by June Faver
Derrick’s hand slowly swept over her backside, giving one of her cheeks a squeeze. Oh, yes! If the bulge in his Wranglers was any indication, this night was going to progress to sweet loving.
Angelique was ready to climb up this tall and hot cowboy, when he abruptly let go and stepped away.
He stood with his back to her, hands on hips and breathing heavily.
“Wha—what’s going on? Why did you stop?”
Derrick swallowed hard, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I would never do anything to disrespect you. I-I’m just way too attracted to you.”
Angelique stared at his back—he was still breathing hard—wondering if he had made some vow of celibacy. “And that’s a problem?” She reached out to touch his shoulder and he turned back to face her.
“You know I like you… Hell, I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you…” He shook his head.
“In love with me?” Angelique’s insides were soaring.
He cupped her cheek in one hand. “You have to know I’ve been crazy nuts about you since I first found you in that snowbank.” He brushed a soft kiss against her lips.
“I-I feel the same way, but if we really care about each other—”
“But your old man would kill me if…”
Stung, Angelique stepped back. “You don’t mean that. I mean, we’re not kids, Derrick.”
He pulled her against his chest. “No, but let’s give it a little time. What I feel for you is not some passing thing. I want to be sure neither of us has anything to be sorry for.”
“You mean, if it doesn’t work out?”
He placed a kiss against her hair. “Honey, you just got here. Some of us have to live here in this community. It’s good to let things roll out nice and slow.”
Angelique contented herself to be in his arms, but wondered what kind of power her newfound father had over this man who claimed to be falling in love with her.
* * *
That night, Angelique lay awake…in her own bed. Well, it was the bed she had been given in her father’s home.
Derrick’s abrupt rejection was still preying on her mind. Not to mention her libido.
She had not been interested in any man since she had lost her beloved Remy. Now she had met a man worth falling in love with—a really good man—but he was not that interested in her. Or maybe he was afraid of her father.
A shiver wracked her body, causing her to pull the quilts up around her head. But it wasn’t the cold that chilled her. It was the thought that her father—the man whose blood ran through her veins—might be as vicious as Alphonse Benoit.
Everyone who had heard the Benoit name knew he was a fearsome man. A man who had no empathy. No ability to care about anything or anyone but himself…and Remy. His son was his obsession. How could such a wonderful and kind man have sprung from the loins of a monster?
Could Big Jim Garrett also spark that kind of fear? Surely not. Big Jim cared about so many people. About his family and about his horses…
But was he capable of violence? Would he hurt someone who crossed him…or worse?
Angelique swallowed hard. Her throat seemed to be constricted. Perhaps it was just her karma to be caught in the web of brutal men.
Big Jim lived up to his name. He was well over six feet tall and built like a Mack truck. Broad-shouldered and strong. He worked, so it was reasonable that he was strong. Not like Alphonse. His strength was in his fear factor. He could bring about a disappearance with a single phone call.
Alphonse had put up with her friendship and eventual love affair with his son and even expressed joy over the birth of Gabrielle. But he had become withdrawn after Remy’s death.
A wave of fresh pain washed through Angelique, reminding her of all she had lost in the past year. First her beloved Remy had been wrenched away from her, and then Sofie, her mother, her source of comfort.
After Remy’s death, she had returned to live with her mother. Between the two of them, they had managed to take care of Gabrielle and keep themselves going.
That was when she had realized that there was something going on between her mother and Alphonse. Sofie dismissed it, saying that it was nothing but a fling; however, that was untrue. It was obvious that Alphonse worshipped Sofie.
When she revealed that she was suffering from cancer and had only a few months to live, Angelique had been heartbroken, as had Alphonse. But while Angelique had been on hand to tend to her mother’s needs, Alphonse had grown more and more bitter. Jealous of every moment she spent with her mother.
And then, at the end, when Sofie had revealed the name and location of Angelique’s birth father, Angelique had slipped away, taking Gabrielle and without saying goodbye to Alphonse.
He would have considered that the ultimate betrayal. Sofie had left him, and he had no recourse. He turned his anger on Angelique, intending to take Gabrielle from her. He first tried to buy the child from her, but Angelique was horrified, rejecting all offers. Next, he got a local judge to state that she was unfit to raise a child. That was when Angelique left New Orleans, determined to track down this mysterious James Garrett, hoping to find a place where she and Gabrielle could be safe.
* * *
Derrick had taken Angelique back to the Garrett ranch, walked her to the front door, and given her a remarkably restrained good-night kiss. She had been quite reserved since he had stepped away from the passion they both felt. He knew he’d hurt her feelings.
What kind of man would turn down the beautiful and willing Angelique Guillory? He’d returned to his home, frustrated and on edge.
He paced around, finding things to pick up, but his house was neater than usual due to his hasty cleaning session prior to bringing Angelique there. Finally, he threw himself down in front of the television and watched figures prance across the screen without following the stories. He absently stroked Meow, who seemed to be questioning him, her large yellow eyes offering comfort. The large black cat crept onto his chest to provide a massage, complete with acupuncture. Love hurts…
Angelique doesn’t understand. She’s a city girl. New Orleans is a whole different world.
