by Tina Leonard
Crockett ate his blueberry pie happily. “I don’t care what the subject is, I am going to have a plate of corn and grilled chicken. So, who’s changing?”
“I’m not changing, exactly,” Valentine said slowly. “I’ve decided to move into town.”
CROCKETT STARED at Valentine. He lost his appetite for the pie he’d been enjoying. He’d known this would happen. From the beginning, he had realized that romancing Valentine could seriously backfire, and if it did, she would move away from the ranch.
But it wasn’t going to be his problem, he decided. If that’s what she wanted, fine. Putting his napkin on the table, he stared at her.
Last was silent, too, which surprised him.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Crockett demanded of Last.
“What?” Last asked defensively. “Does it matter?”
Well, hell, yeah, it mattered. Mimi had moved to town, and that had done nothing for Mason’s ability to keep an eye on her. Of course, Mason would never admit that Mimi needed an eye kept on her, which was the biggest part of the problem. Crockett’s moose-headed brother hadn’t realized that sometimes a woman made poor decisions based upon her heart.
So did men, but most of the time they were more logical. “I think it should matter to you,” Crockett said slowly. “That’s your baby who lives on this Jefferson ranch.”
“I can hardly be upset,” Last said, cutting himself a piece of pie. “Dessert first, and then dinner, right?” He beamed at Valentine. “Whenever I’m around your baking, all I want to do is eat.”
Valentine smiled, sitting down across from him and taking the knife from his hand. She cut his piece of pie, put it on a plate, then handed it to him. “Eat slowly,” she said. “Those are awesome blueberries. I got them at a farmer’s market, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to get more of that variety.”
Crockett looked at his plate, confused. She hadn’t cut his piece! She hadn’t given him explicit instructions on how to draw out the gastronomic pleasure!
“Excuse me,” Crockett said. “I believe my powers of focus are sharpening just by sitting next to you. Did you say you can hardly be upset that your child who bears the name of Jefferson is moving off Jefferson land?”
Sighing, Last put down his fork. “Crockett, I’ve been gone for a couple of weeks. Believe it or not, there’s something very liberating about being away from Malfunction Junction.”
“Liberating?” Crockett thought his ears were going to pop off his head.
Mimi laughed. “Crockett, you’re turning the color of that blueberry sauce. Do you need sun-screen?”
None of this conversation suited him. He really felt that his brother should step up to a different plate and take care of his responsibilities. If Valentine was his woman, she wouldn’t be going anywhere.
This was her home. Hers and Annette’s.
“Where are you thinking about moving?” Mimi asked.
“I like your setup. You’re close to town, in a small abode.”
“It’s nice,” Mimi admitted. “Not so much housecleaning.”
“I’ll clean your house,” Crockett said. “I did offer to be your house husband.”
Last turned to him. “What the hell is that?”
Crockett glared at his brother. “I offered to babysit Annette.”
“And I thank you,” Valentine said earnestly. “But in town, near my bakery, Annette won’t need a babysitter. She’ll be with me, and when she wants to play, there are other children in town. Other mothers my age. Especially when the Lonely Hearts girls move to town next weekend.”
Crockett stared, his heart beginning to race. She had thought this plan through. This wasn’t just something she was saying to needle him—er, Last.
“You know,” Last said, “though you seem to think I’m dropping the ball by not trying to convince her to stay, you must have dropped a really big ball if she’s not dying to live three feet away from you. I mean, usually women are throwing themselves at us. This one, like Mimi, has decided to move away. Best you look to your own method.”
Well, that was a fine howdy-doody, Crockett thought. Last’s baby and the baby’s mother were moving away, and he, Crockett, was the fall guy.
They all looked at him expectantly.
He’d never considered that Valentine might miss the company of other women. Living in town would be a lot better for Annette, actually—but that didn’t mean he liked it.
“I could plan to be around to help you move your stuff,” Last said, and Crockett blew a fuse.
