“This is strange for me, Gentry. I’ve never done the morning-after regret thing.” She drew a breath and rushed on. “No, that’s wrong. Didn’t we have this same awkward moment about ten years ago? Only that time you walked out on me.”
He looked miserable as he came closer. “Lacey, I couldn’t regret anything if I tried, not then or now.” He hesitated then, and confessed, “I don’t know where to go from here, Lace.”
“We don’t have to go anywhere, Jeff.” She took his hand. “If you’re worried I expect something because we had sex last night—don’t.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m not sure if you’re ready for this. Trevor’s only been gone a few months.”
“It’s ten months, and don’t bring Trevor into this.”
“How can I not? You were married to him. He was my best friend.”
“Yes, he was my husband,” she said. “But I didn’t betray him, Jeff. Not last night, or ten years ago when we made love. So don’t try and make me feel guilty.”
She could see that she wasn’t getting through to him. She was crazy to think they’d renewed their past feelings. It was evident who he was loyal to. Had she just been the pawn between the two men?
She turned to leave, but he reached for her. “Please, Lacey, I need to make you understand. I want things to be different.”
She fought with as much pride as she could hold on to and broke his hold on her arm. “Oh, I understand all right. We need to forget last night ever happened, just like the last time.”
He started to speak, but didn’t.
And that was all Lacey had to say. She turned and marched to the truck. Trouble was, how did she erase the fact that she’d fallen in love with Jeff Gentry all over again?
By afternoon, Jeff was on his fourth beer. He usually didn’t drink, mainly because he didn’t like not being in control. And because his biological father had been a drunk and got abusive. But at this moment, he didn’t care about any of that.
As he popped another tab and took a long drink, he placed his feet up along the porch railing. Lonesome, lying in the spot next to his chair, suddenly took off barking. Jeff looked toward the pasture and blinked. Cows. The sound of mooing filled his aching head.
“What on earth?” He stood and walked around the cabin. Off in the distance there were about two dozen head of Herefords coming his way. Behind the herd were two riders, Brandon, of course, and his brother, Jay.
The cows were directed to the larger grassy pasture, and when his cousins rode his way, Jeff noticed Brandon was leading another saddled mount. “Oh, no, not today,” he groaned.
“Hey, cuz,” Brandon called with a big grin. “You ready to go to work?”
“You ever thought about giving a guy some warning?”
Brandon leaned against the saddle horn. “So you can ditch me? No way, cowboy.” He turned to his brother. “You can head back, Jay. I have this under control.”
Jay grinned. “Have fun.”
Jeff watched the younger Randell take off and Brandon climbed off his horse as the cattle settled down to graze in the high grass. He came toward Jeff, pulling off his gloves. “So, you going to offer me a drink and tell me about it?”
Great. “Tell you about what?”
Brandon frowned. “Lacey shows up to pick up the kids looking like she’s lost her best friend, then says she’s taking them to see Trevor’s parents in Florida.”
“What?” He couldn’t let her go. “When is she leaving?”
“She’s already left.” Brandon frowned. “She didn’t tell you?”
Jeff shook his head. He didn’t deserve to know anything about her. “No.”
“You’d think partners would tell each other these things.” Brandon walked the horses toward the lean-to and tied their reins to the post. “What happened yesterday, Jeff? Everything seemed great between you two. Did you fight?”
They walked around to the front of the cabin. Brandon started to go inside, then stopped. “This place is like an oven.” Grabbing a couple of waters, they headed toward the shade of the creek with two fold-up lawn chairs.
“Okay, you dropped Lacey off last night and everything was okay between you two.”
“Later, she came out to the cabin.”
Brandon’s mouth broke into a grin, then faded. “You didn’t send her home, did you?”
Jeff glanced away. “I should have.”
“Well, finally,” Brandon said, his smile returning. “I take it you two…got together?”
Jeff leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I told her that maybe it was a mistake, it might be too soon for her.”
