Suited to be a Cowboy (12 page)

She smiled up at him. “Coffee. I need coffee. A painkiller
wouldn’t hurt either.”

“I left the prescription in my room. Once I get you
settled in the kitchen, I’ll run into town and get it filled.”

“Okay, thanks, but I still have one or two in that
envelope the nurse gave me. It’s on the side table by my bed.”

He stuffed it in his pocket. “Got it. Now, let’s get you
to the kitchen.” Jimmy grinned lasciviously and leaned over to scoop her up.

“Jimmy, I’m too heavy,” she protested. “You can’t keep
carrying me everywhere. I can walk. It’s not my leg that’s broken.”

“Shoot, lady. You trying to spoil all my fun?”

Melissa giggled as he pouted charmingly. “Have it your own
way.”

“Oh, I’d love to, but I think I’ll wait until you’re in
better physical condition.”

She giggled again. “Please, don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Hey, now, what’s so funny about me having my way with
you?” he teased as he walked toward the kitchen. With her arms twined around
his neck, he could almost imagine carrying her
to
her bedroom, not away from it.

“Are you serious? You, the man who doesn’t want
commitment?”

“Who said anything about commitment. I’m talking about
fun, mutual satisfaction. I think we’d rock the night.”

“Maybe so, but what about the morning?”

He chuckled, deliberately misunderstanding. “Baby, we’d
rock it anytime.”

He waltzed through the kitchen door, twirled around, and
sat her on a chair. “I must depart, my Queen. I have an evil taskmaster who
cracks a mean whip.”

“
Oooh
, sounds kinky.”

Sheila guffawed with laughter at their shenanigans. “Get
to work, Jimmy. I’ll take over from here.”

“Okay. She needs water to take her pain meds. See you
later. If you need me, call.”

He whistled merrily in much better spirits than he woke up
in, as he walked the short distance to the office.
Ugh!
He’d left it unlocked again. The sound of her voice had
removed all thought except for seeing her and having the chance to hold her
again.

Get a grip,
McGovern! The lady is injured and she’s rich. She doesn’t want you.
Maybe
not, he argued with himself, but right now she needed him. That was something
at least.

Jimmy set to work on the accounts with increased energy.
He’d soon have everything up-to-date and have more time to spend with the Mustangs.
His decision to go into private account work was proving viable. Most of his
clients at the firm were corporate businesses and he’d grown increasingly tired
of it all. This way, he’d learn more about the costs of running a ranch, build
a herd, and spend time with a beautiful woman. What more could a man ask for?

Family
, said a
little niggling voice inside his brain.
You
need a family
. But he had given up on that a long time ago. Other kids in
the system had been adopted, but never him. He’d never been wanted by anybody. He
couldn’t help but envy Aaron the love of a mother…something he’d never had.
Enough of that. The run into town for Melissa’s meds would take his mind off
the past.

*
* * *

Through the open kitchen window, Melissa heard a commotion
in the yard. “Sheila, can you see what’s going on out there?”

“Sure,
chickie
. Just wait a sec
while I take the rolls out of the oven.” She took the pans out, placed four
loaves of bread on the rack to bake, and set the timer before going to the
window. “There’s a guy out there arguing with Brian. He keeps pointing toward
the house.”

A sick knot of anxiety formed in the pit of her stomach. “What
does he look like?”

“Average height, dark hair, paunchy, and wearing a suit.
Looks like he got here in a swanky town car of some sort. A black one.”

Melissa groaned. “Sounds like my ex. I meant to circulate
a picture of him to the men so they’d know to evict him on sight, but I forgot.
Why would he be arguing with Brian?”

“Humph! You need your rest and Brian knows that,” she
said, still watching out the window. “I’d say your ex won the argument. He’s
heading for the house.”

“Just what I need. I don’t suppose you could tell him I’m
not home?”

“Nope, but I can get rid of him.” A knock sounded on the
front door and Sheila left to answer the summons.

Marcus wouldn’t give up that easy. She picked up her cell
phone and hit speed dial for Jimmy. “Hi, Marcus is here. Can I ask you to run
interference?” Relieved, she hung up the phone. Jimmy had gone into town, but
said he was almost home. He would take care of Marcus, hopefully, before Aaron
found out he was here.

