by Wendy Vella
“I learned to drive in your car,” the girl added, as she started to scan the groceries and put them in a bag.
“Did you?”
“Name’s Jilly, and Georgie taught plenty of the local children to drive in Geraldine; she was kind of the local driving instructor.”
“She was a special person, that’s for sure,” Branna said, still loading her things onto the counter.
“She baked cookies for us too.”
Branna thought again of the anonymity she had in Washington; she’d still rather be here, though, because when the interest in her died down, she could live in peace and be left alone to write her stories.
“I liked the vanilla ones the best,” Jilly said.
“Absolutely, they were the best, although the double chocolate was a close second.”
Jilly made a humming sound of appreciation.
Walking out with her bags and a large Texan a few minutes later, Branna realized that most people just wanted to talk about Georgie. They didn’t want anything from her, like she’d first thought they would, only to keep the memory of the woman they all loved alive.
“So, Sir Galahad, I think your good deed has been done for the day; I release you,” Branna said, after they’d loaded her van. Out here in the sun, his eyes were amazing, like a clear blue lake and surrounded by long black lashes. His hair shone and he had the look of a fit healthy man who was quite happy with the human he had become, a bit like his friend McBride had once been.
“You owe me a coffee for saving you from humiliation.”
“I don’t know you.”
“Ethan Gelderman, the 5th,” he stuck out a hand, and Branna shook it.
“Do I have to drive you there too?”
“The lines are too low here in town to land my chopper on the main street.”
“Where do you land it?”
“At McBride’s house.”
She wasn’t sure if he was serious or not, but suspected he could be, as she had heard the thud of a helicopter a few days ago. Heading for the driver’s door, she said. “All right, get in, as long as you can handle a woman driving.”
“Honey, I can handle anything you want to do to me.”
“Do women honestly fall for that kind of thing?” Branna backed her van out of the parking lot, and then headed towards The Hoot. “I mean, seriously?”
“What can I say? It’s a gift.”
Branna remembered Belle saying something about a Texan who was Jake’s friend.
“You’re the Texan Tomcat!”
He rolled his eyes. “Annabelle Smith just hates that I haven’t hit on her yet, so she made up that name.”
Even sitting in the front seat of her van, which could easily pass as a family vehicle, he looked sexy. Funny how she didn’t find him as attractive as Jake, though, which was just plain annoying.
“Why haven’t you hit on her? She’s hot. I’d hit on her if I was into women,” Branna demanded.
“My eyes just crossed at that vision.”
Branna refused to laugh as she pulled up outside The Hoot, but it was hard. The guy was certainly a lethal combination; however, she felt nothing, which was a shame, because he’d be the perfect man to have an affair with.
“Hey, loser, I want food now!” Ethan demanded as they walked in.
“Go fuck yourself.”
Branna laughed at the snarled words from somewhere beyond the counter.
“Morning, Buster,” she said.
“Sorry, Branna, I thought it was the Texan card swindler the 5th who’d walked in.”
“Did you know Buster was a sore loser, Branna? Real sore, takes it right to heart.”
The muttering continued out back, until they were forced to go see what he was doing, as he didn’t seem to want to serve them. Buster was hunched over his laptop, tucked in at a table around the back of the café. Sun was pouring in the window, and he was the only one in the room.
“Business a bit slow today?”
“Just had a rush,” Buster didn’t look at her as he answered.
“Any chance of some service? I want to try the mystery muffin,” Branna said. “And I’m willing to clean your baking trays for the recipe.”
“Not happening, and help yourself to whatever you want.” Buster frowned at the screen.
“What are you doing?” Branna moved to look over his shoulder.
“Trying to get my website up and running. I want to sell stuff online, do some catering, but it’s harder than it looks, and costs too much to get it done by someone who actually knows what they’re doing.”
“Jesus, boy, you just about got out a full sentence out there,” Ethan called from his position in front of the food cabinets.