Brandon groaned. “You actually got a chance with her, and you tell her that?” His cousin sprang to his feet. “I was wrong. No man would ever turn away a woman like Lacey.”
“I’m not like you. I’m not a Randell.”
“The hell you aren’t. You’re as much a part of this family as I am. Damn it, man, you’ve proved that by screwing up so royally. Most men in this family love their women forever. That could be because Jack was such a womanizer.” He stared at Jeff. “So how long have you loved Lacey?”
Jeff shrugged, mumbling, “Since seventh grade.”
Brandon shook his head. “Did she even have breasts then?”
All at once Jeff threw back his head and laughed. “Who can remember?”
“Well, remember this, she came to you last night. So that means she has feelings for you.”
“You don’t understand, Lacey and I have history.” He looked at Brandon. “Before I went into the army, I came up here to talk to her, to say goodbye. We made love.”
Brandon whistled softly. “What about Trevor?”
“No, she and Trevor had broken up that summer. The problem was he’d been the one who begged me to talk to her, to help them get back together.”
Brandon leaned forward. “Instead, you broke the guy code and slept with your friend’s girl.”
Jeff nodded.
“Come on, Jeff. It might have been a lousy thing to do ten years ago, but everything worked out. Trevor got the girl, and you went into the military. Now, it’s your chance, fair and square. I’d say that Lacey coming here last night was a pretty good indication she wants to be with you.”
“What if it’s just because she’s lonely, and I’m convenient?”
“This isn’t about your leg, is it? Oh, I know what it is.” He snapped his fingers. “She cringed during sex because of your leg.”
Jeff could still feel Lacey’s hands on his injured leg, touching him where he was the most vulnerable. Her trust and caring had just enhanced their lovemaking.
“No, I just don’t know if I’m the man she needs in her life.” And there were the kids. Not that he didn’t love them already, but could he be the dad they needed?
“You think because you’re missing part of your leg you can’t have a life? Can’t have the woman you love? A family?” Brandon didn’t wait for an answer. “So I should tell my son, Zach, that because he’s diabetic he can’t go after what he wants?”
“Of course not,” Jeff argued, hating that his cousin knew him so well.
“Good, because I’m never going to let Zach give up on anything. Unlike you, who won’t fight for what you want. Come on, man, you have a second chance, don’t use being an amputee as an excuse.” Brandon stood and started toward the cabin. “We better get to work and herd some cattle before the drive. Unless you think you can’t handle it.”
Jeff wasn’t looking forward to sitting on a horse most of the day, but he needed to build up his leg strength, and get used to long hours in the saddle.
He grabbed two more bottles of water from the cooler and they headed to the horses. “Okay, what if I go after Lacey and it doesn’t work out?”
Brandon climbed on his gelding. “There are no guarantees with love, but you can’t win, Jeff, if you don’t try. I can’t tell you how many times, even when Nora pushed me away, that I kept going back. I couldn’t
give up. I loved her too much. For heaven’s sake, Jeff, Lacey came here last night. That means she’s decided she wants to give a relationship with you a try.”
Jeff’s spirits soared with hope, but just as quickly sank. He needed to talk to Lacey. He swung his leg over his horse. “I know I’ll probably be sorry I asked, but do you have any suggestions on how to win her back?”
Lacey was happy to be home. It had been a long, miserable week, and she’d missed Jeff more than she wanted to admit. Even though Trevor’s parents had showed them a good time, the kids had missed home, too. They wouldn’t stop talking about Jeff. Even the Guthries figured out that he had become a big part of their lives. They’d always liked Trevor’s friend, and in so many words gave Lacey their blessing to move on with her life. Would they feel that way if they knew the truth about what had happened ten years ago between them?
After a week, Lacey knew she had to return to Texas. Even though Jeff didn’t want her, she had a ranch and a business to run. She had to face her partner sometime.
