Catherine smiled. “You’d never know it,” she commented as she took a seat.
“By the end of the day I can barely hold my eyes open,” Ashley confessed. She prepared the bottles for the babies, then handed one to Catherine before sitting with Michelle still in her arms. “But I’m lucky. Ryder’s a great father, and his family has practically adopted me.”
Ashley gave Catherine a curious look and went on. “You know it was really hard for me at first. I wasn’t sure about living here. I didn’t know anyone, and I felt really insecure. But the McCalls are unbelievably close, and they welcomed me into their fold without hesitation.”
Catherine held the bottle to Melissa’s tiny mouth. She grabbed hold of the nipple and sucked. “That’s sort of how I feel, though my stay isn’t permanent.” She looked contrite for a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that you or anyone else has made me uncomfortable.”
Ashley gave Catherine a warm smile. “No offense taken. I can see why we’d be a bit overwhelming.”
After a few minutes Catherine propped Melissa on her shoulder and patted her back. The baby offered up a small burp. “I don’t have any family to speak of, but not living in my home feels strange.”
“Are you sure it isn’t that you’re living so close to Jake now?” Ashley boldly asked. “I get the feeling that all is not quite well between you two. He was awfully quiet when he came through here a little while ago, and when I asked about you, he just grunted something unintelligible.”
Ashley was very astute, Catherine thought. “We did have a couple of clashes while we were gone,” she confessed without going into details. “I thought about not coming, but it was so important to Matthew. I figured I could at least give it a try.”
Melissa finished the last of her bottled milk, and Catherine used a cloth to clean her bow-shaped mouth. “I was thinking, though, that I’ll go crazy if I don’t have something to do this summer.” Her gaze met Ashley’s. “I don’t want to get in the way or anything, but how would you feel if I helped with the house while I’m here instead of having someone come in?”
Ashley was pleased by the suggestion. “Are you sure you want to?”
Catherine nodded. “I need to do something, and I’d feel as if I was earning my stay, so to speak,” she explained.
“Well, I think it’s a great idea, because I’d rather not have a stranger come in.”
Catherine thought that was an odd statement, since she was virtually a stranger to Ashley.
“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re no longer a stranger in this house. Matthew is Jake’s child. You’re Matthew’s mother. That makes you part of this family,” she explained, as if it was simply that easy to rationalize.
Catherine felt an overwhelming sense of longing. She wished at that moment that she was truly a part of this loving family. “That’s really nice of you to say.”
Ashley grinned. “I mean it.” She finished feeding Michelle, then frowned at Catherine. “I’m not sure how Jake will accept this idea, though.”
Catherine squared her shoulders. “Jake will have to live with it. I made a concession in coming here. If you have no problem with my help, why should he?”
Ashley grinned. “Why, indeed?” she repeated, thinking Jake had finally met his match. She was going to enjoy seeing him go toe-to-toe with Catherine. “Well, I guess I’d better get these two down for a nap.”
“Let me help,” Catherine insisted, following Ashley out of the room. She’d gotten over one hurdle talking to Ashley. Now all she had to do was talk to Jake.
Catherine had silently practiced her speech a couple of times as she helped with preparing the meal. She had planned to confront Jake with her idea after dinner. She hadn’t figured on Ashley announcing it to everyone while they were eating.
As soon as Ashley had mentioned Catherine’s “kind” offer, Jake’s gaze shot to Catherine’s. “That’s not necessary,” he stated in that controlling tone of his.
“Actually, it is necessary for you to have someone come in to help out,” Catherine informed him. “Why shouldn’t it be me?”
Jake grunted his disapproval. “Because you’re a guest,” he insisted. “Guests don’t do housework and laundry.” He stared back at Catherine, his eyes hard and unyielding.
“That’s ridiculous, Jake,” Ashley gently admonished her brother-in-law. “Catherine’s no more a guest than I was when I came here, and you accepted the fact that I wanted to work.”
Her reminder fell on deaf ears. “That was different.” His expression softened a bit when he glanced at Ashley.
