“This is a big place,” Josie said, breaking the silence.
“Yeah.” Jack didn’t need to be reminded. Big place. Big responsibility.
“I know I’ve been out here before, but everything was…different.”
“My dad was still alive.”
“Right. But tonight, driving through Chance land, and then seeing the house and the outbuildings again…it’s made me realize what a huge job you inherited last October.” She stared straight ahead, as if fixated on the house. “I remember you said once that you didn’t want to be in charge of the Last Chance.”
“I can handle it.” What else was he supposed to say? He wasn’t going to lay his troubles at her feet like some jerk looking for sympathy.
“I’m sure you can.” She glanced at him. “Take care of yourself, Jack.”
He recognized a kiss-off remark when he heard it. She was done with him. He shouldn’t be surprised. After ten months of silence he’d shown up slightly drunk, with no advance warning, and he’d laid into her brother.
Good thing he hadn’t counted on her welcoming him back. This had been an experiment, and it had failed spectacularly. With practiced ease, he closed off his heart.
“See you around.” It was a phrase he used a lot, but in this case it was inappropriate. He wouldn’t be seeing her around, not if he could help it. Not if she could help it, either, he was sure. He got out of the truck and walked toward the darkened house.
Behind him gravel crunched as she drove away. Well, that was over with. Completely over.
AS SHE HEADED BACK to Shoshone, Josie refused to let herself cry again. She’d already shed way too many tears over Jack Chance. But she couldn’t seem to do anything about the ache in her chest. She’d reopened a wound that had finally started to heal, and now she remembered what that pain had felt like.
When she’d imagined him coming back, and she’d done that far too often for her own good, she’d expected him to make some grand gesture, something worthy of a Chance man. Instead their reunion had been an afterthought, the by-product of whatever had happened with Morgan and Gabe. Man, that hurt.
She reached Shoshone in record time. Fortunately no cops were around to see her put the pedal to the metal and hurtle down that two-lane road away from the Last Chance Ranch, away from Jack Chance and his half-assed apologies. It would be a cold day in hell before she ever gave that guy room in her heart.
This time she’d tamp down any remaining sparks of hope that they could rekindle the flame between them. Jack was a lost cause. She should have realized that a long time ago, but she did now. Whether his issues arose from his mother leaving him when he was a toddler or his father dying in a rollover that Jack felt he could have prevented, the guy obviously wasn’t ready to deal with his demons.
She parked next to the Spirits and Spurs and climbed the stairs to her apartment. Although she loved her brother to distraction, she wanted to be alone right now. But she had to let him know she was home or he’d worry about her.
When she walked in, Alex was sitting on the couch reading the same news magazine he’d had earlier. He glanced up immediately. “Well?”
“It’s over for good this time.” She ignored the way her chest tightened when she said that.
“You don’t look happy, but it’s probably for the best. In the long run, I mean.”
“It is.” She took a shaky breath. “I thought he’d put some thought into coming over here. I even told myself he’d been drinking to bolster his courage to face me. But he only dropped by because his brother stranded him in town. He had nowhere else to go.”
“Aw, sis.” Alex stood and came toward her, as if he wanted to give her a hug.
She held up a hand. “Don’t be too sympathetic or I might lose it, and I’m determined not to do that. The bastard doesn’t deserve my tears.”
“No, he doesn’t. But he deserves some grief from me. If you’ll point me in the direction of this ranch of his, I’d like to—”
“Thanks, but no thanks, Alex. I appreciate the sentiment. I really do. But you ending up in a physical con frontation with Jack isn’t going to help anything. Besides, he’s… He’s in really good shape.”
She’d tried to avoid thinking about that hard body of his the entire time they’d been cooped inside the Bronco together. She’d failed. The minute she’d breathed in his scent, a combination of leather, spice and virile male, she’d experienced total recall of what that body could accomplish with a willing woman.
Had he touched her, she might have forgiven him everything. She was lucky he hadn’t tried.
