After Tex (24 page)

“Peter Davis, I'd like you to meet Peggy Barkley,” she said, drawing them both close. “Peter's visiting
from New York. He's a whiz with numbers. I'd be lost without him.”

“Maybe I should let him have a crack at my checkbook,” Peggy joked half-seriously. “I'm off by sixty-one cents and I can't find it for the life of me.”

“Peter prefers to search for thousand-dollar mistakes,” Megan said. “I'm sure he could solve your problem in no time, though, couldn't you, Peter?”

“Of course,” he said, his expression bemused.

At that moment all three of Peggy's kids came racing in for a goodbye kiss.

“See you, Mom,” Alissa said. “Break a leg. I heard that's what they say to all the stars before they go on stage. I think it's so awesome that you're doing this. My mom, the TV star!”

Peggy blushed. “I am not a star.”

“You will be,” Megan promised.

“Hey, Mom, how come I've got peanut butter and jelly again?” the youngest demanded, bringing Peggy back down to earth.

“Because that's all I had time to fix,” she retorted. “You want something different, you know where the refrigerator is.”

He gave her a smacking kiss. “Peanut butter's great. Can't wait.”

“I thought you'd adapt,” she said dryly. “Now get going before you miss the bus.”

After they blasted out the door, she turned back to Peter. “Sorry. I would have introduced you, but they had about two minutes till the school bus hits the end of the lane. The driver doesn't like to wait, and obviously I can't take them in this morning.”

“Another time,” Peter said, looking dazed.

Megan gave a little nod of satisfaction at the way things were going and wandered off in search of Todd. She found him outside on the porch, even though the early morning air was still chilly.

“Hiding out?” she asked, sitting in the rocker next to his.

“Going over this contract one last time,” he said without looking up.

“So you and Jake
did
finish it. I'd wondered.”

“We wrapped it up about two this morning.”

“Did he leave then?”

Todd glanced up finally and shrugged. “I don't think so. He was headed up to Tess's room last time I saw him.”

“He wasn't at breakfast and his car was gone this morning.”

Todd regarded her with blatant amusement. “Keeping pretty close tabs on him, aren't you?”

“I am not.”

“Why not admit it? The man makes your toes curl.”

She scowled. “You are so wrong.”

“Didn't look that way when we drove past you yesterday. He had you in a clinch that would have made a great cover for one of those romance novels. The temperature couldn't have been much above freezing, but it made me sweat just to look at you.”

“Have I mentioned that you are a very irritating man?”

“On more than one occasion, in fact. But you put up with me because I'm smart and efficient and I save your butt from time to time.”

Megan sighed. “True enough.” She glanced at the papers in his hand. “Is that contract ready?”

“You should probably read through it first, but it looks okay to me. Are you going to talk to Peggy this morning?”

She leaned over to peek in the window. Peggy and Peter were still engaged in conversation. Peter was actually laughing. “Not just yet,” she said.

Todd followed the direction of her gaze, then looked back at her, clearly aware of what she was up to. “You are a very sneaky individual. Isn't that asking for trouble?”

“All I did was introduce two friends.”

“Both of whom are vulnerable,” he pointed out.

Put that way, it did make her actions seem particularly underhanded. “They're adults,” she countered.

“Vulnerable,” Todd repeated.

“Okay, so it was a low-down, sneaky trick. I didn't know for sure if they'd click. They could have hated each other on sight. Look at her. Peggy is not exactly Peter's usual type. She's June Cleaver in denim.”

“I doubt Peter even knows who June Cleaver was. He doesn't strike me as a big fan of
Leave It to Beaver
reruns.”

Megan grinned. “My point exactly. If nothing else, Peggy will broaden his horizons.”

“What happens if he breaks her heart in return?”

Megan held up a hand. “Whoa! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Peggy is still married. I figure a little attention and flirting with an intelligent, sophisticated male will be good for her. I'm not suggesting she fall madly in love with the guy or vice versa.”

“That's the point,” Todd said. “You've set them
up, but now it's entirely out of your hands. I see disaster.”

“You see disaster around every bend. That's your nature.”

“My nature is to head disasters off. Yours seems to be to embrace them.” He glanced toward the lane. “Speaking of disaster, there's your man now.”

