by Tina Leonard
She moved up against him, welcoming him. “Don’t stop.”
He laughed. “Are you sure?” He teased her with another slow thrust.
She clutched at him, pulled his head down so that he could kiss her. This closeness with one person was what he’d been missing all his life. He kissed her fast, hard, possessively, and let himself enjoy the feel of her unresisting in his arms.
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, LAURA GASPED and jumped from the bed, grabbing at her clothes. “I hear your father’s truck!”
“It’s all right. It’ll take him a minute to get the kids out of their seat belts.”
Laura gasped again, jumping into her clothes. “The children can’t see me like this! Hurry, Gabriel!”
The joys of parenthood. Gabriel grinned. “That’s what you said not an hour ago.”
“Don’t tease me now,” she said. “No mother wants her children to find her naked in bed with a man she’s not married to.”
“Yes, we should fix that.”
She tossed him his shirt. “Some things can’t be fixed, you know.”
He handed her the tiny black panties that had gotten hung on his belt buckle. “Female undergarments amaze me. Are they utilitarian or just for turning a man on? These certainly seem more sexy than functional. Can’t say that’s a bad thing.”
“Gabriel!” She moved his boots over to him and slipped on her panties and then her sandals. Her fingers flew through her hair as she glanced out the window. “Oh, they’re looking at the pony. Why did your father buy a pony when he won’t be here long?”
“He bought it for your kids,” Gabriel said absently, thinking through the logic of what Laura had just said. He followed her down the stairs. Josiah had said he was leaving in the morning. Why would he have bought a pony that couldn’t be ridden yet?
“My kids! Penny and Perrin aren’t really old enough to ride. Besides, we’re never over here.”
“I know.” They sat down at the dinner table they’d abandoned two hours ago. The candles were burned down to the sticks and had put themselves out. The food was cold, but Gabriel would have eaten it anyway except for the look on Laura’s face. “What?”
“He bought a pony for my children,” she repeated. “Obviously he plans on them being around here. With you.”
“You’d have to ask Pop about that. I don’t really understand him myself. I’m just now learning the whole father-son thing in a new way. It’s a whole new language I’m decoding.”
“Gabriel!”
“Yes?” He looked at Laura. “Do you know you’re beautiful when you’re not wearing makeup and your hair is out of place?”
She opened her mouth to say something when Josiah walked in with the kids. He had Penny by the hand and Perrin soundly sleeping tucked up against his chest. “You two still eating?” Josiah asked. “Must be some hungry folk.”
He glanced at the plates and saw that they hadn’t been touched. “Ah, you know in France and Italy people tend to take longer meals. It’s good for the digestion,” he said to cover Laura’s embarrassment. She could barely look at Josiah.
He handed her Perrin gently. “This one’s a snoozer. He was awake for visiting your father, though.”
“My father?” Laura looked at Josiah. “You went to see Ben in the hospital?”
“Sure.” He put Penny in a chair at the table, glancing at Gabriel like he had something he wanted to say but wouldn’t share it in front of Laura. “He’s my employee.”
Could Ben and Josiah spend five minutes in the same room without a battle breaking out? Gabriel wasn’t sure. “So how did that go?”
“He was his usual irascible self, which I attribute to his general well-being.” Josiah tucked in to cold corn and chicken. “This is delicious, Gabriel. For a man who lived off of military grub, you seasoned this chicken just right.”
“Mr. Morgan,” Laura said sternly, “you did not go to pay a social call to Ben.”
“I took the grandkids by.” Josiah shrugged, his face innocent. “I had some things to say to him. Never know when I might see him again.”
Gabriel stared at his father, the pieces falling into place. “Dad,” he said, “you gave us a referendum and a game plan, but then you came home in the middle of the playing rules. You gave me money I wasn’t expecting. You’re gifting the whole town. You bought these kids a pony they’re not really old enough to ride and which you will not be here to put them on. You’ve gone to see your archenemy or rival or whatever you want to call the relationship you’ve had over the years with Mr. Smith.”