“I’m in good shape, too,” Alex said quietly. “And it would give me great satisfaction to cause him some pain after what he’s put you through.”
She shook her head. “That would only stir the pot. The best way to handle Jack Chance is to ignore him completely. I intend to, and I’d like you to do the same.”
“But—”
“Please, Alex.”
“Okay.” He shrugged. “It’s your town.”
“Not really. If it’s anybody’s town, it belongs to the Chance family. They’re the reigning royalty around here.”
Alex crossed his arms and studied her. “I’ll bet there’s a quaint little bar for sale somewhere in downtown Chicago.”
“I wouldn’t give Jack the satisfaction of running me out. I love it here, and the bar’s doing very well. At this rate I’ll have the building paid for in five years. I’m staying.” She lifted her chin. “And Jack Chance can kiss my ass.”
3
“YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED already?” At mid-morning Jack had walked into the large ranch kitchen in search of coffee, only to find Jack’s stepmother, Sarah, and his brother Gabe knee-deep in wedding plans. Mary Lou Simms, the ranch cook, was in the thick of it, too, offering comments in between tending a huge pot of chili on the stove.
Gabe’s truck hadn’t been in the driveway earlier, but he was home now, looking scruffy and quite pleased with himself. Jack wasn’t used to seeing his youngest brother unshaven, his dark blond hair sticking in twenty different directions. With luck Gabe was so besotted with his lady love that he’d forget to ask how Jack’s evening had turned out.
“Morgan and I see no point in waiting.” Gabe sat at the kitchen island drinking coffee with Sarah.
“And I’m glad for that.” Sarah seemed giddy at the prospect. She’d always looked youthful, even though she’d let her hair go naturally white, but this morning she seemed almost girlish. “Your idea of having the ceremony on horseback means we don’t have to decorate for the wedding, just for the reception.”
“Horseback, huh?” Jack walked over to the hat rack in the corner of the kitchen.
“Morgan’s game,” Gabe said, “so I decided what the heck. Might as well take advantage of the famous Jackson Hole scenery.”
“Now I can see the reason for rushing things.” Jack hung his hat next to Gabe’s. “An outdoor ceremony wouldn’t work so well in the snow.”
“Exactly,” Sarah said. “Besides, it’ll be a fun challenge to pull it together in…wow, less than two weeks.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Jack was happy that Gabe and Morgan were getting married. He was also pleased to see Sarah so excited about the wedding. But his own misery moved in like a dark cloud to cover any potential joy. He needed to snap out of this foul mood and get into the spirit of things.
Mary Lou left her chili to simmer, poured a mug of coffee and handed it to Jack. “I figure this is what you wandered in for.”
“I did. Thanks.” Maybe caffeine would help.
Mary Lou gestured with the carafe. “Gabe? Sarah?”
“Load me up.” Gabe held out his mug. “Didn’t get much sleep last night.” He winked at Jack. “You don’t look like you did, either.”
“Not much.” Actually, none.
“You boys.” Mary Lou clucked in disapproval. “I thought you’d both passed the stage of staying out ’til all hours. Sarah? Coffee?”
“N
othing for me, thanks. I’m wired as it is with all this good news.” Her blue eyes shone as she flashed Jack a smile. “Did you see Josie last night?”
Jack glared at Gabe. Some people couldn’t keep their traps shut.
Gabe shrugged. “She wanted the whole story. You know how moms are.”
“Right.” Jack really didn’t know how moms were. Sometimes they were great, like his stepmother, Sarah, but other times they left. For years Sarah had asked Jack to call her Mom, but he liked calling her Sarah to distance her from the other mother he’d known, the one who’d deserted him. “So did you see Josie?” Gabe asked.
Jack thought then how much alike Gabe and Sarah were—not only in looks, because they were both fair with blue eyes, but also in being such cheerful, curious people.
Sarah could keep a secret when she had to, though. Until a few weeks ago, she’d kept a whopper. Turned out Nick, Jonathan’s middle son, wasn’t hers. Instead he was the result of an affair that took place after Jonathan divorced Jack’s mother and before he met Sarah.
