Leaving Liberty, a Western Romance (Book 5) (Texas Hearts) (5 page)

“You’re afraid I’m going to grill you about the investigation?”

“Isn’t that what this is all about?”

He looked away and let out a slow sigh. “You and me are a lot more alike than you think.”

“And I suppose you’re going to enlighten me on that.”

“Yes, I am.” He leaned forward with his elbows on the table, making him uncomfortably close to her. He lowered his voice. “You and me are very focused. You’re focused on the ranch and protecting whatever it is you don’t want me to find out about. And just for the record, I know there is something you don’t want me to find out. I just don’t what that is yet.”

Her heart beat faster in her chest. But Jackson didn’t seem to notice.

“But for today, let’s just say we call a truce and just be two people enjoying a meal together.”

“That’s it? That’s all you want?”

“Yeah. You know, people do that sort of thing all the time. They meet and talk about…stuff.”

“Stuff. What stuff?”

“You know. Stuff about yourself. For instance, I can guess where your name comes from.”

She fought the smile pulling at her lips. “Yeah, Mom and Dad were pretty original there.”

“But I don’t know the story behind it.”

“What makes you think there’s a story?”

“Because that’s what parents do. The story of a person always starts with their name. No one is ever born with a name. Parents take months figuring out that perfect name for their kids. In my case, my parents didn’t name me.”

“They didn’t?”

Jackson shook his head. “My great-grandfather did.”

Libby dropped the menu on the table and sat back in the seat. “Really. His name was Jackson, too?”

“No. It was Colbert. But he was a big Johnny Cash fan. He loved the song Jackson.”

Libby couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re named after a song?”

“That’s what they told me. Being the first born, I apparently took my sweet time coming into the world. My grandfather and great-grandfather decided to go down at the local pub and wait things out. They spent a fair amount of time there listening to the jukebox and having a drink or two or so while waiting for news of my arrival. When news didn’t come, the men decided to go to the hospital to find out what the holdup was from the women in the family who were waiting there. They were…feeling pretty happy.”

“Oh, no.”

Jackson laughed, his eyes twinkling as he told the story. “Well, it was a joyous occasion, my birth and all. But both my grandmothers were plenty angry and told them so. So they decided to serenade them.”

“In the hospital?”

“Right in the maternity waiting room. The women were yelling at them to knock it off. The men just kept singing louder. Almost got them all thrown out, except, at that moment I decided to make my grand entrance. My great-grandfather declared it was a sign my name had to be Jackson.”

Tears welled in her eyes from laughing. “Is that true?”

“So the story goes. Now tell yours.”

She shrugged. “There’s nothing to tell. It’s certainly nothing as interesting as your name.” She shook her head. “You know I’m never going to be able to hear that song and not think of you.”

His lips curled into a slow smile. “Now that’s a nice thought. You thinking of me.”

Her insides stirred in a way she wasn’t used to feeling. She was thankful when the waitress appeared at the table to take their order. She was hungrier than she’d felt in weeks. But Jackson had managed to stir another hunger in her that had been dead for a long time.

# # #

It had been three days since Libby had shared a meal with Jackson at the diner. Three days. And the days that followed had her glancing down her driveway every time she heard a car drive past the house. Nothing.

Until today.

When she spotted the cloud of dust behind the pickup coming down the driveway, she knew better than to think it was Cole coming back home. Cole was always true to his word. He’d left to protect her. He wouldn’t jeopardize that as long as a Texas Ranger was sniffing about. That meant only one thing.

Jackson was back. What irked Libby the most was that she’d actually been waiting for him.

She pulled her attention away from his approach and went back to spreading manure in the side garden with her pitchfork. She usually loved tending her own garden of flowers and vegetables. But the only person who’d be enjoying the spoils would be her if Cole didn’t come back.

She worked with determination. Her face was hot and the muscles in her chest were screaming at her. But exercise was good and she’d reward herself with a hot bath later to ease some of the kinks out.

