by Linda Warren
“Quincy...”
“Paxton’s a charmer. He’s charmed you many times. If he breaks up with Lisa and then says he still loves you and wants you back, can you honestly say you know your answer?”
She tossed back her hair. “You’re not going to believe anything I say. You said you trusted me, but you don’t. You have doubts and that’s not love, Quincy.” She got to her feet, her dark eyes glittering like bits of hot charcoal.
He stood, too, feeling a load of guilt pressing on his chest. “Be honest, Jenny. You have to see Paxton face-to-face to know what you’re really feeling. You say you’re friends, but it might be different when you see him. I love you and I’m trying to—”
“You said you would fight for our love, but this isn’t fighting. This is giving up.” She ran out of the barn, her dark hair flying behind her.
Quincy sank onto the bale of hay and buried his face in his hands. His insides caved in and he fought to draw a breath. What had he done? He’d just lost the most important person in his life.
* * *
JENNY RAN INTO the kitchen, tears streaming down her face, and stared at the wine, chocolates and pizza she’d brought for their special Thanksgiving. It was over. How could he do this? She loved him. Why couldn’t he believe that?
Wiping away tears with the back of her hand, she tried to understand, but all she felt was the pain in her heart. Paxton’s calls meant nothing to her. To Quincy they did. Why did he have to be so damn honorable?
She’d known from the start that Quincy would choose his family over her, but she loved him and she never realized how much until she spent those nights in his arms. Now there was no going back.
Daisy whined at the back door and Jenny let her in. She opened the bottle of wine. “I’m going to have a party all by myself. Do you want to join me?”
Daisy barked.
“It’s a poor, poor, pitiful me party. Bring all your heartaches, bring all your tears, because I’m going to drown them tonight in this good vino and tomorrow I won’t remember who Quincy Rebel is. I won’t care, either.” She tipped up the bottle for a swallow. “If you believe that, well, I’ll sell you a pocketful of dreams worth...” She choked back sobs and ran to her bedroom.
Daisy followed and barked.
Jenny patted the bed and the dog jumped up. Jenny wrapped her arms around Daisy and held on as if her very life depended on it. A long time later, after she’d soaked Daisy’s coat with her tears, she sat up and vowed off Rebel men for the rest of her life.
It was just too hard.
* * *
QUINCY CURSED HIMSELF and snapped at anyone who spoke to him. He’d ruined the one good thing in his life. Maybe because of his insecurity about Jenny’s love or maybe because of Paxton. It was a devil of a situation and the devil certainly had hold of him.
He worked from sunup to sundown, taking on most of the feeding because he needed hard labor to block Jenny from his mind. Not that he wanted to block her, but he had to find peace of mind some way. He soon found there was no peace. If he wanted Jenny, he had to trust in their relationship, no matter what. That was the cold, hard truth. Even if she talked to Paxton. Even if she said she still had feelings for him. Even if she said there wasn’t a chance for them, he still had to hang in there because his heart was on the line and he had to fight for that. Fight for them. Family loyalty and his love for Jenny battled for dominance in his mind. He knew there wasn’t much of a choice. He loved Jenny and he had to step up and trust her.
As he drove into town with Elias and Jericho to pick up mineral and salt blocks from the feed store, he realized it wasn’t about the phone calls. It wasn’t about trust, either. It was about if Jenny really loved him. There it was. They’d jumped into their relationship so quickly and then Clyde had been hurt and they’d been thrown together. Jenny had needed someone and he was there. If he hadn’t been there, he wondered if Jenny would have ever said she loved him. Even if she would have recognized it. That was the crux of his problem.
He backed up the truck and trailer to the loading dock at the feed store. Jericho and Elias helped the store employees stack the blocks into the bed of the truck and onto the flatbed trailer. Quincy jumped off the trailer and noticed Jenny standing at the other end of the feed store talking to Axel McCray. What was she doing talking to him? She didn’t even like the McCrays.
As he watched, she placed her hand on Axel’s arm. A light went off in his head, similar to a lightning bolt, jarring him. Jenny was a nurturing, loving person and everyone in Horseshoe knew that. If someone from the town had surgery in her hospital, she always checked on them to make sure they were okay. So something must be wrong with Axel or someone in his family for Jenny to be so comforting to him. It didn’t matter who the person was, Jenny was always there for anyone in need or anyone who had health problems. Or just any problems. Like Paxton.
There are none so blind as those who will not see. An old saying hit him right between the eyes. The green-eyed monster had a strong hold on him. He wanted all of Jenny, not just a part of her. Standing there in the cold winter’s day, he realized Jenny belonged to a lot of people. But he had her heart. He was positive of that now. She didn’t have to tell him. He knew it.
They climbed back into the truck and headed for the ranch. “Did you see Jenny?” Elias asked.
Quincy pulled onto the highway. “Yes. I saw her.”
“Why didn’t you go over there?”
“She was talking to Axel, and I’m not all that fond of talking to a McCray.”
“Nah. It’s something else. What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.” He wasn’t talking to Elias about the mess he’d made with Jenny by not trusting her. Or not believing that she really loved him. The only person he was talking to was Jenny.
