“I’m sure the kids will be glad you’re back to work from your few days off.”
“I hope so. I love them a whole lot.”
“You’ll have to give me grandchildren soon, Paige. I’m not getting any younger.”
“Oh pish posh. You’re still a young man and there is plenty of time for grandchildren.”
“I want a lot you know. You’re my only child so you must give me several.”
She sat on the chair next to the bed. “I’m sure my husband will have something to say about how many there are.”
The frown crossing his face worried her. She’d hope to avoid any more confrontational discussions about Jacob.
“Did you tell that young man you couldn’t see him again?”
“Well, I…”
“You didn’t, do you?”
“No.”
“I forbade you from seeing him anymore, Paige. You are my daughter and you’ll do as I say.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy, but I’m old enough to make my own decisions regarding who I will and won’t see. I like Jacob.”
“He’s bad for you.”
“No, he’s not.”
“I’ve spoken so I’ll hear no more about it.” He leaned back in the bed and closed his eyes, signaling to her the discussion was over as far as he was concerned.
She sighed as she grabbed her purse and her keys. “Goodnight, Daddy. I’ll see you tomorrow sometime. Rest.” She leaned over to kiss his forehead, noting the coolness of his skin beneath her lips.
“Goodnight, Paige.”
As she walked out, letting the door close softly behind her, she wondered what the hell she was going to do about her father and Jacob. She loved them both, but could she risk hurting her father over Jacob? Maybe she could keep them apart until her father came around? It was worth a try. She certainly didn’t want to tell Jacob she couldn’t see him anymore, but she couldn’t defy her father either.
Her stomach grumbled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since this morning with everything that had gone on. She figured she’d grab a bite on the way home and take Jacob’s suggestion. A nice bubble bath would be just the thing she needed to relax. She may even read a book in there while she soaked. She glanced at her phone only to see no missed calls. She’d hoped Jacob would have called her by now to make up after their fight. I could always call him.
She scrolled through the numbers on the phone until she found his name. Her thumb hovered over the talk button for several minutes before she shut the phone off and stuck it back in her purse. Maybe it was a good thing not to talk to him tonight. They probably needed some time apart after her bumbling attempt to tell him she loved him. Really stupid thing to do. He’s probably not ready for love with me. I mean, we really haven’t known each other very long.
“Keep telling your heart that, Paige,” she said out loud as she walked to her car. “Love doesn’t care whether you’re ready or not.”
Several moments later, she pulled into the local burger house for some dinner. “Cheeseburger, fries and a strawberry milkshake, please.”
“Seven-eighty-two at the window, please.”
Once she had her food, she sucked some of the milkshake through the straw, sighing as the cold liquid went down her throat until a racy thought crossed her mind. What would it be like to eat ice cream off of Jacob’s chest? Hmm. Sounds like an interesting concept. Too bad he’s at home.
She glanced at her purse thinking about calling him again, but decided against it. Tonight was for her and her alone. She didn’t have to worry about her father, she didn’t have to worry about Jacob, and she didn’t have anywhere to be except at home in a warm bath with a glass of wine. Oh, that sounded heavenly to her as she remembered a bottle of Pinot she had hidden in the cupboard above the sink.
The church and her little house came into view. She hadn’t left the light on when they’d took off for the hospital, so the front of the house was dark and spooky with only the large floodlight behind the church to guide her steps.
She pulled out her keys, juggling them in her hand to find the front door key without dropping her food on the ground when someone came rushing around the corner of the house, barreling into her.
Chapter Eleven
Paige spun around, holding onto her sack of food like a shield as the big ball of fur almost tripped her. “What the hell?”
Ruff. Ruff.
A large yellow dog plopped his butt on the ground as he stared at her with his big brown eyes. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and she could have sworn he grinned. He looked kind of skinny though and wasn’t wearing a collar.
“It’s mine, dog. Back off.”
He barked again before he lay down on his belly with his paws sticking out in front of him.
“Well, crap.”
The dog whined and Paige knew she was a goner.
“Where is your home, buddy?”
He rolled over onto his back wanting her to pet his stomach.
She unlocked the door as the dog jumped back up onto his feet, wagging its tail hard enough his whole butt moved. “Well come on in. I’m sure I can find something for you to eat.” The dog obediently followed her into the house, staying right on her heels the entire way into the kitchen. “You can’t have my hamburger, but I think there is left over spaghetti in here you can have.”
Ruff.
“Yeah, I know. You’re too cute to be mad at, but you can’t stay here, buddy.”
Ruff.
She grabbed the spaghetti out of the refrigerator and set it on the floor. The dog didn’t move. “Don’t you want it? I thought you were hungry?”
The dog sat on his haunches.
She tapped her hand on her leg. “Come here. You can have it.”
The dog launched itself toward the plate, eating so fast she thought he would choke on the food. “Oh, you have manners, do you? Wouldn’t eat until I told you it was okay.”
When it was finished, he licked his mouth, walked to the rug by the sink and laid down.