“Jeffersons stay on Jefferson land,” he said.
Last laughed. “Bull. The only Jefferson brothers left here are Mason and you. Well, Calhoun, but he doesn’t count, because he’s got his own family down at his house, and heaven knows you don’t go down there often because you got your pride stirred up over artistic differences. Bandera, who knows when he’s going to stop floating around in the sky or where he’ll settle. That leaves Valentine living on a ghost ranch.”
An arrow of remorse buried itself deeply in Crockett’s chest. Did no one care that the old ways were disappearing? Everything was going the wrong way, including Valentine. She should have wanted to say yes to his proposal and she should want to live on this fine ranch.
Anger overrode his better judgment. “I get it,” he said, standing, “this is all my fault. You and I smooched a little, spent a little time together—which I knew was a bad idea—and now you’re going to leave me here to stew in my own juices.”
“Bro, I really don’t think this is about you,” Last said, his tone warning.
“Just go on then,” Crockett said to Valentine. “Just go. Get off the ranch, if you want to so badly.”
Last stood, stepping away from the bench. “Crockett, shut your mouth.”
“I shouldn’t have done it. I asked you to marry me, and you didn’t want to, and now you’re running away from me. Fine.” Crockett stood, too, and the two brothers glared at each other eye to eye.
“Don’t talk to Valentine that way,” Last said.
“That seems funny coming from you, Last, since you spent the first several months she was here wearing a Mohawk and an earring and avoiding your fatherly duties.”
Valentine stood between them. She pushed them apart, and then turned to Crockett. “There are many reasons a woman wants change. In this case, it’s absolutely imperative that a lot of things in my life be different.”
Crockett stared down at her, wondering what he’d done to make her decide to pull up roots. Why would she leave him?
“Was it so very bad?” he asked, his heart paining him.
“It was so very good,” she said. “I wanted to be loved. I still do. But that’s not what you’re offering. And now there’s going to be more of me to love. I really have to keep my priorities straight.”
“I don’t care how plump you get,” Crockett said. “Anybody who works in a bakery is going to put on a pound or two. But Valentine, your booty’s always been the best part of you.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. Crockett, I’m having a baby.”
Chapter Fifteen
Crockett stared at Valentine, dimly aware that Mimi and Last were walking away. There was an emotional boulder sitting on Crockett’s chest and something buzzing loudly in his brain. “Baby?”
She nodded. “It’s very early, but yes.”
“Mine. We’re having a baby.”
She nodded again. “We didn’t use any protection that night. Honestly, I assumed I was at the right place in my cycle.”
He didn’t know what to say. Half of him wanted to jump up and down and shout. But the other half was cautious. In spite of this good news, she was moving farther away—from him.
“I’m confused,” he said finally. “Why are you moving into town?”
“I already told you.”
“But I have offered to take care of you.”
Valentine took a deep breath. “Crockett, unfortunately
, having a baby doesn’t change the fundamental problems between us. We’re friends, and if you don’t love me, then we can’t be anything more.”
“I think we’re past friendship if we’re having a baby.” He felt very cross about the friendship notion.
“Last and I are friends. And perhaps if you’d understood that in the beginning—”
“I am allowed a bit of familial jealousy,” Crockett said. “It didn’t really have anything to do with you.”
“It had everything to do with me. I understood that Last was a bit possessive of his child—”
“But now I’m having a child, and it’s my turn to be possessive, and I don’t want you moving to town!” He told himself to calm down. “I realize I am probably not saying this properly, but my child should live on this ranch where his heritage is.”
“I’ve picked out the cutest little townhouse next to Mimi’s,” she said.
“Mimi is such a bad influence! She always has been,” Crockett grumbled. Sitting down, he drummed his fingers on the table. “I am having a baby,” he said. “Me, Crockett Jefferson. I am going to be a father.” He perked up. “Hey, I will always be able to celebrate Father’s Day!”