“Axel’s baby is real sick and he’s probably talking to Jenny about it.”
“How do you know that?” Quincy had known it had to be something like that.
“I get all my information at Rowdy’s and it’s accurate.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Stop at Rowdy’s. I want a beer.”
“We have beer at home.”
“I like the atmosphere at Rowdy’s.”
“I’m not stopping. We have a lot of work ahead of us at the ranch.”
“Tell you what.” Elias was in his bargaining mood. “If you stop, I’ll stay in with Grandpa tonight and you can go see Jenny.”
That was the smartest thing Elias had said all day. Probably his whole life. Quincy had to see Jenny and he had to do it as soon as possible.
“Deal.” He pulled into the parking lot of the beer joint and they got out and went inside. They ordered and sat at a table near the bar. The place was almost empty that time of day. The old hardwood floors and wooden tables and chairs had seen better days. Neon beer signs decorated the back of the bar and posters signed by country music singers hung around the walls. The ancient jukebox in the corner still spat out songs from as far back as the ’60s. The place had an ambience of bygone days.
A couple Quincy didn’t recognize was cuddled up in a corner of a booth, and Axel McCray sat at the bar nursing a beer. How had he gotten here so quick? Since a waitress wasn’t on duty, Quincy got up to get the cold drafts that Bob had poured.
Axel didn’t even make a comment as Quincy stood there waiting for Bob. He seemed to be in another world. Quincy sensed the man was hurting. It was none of his business and he should just walk away. Another encounter with a McCray was not on his to-do list.
But something stronger than his common sense made him say, “You look as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Bob, a former marine and built like a Sherman tank, tensed, pulled out his cell phone and laid it on the bar. It was a warning: no fighting or else. He probably had the sh
eriff on speed dial.
“Get away from me, Rebel. You don’t know nothing.”
“I know a man when he’s hurting.”
“What’s it to you?” Axel kept rubbing the frost off the can with his thumb, not looking at Quincy.
“Nothing.” For some reason Quincy still didn’t walk away. He reached for the beers and stood there for a moment.
“My baby may not make it through the night. She has a fever of a hundred and six, but Jenny said the medication is working and she’ll get better. Jenny knows that kind of stuff.”
“Yeah, she does. I hope your baby gets better.” Quincy had a surreal moment standing there talking to a McCray and feeling his pain. It was like an outer space–type thing. Unreal. It humanized the enemy, as he had always thought of the McCrays.
Axel didn’t respond. He just kept staring at his beer and Quincy wondered what he was doing in a beer joint instead of at the hospital with his child.
Quincy went back to Elias and Jericho with the beers. “What were you saying to Axel?” Elias asked.
“Just getting a glimpse into the lives of the McCrays.”
“Is that a 3-D movie?” Elias asked, and then drank his beer. Gunnar came through the door and glanced at them briefly and then went to his brother.
“What are you doing? Your wife has been looking for you. The baby’s temperature is dropping. She’s going to be okay. Let’s go.”
Axel stumbled off the stool with tears in his eyes. Quincy sympathized with the man. It had to be rough facing the loss of a child. He didn’t wish that on anyone, not even a McCray.
Quincy got to his feet. “Let’s go. We have work to do.”
“I’m not ready,” Elias said.
Jericho grabbed Elias by the back of his collar and lifted him to his feet. “You’re ready.”
“Damn, Jericho, you don’t have to get rough.”
As they walked to the door, Bob said, “I guess there’s a first time for everything. The Rebels and McCrays in here at the same time and not even a bad word spoken. There’s hope for the future.”
Quincy nodded as they went out the door and once again they headed for home. On the way Quincy kept thinking about Jenny. Even a McCray knew to believe her because Jenny was that kind of person. She didn’t lie. She didn’t exaggerate. She told the truth.
And he had to be the biggest fool who’d ever lived.
Chapter Fifteen
Jenny was having a bad day. The McCray baby was critical and she felt for the family. A bacterial infection for a six-month-old was rough. She wasn’t a fan of the McCrays because she’d grown up next door to the Rebels. But she had gone to the feed store to pick up feed and Axel had asked to talk to her. She didn’t hesitate because she knew his baby was sick. To ease his mind she’d called the hospital and talked to the nurses caring for the McCray baby. The nurse assured her the baby was getting better but the McCrays weren’t buying that. So Jenny had tried to console Axel and reassure him. She’d just gotten a call from the nurse on duty and the baby’s temperature was finally dropping. Good news for the McCray family.
So many things shifted her mind from Quincy. And so many things shifted it back. Good thing she had her dad to care for or she just might break down and cry. She gave all of her attention to her dad and his recovery. She wasn’t giving up on Quincy, but she recognized that they both needed time. They’d rushed into the relationship and now it would be tested. If it was real like she believed deep in her heart, it would survive.
The National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas was getting underway the first week in December and Paxton called again. She didn’t think twice about answering. Paxton would find a way to talk to her. If she kept pounding it into his head that he didn’t matter to her anymore, he would get the message.
