brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy

by Judy Christenberry

  “We have nothing to talk about.”

  “You haven’t thanked me for the candy and flowers.”

  “Oh, yes. How could I forget? Half the town has reminded me. Do you think they will have forgotten by the time I’m in maternity clothes?”

  “Why the hell do I care? Do you still think I don’t want to be known as the baby’s father?”

  “Shh!” It felt as if everyone in the store was following their progress, staring at them.

  “Janie, what can I do to convince you—?”

  “Hi, Janie.”

  They both whirled around. Janie recognized her second suitor’s voice with a sinking heart.

  “Hi, Bryan.” She paused, sent an apologetic look to Pete and added, “Thanks for the candy and flowers.”

  Bryan beamed, and she could feel Pete tense beside her.

  “I wanted you to remember what I said.”

  “I wouldn’t forget. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish shopping before the snowstorm arrives.”

  “Is it going to snow again? What’s on the ground hasn’t melted yet.”

  Pete snorted. “Well, it is Wyoming. If you don’t like snow, come back in late spring.”

  Again Janie moved her cart, stopped and reached around Pete to pick up a large jar of peanut butter, her father’s favorite late-night snack.

  “Here, I’ll get it for you,” Bryan hurriedly said, and almost bumped heads with her to pick up her choice.

  She drew back with a smothered sigh. “Thanks, Bryan, but really, I can manage.”

  “I like doing things for you,” he assured her, an eager grin on his face.

  Pete, beside her, scowled at the man before asking Janie, “What’s next on your list?”

  “Mother wants some cans of baked beans,” Janie finally said. She sent him a look that said Please back off. But she knew he wouldn’t. Not with Bryan hovering at her side.

  For the next few minutes, they toured the grocery store, each man dashing from one side to the other to gather the groceries on Lavinia’s list. All over the store, the other customers watched, gathering in twos and threes and whispering, big grins on their faces.

  Janie felt as though she were leading the Fourth of July Parade. Only it was winter, they were in a grocery store, and there were only three of them. And she wished she wasn’t one of the three.

  Finally she reached the checkout stand. “Really, it was nice of you to help, but that’s all my shopping.”

  “How about a cup of coffee?” Bryan asked.

  “Sorry, the storm, you know.”

  “I’ll follow you home to be sure you make it all right,” Pete offered, but the caring that remark might have evoked was erased by the one-upmanship glare he sent Bryan’s way.

  “I could follow her home.”

  “No, Bryan, but thanks for the offer. You might have trouble getting back,” Janie hastily said. The thought of Bryan having to stay at her house during a snowstorm was more than she could take.

  During their discussion, Elizabeth, her old highschool friend, had been checking her out, ringing up each item and then staring at the three of them. Janie thought it must be the slowest checkout in history. The package boy, bagging the groceries, had to wait on the checker several times.

  When Elizabeth pushed the empty cart past her toward the package boy, both men jumped into action, each grabbing a bag of groceries and stowing it in the cart. When the seven sacks were in place, Pete won the tussle over the cart.

  Bryan immediately took advantage by taking Janie’s arm. “I’ll help you to your truck.”

  She couldn’t meet Pete’s hostile gaze. They both knew she didn’t need any help getting to her truck. But she acquiesced to Bryan’s offer, allowing him to draw her hand through his arm.

  When they reached the truck, she pulled away from Bryan, who’d been filling her ears with compliments, to open the back of the vehicle.

  Pete immediately began putting the paper bags in the truck, and Bryan joined in. As if they were in a race, they each grabbed a sack and then immediately wheeled around to grab the next. When there was only one sack left, she should’ve known what would happen next.

  “I’ll get it,” Pete announced as he reached for the last sack.

  “No, I’ll get it!” Bryan said, trying to reach over Pete’s strong arms. He managed to grasp a corner of the bag and pulled it in his direction. Pete, of course, had no intention of surrendering his hold. The rip of the paper announced the latest disaster.

