Cougar in Texas: 3 (Rugged and Risque) (14 page)

“I stuck to the guidelines,” he insisted. “I promise.”

Reese pulled the white satin bow. “You know, I’ve seen this packaging at Liza’s before. If this is jewelry, you are in very big trouble.”

“You like your little gold hoop earrings. I know.”

She lifted the lid and stared at the claim ticket nestled inside the folds of white satin. Caleb grinned.

“I borrowed the box from Liza. Just to throw you off. Had you a little nervous, didn’t I?”

“I knew it wasn’t a ring, so don’t look so damn smug.” Pulling out the paper, she asked, “What’d I win?”

“There’s a saddle waiting for you at the tack and saddle shop in town. Fully outfitted. I picked it out myself and I’m pretty sure you’re going to like it.”

Her smile was a dazzling one. “You bought me a saddle so I can go riding with you?”

“Yes I did, darlin’.”

“It’s the perfect gift,” she said as she leaned over and kissed him. “And while I am sure it is much more than you should have spent on me, I can’t wait to try it out.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear it.” She’d expressed interest in riding, and that had meant a lot to him.

Standing, she said, “I have something for both of you.” She retrieved two packages from under the tree she’d put up a week or so ago when he and Sam had been out at the ranch.

She set the stacked gifts on the table and handed one to each of them. They tore the wrapping and both grinned at the same time.

“Reese, honey,” Sam said, “this is a damn good Christmas present.”

They were the same—a framed sketch of the welcome sign that would sit in the inn’s front yard. They’d agreed to the wording she’d presented, but Reese had also had Ginger, who’d obviously produced the drawings, add to the signage, “Bennett Brothers, Proprietors. Established 2012.”

Caleb actually felt a bit choked up with the visual evidence of the legacy he and his brother were building. The outcome of their venture seemed much more attainable as he held the sketched sign in his hands.

“Yeah, kid,” Sam said, as though he read his thoughts, knew the emotion that flowed through him. “You’re really doing this.”

“No,” Caleb told him with a shake of his head. “
We’re
really doing this. All of us.” He set aside the frame and reached for Reese’s hand. “You’re as much a part of this as Sam and I. And the three of us make one hell of a team.”

“Thank you for including me,” she said, her voice cracking. “All this time, I knew I was missing out on something. But I didn’t know what it was until I met you.” She turned to Sam. “And you. Kinda the brother I never had.”

“We’re more than a team,” Sam said. “We’re family.”

This brought tears to Reese’s eyes that Caleb swept away. “Now darlin’, you know how I feel about that.” He winked at her though, because he was feeling moved himself.

“Hey, we’re not quite done.” Sam leaped up and strolled over to the tree. A tiny gift bag hung on one of the hearty limbs.

Caleb suspected Reese had never noticed it, since she gaped in surprise.

Returning to the table, Sam set the bag in front of her and said, “I made a special purchase. I hope you’ll both indulge me.”

“What did you do?” she asked in apparent anticipation.

Digging into the itty-bitty bag filled with tissue, she extracted a key. She stared quizzically at Sam, who grinned. Then her gaze shifted to Caleb. He shrugged. He knew nothing about Sam’s present.

“What does this open?” she asked.

Sam pulled his wallet from his back pocket and fished out a photo that he handed over. “I know you’re going to offer a warm welcome to everyone who comes to the inn, but I thought I’d lend you a hand with this. I snapped the shot at the design studio. It’s ready to be picked up when the foyer is done.”

She stared at the picture. Caleb looked over her shoulder. He nodded. “That is country elegance at its finest. Nice job, Sam.”

The double arched doors were oversized and painted dove-gray. The large, crystal-cut insets in their centers were intricate and caught the light in the studio, creating a spectacular prism of color. The sun would provide the same effect and it would be sensational, Caleb had no doubt.

“I know it’s not exactly personal,” Sam said, “but I thought every time you walked through those doors you’d feel like you were stepping into someplace special. An inn brought to life by your vision.”

“Ah geez, you guys.” She pressed two fingers to her lips as though to keep them from trembling.

Caleb extended a hand to his brother and said, “You nailed it, bro.”

They shook, then Reese gave Sam a hug. At that moment, Caleb knew his brother had been right about needing to introduce Reese to their parents. He wanted their own, small family unit to work and that meant dealing with the bigger issue at hand, particularly finding a way to assimilate Reese to the Bennett extravagance while also shielding her from their ruthless sides.

Unfortunately he didn’t hold as much hope for a successful outcome with that venture as he did his business undertaking.

* * * * *

The party came upon them much too quickly. Caleb wasn’t in a particular hurry to take Reese home to meet the folks, but the day had arrived.

Over breakfast, she asked, “How long will it take us to get to Dallas tonight?”

“It’s about a four-hour drive from here,” Sam said. “But Dad’s sending the Lear.”

Her gaze snapped up from her plate. “Excuse me?”

With a chuckle, Sam explained, “The G4 is bringing in a group from Houston, so we’re stuck with the second-string airplane.”

“Yeah, right.” Her eyes widened. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”

Caleb could sense, deep in his bones, the panic skittering through her.

“Now Reese,” Sam said, before Caleb could get a word in. “The thing about our family is that they’re mostly for show. They like to flaunt what they have. So take ’em with a grain of salt. If you let them pick away at you, they’ll use your weakness to their advantage. They’re all highly skilled at manipulation for their own personal benefit.”

Her gaze slid to Caleb and her brow lifted. “One, I’m not showy. Two, I’m not exactly in a place in my life where I feel particularly confident.”

He grinned at her. “Darlin’, I wouldn’t take you if I didn’t think you could hold your own. And as Sam pointed out to me some time ago, if I try to keep you under wraps, it’ll just make them more determined to find fault with you.”