Jake's car was speeding up the driveway, kicking up dust. He skidded to a stop behind the trailer being used by the sound techs, cut the engine, then strolled toward them, a determined glint in his eyes. Megan's stomach knotted in anticipation.

He halted on the bottom step, gave her one of those heated looks, then grinned at Todd. “Contract okay?”

“Looks good to me.” Todd's own grin broadened. “Sleep well last night?”

“Damn bed was too short,” Jake grumbled.

“That must be why you took off so early,” Megan said. “I could have warned you about that, but you were awfully determined to stay last night.”

“I had another bed in mind.”

Todd jumped up. “Okay, that's my cue. I'll be inside if anyone needs me.”

“We won't,” Jake said, his gaze settling on Megan's. “Will we?”

She swallowed hard. “No, I don't suppose we will.”

As soon as Todd had gone, Jake settled into the chair Todd had vacated. “Come on over here, darlin'.”

“I don't think so.”

“Afraid?”

“Afraid you'll mess up my makeup. We're due to start shooting in a couple of minutes.”

“Then we'll have to work fast, so there'll be time left for that makeup gal you're paying to touch up your lipstick.”

Despite the yearning humming through her, Megan didn't budge. “You want me, cowboy, you'll have to come and get me.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “Is that a dare?”

She regarded him innocently. “Could be. You up to it?”

“Meggie, when it comes to you, I am up for anything,” he whispered in a low, husky voice.

Jake moved so quickly, she didn't have time to react. Before she knew it, he'd scooped her up, settled into her chair and snuggled her in his lap.

“Now that's better,” he said with satisfaction.

“Jake?” she murmured.

“Hmm?”

“If you're going to kiss me, you'd better do it fast.”

“Why is that, darlin'? You getting anxious?”

“No, but Kenny is. Another five seconds and he'll be out here after me. I can already hear him bellowing for me.”

“Five seconds doesn't give me much time,” he lamented, lowering his mouth to meet hers.

No, she concluded when he released her, five seconds wasn't nearly enough time. But another fifty or sixty years might do the trick.

W
hen Megan and Jake arrived at the ranch for dinner, there was an extra place set at the table. Mrs. Gomez wore a disapproving scowl on her face.

“What?” Megan asked as the housekeeper stood silently, arms folded across her chest. “You look as if you've just bitten into a lemon.”

“That woman is coming to dinner, that's what.”

“What woman?”

“Tess's mother.”

Just as Megan was about to explode, Jake stepped in and touched her arm to silence her. “How did that happen?” he asked quietly.

“You'll have to ask Tess about that,” Mrs. Gomez responded. “I was in the kitchen cooking when the two of them walked in.”

Megan's gaze narrowed. “They were together when Tess came home from school?”

“It is my impression that Señora Olson brought her home.”

“Well, I'll put an end to that right now,” Megan said, shaking off Jake's hand and heading to the door. “Where are they?”

“In the living room, I imagine. That's where I took a snack to them, at Tess's request. That woman
wanted caviar, if you ask me. She got a few cookies and some milk. I'd count the silver before she leaves, if I were you.”

Oh, brother, Megan thought. “I'll take care of it.”

“With my help,” Jake chimed in.

She whirled on him. “I don't need you rushing to my rescue every time there's trouble. I can handle the likes of Flo Olson. You might try finding out why the hell the school let Tess leave with her.”

“Fine. I'll call the school and then I'll just stand around and watch you handle things. Maybe I'll pick up a few tips.”

“Don't be sarcastic,” she snapped. “It doesn't suit you.”

As predicted, they found Tess and her mother in the living room. Tess was sitting on the sofa, clearly content with her milk and cookies. She was chattering a mile a minute to a woman who was paying about as much attention as a first grader would at the end of a long day. A sharp sense of déja` vu swept over Megan. How many times had she prattled on to her own mother, only to discover that Sarah was off in some world of her own? Too many to count.

As for Flo, she seemed far more captivated by a rare and delicate piece of porcelain on the mantel than she was by her daughter. She'd just lifted it up to inspect the marking on the bottom when Megan cleared her throat. The bowl tumbled to the carpet and shattered.