A small smile played on her lips. “I don’t see how.” She looked at Ryder, who had been quiet to this point. “Do you, honey?”
“Nope, darlin’, I don’t,” he agreed. He gave his older brother a sharp look, obviously enjoying his disgruntled expression. “Unless you can explain it to us,” he added, fighting back a grin.
Catherine wasn’t exactly sure what was happening. Obviously, she had the support of Jake’s sibling and his wife. She just wasn’t sure why.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Lynn said, pointing her fork at Jake as she spoke. “I can understand why Catherine doesn’t want to sit around and twiddle her thumbs.”
Jake could see that he was totally outnumbered and wasn’t going to stand a chance of getting out of this. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t want Catie cleaning the house or doing laundry, except that it seemed like an awfully personal thing to be doing for them.
For him.
“Mom’s a cleaning fanatic,” Matthew chimed in. “She’ll probably drive you all crazy.”
“Matthew!” Catherine gasped. Her son gave her a knowing look, and she returned a censuring one.
“You’ll get paid, then,” Jake said by way of conceding.
“I will not,” Catherine stated firmly.
“You will or you won’t be doing the work,” he returned flatly, the decision already made in his mind.
“You can’t make me take money,” Catherine replied, her voice just as determined as Jake’s.
Jake’s jaw tightened. He’d been glad to have work to do away from the house after they’d returned from Lubbock. He’d managed to avoid Catie until dinnertime. Now he was having to look directly at her, and it was driving him crazy. He felt an overwhelming urge to drag her from the table and kiss her senseless. Staying away from Catie was going to be his undoing.
He glanced at his son who was taking in the entire conversation. The last thing he wanted was to upset Matthew.
“Let’s discuss this outside,” he suggested to Catie, shoving back his chair so abruptly that it squeaked across the floor.
Catherine shot him a hard look. “Let’s,” she agreed, getting out of her seat and following him out the back door.
The June evening had turned slightly cool, but the sky was clear and lit with stars easily seen without the intrusion of city lights. Catherine couldn’t get over how beautiful it was. She rarely had the opportunity to leave the city. She was going to spend a lot of time at night watching the sky.
She turned to face Jake, her heart skipping a beat as she realized that he was standing close beside her. Barely able to breathe, she took a small step away from him. “I really don’t want to argue with you about this, Jake,” she insisted, and her voice suddenly sounded husky. “I want something to do this summer.”
Jake’s gaze fell on Catherine’s face, and all he could think about was kissing her. He wondered how he could be so angry with her and still want to make love to her.
“I don’t want you keeping house for us,” he stated tersely, his emotions in turmoil.
Catherine’s gaze connected with his, her eyes fiery. “And everything has to be your way, is that it?” she demanded. Catherine saw his jaw tighten a fraction. Jake was used to making decisions. Well, she was going to get her way this time.
“I’ve changed my entire summer plans to stay here with Matthew. Whether you believe it or not, I did that fo
r you as well as for him. I can’t sit here all summer long with nothing to do. Now, whether you like it or not, I am going to help out around here!”
Finished with her diatribe, Catie was breathing heavily. Jake’s gaze took in all of her. Her breasts were rising and falling rapidly with every breath she took, straining against the pale-blue blouse she wore. Her eyes flashed hotly, and her hands rested on her slim hips.
Jake had a feeling he was in deep trouble. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to drag her to the ground and strip her clothes off. He had to fight the desire to show her exactly what she was doing to him.
Grating his teeth, he grunted, “Have it your way.”
Catherine frowned. “What?”
Frustrated, Jake swore. “You heard me. Do whatever you want.”
A smile caught on Catherine’s lips. She hadn’t expected him to give in without more of a fight. “Hmm,” she taunted. “No more arguments?” She was surprised that he’d given in so easily, and she was enjoying her triumph. She couldn’t help flaunting her victory just a little.
Jake stared at her. “Don’t push me, Catie,” he growled, not at all happy that he was giving in to her.
