“Just don’t break the bank for us, okay?”
His only response was a crooked grin and a quick glance in the mirror. When she looked back, Troy was grinning like a loon out the window.
“What?” she asked.
Troy looked at her with innocent green eyes. “Huh?”
She looked at Tank, and he just grinned and patted her hand. “You have a good time visiting with all of the ladies? Did you get to see the baby?”
“They’re fine. It was nice getting to see Grandma Kate and to meet her daughters-in-law. Callie Beth is adorable, of course. She’s so little,” she said, holding up two cupped hands to demonstrate her size, and a wave of longing came over her. “And so precious. She reminded me of when Bella was born.”
“You mean me?” Bella called from the back seat. “I was that liddle? She’s so cuuuute! Can I have a baby sister, Mama? Or maybe a baby brother? Rose Marie said Grant is a good liddle bubba. He lets her rope him an’ everything!”
Tank chuckled when Jessica laughed and a snort came out. She looked behind her and caught Troy high-fiving Bella. “Maybe one of these days, sweetie. What’s going on back there?” she asked.
Bella adopted her ultra-innocent look, lifted her hands in confusion, evidently failed to come up with an appropriate response, and then pointed at Troy.
Clever Troy said, “Mama, we’re trying to play the quiet game and you’re messin’ it up.”
“You’re up to something. I have mommy radar, and I can tell.”
They looked at her with stonewall muteness, and Troy pantomimed locking his lips and throwing the key over his shoulder. Bella just scrunched up her shoulders, swept her hands upward, and blinked wide innocent eyes at her.
* * * *
Brian Dornan’s heart was in his throat as he slid the envelope across the table to Jessica after the waitress left to fill their drink orders.
Although he knew it was unreasonable, he felt self-conscious sitting with them in the nice restaurant they’d agreed to meet him at. He yanked at his collar, which suddenly felt snug.
No one is staring, honey. And stop, you look fine, I promise. Her touch was so light on his shoulder that if it wasn’t for the accompanying warmth, he might’ve assumed it was just a slight muscle twitch.
“What’s this?” Jessica asked as she looked down at the unassuming white rectangle, blank on the front except for her name written in his chicken scratch.
He nodded at the envelope. “Something that I hope will help you out, maybe with schoolin’ for Bella or for a house. It’s rightfully yours…after everything you went through. I want you to have it.”
Jessica’s smooth brow wrinkled, but she still favored her daughter with a smile when Bella began singing softly to herself, swaying side to side. “I’ll fly away, oh Dory…”
He had to smile, too, but for a completely different reason. His mom, in her own special way, was helping to distract Bella while they talked.
“I don’t understand,” Jessica said as her hand hovered over the envelope.
“Open it,” Brian said. “There’s no strings attached—none at all. This is my way of doing all I can to make what happened right. Nothing can give you back what you lost, but this could really help you going forward,” he said as she finally lifted the envelope and peeked under the flap at the contents. Her eyelids flipped open wide, but she quickly covered the reaction and closed the envelope, placing her hand over it like she was afraid it was going to sprout wings and fly away. “Where did this come from?”
This was the tricky part because Bella was sitting there and little pitchers, even sweet innocent ones like her, had big ears. He doubted Jessica had ever told her young daughter that her mother had been abducted, that she’d been used most foully and for a long period of time, and that she herself was a child of rape. No child ever needed to know such things.
This is going to make it all right, honey. I know her. She’s going to make all of this into something good. You’ll see. I’ll fly away, oh glory…
“Miss Jessica, that house…you remember the one? Well, that house was on my father’s land. When my father passed away, he left the land and everything on it to me. Trevor was a drifter, just squatting there, which is why my father left it to me. He didn’t trust Trevor not to squander the family inheritance. Anyhow, I’ve got my own place, which I paid for with my own money. I had no use for the land or the dwellings on it, so I sold it recently. That’s the proceeds from the sale.” He nodded at the envelope.
She glanced at her daughter. “I can’t take this. I don’t want anything to do with that house or the land. This feels like…blood money,” she mouthed the last two words silently.
“You can. You can take it and make it into something good. Clean.”
If she had any idea what his father and Trevor had been like, she’d know the truth of her statement. He couldn’t stand to step foot on the family “ranch,” or so his father had called it, because of all the memories of abuse it held. The fact that the proceeds were such a sizable amount was the only reason he’d held off long enough to get to know her before giving it to her. If she hadn’t been the upstanding person she’d turned out to be, or if she’d just-flat out refused the money, he’d have just signed it over to charity, in order to be done with it once and for all. Doing this now felt right to him, and his mother had given her wholehearted agreement. She saw things in people he couldn’t, and she knew these two ladies very well.
Jessica slid the envelope until it was in front of Tank and Troy, and she removed her hand from it so they could look.
He’d been so excited to go into the bank to have them print up that cashier’s check for him. Jessica deserved this. More than deserved it. It was owed to her, and he’d gladly pay the debt. But he dreaded the thought of invoking memories she’d just as soon forget, especially in a public place, and regretted inviting himself to dinner. He should’ve just brought the check over that night and been done with it, in private.
