Cowboy Country (57 page)

 Once on the road, she said, “I still need time to get settled in to the practice here, but it’s going so well. I just love being back in Hobble Creek, and getting into Austin is fun, too, so things don’t get too sleepy. Nicole and her mom have been wonderful hosts, but it’s time to start looking for my own place here. And I’m thinking of a horse.”

“I like it. I like the idea of you getting settled in, Jess, and I’ll help however I can. Horse-wise, are you thinking about bringing along some young stock, or a pleasure trail ride mount, or what?”

“I’m thinking I’d like an endurance pony that likes barrels,” she grinned. “I want to place this year at the Bastrop County Round-Up. Somebody’s gotta fill in for Daisy, now that she’s pregnant.”

Wyatt’s smile was wide. “Well, look around, see what’s out there that you like, but Buttercup’s yours as long you want her. You could have some real fun on her, I think, Jess.”

Jessie smiled back, her eyes shining. “Bet I could.” It was dusk, now, the moon rising and the look she gave him was inquisitive, but trusting. “Do you still want there to be an us, Wyatt?”

“More than ever,” Wyatt looked at her intently.

“No drama, though, right?”

“No drama, Jess. Just you and me,” Wyatt said, taking her hand, kissing her wrist.

They pulled into the parking lot at her office, and Wyatt leaned over and kissed Jessie’s lips softly. She put her arms around his neck.

“I want you at Mockingbird, with me, Jessie,” he said gruffly. “I love you, you know that.”

“I love you, too, Wyatt, I always have,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. “I want this to work. I do.”

“It will work this time, Jess, I know it. Whatever you’re ready for, I’m here.”

“Well, isn’t that awfully sweet of you,” Jessie giggled. “Maybe you better come over to Circle R, real early in the morning? I’ll tell Nicole to expect you for breakfast. C’mon, I’ll walk you to your truck.”

“No, ma’am. You’re driving.” She stepped out of the passenger seat and he wrapped her in his arms, kissing her good night, a kiss that created a force field of their very own, zoomed from her lips to her toes. “Call me in the morning, and I’ll swing by for breakfast.”

“I sure will.”

Sunday, July 3, 2016, 10:18 AM~ Mockingbird Ranch, TX

The sun had already been beastly hot for hours.  Lance had off, most of the ranch hands were out of town, and Wyatt had worked all morning solo to fix a pump to a waterline that ran from the creek to the northwest section, where a herd of thirsty yearling Black Angus waited.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he finished the pipe and was heading towards his office when he saw Jessie’s little blue Audi sedan pass the house, headed down to Lance and Mary’s. He lifted a hand. Her face broke into a wide smile, her hand lifted and she beamed at him, and darn, if that didn’t lift him up.

Things were better and better, between them.

He’d stopped for breakfast at Circle R yesterday, early, like Jessie asked, but she hadn’t come down yet, so Nicole fixed them a whopping tray and set it in his hands. “This should keep you busy a few hours,” she said, flashing her sly little smile. “Just keep the noise down.”

And sure enough, they’d gotten busy.

Breakfast had only taken a few minutes, but when a bit of apricot jam spilled into Jessie’s cleavage, he’d started licking and had gotten riled. Grinning at the recollections of all the things a young couple that knew each other well could do in a four poster bed, and on a carpeted floor, and in a marble-tiled shower stall, and in a jumbo claw-foot tub, he tried to focus on the paperwork on his desk.

He wasn’t thinking of receivables and payroll, then, he was thinking of Jessie’s….

An hour later, he got her text. ‘Barn?’

A broad smile crossed his face.

In the stall near to Mabel was a tall, flashy pinto, with high white stockings and a blue eye. Jessie moved to the door, and he saw her eyes brighten. “Hey, Buttercup!”

Wyatt snapped a piece of carrot and handed it to Jessie. When she opened the door, the mare shied away, tossing her head. Jessie spoke to the mare quietly, holding her hand out. Finally, the mare took a few steps forward, and gently took the carrot from Jessie’s palm.

Jessie stroked her soft neck. “She’s young. What are you doing with her?”

“I was hoping you’d help me figure that out, Jess. She’s yours, if you want to try her out for your barrel partner. She’s four. The guy I bought her from got her started. She’s quick.”

“I bet, a little high strung, too.” Jessie said, meeting his eyes.

