She nibbled on her lip and hesitated. She’d rehearsed her part well so many times in her head, but Jack’s pensive stare did things to her train of thought.
She blurted, “My company’s in trouble, Jack.”
Jack leaned forward, his arms on his knees and he stared straight ahead, as if he didn’t want to meet her eyes. “I know.”
She blinked away her surprise and steadied her voice. “You know?”
“I ran a check on you last night. After that incident at the house, I figured something was up with you.”
“What do you know, exactly?”
Jack turned to her, his dark gaze pinning her down. “That you got mixed up with the wrong guy. He turned out to be some sort of drug lord, and your company was implicated as a front for his business dealings. He was arrested and you barely escaped with your reputation in tact.”
“I swear to you, I never knew anything about it. After what my mother went through with substance abuse, I’d never knowingly get mixed up with drugs or people selling them. But my company is suffering. I don’t know how much more negative publicity it can withstand. Quarterly sales are way down and I needed to do something positive. It was suggested that I come back here to… to, uh—”
“Open a store. Throw your hometown a few bones, make nice with the local charities.”
“All of that, Jack. My image consultants believe this is the only way. But donating to charities isn’t enough. I need backup. I need support from the right people. I need to be linked with, uh—”
Jillian dropped her gaze to his mouth. Lord, he had an appealing delicious mouth.
Jack blinked, his jaw tightening like a vice.
Her stomach ached so badly she could barely catch her breath. Jack was an intelligent man. Judging from the disgusted look on his face, he had to know what was coming next.
“With?” he asked.
Her shoulders slumped. She’d come this far and she had to see it through. She had to ask Jack this gigantic favor.
“With… you.” The town hero, the most respectable, steadfast, honest man she knew.
He stood abruptly, hands on hips and stared at her for a long moment as if he couldn’t believe her request. He shook his head firmly. “No way, Jillian. I won’t be a part of your publicity stunt.”
Jillian stood to face him, instantly regretting her wild scheme. Jack Walker was too forthright to engage in any form of deception. She’d been a fool to think so. “I’m sorry, Jack. I have a swarm of consultants breathing down my neck. They knew about you and your reputation here. It’s a huge favor.”
Jack spoke through tight lips. “Hell, Jillian. A favor is asking a friend for a ride home from work. A favor is helping your neighbor repair his broken down roof. What you’re asking of me can cause a world of hurt.”
“It wouldn’t have to. We could work something out. Make it risk free.”
Jack scoffed. “Nothing’s risk free, Jillian.”
He was right about that. Jillian had taken her share of risks in life, and most had panned out. But when they didn’t, people did get hurt. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Jack again. “I understand. I’ll get my things and move out first thing in the morning.”
Jack nodded. “You going back to California?”
Jillian held her tears in check. None of this had worked out as she’d hoped. Jack wanted her gone. He probably hated her.
She shook her head. “No. I can’t. I’m staying.”
*
Jack walked away from Jillian, his nerves ready to jump out of his skin. What she’d proposed was way out of line. Had city life changed her that much? Had the free-spirited young girl he’d grown up with become cold, ruthless, and calculating? Or was she that desperate to hold onto something she’d worked long and hard for? Jack understood hard work. He understood what Jillian must have sacrificed in order to become the success she was today. He also understood what her success had meant to her. She had come from a broken home and had struggled to hold her head up high, despite the cruel remarks aimed at the girl who lived on the wrong side of town.
Jack sighed, wishing Jillian hadn’t returned to Hope Wells. She’d brought back too many memories… and too many promises. They flooded his mind and wrecked his conscience. I’ll always be there for you, Jillian. Whenever you need me.
Was she banking on those vows spoken in his youth? Or had she forgotten? Hell, Jack couldn’t figure out any of it, but he couldn’t pretend to be in a relationship with Jillian. That spelled disaster. There had been too much between them, too much history and too much heartache. When her mother had ripped her away from her life here in Hope Wells, it hadn’t been by Jillian’s choice. But later, once she’d been freed of her mother’s grasp, Jillian chose to stay away. She chose to stop answering his letters. She chose not to rekindle what they’d had. He’d made peace with it long ago. He’d gotten over her. Jack liked his life the way it was now.