But Nick had been raised at the ranch as Sarah’s son, and finding out the truth of his birth had shattered his world. Thanks to his fiancée, Dominique, Nick was recovering from that emotional blow. The two of them were holding off on a wedding until Dominique transferred her photography business from Indiana to Wyoming, but it looked as if two of the three Chance boys were settling down. As usual, Jack was the lone wolf, the son who didn’t quite fit in.
“So? What’s the deal with Josie?” Gabe was nothing if not persistent.
“I saw her for a little while,” Jack said. “Her brother, Alex, is visiting.” That was the God’s truth, and it should stop their questions for a while.
“Tough luck,” Gabe said with a twinkle in his eye.
“Whatever.” He finished his coffee, set the mug in the sink, and reached for his hat. “I need to get back to work.”
“There’s one wedding detail to handle before you go,” Gabe said.
“What’s that?” Jack put on his hat in preparation for leaving as quickly as possible. Maybe he’d take a ride out to the north pasture and check the fence. Putting some distance between him and these wedding plans sounded good.
“I’d like it if you and Nick would share the job of best man. Would that work for you?”
“Sure. Be glad to.” Sharing the job would be a relief. He wouldn’t have to handle everything, and Nick was good at that sappy stuff.
“Excellent. Morgan’s going to have two maids of honor, so it’ll be balanced.”
Jack nodded, not really listening. “Great. Well, if that’s all, then—”
“You’ll probably want a heads-up on who the maids of honor will be.” Gabe had a gleam in his eye.
Jack hoped to hell Gabe wasn’t hoping to promote a romance between him and one of Morgan’s sisters. There might be several to choose from, because Morgan had come from a family of seven kids.
He turned to make his getaway. “You can fill me in on the particulars later.”
“I just thought you’d want to know that Morgan’s asking Josie.”
Jack froze. His brain froze, too. But when it thawed a couple of seconds later, horror poured out in torrents. No. He couldn’t be in a wedding with Josie. That was completely unacceptable.
Doing his best to cover his reaction, he turned back to Gabe. “I’m surprised.”
“You look more than surprised.” Gabe’s mouth twitched as if he dearly wanted to laugh. “You look like someone whacked you upside the head with a two-by-four.”
“Why Josie? I thought Morgan had a passel of sisters and brothers.”
“She does, but her sister Tyler’s the only one she wants in the wedding party. Morgan and Josie have hit it off. I’m guessing Morgan’s over there right now asking her. I figured you’d want to know, in case you’re talking to Josie at some point.”
Jack would rather not admit that he didn’t expect to talk with Josie…ever. Gabe must assume they were back on speaking terms and Josie’s brother had been the only obstacle to a happy reunion. This wasn’t going to work, but he didn’t know how to say that without revealing all his personal business in front of Sarah and Mary Lou.
Then he had a brilliant idea. “I thought you wanted to have this wedding on horseback.”
“We do. Morgan’s excited about it and it should make the planning a lot easier.”
“Then Morgan might want to pick a different maid of honor. Josie doesn’t ride.”
Gabe’s eyebrows lifted. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. She’s never been on a horse in her life. We talked about me teaching her, but we never got around to it.” Because they were so busy getting busy.
Sarah waved a hand. “Then that’s the solution. She won’t have to be an accomplished horsewoman for this, so you have plenty of time to teach her the basics before the wedding.”
Dear God, he’d only made things worse. “I can’t.”
Sarah’s gaze sharpened. “Of course you can.”
Panic made him sound desperate. “No, really, Sarah. I have enough to do managing things around here, and now there’s the best man stuff to think about. Riding lessons are out of the question.”
Sarah and Gabe exchanged a glance. Jack knew that glance. He’d given himself away by protesting too loudly about the riding lessons.
“I’m sure we can work out a time,” Sarah said. “After all, this is important.”
Jack saw no way around it. He’d have to come clean. “The thing is, Josie won’t want to take riding lessons from me.”
