Blame it on Texas

by Scott, Tori

  "Daddy, come quick!"

  Katie's shout was a welcome distraction from the intensity of his reaction to Megan's comforting gesture. It had been a long time since a woman had touched him like that. The warmth of her small hand had reached all the way to his soul.

  Logan shook off the longing her touch created and returned to the living room. Katie's face was alight with excitement. "What's up, Katydid?"

  She giggled at the use of her nickname and thrust the phone into his hand. "Mom said I can stay. But she wants to talk to you."

  "All right. You go into the kitchen and keep Megan company."

  He watched Katie skip away before he lifted the phone to his ear, already dreading the conversation. Sue Ann wouldn't give in this easily unless she wanted something in return. He just hoped he could afford it. But, for his daughter, he'd pay whatever price Sue Ann demanded.

  ***

  "Isn't it great?" Katie danced around the kitchen, making Megan laugh at her antics. "I get to spend the whole summer here. This is better than camping, any day."

  "I'm glad for you, Katie. I'd love to spend the summer here, too. You'll have a wonderful time."

  Katie stopped by Megan's chair and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You could stay, too. I know Aunt Carol wouldn't mind. You could help her make her soaps. And Daddy probably wouldn't care as long as you didn't get in his way."

  Megan smiled at the child's naiveté. "No, that would be too much to ask. I'll stay a day or two, then I'll head back to Dallas. But thank you for the thought."

  Carol walked back into the kitchen. "Dad's awake and demanding to see Katie and our visitor. Think you two are up to it?"

  Katie started to race out of the kitchen, but Carol stopped her. "Honey, you know he's had a stroke, right?"

  Katie nodded, and Carol continued. "He's cranky and ornery, and he's almost impossible to understand. He gets mad when he tries to talk and we don't understand what he's saying. Don't take it personally, okay?"

  "Sure, Aunt Carol. I get the same way when I try to talk to Mom and she doesn't listen."

  Carol's gaze caught Megan's and she gave a wry smile. "Let's go, then."

  ***

  Megan waited in the doorway while Katie went to her grandfather's bedside. The old man's eyes lit up when he saw his granddaughter, and he tried to speak. The frustration he felt was clear in the twisted mouth and scrunched eyebrows. Katie leaned over and kissed his cheek, then sat on the bed and took his hand in hers.

  His face relaxed as she began to tell him about her adventures and how she'd met Megan. When he tried to speak again, Megan thought she understood what he was trying to say. "Mr. Tanner? I'm Megan Flynn. Do you want to sit up?" She stepped into the room and walked over to the bed.

  When he nodded, she leaned over and deftly pulled him to a sitting position, stacking his pillows behind his back. At his grateful look, she patted his hand and said, "You're welcome."

  "How did you know what he wanted?"

  Logan's spoke from the doorway and Megan turned to face him. "I took care of my aunt after she had a stoke. You either learn to understand them, or you go crazy trying to figure out what they need."

  She felt a tug on her sleeve and turned her attention back to Logan's father. He garbled a few more words. "He wants some socks," she said. "His feet are cold."

  Carol stood off to the side, her mouth open, but she hurried to get a pair from the dresser. She handed them to Megan, who pulled back the sheet and slipped them on his feet. His sigh echoed across the room.

  "You mean, all this time I thought he was being cantankerous, and he was just uncomfortable? I feel awful." Carol's lip trembled and a tear slipped down her cheek.

  Megan went to Carol and put an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay. He understands."

  Logan moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside Katie, who was chattering to Charlie as though he was the same robust man she remembered. Maybe they should all learn from her example. Just because his father couldn't speak didn't mean he was unable to understand what they said to him.

  Charlie's eyes were bright, his gaze fixed on Katie's pixie face as she continued to tell him about life in Baton Rouge. He looked happy for the first time since the stroke. When he reached out with his good hand to stroke Katie's face, she covered it with her own, holding his callused fingers against her cheek.

  Logan glanced at Megan and found her watching the scene with a soft smile on her face. With her ability to understand his father, he almost wished she could stay. But that wasn't possible. She had a life of her own, and he had work to do. Work that wasn't getting done while he sat here wasting time.

