by Judy Duarte
They continued to ride in silence. Tammy’s thoughts drifted from family issues to matters of the heart. She’d had a crush on one of her brothers’ friends while she was growing up, but what she was feeling for Dr. Mike Sanchez was bigger, stronger and far more compelling.
In fact, she was going to have to do something about it before the yearning to kiss him darn near killed her.
As Caleb pulled into the yard and parked near the house, Tammy spotted Jenna standing near the corral, stroking the neck of a roan gelding. As soon as Caleb shut off the ignition, Jenna strode toward the pickup, just as Tammy was getting out.
“Hugh mentioned that you fell and got hurt,” Jenna said to Tammy. “Are you all right?”
“I’m okay. It’s nothing serious.”
The front door opened, and Donna stepped out of the house. She made her way down the porch steps and across the yard. Worry and concern marred her cover-girl face.
Well, what do you know? Tammy seemed to be making friends with her cousins without much effort.
She turned to Caleb, who was standing next to her. The cowboy was looking at Donna as though she was the prettiest little filly he’d ever seen.
Was Caleb having a love-at-first-sight moment, just as Tammy had experienced when she first laid eyes on Doc? If so, she felt sorry for him since Donna didn’t appear to have noticed.
But what did Tammy know about romance? She was a complete novice at that sort of thing, so she probably ought to keep her observation to herself.
When she glanced again at Caleb, he’d already started in the direction of the main barn. Was he bummed by Donna’s brush-off? Or was he caught up in the family issues he was going home to settle?
Probably the family stuff.
Gosh, Tammy hoped they weren’t as bad as the troubles the Byrds were facing. Yet as he walked away with a sexy cowboy saunter, he didn’t seem to be fazed by Donna’s lack of interest.
“What happened?” Jenna asked.
“It’s a long story. And it all started when I heard a rumor about a cabin that had been locked up after a woman named Savannah ran off. So I thought I’d have a look inside. But the only way to get in, short of cutting the padlock, was to go through the back window. And I...well, I fell out.”
Her cousins merely glanced at each other, as though Tammy must have landed on her noodle instead of her shoulder.
“What are you talking about?” Jenna asked.
While Tammy had been eager to ask her cousins to help with a makeover, she decided it might be best to get on their good sides first. And what better way to do that than to let them in on a little secret, even if it might be more rumor or conjecture than anything?
“From what I heard,” Tammy said, “either my dad or yours had a girlfriend named Savannah. She was staying at the ranch in one of the cabins. And after she ran off, Tex locked up the place. So I thought it would be interesting to see what was inside.”
“What’s so intriguing about a locked-up cabin?” Donna asked.
Tammy shifted her weight to one hip. “It’s not just the cabin. It’s what I heard about Savannah and our fathers.”
Both cousins were listening, clearly intrigued so far.
“I don’t know which twin was which,” Tammy said, although she had a pretty solid suspicion, especially since her father had said his brother had done something unforgivable. “One of them slept with the other’s girlfriend.”
Jenna furrowed her brow. “No wonder there was a blowup.”
“That’s awful,” Donna said. “I can’t believe that two brothers would sleep with the same woman.”
“I don’t know all the details yet,” Tammy said, “but I’m going to get to the bottom of that feud if it’s the last thing I do.”
Both of her cousins seemed to be pondering the revelation, but Tammy kept the “unforgivable” comment to herself. At this point, she didn’t want her cousins to think she was taking sides or pointing fingers.
“And guess what else?” Tammy added. “There’s an old feather bed in that cabin that’s become some kind of legend around here. Supposedly, the dreams people have while sleeping on it are supposed to come true.”
Before either woman could comment, Donna’s cell phone rang. She glanced at the display. “I’m sorry. I need to take this call.” Then she stepped away, heading back to the house and leaving Tammy with Jenna.
All Tammy needed was for Jenna to find an excuse to leave before she got a chance to lay her heart—and her hopes—on the line, so she said, “I was wondering if I could ask you a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Would you like to go shopping in town with me someday soon? We could, you know, have lunch, get to know each other....”
“That sounds fun,” Jenna said. “I’d love to. In fact, what do you have planned for tomorrow morning?”
“Not one darn thing. Tomorrow would be perfect.”
Tammy couldn’t believe her luck. Did she dare tell her cousin what she was hoping to gain from the shopping trip? That she’d get some help in choosing just the right clothes to wear? Something stylish and sexy at the same time?
And that she’d get some advice on what makeup to buy, how to apply it... Goodness, there was so much to know, to learn.
But it would all be worth it—especially if the next time she ran in to Doc he’d see her in a whole new light.
Chapter Six
Tammy had built up a small nest egg over the years, thanks to the small salary her father paid her and no reason to spend much of it on anything in the past. So she decided not to limit herself when it came to shopping.
In fact, she’d spent nearly five hundred dollars on clothes and shoes and makeup while she’d been at the mall with Jenna and would have spent more if she hadn’t been afraid her cousin would think she’d gone a little crazy. But she didn’t mind a bit. She loved everything she’d bought and couldn’t wait to get dolled up for Doc.