“Oh no you don’t. I’m going to eat my dinner and you need to go back outside so you can find your way home.” She pulled her food out of the bag and then spread it out on the kitchen table. When she looked back at the dog, he’d closed his eyes, resting peacefully as if he belonged there. She sighed as she drank some of her milkshake. “What am I going to do with you?”
With a shake of her head, she ate her dinner, glancing every few minutes at her new friend while he slumbered peacefully on the rug.
As she finished chewing her food, she wadded up the wrapper and tossed it in the trashcan sitting at the end of the counter.
The dog never moved.
She rolled her eyes as she got up and headed toward the stairs to take her bath. When she looked behind her, the dog was right on her heels. “So you’re going with me, huh?”
Ruff.
The dog lumbered up the stairs, slowly following until they both reached the landing at the top.
She shrugged and headed for the bathroom to run the water before she went into her room to get her nightgown.
The dog lay down on the rug next to the tub, staring at her with expectant eyes.
After she grabbed her night clothes, she returned to the bathroom, stripped down and slid beneath the water with an audible sigh.
“Damn. I forgot the wine.” She struggled to her feet, wrapped a towel around her wet body and started for the stairs.
The rattling of the front door knob brought her up short. Was something there? She thought she heard hushed voices. She glanced down only to see the dog at her side, hair standing up on end as his ears perched forward. Had he heard something too?
“Shut up you idiot or she’ll hear us.”
Laughter radiated through the front hallway as the door knob rattled again.
“This isn’t such a good idea, you guys. We could really get into trouble.”
“It’s fine. He’ll love it when he finds her in his bed.”
The dog
growled as Paige backed toward her bedroom for at least a robe. Maybe she could put clothes on before the apparently drunk hoodlums ended up on the floor in her front hall. She didn’t care if she kicked their asses buck naked, but they might.
The door creaked open as the bumbling idiots laughed again.
Of course, she might be able to reach her father’s room where he kept the shotgun too.
Footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor of the entry way as the men slowly walked inside.
“Damn it. Where the hell is she?”
“Upstairs maybe. I saw a light on in the window around the side of the house.”
The dog growled.
“Fuck. She has a dog?”
“We need to leave now, Jason, before we get into trouble.”
“Quit whinnin’, Joey.”
“I have to drive your drunk asses home so I can whine as much as I want to.”
Joey? Jason? Why do those names sound familiar?
“This was your idea, Joshua. What if Jacob is pissed off at us for doin’ this? He ain’t gonna like it, I’m tellin’ you.”
Jacob’s brothers?
“He was in the barn bitchin’ like an old woman about bein’ alone tonight. He wants Paige. I heard him say so. He’s our brother so we’re gonna help him out.”
“By kidnappin’ his woman?”
“I’m tellin’ you, they’ll both think it’s funny as hell,” Joshua said, giggling like a school girl with a crush.
Paige rolled her eyes as she slipped on a T-shirt and jogging shorts. They apparently hadn’t heard about how she’d saved Jacob’s ass in a bar fight.
The dog growled again in warning even though he’d followed her into her room.
Of course, it wouldn’t be much work kickin’ their asses if they were as drunk as they sounded. Just for fun, she grabbed the shotgun.
She stopped at the top of the stairs and cocked the gun. “Who’s there?”
“Uh. Fuck. She’s got a gun, you guys.”
“Paige?”
“Yeah, who’s there I said. Speak up before I blow a hole the size of Texas through your gut and don’t think I don’t know how to use this thing.”
“It’s Joshua, Jason, and Joey, Jacob’s brothers.”
“What the hell are you doing in my house at this time of night?”
All of them laughed as she stepped down a couple of stairs to see the three of them. “We thought it would be funny to kidnap you and take you back to the ranch tonight. Jacob is missin’ you real bad,” Joshua said with a hand on his chest over his heart. “He was in the barn cussin’ and a raisin’ hell because he left you here after you fought earlier.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
“You three think you can take me?”
“Well sure. You’re a girl.”
“I’m assuming Jacob didn’t tell you how we met?”
Joey squinted like he was trying to bring her into focus. “How’s that?”
“I saved him from getting his ass kicked by three guys at The Dusty Boot.”
All three men snickered as the covered their mouths. “That right,” Jason said.
“Yeah.”
“How’d you kick their asses?”
“I have a black belt.”
“No shit,” Joey whispered. “Can I see it?”
“Some other time. You boys need to get on home, but I think all of you are too drunk to drive.”
“Yeah, probably so,” Jason said as he swayed on his feet. “But we’ll be fine.”
She walked down the rest of the stairs to stand in front of the three big men who stood in her front hallway clinging onto each other. “No you won’t. I’ll drive your asses home so you don’t kill someone on the way.”
Joey pushed Jason’s shoulder. “See! We didn’t even have to kidnap her. She’s gonna take us home ‘cause we’s too drunk to drive.”
“And I’m going to tell your mother what you planned.”
“Aw, shit. Don’t do that. She’ll kick our asses.”
“As she should. Kidnapping innocent women from their home in the middle of the night.”