He heaved a deep sigh.
Langston was a small town. Derrick had grown up with Big Jim as a role model. He had played basketball with Colt. He’d been an Eagle Scout, working with both Colt and Tyler on projects. They had all gone to church together forever.
How could he have thought he could date Big Jim’s daughter and not have it affect his relationship with the entire Garrett clan?
“Oh, dammit to hell! I’m in love with her.” His voice sounded harsh against all the hard surfaces.
Meow stared intently.
“It’s okay, girl. I’m an idiot.” He ruffled Meow’s luxuriant fur. “I screwed up with the most wonderful woman on the planet.”
Meow laid a comforting paw on Derrick’s knee.
“That’s a good girl. I think we should stick to what we know. The law and this ranch. That should keep us out of trouble.”
* * *
“So you cooked dinner for Derrick, huh?” Big Jim eyed his daughter critically.
She nodded, eyes cast down.
Was that guilt or shame?
Angelique sat at the breakfast table, absently watching her daughter poke spoonfuls of oatmeal and scrambled eggs into her own mouth. Her mood was definitely down.
Damn! She needs a woman to talk to. I’m no good at this bonding thing.
Big Jim arranged a smile on his face and took a seat at the table, bearing his own piled-high plate. “Any more plans I should know about?”
She gave him a sharp glance.
“I mean, in case I need to babysit anytime soon.” He buttered his toast with great concentration.
“Mmm…I don’t know.” Her shoulders dropped a bit. “Probably not.”
The seeds of anger raged in Big Jim’s chest. He hurt her. That little weasel! I’ll kill him.
“Did something happen last night? I mean, you seem a little…uh…upset.”
She blinked rapidly. “Oh, um…well… No, everything was fine. He really liked my jambalaya.” She straightened her shoulders, sitting up straighter. “We had a great time. I cooked. We ate. He brought me home. That’s it.”
“Uh-huh.” I’ll definitely kill him. Derrick Shelton, you’re a dead man.
* * *
Derrick Shelton started the day feeding his livestock. Meow picked her way through the snow beside him, using a prancing motion. It was cold and dark, but the small cluster of longhorn cattle were gathered by the fence. He cut the baling wire securing two small bales of hay after heaving them into the feeding trough. He would follow up with some grain later, but this was a solid breakfast for his stock.
Horses came next. Feeding them took no time at all, and soon Derrick was trudging back to the ranch house, Meow prancing along by his side. “Good girl.”
Derrick fed Meow and left her in the house before driving toward town. He called in on his cell to let his office know he was going to make a safety check on an older couple before coming in. He had called their home but received no response. Now he needed to follow up and make sure they were okay.
He drove up to the small farm. The elderly couple’s twenty-year-old Ford pickup was parked in front, close to the house. Derrick parked and strode up to the porch. He knocked on the door, and again, louder, with no response. “Mr. and Mrs. Lawson! Are you all right?”
A dog barked but there was no other response. Now he heard the sound of small paws scratching frantically on the door.
He knocked again, this time twisting the doorknob.
The door opened, squeaking a bit as it swung wide.
“Hello?” Derrick called out. “Mr. and Mrs. Lawson? It’s Sheriff Shelton. I’m coming inside.”
Cautiously, he stepped across the threshold. He realized the heat was not on inside. A small black dog was dancing around his boots. “Hey, fellow.”
“Help!”
He heard a feeble voice call out and followed it to a back room.
There he found the elderly couple. The woman was lying in bed, covered with blankets and quilts. She opened her eyes and moaned softly.
Her husband was lying on the floor. The dog kept barking excitedly.
Derrick squatted down to make sure the man was alive. The old man’s eyes fluttered open. “M-mother’s sick.”
“I see. Let me get you some help.”
“I tripped over Smokey here. Couldn’t see him in the dark.”
Derrick lifted the old man into a chair beside the bed. “How long you been lying there, Mr. Lawson?”
The old man raked his fingers through his thatch of white hair. “I reckon it was yesterday I fell.”
“Why is it so cold in here, Mr. Lawson?”
“Dang it. We ran out of propane, and I couldn’t get to the phone after I fell.”
“Well, let me get you two some help.”
Derrick called for an ambulance and stayed with the couple until they were safely on their way to the hospital.
He secured the house and looked down at his feet. “Well, Smokey, what am I going to do with you?”
Smokey gazed up at him, his eyes alert.
“I suppose you’re going to be coming with me.” He headed for his truck, making kissy sounds on the way. Sure enough, Smokey came with him and jumped up into the truck, settling on the passenger side.
Derrick sincerely hoped Smokey would be in the mood to adapt.
* * *
Angelique tried to keep her chin up. It really didn’t matter that she had been rejected by the man who claimed to be falling in love with her. She was confused, and had no idea how to discover the truth.
If it were true that Big Jim Garrett was a threat to a man she was dating, a man who stirred her passions… If that were true, then Big Jim was not much better than Alphonse Benoit. That thought was terrifying.
