Apparently the executive misinterpreted her silence. With a quick glance at his cohorts, he came back with a counteroffer. “All right, Ms. Hoya, we’ll double the offer. But I’m afraid that’s as high as I can go. Of course, it comes with stock options, a corner office, staff. You know. TGM gets the pick of the Dallas elite.”
“Dallas?” Did he mean she’d have to leave Cactus? Her home, her friends ... Cal? No matter what her dream—no matter how hard she’d worked all her life to rise above her past—was it worth walking away from the man she loved?
But does he love you? an inner voice asked. That was the question.
The offer was tempting, almost too good to refuse. “Well, Bill,” she said. “Let’s talk further.”
“JESSICA’S GOING TO BE real disappointed,” Betty pointed out after Cal finally pacified the two men.
“Damn. How did she take it?”
“You know Jessica. She’s a strong woman. I sure am going to hate to see her leave Cactus,” Betty said as she continued with her filing.
Cal froze. Then he snapped, “What did you say?”
“I said I’m sure—”
“Who said she’s leaving?”
Betty looked up at him. “You know I can’t reveal my sources.”
“Oh, yes, you can.” Cal’s tone was gruff. He was too impatient to deal with her teasing.
“Nita overheard those men talking. She passed the word along.”
Cal closed his eyes, regret filling him. Then he stiffened his shoulders. He wasn’t going to give up on Jessica. Or himself.
“Betty, prepare my letter of resignation,” he ordered in a no-nonsense voice, and whirled to go back to his office.
“What? What are you talking about, Cal Baxter? You can’t resign,” Betty yelled. She jumped up from her desk and trod after him, protests continuing to roll from her mouth.
He grabbed his Stetson and his Jeep keys and turned to face her. “Yes, I can. For Jessica, I can do anything. Have that letter ready when I get back.” Then he left her standing there with her mouth open.
He was grateful he was the sheriff when he drove way over the speed limit to reach Jessica’s town house. At least he didn’t have to worry about getting a speeding ticket. All he had to worry about was whether Jessica would let him go with her.
Whether she’d let him be a part of her life.
After pounding on the door, he waited impatiently, his breathing speeding up when he heard her footsteps through the door. As soon as she opened it, he blurted, “Did you accept their offer?”
“Hello to you, too. Don’t you want to come in?”
He moved past her. “Yeah. Did you accept their offer?”
“Yes, I did.”
He took a deep breath. “I’m turning in my resignation. I’ll be ready to go when you are.”
“Ready to go where?”
“To Dallas.” He reached out and captured her shoulders. “Baby, I can’t let you go. I know we said our engagement was a pretense, but—”
“Cal, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not going to Dallas.” She watched him, her green gaze steady, patient.
“You’re not going to Dallas?” he asked, incredulous.
“Of course not. Cactus is my home. You’re here.”
Cal felt relief flow through him. Then, the significance of her words set him on fire. “You want to be with me?”
“Your mother’s right,” Jessica said with a shaky laugh. “Men are dumb as—”
Cal cut her off when he pulled her close and took possession of her mouth with his. He kissed her with the force of all his feelings, all the words that he’d been afraid to own up to. He let his lips tell her now.
Even as he broke the kiss, he said in an astonished tone, “But you kept talking about marrying someone else! You even let me make up that stupid list.”
“You broke my heart with that list.” There were tears in her eyes now as she pulled back to look at him.
“I was praying you’d throw it in my face. Instead, you said ‘go ahead.’ No wonder I was confused.” With his thumbs he wiped away the tears and then he kissed her, a long kiss that distracted him from their explanations.
“I was talking about marrying you,” she assured him, her voice breathless. “It’s always been about you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did! What do you think kissing you every time I could, sleeping with you, meant?”
Cal stared at her. “I—I thought maybe you were inexperienced, trying your wings. Or maybe I took advantage of you.” He paused, then grinned. “I was so overwhelmed with wanting you, I guess I didn’t think clearly.”
“I guess not,” she drawled.
“Wait a minute. If I was supposed to know kissing me meant you loved me, why didn’t you know? Two of us were doing that kissing.”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “Really, Cal, that’s obvious.”
“What is?”
“Men want sex whether they’re in love or not. Right?”
“That sounds sexist,” he protested, then relented, “But I’m afraid you’re right. But it was more than that for me.” His lips took hers in a kiss that promised many hot nights ... and days, too, for the rest of their life.
When they came up for air, with a lot of heavy breathing, she said, “Have you turned in your resignation yet?”
“Nope. I told Betty to write the letter.”
“Which means she’s told half the town by now,” Jessica whispered as she dropped kisses on Cal’s face.
“Mmm,” he muttered in agreement, catching her lips with his.
In the midst of that kiss, he realized he hadn’t asked some important questions. “You are going to marry me, aren’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
Another kiss.
“But you said you took their offer.”
“A modified version. I get to stay here in Cactus, have my restaurant, but work for them for a lot of money.” She grinned. “I’m quite a negotiator, aren’t I?”
“The best. How did you do that?”
“They’re going to franchise The Last Roundup, but my franchise is free. And when I come up with other ideas for restaurants, they’ll pay me.”
A pounding on her door interrupted their embrace.
“Who could that be?”
“Maybe those negotiators are back?”