When the sound of Jackson’s boots on the ground stopped, Libby lifted her head and stopped working, conscious of the fact she probably looked like a sweaty wreck. To her surprise, Jackson wasn’t even looking at her.

“You have a real nice spread here,” Jackson said, looking around. His gaze swept over the pasture. His eyes slowly took in each detail from the slight swell of the land as it reached the hills in the distance and the pond nestled just on the other side of a lush green patch of trees. His lips lifted to an appreciative smile. For some reason that mattered to Libby.

“This is beautiful country.”

“I’ve always thought so. My father always wanted John to take over the ranch, have a bunch of boys to carry on after him.”

“It’s what every man wants, isn’t it?”

Her breath caught in her throat. “I hope not.”

Jackson glanced at her then.

Libby shrugged. “That leaves half the population insignificant in the eyes of men.”

A small chuckle escaped his lips. “Not hardly. I’d say that the female population has a whole lot of significance to most men.”

Her jaw tightened. “But not for the right reasons. This may come as a shock to you, Jackson, but women aren’t just playthings. If you open your eyes you might actually find one who knows how to do a thing or two on the ranch that’s useful.”

He eyed the pitchfork in her hand. “I imagine you’d have no problem showing me your talents with that thing. But I’ll pass for now.”

“Too bad. I’ve got an itch to show you.”

He laughed. “Why so hostile? And here I thought we had a nice connection at the diner the other day.”

“Long day already. Sorry.”

“You said your family owned this place for a while?”

“Generations. But I imagine it doesn’t compare to what your family has up north.”

“It’s different. This is…smaller.”

Libby chuckled. “A few thousand acres can’t really compare to the tens of thousands of acres in Steerage Rock, Texas.”

Jackson’s lips tilted into an irresistible grin. “What do you know about Steerage Rock?”

“Enough to know that your brother, Beau, is a famous bronc rider who up and left the circuit right before he had his shot at world champion.”

His eyebrows narrowed. “Beau had his reasons.”

“It was quite a bold move. Big news around here. People were talking about it for months. This is rodeo country, after all, and my dad was a big fan.”

He turned his attention to her directly. “Anything else?”

“Every once in a while I hear Brock Gentry’s music on my radio when I’m driving to town or when I have the radio on in the kitchen. He’s good. I like his music. And your brother Cody is—”

Jackson shifted uncomfortably. “So my brothers have made a name for themselves and obviously left an impression on you. I get it.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Jealous?”

He shook his head. She doubted he was. What could a man like Jackson have to be jealous about?

“I chose a different path for my life. I went into the military and then became a Texas Ranger. Nothing quite as newsworthy as what my brothers do, but just as important I think.”

Libby’s stomach dropped. “Is that why you’re here?”

“Partly.”

“Cole’s not here.”

“I know.”

She relaxed just a little. Did he know Cole had left town?

“Then why are you here? I’ve already told you everything I know about the accident.”

“You know where Cole is.”

She sputtered and dug the pitchfork’s teeth into the dirt. “What makes you think that?”

“You’re saying you don’t?”

“I knew he was leaving. He didn’t tell me where he was going. I can’t help you.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

She lifted her head to look at him directly. She was no match for his height, but she had other assets that were just as intimidating. “I don’t expect you to believe anything, Jackson. In fact, believe whatever you want, even if it’s not the truth. I’m just telling you what I know.”

“You're awfully pretty when you get riled up.” His voice was like a caress against her skin, soft and slow and tender. And when he spoke to her like that, she actually believed him.

Damn him.

“Save that for the pretty girls back home. It doesn’t work on me.” She gripped the pitchfork tighter, turned her back to him and walked away.

“You think all that steam and fire you just threw at me is enough to get me to leave Liberty?”

“One can hope.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Libby.”

“Fine. Do whatever you’d like,” she said, not turning back. “I have work to do.”