He smiled at her, a broad, glad-you’re-here, want-you-to-be-mine smile. “I think she has potential, Jessie, and I’m eager to hear what you think. How ‘bout we head out on the trail, so you can see her go?”

“It’s hot out there.”

“Let’s ride up to the promontory, then down along the creek, stick to the shade.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jessie agreed, so casually, but Wyatt’s heart thumped with pleasure, and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face.

He and Jessie hadn’t taken a trail ride together in years.

Clouds rolled in, the breeze kicked up, and they took a long ride, after all, riding north, along Little Bee Creek down in the valley, swollen with last week’s rains, then out to the western boundary, finishing at his favorite promontory, overlooking the house. The rainfall had deepened the pastures to thick browse, offering a dark contrast with the red of the sandstone cliffs.

“We might get a second cutting of hay soon,” Wyatt offered.

Jessie took a deep breath, looked out over the expanse of the ranch, they could see. New red Hereford babies were in the eastern pasture with their mommas, and the south section, along the road, had close to four hundred head of Black Angus steer. “It’s so peaceful Wyatt, I hadn’t remembered just how pretty the view was, from up here.”

“How’s it feel?” Wyatt asked, gazing southeast, over the valley. 

“No place means as much to me as Mockingbird Ranch,” Jessie said, eyeing him quickly, so she could see he meant it, before looking away. “You must know what this always meant to me.”

It was too much, thinking about the past, all the mistakes he’d made, the lost time. Easier just to let that go, breath and try to enjoy the day.

Wyatt pulled up alongside her, searched her green eyes. “Jessie….You’re all I’ve ever wanted. I mean that.”

“That…it does mean a lot to me. Thank you. I—We’re good together, aren’t we?”

“Real good, baby. As good as good gets.”

Taking Alfresco close to Buttercup, his thigh nudged Jessie’s as he put his hand around her waist.

Jessie’s body thrilled as he leaned in to kiss her; there had never been anyone like Wyatt. The kiss was brief, just a touch of his lips to hers, what had always been between them was so sweet and familiar, here, their very own heaven. She was so responsive to his touch; he awakened something in her that made her want to crawl into his skin, be a part of him.

“Welcome home, Jessie girl,” Wyatt breathed, his amber eyes locked on hers.

“It does feel like home, Wyatt, thank you,” she told him, placing a palm on his cheek.

Their horses were too frisky to stand though after all this time, and it was time to get back.

“Race ya?” Jessie teased.

“You’re on!” Wyatt answered. “I’ll even give you a lead.”

But it didn’t feel so good, a few moments later.

As they approached the barn, she saw a spotless white Mercedes sedan idling by the roping pen. What?

Stacia and her mother, here to make trouble. One look, and Wyatt’s gut crawled with a fierce, venomous anger. Stacia had pushed too far; she’d pushed Jessie away years back, she was the reason he’d lost Jessie, and now here she was again, taking another shot.

Ignoring them, Jessie dismounted, led Buttercup into the barn, cross-tied her in the aisle, pulled off the saddle.

The car doors opened, and Stacia and her mother got out. Mrs. Smith was an older, shorter, teased version of Stacia, copper haired and tanned. Both wore delicate sandals, and white dresses. He was still too far away to stop what happened next.

He swung out of the saddle, held Alamar, teeth gritted.

“Well look at Jessie, riding Mockingbird Ranch like the old days,” Stacia drawled, starting in. Her eyes flashed annoyance. “Mamma, you remember Jessie O’Rourke?”

A fake smile plastered Mrs. Smith’s face. “Well sure I do, Jessie! Austin keeping you busy?”

“Not so busy anymore,” Jessie said evenly, turning back to curry Butterscotch. 

“What brings you by, Mrs. Smith?” Wyatt asked, his voice giving no welcome.

“Stacia’s been raving about the grounds here, Wyatt, just about forever. I decided it was time to take a look-see for myself, find out all there was to know at Mockingbird Ranch.”

“On a holiday weekend?” Wyatt asked, not hiding his skepticism.

But Jessie’d had enough. Stepping away from Butterscotch, she passed, heading down the lane, back to Lance and Mary’s.

With a scorching look at Stacia, Wyatt followed, leading Alfresco, until they were out of earshot.

Jessie’s jaw was set, and she glared at him.

“Jessie, c’mon, I—this was an unwelcome surprise, you must know that.”

