Orchard Valley Brides (19 page)

“Yup.”

“I should've guessed,” Cody said. “I knew even before I opened my mouth that you were going to be pigheaded about this.”

“Don't feel bad,” she said with feigned amiability. “I'm sure there are plenty of women who'd leap at your offer. I just don't happen to be one of them.” She reached for the handle of the still-open door, and he was obliged to move out of the way.

“Good night, Cody.”

“Goodbye,” he muttered and stalked away. He turned back once as if he wanted to argue with her some more, but changed his mind. Sherry threw her car into gear and drove off.

 

“What happened between my dad and you after we talked?” Heather asked in a whisper over the telephone. She'd called Sherry first thing the next morning.

“Heather, I'm on duty. I can't talk now.”

“Who's sick?”

“No one at the moment, but—”

“If there's no one there, it won't hurt to talk to me for a couple of minutes, will it? Please?”

“Nothing happened between your dad and me.” Which of course wasn't true. She'd been proposed to, if you could call it that, for the first time in her life.

“Then why is Dad acting like a wounded bear? Janey threatened to quit this morning, and she's been working for Dad since before I was born.”

“Why don't you ask your father?”

“You're kidding, right? No one wants to talk to him. Even Slim's staying out of his way.”

“Give him time. He'll cool down.”

“If I could wait that long, I wouldn't be calling you.”

“Heather,” Sherry said, growing impatient, “this is between your father and me. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?”

“You don't want my help?”

“No,” Sherry said emphatically. “I don't. Please, drop it, okay?”

“All right,” the girl agreed reluctantly. “I won't ask any more questions about whatever it is that
didn't
happen that you don't want to talk about.”

“Thank you.”

“I hope you know what a sacrifice this is.”

“Oh, I do.”

“You might think that just because I'm a kid I don't know things. But I know more than either you or Dad realize. I—”

Sherry rolled her eyes. “I need to get off the phone.”

Heather released a great gusty sigh. “All right. We're still going shopping for school clothes, aren't we? Soon, 'cause school starts in less than two weeks.”

“You bet.” Sherry suggested a day and a time and reminded Heather to check with her father. “I'll make reservations at a nice hotel, and we'll spend the night.”

“That'll be
great!
Oh, Sherry, I really wish you and Dad could get along, because I think you're fabulous.”

“I think you're pretty fabulous, too, honey. Now listen, I have to go. I can't tie up the line.”

“Next time I call, I'll ask Mrs. Colson to take a message. You can call me back later when you're not on duty.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

 

Sherry had just finished with her first patient of the afternoon, a four-year-old with a bad ear infection, when Mrs. Colson handed her a phone message. Sherry should've suspected something when the receptionist smiled so broadly.

Sherry took the slip and stuck it in the pocket of her white uniform jacket, waiting until she was alone to read it. When she did, she sank into a chair and closed her eyes. The call was from Heather. She'd talked to her father, and apparently he had business in Abilene that same weekend and was making arrangements for the three of them to travel together. He'd call her soon, Heather said.

This was going to be difficult. Knowing Cody, he'd turn a simple shopping trip into a test of her patience and endurance. She'd have to set some ground rules.

 

Cody was supposed to pick her up at the clinic early Saturday morning. Sherry was standing on the porch waiting. It'd been a week since she'd last seen him, four days since their stilted conversation on the phone—and a lifetime since she'd dreaded any trip more.

Her heart sank when the white Cadillac pulled to a stop in front of the clinic.

Cody got out of the car and climbed the steps. Sherry saw Heather scramble over the front seat and into the back.

“Hello,” Sherry said, tightening her grip on her overnight case.

“Hello.” His voice was devoid of emotion as he reached for her bag.

“I thought we should talk before we leave,” she said when he was halfway down the steps.

“Fine.” He didn't sound eager.

“Let's call a truce. It shouldn't be difficult to be civil to each other, should it? There's no reason for us to discuss our differences now or ever again, for that matter.”

“No,” he agreed, “it shouldn't be the least bit difficult to be civil.”

And surprisingly, it wasn't. The radio filled in the silences during the long drive, and when the stations faded, Heather bubbled over with eager chatter. Cody seemed to go out of his way to be amiable, and Sherry found her reserve melting as the miles slipped past.

The hotel Cody chose in Abilene was situated close to a large shopping mall. Heather was ready to head for the shops the minute they checked in to their spacious two-bedroom suite.

“Hold your horses,” Cody said. He had his briefcase with him. “I probably won't be back until later this evening.”

“What about dinner?” Heather wanted to know.

“I've got an appointment.”