Valentine sat across from him. “Now you want it to be Father’s Day instead of Man’s Day?”
“None of us liked thinking about Father’s Day before,” he said. “Because of Maverick.”
Valentine’s lips parted, in a way he greatly appreciated. “I never thought about that,” she said. “Of course Father’s Day wouldn’t have the happiest of memories for you guys.”
“Well, we have happy memories. But we can’t get away from the fact that we never knew what happened to our father. We appreciated the fact that you were living in the present, Valentine. Now I will always smile on Father’s Day. I cannot wait to hold my own bundle of joy.”
He felt tears pop into his eyes as he thought about it. Had Maverick felt this way? He remembered his father’s firm hands guiding him along a path of steadfast love and companionship. “I’m going to be a helluva dad,” he said. “I’ve got to brush up on my Latin.” He gave her a sideways glance. “You sure you don’t want to get married?”
“I’m not sure about anything. I can’t believe I’m pregnant again.”
“Are you happy?” Despite the snarl in their relationship, Crockett really wanted her to be happy about the baby.
“Even though it wasn’t in my plan, I am. And I hope it’s a little brother for Annette.” She bit her lip, then smiled at him. “I hope it’s a boy who is just like you.”
“You’ll give me compliments, but you won’t take my ring.” He sighed.
“You’re a good man, Crockett, and you take your responsibilities very seriously, whether it’s saving Last or saving me. I just don’t want to be a responsibility.”
“I don’t have to break anything to save you,” he said, feeling a bit annoyed.
“I have a present for you,” Valentine said.
“Twins?”
She laughed. “No.”
“Oh. Because I don’t think you can give me anything better than a baby.”
In front of him, she placed a cowboy cookie with his name on it. It wore chaps, spurs and a huge hat. “He’s got his heart,” Crockett observed.
“A big one, too. This is my new design,” she said proudly. “I created super-cookie-glue. I’m very proud of it. And it’s tasty.”
“This is a very studly cookie. You’re going to sell a ton of these, especially for bachelor parties and holidays. I can’t eat it, though, because I’m going to keep it.”
“I made a design for every brother, and the kids. At Christmas, the family will have matching stockings and personalized cookies.”
He wanted to cry. “Valentine, you are part of this ranch. You need to stay here.”
“Cowboy, you do not handle change well.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t think I’ll fit into a townhouse too well.”
“Fit?” she asked, her brow raised.
“Fit,” he said with a nod. “With this baby, our relationship has moved into a brand-new phase. Neither friendship nor commitment.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, laughing.
“It means whither goes my baby, so go I. Or in simpler terms, I’m going to stick on you like this heart on this cookie. If I have to use your super-cookie-glue to keep you stuck to me, then I will steal your secret recipe. That’s the new plan,” he said. “Change is just a matter of being willing to change again. And I think I’m going to like you introducing change into my life.”
SO THIS WAS A JEFFERSON in hot pursuit, Valentine thought, as she carried a plastic container of muffins into her bakery. Crockett held the door open for her, not allowing her to carry anything that weighed more than eight ounces. “Thank you,” she said, “although may I just say that I’m only a few weeks pregnant, and I’m not exactly high risk, either.”
“And you shouldn’t become risky,” he said cheerfully. “Now, let’s go see this cute little townhouse you picked out.”
She sighed. “Shouldn’t you be resting your leg?”
“Not bothering me a bit.”
“All right. But first I need to take down the Man’s Day sign on the bakery.”
“Every man in town appreciated you celebrating them,” Crockett said, “but in the future, you’re only going to celebrate me.”
She frowned at him. “Excuse me, have I met this pigheaded side of you before?”
He laughed. “Some ladies would call it romantic.”
She pulled out a ladder. He sprang to take it from her. “No more of this for you.” Frowning, he said, “I wonder if being in a bakery all day around hot ovens is good for your pregnancy.”
“Crockett!” Valentine glared at him. “You are swiftly becoming a pain.”
