Maggie shook her head. “No thanks. I’ve had a nap today. The girls helped me with dinner and Tyler comes home about every thirty minutes to ask if I’m okay. Now he thinks Zach is too heavy for me to lift.” She shook her head. “You’d better get used to it, because the Murdock men pamper their women.”
Jessie was taken aback. “Oh, no. I’m not...no, we’re not. Brett and I are only friends.”
“Well, I guess someone forgot to tell Brett, because the man is crazy about you.”
“He can’t be,” Jessie said adamantly. “We’re too different.”
Maggie’s scooper stopped in midair. “You can’t be any different than Tyler and I are from each other.”
Brett suddenly appeared in the kitchen. “Hey, what’s the holdup? Zach’s about to tear apart his high chair.” He placed a kiss on Jessie’s surprised mouth, then walked out, carrying two chocolate sundaes.
“Why don’t you come over tomorrow morning and we can talk in private?” Maggie suggested as more laughter rang out from the dining room. “I think I better set you straight about the Murdock men.”
Chapter Nine
“I‘ve made five apple. Emma made four cherry and four blueberry. What do you think of our pies, Jessie?”
“What?” Jessie shook her head, hearing her name. “Did you say something, Maggie?”
Maggie smiled from across her kitchen table. “I guess you have something other than pies on your mind this morning.”
“I’m sorry,” Jessie apologized, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. She quickly took another sip of her tea.
“Don’t be. From experience, I can tell you that the Murdock men are hard to ignore.”
Jessie agreed wholeheartedly. She hadn’t got to bed until nearly midnight, had fallen asleep much later and still she’d been up at six, and knocking on Maggie’s door at eight. She wanted to blame it on all the excitement of being away from the farm, in a strange bed, anything but the real reason. Brett Murdock.
“You got it pretty bad, huh?”
“You can tell?”
“Only because I had it just as bad about five years ago.” Maggie laughed. “I still have it bad.”
“But you don’t understand, I can’t be attracted to Brett. We’re all wrong for each other.”
“I shouldn’t have been attracted to Tyler, either, but I was from the second we met. And look at us,” Maggie stressed. “I’m not saying it was perfect from the beginning. We both had to deal with a lot of ghosts from our pasts. But that didn’t stop us from falling in love.”
“But it was different for you.”
The pretty blonde arched an eyebrow. “You’re not in love with Brett?”
Jessie glanced away. That was a question she hadn’t even asked herself. But after last night, she didn’t have to. She already knew the answer.
Not wanting to say good-night, Brett and she had taken a stroll after dinner. They’d walked a little, shared a few kisses, walked some more and shared some more kisses, until they weren’t walking anymore at all....
Long after she had gone to bed, she could feel the imprint of his mouth on her lips, the warmth of his strong arms. Yes, she had to admit she was crazy in love with Brett Murdock.
“But Brett can’t be in love with me,” Jessie argued.
“Why not?” Maggie looked puzzled. “You’re a beautiful woman, Jessie, and you unselfishly raised your brothers and sister.” A knowing smile appeared on Maggie’s face. “I think even Caroline approves.”
Jessie’s heart started pounding hard. “She won’t when she finds out—” She stopped herself, got up from the large maple table and walked to the window over the sink. She watched as some of the men unloaded tables from a truck and carried them behind the house for the party. Two others were up on ladders, hanging a bright banner that read Murdock Annual Fourth of July Barbecue.
Maggie came up behind her. “You know, Jessie, I felt the same way when I came to the ranch to find my grandparents.”
Jessie turned around and looked at Maggie. The tall blonde had wide green eyes and a ready smile. She looked very comfortable in her worn jeans and boots, with an apron tied around her trim waist. It was hard to believe she had grown up in Chicago. “You had never visited Will and Emma before?”
Maggie shook her head. “No, I didn’t even know they existed. When my mother died, I found an old letter with the Aubrey, Texas, address. I felt they needed to know that their daughter had passed away. Emma and Will opened their arms to me and gave me the love I’d always felt I didn’t deserve.”