“No. They’re halfway to Dallas,” Jessica assured him. Swinging open the door, she discovered the mayor and several city councilmen on her porch. They ignored her and spoke to Cal.
“Cal, you can’t quit! We need you. Tell us what you need to make you stay.”
Cal grinned and looked at Jessica. “Well, you might be able to persuade me. But it will take some new patrol cars and another deputy.”
“Done!” the mayor promised. “Anything else?”
“I think a month’s vacation for a honeymoon ought to do it.”
When they were finally left to themselves again, Jessica melted into Cal’s arms and said, “I guess I’m not the only negotiator in this family.”
“Hey, all those things will be good for the county. Except the month-long honeymoon. That will be good for me.”
“And me.”
“Good. Go pack your bags.”
“I think you’re forgetting something.”
He pretended to look puzzled. “What?”
“The wedding?”
“Nope. I haven’t forgotten. I figure three days is long enough, ’cause I don’t want to wait any more.”
“Three days?” she gasped. Then she took his hand and started toward the stairs. “Okay. And maybe we can negotiate a way to make the waiting easier.”
“Oh, yeah,” he agreed, eagerly following her.
Epilogue
They actually took a week to prepare for their wedding. Mabel, along with her cohorts, drove the entire town crazy with their plans.
Instead of a bachelor party, Cal had a quiet dinner with his thre
e friends. They all seemed happy for him, but he knew his marriage would change things.
“Guys, we’ll always be friends,” he said, raising his beer for a toast. “To friends.”
“Of course we will,” Mac agreed.
“But it’s not going to be the same,” Spence said slowly. “Not that I would have it any other way. You and Jess are perfect for each other.”
“And don’t worry,” Tuck said. “The three of us will continue to hold out against marriage. We won’t weaken.”
Cal grinned. “If this is weak. I pray I’m weak for the rest of my life.”
He thought of those words now as his friends stood beside him at the altar, waiting for Jessica. Even though he knew they wouldn’t appreciate his hopes, he wanted for them the same kind of happiness he’d found with Jessica.
When Jessica came down the aisle, she took his breath away. She wore a beautiful silk bridal gown and a fingertip veil that reached her waist, covering her long black hair. But her glowing smile meant more to Cal than anything she wore.
He felt his life had come full circle.
After the ceremony they shared their happiness with their friends at a reception with all the trappings. The baker in town had dropped everything to prepare their huge cake. The florist had called surrounding shops for help, and the church and the reception hall were filled with white gardenias, Cal’s special request.
He wrapped his arm around her as they shook hands with their guests. Leaning over, he whispered, “I love you, Mrs. Baxter.”
Before she could reply, Mabel and Ed came up to them. “We’re so happy,” Mabel said, her eyes full of happy tears. “We’re all a family. Your mother would be so proud, Jess.”
“Thank you, Mabel. I couldn’t ask for a better family.”
“Aw, you’ve always been family, little one,” Ed said, hugging her. “But now you’re going to be the mother of my grandchildren.”
Jessica smiled, expecting Mabel to say something, too. But, after a quick look at Cal, she led Ed away.
“What did you say to your mother?”
Cal repeated his threat.
“Cal, you didn’t!”
“Hey, she deserved it.”
“No, she didn’t, and you need to tell her she’s forgiven. I don’t want any problems in our family.”
“Baby, our family has been perfect ever since you showed up. You were the most adorable four-year-old I’ve ever seen.” He pulled her against him again.
“Maybe, in a few years, you’ll discover another four-year-old that’s even cuter, with silver-gray eyes.”
“Or big green ones.”
“And if you do, you’ll have to stop calling me baby,” she noted, laughter and sadness mixed in her voice.
He dropped a warm kiss on her lips. “No one will ever take your place, Jess. You and I belong together.”
“I wish Mac, Spence, and Tuck would find someone and be happy, too,” she said, catching sight of Mac leaning against the wall.
“Hey, their mothers are as intent on matchmaking as Mom. Concentrate on me, sweetheart. I want all your attention.”
With a smile, she whispered, “You’ve always had my attention, Cal. Long before you ever knew it.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I may be slow to figure some things out, Jess, but once I do, I stick to the course. You’re never going to be rid of me.”
As her lips joined his, Jessica couldn’t think of a better promise.
“WE’RE ALL REALLY HAPPY for you, Mabel, and for those two. They’re perfect together,” Ruth said, smiling.
Mabel nodded, beaming.
But Ruth wasn’t finished. “But don’t think you’ve won our bet!”
“Yeah,” Edith said. “Our bet wasn’t about getting them married. It was about a grandbaby.”
“That’s right,” Florence agreed. “I certainly haven’t given up.”
Mabel considered her friends. Then she smiled. After all, she could afford to be charitable. “You’re right. And you still have a chance, of course. But I can’t help but feel I have a head start.”
“So did the hare,” Florence pointed out, “but it’s the tortoise who won the race.”
Mabel sniffed. “At least my hare made it to the church. I’ll trust nature to do the rest.”
Florence looked at Ruth and Edith and broke out in a smile. “Well, then, we’ll just have to give nature a little helping hand for those other three.”
ISBN : 978-1-4592-5016-1
ONE HOT DADDY-TO-BE?
Copyright © 1999 by Judy Russell Christenberry.
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