Rodeo Blues (23 page)

She leaned back on the couch and hit her head
on the backrest then screamed in frustration, the pent up
aggravation seeming to have a life of its own. "It doesn't mean
anything," she shouted to the room, to the universe...to convince
herself. Declarations don't mean a darn when said while drunk, and
it didn't change the fact: Tye was here to close down Reeves
Construction. End of story. End of Skeeter Blue.

"How's that for doing good by me?"

Chapter Thirty-One

Tye stormed into the office where Jhett sat
behind a carved oak desk. Probably created by the Reeves
Construction's lumber, the very company Jhett was running into the
ground from his poor investments and gambling debts. Two men sat in
chairs across from Jhett. When one of the men turned in his seat,
Tye paused in the doorway, then his eyes narrowed.

"What in the hell are you doing here, Jon?"
he demanded of his cousin. They were supposed to meet tomorrow
morning.

"Hello, Tye." Jon stood with a frown. "What
has you all in a fluster?" He lifted his hands to the side as if he
were approaching a cornered animal with caution.

His gaze riveted to Jhett, who had yet to do
anything but stare with his dumb-as-dumb-can-get look plastered to
his face. He sported one hell of a shiner, probably from the fight
the other night.

He glanced at the other man, who hadn't
stood, but eyed him over the rim of his glasses. He sported an
expensive Italian suit. Must be the company's lawyer.

"Does he know?" he addressed Jon as he
motioned with his thumb toward Jhett.

Jon let out a tired long sigh. "He knows. We
were going over the details of the merger. You wanted me to draw up
the papers, get the ball rolling. Didn't we talk about this
yesterday when you were at the hospital? I would start the
negotiations and you and Jhett would meet tomorrow along with the
rest of Reeves' board members to sign the papers."

"Yeah, well, that was until Jhett decided to
send my girl incriminating information before I had a chance to
explain my motives had changed."

Jhett actually looked surprised at the
accusation. His brows rose high on his forehead and his eyes
widened as he shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking
about," Jhett's said and he could almost believe him. "If you're
hiding something, that's on you," he added with a
harrumph
.
"I didn't send Jolie any papers. How could I send her anything when
I'm just sitting down to see the legal papers now for the first
time?"

His gaze shifted to his cousin, who lifted a
shoulder in a shrugged. "You might want to listen to him," Jon
said. "Jhett's agreed to the merger. He's even agreed to your
stipulations that he check himself into a facility for his gambling
problem. There's no reason for him to lie to you. Think about it,
Tye-Bo, this is all in Jhett's favor. One, gambling debts paid," he
said and lifted a finger to count off. "You're investing in the
company and bringing them out of the red," he lifted finger number
two, "—a substantial sum, I might add, and you've contracted a deal
for the company to remodel the arena as soon as the papers are all
signed." Finger number three joined the other two.

"Why would I sabotage this?" Jhett added and
glanced at his lawyer, who lifted his hand and shook his head as if
to tell Jhett to pipe down.

Confusion seemed to be a catchy thing in this
room. If Jhett didn't try to make things difficult between him and
Jolie – well, more difficult than they already were between them –
then who sent her the papers? Since she'd glared at him as if he'd
grown horns and sported a pitchfork, the papers had to be the first
draft he had drawn up. Obviously, not the final one – the one that
counted.

Then it dawned on him who would be worried
about Jolie and her welfare, and who would have enough pull in this
town to find out what he planned. He turned to leave and didn't
stop when Jhett called after him.

"We still have a deal, right?"

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tye didn't know Dr. Lockhart's schedule at
the medical tent, but he'd find the man even if he had to drive to
his house. He knew where he lived. He spent enough time there when
he was young and could probably walk there blindfolded.

He halted right outside the tent when he
heard the good doctor's voice. He took a deep breath to compose
himself. It would do no good to come barreling in and blasting the
man he wanted as a father-in-law.

When he entered, Dr. Lockhart was dismissing
his patient, who happened to be a boy about eight. His arm sported
a comic strip band-aid on his elbow.

Tye tipped his hat to the mother as they
left. The boy had a lollypop between his lips and appeared much
happier – if the tear-stained cheeks were any indication of how the
day had been going for the kid. Dr. Lockhart had been kind to him
too, at one time. He thought when he spoke to him the other day
they were okay, but now he wasn't so sure.

Dr. Lockhart gave him a once over before he
returned to his work, but his eyes said all Tye needed to know. The
man had not forgiven him for hurting his little girl all those
years ago. Really, Tye couldn't blame him. If he ever had the
pleasure of becoming a daddy, he'd be just as ticked off if some no
good cowpoke broke his little girl's heart, and then thought he
could ride back into town and pick up where he left off.

"What can I do for you, son?" Dr. Lockhart
asked as he cleaned off the tray and disposed of the items in a bin
marked
hazardous waste
. The latex gloves
came off next before he lazily turned to peer at him, a direct look
– a father-in-arms look.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked Dr. Lockhart. He
didn't think he had to give him any other explanation.

"You want to play it direct now, do you?" Dr.
Lockhart asked with a nod. "Didn't seem like it was your style when
I came across them papers."