Josiah looked at him, his brows furrowed. “So?”
Gabriel glanced at Laura, then at the kids and saw the family setting his father wanted so badly. “A man would have to be knocking on heaven’s door to change as much as you are,” he said quietly.
Josiah blinked. He didn’t reply, confirm, deny.
“Are you sick, Dad?” Gabriel asked.
Josiah shrugged. “Depends upon a man’s perception of himself. I happen to think I’m just fine.”
“But the doctors don’t agree?” Laura asked.
“Now, missy, you just worry about your own father,” Josiah said.
Laura shot back, “You’re family, too!” which brought an amazing change to Josiah that Gabriel had never seen in all his life.
Tears in Josiah Morgan’s eyes.
* * *
LAURA WAS SHOCKED BY THE look on Gabriel’s face. He looked heartbroken by his father’s slight admission of illness. Briefly she wondered how ill Mr. Morgan could truly be—certainly he looked fit. But he wouldn’t lean on frailty to get his way, something Ben might do, she conceded unwillingly.
Here at this table sat many of the people she knew as family, and yet one of them had been holding up all the rest of them. “I’m worried about you,” she told Mr. Morgan.
“Don’t,” he said shortly. “Damn doctors don’t know what’s in God’s plan.”
“True, but is there something I can do for you?” She glanced at Gabriel, saw that he appreciated her asking the question he apparently could not. Gabriel looked like he’d had his horse shot out from underneath him. He’d made a lucky guess on his father’s latest machinations, trying to second-guess him when the truth was much more simple. The man was trying to cobble his family back together.
“No, thank you,” Mr. Morgan said, “it’s not in my hands.”
“Excuse me.” Gabriel left the room.
“Now, see, I don’t want anybody worrying,” Gabriel’s father said. “There’s too much of life to live without everyone being down.”
“He is your son,” Laura said gently. “Wouldn’t you expect him to be concerned?”
“I’d rather him focus on getting married and having a family. He’s traveled around for years,” Mr. Morgan said, warming to his subject. “The honest truth is that family is a great thing. I made a lot of mistakes, I know, but family gave me more pleasure in my life than anything else, including making money. Some people would find that shocking.”
Laura felt it was best to skip the marriage comments. “I don’t think Gabriel getting married will help your health issue.”
“Sure it will. That old geezer you call Ben is lying up in a bed because he doesn’t want you to marry my son.”
Laura sighed. “Mr. Morgan, it’s not that easy. And anyway, you can’t really say that Ben doesn’t know what’s best for me when you’re busy impressing your will upon your sons, claiming you know what’s best for them.”
“True,” he answered, “but I have to consider my own longevity. And, Laura, won’t you please start calling me Josiah?”
Laura refused to allow him off the topic. “You and my father both think that parenting is managing. I’m going to try not to do that with my children.” Penny got down from Josiah’s lap and went to find her ball. Perrin snoozed comfortably on her shoulder. She loved her children; she could see how she might want to make decisions for them.
“Well, enough of that kind of tal
k,” Josiah said. “I heard there were chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen, so if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll brew up some coffee and have a few.”
He got up from the table. She watched him walk into the kitchen, big and broad-shouldered. He appeared more robust than Ben, but he wouldn’t fake an illness. He wanted to see his sons married more than anything.
She understood that—but it was not something she could help with. Making love with Gabriel had clearly been a mistake. There was no future for them; she knew in her heart she could not go into a second marriage—not now. When they’d planned a temporary marriage, when she’d thought she was helping Gabriel, that had been different. She’d been able to see the beginning and the end of their marriage. Open and shut, like a book. No emotions.
Now it was too complicated. She couldn’t see the end, or where the heartache was. She’d barely pulled herself through the abyss this time; she didn’t know if she could rescue herself again. The Morgans were unpredictable men. No matter how much she’d fallen for Gabriel, she had to keep herself from the edge, especially for her children’s sakes.
Slowly, she stood. “Will you tell Gabriel I said goodbye, Josiah?”