“Don't worry about us,” Sherry told him. “Either we'll order something from room service or eat downstairs. If we're feeling adventurous, we'll go out, but I don't imagine we'll go far.”

“What time will you be back, Dad?”

Cody paused. “I can't say. I could be late, so don't wait up for me.”

“Can I watch a movie?” She stood in front of the television and read over the listings offered on the printed card.

“If Sherry doesn't object, I can't see any reason why not.”

Heather hugged her father and he kissed her head. “Have fun, you two.”

“We will,” Sherry said.

“Spend your money wisely,” he advised on his way out the door, but the look he cast Sherry assured her he trusted her to guide Heather in her decisions.

The girl waited until her father was out of the room before she hurled herself onto the beige sofa and threw out both arms. “Isn't this great? You brought your swimsuit, didn't you? I did.”

Sherry had, but she wasn't sure there'd be enough time for them to use the hotel pool.

“It's almost as if we're a real family.”

“Heather…”

“I know, I know,” she said dejectedly. “Dad already lectured me about this. I'm not supposed to say anything that might insin…insinuate that the two of you share any romantic interest in each other.” She said this last bit in a tinny voice that sounded as if it were coming from a robot.

“At least your father and I understand each other.”

“That's just it. You don't. He really likes you, Sherry. A lot. He'd never admit it, though.” She sighed and cocked her head. “Men have a problem with pride, don't they?”

“Women do, too,” Sherry said, reaching for her purse. “Are you ready to shop till we drop, or do you want to discuss the troublesome quirks of the male psyche?”

It didn't take Heather more than a second to decide. She bolted from the sofa. “Let's shop!”

The mall close to the hotel consisted of nearly fifty
stores, of which twenty sold clothing, and they made a point of visiting each and every one. When they were back in the hotel, arms laden with packages, Sherry discovered they'd bought something in more than half the stores they'd ventured into.

Heather was thrilled with her purchases. She removed the merchandise from the bags and spread the outfits over the two beds in their room, quickly running out of space. The overflow spilled onto the sofa and love seat in the living room. Two pairs of crisp jeans and several brightly colored blouses. Several T-shirts. A couple of jersey pullovers and a lovely soft cardigan. Two bras—the right size for Heather's still-developing figure—and matching panties. Sherry had talked Heather into buying a couple of dresses, too, although the girl insisted the only place she'd ever wear them was church. Their biggest extravagance had been footwear—five pairs altogether. Boots, sneakers, dress shoes—to go with her Sunday dresses—a sturdy pair for school and a pair of bedroom slippers.

Sherry wasn't immune to spending money on herself, and she'd purchased a gorgeous black crepe evening dress. Heaven only knew where she was going to wear it, but she'd been unable to resist.

“I have an idea!” Heather announced. “Let's dress up really nice for dinner. I'll wear my dress and new shoes and you can wear
your
new dress, and then we'll go down and order lobster for dinner and charge it to the room so Dad'll pay for it.”

An elegant dinner to celebrate their success held a certain appeal—and gave Sherry an unexpected chance to wear her new finery—but charging it to the room didn't seem fair to Cody. “I don't know, Heather…”

“Dad won't mind,” Heather said. “He's grateful you're willing to shop with me, and he'll be even happier now that I have bras that fit me. So, come on—what do you think?”

“I think dinner's a marvelous idea.” They could work out the finances later.

Heather rummaged through the bags stacked on Sherry's bed until she found what she was looking for. “We should do our nails first, though, shouldn't we?”

They'd discovered the hottest shade of pink nail polish Sherry had ever seen. Heather had fallen in love with it and convinced Sherry her life wouldn't be complete without it.

“Our hair, too.”

“Why not?” If they were going to dress up, there was no point in half measures. Heather was filled with such boundless enthusiasm Sherry couldn't help being infected with it, too.

Using jasmine-scented bubble bath, Sherry soaked in the tub, washed her hair and piled it high on her head, wrapping it in a white towel. Putting on a thick terry-cloth robe supplied by the hotel, she met Heather, who'd made use of the second bathroom, back in the living room.

Heather, also in a thick terry-cloth robe, eagerly set the bottle of hot-pink polish on the table.

“Only for our toes, not our fingers,” Sherry instructed.

Heather was clearly disappointed, but she nodded. She balanced one foot, then the other against the edge of the coffee table, and Sherry painted the girl's toenails, then had Heather paint hers. They were halfway through this ritual, with Heather's nail polish almost dry, when
the key turned in the lock. They both looked up to see Cody stroll casually into the room.

“Dad!” Heather bounded to her feet and raced over to her father. “We had a
fabulous
day. Wait'll you see what we bought.”