Catherine grinned up at him. “Or what? What’s wrong, Jake? Are you not used to losing, or is it that you don’t like losing to me?” She licked her lips, and her eyes lit with teasing.
Jake stared at her, and he wanted to take her down a notch or two. He knew the best way to do that and to satisfy his own itch.
“Or this,” he grumbled.
He snaked his hand around her neck and pulled her forward with enough force to press her body flat against his. Her startled cry caused her mouth to open, and Jake took full advantage of it. He clamped his mouth over hers and smothered the sound of protest that automatically came from her.
Catherine’s hands pressed hard against Jake’s chest. His free arm came around her like a band of steel, molding her against him. The onslaught of his kiss stunned her and left her unable to react, other than to moan with pleasure as his tongue found hers.
Never taking his mouth from hers, Jake deepened the kiss, his lips hard and demanding, and Catherine responded without giving thought as to why she shouldn’t. All sense of reality slipped away from her when Jake’s hand slipped up her rib cage and touched her breast.
Her nipples hardened, aching for his touch, and she moved against him, then was immediately aware of his arousal. Before she could react, Jake broke off the kiss and firmly pushed her away from him.
“Be careful in the future not to push me too far,” he warned her, trying to get his own breathing under control. “Next time I may not stop, and believe me, you won’t want me to.”
He turned abruptly and left Catherine standing there staring at his retreating back. She lifted her hand to her lips, swollen now from his kisses. The memory of the taste of him, of how it felt to be pressed against him, rushed over her.
Catherine knew that she was fighting a losing battle. Her heart was in danger, and there was little she could do to protect it when Jake McCall was around.
Eight
The first order of business the next day, Jake had decided, was to find out what had prompted Frank Davis to send a letter to Catie on Jake’s behalf. They’d gone into Crockett, which was why he and Catie were waiting in the law offices of Rand Jensen. He’d bought Frank’s practice and assumed responsibility for Frank’s clientele, and Jake had used Rand’s services often enough to be on a first-name basis with his paralegal.
Jake glanced at Catie, who was seated across from him. She’d shown him Frank Davis’s letter the morning they were leaving Lubbock to return to the ranch. At that time they’d been barely speaking, so Jake hadn’t discussed it with her. But he’d thought about it a lot since then.
It had been brief and to the point, only a couple of sentences to inform the recipient that she’d contacted the wrong person. Jake understood why Catie had been so hurt, but it wasn’t as if it was his fault. He hadn’t known a thing about it. To Jake’s way of thinking it didn’t excuse what she’d done.
“Come on in, Jake.”
Jake looked up and nodded at Peggy Lewis. “Thanks, Peg,” Jake said, then waited for Catie to precede him. Peggy led them to a conference room where a stack of folders was sitting neatly on a small, rectangular conference table.
“Make yourselves at home. The files you wanted to see are right there,” she said, pointing to the stack. She smiled pleasantly, then promptly left them alone.
Jake grimaced as he and Catie took a seat. He wasn’t sure what they would find. He reached for the folders and glanced over them, then chose one to look at. It was labeled Correspondence, and contained a thick stack of papers. Jake moved the folder so Catie could see it, also, which brought him close enough to her to smell her perfume. He had to resist the urge to touch her. Steeling himself, he turned his attention to the letters.
It took a few minutes because the file was in disarray. Frank’s wife had been his secretary, and she’d only worked half a day. Jake grunted when he realized they would have to search through the entire file, and even then there was a chance that they wouldn’t find any answers.
About halfway through, Jake came upon a copy of the letter that was sent to Catie, with her letter attached. He flipped the pages, then reread the words Catie had written him all those years ago. The anguish she’d felt was apparent. Though she hadn’t mentioned the baby, she had practically pleaded with Jake to call her.
“I don’t understand,” Jake murmured, shaking his head. Why hadn’t Frank asked him about this before he’d answered Catie?
“What?”
