by Iris Abbott
Jackson sent her a knowing look but remained silent. His mother stepped forward and grasped Emma’s hand. “It’s lovely to see you again my dear. Thank you for the invitation.” Then she turned her attention to Landon. “Once again congratulations, my boy,” she patted his cheek. “Now if I can just get Jackson to settle down, I’ll be one happy old woman.” She sent a meaningful glance from Jackson to Mandy.
Mandy blushed. If she still harbored the longtime dream of marrying Jackson that look would probably have been the kiss of death. She knew Jackson loved his mother, but that didn’t mean he wanted her shoving marriage worthy women his way. It’s a good thing she’d given up on that dream years ago. The only thing between them now was a good old-fashioned case of physical lust. Maybe not even that since Jackson had managed to avoid her all week.
“Mm something smells good,” Mandy commented in an attempt to take the attention off of her and put it back on the hostess.
Emma took the hint and gave Mandy a quick wink that no one else was able to see. “Dinner’s ready. If everyone would follow Landon into the dining room, I’ll be right out with the food.” She hesitated, “Mandy, I could use a couple of extra hands if you don’t mind.”
Mandy was glad for an excuse to get away from Jackson’s searing gaze. “Certainly, glad I can help,” Mandy enthusiastically accepted Emma’s invitation and followed her into the large modern kitchen.
“So,” Emma turned to Mandy as soon as the two women were alone in the kitchen. “How long have you and Jackson been involved?”
Emma almost dropped the dish of green beans she was lifting from the warmer on the kitchen counter. “He’s a neighbor and my employer nothing more.”
Mandy gave her a knowing look. “Who are you trying to convince with that line, me or yourself? I like to think I’m a very observant person and the way Jackson looks at you makes it obvious he has feelings for you.”
“Sure he does,” Mandy agreed. “He thinks of me as a neighbor and an employee. We’ve never been romantically involved.” She sent Emma a halfhearted smile. The woman offered a warm and friendly smile in return. Emma looked like a good listener, and Mandy really could use a friend right now. Sara Beth was busy with work and had seemed preoccupied the last time Mandy had talked with her on the phone. She decided on the spot that she could open up to Emma and not regret it.
“We have kissed a couple of times since I started working for him.” She shrugged. “Things got a little out of hand both times, but we never actually had sex.” She was willing to confide in Emma, but that didn’t mean she had to completely lay her soul bare to her neighbor. There was no need for Emma to know exactly how mesmerized she’d been by Jackson’s touch.
She let out a ragged sigh. “Look I’m sure you’ve been in Rancher’s Bend long enough to have heard the stories about the wild crush I had on Jackson when I was younger. Mandy stopped a second to compose her thoughts. “Nothing ever came of it. I was more of an embarrassment to Jackson than a potential love interest. He chewed me out, I moved on, and got over it and him. That’s the end of that.”
Emma gave a casual wave of her hand. “That was ages ago. Things change. Look at Landon and me. I crushed on him the entire four years I was in college. He only saw me as the pesky best friend of his much-loved sister. We came together a few months ago because of Lynn’s wedding and look what happened!”
Mandy shrugged her shoulders. Just because Emma and Landon had gotten their happy ending didn’t mean there was one waiting for her and Jackson. “As far as I know nothing has changed. Jackson and I only share a working relationship, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon!” She firmly gripped the serving tray she was carrying and started walking out of the kitchen. “We don’t want to keep everyone waiting, and we don’t want the food to get cold either.”
Mandy made her escape. She was grateful to leave that particular conversation topic back in the kitchen. Though she had to admit it felt good to have someone to confide in. Emma was a great listener, and Mandy felt a little lighter after sharing some of her troubled feelings with her neighbor.