Branna started to ask Buster questions, and soon they were throwing ideas back and forth; she could see what he wanted, but that he wasn’t getting close to getting there.
“You want me to fix that bit for you?” Pointing at the page, he was having trouble with, Branna saw a few things that needed a different angle, and her fingers itched to change them for Buster.
“Would you?” He was out of the chair so quick it wobbled.
“Sure, I’ll take a look.”
***
Jake was thinking about Branna as he walked towards The Hoot. She thought she was tough, liked to think she didn’t want people in her life, but she’d only been back a while and she had collected Mikey and reconnected with Annabelle. Seeing her van parked outside as he drew near had him swallowing his smile before pushing open the door to inhale the smell of coffee and baking, both coincidentally, which he loved.
“She’s in the back.”
“Who?” Jake questioned the tall Texan lounging at the counter.
Ethan rolled his eyes and Jake wondered when he’d become so obvious. “I found Branna in the grocery store chatting with some guy who should be named Mr. Perfect and his hot wife.”
“Brian and Macy Reynolds-Delray,” Buster and Jake said together.
“I stepped in when the conversation got awkward. Apparently, Irish was astonished when she realized who Mr. Perfect was married to. FYI, she’s now in love with me,” Ethan added.
“It’s certainly one of life’s mysteries as to why Brian married Macy, that’s for sure,” Buster said, as he wandered out with a tray of pies that smelled way too good for Jake to resist, so he stole one.
“They’re steak.”
“I’m changing it up.” Jake took a bite and sighed.
“Your woman’s doing his website up,” Tex said. “It was a pathetic sight when we walked in; Buster was weeping onto his keyboard, so Branna took pity on him.”
“She’s not my woman.” Jake knew Branna couldn’t hear them, as the music in the café was loud enough to mute their conversation, but he wasn’t taking any chances on her hearing and firing up at him.
“Sure she is,” Ethan said.
“Thought you said she was in love you with you?”
“She is, but I’m standing aside for my friend, clearing the way, or you’d never get the girl. Wouldn’t be fair on you otherwise, as the odds are not in your favor.”
The Texan’s blues eyes twinkled, and he knew Jake wanted to bite back, but instead he went for something far tastier that would soon reverse the tables.
“Saw some birds sitting on your tail rotor when I went for a run, and one shat on your windscreen. Nothing I could do about it; by the time I got out there, they’d done the damage.”
“What!”
Jake swallowed his laughter as Ethan pushed off the counter, no longer the easygoing Texan. If anything riled him and robbed his ability for rational thought, it was anyone touching his helicopter.
“There’s a bucket in the barn, if you want to wash it off, and I’m pretty sure there was no damage done, but…”
The blue eyes narrowed and then he relaxed back onto counter. “Fuck you, McBride.”
Jake’s laugh was low and nasty.
“For what it’s worth, she seems t
o have your personality traits. Nasty mouth, foul moods, and generally bad tempered,” Ethan said, his eyes suddenly serious.
“Leave it, Ethan.”
“I’ve left it for way too long, Jake. In fact, since I was the one who pulled you out of that makeshift hospital with blood all over you and nothing but emptiness in your eyes, I think I have a vested interest in you, my friend. I also believe it’s time for you to deal with what haunts you Jake, and I think she could help you.”
“I don’t make a habit of agreeing with number five, but in this, I do,” Buster said, who also knew about Jake’s time in Iraq.
“Jake looked to make sure Branna hadn’t suddenly appeared before he spoke. “I don’t need this now, Ethan, I’m dealing with it the only way I know how. The flashbacks are getting further apart, but the dreams are still vivid. I would never inflict that on a woman.”
Ignoring the pitying look on his friend’s face, he walked further into the café. Jake stopped when he saw Branna, because the sight she made was worthy of that, and it gave him time to let the tightness in his chest ease. Seeing her pulled him out of that pit of darkness he sank into when he thought about his time in Iraq.