His father, Monty, walked up holding Beau’s hand. The five year old wore denim and a red plaid shirt, a size too small for him. The kid was growing out of his clothes. Jack made a mental note to put shopping for Beau on his list of things to do on his day off.
The boy’s right cheek was painted with a blue and white star that twinkled with some sort of glitter under the warm morning sun. As soon as Beau spotted Jack, he dropped Monty’s hand and raced straight into Jack’s arms. In a sweep, he lifted the boy and Beau’s arms immediately wound around his neck, tightening the invisible bond they shared. Adopting little Beau would make a good life, even better.
“Hey, Buddy. Looks like you hit the face-painting booth already.”
Beau turned his cheek for Jack’s perusal. “It’s the Texas star.”
“I see that. Pretty cool.”
“Yeah.”
“Ready to have more fun?”
The boy nodded, his smile quick and eager. “Can we get a funnel cake?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Great, my stomach’s singing a hungry tune,” his father said.
A young mother strolled by, holding her son’s hand. Her husband wasn’t far behind, packing a baby on his chest in some sort of nylon contraption.
“Afternoon,” Jack said, giving her a nod.
The woman glanced at Beau clinging to Jack’s neck. “It’s sweet, isn’t it?”
“Sure is.” As they walked past, Jack was immediately seized by the normalcy of their family. One mother, one father and two children.
A sigh blew from his lips and he gazed at his father. Monty was shaking his head. “Don’t go there, boy.”
It wasn’t the first time Jack was reminded that Beau would be better off with two parents, a mother and a father to raise him. But as his father, Monty, pointed out time and again, the boy had already formed an attachment to Jack. That much was true. And even his mule-headed father couldn’t deny he’d fallen for little Beau as well. Monty had raised Jack after all, without benefit of a mother and he’d turned out okay. Monty had argued that Jack was a man he was proud to call son. It could be the same for Beau. They could make it work as a family, although, not exactly a traditional one.
“Hi.” Dakota Jennings approached the three of them, aiming her gaze at the boy. “How are you today, Beau?”
“’Kay. We’re getting funnel cakes.”
“Oh, boy. I bet you can’t wait.”
He nodded.
“Do you think I can speak with Jack, just for a second? Is that okay?” She glanced at Jack, then at Monty and smiled.
Jack nodded. “That’d be fine.”
“I won’t be but a minute.”
Jack lowered the boy to the ground and bent to look him directly in the eyes. “Why don’t you two start walking over to the funnel cake booth? As soon as I talk to Dakota, I’ll catch up with you. Won’t be long, I promise.” He ruffled Beau’s hair.
“Come on. Let’s get in that line before they run out of the dang things.” Monty gestured for the boy.
Be
au slid his hand into Monty’s and they took off toward the festivities.
“Oh, Jack. He’s adorable. Every time I see him, I think of what might’ve happened to him if you hadn’t been driving by the river that day.”
Jack winced. “I try not to think about that.”
“Sorry for bringing it up.” Her eyes softened. “I’m even sorrier that our little plan didn’t work. Cole hardly noticed me, and he took off right after the bidding. I didn’t even get a chance to speak with him.”
Colby Ryan had issues, holding a secret only Jack was privy to and it was high time, in his estimation, his best friend dealt with those issues head on. Dakota was just the woman to help get Cole get on with his life. That girl had given herself a complete makeover to gain Cole’s attention. Instead of a ponytail, her shiny black hair was styled in soft waves to the middle of her back. Makeup did just enough to showcase her beautiful green eyes and the tomboy horse wrangler of the Circle R Ranch was dressed in a summery dress that exposed loads of her sun-bathed skin. It’d been years since she’d showed a little leg. Most days she hid them under a pair of chaps or washed-out jeans.
She’d bid on Jack today to make Colby jealous. “You look beautiful, Day. Cole’s nuts not to notice you.”