That was the problem. Over and over she’d relived her night with Jeff. And now, somehow, she had to put that out of her mind and find a way to be able to work with him.
Since she would have to spend three days on the cattle drive with the man, she’d better figure it out fast. Luckily, they wouldn’t be alone much, and she wasn’t riding with the herd. She only had to get to the designated spots and serve meals for the twenty riders. She would have help, Nora and Jeff’s sister, Kelly.
At 5:00 a.m. that morning, she and a pair of excited kids headed for the Circle B Ranch where the first Annual Randell Ranch Cattle Drive was set to begin.
She walked into the main dining hall, already crowded with eager guests. She and the kids got in line and filled their plates and went to sit with Nora and Zach.
“Good, you’re here,” Nora said. “Jeff wants to have a quick meeting before they take off.”
She didn’t want to talk to Jeff. “But we’re just driving out to the first stop on the trail.”
Nora frowned, glanced at the kids talking at the table, and then took Lacey’s hand. “Come with me.”
Lacey reluctantly got up and followed her new friend to the empty side of the room. “Brandon told me what happened between you and Jeff before you left town.” She raised a hand. “I don’t need details. I do know it’s easy to do crazy things when it comes to the Randell men.” There was concern on Nora’s face. “Maybe if you and Jeff talk—”
“No,” Lacey interrupted. “I’ve made a fool of myself over him more than once and Jeff’s made it clear how he feels.”
“Okay, but so you know, he regrets how things turned out.”
Her heart raced. “So do I. I never should have gone to the cabin. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“You still want to go on this trip, don’t you?”
“Of course, the kids are looking forward to it. And I told Hank I would go. It’s too late to replace me.” She blinked back tears. “And I’m not going to dump this all on you with you being pregnant.”
“Lacey.”
She froze on hearing Jeff call her name. She turned as he walked toward her. He was dressed in his standard Western shirt and jeans covered in a pair of black leather chaps. His hat was pulled down on his forehead, his expression serious. She could also see the other women in the room staring at him.
He managed a half smile. “I’m glad you’re back. Did you have a good visit with the Guthries?”
Suddenly the room emptied. “Yes. They send their regards.”
His eyes connected with hers. “Lacey, I know I’m the reason you left.”
She jerked her gaze away. “Don’t flatter yourself, Gentry. I had this trip planned for a while,” she fibbed. Seeing his hurt, she nearly apologized but held her nerve. “Nora said you needed to talk to me about the cattle drive.”
He pulled off a sheet of paper from the clipboard. “Here’s the schedule and a map. I could vary it, but I’m hoping not by much.” His dark gaze met hers again. “I’m sorry, Lacey. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.”
She took a shaky breath. “I hurt myself, Jeff. But at least I was honest about my feelings. Excuse me, I need to help get Colin ready to leave.”
She started off, but Jeff reached for her arm, forcing her to look at him. “If I owe you anything, Lacey, it’s honesty, and I hope you’re ready for it. Because when we return from this trip, we’re going to deal with us.”
Lacey watched him walk away. Honesty. She doubted that Jeff Gentry knew the meaning of the word—not now or ten years ago when he’d walked away from her. He’d never stayed to see if she was okay, or if she could possibly be pregnant with his child.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SO far the first day of the cattle drive hadn’t gone too badly.
Jeff rubbed his thigh as he sat in the saddle. He turned to watch the wranglers on horseback as they rode drag behind the herd. They’d made good time through the morning. The only mishap had been when one man went after a runaway calf. He got his horse tangled up in some mesquite. Two of the experienced ranch hands took control and got him out. Luckily, the horse only had minor scratches.
Cousin Lindsey had been waiting for them when they arrived at the chuck wagon for lunch. After cleaning the horse’s wounds, she then deemed the gelding well enough to go on.
If anything could deter him from becoming a cattleman, today had been the day. Yet he did want the ranch life, and the more time he’d spent with his Uncle Chance and working with Lacey, he knew raising quarter horses was what he wanted to do. He still had a lot to learn about the breeding business. Luckily, he had a lot to draw on among the Randells, including his dad and uncle. They all ran a successful company.
