later, Jenny wondered if Tuck’s heart had been shattered beyond repair.
Or had time healed it?
He’d kissed her several times. She smiled as she thought about those kisses.
She’d gone steady with Will Burson during high school, but they’d gone to separate colleges, separate careers. She still sent him Christmas cards, but what they’d shared so long ago had faded to a sweet memory of high school days.
She hadn’t fallen in love with anyone while in the Army. And upon returning home she hadn’t dated.
No one sparked any interest until Tuck.
Was she falling for him?
Or had she already fallen?
She climbed into bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her heart raced as she thought about every minute they’d spent together or on the phone. She recalled everything he said.
Could he ever think of her in a special way?
What would it be like to be Tucker Mason’s special girl?
Valentine’s Rescue: Chapter 10
Tuck turned onto the familiar driveway the next morning. He’d cleared things with his boss to take the day off, so was ready and willing to help Jenny split the wood. It’d be until next fall at the earliest before it dried enough for her to use it, but it’d dry out faster being split.
The snow was melting slowly though it had been above freezing several days in a row. Sunny spots displayed the undergrowth. There were still snowy patches in the shade.
He pulled in beside her jeep. The front door opened, and Val ran out to greet him. Jenny followed a moment later.
“Good morning!” she called, stopping on the top step. She wore a sweatshirt but no jacket.
“Want to come in for coffee before we begin?” she asked.
He got out of the truck and petted the dog. “How you doing, fella?”
Looking up at her, he nodded. He didn’t much care what they did today as long as he did it with her. She looked pretty as a picture even in jeans and a sweatshirt. He followed her into the cabin and shucked his jacket. The fire kept the room warm.
“No ranch work today?” she asked as she handed him a cup of piping hot coffee.
“Got it covered.” He took a sip and waited for her to sit down before taking a seat.
“Delegation?” she asked.
He nodded. “Routine chores today. I’d rather be here. Some of it gets old so I rotate and let one of the newer men handle the more mundane chores.”
“And chopping wood doesn’t get old?”
“It’s a change at least.”
As soon as they stepped outside, Tucker set up a large round to be used to hold the pieces he was splitting. He’d put a round on the bottom one, then bring the ax down hard. Sometimes the wood split in half, other times the ax caught, and he had to work it loose to bring it down again. Then he split the halves in half.
Jenny stood out of the way, but when the split pieces fell to the ground, she stepped in to pick them up and stacked them on the new wood pile she was building. They had a rhythm going and worked companionably for almost two hours before she stopped Tucker.
“I’m getting tired and you have to be ready for a break. I’ll fix lunch.”
He looked at the new pile of split logs and then at the remaining rounds. “Sounds good. We should be able to finish up this afternoon.”
Val had explored around before lying on the ground near the new wood pile. She called him to come when she headed for the house.
After washing up, Jenny began making roast beef sandwiches. She made two each and left the fixings out in case Tucker wanted a third. Getting chips from the cupboard, she placed everything on the table.
“What do you want to drink?” she asked. “I have cola, c
offee or milk. Oh, and orange juice.”
“Cola’s fine,” he said. He waited for her to come to the table and held the chair for her, then took his seat. “It looks good,” he said before taking a bite of his sandwich.
They ate in silence until all the food was consumed.
“Do you want another?” she asked as he finished his second sandwich.
“I’m good, thanks. That hit the spot.”
“I have brownies for dessert,” she said, rising to get them. She heated them in the microwave for a few minutes, then brought them to the table.
“Do you keep a freezer full of these?” he asked as he took two to put on his plate.
“I bake several batches when I make them and then freeze most. Otherwise I’d eat them all and be a big as a house. Plus, Walt loves them, so I like to have them handy when he comes over.”
“Walt’s your landlord, right? Have you known him long?”
“He and my dad were friends. He’s known me since I was a baby. I’m sure that’s why he gave me such a great deal on rent.”
“It’s a nice cabin.”
“If I remember right, he used to have one of his married cowboys live here. But they had another child and needed a bigger place. It had been empty for a couple of months when I returned to town.”
Tuck leaned back in his chair. “Some of the other ranches have houses for their married cowboys. MacKay has a second house on the ranch. It’s not used right now, but he said once it was for a married man if he hired one. Two of the men he has working for him now are married, but both live in town.”
“Not as convenient as being right on the ranch.”
“No, but more separation of work and free time. When you’re right there, it’s easy to be tapped to helping in some area if the need arises suddenly in the middle of the night.”
The phone rang and Jenny rose to answer it.
“Hi, Mom. Can I call you back later? I have someone over.”
She looked at Tuck and smiled. He wondered if he should step outside to give her some privacy for her call.
“No, a friend. He came to help cut some firewood. We just finished lunch.
No, you haven’t met him, but you can when you come visit next time. Can I call you back later?”
She listened a moment.
“I don’t know, after he leaves. Maybe after dinner?”
She frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know that either. But even if he stays for dinner, he’ll leave after that and I can call you then. So I'll talk to you later.”
She rolled her eyes at Tucker.
He smiled. He was glad she didn't want a long conversation with her mother.
“Yes, I love you, too. Bye.”
She hung up and turned back to the table.
“My mom,” she said unnecessarily.
“I gathered.”
Maybe he should offer to leave so she could call her mother back right away.
But Tuck didn’t want to leave. He had the day off and wanted to spend it with Jenny. The whole day, not just the morning. From what he heard, she was okay with that. He might even wrangle a dinner invitation if he was lucky.
Or would she like to go out for dinner?
“Thank you for splitting the wood,” she said as she began clearing their plates.
“No problem. There’s not much left.”