“Are you going to watch?”
“Probably not. I spend all my time at the hospital and when I’m not there, I’m sleeping.”
“Why are you working so much?”
Paxton didn’t know about her father. Paxton’s life revolved around him. She told him what had happened in hopes that he would stop calling her.
“Ah, babe, you should have called me.”
“Why would I do that? You seem to be under the impression that we’re still together. We’re not.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment. “I know. It’s my fault.”
“Yes. It’s your fault, but it was time for us to go our different ways. Way past time.”
“Lisa and I are trying to work things out.”
“I hope you do. And please stop calling me.”
“Are you going to watch the finals?”
“I don’t really have time.”
* * *
AFTER SUPPER, QUINCY went to the hospital to see Clyde in hopes that Jenny would be there and she would listen to what he had to say. He knew the ICU visiting hours and he was there right on time, but Lindsay was there instead of Jenny.
“You just missed Jenny,” Lindsay said. “She’s gone up to the pediatric ward to visit with the McCray family and to check on the baby.”
“Do you mind if I see your father?”
“No. Actually, he’s asked about you a couple of times.” Lindsay was being civil, and that meant Jenny hadn’t told her about what had happened. He wanted to see Jenny so bad he actually ached from the thought. If he hung out there long enough, he’d get the chance.
Clyde lay in bed, very pale with tubes in his arms and on his chest. When he saw Quincy, he smiled and Quincy knew the man was going to be okay.
“Quincy, it’s good to see you.”
Quincy shook the man’s trembling hand. “Just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“Better, but I feel like an old fool.”
“It happens to the best of us.” Quincy knew that better than anyone. “You don’t have to worry about your cows or feeding. I’ll take care of it.”
“I appreciate that, but you know I have two bossy, determined daughters. Don’t know how that happened. Their mother wasn’t bossy.”
Quincy would have to agree about Lindsay. “I think Jenny is more caring than bossy.”
“Yeah, she’s my sweetheart. She tries to help everybody. She’s worried about the McCray baby, and that’s where she is now if you’re looking for her.”
“I’ll catch her later.”
“As I was saying, my daughters have the feeding under control, but I appreciate the offer. And thank you for being there when we needed someone.”
“You’re welcome.”
Quincy hung out in the waiting area hoping Jenny would come back, but at eleven o’clock he had to admit she wasn’t. And it was too late to stop at the house, so seeing Jenny was put off to another day.
* * *
THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO had started and Quincy, Elias and Grandpa watched every night. Phoenix was riding well and placing in the money, while Paxton was having a rough time.
“What’s wrong with that boy?” Grandpa shouted at the TV. “A two-year-old could ride better than that.”
“Ol’ Pax has his head in the clouds,” Elias answered. “Woman problems is my guess.”
By the end of the week Paxton had placed out of the money, but Phoenix won the week and the gold buckle. There was a lot of shouting as the whole family watched the last night. Phoenix made a ride of eighty-nine on a bull named Roller Coaster and won. Everyone celebrated. Phoenix called a few minutes later and they all had the chance to congratulate him. His mother asked about Paxton and found out that indeed Paxton and Lisa were having problems.
Paxton would now come home and Quincy was ready for the fight of his life, because he knew if Lisa was out of the picture, Paxton would go after Jenny big-time.
* * *
JENNY FOCUS
ED ALL her time on her dad. He’d been moved to a private room and a therapist was working with him. Once the pneumonia was under control, he began to improve daily. Jenny was busy, but the heartache inside her seemed to grow, especially with the holidays looming. Her goal now was to get her father home before Christmas.
Paxton called during the finals in Vegas and afterward. Lisa had been supposed to come to Vegas, but at the last minute changed her mind. It had affected Paxton’s riding and he was angry at himself and at the world.
He was coming home and wanted to know if they could talk. With everything else on her plate, she didn’t want to have a conversation with Paxton. But Quincy was right. To put it all behind her, Jenny had to face Paxton and end whatever they had for good.
A week before Christmas, Jenny and Lindsay brought their father home. He was walking again with his cane and doing well. Daisy was so happy to see him, jumping up and down and barking. He sat in the living room in his recliner, smiling. Now life could get back to normal, or as close as possible.
Jenny managed to get a tree up and did some decorating to get in the mood. As she hung ornaments, she wished Quincy was there, just to share moments like these.
Placing the angel on the top of the tree, she asked, “What do you think, Dad?”
“Beautiful, just like my daughter.”
“Ah, you say the nicest things.” She climbed off the ladder and kissed his forehead. “I’m glad we made it home for the holiday.”
“Me, too.” He turned to look up at her. “Did you know Quincy came to see me?”
“What? When?” Her heart raced.
“A couple of weeks ago, he came to see how I was. I thought you knew. I mean, you two are so close.”
She sat on the coffee table and tried to untangle a string of lights, which was like untangling all the doubts in her head. “We hit a bump in the road. Well...that’s not exactly true. Paxton started calling me again and Quincy has this notion that I might still be in love with his brother.”
“Are you?”