All in all, it had been a great day.
She’d never had a woman to shop with before or to advise her on fashion and style. And Jenna had been such a good sport. She’d never once made Tammy feel like a bumbling fool when it came to feminine apparel. Instead, she’d complimented her hair, her eyes, her shape...
And even though Tammy had always been a bit embarrassed by her large breasts, she was actually beginning to see them as real assets now.
Okay, so having Doc clearly zero in on her womanly endowments when he’d examined her shoulder and sensing his reaction had been pretty convincing in and of itself.
When she and Jenna finally returned to the Flying B, the bags and boxes filling the cab of the ranch pickup, they saw that Doc had arrived.
Tammy’s heart soared at the sight of him. He was standing near the driver’s door of his truck, and she hoped that he was coming and not going.
When Jenna shut off the engine, Tammy nearly left her purchases in the truck so she could speak to Doc before he drove off or went into the house. But she didn’t want to appear too eager to see him.
Instead, she reined in her enthusiasm the best she could and calmly reached for the bags.
“Here, let me get some of those,” Jenna said.
“Thanks.” Still, Tammy took several of the corded handles in each hand. As she shut the passenger door, Doc approached.
“I was going to ask how your shoulder was doing,” he said, “but I can see that it must not be giving you too much trouble.”
Tammy’s cheeks warmed, but she managed to toss him a breezy smile. “Actually, Jenna’s carrying the heavy stuff. But I’m doing okay. Thanks for asking.”
“You’re wearing makeup,” he said.
Just a bit of mascara. But thank goodness he hadn’t seen her before. While at one of the department stores, Tammy and Jenn
a had stopped by a cosmetics counter, where one of the clerks had applied all kinds of stuff to her face, making her look like a clown.
Well, Jenna hadn’t agreed with that assessment. But when Tammy had peered in the mirror and seen all that stuff around her eyes and the heavy coat of red lipstick, she’d gone into the nearest ladies’ room afterward and washed most of it off.
Now she wished she hadn’t.
“I like it,” Doc said. “It makes your eyes sparkle.”
The compliment and the way he smiled at her sent her senses scampering in a hundred different directions. She managed to utter a thank-you, but she had a feeling that most of the “sparkle” came from her excitement at seeing him again.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he said, nodding toward the house. “I need to go inside.” Then he headed for the front porch, leaving Tammy completely awestruck and speechless.
“No wonder you wanted to pick up some new clothes,” Jenna said.
Huh? Tammy turned to her cousin, who sported a knowing grin. Then she blew out a sigh. “Is it that obvious?”
“You might as well be wearing a neon sign.”
That’s what Tammy had been afraid of. But why pretend otherwise, especially when Jenna had been so cool about the shopping trip and so fun to spend the morning with? “I hate to admit it, but I’m afraid you’re right. I’m flat-out smitten with him.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“I’m not sure. But I’d love some advice if you have any to spare. I was raised around men. So I’ve always felt more comfortable about them, especially when it comes to working on the ranch and shooting the breeze. But Doc is different.”
Jenna smiled. “You’re a beautiful woman, Tammy. All you need is a little makeover. Come on. Let’s go to my room. I’ll show you how easy it is to turn a cowgirl into a knockout.”
“I’m not so sure about that. But I’d be happy to snag his attention.”
Okay, so if truth be told, she wanted to snag a whole lot more than his attention. But that, she feared, would take a miracle.
Tammy followed Jenna into her bedroom, where they laid the bags and boxes on the bed.
“Why don’t you slip out of those clothes,” Jenna said. “We’ll find a new outfit for you to wear.”
As Tammy undressed, she fought the urge to cover her breasts with her arms. But Jenna didn’t seem to notice her insecurity.
“Take off those granny panties and the bra, too,” Jenna said, as she reached for the glossy pink bag with a gold cord handle and candy-striped tissue.
“Why?” Tammy asked. “Who’s going to know what I have on underneath?”
“You are. And just the awareness of those sexy undergarments will put a sway in your steps.” Jenna reached into the bag and pulled out the skimpy panties and bra she’d encouraged Tammy to purchase earlier. “Slip these on.”
“Okay,” Tammy said, “but I’m not sure it’ll make a difference.”
Minutes later, Tammy had to admit that the delicate black satin and lace made all the difference in the world.
“Dang,” she said, studying her image in the mirror. “I can’t believe that’s me.”
“And neither will Doc, even if you cover those undies with that slinky black dress we bought at Becky’s Boutique.”
After Tammy slipped into the garment, Jenna zipped the back. “Next comes the hair.”
“We don’t have time to do much with it,” Tammy said. “I don’t want to be fussing over myself too long. What if Doc leaves before he gets a chance to see the new me?”
“It won’t take long.”
With that, Jenna removed the rubber band that held Tammy’s hair in a ponytail, letting it fall over her shoulders and down her back.
“While the curling iron heats, I’ll fiddle with your makeup.”
“Don’t make me look like a clown,” Tammy said. “I’d die if Doc laughed at me.”
“He won’t laugh. I promise.”