Her better mood and the lighter feeling didn’t last very long. Things got worse as dinner progressed. Not only was Mrs. Walker sending hints her way and Jackson’s, but her mother and even Emma joined in. Mandy refrained from making any comments at all. She didn’t want Jackson to think she had anything to do with this matchmaking extravaganza. They already had enough tension between them at work. If he thought she was going to be chasing him around his desk or the examination room, they’d never be able to work together.
Mandy somehow made it through dinner without saying or doing anything she’d regret. Part of that was because she really hadn’t said anything at all. She’d only nodded and given a few one-word responses throughout the meal. Her mind was too occupied with thoughts of Jackson and the conversation they needed to have. They had to talk, the sooner, the better, but not in front of their respective moms.
Her chance came at the end of the night. Jackson escorted his mom to their car and saw her comfortably seated. Then he sauntered over to the sedan Mandy was driving that night. Mandy’s eyes were drawn to his lazy stride. She audibly gulped. Heat shot through her body, and she knew her cheeks had to be redder than red. It seemed she couldn’t help herself when it came to her body’s reaction to Jackson.
She escaped inside the car. She was glad for the darkened night. Surely no one had noticed the heightened color in her cheeks. Much to her alarm, just as Jackson reached their car to say his goodnights, her mom bolted.
“Sorry Mandy, I left my purse inside. I’ll just go get it right now while Jackson keeps you company.”
“Okay mom,” Mandy agreed. This was her chance to speak with Jackson out of earshot of everyone else. Her mom took off. She was moving faster than Mandy had seen her move in a long time. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Her mother’s matchmaking attempt was so obvious, it was funny.
She turned toward the window and waited for Jackson to arrive. Instead of walking around to her side of the car, he opened the door and slid into the passenger seat that had just been vacated by her mom. “Hey Jackson,” she greeted while trying to form the words she needed to say. She decided it would be best to shoulder the blame, offer an apology, and put the incident behind them for good.
Jackson could hear the uneven quality of her voice. “Mandy, I’m sorry…”
Mandy held up a hand to stop him. “I’m sorry too. Things got out of hand.” She tried to make a joke out of it. “Maybe that cow clipped the side of my head too. Whatever the reason, it won’t happen again.” She shuddered at the thought of how out of control things had been. What if Daniel had barged in on them instead of hammering on the door? She would have never been able to work at Jackson’s clinic again.
Jackson reached out and cupped the side of her face. “Oh, I think it’s definitely going to happen again, just not at work. If we don’t explore whatever this is between us, it’s going to cause problems. That kind of passion doesn’t come along often, and I don’t think it will burn itself out. I’m not willing to walk away without exploring where this could go. What about you?”
Mandy turned away from him and was glad when his hand dropped down. Her hands moved to the steering wheel. She gripped it tight enough that her knuckles turned white. “It’s already causing problems, or did you forget about you and me naked in an examination room with Daniel just on the other side of the door. I would have never gotten over the embarrassment if he’d walked in on us.”
“But he didn’t, and for your sake, I’m glad. That still doesn’t change the intense attraction that is pulling us together. I’m telling you it can’t be ignored.”
Mandy swiveled toward him. “What are you suggesting Jackson? A quick and quiet affair somewhere, until this,” she gestured between them, “whatever it is burns itself out.”
“Yes, no,” Jackson ran a hand through his overlong hair. Something Mandy noticed he did wh
en he was frustrated or agitated. “I don’t know,” he honestly remarked. “I just know we can’t go on like this, but I don’t want you to quit your job either.” Definitely not, the thought of not seeing her as often as possible made his heart race and not in a good way.
Mandy sighed. “I don’t want to stop working for you either, Jackson. But I don’t want some sordid backroom affair either. This is a small town, and people talk. I of all people know that. I don’t want to be the center of gossip ever again.”
“And you think I do!” He threw up his hands in defeat. “You have the next couple of days off. I’m taking you off of the on-call list too. Let’s take some time away from each other. I mean really away from each other, where we’re not consciously trying to avoid each other. That way maybe we can think about this with a clear head, and see how we’re feeling in a few days.”