She was totally unaware of him, hadn’t realized he’d even walked in, which let him observe her undetected. The sun brushed the thick black curls that reached her shoulder blades. He’d never seen it loose, and it made his fingers itch to touch it. The dress was another revelation, and while the cut-offs had his vote, this soft pale green thing was something special. She’d curled her legs under her, and the hem was halfway up her thighs, and Jake wanted to get his hands on her; he wanted to run them over all that exposed skin. Two white top teeth trapped her bottom lip, as her eyes studied the screen of Buster’s laptop.
“Hey, Rosebud.”
Her head shot up, green eyes wide, and then she muttered something and looked at the screen again. But Jake wasn’t fooled; he’d seen the flash of interest. He wasn’t the only one in this, whatever it was. Walking around behind her, he looked over her shoulder. A picture of Buster stared back at him.
“Damn, that man’s ugly.”
“He’s not; in fact, he’s cute.”
Her hands flew over the keys as she tweaked this and adjusted that.
“How about a drop-down there, with different options?”
Her hands stilled and she looked at the screen for a few seconds. “McBride, if you’re good at this, why the hell didn’t you help him before?”
“I offered, we just never got ‘round to it, but I guess there’s no need now, as you’re doing it.”
She worked silently to implement what he’d suggested, and when it was done, he suggested a couple more things. His hands touched her shoulders as he leaned over her and she tensed beneath them.
“Relax, I don’t bite during daylight hours.”
“I’m done; you can move back now.” She’d tilted her head back to look up at him.
“Clever girl, it looks pretty good.” He wasn’t looking at the screen as he spoke; his eyes were focused on her. The soft curve of her lips and the sweet beauty in her face that eased the pain inside him.
“Don’t.”
“Do,” he cupped her chin and closed the distance. It was sweet and brief and ignited him in seconds. She responded, her lips moving beneath his and when he lifted his head, they were both breathless.
“You’re beautiful, Branna Rose O’Donnell.” Running a finger down her cheek, he traced the soft blush that stole into her cheeks.
“Haul ass, Buster, she’s finished!” Jake grabbed the nearest chair as he spoke, and sat it close to Branna, just to unsettle her some more, before dropping into it as his friend appeared.
“She’s made you look pretty, which should get her a lifetime supply of mystery muffins, I reckon.”
“I’m pretty.” Head now beside Branna’s, Buster was soon getting a tutorial on how his new website worked.
“Son, I’ve seen Texan Longhorns that could outshine you,” Ethan said, coming to look at the website too.
Buster snorted. “You’re a Texan; everyone knows how you feel about your cattle.”
They threw insults around between the three of them, while Branna alternated between giggling, which was a sweet little sound that made Jake’s gut tighten, and outrage on Buster’s behalf when both he and Ethan attacked him.
“Don’t listen to these feckin eejits, Buster, you and I both know who the prince among the three of you is.”
“Honey, that hurts right here,” Ethan thumped his chest.
She wasn’t interested in Ethan; Jake could see that by the way she interacted. He’d seen women stop in the streets, their mouths falling open as the Texan walked by, but not Branna, she treated him like she did Buster.
“And now that I’ve had my daily dose of fun and laughter, I must return home and do some real work.” She climbed to her feet and the hem of her dress settled a few inches above her knees.
Hell of it was, he’d just calmed down, but seeing that hem just begging to be raised, was firing Jake up all over again.
“What do you do, Branna?”
“I write.” She picked up her purse. “Books,” she clarified.
“So, it runs in the family? I have to say, honey, I’m a real fan of your dad’s stuff. Have the entire collection,” Ethan said.
“That’s nice.”
“Do you think he’ll be coming to Howling, because I’d be happy to meet him again if he does?”
“Again?” She frowned at Ethan.
“Went to a book signing in Dallas; he’s a real nice man, your daddy.”
“My dad and I…we d-don’t really talk.”