For some reason, Tammy believed her cousin, trusting her in a way she’d never trusted another woman before.
Tammy had secretly yearned for a mother’s love—or at least, to have another female around who understood why she sometimes got weepy during certain times of the month. Or why men could be so hard-headed and stubborn.
But working with her dad and brothers on the ranch didn’t give her much time to make friends or to socialize, which had always been okay with her. At least, that’s what she’d told herself over the years. But now she wasn’t so sure.
“You know,” Tammy said, “sometimes I really missed not having a sister or a mom.”
Jenna reached for a tube of lipstick. “What happened to your mother?”
“She died in a car accident. My dad raised me and my two older brothers single-handedly, so I learned early on how to make it in a man’s world. But I didn’t realize that not having any women in my life would also leave me at a big disadvantage.”
As Jenna worked her magic with the makeup, Tammy added, “Growing up on a ranch had its benefits, of course. Not many men can best me as a cowhand.”
Jenna smiled. “I can see how that would happen.”
Could she? Tammy wished the girls at school would have been as open-minded.
For some reason, she felt the need to share her vulnerability with Jenna, which was a real first. She usually kept things like that close to the vest. But after the time she’d spent with Jenna today—and now with the makeover—she had a feeling she could trust her cousin not to laugh or hold her struggles and insecurities against her.
“When I was a kid,” Tammy said, venturing out on a shaky limb, “people called me Tam-boy.” She didn’t mention how badly the taunts had hurt.
Jenna stepped aside to allow Tammy a chance to sneak a peek in the mirror. “No one will be calling you that now.”
Oh, wow. Tammy blinked, then studied the vaguely familiar yet stunning brunette who peered back at her. “I can’t believe it. I don’t even look like me anymore.”
“That clerk at the makeup counter was way too heavy-handed,” Jenna said. “All you need is a subtle amount to highlight those eyes and your lips. What do you think?”
“I’m amazed at the change. But are you sure I don’t look like a vamp or a tramp or a seductress or...”
Jenna laughed. “Don’t be silly. No one would ever mistake you for anything other than a beautiful woman with a pure heart. And Doc would have to be dead or blind not to sit up and take notice.”
“Okay. Maybe you’re right. But those changes are all on the outside. I’m still the same person on the inside. How do I act? What do I say?”
“Just be yourself.” Jenna, who was standing behind Tammy now, caught her gaze through the mirror. Then she placed both hands on Tammy’s shoulders and smiled. “Just don’t sell yourself short. Get to know Doc. Make sure he’s the right one for you—and that he’s not just another handsome face.”
“What do you mean?”
“Make sure he has all the qualities you’re looking for in a man.”
Jenna made it sound as if Tammy had been hunting for a boyfriend or a mate for ages, when she’d just kind of stumbled on Doc and found herself considering romance for the first time in her life.
“I never gave the whole dating thing much thought before laying eyes on Doc,” Tammy admitted.
“Well, if you keep dressing like a woman instead of a cowhand, you’d better start thinking about the future—and what you’re looking for in a man—because you’re going to have more male attention than you can shake a stick at.”
“Have you?” Tammy asked. “I mean, have you given a man’s qualities much thought?”
“You bet I have. I’ve even made a list. And if a guy doesn’t have every one of those qualities, I don’t bother
going out a second time.”
“That’s amazing.” Tammy returned her cousin’s grin.
“Life is too short to waste it on the wrong man.”
Tammy thought about that for a moment, then broke into another grin. “I’d make a list, too, but it would just have three little words on it.”
“What words would that be?”
“Doctor Michael Sanchez.”
They shared a full-on laugh—two women, two friends, both on the same page. And it felt good for a change. Darn good. Where had this cousin been all her life? Why couldn’t she have gotten to know Jenna when they were both younger?
Because of the family feud, that’s why. Thank God Tex was hoping to end it all.
“Come on,” Jenna said. “Let’s go out in the living room. Doc will be leaving soon, and I can’t wait to hear what he has to say about the new you.”
Neither could Tammy. She’d give anything to turn Doc’s heart on end.
And if she could manage to walk in those crazy high heels without falling flat on her face and making a complete fool of herself, she’d be over the moon.
* * *
As Mike removed his stethoscope and placed it in his medical bag, he realized Tex was growing weaker each day. He’d also need a change in his pain medication, since he’d been feeling nauseated lately, which was a side effect of the narcotic he was taking. Mike had been holding off on prescribing morphine, but he couldn’t wait any longer. The man’s pain was clearly getting worse.
According to Tex, the family meeting was scheduled for Sunday, when the last of his relatives—two grandsons—would be at the ranch. Mike hoped the old man would be coherent and strong enough to say all he wanted to say.
“I’ll stop by and see you again tomorrow,” he told the dying rancher, “but if you need anything before then, give me a call.”
“I will. Thanks, Doc.”
As Mike opened the bedroom door and let himself out, he headed down the long, narrow hallway. When he reached the living room, he spotted a petite brunette peering out the window and into the yard. She wore a pair of high heels and a slinky black dress that clung to her curves.