This time it was Jessie who looked confused.
“My mother was an alcoholic....” Maggie hesitated, then continued. “And she used to...abuse me. I was so ashamed, I couldn’t tell anyone. I was afraid that if my grandparents found out, they wouldn’t love me, either. You see, Jessie, I thought it was my fault because my own mother couldn’t love me.”
“Oh, Maggie...I never realized.” Things hadn’t been perfect with her father, but he had never abused any of the kids.
Maggie’s eyes were misty. “I almost lost Tyler because of my fears.” She swallowed hard. “Don’t let that happen to you. I doubt there’s anything so bad that—”
“I quit school,” Jessie blurted out, then embarrassed by her outburst, she covered her face with her hands. But Maggie reached out to comfort her, then poured them both some tea.
“What grade? Eleventh?”
Jessie shook her head. “I was a sophomore. I missed so much school when my mother was sick that they held me back.”
“You know, Jessie, you can go back and get your GED.”
Jessie shook her head again. “It’s too late. Besides, I don’t think I’m smart enough.”
“No, Jessie, don’t say that. Just talking to you, I know you’re intelligent.” She smiled encouragement across the table. “You must read a lot because you have a wide vocabulary.”
Jessie shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve always tried to help the kids with their homework. All but math. Oh, I can add and subtract okay, but I don’t understand algebra and geometry.”
“I barely made it through those subjects, myself.”
“Really?”
Maggie nodded. “Brett also told me you recite Shakespeare.”
Jessie was surprised, and pleased. “Brett talked about me?” she asked.
“All the time when he came home on the weekends,” Maggie assured her. “But that hasn’t been very often lately. We were glad when he decided to bring you for the barbecue. We all wanted a look at the woman who had captured his heart.”
Jessie felt her pulse racing, but remembering the differences between her and Brett, she quickly came back to earth. “But...Brett talks about school all the time, and I’ll never—if he finds out—”
“Jessie Burke, haven’t you been listening?” Maggie interrupted sternly. “You can do anything you put your mind to. And if Brett cares about you as much as I think, he’s not going to stop caring about you just because your schooling was...delayed.”
“You think so?”
“Yes, I do. I also think that when you get home, you should look into an adult-education program.”
Jessie felt herself panic. “But what if I...”
“Fail?” Maggie finished for her. “You will fail, Jessie, if you don’t try. But you’ve got to believe in yourself.” Maggie shook her finger at her. “And if you decide to go back to school, don’t do it for anyone but yourself.”
Jessie’s head was spinning from everything Maggie had told her. Could she go back to school? Since Katie was older now, Jessie might be able to get away at night. And no one would have to know she was taking classes. Not even Brett. She looked at Maggie. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to call about a program when I get home.”
“Oh, Jessie, that’s wonderful,” Maggie cheered.
“Just promise you won’t tell Brett.”
“Of course I won’t, but you should. And soon. You’ll be surprised how love can help
you conquer your fears.”
Jessie wanted to believe Maggie. She was so in love with Brett, it hurt.
Maggie stood and went to the counter. “I still need your opinion about these pies. Do you think we need any more?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips. “I have six more crusts ready. Maybe a couple of lemon, and of course, chocolate. That’s Brett’s favorite.”
“I’ll help.” Jessie smiled, suddenly excited about the barbecue. “I’m pretty good at making chocolate pie.”
* * *
Brett took Jessie’s hand as they walked under the banner to the back patio for the festivities. Katie had gone ahead with Becky and Zach, to get ready for the kids’ games on the lawn.
Jessie was nervous as she tugged at her red and white sundress, wondering if she looked all right. She glanced around at the different styles of clothing people were wearing. There were men in fancy Western shirts, jeans and boots, and a lot of the women in sundresses, some were even wearing shorts.
“Have I told you how pretty you look?” Brett asked as his arm came around her.
“Yes, you have, but thank you again.”
“In fact, you’re way too pretty to be running around by yourself. Promise you’ll stay clear of the men.”