* * *

Jackson watched Libby as she stalked back toward the barn. Sashayed was more like it. He wondered if she even knew she was doing it. Or if it were natural. Did her hips sway like that whenever she was walking away or did she only do that when he'd gotten her riled up? A man could spend hours just wondering about this woman. And he was wasting a whole lot of time doing it.

“You don’t have any other ranch hands here?” he called out to her.

As she got to the barn door, Libby turned to him. “I thought we already established the size of this ranch. Cole was it. My father didn’t need anyone more than the three of us.”

“So now you’re down two men.”

“We’ve already established that, too.”

She disappeared into the barn. Jackson followed her. He’d somehow put his foot in his mouth again where Libby was concerned. How that kept happening was a mystery to him.

He found her in the first stall.

“I just meant…you could use some help here.”

She dug the pitchfork into the soiled hay in the stall and carried it to the waiting wheelbarrow without acknowledging him.

“I’m going to be in town for a little while until I finish…filing my report.”

Libby kept working. Lord, the woman was beautiful when she was irritated. And now she was irritating him.

“I could help you.”

She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

“Why in hell’s blazes would I want you on this ranch?” Realization seemed to cross her face. “Oh, wait. You don’t want to help me at all.”

He blinked his confusion. “I just offered, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but only so you can dig up dirt on Cole.”

She may as well have stabbed him in the heart with her suspicion. “If digging up dirt is needed, then I’m happy to help you do it. But the offer was to help you with the chores. Libby I’ve come out to this ranch a few times and each time something more needs to be done. You’ve been out in the sun for I don’t know how long today but half the day isn’t even over you look like you’re about to topple over. You can’t do the work of three men all by yourself.”

“If I have to, I can.”

He shook his head, baffled by her stubbornness. “Hasn’t anyone ever offered genuine help to you before?

She stared at him for a long time, weighing him, thinking. “I’m used to… It doesn’t matter. I didn’t realize you were serious.”

“I am. To lose two people you care about so quickly and then be saddled with all this work is enough to break anyone. I can’t believe you haven’t had a neighbor or someone from town offer to help you out.”

She sighed. “They have. I’ve said no. Despite what you think, I’m not saddled with anything here. Everything I do is a labor of love. I love this ranch.”

“Have you even looked into getting help?”

“I haven’t had time since Cole left. It’s going to be hard to replace Cole. He did the work of five men, I swear.”

“Then I have a lot to live up to.”

* * *

Jackson had spent the rest of the day helping Libby get caught up on some much-needed work on the ranch. Most of the day they worked independently. Jackson had checked the fences on the far side of the property where the cattle were somehow getting out. He’d been gone for hours, taking Spirit with him.

She had a mixed sense of envy that Spirit would enjoy the afternoon’s ride with someone else, and pride that Jackson would see all the hard work she’d put into training Spirit. Not all horses took to strangers well. But of all the horses on the Bucking Hills Ranch, Spirit had the sweetest temperament and would not give Jackson any trouble.

Libby actually felt guilty for sitting down on the porch with a glass of iced tea during the time Jackson had been gone. He’d been right about her. Her body wasn’t as strong as it used to be. But it had nothing to do with her grief over losing her father. She had to be easy with her body if she expected it to heal well.

It had her thinking about what Jackson said about finding someone to replace Cole. Part of her hoped that the investigation would be over so Cole could come home. If he did, there would be no need for her to hire another ranch hand. But Jackson would have to leave Liberty for that to happen.

She decided her break was over when she’d drained the last of her iced tea. If Jackson was out fixing her fences, then she couldn’t very well rest all afternoon. There was plenty of work to be done in the barn.

She was just finishing up spreading fresh hay in one of the stalls when Jackson came trotting in with Spirit.

She greeted him with a smile, but it quickly faded when she saw the scowl on his face.

“Why haven’t you reported the breaks in your fencing to the sheriff?” he asked, climbing down from the saddle.

“Animals break through fences all the time. Neither the sheriff or Dane has time to deal with that sort of thing.”