Cody set down his briefcase and hugged his daughter. “I take it you had a fun afternoon.”

“It was wild. I spent oodles of money. Sherry did, too. She bought this snazzy black dress. It wasn't on sale, but she said she had to have it. When you see her in it, you'll know why.”

Cody didn't comment on that. His eyes narrowed when he saw his daughter's feet. “What have you done to your toes?”

“Isn't it great?” Heather said rhapsodically, wiggling her toes for his inspection.

“Will they make your feet glow in the dark?”

“No, silly!”

Sherry finished painting the last of her own toenails and screwed the top back on the bottle of polish. “We were going to dress up in our new outfits and go downstairs and have dinner in the dining room,” she said. “That's all right, isn't it?”

“Anything you want. Dinner's on me.”

“Even lobster?” Heather asked, as though she wasn't entirely sure how far his generosity would stretch.

“Even lobster. I just sold off the main part of my herd for the best price I've gotten in years.”

“Congratulations.” Sherry stood, with folded tissues between her toes, and tightened the belt on her robe.

“Then you're all through with your business stuff?” Heather asked.

“I'm finished.”

“That's even better! You'll join us for dinner, right? You don't mind if Dad comes, do you, Sherry?”

Cody's eyes connected with Sherry's and his smile was slightly cocky, as if to suggest the ball was in her court.

“Of course I don't mind.” There wasn't anything else she could say.

“You'll wear your slinky new dress,” Heather said. “Dad.” She turned to her father. “Your eyeballs are going to pop out of your head when you see Sherry in it.”

Cody's gaze was on his daughter when he spoke. “It's too late for that. They popped out of my head the first time I saw her.”

S
herry wasn't sure why she felt so nervous. Maybe it had something to do with her new outfit. She suspected it was a mistake to wear that particular dress with this particular man.

She styled her glossy brown hair carefully, arranging it on top of her head with dangling wisps at her temples and neck. She wished she could tame her heart just as easily. She tried not to place any importance on this evening out, tried to convince herself it was just a meal with friends. That was all they were. Friends. The promise of more had been wiped away. Yet none of her strategies were succeeding; they hadn't even come close to succeeding. She was falling in love with this no-nonsense cattleman, despite the fact that there wasn't a romantic bone in his body.

When they'd finished dressing, the three of them met in the suite's living room. Sherry endured—and, at the same time, thrilled to—Cody's scrutiny. The dress was sleeveless with a dropped waist and a skirt that flared out
at her knees in a triple layer of sleek ruffles. The high-heeled black sandals were the perfect complement.

“Doesn't she look like a million bucks?” Heather asked.

Without taking his eyes from Sherry, Cody nodded. “Very nice.”

“Heather, too,” Sherry said.

Cody seemed chagrined that she'd had to remind him to compliment his daughter. His eyes widened with appreciation as he gazed at Heather.

“Wow,” he murmured. “Why…you seem all grown-up.”

“I'm nearly thirteen, you know, and that means I'm almost a woman.”

“You certainly look like one in that pretty dress.” The glance he flashed at Sherry was filled with surprised gratitude. He seemed to be asking how she'd managed to convince his daughter to buy something other than jeans and cowboy boots.

Seeing Cody in a smart sports jacket with a pale blue shirt and a string tie had a curious effect on Sherry. She couldn't look at him and not be stirred. As much as she hated to admit it, he was a handsome man. When they'd first met, she'd been struck by the strength and authority she sensed in him. Those same traits were more prominent than ever now.

“Are we going to dinner, or are we going to stand around and stare at each other all evening?” Heather asked bluntly, looking from her father to Sherry and back again.

“By all means, let's eat,” Cody said.

“Yes, let's.” Sherry was shocked by how thin and wavery her voice sounded. Apparently she wasn't the
only one who noticed, because Heather sent her a curious look, then grinned broadly.

Dinner truly was an elegant affair. The small dining room was beautifully decorated with antique fixtures and furnishings. The tables were covered with white linen tablecloths, and the lights were muted. Both Heather and Sherry ordered the lobster-tail dinner, while Cody chose a thick T-bone steak. When a three-piece musical ensemble started to play, Heather glanced pointedly at both her father and Sherry.

“You're going to dance, aren't you?” she said.

“The music is more for mood than dancing,” Sherry explained, although she wouldn't have refused if Cody had offered. But she knew he didn't much care for dancing, so an offer wasn't likely.

Their salads arrived, all Caesars with garlicky croutons. Heather gobbled hers, and when Sherry turned to her, silently suggesting she eat more slowly, the girl wiped the dressing from the corner of her mouth and shrugged. “I'm too hungry to linger over my food like you and Dad are.”