  "I need to get back out to the pasture. Black Bertha's due to calve at any time, and the south fence needs to be patched. I'll be back in time for supper." Logan stood and started to step away. His father grabbed his hand.

  His dad said something Logan couldn't understand, but his eyes were earnest with the desire to communicate. Logan looked at Megan. "Do you know what he said?"

  She tilted her head to the side and smiled at Charlie. "I think he said thank you."

  Logan look down at his dad, feeling a little guilty about the way he'd acted at the hospital when Carol had first told him he would have to help out on the farm. Now his father was thanking him for something he'd practically had to be forced to do. Embarrassed, he nodded and squeezed his father's hand, then turned and left the room.

  CHAPTER THREE

  "Come on. You'll love it." Katie tugged on Megan's hand as she led her out the back door.

  "But I didn't bring a swim suit."

  "You don't need one. You can swim in your shorts and tee shirt. That's what I always do."

  Megan followed Katie down a dirt path that wound through a pasture toward a stand of trees. Above the lowing of cows in the pasture and a dog barking in the distance, she heard the gentle gurgle of a creek, a whisper of sound that enticed her closer. A sense of peace settled over her like a warm blanket on a cold winter's evening, both comforting and satisfying. After the noise and bustle of Dallas, this was pure heaven.

  When she stepped into the clearing, the sight took her breath away. In contrast to the parched earth near the house, the clearing was lush with green grass and tiny red and yellow wildflowers. A pool formed by a rocky dam glistened in the sun. A creek fed into the pool from the north in a cascade of rainbow-covered mist, then continued southward to join some distant river.

  Megan knew enough about West Texas to know a creek like this was a treasure for any farmer. As long as the rains came, there would be plenty of water for the cattle and to irrigate the crops. No wonder Logan's father wanted to keep the ranch in the family.

  "Isn't it great?" Katie shed her shoes and socks, climbed on a rock, and, before Megan could remove her Nikes, jumped into the water. "Come on!"

  "I think I'll sit up there and watch you for a while." Megan removed her shoes and climbed onto the rock shelf above the pool to watch Katie until the heat finally drove her into the pool. She splashed and played with Katie for a while, then stretched out on the rock to sunbathe.

  When she heard a commotion in the water, she lifted her head to check on the child. Logan stood at the edge of the pool and a Blue Heeler swam circles around Katie, who squealed every time the dog splashed her. Megan looked up at Logan and smiled. "He's beautiful. What's his name?"

  A corner of Logan's mouth tilted up. "Blue. Original, huh?"

  "That's exactly what I would have named him. I've always wanted a dog named Blue."

  "Daddy, come swim," Katie yelled.

  Megan watched the conflicting emotions cross his face as he seemed to weigh his duty to his father against time with his daughter. Finally, he stripped off his t-shirt and boots, emptied his pockets, and jumped into the pool, drenching Megan with the resulting splash. She was so mesmerized by the image of the broad, tanned chest, lightly dusted with black curly hair, she didn't realize she was staring until a spray of water slapped her in the face.


  "Come on in, Megan," Katie begged.

  When Logan nodded his agreement, Megan slid off the rock into the pond. She realized her mistake when she stood to shake the water from her face and saw Logan's gaze fixed on her chest.

  She wasn't wearing a bra, and the thin tee shirt left nothing to the imagination. She moved to the middle of the pool until the water covered her shoulders. A quick glance at Logan earned her a wide grin that took her breath away.

  He winked and turned back to Katie. "Have you already forgotten the rules, Katydid?"

  Katie blushed and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where Blue was, and I didn't want to wait. I thought it would be okay. I am twelve, you know."

  "Twelve or twenty, the dog goes in the water first. Don't ignore the rules, honey. That's just asking for trouble."

  Megan looked from one solemn face to the other. "I'm sorry, Logan. I didn't know there was a rule or I would have made her wait."

