Cowboy Summer

by Joanne Kennedy

  Molly fiddled with the hem of her apron, glancing from Heck to Jess and back again. “Jess, I just have to ask one thing.”

  Jess nodded.

  “When Cade thought you’d done those terrible things—the ones that I did—was he mad at you?”

  “Not really. He seemed to think it was funny. But—”

  Molly stopped her with a “halt” gesture. “Now you take a look at your dad.” Heck felt the room heat up as both women stared at him. “He knows now what I did. And does he look mad to you?”

  Jess grinned. “No. I think you could shoot the Dude and Dudette and bury them in the manure pile and he’d forgive you.”

  “Hell, I’d help you dig the hole,” Heck said. “You did everything for the right reasons, hon. I love you anyway.”

  “There.” Molly flashed Jess a triumphant smile. “That’s what it’s all about. I’m happier in this marriage than I’ve ever been in my life, because I found a man who loves me for who I am.” Her eyes softened. “Cade might not have trusted you, honey, but trust is hard. What matters is that he wasn’t mad, because he loves you anyway, like your dad loves me.” She reached up and ruffled Heck’s hair, giving him a tousled baby-bird hairdo. “We can’t expect our loved ones to be flawless.” She admired her handiwork and grinned. “Lord knows I don’t.”

  “Hey,” he said.

  “But I know I messed up. I spoiled your chance with Cade.” She leaned forward, touching Jess’s leg. “Tell me how I can fix it, honey.”

  “I know how.” Heck pointed a finger at Jess. “You need to run to that boy and beg him to stay. You do whatever it takes.” Looking at Molly, he thought of her kind smile, the touch of her hand, and knew love was more precious than pride, than trust, than anything in the world.

  But right now, the woman he loved was frowning and, thinking over what he’d said, he understood why.

  “Sorry. I guess if I learned one thing from all this mess, it’s that I can’t force Jess to feel what I want her to feel, do what I want her to do.” He took Jess’s hand and squeezed. “So I’m sorry, hon. I can just hope and pray and be here when you want me. The rest is up to you.”

  Chapter 52

  As Heck looked into his daughter’s eyes, a lone cricket started up a rhythmic chant in a corner of the room. It seemed it was the only creature on earth that wasn’t holding its breath, waiting for her to figure out her next step. But a ringing phone startled the cricket into silence, and she leapt to her feet to answer it.

  “Yes?” Heck heard her saying. “Uh-huh? Well, okay.”

  There was a long silence before she spoke again.

  “That’s all right. I hope they’re very happy there. And hey, I’m sorry. I know that’s not good news for you.”

  She paused.

  “Sure. There’ll be somebody else.”

  When she returned to the room, she stood motionless at the door, the phone still cradled in her hand. “That was Val.”

  Molly’s hand flew to her lips on a quick intake of breath. “The real estate agent?”

  “That’s right.” Jess’s somber expression transformed as her lips twitched into a smile and her eyes began to sparkle. When the smile became a full-on grin, she lifted her fists into the air in celebration. “Sale’s off, folks. The Dude and the Dudette found a different ranch to wreck, so the Diamond Jack is safe.” She turned to Molly and saluted, grinning. “Good job, Mom.”

  Molly, who’d gone white as a ghost, collapsed against Heck. “Oh God,” she said. “I’m so relieved. It’s wrong, I guess. I don’t know what we’ll do now. But I’m so glad.”

  “I know what we’ll do.” Jess pulled out a chair and joined them at the table. “We’ll start again and fix what’s wrong. I’ve learned a few things.”

  Heck wasn’t much for lessons and morals, but here came another one. Maybe he could add it to his new collection of ranch-raised philosophy.

  “I made all these assumptions.” Jess ticked items off on her fingers. “I assumed Molly was an evil stepmother. I assumed Cade was sleeping with Amber Lynn. And I assumed Molly was—well, that she was up to something, one time.”