  Suddenly, canned goods were rolling across the parking lot. Potatoes landed with a plop in the unmelted mounds of snow surrounding the truck. The lettuce rolled over several times before coming to rest against the muddy tire of another vehicle.

  She heard the laughter of those watching from the grocery store and covered her eyes. With both men apologizing, she picked up her groceries with a sigh. They weren’t a parade. They were a freak show.

  The package boy came out to help them retrieve the groceries, along with several other people in the parking lot. Mortified, Janie took their offerings with thanks and shoved them into the truck.

  “Do you want me to go back in and get some more lettuce and potatoes? These got kind of dirty,” Pete said.

  “No, they’ll wash. Just put them in the truck. They’ll be fine.” Anything to get out of there.

  “I’m sorry,” Bryan said again.

  “It was an accident. And I appreciate your help.” She paused and then shot a look at Pete, glowering beside her. “And yours, too, Pete.”

  “Yeah, I bet,” Pete muttered, surveying their audience, still in place. “We made a spectacle of ourselves.”

  “Yeah, we were more exciting than the coming storm,” she teased, breaking into a grin. It wasn’t often she saw Pete Randall feeling sheepish. It was almost worth the embarrassment.

  When he caught her smile, he returned it, and her spirits brightened. The man could bring sunshine to the gloomiest day ever. At least, he could for her.

  “Come on. You’d better be on your way. I’ll be right behind you.”

  She nodded and turned to tell Bryan goodbye.

  “When will I see you?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll—I’ll call you in a few days.”

  Pete stiffened beside her, losing his endearing grin.

  Bryan leaned toward her as if he would kiss her goodbye, but Janie ducked away. When they’d dated, she’d allowed him to kiss her good-night, but nothing more. And she had to admit that she hadn’t particularly liked his kisses. She’d told herself to give their relationship time, but she had felt more than a hint of relief when the baby gave her a reason to stop seeing Bryan.

  Now she had to tell him that.

  But not today. She’d been through enough today. And she couldn’t tell him the truth in front of Pete and all the other citizens of Rawhide who’d been drawn to the little trio’s shopping trip.

  All the way home, the sight of Pete in her rearview mirror was both a comfort and an ache. He’d always looked out for her, even when they’d been lovers. She corrected herself. Especially when they’d been lovers. He hadn’t let anyone know about them because he was protecting her reputation, he’d said.

  Well, everyone knew about them now. The candy, the flowers, the grocery shopping. She chuckled. From this distance, the grocery shopping was hysterical. But if the two men ever approached her again at the same time, she was going to run.

  Reaching the turnoff to her house, she waved her hand in the back window to say thank you to Pete and braked for the turn. After she straightened out on the driveway, she checked her mirror, expecting to see Pete sail past her toward the Randall ranch.

  Instead, he turned in after her.

  Now what was he up to? Why was he following her?

  She nibbled on her bottom lip, anxiety rising. In the grocery store, he couldn’t bring up anything personal with everyone around. But here, at her house, she knew he could get her alone.

  With a s
igh, she parked the truck. By the time she got to the back of the vehicle to open it, Pete was beside her.

  “What are you doing here? Don’t you need to get home before the storm?”

  “The radio said it might hold off for a day or two,” he said, and reached past her for a grocery sack.

  “I can carry the groceries in, Pete,” she protested.

  “I don’t think pregnant ladies are supposed to carry anything heavy.”

  She heaved a big sigh. “I’m not an invalid.”

  As she reached for a grocery sack herself, Pete ordered, “Leave it, Janie, and go inside.”

  “Pete Randall, stop ordering me around!”

  “Janie Dawson, use your head. There’s no point in taking risks. And if you’re good, I’ll take the blame for the spilled groceries.”

  She stared at him, her mouth dropping open. Then she sputtered, “You’ll take the blame? Like it’s not really your fault?”

  “That’s right.” He swooped down and kissed her before reaching for a second sack. “I figure it’s your fault for flirting with that greenhorn. But I’ll forgive you,” he said magnanimously, a twinkle in his eye. “Now get inside.”