  He shook his head. "It isn't your fault. Katie knows better. There are a lot of snakes out here and you never know when you might jump into a nest of water moccasins. The dog goes in the water first--always. It's better to lose a dog than a your own life."

  Megan opened her mouth to argue that point, but closed it again when Logan pulled Katie to him in a crushing hug and closed his eyes. She loved dogs as much as she did most people, but Logan was referring to his daughter and in that case, he was right.

  Logan released Katie and kicked back in the water. The scowl on his face was replaced by a wicked grin. "Now, Katydid, what's the punishment for breaking the rules?"

  Katie shrieked and dove for the bank, but Logan caught her foot and tugged her under. Blue barked and swam to Katie, grabbed her shirt, and pulled her up. The three wrestled for a while as Megan watched, wishing she'd had a dad like Logan. One who could discipline without degrading, and who could turn a problem into play. Shoot, she'd have settled for a dad who came home every night.

  Logan glanced over the top of Katie's head and saw Megan standing alone in the water, a melancholy expression on her face. She looked so damned lonesome it nearly broke his heart.

  He remembered what it had been like to be the kid on the outside looking in. He'd felt it every time he'd ridden the bus to school in town. He'd been the "farm boy" with dusty shoes and faded jeans.

  He hadn't been the only one, just the one who'd wanted to be part of the town kids' circle, the one who wanted something he couldn't have. The other kids had been content to be who and what they were.

  That feeling of being less than the best had fueled his determination to succeed in business, where he could wear custom-made suits and clean, shiny shoes. To be the top in his field so that he was the inner circle, never again to watch from the sidelines. He'd made it. So why did it feel so empty?

  Maybe because it had cost him his marriage and months of not having his daughter in his life. While his business had flourished, Sue Ann resented his frequent absences until she'd sought company elsewhere. When she'd left and taken Katie with her, she'd taken the joy out of his success. He hadn't really missed Sue Ann. She'd been little more than a stranger by the time she'd left. But he'd missed Katie terribly.

  On impulse, he whispered to his daughter. She nodded, her eyes sparkling with mischief. He slipped under the surface and swam silently until he saw Megan's slender legs under the water, then he wrapped his hand around her ankle and tugged.

  When she came up sputtering, he lifted her up, gave her a warning to catch her breath, then tossed her back into the water. Katie laughed and joined in the melee.

  They played for an hour, and he couldn't remember anything he'd enjoyed more. By the time they crawled onto the rocks, exhausted, he'd forgotten about the fence he still needed to mend and how much he hated the red dust that coated his jeans.

  ***

  Megan was sure she was going to pop. She was used to grabbing a hamburger at the student union or a yogurt from the bookstore in between classes. Sitting down to a huge meal of fried chicken, mountains of potatoes with cream gravy, homemade rolls, and hot apple pie proved to be more temptation than she could handle.

  She leaned back in her chair, one hand on her stomach, and watched as Logan loaded his plate with a second helping of everything. He took a hearty bite of fried chicken and she wondered if his other appetites were as big as the one he had for food. And if she'd ever get a chance to find out.

  She thought about the way he had pulled her into the playful dunking in the pond. For a little while, she'd felt as though she belonged. But it was a temporary illusion. She was a guest in Logan's home, so naturally he'd felt the need to include her in his romp with his daughter. There was nothing more to it than that.

  He'd looked so alluring with water sluicing down his chest that it had taken all of her self-control not to rub herself against him to see if he felt as good as he looked.

  Megan glanced up to find Logan watching her, a speculative look on his face. She gave herself a mental shake and looked away, embarrassed at being caught in her wayward thoughts.

  Needing to put some distance between herself and Logan, she looked at Carol. "Has your dad had dinner yet?"

  Carol frowned and shook her head. "No. I'm almost embarrassed to admit we usually wait until after we've eaten. Feeding him is a major chore and it takes forever."

  Megan remembered how hard it was to get more food in her aunt's mouth than on her clothes before she'd discovered the baby food grinder. She still thought it was the best thing ever invented, but she doubted Carol had one on hand. "Do you have a blender?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  "Have you tried using it to grind up his food so he can eat it more easily?"