That was what he wanted to make of G&G Quarter Horses—a success. Eventually he wanted to expand, even build his own place. He’d already been checking out a way to grow the business to make it as much Gentry as Guthrie.
Right now everything at the ranch had Trevor’s stamp on it. Not that he wanted to take anything away from his friend, but he needed to make his own mark. That could happen soon, but he still had to talk to Jay before he could go to Lacey with the idea of leasing some pasture land, and even selling some of the ranch’s spring water.
His thoughts turned to the woman who had been on his mind and in his heart forever. What if he’d already blown it, and she never forgave him? He shut his eyes, unable to stop thinking about the night she’d showed up at the cabin. Even before he’d lost his leg, he’d never been one to let anyone get too close, except Trevor and Lacey. It scared the hell out of him.
He cursed himself for his own insecurities about the past and for letting her leave that morning. If he got another chance, he definitely wouldn’t do it again.
“Hey, there’s no sleeping on the job,” Brandon called as he rode up next to him.
They fell into an easy pace alongside the herd. “I’m the boss here,” Jeff joked.
“If you say so.” Smiling, his cousin glanced around. “How are you doing?”
“Not too bad, outside of the heat, and the fact I’ll probably be sore later, but the leg doesn’t seem to be giving me any trouble.” He rubbed his thigh again. “I hate saying this, but you were right about putting in time on horseback the past two weeks.”
Brandon nodded. “Good. Have you had a chance to talk to Lacey?”
He shook his head. “This isn’t the best place for a serious talk.”
“You can be subtle, but let her know you’re not letting her get away.”
“When did you turn into such a matchmaker?”
Brandon shrugged. “Nora, I guess. I never knew I could be this happy. So don’t give up on Lacey.”
Jeff knew how hard his cousin had worked to win Nora. She might have loved the sheriff’s deputy who’d rescued her more than once, but her abusive ex-husband had made her extremely leery of trusting again.
“Catch you later,” his cousin said as he kic
ked his horse’s side and shot off, then met up with nine-year-old Zach. Watching the two together, Jeff could see they were truly father and son.
He drew a ragged breath. Could he be that for Lacey’s kids? They seemed to like him enough, but how would they feel about him loving their mother? Taking their dad’s place in the house? Whoa. Maybe he should get another opinion. He caught sight of Lacey’s son on his horse riding with Brandon and Zach.
Jeff pressed his heels into his horse and pulled up beside the boy. “Hey, Colin, you want to ride up ahead with me? We’ll scout out the trail.”
“Cool,” the boy said.
Yeah, Jeff thought it was cool, too. Would the boy feel that way after he pled his case?
“Brandon, could you and Zach watch things for a while?” Jeff asked.
“Sure.” His cousin looked down at his son. “We can handle it, can’t we, Zach?”
The boy nodded. “Sure.” Brandon waved them off.
The pair picked up the pace and headed down the old service road, no longer used except to check on the cattle.
Jeff glanced overhead at the scattered clouds. “I hope it’s not going to rain. We’ll have a lot of wet wranglers.”
Colin didn’t laugh.
“Is there something wrong, son?”
The boy shrugged. “Mom’s been sad. And I don’t know why she suddenly made us go to Papa and Grandma Guthrie’s.”
Jeff shifted in the saddle. “You ever think maybe your mom was tired and needed some time away?” He’d bet he was the cause of Lacey’s misery. He hated that, but it also gave him a spark of hope.
“Yeah, but she’s crying again like she did after Dad died.”
Okay, Jeff didn’t like that.
The boy looked at him. “Maybe if you talk to her she’ll feel better.”
Jeff nodded, praying he got the chance. “I think I’m the reason she’s sad. I hurt her feelings and said some things I didn’t mean.”
The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns Page 12
