It had been easier to let the past slide away since moving to the new house. Much easier.
Demon, their Australian cattle dog, met Jack in the front yard.
“Hey, boy.” Jack stroked the dogs head. “Holding down the fort?”
Demon raised his head and barked twice.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Following in Leslie’s wake, Demon at his heels, Jack entered the house and heard his daughter begging Max to make his mac and cheese with hotdogs. He smiled as he heard Max agree, a note of pride in the kid’s voice at having his big sis love the dish so much. If it was up to Leslie, they probably would be eating it far too often. Thankfully, it wasn’t up to her.
Leslie was already out of the kitchen, probably in her room by now, when Jack entered. Demon trotted ahead of him, straight for the water bowl.
Jack hung his keys on one of the hooks beneath the letter holder before he flipped through the stack of mail that Max must have put there on his way into the house. Electric bill, Cabella’s magazine, credit card offers. He slid the mail back into the holder to deal with later.
“Hi, Beanpole.” Jack ruffled his son’s dark hair as he passed by. “Good day at school?”
“Hi, Dad.” Max got two boxes of the pasta with cheese out of the pantry. “School was okay.” He held up one of the blue boxes. “How much do you want tonight?”
Personally, Jack would rather have tacos, but he went with the flow. “Two hotdogs in mine.”
“You’ve got it.” Max opened the fridge and snagged a package of hotdogs. “Coming up with my special ingredients.”
Max was only thirteen but tall and lanky, already closing in on six feet in height. He’d probably end up being taller than Jack’s six-five. Height ran in the McBride family—Jack had an inch on his fraternal twin brother, Jayson.
Unlike his dad, Max had no interest in playing basketball and preferred soccer, and was a damned good player in the Prescott Youth Soccer League.
Jack leaned back against the granite countertop and braced his hands to either side of him on the polished surface. “When’s your next practice?”
“Season starts in January.” Max put a pot of water on the stove to boil. “I haven’t checked the dates yet.”
“How’s Granger coming along?” Jack asked about Max’s prize bull. “Ready for the county fair?”
Max nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good.” Jack shifted his position against the counter. “Are you taking Agriculture and joining the Future Farmers of America when you start your freshman year at Prescott High next fall?”
“I’m thinking about Ag and FFA.” Max pulled a can of green chilis out of the pantry. “But ranching and farming are not the career paths I’m looking at right now, so I haven’t decided.”
News to Jack. “What’s going on in that head of yours, son?”
Max shrugged as he got out a bulb of garlic and took off a couple of cloves. “I want to look into becoming a pilot. Maybe even join the Air Force when I graduate.”
Big news to Jack. “I think that’s an admirable career path to follow.”
Max used a garlic press instead of mincing, and put the results into a small bowl, along with the green chilis. “Great Uncle Hart used to be in the Air Force.”
“Yes, he did.” Jack nodded. “He served during the Vietnam War.”
Max furrowed his brow. “I think there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world, and I want to help protect our country.”
“I’m proud of you, Max.” Jack didn’t think he could get any prouder. “Whatever you decide, whether it’s serving in the military or going into ranching, I’ll be more than proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Max took a moment put the pasta in the water, along with chopped hotdogs. “I know I have time, but I want to start thinking about it now. I might apply for the U.S. Air Force ROTC in college.”
“You can talk to your Great Uncle Hart about it, too.” Jack grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and poured cold water from the fridge dispenser. “I’ll bet you’ll learn a thing or ten from him.”
“I bet I will.” Max put the butter, milk, cheese mix, garlic, and green chilis into a bowl to throw in with the pasta and hot dogs after he drained them. “I like him a lot.”
“So do I.” Jack smiled. “I’m going to wash up so I can be back in time for a big bowl of your special mac and cheese.”
“Okay.” Max looked up at Jack, his blue eyes solemn. “Thanks for believing in me, Dad.”