“Why would Frank send you that letter?” he asked aloud. He turned the pages over, searching for some kind of answer, but there wasn’t even a clue. Frustrated, Jake continued going through the stack. Just as he was about to give up, he spotted a small note written on a scrap of pink paper.
“Damn.” Jake studied it, and a distant memory tugged at his mind.
“What?” Catherine asked.
Jake leaned closer to her. “Look at this.” He handed her the paper. The date on it was a week after Catie’s letter had arrived at Frank’s office, and there was a notation that he’d talked with Jake.
“It says, ‘Kathleen.’”
Jake swore again, and his lips thinned. “I vaguely remember one day when Frank came out to the ranch on some business. He’d been in a hurry. Just as he was leaving, he asked me if I knew a Kathleen. He said that he’d gotten a letter from someone named Kathleen, but at the time he couldn’t recall a last name.” Jake sighed heavily. “He never mentioned it again after that, and I never gave it any more thought.”
“Oh, Jake.” Catie touched his arm.
“Frank must have thought he’d asked me about the right person, then sent a letter to you.” He turned and looked into Catherine’s green eyes. “I’m sorry, Catie. I never made the connection.”
Catherine wanted to cry, and sniffed back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. So many years. So many hurtful, agonizing years. All because one man made a mistake. Even if she and Jake had never gotten back together, Matthew would have had a chance to know his father. She would have wanted him to.
“Don’t cry,” Jake said, then touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
Jake’s breath whispered over her mouth, and Catherine’s breath caught. She licked her lips, then blinked. A tear slipped from the inner corner of her eye, then slid down her cheek.
“All because of a simple mistake,” she murmured sorrowfully.
Jake nodded thoughtfully. “At least the mystery is solved. You know, it’s not as if Frank did it on purpose.”
Catie moved away, breaking contact with Jake. In essence he was reminding her that she’d purposefully kept Matthew from him. But she didn’t apologize. She had thought that Jake didn’t want to hear from her. And if he’d loved her the way he’d professed, he would have called her, she silently reasoned. How could he bl
ame her, when he was guilty of the same thing?
Catherine had never been on a horse in all her life. From the looks of things, that probably wasn’t going to change. So what if she’d grown up in Texas? Not everyone in Texas knew how to ride a horse. She stared at the big gray mare that Ryder had brought out from the barn, watching from a distance as Jake’s brother tossed a worn saddle on her back.
Reading her uneasy manner, Ryder patted the horse along her neck. “This is Flo. She’s real gentle,” he assured Catherine in that charming tone of his.
Looking from Ryder to the horse, Catherine wasn’t so sure. She didn’t want Ryder to think that she didn’t trust his judgment, but something inside her resisted the idea of sitting on the animal. “I don’t know about this,” she confessed shakily.
“Don’t worry, darlin’. Flo will do all the work.” He gave Catherine a reassuring grin, his mustache turning slightly upward. “She’s done this before, you know. All you have to do is get on, and she’ll do the rest.”
When Ryder grinned like that, Catherine knew why Ashley had fallen in love with him. He had a magnetism like no other man Catherine had known. Ashley was a lucky woman.
But no matter what Ryder said, Flo was a big animal and a bit scary, too. “I don’t see why it’s so important for me to learn to ride a horse,” Catherine said, sounding as anxious as she felt.
Ryder gave her a patient look. “You’ve been here several weeks and you’re already antsy. You’ve cleaned the house until it’s spotless. Ashley told me I’d better get you outside before you go crazy. The best way to deal with excess energy is to get out in the summer sunshine.”
Fluttering her eyes, Catherine replied, “Shopping works, too.”
Ryder chuckled. “C’mon. Riding a horse can be fun. Just give it a chance.”
Catherine wasn’t so sure about that. Ryder had insisted that Flo was gentle, easy on beginners. He didn’t seem the type to lie, but she had a distrustful nature. She put her foot inside the stirrup and jumped. Flo did a little sidestep, then whinnied.
A Cowboy, a Bride & a Wedding Vow Page 10