Mandy saw her mom walk out the front door and start heading their way. “Okay, Jackson. If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”
“I think it’s what we need.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. He could hear her mom talking to his and knew she was on the way back. “It seems like we’re always being interrupted.” He pulled away and opened the door. “I’ll see you Thursday when you come into work.”
“Sure Jackson, goodnight.”
Mandy watched him stop and talk to her mom a few seconds before he disappeared behind the wheel of his SUV. He did have a point. Putting some distance between them might clear her head and help her think. She missed her friends in San Antonio. She’d go visit them for a couple of days. She’d also use some of that time to look deep inside and try to sort through her feelings. Then she’d see how she felt when she returned to Rancher’s Bend and once again came face to face with Jackson.
TEN
Mandy sat in front of the fountain in the courtyard of the Alamo. Each of the four sides was engraved with a name of a defender: Crockett, Bowie, Travis, and Bonham. The fountain was surrounded by lush green plants and was covered in shade thanks to a nearby tree. It was peaceful here, and there was a hushed almost reverent feel in the air. Mandy had visited this place often when she’d lived in San Antonio.
It was her last stop on this latest visit, her last chance to clear her mind before returning to the turmoil of Rancher’s Bend. Thoughts circled in her mind. She really wasn’t getting anywhere. She couldn’t deny the attraction that existed between her and Jackson. Just because it was there didn’t mean it had to be acted on. That was the crux of her problem. She wasn’t into casual affairs and who liked heartbreak, certainly not her.
She took a long look around the courtyard. The fountain and courtyard just weren’t working their magic today. There was too much internal upheaval even for this place to soothe. Mandy was more than a little frightened by that thought because it didn’t bode well for the future.
She got up from the bench and slowly made her way to the exit. Her car was in a nearby parking lot. On the walk to her car, she decided to give Sara Beth a call. Surely her friend needed a break from work, and frankly, Mandy could do with her company. Even if she didn’t feel like talking about Jackson, it would feel good to be with someone who knew about her past with him.
She was due back at the clinic tomorrow morning, but it would only be early evening when she drove into Rancher’s Bend. That left plenty of time for her and Sara Beth to meet at Rancher’s Tonk, the local honky-tonk. They could have a drink, chat a little, and still turn in at a respectable hour. Yep, she liked that idea. Mandy just hoped she could convince her friend to join her.
****
Mandy pushed open the heavy wooden door. The already loud music became deafening when she stepped inside. Well, that was one way to silence the doubt inside her head. It was so loud in the honky-tonk, people would definitely have trouble hearing themselves think. And that was just fine with her.
A couple of rowdy cowboys jostled her on the way past. They both tipped their respective Stetsons and gave her welcoming smiles. She hurried past. They were both sexy, with the kind of fine-tuned body someone used to physical labor sported. Mandy wasn’t surprised to find they did nothing for her. A pair of whiskey brown eyes flashed through her mind. Oh boy, she was in trouble. The only question left for her to answer was what she was going to do about it.
She stood on her tiptoes and glanced past the dance floor where several bodies were mashed together dancing to the latest country ballad to top the charts. She saw Sara Beth sitting at a high table in the back nursing a drink. Mandy couldn’t help but notice that her friend seemed nervous. Her eyes darted around the room from corner to corner. And she seemed to shrink back into the chair as if she didn’t want to be noticed.
Something was definitely going on with Sara Beth. She’d been very quiet since they’d last seen each other there at the honky-tonk. At first, Mandy thought her friend’s troubles were work-related. Now she wasn’t so sure. Maybe she’d be able to get her friend to talk about whatever was bothering her. Heck, it might help Mandy get her mind off of her own troubles.
She waved her arms up in the air. Sara Beth saw the movement, focused, and waved back. Mandy hurried over. Her friend stood, and they gave each other a friendly hug before sitting down. “Wow, I can’t believe how crowded this place is. It’s only the middle of the week.”