Jake could see Branna didn’t want to talk about her father. She looked cornered, exactly like he did when people questioned him about stuff he didn’t want to share.
“What kinds of books do you write, Branna?” Ethan asked, exchanging a look with Jake she missed. Both Buster and he had noticed her reaction, but the Texan was the elected questioner; he could get anything out of anyone when he used that tone.
“The reading kind.”
“I read, tell me what they are and I’ll buy a couple.” His smile was wide and flashed a mouthful of perfect teeth, as his blue eyes twinkled.
“I don’t write under my name, and you may not like them anyway.” Branna’s words were flat and expressionless. Her fingers gripped the back of the chair Buster now sat in, clearly uncomfortable.
“You’ll pardon me for saying this, Branna honey, but isn’t the idea to get people to buy those books of yours, not put them off?”
The two top teeth worried her bottom lip again. She didn’t want to tell them, but Ethan was making it impossible not to.
“Rosanna Howlling, is my writing name. Howlling with two LL’s” she quickly added. “Now, I have to go, so stop bugging me.”
Ethan raised both hands as if to say he wouldn’t stop her, and with a muttered goodbye, she was gone. Jake watched those long legs disappear around the corner and felt himself relax.
“That girl sure is a puzzle,” Ethan said, moving to Buster’s left shoulder. “And now that I know her writing name, I’m even more intrigued because I’ve read every one of her books, and let me tell you, she’s a rival for that daddy of hers.”
“I’ve read a couple too,” Buster said, bringing up her website.
She was smiling in the picture, and her hair was loose around her head, and Jake reckoned she’d get her fair share of fan mail. They read her bio in silence, and then studied the list of her books.
Buster whistled. “She’s as famous as him, that’s for sure. Funny how she writes the same stuff.”
Jake whistled as he studied the list of books and accolades she’d received.
“Was it just me or did anyone else notice how she froze up when I mentioned her dad?” Ethan asked.
“Noticed it, and I wasn’t even looking at her.” Buster was navigating his way around her website.
“There’s
a mystery there, boy.” Ethan slapped Jake on the shoulder, “and I’m commissioning you to unravel it, then tell your friends.”
“Tough job for sure, but I’ll take it.”
Two sets of eyes looked at him.
“Well, well, well, looks like our little boy may have been hooked, Tex.”
“Ha, not likely, but she’s hot and smart, two things that I find hard to resist,” Jake said the words out loud, hoping like hell they were true, because he didn’t want to feel anything else for Branna.
“And maybe she might help you, Jake, and maybe you might help her?”
“Ethan, I’m not sure what, if anything, will help me other than time.”
“You talked to anyone lately? You told me you’d think about it, that it was time to do that again.”
“No, but maybe I will soon, I just need to do this when I’m ready. I know you got that buddy who’s a shrink, and I’ll let you know when I’m ready, I promise,” Jake added.
Buster swung in his seat. “Funny how you’re a doctor and adverse to a bit of doctoring.”
“I’m not adverse; just don’t want my veins sliced open before I’m ready.” Jake thought about the doctor who’d been assigned to him in those first weeks. He’d made Jake open up, and he’d wept and raged, and nearly punched the guy, and at the end of it he’d felt more tired than he could ever remember; he didn’t think he was ready for that again…or ever would be.
“It’s fair to say Branna’s done a hell of a job on my website.” Buster was back to looking at his laptop. “Mystery muffins will be on me for a bit, I’m thinking.”
Jake left The Hoot minutes later and jumped in his pickup, then sat there thinking about what Buster had said.
“Hooked? Ha, no way.” Shaking his head, he started the car and headed for the clinic to see his mother.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ally knew he was here; she could hear the rasp of his breath and the stench of stale sweat, both were etched in her memory from their first terrifying encounter, but unlike that night, this time there was no escape. He was going to finish what he started, and tomorrow the sun would rise without her.
Branna was wrenched from the story as someone knocked on her front door. “Bollix!” she muttered.