  Chapter Five

  Pete figured he had a big advantage over Bryan Manning. Lavinia liked him. He hoped to parlay that liking into an invitation to dine with the Dawsons.

  “Howdy, Lavinia,” he greeted her with a smile when he entered the kitchen with the first bags of groceries. Janie was standing beside the door, her arms crossed and her foot tapping.

  “Well, hi Pete. What are you doing here?”

  “Helping Janie with the groceries. I was worried about her lifting anything heavy.”

  Lavinia looked first at her daughter and then back to Pete. “That’s real thoughtful of you, Pete. But why does Janie look so irritated?”

  Pete cleared his throat. “Well, it could have something to do with one of the grocery sacks splitting. I think she’s worried about the lettuce.”

  “I don’t think so,” Janie retorted, one eyebrow raised. At her mother’s questioning look, she continued, “You should have seen the two of them, Mom.”

  “Two? I only see one.” Lavinia pretended to peer around Pete for another person.

  “Bryan showed up at the grocery store, too. And they created a spectacle.”

  Lavinia looked at Pete. “Should I hope the grocery store was empty?”

  ”’Fraid not, Lavinia. But I tried to be discreet.”

  “You wouldn’t know the meaning of the word if it slapped you in the face,” returned Janie, but Pete was relieved to see a twinkle in her eye.

  “I bet you never finished your shopping that fast.” His broad grin won an answering smile.

  “No, I suppose not. I was so embarrassed I would’ve run up and down the aisles if I could have.”

  “What did those two do?” Lavinia asked.

  “They turned my shopping into a competition, dashing around, each one trying to fill the cart before the other one could. They almost turned old Mrs. Capelli upside down with their mad rush.”

  “That’s not true,” Pete protested. “We only turned her around a time or two. And I helped her find the canned tuna.” His righteous tone brought a laugh from Lavinia.

  “A true act of charity, Pete. Are you going to bring in the rest of the groceries before they freeze, by the way?”

  “Yes, ma’am!” he said, snapping a salute and sailing out the door. At least he’d mentioned the torn sack without Lavinia being irritated. When he returned two minutes later, with two more bags, Lavinia was leaning against the sink, laughing.

  “What have you been telling her?” he asked Janie suspiciously.

  “I was just describing your expertise at putting the groceries in the truck.”

  The flash of Janie’s eyes, accompanied by a broad smile, reminded him of happier times. The urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she melted against him almost overcame him. But the knowledge that she would resist made him hold back.

  That and Lavinia’s presence.

  He headed back out for the other groceries. When he set these sacks on the counter, Lavinia fulfilled his hopes.

  “You’ll stay for dinner, Pete? It’s the least we can do for your helping Janie at the grocery store.”

  “I’d love to stay, Lavinia, on one condition.”

  “And that is…?”

  “You have to promise not to let Janie near the food before I eat,” Pete said deadpan. “She’s sure to poison my share if she gets the chance.”

  “LAVINIA,” PETE SAID with a sigh, “don’t you tell Red I said so, but you must be the best cook in the whole state of Wyoming.”

  “Thank you, Pete, but I can’t take all the credit. Janie made the apple pie.”

  Janie wanted to stick out her tongue at Pete and assure him she hadn’t made it for him. Instead, she received his praises with a nod of her head. But she lost her calm with his next remark.

  “You don’t have to convince me Janie would make a good wife, Lavinia. I know that already. She’s the one who’s being stubborn. Maybe someone should be praising me to the skies to change her mind.”

  “Maybe someone should accept the answer he’s already gotten!” Janie snapped.

  “Janie!” Hank protested.

  More effective than her father’s protest was Lavinia’s steady regard. Dinner had been fun, like old times, and Janie immediately regretted losing her temper. Especially when she knew she’d disappointed her mother.

  “Sorry,” she apologized with a small smile.

  Pete leaned across the table toward her. “My fault. I shouldn’t have brought up such a personal topic here at the table.”