  He didn’t know what that was all about, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was the conspiratorial gaze that passed between his wife and his daughter—a look that seemed close enough to the kind of love he’d wished for them a hundred times.

  “You made some other assumptions about Cade,” Molly said.

  “I know.” Jess’s smile faded. “I assumed he’d believe me, no matter what, and that was asking too much of him. Because you’re right. He might not believe me, but he loved me, and that’s what mattered.” She looked down at her lap. “I also assumed he’d always be here, and I was wrong about that, too.”

  “What?” Heck asked. “Of course he’ll be here.”

  “He’s moving to California, Dad, to work for John Baker.” She put her hands over her face, pressing her fingers against her eyes. “He gave up on me, and I don’t blame him.”

  “John Baker? Wow.” Heck blew out his cheeks. “That’s somethin’. But—wait. You want me to talk to him? Get him straightened out?” He slapped a hand on the table. “I’ll tell him what’s what. He needs to stay here with you.”

  Molly chuckled. “Well, I guess there’s one person here who didn’t learn much tonight.”

  Despite being near tears, Jess laughed, too, and Heck felt a bit put-upon. But the two women he loved most in the world were laughing together, so he swallowed his pride.

  “You know, speaking of assumptions,” Molly said to Jess, “you should look at the assumptions you’ve made about love.” She glanced at Heck, then back at Jess. “It’s not perfect, hon.”

  That was news to Heck, but he sure didn’t want to get into an in-depth discussion about it.

  “You can love each other half to death and still be mystified by the other person half the time,” Molly said. “I mean, why does your dad want to hang out with that crowd down at the diner? Why does he spend so much money on boots?” She gave him a critical up-and-down scan. “And why does he wear such ugly shirts? It’s a mystery to me.”

  “Hey.” He looked down at the yellow-and-red number he was wearing. “This is one of my favorites.”

  “And that’s fine. I’m just saying, I don’t know everything you’re thinking, and you don’t always understand me, either.” She took his hand and squeezed it. “You didn’t understand how much my job mattered to me. That’s pretty important, Jess. He should have understood it, don’t you think?”

  Jess nodded. “I guess.”

  “So do you think I should leave your dad because he didn’t understand how much my work mattered to me?”

  “Wait, what?” Heck widened his eyes, panicked. “Don’t do that. I get it now, I promise.”

  Jess laughed. “No, of course you shouldn’t.”

  “So if Cade doesn’t understand that you wouldn’t play those tricks on the Dude and Dudette, it’s just one of many things he doesn’t know about you yet. Just like you didn’t understand he wouldn’t sleep with Amber Lynn again.”

  “Ouch.” Jess felt a jolt of shame.

  “You have so much to learn about each other.” Molly squeezed her husband’s hand. “The learning never ends, and it’s the best part. Life would be dull if I knew everything about this guy.” She grinned at her husband. “No surprises. Think how boring that would be.”

  Jess’s brows arrowed down, and she put a hand to her forehead.

  Molly frowned. “Does your head still hurt from that business with the porch? I feel so bad about that.”

  “Oh, it’s not that. It’s just—I can’t absorb all this information.” She gave her dad a smile. “I kind of want to do it Dad-style, go over there right now and tell Cade how to feel, but I think I’d better sleep on it.”

  Molly took Jess’s hand. “Y
ou do that, sweetheart. And try to see Cade’s side. He’s just confused, like most men. They’re all confused, you know, and it’s our job to set them straight.”

  Heck started to protest, then realized there was no point. His wife would just run her verbal steamroller over him again.

  But he loved her anyway.

  * * *

  Morning crept stealthily through a gap in Jess’s bedroom curtains. Outside, the grass glowed with a silvery light that made her think of fairies dancing on the lawn. Rising, she slipped on a pair of jeans and stepped into her boots.

  She’d slept little the night before, and she’d thought a lot. Now she had a mission to accomplish. She might succeed, she might fail—but she had to try.