Sherry's appetite was almost nil, a stark contrast to an hour earlier—before Cody had returned to the suite. She was almost sorry he was with them, because she couldn't enjoy her food. But although she was uncomfortably aware of his presence, she was still glad to be sharing this time with him and Heather.

Their entrées were served, and Sherry was grateful to Heather, who single-handedly carried the conversation. She chattered nonstop between bites of lobster, relating the details of the afternoon. Cody concentrated on his food, occasionally murmuring a brief response to his daughter's comments.

But whatever was happening between Cody and her, if indeed anything was, felt strange to Sherry. Cody seemed withdrawn from her both physically and emotionally. A sort of sultry tension suffused the air about them, as if they were waging battles against themselves, against the strong pull of the attraction they shared. Thank goodness, she thought, for Heather's easy banter.

Sherry hardly touched her meal, but nothing went to waste, because after Heather finished her own dinner, she polished off what remained of Sherry's.

When their dinner plates had been taken away and Heather was waiting for the blueberry-swirl cheesecake she'd ordered, Sherry excused herself and retreated to the ladies' room. She applied fresh lipstick, taking her time, not ready to go back to the table yet. She was uncertain of so many things. Cody had told her how much he
didn't
want to be attracted to her, and she'd found his words somewhat insulting. Now she understood. She was attracted to him, and she didn't like it, either, didn't know how to deal with it. What troubled her most was that she seemed to be weakening toward him. She'd always thought of herself as strong-willed, but now her defenses were crumbling. She was afraid that, as the evening progressed, it would become increasingly difficult to hide her feelings—and that could be disastrous.

Sherry had rejected his less-than-flattering proposal. Cody made it sound as if he was too busy rounding up cattle to go out with her or to focus on developing a relationship. But it was much more than that. He wasn't willing to make an emotional commitment to her, and Sherry would accept nothing less.

She was on her way back into the dining room when a
tall, vaguely familiar-looking man approached her. His eye caught hers, and he hesitated a moment before speaking.

“Excuse me,” he said, smiling apologetically, “but don't I know you?”

Sherry studied him, thinking the same thing, but unable to decide where or when she'd met him. “I'm not from this area,” she said. “This is my first time in Abilene.”

He frowned and introduced himself, but that didn't help. “It'll come to me,” he said. “Do I look familiar to you?”

Sherry gave him her name. “You do look familiar, but I can't place you.”

“Me, neither. Well…I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Sherry.”

“That's okay.”

When she reached the table, Cody's eyes were full of questions. “Do you know that man?”

“I'm not sure. He said his name's Jack Burnside.” She paused. “He thought we'd met before. We might have, but neither of us can remember when or where. I'm generally good about remembering people. It's a little embarrassing.”

Cody snickered. “Don't you know a come-on when you hear it? That guy's never met you—he was just looking for an excuse to introduce himself. His ploy's as old as the hills. I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Apparently not,” Sherry said lightly, refusing to allow Cody the pleasure of irritating her.

“I think you should dance with Sherry,” Heather suggested a second time, pointing at the minuscule dance floor, where several other couples were swaying to the music.

“I'm sure your father would rather we—”

“As it happens, I'd be happy to give it a try.” Cody's gaze seemed to hold a challenge.

Sherry blinked. Cody had managed to surprise her once again. She stood when he pulled out her chair. His hand felt warm on the small of her back as he guided her to the polished floor.

He turned her into his arms with a flair, making her skirt fan out from her knees. Then he brought her close to him, so close she was sure she could feel his heart beating.

Sherry wasn't fooled; she knew exactly what he was doing, although she doubted he'd ever admit it. He hadn't asked her to dance because of any great desire to twirl her around the floor, but to make sure Jack Burnside understood she was with him.

His attitude angered her, yet in some odd way pleased her, too. She was gratified to realize the attraction was mutual.

While Cody might have escorted her onto the dance floor to indicate that she was with
him,
Sherry thought he was as unprepared as she was for the impact of their physical closeness. Cody's hold on her gradually grew more possessive. His hand slid upward from her waist until his fingers splayed across her back. Of its own volition, her head moved closer to his until her temple rested against the lean strength of his jaw. Her eyes drifted shut, and she breathed in the scent of spicy aftershave. The music was pleasant, easy and undemanding. Romantic.

As soon as she realized what she was doing, allowing herself to be drawn into the magic of the moment, she pulled away and concentrated on the music. Cody didn't attempt anything beyond a mere shuffling of his feet, which suited Sherry just fine.