“I always have and always will.” Jack wrapped his arm around Max’s shoulders and squeezed. “And you know I’m here for you no matter what.”
Max nodded before turning to finish preparing dinner.
Jack headed to his bedroom, his mind poring over his son’s possible career choices and his daughter’s worry of Jack dating. Maybe he should have told her about this weekend.
Just because we’re getting together for a drink doesn’t mean it’s a date.
As his thoughts turned to Dara, he pictured her smile. Her smile brightened something inside him that hadn’t been lit for a long time.
Chapter Two
“Trevor.” Dara held the developmentally challenged teenage boy’s gaze as he glared at her defiantly and held a book close to his chest with both arms. “Give Missy her book.”
He shook his head, his mop of blond hair flying into his eyes. He scrubbed it away with his hand. “No.”
“Miss Winters.” Missy wailed the words. “I want it back.”
Dara reached the boy, her gaze level with his. “Trevor, we do not take things that belong to others.”
“It’s mine.” The boy held the book tighter to his chest.
Trevor was one of the eight teens with Down syndrome at the ranch. He had more to learn about interacting with others.
“I’ve got an idea, Trevor.” Dara smiled. “You love to bake, right?”
The fourteen-year-old boy’s expression brightened. “I want to bake.”
“We’re going to make a big batch of cookies now.” She nodded in the direction of the kitchen. “If you help me make them, I’ll let you choose the kind of cookie.”
“Peanut butter.” Trevor dropped the book. “With chocolate kisses in the middle.”
“You’ve got it, Trev.”
Missy snatched up the book and ran across the room. She plopped down in the corner, her knees close to her chest, and peered at the pages through thick lenses.
Dara ushered Trevor past six other teenagers spending what was supposed to be quiet time in the family room, toward the entrance to the kitchen. She paused and spoke to one of the teachers who worked for her. “Emily, I’m taking Trev with me to start making cookies.” She looked at Trevor and smiled. “He’s great at baking.”
Trevor nodded vigorously. “I am.”
“You’ve got it here?” Dara asked Emily.
Emily looked calm and unruffled, her usual appearance. “I’ll let you know if you need more cookie assistants.”
“No.” Trevor shook his head. “I am the helper.”
Dara laid her hand on Emily’s shoulder. “You’re the best.”
“No problem at all.” Emily smiled before she turned to address a fifteen-year-old urgently trying to get her attention.
Dara got to work with Trevor. She usually had two of the teens helping her at a time, but some days Trevor needed a little extra attention. Today was one of those days. He was frequently the most challenging out of all the young adults on the ranch. Still, he could be sweet and thoughtful, and he was a hard worker and very loyal to her and the other teachers.
Trevor knew every ingredient necessary to make cookies by heart. With Dara’s help, he measured everything and put the ingredients into the giant bowl and mixed it all by hand.
They laughed and chatted as they worked together. It wasn’t long before they were spooning the cookie dough onto big pans, pressing chocolate kisses into the center of each cookie, and sliding the pans into the
oven.
“Great job.” She held up her hand.
“I’m the best.” Trevor gave her a high-five. He smiled. “We’re the best.”
Dara hugged him. “Why don’t you wash up and come right back. When the cookies are finished baking, we’ll have everyone sit at the table and we’ll serve the cookies with milk. Deal?”
“Deal.” Trevor took off for the bathroom in the wing of the house where his bedroom was, a broad smile on his face.
Dara hummed to herself as she washed her hands. Evenings on the ranch were her favorite. They were one big family, and she enjoyed spending time with all the young adults. During the week she slept in her room at the ranch. On the weekends she stayed in her own home in Prescott.
One day she wanted children of her own, but right now these young adults were her kids.
Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She didn’t answer it when she was with the teens, choosing to focus on them and not a phone call. She fished the cell out of her pocket.
A fluttery feeling swept through her belly when she saw Jack’s name on the screen.
Dara. She took a deep breath. He’s just your best friend’s older brother.