  "No. We've been feeding him baby food."

  Megan shuddered. No wonder feeding him took a long time. "Have you ever tasted that stuff? It's awful."

  Carol got up, went to the cabinets, and pulled out the blender. She set it on the counter and took a plate from an upper shelf. "If you can help me fix something he'll eat, we'll all be grateful. Just tell me what to do."

  "You sit down and finish your dinner. I don't mind doing this." Megan reached across the table and snagged a piece of chicken. She moved to the counter, removed the meat from the bone, and dropped it into the blender. After a moment's thought, she did the same with a second piece.

  When it was chopped into small pieces, she fixed a plate with the meat, some mashed potatoes and gray, and a slice of apple pie she'd smashed with a fork. She glanced over her shoulder. "Would you mind if I fed him?"

  Logan was still watching her with an odd expression on his face. He didn't reply, but he nodded once and she took that for permission. With a spoon, dishtowel, and glass of tea in one hand and the plate in the other, she left the kitchen and headed down the hall.

  As Megan walked away, Logan felt lower than a sow's belly. For the last few weeks, he and Carol had taken turns feeding Charlie, but neither of them liked the job. He felt selfish and petty when he realized tonight was his night for the chore, and he was relieved to not have to do it.

  Carol glanced over at Katie. "If you're finished, why don't you go help Megan?"

  "Sure." Katie started to stack her dishes, but Carol waved her away.

  "Go on. I'll take care of those."

  When Katie was out of earshot, Carol set the dishes in the sink and poured two cups of coffee. "So, what do you think of Megan?" She handed Logan a cup and sat down across from him.

  He thought for a minute before he answered. Too little information would send Carol digging for more. Too much enthusiasm would have her planning his wedding. "She seems nice. Definitely a city girl. She doesn't belong out here."

  Carol snorted. "The way you think, no woman belongs out here. But women have survived farm life for hundreds of years, and they'll continue to do so for hundreds more. She seemed to really enjoy her afternoon with you and Katie."

  He stirred a spoonful of sugar into his coffee as he swallowed a lump of pain. Maybe som
e women survived, but his mother hadn't. The harsh West Texas land had sapped her energy, destroyed her as surely as it would an auburn-haired girl with more enthusiasm than sense. And what the land hadn't been able to accomplish, he had. "She's good with Katie. But I'll be glad when she goes back to Dallas. I don't need someone else to watch out for."

  "Logan, give her some credit. She's very sensible. Not the type to run headlong into trouble or to act without thinking." Carol nodded toward the hall. "She's very good with Dad. I'm going to be sorry to see her go."

  "Don't get any ideas. She's leaving, and I don't want you to encourage her to stay."

  "Did I say I was going to try to get her to stay? I was just making an observation. Men! You jump to conclusions based on the flimsiest evidence." She stuck her tongue out at him and stood, then began to hum as she loaded dishes into a sink full of suds.

  With a sigh, Logan grabbed a dishtowel and went to help. He knew Carol too well. Something was brewing in that devious brain of hers and he needed to be on his guard. The last time she'd hummed while washing dishes, she'd been plotting to hook him up with the local rodeo queen. He'd had a narrow escape, and he didn't intend to allow a repeat of that fiasco.

  He wanted no part of anything that would tie him to the farm, the town, or any part of West Texas. And no part of auburn-haired city girls with living-in-the-country daydreams.

  ***

  Megan stretched and arched her back, drawing her thin tee shirt across her breasts, and her dreams came rushing back with embarrassing clarity. She and Logan had been in the pond without their canine and teenage chaperones. And without their clothes. She knew she wouldn't be able to look at him over breakfast without blushing. Maybe she should stay in bed until he went outside to work.

  No, she wasn't a coward. She didn't want to waste this opportunity lazing around in bed, either. She wanted to go into town and find the vet, check out the setup, and talk to him about his practice. Then she wanted to explore the town a bit before she came back and explored the farm. She wished she had more time to spend with Carol's family, but Logan had made it clear the invitation to stay was only for one night.