He came out of the kitchen. “Must you leave so soon?”
She knew Gabriel was upset by his father’s news. He needed time to think. “I need to get to the hospital early in the morning in case they release Ben.”
He nodded. “Let me know if I can help.”
She shook her head. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, Josiah. Everything except the pony.”
He grinned. “Every child should ride.”
“I’d tell you to quit scheming,” she said, “but maybe it’s medicinal for you. It’s probably keeping you alive.”
He roared with laughter, pleased by her outspokenness. But she had a feeling she was right.
* * *
GABRIEL WATCHED FROM HIS window as his father said goodbye to Laura and the kids. He saw Josiah kiss each child, saw him laugh at something Laura said before hugging her. Gabriel saw softness and kindness that he’d never experienced from his father, and realized Josiah had reprioritized his life. It wasn’t so much Perrin and Penny that had changed his father, though that had something to do with it. Gabriel saw that Josiah had accepted the changes life was pressing upon him. His father was a different man.
He felt sad for all the time that had passed between them, when he had allowed silence to set solid and inflexible between them. After a moment, he pulled out his cell phone.
He hunted around for Dane’s number, then made the call. “Dane,” he said. “It’s Gabriel. Got a minute? I need to talk.”
“Great,” Dane said, “I was just about to call you. Have you heard from Pete yet?”
“No.” Gabriel watched Laura drive away, saw his father look after the car until it was long gone and then still he stood, eyeing the distance. “What’s up?”
“You might want to think about a road trip and be quick about it,” Dane said. “Jack took a real ass-stomping in Kearney and this time he’s hurt pretty bad.”
Chapter Fourteen
As he stared at Jack in intensive care, wired into every machine known to man, Gabriel knew he had to change his whole life. His brother lay very still, his head bandaged, his eyes closed. Pete and Dane had visited first, then Gabriel went in with Josiah. Josiah hadn’t had to be dragged to see his son, which surprised Gabriel. In fact, his father had seemed eager to get to Kearney, his fingers drumming anxiously on his knees as Gabriel drove.
Josiah’s drawn face hovered over the face of the son he hadn’t seen in ten years. Gabriel wanted to push back time. Jack was battered, bruised—almost unrecognizable. “Jack,” he whispered, but his brother didn’t move. Josiah’s shoulders slumped. Slowly, he reached to touch his eldest son’s hand, his fingers trembling.
“Has he spoken?” Gabriel asked the nurse, who was changing a bag of IV fluids.
“No. But we know from the cowboys who rode in the ambulance with him that he had a helluva ride before the bull caught him against the rail and dragged him off. His foot caught in a stirrup and he couldn’t free it. The clowns did what they could, probably saved his life, according to your brother’s friends.”
It was the risk that came with rodeo. Gabriel shook his head. They all worked dangerous jobs, and each of them loved their chosen professions. They had the fever to live on the edge. Many times he’d sat shivering in Gdan´sk, or baking in San Salvador, wondering why he did what he did.
The answer was easy: the Morgan brothers all did what they did to prove themselves to the old man. And the old man was keeping his own secret of fallibility. So we’re just bashing ourselves on the rocks, trying to get to someplace that doesn’t exist.
“Jack,” he murmured again, hoping to see his brother’s eyes move. Josiah looked truly distraught. Gabriel wanted to comfort him but he didn’t know how. He did know, however, that their father had raised them as he’d thought best as a parent.
Gabriel sighed. The nurse glanced at him. “I’m sorry, we have to keep his visits very short.”
“I understand.” Gabriel stood, but Josiah lingered at the bedside of his firstborn.
“Come on,” Josiah said. “Jack?”
But Jack didn’t move. Josiah turned and silently left the room.
“We’ll be back tomorrow,” Gabriel told the nurse. “Will you call us if there’s any change?”
But the only change the next day was that they were told Jack didn’t want visitors. Nor the next day. At the end of the week, the family was told that he’d checked himself out. The hospital could give them no further information.