“Why?”
Brett’s eyes brimmed with tenderness and passion. “You belong to me, Jessie,” he said in a husky voice. “There’s going to be a herd of single guys here. Once the music starts, they’ll be on the prowl.” He pulled her closer. “I wish I didn’t have to leave you. It’s just that I promised Mom I’d help her greet some of the special guests,” he explained as he led her off to the side of one of the shade tents. “If it wasn’t business, I wouldn’t leave you for a second.” He leaned down and covered her mouth in a long heated kiss that left them both breathless.
“Damn! I wish I had my fraternity pin for you to wear. Nah, it wouldn’t work. Most of the yahoos around here don’t even know what it means.” He looked around at the gathering. “Look, Jessie, I’ve got to go. Emma and Maggie are at the food booths and Tyler’s supervising the kids games, if you need me—”
Jessie’s finger touched his lips and stopped his words. “I’ll be fine. You go tend to your mother. This is going to be a difficult day for her. She’s going to need you.”
He smiled and she was mesmerized. Dear Lord, he was gorgeous, dressed in a teal blue Western shirt and a pair of tight black jeans.
“You’re a special lady, Jessie Burke.” He pulled her back into his arms. “Promise you’ll save all your dances for me?”
“Maybe,” she said coyly. She liked this flirting stuff. “If you get back in time.”
“Well, if you do dance with another man, you better explain to him that Murdocks don’t take kindly to anyone moving in on their territory,” he said in a slow, sexy drawl.
“I’ll be sure to tell them,” she teased, then watched him walk off, enjoying the way his jeans fit over his narrow hips and muscular thighs. Feeling her body temperature rise, she decided she needed something to cool her off and went to the food booth to help out.
A little later, Tyler asked her to help with the kids’ races. She ended up with Zach’s age group, helping the toddlers with their games. When the eighteen-month-old got tired and began to cry, Emma took him home, saying they both needed a short nap.
Relieved of her duties, Jessie stopped by the pool to watch Katie with the other kids. They were having a ball. Her sister would never be satisfied with swimming in the creek back home. The water did look inviting, Jessie thought. She wouldn’t mind going in herself.
“Jessie, did you see me swim?” Katie asked as she came out of the pool, wearing her new bright pink suit.
“I sure did.” She wrapped a towel around her sister. “Where’s Becky?”
Katie pointed to the other end of the big pool. “She’s with her friends from school. It’s okay because I made a new friend. Her name is Suzy. She’s in third grade, too.”
Knowing Katie was having a good time, Jessie went back to the food tables and helped Maggie serve up the hamburgers and hot dogs. She found Brett, with an apron around his waist, standing with Will at the grill.
Jessie’s heart went all aflutter when he winked at her. But several women had approached the hot grill just to watch the tall, good-looking Texan flip hamburgers. Women, young and old, were drawn to Brett. Just as Jessie was.
“I wouldn’t worry about those groupies,” Maggie said as she nodded toward the barbecue pit. “Brett’s always been the kind of man who attracts women. J.T. was the same way.”
Jessie watched Brett take a drink of beer from a long-necked bottle one of the young women had brought him. He took off his Stetson and wiped his forehead, then smiled his thanks to the petite blonde in the low-cut dress. Jessie’s fingers itched to scratch the woman’s eyes out.
“Why don’t you go stake your claim?” Maggie suggested.
“I have no claim.”
“It doesn’t seem that way to me.”
Maggie stripped Jessie of her apron and pushed her out of the booth. Brett was eager to see her, greeting her with a hug. With an arm around her, he introduced her to the group of women. Then he called over one of the ranch hands to take over the cooking duties.
“C’mon, I want to introduce you to some more people,” he said as he took her hand. They headed for the patio where Caroline and several men sat at a table. Surprisingly, they were talking oil wells and drilling.