Gabe’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“Last night I mistook her brother for a new boyfriend and I…sort of…attacked him.”
Gabe and Sarah gasped and Mary Lou dropped a spoon on the stove with a loud clatter. All three of them stared at him as if he’d grown horns and a tail.
“He’s not hurt or anything. As Gabe knows, I’d had a…a couple of drinks, so my aim was off.”
Gabe’s muffled snort meant he was trying hard not to laugh.
Sarah, however, looked scandalized. “You assaulted Josie’s brother? I can’t believe you did that.”
“I can’t, either,” Mary Lou said. “That’s not like you, Jack.”
“It was a mistake.”
Gabe’s eyes were watering from his efforts to hold back his laughter. “No kidding.” He cleared his throat. “This does put a different spin on things.”
Jack sighed. “If Morgan has her heart set on Josie, then I’m sure the two of us can muddle through the wedding, but somebody else will have to teach her how to ride. Maybe one of the hands could do it.”
“Maybe.” Lips twitching, Gabe continued to assess him. “But are you sure you could handle that?”
“What do you mean? Of course I could. That’s what I’m saying, isn’t it? Get somebody else.”
“Yeah, but last night you thought you had a rival and decided to take him down.” Gabe looked as if he might be ready to burst out laughing. “I’d hate for you to go after one of our cowhands.”
“Oh, for crying out loud! Just because I screwed up one time, that doesn’t mean—”
“That you still consider Josie your woman? I think it does.” Gabe looked over at Sarah and Mary Lou. “What do you two think?”
“I think you need to make amends to Josie,” Sarah said. “And you should do that before the wedding, so we don’t have any unpleasantness spoiling Gabe and Morgan’s big day. Teaching her to ride would be the perfect opportunity.”
Mary Lou nodded. “Good idea.”
“She won’t go for it.” Jack felt the trap closing around him. He’d known he would pay for last night’s debacle, but he’d never dreamed it would be like this.
“She will if you present it the right way,” Sarah said. “Tell her as one adult to another that the two of you need to iron out your differences in private so that you don’t accidentally ruin Gabe and Morgan’s wedding.”
“You want me to
approach her about this?” Jack couldn’t even contemplate it.
Sarah continued her devastatingly logical argument. “If you can’t do that, how do you expect to be able to make it through the wedding festivities? It’s not just the ceremony, you know. We’ll need a rehearsal the Friday afternoon before the wedding, and there will be a dinner on Friday night.”
“She’s right about this, bro.” Gabe’s voice held only a trace of pity. “You and Josie have to work through whatever’s bothering you before the wedding.”
Jack gave it one last shot. “I promise you that nothing will happen. You have my word on it.”
“I’m sure Josie would promise, too,” Gabe said, “but when it comes to tension between a man and a woman, all bets are off. I really want you there, and Morgan really wants Josie there. They’ve bonded.”
“That seems kind of quick,” Jack said.
“It makes sense. They’re about the same age and they’re both small business owners. And…they’ve each been involved with a Chance brother.”
Jack made a dismissive noise low in his throat.
“I wondered if it would be a problem when Morgan suggested Josie,” his brother said.
“Don’t worry, Gabe.” Sarah picked up her coffee mug. “Jack’s going to take care of this when he teaches Josie to ride, aren’t you, Jack?”
He couldn’t see a way out of this corner they’d backed him into. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it.”
“Good.” Sarah raised her mug in salute.
Jack thought she seemed way too happy about the riding lesson plan. But then, she hadn’t disapproved of Josie the way his father had. In fact, Sarah had stood up for Josie a couple of times when his dad had made disparaging remarks.
“Oh, and thanks for telling me about her brother,” Sarah added. “If he’s staying awhile, we should invite him to the wedding.”
“I’ll find out his plans,” Jack said. Oh, yes, he was going to pay for his moment of madness when he’d knocked on Josie’s door and tried to deck her brother. He wondered how high the price would end up being. “In fact, I might as well drive into town now and get this program started.”
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