  Buster nickered softly as she swung his stall door open.

  “Ready for a ride, old man?” She looped a bridle over his head, tugging his ears through the tooled leather headstall. As they left the barn, she stopped him at the fence and climbed on board.

  Holding the reins loosely, she relaxed while Buster set off at an ambling walk. Somehow, he knew where she needed to go. Maybe that meant she was doing the right thing. Horses had their own wisdom, after all, and it worked in mysterious ways.

  Their slow pace gave her time to enjoy the magic of morning. The sun was hovering just behind the mountains, staining the peaks with a peachy glow. Dew clung to the seed heads that topped the long grass, droplets glinting like diamonds.

  Buster’s hooves swept a dark path through the dew. It curved like the wake of a slow boat meandering across the pasture, and that was fine. She was in no hurry, because what she was about to do probably wouldn’t be easy. And it mattered more than anything she’d ever done.

  Buster paused at the gate, letting her lift the latch. He stopped again when they’d passed through, but she urged him onward.

  “We’ll leave the gate open. We might need to make a fast getaway if this doesn’t go well.”

  She knew she was offering Cade too little, too late. Concentrating on the job with Baker had to look like a better bet than counting on her. Working with a famous trainer and traveling to ranches all over the country would propel Cade into the top professional ranks, where he could help more horses and their people.

  She needed to support his choice any way she could. Just as the ranch sale was about what was best for her dad, this was about what was best for Cade. As for herself—well, she could find a way to adapt. She’d have to.

  Hopefully, when this day ended, she’d be able to look at herself in the mirror without gagging. Instead of Heck Bailey’s spoiled little princess, she’d see a woman who thought of others before herself. She didn’t feel noble and selfless. She felt like she was finally on the right path, caring for the people she loved.

  Buster’s hooves thumped the dirt of Cade’s driveway, flinging small stones that clattered across the ground. A few horses nickered from the stable as Jess slid to the ground, lifted the bridle from his head, and turned him into the paddock by the barn.

  Showtime.

  Moving quietly, she tiptoed through the wet grass. When she reached Cade’s window, she tapped gently on the glass.

  No answer.

  Her stomach clenched. Maybe he’d left already, and she was too late.

  Silly, there are horses in the barn.

  She knocked again. A blind over the window hid whatever was going on inside.

  There was a thump and a rustle. Something fell, and a muffled curse made her smile despite the nerves that shook her hand as she tapped the glass again.

  This was it: her last chance at happiness. She didn’t know how he’d react. Her mistakes might have destroyed the love he’d had for her. He might tell her to get lost.

  Deep down, she knew that was exactly what she deserved.

  Chapter 53

  Cade was dreaming about the stables at John Baker’s ranch. He dreamed he wasn’t allowed to work with horses after all. He had to build new stalls, and he was tapping nails into the wood.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  Blinking awake, he realized the sound was real. Somehow, the dream had followed him into the waking world.

  There was a movement at the window and more tapping.

  No. It couldn’t be.

  He lifted the shade, squinting against the light of dawn.

  Jess.

  His heart rose like a hawk cresting a ridge. “Jess?”

  She had one foot behind her, ready to run. “Can I—can I come in?”

  “Of course.” He stumbled out of bed, tripping on last night’s discarded clothes and almost falling on his face.

  What could she want? He hoped she wanted him, but that was crazy. When he’d told her he was leaving, she’d seemed unfazed by the idea. She’d congratulated him, once she recovered from the surprise of his success. He remembered that smile, bright and cutting as a knife, and vowed once again that whatever she wanted, he’d make it quick and clean. There was no point in prolonging the agony.

  “Give me a hand.” She was halfway in the window, with one long leg draped over the sill, but a splinter had caught her hair. She tilted her head, grimacing.

  “Hold on.” He pulled the blond strands from the rough wood and helped her climb inside.