She quickly saw her mistake. With her head back, their eyes inevitably met, and neither seemed inclined to look away. They continued to stare at each other, attempting to gauge everything that remained unspoken between them. The longer they gazed at each other the more awkward it became. Seconds ripened into minutes….

Sherry was the first to look away. Cody's hand eased her head toward his, and she sighed as her temple again unerringly came to rest against his jaw. Her eyes had just drifted shut when, out of the blue, she remembered where she'd met Jack Burnside.

“College,” she said abruptly, freeing herself from Cody's embrace. She glanced about the restaurant until she spotted Jack. “I do know him,” she said. “We met in Seattle years ago.” Taking Cody by the hand, she led him off the dance floor to a table at the far side of the restaurant, where Jack was eating alone. He stood at their approach.

“Jack,” she said, slightly breathless, “you're right, we do know each other. I'm Sherry Waterman. Your sister and I were roommates in our junior year at college. You were in Seattle on business and took us both to dinner. That must've been about twelve years ago.”

Jack's face broke into a wide grin. “Of course. You're Angela's friend. I was sure we'd met.”

“Me, too, but I couldn't remember where.”

“So, how are you?”

“Fine,” Sherry replied. “I'm living in Texas now.”

“As a matter of fact, so am I. Small world, isn't it?” He looked fleetingly at Cody.

“Very small,” Sherry agreed.

Jack seemed especially pleased to have made the connection. “I never forget a face, especially one as pretty as yours.”

Sherry blushed at the compliment. “This is Cody Bailman.”

The two men exchanged brisk handshakes. “Please join me,” Jack invited, gesturing toward the empty chairs at his table.

“Thanks, but no,” Cody said. “My daughter's with us and she's rather shy. She'd be uncomfortable around a stranger, I'm afraid.” Cody refused to meet Sherry's baffled glance. Heather
shy?

The three of them spoke for a few more minutes, and then Sherry and Cody returned to their table and an impatient Heather.

Sherry knew that the reason she'd dragged Cody off the dance floor was more than the opportunity to prove she was right about Jack. It was a way of breaking the romantic spell they'd found themselves under. Cody had made her feel vulnerable, and she'd seized the opportunity to show him she wasn't.

“Who were you talking to?” Heather asked, craning her neck. “I didn't think you two were
ever
going to come back.”

“The man who approached me earlier,” Sherry said. “I remembered who he was, so we went over to speak to him. His sister and I are friends, although Jack and I only met once.”

“Apparently your time with him was memorable,” Cody drawled. Sherry caught the hint of sarcasm in his voice and was amused.

He paid the bill, and the three of them began to leave
the dining room. Cody glanced in Jack's direction, then back at Sherry, and said stiffly, “You're welcome to stay and visit with your friend, if you like.”

“I've visited enough, thanks,” she said, following him and Heather to the elevators.

They weren't back in the suite thirty seconds before Heather changed out of her dress and into her pajamas and new fuzzy slippers. The girl sank down in front of the television set, studying the pay-per-view movie guide. She checked out her selection with Cody, who gave his approval.

Sherry changed out of her dress and into a comfortable pair of jeans and a cotton T-shirt, then wandered back into the living room to sit on the sofa with Heather. Her mind wasn't on the movie the girl had chosen; it was on Cody and what had happened while they were dancing.

When they'd left Pepper, the emotional distance between them had felt both wide and deep. Now she wasn't sure what to think. He was sitting at the table, with his briefcase open in front of him. He reached for the phone and ordered a pot of coffee from room service.

What made things so difficult was how strongly she was attracted to him. She realized there was little chance for a truly loving relationship between them and that saddened her. His life was ranching. He needed a woman to appease Heather—though certainly there'd be benefits. Cody would be generous with her in every way except the one that mattered. With himself.

Sherry wanted a man who cherished her, a man who was willing to do whatever he could to win her heart, even if it
was
the busiest time of the year. She wanted a husband who'd withhold none of himself from her. And Cody couldn't offer that.

“Something troubling you?” he asked, looking up from his paperwork.

The question snapped her out of her reverie. “No,” she said. “What makes you ask?”

“You look like you're about to cry.”

Strangely that was exactly how she felt. She managed a chuckle. “Don't be silly.”

Heather fell asleep halfway through the movie. When Cody noticed that his daughter had curled up on the sofa and nestled her head in Sherry's lap, he stood, turned off the TV after a nod from Sherry, and gently lifted the girl into his arms. Heather stirred and opened her eyes as if she wanted to scold him for treating her like a little girl, but she obviously thought better of it and let him carry her to bed.