Who just happened to ask her out yesterday.
She pressed the connect icon and brought the phone to her ear. “Hi, Jack.” She managed to keep her voice steady, but couldn’t help a broad smile.
“How was your day?” The deep timbre of Jack’s voice doubled the fluttery feeling inside her.
Stop it, Dara.
“Good.” She leaned back against the kitchen island, where they’d talked just two days ago. “A couple of near disasters, but that’s par for the day.”
“Glad to hear it.” As he spoke, she pictured his tall and muscular form. He had the kind of body that made a woman’s palms itch to touch. “Looking forward to that tour you promised me, and taking a look around your operation.”
She was looking forward to it, too.
“Things go well for you today?” she asked.
“Had a good stretch of fence to repair,” he said, and she thought about how beautiful his blue eyes were and the firm cut of his jaw, and how it would feel to slide her fingers through his short dark hair.
Stop it, she ordered herself.
“Took all day long,” he was saying, “But my foreman and I managed to get it back up again.”
She brought her attention back to his words. “Sounds like a lot of work.”
“So does running a special needs ranch with over half a dozen teenagers.”
She smiled. “You’ve got me there.”
“Saturday still good for you?” Jack asked.
“Do you want me to meet you at Nectar’s?” She didn’t want to assume anything.
“Nah, I’ll pick you up.” His sexy drawl made her smile. “How about we hit happy hour? Say, pick you up at five?”
“I’m in. They’ve got great margaritas,” she said, then gave him her address since he’d never been to her home.
She was glad he hadn’t suggested Jo-Jo’s. Dara loved Charlee’s big sister, Jo, who owned the nightclub. But Dara preferred not go to nightclubs unless it was a girls’ night out with Bailey and Charlee. It was hard to talk much less think straight with all that noise, and she wasn’t much of a dancer.
But then Jack did not seem like a nightclub kind of man. She pictured him as more of a pub guy, but liked the fact he wanted to take her to Nectar’s.
She added, “Five sounds perfect.”
“I’ll see you then,” he said.
When Dara disconnected the call, she held the phone against her heart that was beating much faster now than it had been fifteen minutes ago, before Jack called. She shouldn’t be having this reaction. No, this is not good, so not good.
She took in a deep breath then slowly let her breath out, hoping to calm her beating heart.
Not working.
Jack is Bailey’s big brother, ran through her mind, followed by, So? He’s a hell of a man and I can’t wait to spend time with him.
Yeah, Saturday couldn’t come fast enough.
“How’s Spain?” Dara asked Bailey on the three-way call with Charlee Saturday Morning. “You must be having the time of your lives.”
“We are.” Bailey sounded so excited and exhilarated. “It’s been non-stop fun since the wedding.”
“Still can’t believe Kade Fields sang at your reception,” Charlee said. “Incredible.”
Dara leaned back in her chair at her desk in her Prescott home art room. “You not only snagged yourself a hot cowboy, you also managed to get the hottest star in country music to show up.”
“He and Seth became good friends after they met in Hawaii,” Bailey said. “When we sent him an invite to the wedding, he offered to sing as our wedding gift,” Bailey went on. “We even went fishing together after our trip. He followed Seth’s rodeo career before he even met him, and was a big fan. He really is a nice guy.”
“I wonder if he’s single and available,” Charlee said as if she meant it.
Dara was pretty sure Charlee was teasing, especially since she tended to shy away from men. She’d let loose a little in Hawaii by going out for dinner and dancing with the “cabana boys,” which had been a big step for her. Charlee and Dara had kept it all at just fun, nothing beyond that, and the guys had been great.
It had been like Charlee hadn’t felt any pressure or concern that one of them might use her and hurt her the way that bastard hurt her a few years ago. Not to mention the SOB tried to kill her sister. Going through that would put any woman off of men.
“Tell us about Barcelona.” Dara glanced at Satan, her slightly evil black cat, as he strolled into her office. She’d thought about naming him Three for 3-3-3, but he was more than half evil. “I want to hear everything, and I’m sure Charlee does too.”