“Dad! You came!”

Oh, no!
The
sound of Aaron’s joyous shout turned her inside out. Had he been in contact
with his father? How? Why? The man had never given his son the time of day in
all of the nine years since his birth.

She pushed up and managed to walk to the doorway without
jarring her injuries too much. Marcus was holding Aaron in his arms and talking
to him, smiling, as if Aaron was the number one person in his world. Melissa
knew better. He was up to something. Jimmy walked up behind them, looking ready
to toss Marcus out on his rear if he made a wrong move.

“Sheila, Jimmy, it’s all right. You might as well come
into the kitchen.” She wobbled back to the table, relieved to sit once more.

Sheila led the way followed by Marcus, still holding
Aaron, with Jimmy bringing up the rear. Sheila went straight to the stove to
check on her bread.

Marcus’s eyes were hard as he glanced Melissa’s way. “What
happened to you?”

“I fell. What brings you here?”

“Aaron messaged me on Facebook. Said he missed me, so as
soon as I could, I made arrangements to come for a visit.” He hugged the boy,
now seated on his lap at the table. Aaron’s smile struck panic straight to her
heart.

“You’re not staying here,” she stated.

“Mo-
om
, why not? We have a spare
room.”

“Aaron, your father and I are divorced. He can book a room
in town…if he stays.”

“Not divorced, merely separated. I didn’t file the papers.”

“What? Why not? I signed them and sent them back to your
lawyer. I’ve been waiting for the final papers to arrive at
my
lawyer’s.”

“There was a glitch, something I meant to talk with you
about, but you moved and I couldn’t find you, until Aaron contacted me. He’s a
smart one. If I’d remembered the name of the ranch, I would’ve been here
sooner.”

“Yes, he is, sometimes too smart for his own good.” She
smiled at Aaron when she really wanted to throttle him.
How could he have invited this man here?
He’d walked out on them,
had never attempted to be a father to Aaron, so why now? “What kind of glitch?”

Marcus smiled a shifty, underhanded smile of pure greed. “Your
inheritance. Seems like I get a fifty percent cut.”

“Over my dead body. I inherited
after
you walked out and filed for a divorce.”

“Indeed?” he questioned, as if he was considering the
merits of her early demise. His glance strayed to Jimmy, standing at her side. “Who’s
your boyfriend?”

Melissa dearly wanted to string him along on that
assumption, but the truth won out. “James is my accountant. Hiring him was one
of the best moves I ever made. He’s opened my eyes to a lot of things,
encouraged me to make a few phone calls and check things out.”

Marcus shot a dark look toward Jimmy and Melissa almost
laughed. Good thing Aaron couldn’t see it. His features became downright scary.

“So that’s how all this started.” Marcus turned to face
Melissa. “I should’ve known you weren’t smart enough to act on your own.”

“Being smart had nothing to do with it, but being too
trusting did. I can’t believe you’d steal from us.”

“Dad?” Aaron struggled to get down, but Marcus held him in
place.

“Keep it civil. There’s a child present. And if Aaron
wants to get down, you’d best let him go.” Jimmy’s voice was harsher than she’d
ever heard it before.

“Or what Mister Accountant?” Marcus sneered. “What’s the
matter? You don’t want my son to know you were responsible for me being
arrested?”

Jimmy laughed. “Go ahead. Tell Aaron why you were
arrested. He might be interested in hearing how you’ve been stealing money from
him and his mother.”

This time Aaron succeeded in pushing away from his father.
He came around the table to stand between her and Jimmy.

“Is that true, Dad? Did you steal money from us?’

“Of course not. Your mother and I are married. We share
everything, including money.”

“Mom?”

“Aaron, I’ve tried to keep you out of this until we know
for sure, but I’ve hired an auditor to check into your educational fund and the
accounting books at the racetrack.”

“But Dad works there. He can tell you. Why put him in
jail?”

“Your father told me the racetrack wasn’t seeing any
profits—making any money—these past few years. I believed him, but a simple
Google search led me to believe just the opposite. If it’s proven that he’s
stealing money, he’ll be charged. That’s why I hired an outside firm to look
into things. Understand?”