Tank flipped the envelope open with one hand and glanced at the cashier’s check inside, whistled softly in wonder, and then tilted it so Troy could see it.
His jaw dropped. “How many acres did your father own?”
Brian thought back to the paperwork he’d signed at the title company. “One hundred and fifty acres. It’s all there in the paperwork, along with the paperwork to transfer fifty percent of the mineral rights to Jessica. My grandfather bought it cheap when he was young…a long time ago. My father added on to it a time or two and added a barn. I might’ve gotten more, but the land was mostly undeveloped except for the barn and some other outbuildings. The house was worth more in old scrap lumber than it was as a dwelling. People like buying old weathered wood for projects these days. I had it torn down, sold the usable wood to a dealer, and burned the rest.”
“Good,” she said firmly. Knowing that seemed to settle her some, and he was glad he’d told her.
She looked at the envelope and then at him. “You don’t want it? The mineral rights might be handy if they ever find oil on the property.”
“No. I got my own place. It’s paid for, and I live simply. In my experience, money corrupts the men in my family. Maybe the ladies will have better luck with it.” He glanced at Bella and then back at Jessica and smiled at her. “If you’d be all right with me considering you family.”
Jessica braced her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her palm. For a second she didn’t speak, but then she smiled at him. “I think that’d be just fine, Brian.”
The unmerited favor of her smile lifted a burden from his shoulders. “Thank you, ma’am.”
See, honey? What’d I tell you? She’s family, and we take care of family.
“No more calling me ‘ma’am,’ okay, Brian? You can call me Jessica.”
“Thanks, Jessica. So you’ll accept it?”
“Yes,” she said, slipping the envelope into her purse as the waitress delivered a tray with drinks and chips and salsa to their
table. “And I know exactly what I’m going to do with it, too.”
The waitress smiled at them as she delivered drinks to each person, smiled at him when he thanked her, and then took out her pad. “What can I get for you folks tonight? The ribeye and salad is on special, and I’m hearing that’s it’s to die for.”
This is one of those times when I kind of miss not eating anymore.
He chuckled, mostly to himself, so as not to look foolish. Mama, you’re such a card.
“What’ll you have, sir?” the waitress asked, and he realized it was his turn to place an order.
“I’ll have the special, medium rare, with bleu cheese dressing on the salad, please.”
The waitress smiled again and nodded. “Would you like some bleu cheese crumbled on your steak, too?”
Lord, have mercy. That sounds delectable.
He grinned and nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I sure would.”
She nodded and a blush filled her cheeks when she glanced up at him again. “Got it. That’s my favorite way to have it, too.” She collected the menus and hurried off to deliver their order to the kitchen, her blonde ringlets bouncing with every step. She sure was pretty. All the women in Divine were.
As if accepting the topic of the inheritance was settled, Tank changed the subject. “Jack Warner heard you fixed some equipment for Chance and Clayton Carlisle. He was wondering, if you have a chance, would you mind checking out an old tractor he’s got at the ranch? It was the one his dad used to use. He’s got a newer one, but he’d like to put the other to use, as well, if he can.”
“Sure, I can.”
Troy cleared his throat and in a low tone said, “We haven’t heard any more about Four Bits. No one’s seen him around town. Have you heard from your brother?”
Brian shook his head. “I make a point of checking my answering machine messages every night. There’s been no calls. And it’s the prison switchboard that calls for him, and they won’t usually wait to leave a message. I know I’m a little behind the times and probably ought to get the number transferred into a cell phone. There just wasn’t time.”
“I can help you with that, if you’d like. There’s a cell phone store right around the corner from my office.”
“I’d appreciate that, Jessica. Did Chance tell you that I encountered Ace Webster and Kemp Whittier the other day?”
Tank’s eyebrows lifted. “No. How did that go?”
Brian chuckled. “I saw them staring at me, and at first I got worried maybe they were with Four Bits. They got out of this big black SUV, and I thought they were gonna pull weapons or chase me or somethin’. But Ace called out, ‘Brian Dornan?’ When I walked right up and held out my hand, for a second, he looked like he didn’t know what to do.”
“That’s mostly my fault. Last time I talked to them, I told them we needed to locate you, after that last time you called Jessica. Remember the night I answered her phone?”
“Hard to forget, Tank. I thought you were gonna reach through the phone and rip out my windpipe.” It felt good to chuckle about it and have a good time with them, and he finished telling them about the two big scary-looking dudes, who’d looked inclined to hang him by his ankles off the tallest building in town until he told them what they wanted to know.
The evening progressed on a definite positive note when the pretty waitress delivered their steaks, and they were done to absolute perfection.
He didn’t say anything about it because it was the Carlisles’ business, but Chance and Clayton had offered him a permanent job, and given what he had seen of the community and the people, and the really pretty and hopefully single women, he was of a mind to at least consider the offer. The Texas Hill Country sure was pretty, and besides, it’d be nice to be near family.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Troy finished buckling the closure on his kilt and turned side to side, looking at his reflection and straightening the folds of the loose shirt that he wore with it.