The three remaining brothers and Josiah stood awkwardly in the waiting room digesting the news. Josiah looked as if he’d aged fifteen years. Gabriel watched as Pete and Dane tried to absorb what they’d learned. Finally, they left after giving Josiah an awkward handshake.
Josiah looked at Gabriel. “Was I that bad a parent?”
Gabriel sighed, shaking his head. “We all make mistakes. I’ve made more than my share.” He pulled his stunned father to the sliding doors leading outside. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go home.”
* * *
LAURA HAD JUST PUT THE kids to bed when she heard a knock on the door, an impatient rapping she recognized. She hurried to open the door. “How is your brother?” she asked Gabriel.
“Tough as cowhide.” Gabriel reached to grab her, not allowing her to keep an inch between them.
“And your father?” Laura asked breathlessly.
“Equally tough.”
His lips searched hers hungrily. “Wait.” She pulled away, feeling a new intensity in him. “What happened?”
“Jack disappeared. Crawled off like a wounded animal, I guess. He just went away before any of us ever got to see him conscious.”
She gave him a gentle push toward the sofa, which he sank into. “Where are the kids?”
“In bed. Do you want a drink? Food?”
He shook his head. “I’d like to see the kids. I was hoping to catch them before they went to sleep.”
As if she’d been listening at the door—and probably she had—Penny came into the room. She crawled up in Gabriel’s lap. A warning flashed in Laura’s mind. Her daughter was becoming attached to Gabriel, as was she. There was no denying it. Panic spread through her as she recognized a blossoming hope in her chest. She got up to get Perrin out of his crib so they could all be together.
The three of them looked at her with winsome eyes. She knew Gabriel wanted to be with the children; she knew he had to be upset from visiting his brother. “It is a special occasion,” she said.
They snuggled up to Gabriel, each child resting against one side of his body. Perrin put his thumb in his mouth, then thought better of it. Penny’s eyelids slowly lowered.
“Life is short. Let’s make this more than a special occasion,” Gabriel said.
Laura looked at him, her senses on alert.
“I w
ant this to be an every night thing,” he told her. “You deserve a guy like me, Laura.”
She couldn’t say no. In spite of her misgivings—and she was scared to death—she couldn’t look in those dark eyes and honestly say she didn’t want to be his, didn’t want him to be a father to her children. “All right,” she said, knowing there was no turning back now and not really wanting to anyway.
* * *
MIMI WAS DELIGHTED TO help plan a wedding for Laura. She had a friend in a neighboring town who made bridal gowns, so she dragged Laura over to Tulips, Texas, to have her fit in something that “would make Gabriel’s mouth water,” Mimi said with a flourish. In town, Valentine Jefferson would make her a lovely wedding cake. Mimi assured her no one did them better.
They had Perrin outfitted in a little tuxedo and Penny in a darling flower girl gown. Mimi agreed to serve as the matron of honor. The ladies of the Union Junction salon agreed to do the hair for the wedding, and even trim Gabriel’s just a bit. Not enough to take away from the rascal look he had going on, they assured her. They liked his hair growing out of its military cut.
Ben had recovered enough to give Laura away, though he was balking. “Don’t know if I should willingly give you to a Morgan,” he said, before asking Josiah if he planned on hanging around or hotfooting around the globe. This seemed to annoy Josiah for a minute, before he recovered his good humor at being invited to the wedding.
Pete and Dane sent congratulations. Jack, they never heard from at all. Gabriel was worried, but he knew that his brother was still recovering. He tried not to think about the fact that none of his brothers would be at his wedding, and asked his father to be his best man, an invitation which Josiah readily accepted. His return to France was postponed.
It would have been perfect except that before the rehearsal dinner, Gabriel discovered just how cold his bride’s feet actually were. He went by to give Laura the ring he’d bought weeks before and knew by the pink of her nose that she’d been crying.
“You’re not having second thoughts?” he asked, remembering how anxious she’d been to marry him before and then how quickly she’d backed away when her father became ill. It was all understandable—but he had to admit to a spur of worry.