“Yep,” Charlee said. “Everything.”
Bailey laughed and told them about her and Seth’s villa with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. “It’s gorgeous,” she said. “We’ve shopped and eaten in the markets and mom and pop places, and we’ve also enjoyed some small fine restaurants.”
She continued, her exuberance in every word. “Seth and I have gone on tours of museums and architectural sites. And the beach—can’t forget the amazing beaches here. All in all, the best honeymoon any couple could possibly want.”
“I’m totally envious,” Dara said. “I’m living vicariously through your experiences.”
“So am I.” Charlee gave an audible sigh. “You’ve met such a wonderful man. You deserve all of this and more.”
“You two are the best,” Bailey said.
“When do you meet your online students?” Dara asked. “English as a second language, right?”
“Yep,” Bailey said. “I’ll meet my students in a week and prepare them for their final exam. The following week, Seth and I will tour parts of Europe for the remainder of our honeymoon.”
“Two months in Europe. Rough life,” Charlee said in a teasing voice.
Satan bounded onto Dara’s lap. “I so envy you.” Dara ran her hand along Satan’s back, from his head to the tip of his tail like he preferred. “Hey, Charlee. What do you think about going back to Hawaii? Like tomorrow.”
“I’m so there,” Charlee replied. “Book the flights and we’re gone.”
Bailey laughed. “Anything going on at home?”
“Not really.” Dara wasn’t about to tell her friends about drinks with Bailey’s big brother, Jack, later this afternoon. “Keeping busy with the kids at the ranch. Usual stuff, you know?”
“Same here,” Charlee said. “It’s been crazy at my salons. One stylist and a couple of my nail techs are out sick, but what’s new?”
“So I’m not missing much?” Bailey said with a smile in her voice.
“Nope,” Charlee said.
“Nada,” Dara added.
“Working on any new stained glass bottle projects, Dara?” Bailey asked.
Dara looked a
t the materials around her office that she used to make the lamps and lights out of wine bottles, as well as interesting alcohol bottles like Patrón. Scattered across her workspace were her tools, including simulated liquid lead, stained glass paints, and patterns she had designed on tracing paper.
“I’ve got a new peacock design I’m working on,” Dara said. “I’ll probably have it and half a dozen more done by the time you get back.”
“The stained glass mural you made for our new home in Montana is simply incredible,” Bailey said. “It’ll go in the big front window of my office, where I can see it all the time.”
“I love your work, Dara,” Charlee said. “I should commission you to do my entire house.”
“You two are awesome.” Dara stopped petting Satan and he lightly pricked her skin with his claws, telling—no, demanding that she continue. She absently ran her hand over Satan’s silky hair again. “You’re good for my ego.”
Dara added, “Charlee, tell her about the antique vases you found at an estate sale.”
“A couple cleared out the elderly father’s home when he went into an assisted living facility. The two were in a hurry to sell what they could and make some fast money,” Charlee said. “I bought a pair of vases for five dollars each. When I got home I researched them and found they are worth over $1,000 for the pair.”
“Holy crap,” Bailey said. “I’d call that a bargain.”
“More like a steal,” Charlee said. “But they were practically throwing things out the door at people, so better me than someone else.”
“I agree,” Bailey said.
A man’s voice came from the background on Bailey’s end of the line. “Seth’s out of the shower and ready to go to the market,” she said. “It was great talking with you girls. I miss you.”
“You’ll get over it,” Dara said.
Charlee laughed. “Yeah, something tells me you’re not going to be thinking about us once you get off the phone.”
“Ha.” Bailey had a smile in her voice. “I always think of you two.”
“Same here.” Dara did feel like a shit for not telling her friends about drinks with Jack. She’d just hold that in for a little longer until she figured it all out for herself. “Give us a call next time you get bored.”
Wild for You Page 2