“Oh, my, look what you made me do,” Flo said, scowling at Megan. “That's all your fault. You shouldn't be sneaking up on people.”

Megan was impressed by her audacity. “Since
you're obviously so interested, you might as well know that that bowl was worth about three thousand. I believe the appraisal is in Tex's safe. If you don't have the cash, you can pay us back in installments.”

“Now who's being sarcastic?” Jake muttered so only she could hear.

Megan scowled at him.

“Pay you back?” Flo all but shouted. “I wouldn't have dropped it if you hadn't come creeping up behind me.”

“Last time I checked, this was my house and you were the one checking out the china.”

“I'll pay for it,” Tess chimed in timidly. “I asked her to come.” She gave Megan and Jake a defiant look. “You said I could ask her to dinner whenever I wanted.”

Megan counted to ten before replying. “Yes, I did, but next time, ask for permission first to see if it's a convenient time. You know what a busy week this is.”

“She's here now,” Tess said, clearly not about to be put off. “Can she stay?”

Megan saw little point in asking the woman to leave. Tess would only view it as going back on her word. “This time, yes. Now please take your dishes into the kitchen and get the vacuum to clean up this mess, okay?”

“Why should I? I know you just want to yell at her while I'm gone,” Tess countered.

“Come on, short stuff. I'll help with the vacuum,” Jake said.

Tess seemed ready to argue, but she finally relented with a put-upon sigh.

After they'd gone, Megan regarded Flo intently. “How did it happen that Tess invited you to dinner tonight?”

“We were talking—”

Megan cut her off. “Where?”

“At school.”

“Do I need to remind you that there is a restraining order against you? The next time you turn up at Tess's school, or anywhere else she is, I'll call the sheriff so fast it will make your head spin.”

“You have no right.”

“I have every right,” Megan said, forcing herself to rein in her temper. “Look, sit down a minute, okay? I don't want to fight with you.”

“You could have fooled me,” Flo retorted.

“Okay, let's be honest. The truth is, I don't trust you or your motives. If it were up to me, you would never get within a thousand yards of Tess again, but it's not my decision entirely. She still cares about you. If she wants to see you, I'll allow it, but there are some rules that have to be followed. If you can go along with that, we'll work this out. Otherwise, you won't see her at all. It's up to you.”

Flo looked taken aback by the straight talk. “You're tougher than you look, you know that?”

“I'll take that as a compliment. Now, do we have a deal or not?”

“How am I supposed to get way out here to see her? There are no jobs in Whispering Wind and I quit my job in Laramie after I dropped Tess off here. I'll probably have to move on to find work.” She gave Megan a wily look. “Unless you can maybe give me a little cash to get set up.”

Megan ignored the veiled threat to take off and called her bluff. “I'm fresh out of cash. Do you have any skills?”

“I was a waitress before.”

Megan couldn't think of a single way she could use a waitress in her company. Nor was she inclined to find a place for her on the ranch. Mrs. Gomez could probably use some help cooking for the men, but she'd quit in a rage before she'd let Tess's mother share her kitchen.

“Can you type?” she asked, thinking of Jake's empty secretarial desk. A devious scheme began to take shape, one that would allow her to get even with one very contrary male in her life.

Flo looked appalled. “I took a class in high school, but I'm pretty rusty.”

Megan doubted there would be all that much typing to be done, unless Jake started taking on clients. “How are your phone manners?”

Flo frowned. “I like to chat, if that's what you mean.”

“Actually, I was wondering if you could take thorough messages, be polite even when people are being rude, that sort of thing.”

“I suppose I could do that. It can't be any worse than putting up with the rowdy customers at the restaurant where I worked.”

“Good. You're hired.”

Flo stared. “You want me to work for you?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then I don't get it.”

“You will.” Megan grinned as Jake walked back into the room pushing a vacuum. “Hey, Jake.”

His gaze narrowed warily as he glanced from her to Flo and back again, clearly trying to gauge their moods. “What?”

“Meet your new receptionist.”

“No way!” Flo protested, just as Jake muttered a particularly vile curse.

Megan beamed at their reactions. “Good. This is going to be perfect.”

Tess stared around the room. “Mom is going to work for Jake?”