Joey looked at his watch. “It ain’t the middle of the night. It’s only ten.”
The dog stopped next to her eyeing the strangers as if to ask her whether he could chew them up and spit them out or not. “Easy, boy.”
“Is he mean?”
“I don’t know. He followed me home tonight. He’s not my dog.”
“He’s awful protective.”
The dog growled as she put her hand on his head to calm him.
“Let me grab my stuff and I’ll take you boys home. Hand over the keys to whatever you’re drivin’.”
Joshua pulled the keys out of his front pocket and handed them to her. “Yes, ma’am.”
“You boys probably won’t remember anything about tonight.”
“Sure we will. We ain’t that drunk,” Joshua added as she took the keys from his hand. “We were trying to make Jacob’s night better. That’s all.”
“He loves you, ya know,” Joey replied, bringing her to a dead stop.
“What did you say?”
“He loves you. I heard him talkin’ to hisself in the barn.” The words came out slurred from Joey’s mouth, but her heart heard every word.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
She sighed as she reached for her keys and purse. Her slip-on sandals were conveniently located next to the table. She jammed her feet into the soft leather. “Let’s go.”
The three cowboys stumbled out the door behind her. “You go on home, boy, good dog.” She watched him walk around the house. “Okay, where’s your ride?” Joshua pointed to where he’d parked the truck. A big white pickup with an extended cab sat in the gravel, parked sideways in front of the church. Great. The damned thing appeared jacked up high enough she’d have to step up to get in. What is it about cowboys and their big ass trucks?
The three of them started to pile into the cab as she struggled to get into the driver’s seat.
“Sorry.” Joshua came around her side and placed his hand on her butt.
She squeaked as he propelled her into the truck with one push.
“Just helpin’ out.”
“Jacob ain’t gonna like you havin’ your hand on her ass, Joshua.” A high girlish giggle escaped Jason’s lips as he laughed like something caught him funny.
Paige smiled. They were all kind of cute when they were drunk. “Y’all are hilarious.”
“I didn’t do nothin’. I was helpin’ her in to the truck.”
“You coulda put your hands on her waist, man. Not on her ass.” Joey smacked Joshua in the back of the head when he returned to the passenger side of the vehicle.
“Hey!”
A scuffle ensued and Paige had to roll her eyes. Was it like this every day with nine boys? She could only imagine. “Enough you three. It’s a forty-five minute drive back to your ranch. I won’t have you rustling around while I’m trying to drive this big ass truck.” What would it be like raising that many children? A shiver of fear ran through her at the thought.
The men settled down as she drove them home. In fact, the two in the back started snoring almost the minute they’d left San Antonio. Only Joshua remained awake.
“Do you love him?”
“Who?”
“Jacob, of course.”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“He’s my brother. Of course, it’s my business.”
She let silence envelope them for several minutes before she answered. “I care a lot about him, yes. Love? I think that’s between me and him, but right now there are things beyond our control causing issues.”
“He’s a good guy even though he was drinkin’ a lot.”
“I know all about his drinking and yes, he’s a great guy.”
“You could do worse.”
“I sure could.” She glanced across the cab as he leaned back i
n the seat with his hat over his eyes. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“Nope. Don’t want one neither.”
“Don’t you want to get married some day?”
“Maybe, but I ain’t in no hurry.”
“What happens when you meet the right girl?”
“Then I’ll see if it’s meant to be.”
He sounded pretty sober to her with his talk of meant-to-bes. He really was a nice guy. All of Jacob’s brothers were even if they each had their own issues. She hoped someday they would all fall in love with a woman strong enough to corral the rowdy brothers. Those women sure had their work cut out for them.
The ranch gate came into view as she pulled up. “Code?”
He rattled it off as he sat up in the seat. “It’s on the box.”
“Oh yeah. I didn’t see it.” She punched in the code and watched as the wrought iron gate swung wide. Darkness settled outside the headlights of the vehicle making the surrounding scenery almost spooky. She remembered the laughing children she’d heard before and wondered if they would make a reappearance tonight. She didn’t really believe in ghosts, but she didn’t have an explanation for the sounds she’d heard either.
“I love this place.”
“Did you all grow up on the ranch?”
“For the most part. Jacob and Jeff were little when my parents bought the place. The rest of us were born and raised here. It’s home.”
“I kind of think of the house my dad and I live in as home. We’ve been there a number of years.”
“What happened to your mom?”
“She was killed by a drunk driver several years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. I wish more people would find a designated driver when they’ve been drinking.”
“Now, I’m really sorry we showed up at your house. Thanks for bringing us home. You were right. None of us should have been drivin’.”
“No, you shouldn’t have and you’re welcome.”
They drove up to the low wall surrounding the front of the main lodge house. Beams of light reflected out the three dormer windows in the front, illuminating the front yard with a soft glow. One of the rockers moved slowly as if someone sat in it, pushing it with their foot in a rhythmic rocking motion. Weird.
The two cowboys in the backseat sat up with a snoring snort. “Are we home?”
For the Love of a Cowboy (Cowboy Dreamin') Page 14