She looked at him. “You up to it? You have to be tired.”
When she looked like that, he knew he could go on for hours. “Naw, it’s a good workout.”
She laughed softly. “Yeah, like cowboys need a workout.”
“Does your mother call often?”
“Once a week or so. She lived most of her life in Wild Cat Creek until she married Doug and they moved to Arizona. I keep her up to date on people she knows.”
“And up to date on you, too,” he said.
“That usually doesn’t take very long. I lead a quiet life these days.”
He nodded, then took a chance.
“Want to go out to dinner tonight and maybe catch a movie?” he asked. “We could go to Coleville.”
She looked at him. “What movie?”
“I don’t know, whatever’s playing.”
She smiled. “What if there’s nothing we’d both like?”
“Then we’ll just have dinner.”
“I’m not good in public places,” Jenny said slowly, resting her hand on Val’s head. “I mean, I might not be good. That's the hard part about all this, no warning.”
Tucker nodded. “How about we try that barbecue place that opened on the outskirts of Coleville. They had a patio we could go to if things get too stressful inside.”
“It’s freezing cold and February,” she said, laughing at the idea.
“So, we bundle up just in case. Give it a try. Each time you succeed you’re that much closer to being comfortable in public places,” he said.
He could see she was torn. He was serious. If something happened, they could cope. She had the dog, she'd been through it before, she'd know what to do.
And if anyone had a problem with that, they'd have to deal with him.
“Val and I will both be there for you,” he said softly.
“Okay, but beware if I freak out like Sadie says, it’s on you.”
“Deal!”
They went back to the yard where Tucker made quick work of splitting the remaining wood and as soon as it was stacked, both went inside to wash up.
It was mid-afternoon when they headed for Coleville. The town was thirty miles from Wild Cat Creek and about twice the size. Tuck remembered Jenny telling him she'd actually considered accepting a nursing job at the hospital at one time. Before the Army.
“It’s a little early for dinner,” Tucker said as they drove into the downtown area. “Let’s see what’s playing the theater and get the times.”
The small theater in Coleville had four screens. Two had comedies playing, one had a kid’s movie and the other was an action film.
“Want to see My Baby First?” he asked when they stopped by the marquis to look at the times. It was one of the comedies. He immediately eliminated the action film and kid’s movie.
“Yes. It sounds like fun,” Jenny said, checking the time. “If we eat soon, we can catch the earlier show. That way you won’t be so late getting home after dropping me off.”
“Not a worry, but that’s a good plan. So now let’s see if the hype around the barbecue place is justified.”
They were ahead of the dinner crowd and Tuck was relieved to find the interior spacious with picnic type tables and benches and plenty of empty space. He glanced at her, but she seemed fine.
“You choose where we sit,” Tucker said.
“Next to the window, then. It’ll give me the illusion of freedom and beats sitting on the patio.”
They went to a table and Val scooted underneath, resting his head on Jenny’s feet when she took her seat.
Both ordered the ribs with beans and slaw.
Tucker watched Jenny glance around and then out of the window. She looked at him and smiled.
“So far so good,” she said brightly.
“I hope the food’s good. MacKay does a special barbecue sauce when he has his big event in the summer. I think you’ll love it. We’ll see if it’s as good here.”
Jenny nodded and smiled.
He glanced out the window. Did he see them still doing things together in the summer? He hoped so.
“You’re going to be late to call your mother,” he said.
“I texted her before we left about the change of plans. I’ll call in the morning,” she said.
The waitress brought their beverages and some fried onion rings. “The rings are included,” she said putting the platter in the center of the table. “We have spicy sauce, ranch, or chili sauce.”
“We’ll try them all,” Tucker said with a glance at Jenny, who nodded in agreement.
“These are great,” she said a couple of minutes lat
er as they nibbled on the crisp onion rings, dipping into different sauces.
The meal did not disappoint. The portions were so generous Jenny couldn’t finish all hers.
She had a doggie bag, which Val kept sniffing as they headed back to the truck.
The evening turned out even better than she’d hoped for. She hadn’t come close to having a meltdown and the restaurant never got very crowded. Even better, the movie theater was almost deserted. They had no one sitting near them and the comedy kept her attention focused except when Tucker reached over to take her hand in his. She glanced at him, but made no move to withdraw. He smiled and seemed to settle in to enjoy the movie.
When they’d left the theater, Tucker had reached for her hand again as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She smiled.
“I should have left a light on,” Jenny said when they reached the cabin and Tucker stopped the truck near the steps. The headlights illuminated the porch.
“We can still see,” Tucker said easily. He opened his door and Val lunged across him and outside.
“Whoa,” he said, surprised.
“Sorry about that, I should have warned you. He likes to be first out of the car. I usually get out really fast before him or he sails over me, too.”
“Maybe he had to go really badly,” Tuck said, getting out.
He walked her to the door. Jenny used the headlight to get her key in the slot and open the door. Stepping inside, she turned on the light.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked, turning back to Tucker.
“No, thanks. It’s getting late and I still have a ways to go. Tomorrow will start early.”
“Thank you so much for today and this evening. I had a wonderful time,” she said, stepping closer.
“I did, too. We’ll have to do it again.”
“Well, good night,” she said.
“Good night.”
Val pushed against Jenny and she stumbled, falling into Tucker’s chest. His arms instinctively came around her, holding her close. His head lowered and he kissed her.
Truth to tell, he'd been wanting to kiss her all day. From watching her work stacking wood, to fixing lunch, to enjoying the ribs, she'd been almost more tempting than he could stand. Thank goodness for Val.
Cupid to the Rescue: A Tail-Wagging Valentine's Day Anthology Page 67