  “I don’t see why not, Pete. It concerns all of us,” Hank asserted, his chin jutting out in stubbornness.

  “It may concern us, Hank, but the decision has to be Pete and Janie’s.” Lavinia stood. “Just to show you how generous I am, Pete, I’m going to let you and Janie do the dishes, which should give you half an hour alone. Then Janie might want you to leave so she can get some rest.”

  When Hank didn’t move, instead staring at his wife in surprise, she prodded him. “Come on, Hank. These young people want to be alone.”

  “Thanks, Lavinia,” Pete murmured as Janie’s parents left the room.

  Janie, on the other hand, promised herself to have a talk with her mother tomorrow. Lavinia knew her daughter didn’t want to be alone with Pete.

  Janie got to her feet. “I’ll rinse and load the dishwasher. You clear the table.”

  “Let’s talk first,” Pete suggested.

  “Oh, no. One or both of us will get upset, and you’ll leave and I’ll be stuck with all the work. You’re not getting out of it that easy, Pete Randall.”

  “Well, I thought I’d give it a try,” he said with a grin, and began stacking the dishes to bring them to the sink.

  They worked in silence for several minutes. Janie was determined to leave any talking to Pete. But she dreaded what he might say.

  “Did you really make that pie?” he asked, surprising her.

  She turned from the sink to stare at him. “Yes, of course I did. Did you think Mom would lie about it?”

  “Nope. I just didn’t know you could cook.”

  Janie chuckled. “I’m not as good as Mom, but she made sure I wouldn’t starve to death if I ever left home.”

  “Isn’t that strange? If anyone had asked me, I would’ve said I knew everything there was to know about you. After all, I watched you grow up.”

  “There’s lots you don’t know about me,” she assured him, amused by his words.

  “Oh, yeah? Like what?”

  “Do you know who gave me my first kiss?”

  The sudden glower on his face tickled her, and she laughed.

  “I don’t find that question so funny,” Pete said.

  “I was just making a point.”

  He set a pile of dishes down beside her at the sink. “I need t
o ask you a question.”

  The sudden seriousness of his tone made her stomach clinch. “What?”

  “Did you sleep with Manning?”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  “I know it’s not, but—but he said the baby was his.” Pete didn’t look at her. He kept his gaze on the dishes in front of him.

  “I thought you said you believed this is your baby. Have you changed your mind? If so, I bet you’re glad I turned down your marriage proposal.” She tried to keep her voice light, as if his answer didn’t matter. Inside, her heart was breaking.

  His hands, resting on the kitchen cabinet, clenched. “No, I don’t think it’s his baby. You wouldn’t lie to me.”

  “Ah. Thanks for that, at least.”

  “What?”

  “You think I’m a loose woman but an honest one.”

  “Janie! I didn’t mean—You have every right to— I just wondered.”

  “Is that all of the dishes?” Maybe if they talked of mundane things, she could hold back the hunger that filled her.

  “Uh, no. I’ll get the rest of them.”

  She rinsed more dishes and was bent over, stacking them in the dishwasher, when Pete reached around her to catch her braid, hanging down in the open washer.

  “Careful. You might get your hair caught on something.”

  The shivers that coursed up and down her body warned her again that Pete’s touch had a tremendous effect on her. As if she could’ve forgotten. “Thanks. I’m—I’m thinking of cutting it.”

  “No!” Pete’s voice was filled with horror.

  She turned to stare at him. “It’s just hair, Pete. It’ll grow back.”

  A slow, sexy grin appeared on Pete’s face. “Well, now, Janie, it may be just hair to you, but undoing your braid is one of my favorite memories. And when I’m holding you in my arms and those silken strands slide across my shoulders…” He paused and took a deep breath before finishing in a low voice, “I feel like I’m in heaven.”

  Janie fought the desire that filled her, that pleaded with her to turn into his arms, to feel his strength around her. She swallowed and licked her lips, playing for time.

  “Aw, Janie, look at me.”