“It will get better as you get accustomed to a man helping you.”
“I don’t know. You’re not going to get up on that ladder with a hurt leg, are you? I put the sign up, I can take it down.”
“I have to make certain you’re safe. You have a bun in the oven, you know,” he said cheerfully.
“That was a very sorry, corny attempt at humor.” She put her hands on her hips. “Crockett, I’m not going to like you being stuck to me like glue. I don’t think this Jefferson hot pursuit is my cup of tea. Mimi made it sound like it would be so wonderful, but I think it may be overdone.”
He stared at her, his jaw slack. She could tell he was truly puzzled.
“Excuse me,” a voice said, as the bakery door opened behind her. A tiny wizened face peeked in.
“Come in,” Valentine said. “Welcome.”
“My friends and I were wondering about your sign on the bakery. I’m Helen Granger from Tulips, Texas. This is my friend, Pansy Trifle. Our other friend, Holt—our town hairdresser—is across the street at the Union Junction salon getting some tips from the girls over there.”
Valentine smiled. “What can I do for you?”
“We saw your sign and we wondered what you thought about your Man’s Day,” Pansy said. “Did you enjoy it?”
Valentine looked at Crockett. “Did you?”
“I didn’t think I would,” Crockett said, “but actually, I did.”
Valentine lifted her chin at him. He liked her spirit, he had to admit.
“We think we would like to incorporate a Ladies Only Day in Tulips,” Helen said.
“Maybe monthly,” Pansy said.
“Man’s Day is once a year, which is all I can take,” Crockett said. “But a Ladies Only day is something I’m sure my brothers would love to take part in.”
“Really?” Valentine said to Crockett. “And what would they like about Ladies Only?”
“Well, a person can’t be sexist,” Crockett said. “And it would only make men more curious if there is a town day for ladies. My brothers and I would be there in a snap.”
Helen and Pansy clapped their hands.
Valentine glower
ed at him. “Really?”
“Really,” Crockett assured her. “I mean, what do you think?”
“I think,” Valentine said, “that Mason isn’t the Ladies Only Day type.”
“You have a point,” he said.
“And I would have hoped that you weren’t.”
Ah. She had him there. But the funny thing was, he was enjoying seeing her get her feathers ruffled a little. She wanted to complain about his jealousy and his possessiveness, but it didn’t hurt her at all to wear the shoes he’d been walking in. “I think Ladies Only Day is a fabulous idea,” he told Helen and Pansy. “If you decide to institute it, Valentine will supply the baked goods.”
Valentine glared at him.
“I will happily deliver the baked goods to Tulips for you. We’re going to love taking part. Aren’t we, Valentine?” he asked with a grin.
VALENTINE HAD BEEN giving him the silent treatment ever since he’d given her a slight tweaking about Ladies Only Day. She also hadn’t been pleased when he’d climbed up the ladder and torn down her Man’s Day sign. She didn’t need to be on a ladder, but she had insisted he was the one who shouldn’t be climbing anything.
He had to admit, it had been risky. But his leg or his baby—hands down, he’d rather risk his leg. It was healing nicely, anyway.
About twenty times an hour, he said to himself, I’m going to be a father. It was this wonderful repetition that he would never tire of hearing.
Until he’d met Valentine, he wasn’t aware of his own longings for a child.
What she didn’t know was that he’d developed an even stronger, more intense longing—for her. She thought she was getting away from him, but in fact, she was going to run right into his arms. This girl was tricky, he knew, with her pear-shaped bottom and her scared heart. She’d turned him down because she’d thought he was pharmacologically-impaired, according to Mimi. And his brother had skewed her trust in relationships.
But her rejection didn’t bother him so much now that he knew the truth. He was in love with her. And she needed him, really needed him, and he was going to convince her that he needed her, too.
Today, he was helping her move her things into the cute little townhouse. It wasn’t big—he felt as if he might bump his head every time he moved—but he had a plan for that, too.