He'd like to know just how he came across
them papers
, but why bother asking? This
was a small town. Everyone knew everyone's business. You couldn't
throw a gum wrapper in the trash without everyone knowing what
brand you'd chosen. So he knew it wouldn't be long until everyone
nosed into his business regarding the town.

Only Dr. Lockhart hadn't been updated with
the most recent bit of news. Not the man's fault. Nope, it was his.
"I was handling the situation," Tye said. "I was going to come
clean with Jolie once I had everything in order. Now she's angrier
than a nest of hornets."

"What did you expect me to do?" Dr. Lockhart
narrowed his gaze. "You went and married my little girl, my only
daughter – in a poolroom, no less." His voice had risen and he
paused to take a deep breath. He straightened his white jacket and
stood taller as he regained some semblance of control. "I had you
checked out. You went to some fancy schools. Got yourself a degree
to go with your learning, so I guess you did more with your life
than just getting yourself knocked on your head. Made me wonder why
you'd be needing such a thing as a geology degree, if you were
breaking your back on the rodeo circuit. Then I remembered the oil
drill on your daddy's land. It's been the talk of the town for the
last six months." When Dr. Lockhart paused, Tye figured that was
his cue to speak.

"My father used to go on all the time about
the terrain and how some geologist had done a seismic survey of the
area and how sniffers detected hydrocarbons. I had no idea what he
was babbling on about. Thought it was the drink talking. It wasn't
until I started school that I realized my father knew there was oil
on our land. He just didn't do a darn thing about it. I couldn't
even fathom the reasons. After he passed, I had the land analyzed
myself."

"So they were right. There was oil."

He nodded.

"So why are you going to shut down Reeves
Construction? How does ruining a company fall into your plans?"

Tye heard the note of disappointment burning
in Dr. Lockhart's questions. He hadn't exactly wanted to ruin the
town, but then he hadn't thought through his whole revenge plot.
He'd forgotten how he loved Skeeter Blue with its hot summer
nights, mesquite trees, and bluebonnet flowers growing wild. But
most of all, he'd forgotten the summer nights and the girl who made
this town a place he wanted to live his life and with her by his
side. Revenge lost its appeal the moment he came to terms on who
would suffer right along with Jhett Reeves.

A ruthless businessman he was not, but he did
know finances and he knew he could bring the business back around
with his new venture. So his plan of revenge turned into a plan to
save the town. "I did want to shut down Reeves Construction. I
won't lie." He held up his hand, hoping the doctor would let him
finish. "It had been the plan in the beginning, but then I realized
what a mistake that would be. It's what I've been trying to tell
you." He wasn't trying to play the hero now, but a man who wanted
to please his woman. Yep, he would be the first to admit he was
doing a piss poor job of it so far.

Dr. Lockhart
harrumphed
. "No? Son,
have you told so many tall tales, you can't figure out which ones
are the truth? Lies will only hamper the marriage," Dr. Lockhart
said.

He blinked in surprised. "Marriage?" he
voiced in disbelief. Dr. Lockhart wanted to give him advice about
marriage when he all but put a kink in it. "She wants to annul the
marriage, or hasn't she told you? Even more so now, since you gave
her the documents – documents you had no business having, let alone
being able to pass them around as if they were flyers to a good
hoedown."

"They were your plans. She would have found
out sooner or later. I chose sooner."

"Plans change, as I've said, and as soon as
everything was in order, I planned on telling Jolie
everything."

"Son—"

"Stop calling me that. With all due respect,
sir, I am not your son." His voice had risen and Dr. Lockhart
pursed his lips together as he peered at him, surprisingly not with
anger, but more like… Heck, he wasn't sure what, but his stance had
changed, seemed more relaxed.

"Duly noted," Dr. Lockhart finally said. "If
you have nothing to hide, what I found out and shared shouldn't
matter in the least."

He cursed beneath his breath. "I was setting
it right. Jolie loves Skeeter Blue and everyone who lives here. And
I love Jolie – make no mistake there. I've made a deal with Reeves
Construction. I'm not closing the company, sir. I'm investing money
into it with hopes of turning the company around."

Dr. Lockhart's eyebrows arched high on his
forehead and he stared at him with a tilt of the head. Probably
trying to decide if he were lying or not. "So you say. It better be
the truth."

"It is."

"Okay then," Dr. Lockhart said and turned
away as if the conversation was over.

He cleared his throat. "Sir, I need you to
set things straight with your daughter."

Dr. Lockhart had the audacity to meet his
gaze and full out laugh. "That's your job. If you want my daughter,
you need to convince her you're worth the trouble."

* * * * *

Tye stepped outside the tent. Frustrated, he
cursed under his breath as he marched toward the stables. How was
he supposed to fix this? He told Jolie he'd sign those annulment
papers in the morning, and once he did, what was going to stop her
from doing the same?

He didn't have another event, but he was
supposed to show the pre-teens who'd taken the afternoon riding
lessons how to brush down the horses, feed them, and how to care
for them properly. "Set it right, he says after he's gone and made
it near to impossible to do any such thing." He cursed Dr.
Lockhart's interference again.

As he neared the stables, he spotted Buddy
who strode over and then fell into step beside him.