“Yeah, I think so.” He stared at his father. “Is that why
you friended me on Facebook? You lied to me. You didn’t want to be my friend at
all.”

“Gee, you are smart,” Marcus replied, with a sarcastic sneer.

“That’s enough,” Jimmy said as Aaron burst into tears and burrowed
his head into his mother’s shoulder. “It’s time for you to leave.”

“I have every right to be here.” Marcus remained seated.

Jimmy rounded the table. “I really don’t want to make a
scene in front of the women and child, but I’m willing to make an exception. As
to your having any right to this property, you don’t. Melissa inherited after
the divorce papers were drawn up and signed. Now go and don’t come back. We
don’t need the likes of you around here.”

“Then call the cops. I’m not leaving.”

“Sorry, Aaron, ladies,” Jimmy said before lifting Marcus
bodily from the chair. Marcus swung at Jimmy, but once his feet cleared the
floor he hung on for dear life. Melissa watched in amazement at the scenario
unfolding in front of her, truly disappointed when they disappeared out the
back door. Jimmy hollered for Brian. Then, “Escort this trash out to the road.
He’s no longer allowed on the property.”

A few minutes later Jimmy returned. “Sorry about that. I
took exception to his attitude. Brian and two of the wranglers assisted Marcus into
his vehicle. He protested, shouting abuse, but Tippy ran for the tractor and chased
him all the way to the main road. Marcus had no choice but to drive in reverse.”

Melissa started laughing, grasping her ribs. “I wish I
could’ve seen that. Thanks, Jimmy. It’s worth a stitch or two of pain to see
him bested.”

“Any time. How are you holding up, sport?” he asked,
reaching out and ruffling the boy’s hair.

Aaron had stopped crying and straightened up to face
Jimmy. “I’m okay. You did good. Dad was mean.”

“Yes, he was, but I don’t think he’ll come back.”

“Good. I don’t want to see him ever again. I’m going to
unfriend him.”

“Does that mean you’re not mad at me for roughing him up a
bit?” Jimmy asked.

“Nope. He tried to hit you first and Mom says never to
back down from a fight.”

“She does, eh? Smart mother you have there.”

Aaron beamed with pride. “Yep, she’s the best.” He gave
her a quick hug and ran off in the direction of the game room.

Jimmy watched him go, amazed at the transformation. “Bounces
back pretty quick.”

“Yes, he always has. Sometimes it worries me, but at times
like this, I’m thankful.”

“I meant to ask you if he was allowed on Facebook. He left
it open one day when I caught him in the office. I didn’t check to see who he’d
friended. Wish I had.”

“Thanks, but what Aaron does or doesn’t do is not your
responsibility. I’ll just have to keep a closer watch on him.”

“After what happened here today, I don’t think you need to
worry. I’d better get back to work.”

*
* * *

Back at his desk, Jimmy sat in the chair, slightly
befuddled and more than a little miffed at Melissa’s remark. Aaron
wasn’t
his responsibility. He knew that,
but she hadn’t needed to spell it out for him. It was embarrassing, to say the
least. Well, he might as well dive back into the job that
was
his responsibility.

He booted up the computer and settled in to work. So far,
so good. The bank statements and ledger accounts balanced out. Payroll was a
mess, but he had it almost straightened out. If only his personal life was such
an easy fix.

Immersed in his work, a movement in his peripheral vision
startled him into awareness. Melissa was sitting on a chair in the courtyard, struggling
to get to her feet and waving furiously toward the office.

He crossed to the door. “Need help?” he asked as he slipped
outside and headed her way.

“Yes! Get me to the bathroom…fast.” She smiled at him. “I fell
asleep out here and have to pee, but couldn’t get up out of this chair.”

He chuckled as he lifted her. “Your room or mine?” he
asked facetiously.

“Mine, and don’t you dare make me laugh.”

“Party pooper.” He carried her to the patio door, set her
on her feet to open it, then followed as she moved as fast as she could toward the
bathroom. “Need my help in there?”

“No.” She smiled and promptly closed the door in his face.

“Well, that’s a fine howdy do.” He chuckled and waited.
She seemed to take an inordinately long time, but she emerged with her hair
brushed and her nose shiny. She’d obviously taken pains with her appearance.
For him?