“So it seems,” Jake murmured, his displeasure evident, though he was clearly not willing to put up a fuss over the fix Megan had deliberately put him in.

“No funny stuff,” Flo said, glaring at him. “Just because you're a lawyer doesn't mean I can't file a harassment suit against you.”

“Believe me, there will be no funny stuff,” Jake said. He smiled at Megan, but without real sincerity. “Darlin', could I see you for just a minute?”

“Sure,” she said, pausing to give Tess a wink as she passed.

In the foyer, Jake pinned her against the wall. Under other circumstances, his closeness could have been very provocative. As it was, Megan had to resist the urge to scoot under his outstretched arm and scamper away.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked in a light conversational tone, as if he were no more than idly curious about her reply.

“I was thinking that Flo needs work and we need a way to keep an eye on her.”

“So you elected me to be her guardian. Why not you?”

“You heard Peter. My budget's past its limits. Besides, I have Todd.”

“Very convenient. What am I supposed to do with her?”

“She'll answer your phones.”

“They don't ring all that often.”

“She can type letters. I don't think she's fast, so that could take most of the day.”

He frowned. “You're enjoying this, aren't you?”

Megan grinned and held two fingers about a half inch apart. “Just a little,” she admitted.

“You will pay,” he promised.

“No money. Sorry.”

“There are other ways,” he said, lowering his mouth to hers.

The kiss was a thorough and pricey one. It cost her her composure. She was still rattled when Mrs. Gomez marched in and announced dinner in a voice loud enough to wake the dead, then turned around and marched out. Obviously she kept on going, because the back door slammed a few seconds later.

“She doesn't seem to like tonight's turn of events,” Megan noted.

“Who can blame her?” Jake replied. “By the way, where are Peter and Todd?”

“Peter's having dinner at Peggy's. They're dining on venison stew.”

“You're kidding me. He's actually eating it?”

“I doubt he'll notice what it is. He seems to have taken a shine to Miss Peggy,” Megan announced smugly.

“Exactly where are Johnny and the kids? Are they part of this happy dinner party?”

“I believe they've gone to Laramie to a movie. Johnny refuses to set foot in the house except to sleep as long as we're using it for the show. It's his own little form of rebellion.”

“So you left Peter there to share a quiet little dinner with your best friend? Doesn't that worry you?”

“Nope. I think Peter is going to turn out to be very good for her. When I left, he was working on her checkbook. He was also advising her on how to invest the money we're paying her to use the house this week. Peter's very good at predicting the stock market.”

Jake groaned. “And Todd? What have you done with him? Signed him up for a rodeo event so he'll get the hang of being a cowboy?”

“No. He went into town to have dinner with the guys. Kenny will drive him out later.” She grinned wickedly. “Actually, Kenny intends to put him behind the wheel and make
him
drive. We'll be lucky if the front gate's standing in the morning.”

“The prospect seems to please you.”

“What pleases me is knowing there's one thing that Todd can't do perfectly. His skills in every other area are scary.”

Jake shook his head in obvious bemusement. “The way your mind works terrifies me.”

“It should. I'm still working on what to do about you.”

“Isn't saddling me with an incompetent secretary enough?”

Megan tilted her head and studied him. “Nope. I don't think so. After all, thanks to you and Tex, I'm holding my career together with duct tape, winging it
as a rancher and playing parent to an eight-year-old who's not enthralled with having me as a parent. I think it will be a long, long time before we're even.”

 

Having Flo on the job wasn't exactly a disaster, but then it was only nine-fifteen on her first day, Jake noted as he tried one more time to explain how the fax machine worked.

“How do I know if a fax is coming in?” Flo asked, regarding the machine with suspicion.

“The machine will pick it up automatically. It's on a separate phone line.”

“And I send one by putting the papers in here,” she said, repeating his instructions with apparent skepticism.

“Facedown,” Jake confirmed.

“Then I dial the number.”

“Right.”

“And they wind up in somebody else's machine just like that?”

“Pretty much.”

“How?”

Jake regarded her candidly. “I have no idea.”

She gave a little nod. “Good. I thought maybe I was an idiot for not getting it.”

“Nope. Just take it on faith.”

She regarded him with a wry expression. “Faith's not something I'm real experienced with.”