Dakota lifted up to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”
Jack drew her into his arms and hugged her tight. “Sure thing.”
Poor kid. She’d been harboring feelings for Colby for a long time. Jack didn’t pry too much and listened to Day when she had to get something off her chest. She was like a younger sister to him, and he’d gone along with her plan, because having Dakota as sheriff for the day would’ve been a breeze and if it helped her win Colby’s attention it would’ve made her happy.
She stepped back to gaze into his eyes. “Let me know if I can help you with Beau, in any way. You deserve to be his father.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh and Jack? What’s with that woman, Jillian Lane, coming back to Hope Wells? She outbid the hell out of me.”
He shrugged. “Making a splashy entrance back to town, I suppose.”
Her eyes narrowed on him. “Is there something between you two?”
Dakota didn’t know much of his history with Jillian, leastwise, not anything he’d told her. “Nope.” Not anymore.
“Good. One fool in love is all this town can handle.”
“Gotcha. Want a funnel cake?”
“No thanks. You enjoy your day with Beau.”
“Will do.” And after she walked off, Jack hurried over to where Monty and Beau were standing in line. He slid in right next to them and took Beau’s hand, peering down at him.
“Hey, Beau, you want one with strawberries?”
Beau shook his head. “Only lots and lots of sugar.”
Monty laughed. “He’ll be on a funnel cake high all afternoon.”
“Nah,” Jack said. “Won’t be a problem.”
Monty gestured toward the dirt parking lot off to the left, a cocky smile crinkling his lips. “Seems to me, you’ve got yourself a different kind of problem.”
Jack followed the direction of his father’s gaze. Jillian was behind the wheel of her sports car, revving up the engine. With sunglasses on and her hair tucked under her cotton Texans ball cap, she backed her car out of her space.
“What are you getting at, Pop?”
“I got eyes, boy. Jillian, she’s a hard one to figure out, but I’d bet my badge the reason she’s here has something to do with you.”
“It does,” Jack agreed, “but it’s not going to happen. She’s asking too much this time.”
“And since when did you refuse that gal anything?”
Jack lifted Beau into his arms, so he could see the funnel cake batter being poured onto the griddle. “Starting right now. Hey, Beau, after we gobble the funnel cakes down, how’d you like a pony ride?”
“Yippee!”
He squeezed Beau gently and the boy’s smile grew wider. Jack put Jillian Lane out of his mind and concentrated on Beau and the two more hours he was allotted before having to return him to foster care.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Jack rapped his knuckles on Jillian’s door, tamping down a wagonload of fury just waiting to be unharnessed. His patience dying, he fisted the morning newspaper with his other hand. “Jillian, damn it. Open the door.”
It was early, but he didn’t give a fig that he’d most likely be dragging Jillian out of bed. He didn’t care that he made enough ruckus for two counties to hear. He had a mother of a headache and his nerves were rattled.
“The door’s open,” she called out.
It was all the invitation Jack needed. He shoved open the front door and strode inside. Jillian wasn’t in the front room so he pressed on to the bedroom, unmindful of Jillian’s privacy or state of undress. Instantly, he was hit by some flowery scent that only served to annoy him further. The small room steamed up with dewy mist wafting up from the bottom of the bathroom door. She was probably bathing. Great. He wouldn’t allow his mind to go there, to think about her creamy skin lathered up with soapy bubbles.
A deluge of sexy garments were spread out across her bed. Jack strode over to take a look of the pile of lingerie, his anger banked by curiosity. Plucking up one delicate, black satin thong with his index finger, he twirled the garment around. There was hardly enough material to comprise a pair of underwear. Jack bunched it up in his fist. Soft and lacy and delicate enough to rip easily. Jillian had obviously dreamed up, designed, and modeled this stuff.
Memories poured into his head of her stepping out of the waters at the Wishing Wells wearing nothing but black silk. And of how her skimpily clad body felt under him when he thought she was in danger the other night. Envisioning Jillian dressed in her lingerie occupied his mind and he cursed his traitorous body for reacting this way. He demanded more loyalty than that.