“Just be yourself,” Sam said. “Don’t second-guess anything or wonder if you’ve said the right thing or not. Don’t think twice about it. The more grounded you are, the less likely they’ll be to trip you up. It’s strictly arrogance on their part. Once they know your feet are firmly planted, they won’t try to knock you off ‘em.”

Collecting his empty plate, Sam stood and took it into the kitchen.

Reese said, “He didn’t give that advice to someone who meant something to him, did he?”

“No, he did not. He took the opposite approach, because he was already in hot water over being with Charlotte for nearly two years without telling anyone. Until they starting discussing a wedding. Then he brought her home. My mother was livid—mostly because she was embarrassed he was springing Charlotte on them at a party, where all her friends wondered why she didn’t know he was serious enough about a woman to propose marriage.”

“I can see where that would sting.”

Caleb nodded. “Yes. I agree. But he had a good reason for wanting to keep her from the family. She was very sweet and unpretentious and he didn’t want anyone pushing her buttons, knowing it would fluster her. And hurt her feelings. That’s not going to happen with you, I promise.”

She drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly. “How can you be so sure?”

No doubt, the look he gave her was one of pure admiration. He felt it to the core of his being. “Because I saw you take on your ex-husband. You stand up for yourself, Reese. That’s why no one’s gonna mess with you tonight. Plus,” he leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I won’t let them.”

He kissed her forehead, then went back to his breakfast.

She was quiet a few moments as Sam returned and poured another cup of coffee from the carafe resting on a trivet. Then she stood. “I have to visit Liza. I’m going to need a dress. What’s the attire?”

“Black tie optional,” Sam said. To Caleb he asked, “You did pack your tux, right?”

“In the garment bag hanging in the closet. I know better.” His attention shifted to Reese. “Now don’t feel as though you have to go all out. There’s no one you have to compete with, darlin’.”

“I’m meeting your parents,” she said. “I have no choice but to go all out.”

She picked up her plate and mug and disappeared around the corner.

Sam said, “Think we sufficiently scared the shit out of her.”

“Yeah, but that’s a good thing. She walked away with her shoulders squared, didn’t she? That is not a woman to be backed into a corner. You were right about taking her, and I’m damn glad she agreed. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how we feel about each other. The family drama can’t split us up.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. He reached for his cup and took a sip of coffee.

Caleb said, “Okay, your silence speaks volumes. But she’s not Charlotte. I’ve seen her in action and I’ve got faith in her. Plus I learned a lesson from you. I won’t let them do to Reese what they did to Charlotte.”

“I hope not. Just remember they work behind the scenes as much as they operate up front.”

“Point taken. Let’s get moving.” They had work to do at the ranch. They planned to meet up with Reese around six at the B&B so they could be on their way to Austin, where the Lear would be waiting for them.

Caleb felt confident he had everything under control.

* * * * *

Liza had once been immersed in Manhattan society and Reese knew she was the person to consult when it came to glamming it up for a big to-do. Not to mention, they were the same size.

Although she would certainly heed Caleb and Sam’s warning—and stay true to herself—she knew she’d have more confidence if she appeared a little closer to fitting in with Caleb’s family.

Liza threw open the double doors to her closet and said, “Take your pick!”

“Good grief, girlfriend.” Reese shook her head as she stepped inside. “This isn’t a closet—it’s a celebrity-sized dressing room.”

“Jack knocked down the wall to the adjoining spare bedroom and added all the shelves and racks and jewelry towers. He didn’t realize I’d only brought a couple bags of clothes with me when I left New York. Everything else had gone into storage while I decided whether to stay in Texas. Once I’d shipped the rest of my wardrobe here, it was quite clear I’d run him out of his own closet if he didn’t make room for me.”

“You’d need every inch of storage space in this house if he hadn’t built this area for you.”

“True. Now, what are you looking for?”

She’d told Liza when she’d phoned earlier that she needed a dress for a Dallas society party. She said, “It’s black tie optional, but Caleb is wearing a tux, so I need formal.”

“Back wall,” she said with a gesture of her hand.

Reese’s gaze swept over the gowns. On her way to the far wall, she pulled out a stunning turquoise dress with a bejeweled collar.

Liza laughed at the selection. “I love that dress. The first time I wore it in town, though, Lydia called me a disco ball at a wake.”

“I see you didn’t mind. You’ve worn it on a few other occasions.”

With a shrug, she said, “What are you going to do? Let one person’s narrow-mindedness get you down?”

“Interesting you should mention that.” Reese crossed to the back of the room and inspected the vast inventory. “Apparently Caleb’s ultra-snobby family likes to pick at roadkill like swarming vultures.”

“Yikes.”

“The thing is, I know their kind. Remember I said that at the flower shop? I have no desire to get wrapped up in society life. I dated a boy from Austin when I was in high school. He came from a wealthy family. While money does solve common woes, it for sure doesn’t make you a happy person. His parents were miserable. Slaves to their ambition and greed. I started to see that in him too, and I’ve got say, it’s not a pretty side of human nature.”

“I hear you, sister. I let my mother and my boyfriend in Manhattan drag me through the society mud. It’s not worth it. I like the simple life Jack and I have. I vamp it up when I want to but I’ve come to prefer jeans and boots to skirts and high heels.”

“You still look as though you’re worth a million bucks.”

She laughed. “Oh if only I were!” Joining Reese in front of the long rack, she added, “Hey, this red gown would be sensational on you.” She held it up.

Reese’s fingers skimmed over the satin material. “This is stunning.” And extremely tempting. But Sam’s words flashed in her mind. “I’m supposed to be myself though. Supposedly that’s the way to stand your ground with this group.”

Eyeing a black dress, Reese pulled it from the rack. “This is more like it. Nothing flashy, but definitely a statement piece.”