“Not bad. Not bad,” he muttered as he gave the reflection a critical once-over. Charity had suggested that he let his dark red beard grow in until it was just a short scruff. He’d let her have her way since he and Tank had shut her down about going regimental. Wasn’t happenin’, not with Jessica in the picture. He wasn’t willing to even joke about it.
“Help me with this,” Tank said as he handed him the black combat boot. “I can’t see the knot to untie it.”
Troy squinted as he picked at the tight knot and said, “Maybe you need to have your eyes checked. Might as well let Jess know because you can be sure the first time she sees you squint, she’ll have you in for an appointment.”
“I know,” he grumbled. “Same goes for you, although I wouldn’t mind if she was the one who did the exam. You’re sure we shouldn’t wear our good shoes? I cleaned mine up—”
“No. I already asked. The ladies were very specific about us wearing the boots, laced up and neat. We’re supposed to match.”
“Okay,” Tank grumbled as he took the untied boot back. “Feels weird doing this when it’s not for Jess.”
“It is. Try not to look at it that way.”
“We’re being auctioned off for a date.”
“Worried about your virtue?” Troy quipped.
“No, I’m worried about her feelings. She’s doing her best to see this as being for a good cause. But you remember how it was at the last Highland Games we competed at. We only thought some of those women were bold. With all that online #gingerhotties bullshit, they’re going to be at least a few kilt inspectors in the crowd tonight. I’m wearing my warmest thickest underwear.”
“You’re gonna get hot. Just wear some black snug ones like I did. We need to hurry up and get over there.”
Tank nodded, and five minutes later, he was fastening the brooch on the plaid he wore over one shoulder as they were walking out the door. The Drummond family crest on the brooch was appropriate. Gang Warily. They were a trifle more than wary going into this event.
Troy was partly disappointed that Jessica wasn’t at home. She’d left earlier to drop Bella off at the Divine Creek Ranch for the first night of the charity fundraiser weekend. She was helping Cassie and Ivan of Divine Drip as a server for the dinner that went along with the night’s activities, a live auction, and the double bachelor auction. She’d looked good enough to eat in her snug black slacks, and her basic white long-sleeved shirt had been anything but basic, hugging her curves and accentuating the fullness at the bodice. Their woman was some kind of sexy even in a basic waitress uniform.
Both of them were understandably nervous because word had gone around like crazy about the event, and now every hotel in the county was packed to the rafters. Troy knew they couldn’t possibly all be there to bid on the auction, but he’d heard from Lydia that the dinner was completely sold out of tickets, and they could only fit so many people in the fairgrounds civic center. The last he’d heard, they were considering moving the auction out to the dance slab in the show barns near the rodeo arena. They could probably fit an additional three or four hundred bodies out there. He hadn’t considered what that would be like until now.
Tank looked at him and grinned. “Now you’re overthinking, too. I wish Jessica was here.”
“Me, too. Least she could check us out first that way. Make sure we look okay.”
Tank shook his head. “Next thing we’ll be braiding each other’s hair and talking about our feelings. Let’s just get this over with.”
Troy took deep breaths and let them out slowly. Either they’d raise a lot of money tonight, thanks to Mom and her video, or they chickened out and hid at home.
There was a line of traffic slowing entry into the fairgrounds parking lot, and Tank made a grumbling noise when they saw how full the parking lot was.
People were everywhere, especially women. There were cars with writing in the windows, with sayings like, I’m not leaving without my #gingerhotties and #gingerhottiesrule!
Troy pointed at a big
red truck that had Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy written on it. “There, see? It’s not just us, son.”
Tank chuckled. “I believe that’s Gwen Alvarez’s rig.”
“Nah!”
“Yeah, she’s just trying to even things out.” Troy pulled into a spot at the back of the parking lot. Tank looked at him across the opened vehicle as they adjusted everything and girded their loins for the night ahead.
“We’re like pieces of meat, damn it.”
“Don’t show fear, Tank. Look ’em in the eye. Dazzle them.” He was saying it to himself as much as he was to his blood brother.
“Dazzle them?” Tank asked as they made their way through rows of parked vehicles. “Where’s Jessica right now?”
Troy adjusted his plaid and cocked his cap as the big civic center building with its wall of dark-tinted windows came into their line of sight. “Probably helping out in the kitchen, but there’s not much time left before we’re supposed to meet backstage for rehearsal.”
“That’s another thing,” Tank groused. “Why do we have to rehearse? All we’re doing is walking up and down the stage.”
Faces in the large crowd outside the doors turned in their direction. Get a hold of yourself, man. You’re a fucking Army Ranger.
“They’ve spotted us. Keep it dignified.”
“Unless they give chase?”
“Then run like hell for the rear entrance. Don’t forget your cap.”
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Tank growled as he adjusted his cap and plaid for the fifth time.
Troy didn’t mind crowds or social gatherings. He actually tended to thrive in such energizing settings. But thanks to Mom’s innocent little video and viral social media, they had some special circumstances that he really didn’t want anyone to know about.
Breathe. This is supposed to be fun.
* * * *
Lydia waved Jessica down and said, “I just saw Troy’s truck pull into the parking lot. Did you see the crowd outside?”
Operation Ginger Avenger Page 25