Jillian Lane was a problem. His head pounded even harder now. She could ruin everything he’d worked for up until this point.
“Jillian, will you get out here?”
“Hold your horses, Jack.” Jillian came barreling out of the bathroom, her short white chenille robe partly open. Underneath, she wore a cream-colored cock teaser. At least that was what most men called it – a one-piece number cut high on the hips and low on the breasts, distinctly designed to drive a man completely insane.
Jack was part way there. He’d almost forgotten why he was pissed off. And what kind of turmoil Jillian had caused.
Jillian busied herself with tying the robe in place, as wet tendrils of honey blonde hair fell onto her shoulders. Her face was scrubbed clean. She looked fresh, smelled like heaven and wore the tightly tied robe to distraction.
Jack stared for a moment. The pounding in his head moved lower to his heart, then further down to his…
He shook off his attraction. Jillian was upsetting all of his plans.
“Jack, I told you I would leave first thing. Are you here to toss me out personally?”
Jack’s grip on the newspaper loosened. He unfolded the crinkled Hope Wells Gazette and tossed it onto the bed to face her. “You’re not going anywhere, Jillian. We’re both in deep trouble.”
*
Jillian lifted the newspaper and read the headlines. “Oh no.”
Her heart in her throat, she lowered down onto the bed shell-shocked. This couldn’t be happening. That damn photographer hiding in the bushes the first night she’d been here had snapped a photo of her and Jack on his doorstep. Apparently, the jerk had gotten exactly what he’d been looking for. The captioned picture of Jack inviting a scantily clad Jillian into his house suggested a late night booty call, a hookup with an old love. It didn’t help that she’d been wearing a Valentine design that had been her biggest seller last February.
“Trouble Follows Jillian Lane Home.” Jillian read silently, “Lingerie CEO and one time girlfriend to drug lord Enrique Vasquez, runs for cover to Hope Wells after allegat
ions that her company, Barely There, posed as a front for Vasquez’s illegal operations.” She stopped reading. She knew the rest of the story. She’d seen enough similar articles written about her to fill up the World Book of Jillian Lane’s Mistakes.
“Jack, none of this is true.” She skimmed the article to the end where it finally stated that Jillian and her company had been cleared of all allegations and was no longer under suspicion. No formal charges had been filed. “It says so right here.”
Jack stood above her, his stance rigid, unyielding. “I read the whole article.”
“So why are you—”
“The picture, Jillian.”
Jillian bit her lip and swallowed hard. “Yes, that was unfortunate.”
“And the damn caption underneath.”
Jillian peered at the bold writing. “Midnight Role Call for Hope Wells’ Newest Sheriff of the Day. Jillian Lane caught taking lessons in Sheriff Walker’s custody.”
In true journalistic form, nothing in that caption could be deemed slander, but the innuendo was not to be missed. “Well, I guess no one would believe the truth.”
“Hell, Jillian. I’m having trouble believing the truth. The damage is done.” An unattractive snarl pulled at Jack’s mouth. “Guess you got what you came for.”
Jillian snapped her head up. “What do you mean?
Jack glared at her. “You and me. Linked.” He gestured toward the newspaper photo. “That’s a very telling picture. It looks like, hell… it looks like I’m about ready to take you bed. And, damn, if you don’t look willing. Wasn’t that what you were aiming for? Upstanding sheriff hooks up with old flame. All is right with the world again.”
“Oh!” She bounded off the bed so fast, the room spun as she skidded on a puddle of water, one leg sliding out in front of the other. Now was not the time to fall flat on her face. She yanked herself upright and struggled to maintain her balance, bubbling with righteous fury and stabbing a finger into Jack’s granite chest. “You can’t possibly think I arranged for that picture to be taken. You can’t possibly think that I’d want to be associated with you like that. You can’t possibly think for one doggone minute that running around in my Valentine Vamp and having the world think I slept with you, could be good for my image.”
Loving the Texas Lawman Page 3