“Feels like I don’t know anything, Wyatt. Can you hose Butterscotch when she’s cooled, put her away for me?” Jessie tossed over her shoulder, still walking, while he moved to stay with her. “I’m heading over to Nicole’s.” 

“Jess, don’t leave, not like this,” Wyatt pleaded in a low tone, stepping in front of her, blocking her way.

“Your ex-girlfriend is here, Wyatt.” Jessie snapped, side stepping him. “Apparently she needs tending to. You and I had a nice ride, but there is nothing I’m sticking around for.”

“Don’t let her do this to us again, Jessie. She’s not welcome here, and she knows it. She’s just pushing your buttons.”

“I get that, I do, but it feels a heckuva lot like high school, and high school was a long time ago. Best you can do is go back and say your good-byes, please?”  Jessie met his eye for one scathing split-second, but he could see all the pain behind the reproach in her voice.

Dodging beneath his arm, she turned back to the white Mercedes, calling out in a pleasant voice so well-masked he’d be utterly fooled, if he hadn‘t seen her eyes. “Bye, Stacia. Mary said you helped Wyatt plan the party. Sure was a nice time, so thanks for that. Bye, Mrs. Smith.”

Then she headed off for Lance and Mary’s.

Jessie couldn’t explain why she was upset, she just was, but she managed hasty farewells to Emilia and Mary, but sobs overtook her as she climbed into her Audi, anxious to drive away from Mockingbird Ranch.

There was a little satisfaction in the dust Mrs. Smith’s white Mercedes had kicked up on the drive, leaving just ahead of her; Wyatt’s displeasure at the intrusion had been obvious to all of them, and Stacia and her mother had not lingered.

Driving down the lane, well out of sight of anyone but the Herefords, Jessie sobbed, weeping as she had not allowed herself in a long time.

She wept for her own pain, all that she’d held back for so many years, the feelings that had welled as she’d admired baby Emilia, fully aware that had things been different, had she trusted Wyatt, her own little babies might be running around the ranch, tagging at Wyatt’s heels.

She wept for the love she and Wyatt had shared, all these years, for the way he still made her feel, for the newness and promise of the past few weeks. And the scariness of it. They’d made love, and she was right back where she’d been so many years ago, with big decisions to make. 

Where to go with her disappointment, her fears, and all her heartache?

14

RIDE BACK HOME

Sunday, July 3, 2016, 2:36 PM~Mockingbird Ranch, TX

Jessie was on Hobble Creek Road nearing town when she saw Todd’s grey super-duty pickup in the rear view.

Ignoring him, she drove down Main Street, praying for green lights the whole way, then down the ramp and onto highway, then.

He was still behind her, calm and cool as you please, but Jessie wasn’t calm.

Jessie was angry.

And confused.

And upset.

Jessie hit her blinker, slowed, and pulled to the side of the highway, Wyatt on her tail.

Slamming her door shut, she ignored the bulk of him, the way she was drawn to him, the way the look in his amber eyes made her feel.

It was easier to be angry.

“Look, Wyatt, a long time ago, I decided that like just like my Momma’s was always gonna be a drunk, and just like my daddy died on an oil rig, you and me and all the ways we found to hurt each other was the past, and that was how it was best off staying!”

Wyatt’s gaze was direct, unflinching, as he held her shoulders and spoke intently. “Whatever you imagine was with Stacia never happened, Jessie. I loved you. I was waiting for you. I never...I never led her to belief she and I had anything close to what you and I were, I swear it.”

Jessie dug in, hurt and scared. “You sure you’re not just saying that now that I’m back in bed with you?”

A wave of pain crossed Wyatt’s face. “You should have known you can count on me, Jessie. You’ve always been able to count on me.”

“I counted on you up until I walked into a bar and saw Stacia hanging all over you. It about killed me, Wyatt. You think it was easy to show up here for the Christening, knowing she’d be with you? The only thing I don’t like about Hobble Creek is Stacia, and it’s not that I don’t like Stacia, it’s just….Damn! Why didn’t you fight for me? Why did you let me go so easily? And how am I supposed to trust that what’s happening right now isn’t going to end the same way?”

Wyatt’s face softened as he reached, dragged a finger down her cheek, along her jaw. It was all Jessie could do to remain unflinching. Damn, he knew her so well. “I’d a put a ring on your finger two weeks ago, Jessie, but you said you weren’t ready. Come back to the house with me.”