Loving a Lawman (14 page)

She nodded even as fresh tears stung her eyes.

“Don't cry, Jessie. We'll get through this. Together. I promise.”

She wanted to believe his sweet words, but she knew that Seth would make the best of the situation he had been presented, whatever that situation might be. And she would have to do the same. But she was under no illusion that he loved her. He had gotten her pregnant and he would make it right.

T
here is, uh . . . one thing,” Seth said as he drove through town. Their afternoon together had been wonderful. More amazing than she could have imagined. But she couldn't read anything into it. That was just Seth, an all-around good guy.

Why couldn't she have fallen in love with him long ago instead of Chase? It would have made things a whole lot easier, but then, when had her life ever been simple? Never, that's when.

“What is that?” she asked as he pulled in front of Nita Calvert's.

Seth cut the engine and gave her a rueful look. “Come on,” he said, sliding from the seat. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

“The fireworks are going to start soon,” she said, looking through the windshield at the quickly darkening sky. They had heard a couple of rounds of firecrackers go off as they drove past the park. The only place anyone was allowed to set them off was on the asphalt basketball court
to keep down the fire hazard. In order to help keep the code easy to follow, the City Council set up a huge fireworks show every year.

“We have time,” Seth countered. “Now come on.”

Jessie got out of the truck and went around the front to stand next to him. “I've already met Nita.”

He shook his head. “Just come on.” He led her around back to the doorway that led into his apartment.

She tried to remember a time when she had come here with Seth, but she couldn't think of any. Strange she felt so close to him yet she had never seen where he lived. Or maybe it was that she had always pictured his home as the Diamond.

Seth took out his key and unlocked the door. From inside the apartment, a dog started to bark.

He shot her one more unreadable grin, then stepped inside. “Sadie,” he called, then crouched down as the dog answered his summons.

“Jessie. I'd like for you to meet Sadie. Sadie, Jessie.”

“Pleasure,” Jessie said, only briefly remembering that she was addressing a pooch. A four-pound pooch judging from the size of her.

It was the tiniest dog she had ever seen. Or maybe it only looked that small because of the way Seth cradled it in his big hands. “Is that a . . .”

He nodded, looking only mildly embarrassed. “Yorkie, yes.”

Despite all the seriousness of the last couple of weeks, Jessie's lips started to twitch. “And how exactly did you come to have such a sweet little puppy?”

To her amazement, Seth planted a quick kiss on the top of Sadie's tiny head. “Chase brought her home last year. I never found her a home, so I ended up just keeping her.”

Jessie nodded. “And how is it that I'm just now seeing her?”

He shrugged and placed the dog on the floor between them. “No reason.”

“Dogs like Sadie have to be groomed, you know.” Evidently he did. Sadie had a tiny pink bow tied between her ears. Surely he didn't . . .

“Yeah,” he admitted. He propped his hands on his hips, clearly a defensive gesture if she had ever seen one.

She mimicked his pose and continued. “I've never seen you take her into Wag the Dog.” Cattle Creek's only pet groomer sat two doors down from the Chuck Wagon on the opposite side of the sheriff's office. He would have to be sneaking the dog in for her not to have seen him carry Sadie to the groomer's. Unless . . .

A slow grin worked its way across her face. “So that's how Wanda keeps getting out of those parking tickets.”

“Let's just say that Wanda and I have come to an agreement.”

Jessie cocked her head to one side. “Huh,” she said. “I would have never guessed that you would compromise your police integrity in order to get your sissy dog groomed.”

“Hey,” he protested. “Sadie and I find that comment unnecessary and offensive.”

“But true.” She laughed.

Seth scooped Sadie back into his arms. “Sadie, sic 'em.” He held the dog close to her and Jessie got a lick on the nose.

She took the dog from Seth and scratched her behind one ear. Sadie let out a doggy sigh of pleasure.

“That's right,” Jessie crooned. “We girls gotta stick together. But”—she turned her gaze back to Seth—“one false move on your part and I'll tell the whole town you own a girlie dog.”

Seth threw back his head and laughed. “Fine,” he said. “As long as you don't tell them I carry her around in a designer bag.”

Jessie snuggled Sadie close and surveyed the man she was marrying in two weeks. “Okay, cowboy, but that will cost extra.”

*   *   *

C
ome on or we'll miss the fireworks,” Seth said. He parked his service vehicle and got out.

“We're going to miss it anyway if we're here.” Jessie stopped on the sidewalk outside the sheriff's office and held her ground.

“Don't you trust me?” His words were a challenge, he knew, but he couldn't do this alone. It took two to make a marriage and he needed her by his side, not pulling away every chance she got.

“Yes,” she said.

The one word shouldn't have filled him with so much joy, but it did. “Then come on.”

He led the way around the back of the two-story brick building to the side entrance. Once upon a time, the building had been a library and the entrance was for deliveries and such. Now it was just one more door to make sure was locked.

“Did I know this was here?” she asked, peering in the entrance.

“I don't know. It's not like something we talk about a lot.” He turned on his flashlight app and shone it up the concrete staircase off to their right.

“Are you sure you're not bringing me someplace dark and secluded so you can take advantage of me?”

“Is that a possibility?”

Jessie didn't respond. One minute she was playful and the next she was putting her guard up. He was beyond ready for her to trust him with all the faces of Jessie McAllen. The real ones.

“Be patient,” he said. “You'll see.” He started up the stairs, careful to shine the light where she could see as well. He couldn't have her falling.

“Is this it?” Jessie asked, looking around at all the stacked boxes and cobwebs. He really needed to get someone in here to clean.

“Nope. This is.” He opened the door with a flourish and gestured toward the flat roof.