  “There.” She stood beside him, her hair a golden tumble, her eyes sleepy but glowing. He felt a stirring of excitement and knew whatever wisdom his mind had to offer was about to be swamped by the needs of his body.

  When she sat down on the side of the bed, he settled beside her, and then instinct took over. Instinct, need, and a love that had lasted all his life.

  As their lips met, he lowered her gently until she lay beneath him, her eyes shining up into his. That bright smile was gentle now and brought the past flooding back. It closed over them as if memories were water and could shut out the world.

  Holding his breath, he took the dive one more time, deep down into the heart of their shared history, and felt the past close around him, uncomplicated and pure.

  * * *

  Cade had said his house was full of ghosts, but Jess couldn’t sense a single one. Now that Amber Lynn’s mess was cleaned up, she saw he’d stripped the place of his parents’ things and made it his own. The walls in the bedroom were paneled with white-painted wood. The furniture was rough and utilitarian but warm, hand-built of local pine. Nothing seemed familiar—not even the window dressing.

  “There were curtains here.”

  “After what happened, I wanted them gone.”

  She nodded, wondering how much it had hurt him when she’d seen Amber Lynn and assumed the worst. Without even thinking, she’d held him to a higher standard than she could reach herself.

  Thinking. That’s what she needed to do. Think of Cade and not herself. Make him happy, even if it was for the last time.

  Leaning toward him, she lowered her lashes, inviting him in.

  When he kissed her, she felt the same thrill she always had, a heady rush that prickled her skin and sent a rush of sensation from her body to her mind. Whatever complications had come later, it hadn’t affected the chemistry that throbbed between them now.

  Every part of her body thrilled as he touched and stroked and soothed her skin. They were face to face, chest to chest, and hip to hip, and she couldn’t resist the urge to shimmy just a little, warming to the friction as their bodies met, heating with the thought of what might come next and what would come after that.

  Breezes drifted through the open window, raising goose bumps, but Cade’s hands warmed all the right places, triggering feelings she’d done her best to bury when she’d realized he might be gone for good. Feeling overwhelmed, she put up her hands to push him away but found herself smoothing the planes of his chest instead. The feel of him was familiar yet new; he was rangy as ever, but stronger, with new and very interesting muscles to explore.

&nbs
p; He stroked a hand down her side, following the curve of her hip and sending shivers—the good kind—all through her body. This man knew her, with all her quirks and weaknesses, her peculiarities and strengths. He knew what she liked and why and did his best to touch her as she liked to be touched.

  Other men didn’t give a damn about what she wanted. It always seemed like they’d learned their moves out of a book, or worse, from watching dirty movies. They’d done things to her, not with her, and she hadn’t trusted them enough to give herself away.

  But this…this was what she needed. Who she needed.

  The urgency of another kiss sparked an answering warmth in her own, and the sweet, slick stroking of his tongue made some very interesting demands on other, more intimate parts of her body. While his clever hands moved down the front of her shirt, slipping open one button then another, she explored his bare chest with greedy fingers, savoring the brush of the soft hairs that flecked his chest against the palm of her hand.

  Everything about him was familiar but somehow new, because this time, she was committed. She gave herself to him completely, trusting love, really trusting it, for the first time in her life. She had no questions, no doubts. The rightness of it felt pure and complete.

  Gently, he opened her shirt and kissed her jaw, her throat, her collarbone, the tops of her breasts. Moaning, she arched her back and strained against the confines of her lacy bra. Cade, who’d never been known to hurry these things, traced the outline of the lace with one finger, making her gasp with need as she slipped into a fast-flowing river of memory, sensation, and love.

  He was smiling into her eyes in a way that told her he knew exactly what he was doing, so she slowed her own wandering hands and concentrated on his flat, smooth nipples, brushing them with her fingertips until he moaned and closed his eyes. The river met the sea, and she lost herself in surging waves of sensation. Then the front clasp of her bra came open somehow, and then her jeans were unsnapped, the zipper down, the rough cloth skimming her thighs.