Sara Beth shrugged and swirled the liquid in the glass she held in one hand. “I don’t come here often, but from what I hear Rancher’s Tonk is always packed.” She sat the glass down and once again her eyes darted around the room.
“Are you expecting someone else,” Mandy asked.
Sara Beth noticeably flinched. “Not if I can help it, but I don’t want to talk about me. How was your trip to San Antonio?”
“It was nice. I got to catch up with a couple of friends from my college days. I left town to do some thinking, but I don’t think I really got anywhere.”
Sara Beth raised a brow. “Jackson Walker, I presume?”
“You got it in one.” She raised a hand to get the waitress’s attention. She ordered a beer and waited for the waitress to leave before she started talking. “You know how things went down between Jackson and me six years ago.” She shuddered at the thought of what a mess she’d made of things back then. “When I came back to town I had no idea I’d end up working for him. And I would have never in a million years guessed he would be as attracted to me as I am to him.”
Sara Beth took a slow sip of the amber liquid in her glass. “What’s the problem? Six years ago, you would have done anything to get Jackson’s attention.”
“That’s the point. I was a mess back then, and I don’t want to go back to that place. Just because there is a mutual attraction now doesn’t make it right.” She sighed and then took a sip of the beer that had just been delivered to their table. I really can’t afford for things to go sour between us. “We work together. He saved my family ranch and...”
“He’s coming this way,” Sara Beth informed her.
“What!” Mandy sat the beer down so fast some of the liquid sloshed out of the frosted glass and onto her hand. She turned in her chair just in time to see Jackson stop next to her. Jackson was looking too good to resist. He was dressed in typical cowboy fashion. The western shirt emphasized his toned chest and flat abdomen. No beer belly for this veterinarian. Denim hugged and caressed his lower body. She thrust her hands under the table to keep herself from reaching out to touch.
He tipped his hat first to Sara Beth and then Mandy. “Hello ladies,” he greeted in that slow Texas twang. Then he turned all his attention and charm on Mandy. “I know you’re back on the schedule tomorrow morning, but I really didn’t expect to see you here.” That didn’t mean he wasn’t happy to see her. He had missed her the past several days, more than he’d ever missed anyone. As a matter of fact, the past few days without Mandy had served as a wakeup call for him.
Mandy squeezed her hands together under the table “I’m sure you didn’t Jackson. After all, I thoug
ht we were taking a break from each other.” She frowned. “Well, that doesn’t exactly sound right.” She wrinkled her nose. “I think you have to be in a relationship before you can take a break.”
Jackson arched a brow, “I beg to differ. “We may not be intimate, yet, but we’re stilled entwined in each other’s lives.”
Sara Beth turned a pale shade of white and abruptly leaned forward. “I need to go,” she blurted out.
Mandy took a good look at her friend. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need a ride home?”
“No, I’m fine, but I really do have to go.” To emphasize the point, she abruptly stood.
Mandy started to rise, but Sara Beth stopped her. “You should stay. I think you and Jackson have a lot to sort out.”
Mandy slid down from the stool. “No way, I’m going to at least walk you out to your car.”
“I’ll do it, Jackson volunteered. “I don’t want you wandering around in a dark parking lot with a bunch of drunken cowboys.”
Mandy was convinced more than ever that something was really wrong with her friend. “Call me, Sara Beth, whenever you feel like talking.” She grabbed her hands. “I mean it. Call me anytime day or night.”
Sara Beth leaned in and gave her friend a hug. “I will when I’m ready. And thank you, Mandy. I’m so glad you’re back in town.” She turned to leave with one last wave. Jackson who’d been patiently waiting followed her out of the bar.
Mandy watched their retreating backs. She took a large gulp of beer. She needed all the courage she could muster to face Jackson. She couldn’t predict what was going to transpire between them. Her emotions were too volatile when it came to Jackson, and anything could happen.