Brett stood back and smiled as he watched his mother hold her audience captive. Caroline Murdock definitely knew the oil business. After so many years married to J.T., some knowledge of it had to have rubbed off. But Brett knew his mother had worked for Murdock Oil long before they’d struck it rich nearly thirty years ago. He also remembered his father telling him that when the first Murdock well had come in, it was barely capped before he hopped into his truck and drove back to the shack of an office they had used at the time, and proposed marriage to the beautiful Caroline.
Was the Burke well to be his first? Would he win his lady’s heart?
Brett gazed at Jessie and she gave him one of those sweet smiles that made him ache. Dear God! How he wanted her. His thoughts turned to last night, and the hungry kisses they’d exchanged in the moonlight, and he felt his body respond.
Brett had to look away and force himself to think about what had really brought him home this weekend. Business. And as much as he hated himself for neglecting Jessie today, he hadn’t any choice. Texas’s most affluent businessmen were at the barbecue, and he’d been working most of the afternoon trying to scrounge up some more backing for the Burke well. Since talking to Marcus over the phone this morning, he knew that they were going to need more money. So far, the mud samples had been coming up negative. They had to drill deeper, another five hundred feet, at least. And that cost money. Maybe Jessie could help him.
“Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Jessie Burke,” Brett said and the men around the table stood. “She owns the Burke farm where we’ve leased land for our well.” He quickly introduced them all to Jessie. She smiled shyly, they loved it and offered her a seat, asking her questions about her Oklahoma home.
Thirty minutes later, Brett finally managed to steal her away, knowing these men were more interested in Jessie than in the well on her property. He realized he didn’t like that one bit. To hell with business, he decided. He was going to spend the evening with Jessie.
Jessie was happier now that Brett was with her. They sat down to eat with Maggie and Tyler, enjoying the music from the band.
“Well, how did the games go?” Maggie asked her husband.
He shrugged. “Only two fights. Three kids ended up in tears. And a little boy got hurt in the three-legged race, but his mother took care of it. I’m just glad it’s over for another year.” He kissed Maggie. “I needed you to help.”
“You had Jessie.”
“Yes, and she did real well.” Tyler smiled across the table at Jessie be
fore he looked back at his wife. “But, Maggie, you taught a lot of these hellions in school. They’ll listen to your threats.”
Maggie gave a disbelieving look. “You mean, your stone-faced glare doesn’t work anymore?”
Tyler took another bite of his food and chewed heartily. “Nope, thanks to Becky. She told everyone I’m the nicest daddy in the world and not to be scared of me.”
“Ah, isn’t that sweet,” Maggie said. “I just hope she feels that way after you’ve tangled with her boyfriends in a few years.”
Tyler shook his head. “That’ll never happen. Because I’m not allowing any boys on the property.”
“Oh, no, brother,” Brett began and nodded toward the band. “I think it’s already too late.”
They all looked toward the dance floor to see Becky doing one of the popular line dances. Katie was trying to keep up. Behind them were two young boys, looking very interested in what the girls were doing.
“That’s Rory and Joey Hickman. The twins are what...twelve, thirteen years old? What are they doing with Becky?” Tyler tried to stand when Maggie gripped his arm.
“You go up there and embarrass your daughter, she’ll never forgive you. Besides, those cute boys are harmless.”
“Do you have any idea what those cute boys have on their minds?”
Maggie looked innocently at her husband. “No, what?”
Tyler blinked at her question. “Well...it’s not good.” He turned to his brother. “Ask Brett, he liked girls at that age. I was a late bloomer.”
Brett’s fork stopped midway to his mouth. “Wait a minute. You don’t have to pick on me just because your daughter has discovered boys. And I didn’t date at twelve.” A wicked smile appeared and he winked at Jessie. “Mom wouldn’t let me.”
“I’m still going to have a talk with those boys.” Tyler got up and took off before Maggie could stop him.
“Brett, go after him. Don’t let him embarrass Becky.”
They watched in relief as Brett headed off his brother’s lecture to the boys. Jenny came to the table and sat down. “What’s going on?”
Wildcat Wedding (Wranglers & Lace #2) Page 13