Jessie gasped.

Down in the direction of the river, the first explosion of fireworks burst into the sky. He couldn't have timed it better if he'd tried.

“Come on,” he said, taking her arm to lead her over to the lawn chairs he'd set up.

Their chairs faced the show and since they were up a little higher, it seemed as if the fireworks were going off right in front of them.

Seth alternated his attention between Jessie and the actual fireworks celebration. Her expression of awe and appreciation was more beautiful to him than the actual show.

“Would you like a lemonade?” He opened the cooler between the chairs and offered her the drink.

For a moment she took her eyes from the spark-filled nighttime sky to focus on him. “Thanks, Seth.”

He wanted to lean in and steal a kiss, but years of holding himself in check kept him in place. “You're welcome, Jessie.”

She turned back to the fireworks, and somehow Seth knew. Things were changing between them. The circumstances surrounding their evolving relationship might be a little unusual, but they had a chance.

They just might make it after all.

*   *   *

H
ey.” Jake stepped back to allow Seth room to enter. “What brings you out today?”

Seth removed his hat and moved past his brother farther into the house. “Oh, you know. I was out this way.”

“Mama's not here,” Jake said.

“I know. She took Jessie to San Angelo to buy a wedding dress.”

Jake stopped and eyed him in a way only older brothers can.

“I thought I would stop by and call Chase,” Seth finally said.

Jake gave a knowing dip of his chin. “I see.”

“I've called twice, but he hasn't returned my calls.”

“You leave a message?”

Seth shot his brother a look.

Jake chuckled. “I guess not.”

“I thought maybe if I called from here . . .”

“He would think it was Mama and pick up?”

“Something like that.”

“You want to use her office phone?”

“Does it matter?”

Jake turned and led them down the hallway that led to the Langston home offices. “I guess not.” He opened the door to his own and stepped inside, flipping on the light as he went.

“Where's Wesley?” Seth asked, flopping down in the seat in front of Jake's desk.

“She's out at the pool with Grandma Esther.” Suddenly Seth wished more than ever that he could join them.

Chicken.

It was time to get this over with. He picked up the phone and dialed Chase's number.

“You got a recording.” Chase's voice reached across the line. “You know what to do.”

“Chase, I need to talk to you. It's . . . important. Call me ASAP.” Seth hung up the phone and eyed his brother from across the desk. “He needs to know.”

“I agree, but you can only do what you can do.”

Seth shook his head.

“You want to talk about it?”

“What's there to talk about?”

“Oh, I don't know . . .” Jake mockingly tapped a finger
to his chin. “How about how you ended up in such a compromising situation with your brother's girl?”

“She was never Chase's.” The words sprang from his lips before he could stop them.

An understanding light dawned in Jake's eyes. “So it is true. The baby's really yours?”

Seth nodded, then shifted under Jake's steady gaze.

“You're in love with her.” The airy words were filled with wonder.

Seth was so accustomed to denying it that he opened his mouth to do just that. “Yeah,” he said instead. His shoulders slumped as the weight that had been placed there released.

“Does she know?”

“No,” he whispered.

“And I assume Chase doesn't either.”

“Nope.” Seth sighed. “I've loved her for so long,” he admitted. “Since we buried her mother.”

Jake's dark brows disappeared under the dark flop of hair covering his forehead. “Really? So what are you going to do about it?”

Seth shot him a grim smile. “I'm going to do everything in my power to make her love me back.”

*   *   *

I
t's awfully expensive,” Jessie protested as Evelyn pulled yet another gorgeous dress from the rack. She couldn't afford such a garment, especially not for just one day.

“It's your wedding day and it should be special,” Evelyn said simply.

Jessie bit back a sigh. She'd made such a mess of things. And it had all started with one little kiss. Now she had trapped Seth into marriage, Chase wasn't taking her phone calls, and their mother looked at her as if she should be voted Tramp of the Year.

“I'll do my very best to make him happy,” she said, finally accepting the hanger from Evelyn. “Seth, that is.”

Evelyn's face softened. “I know you will, dear. It's not Seth I'm worried about.”

Jessie could only nod.

It was Chase. With Evelyn it was always about Chase. She had one son in a war zone and one who had walked out one night and never returned, but it was her youngest son who took up the majority of her thoughts and prayers.

Not that Jessie believed for a minute that Evelyn was aware of her favoritism. The fact remained that everyone else in the family was aware of it. Accepted it even as just part of life as a Langston.

“Chase will be fine, Evelyn. I can promise you that.” Visions of his blond buckle bunny from a few weeks ago flashed through her thoughts. There was one in every town at every rodeo. Sometimes a brunette, sometimes a blonde. Maybe even a redhead thrown in for good measure. She had known all along that he wasn't faithful to her. How could he care about her as he claimed if he was running all over the country with other women? No, he only thought he loved her and once he knew that they could no longer be, he would pick up his life and continue on in the only way Lucky Langston could. One woman at a time. Maybe two.

Evelyn nodded and handed her another hanger holding a beautiful lace dress. “Go try these on, dear. Come on out when you're ready. I want to see them.” She tried for a smile and Jessie couldn't help noticing that it didn't reach her eyes.

She retreated to the dressing rooms and shut the door, thankful to have even a small reprieve from Seth's mother. Evelyn meant well, and she was a wonderful lady. But the strain of her constant surveillance and her probing questions were taking their toll.

She sat down on the little square bench in the corner
and pulled out her new cell phone. Seth had presented it to her yesterday when he finally took her back home from the ranch lake. She had protested at first, but as usual, he had worn her down and she had accepted the gift. Now she was thankful to have it as she dialed Seth's number.