Angelique was so glad to have Leah as a friend. The fact that they were both mothers was a plus. Leah was someone who understood the challenges of motherhood. But even with Leah, she could never share the secrets she was hoping to bury in her past.
She felt confident that Sofie had not told anyone else Big Jim’s name, and her birth certificate said “father unknown.” She was counting on time and distance to keep her safe…to keep Gabrielle safe.
But when Leah dropped by after breakfast with both her children and announced that Big Jim was going to be the babysitter for the day, with Gracie to assist, Angelique gladly turned Gabrielle over to her grinning grandfather.
“You just come to your ol’ Grampa. We’re gonna play until we all fall over in a heap.”
Gabrielle ran to Big Jim’s open arms and took a flying leap at him. She was rewarded with a soaring lift and twirl, where she spread her arms, looking like an airplane or giggling bird.
Gracie giggled at that. “Grampa, we have to feed them and play with them and let them have a little nap.”
Big Jim raised his fearsome brows. “We do? Well, we better get to playin’ then.”
“Where are you taking me?” Angelique asked Leah.
“We’re going shopping. The sun is shining, the roads are clear, and Amarillo is calling. We’re going to help the economy.”
Angelique shook her head. “Oh, I can’t go. I spent Big Jim’s money when we went shopping for Christmas presents. I got Gabi a nice warm outfit, and I need to get a job before I splurge again. I have no money to spare.”
“Sure you do, honey.” Big Jim reached in his billfold and pulled out a card, extending it to her.
She took it, surprised to see her name on a platinum Visa card. “What’s this?”
“Thought you should have access to some funds. Knock yourself out. It’s Christmas, and that’s your money to spend any way you want.”
She started to return it to him, but he held up his hand. “Seriously, Angelique. You need some warm clothes and so does my little Gabi, so you go get what you want and some presents if you feel like shoppin’.”
Tears filled her eyes. She leaned forward into Big Jim’s arms.
He patted her on the back rhythmically. “Now don’t you go makin’ a big deal outta this. I’m your daddy, and I’m treatin’ you just the way I did my other kids. You need something, and I want you to have it.” He motioned to the door. “Now get on outta here so I can spoil my grandkids.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and Leah grabbed her hand.
“Let’s get on the road. Never know when it’s going to snow again.”
“Um, okay,” Angelique said. “Let me find my jacket.”
And with that, the two women were out the door and soon thereafter on the highway, with Christmas carols playing on the country station on Leah’s truck radio. There were some country holiday songs that Angelique had never heard, but most were familiar carols sung by country singers with fiddle players accompanying them.
Leah was in high spirits. “Woo-hoo! We’re going to have a great time. There’s this great restaurant I want to take you to. It’s home-style, but better than your grandma ever made.” Leah sucked in a gasp. “Oh, I didn’t mean to put your grandma down.”
“Not a problem.” Angelique thought about her mother’s mother, the very wealthy woman who had been willing to cast her daughter and grandchild out with apparently no remorse. “Your grandma is adorable.”
A wide grin spread across Leah’s face. “She’s the best.”
“It must be nice to have had someone like that in your life growing up.” Angelique’s childhood had been relatively lonely. She wanted Gabrielle to grow up amid an entire clan of loving family.
“Well, I grew up in Oklahoma, but I spent summers with m
y grandparents here in Langston. It was the best time ever.” Leah’s grin echoed her statement.
“Must have been fun,” Angelique said.
“How about you?” Leah asked. “How were summers in New Orleans?”
“Pretty good,” Angelique said. “Hot and sultry. My mom was my everything. She was beautiful and creative. Always had some kind of artistic project going, and she had the voice of an angel. She sang in a blues club on weekends.”
Leah turned down the heater. “That sound so glamorous.”
Angelique smiled, thinking back to those days. “I hid under the table and listened to my mom. I would be asleep when she finished her last set, and she would carry me to the car.” Angelique shrugged. “Not exactly a picture-book childhood.”
Leah patted her arm. “I don’t think either of us actually had a picture-book childhood. But the important thing is, we survived.”
Angelique’s brow furrowed. “I’m pretty sure your husband and his brothers had a pretty good childhood. Two parents who loved them and each other. They didn’t have to wonder where their next meal was coming from.”
“Yeah, pretty much. They had the security of a good family. All the good stuff. Going to church every Sunday. Staying in the same school system all the way through.”
“And I’ll bet they never stopped to think how lucky they were.”
“What’s the first thing you want to shop for?” Leah changed the subject abruptly, as though dwelling on her husband’s childhood was somehow disloyal.
“I’m feeling guilty about accepting this money from my dad. I know he’s used to spending on whatever he wants, but that’s something I’ve never done. My mom and I had to think long and hard about every single expenditure.” Angelique grimaced. “It’s hard to shift gears just like that.” She snapped her fingers.
“I know how you’re feeling. Marrying into the Garrett family was a shock to my system.” Leah heaved a sigh. “But I saw what you bought when we shopped before. Let me tell you that Gabi will need an entire winter wardrobe, not just the few things you purchased,” Leah said. “I strongly suggest you get some warm boots. I’m sure it’s no fun slogging through the snow and slush in those little flats.”
