Raining In My Heart (Book One of the McKay's) (31 page)

"But…that's a little low cut, for working around a ranch, don't you think?"

"Of course it is dearie, that's the idea. Now get dressed." Letty laid the blouse on the bed and waited for her to start taking off the shirt she had on.

However, when she came downstairs her own daughter seemed to notice the dramatic difference in her wardrobe.

She pinked but she didn't say anything, and
Julie
was silently thankful.

But that was nothing compared to the way
Cade
reacted when he saw her mucking out the troughs and bending over so that her cleavage was at a dangerous level.
His eyes were glued to her, his expression grim.
He almost stumbled over himself looking.
Julie
bit her lip. She wasn't used to causing such attention, but it was working if Cade's frown were any measure.

When she tripped over one of the piglets though and landed in the mud, he laughed.
Julie
felt humiliation ride up her spine.

"It's not funny," she protested hotly.

"Oh
,
depends on how you look at it
,
"
Cade
mused and walked off.

Julie
huffed all the way to the house and Letty rolled her eyes
.
"Mud baths are not in season,
Julie
."

"Do tell."

"What happened to you?"
Sandy
laughed as she spotted her.

"A piglet happened to me. See, I told you this would never work. It's just not me
,
"
Julie
fumed all the way up the stairs.

"Give it a chance. I saw him nearly tripping over his own boots out there
,
" Letty encouraged.

"Yeah, and so did I."
Julie
slammed the bathroom door.
"To laugh at me."

"Where's mom?"
Kellie
asked a few seconds later as she came in from the horse barn.

"In there, but I wouldn't go there if I were you. She's not in the best of moods." Letty chuckled.

Chapter
Eighteen

"This came in the mail for you."
Kellie
handed her a letter.
Julie
glanced at the letter then her daughter.

"Thank you
;
it's from
Jim
,
"
Julie
explained.

"Yeah, I know."
Kellie
sighed heavily.

As she opened it,
Julie
eyed her daughter out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't pleased.

But nothing prepared her for the shock inside the letter.
Jim
was arriving this afternoon. What on earth could cause this?
And why now when she was getting along so well with Cade
?

"So…what's up, Mom?"
Kellie
asked
,
biting her lower lip and preparing herself for the storm she seemed to know was coming.

"
Jim
's coming out here, this afternoon
,
"
Julie
explained.

"Why
?
I thought you broke it off with him."
Kellie
demanded to know, a frown developing over her beautiful young face.

"I did. I can't imagine."
Julie
frowned at the letter.

Letty came in, and looked at them both
.
"What
are
the frowns for…?"

"
Jim
's coming here today
,
"
Julie
mumbled as she flopped on the edge of her bed.

"Mm
m
…things are heating up fast I'd say. Just remember one thing
Julie
, between all the sweet talkin'. You are inheriting a huge amount of money and they all know it. So don't be surprised if you are suddenly the catch of the season."

"
Jim
's not interested in my inheritance
,
Letty
;
this is something else, I'm sure
,
"
Julie
responded.

"Don't be so sure. Maybe his buddies reminded him how much he was passing up to give you up." Letty's expression became wary.

"I'll keep it in mind, of course
.
"
Julie
nodded.

Letty suddenly smiled
.
"Ya know, this could be a good thing. It might be just the thing to get a certain cowboy closer to saying what needs to be said."

"I'd never use Cade,"
Julie
insisted.

"I'd never suggest it, but it could be
a
sort of test." Letty smiled and backed out of the room.

"Does this mean we're going back to
Dallas
?"
Kellie
asked.

"No, I'm committed
to this place
, and you know that
,
Kellie
,
"
Julie
reassured her.

"We'll see.
Jim
's a pretty smooth talker
,
"
Kellie
reminded her.

Julie
chucked the letter on the bed
.
"Doesn't matter, he really can't match the reason we came back here."

"Not even with a better job?"
Kellie
asked.

"I doubt that."
Julie
scoffed. "Now, I've got to change clothes and get busy, I'm behind on my chores."

"You sure had Dad drooling with that shirt on
,
"
Kellie
admonished. "You just don't get it
,
do you Mom?"

"Get what?"

"Nothing…"

Julie
knitted her brow.

She was sure a few minutes ago that she loved Cade, but then his lack of response had her hesitating. He still hadn't committed himself and perhaps there
w
as a reason behind it.

What could
Jim
want, though?

***

When
Jim
arrived in jeans and a big hat
,
Julie
almost laughed.

"
Jim
…you are the last person I expected to see. What's the occasion?"
Julie
asked as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"You don't waste much time in getting to the point, do you?"
Jim
asked
,
winking at her.

"Force of habit."
Julie
shrugged. "You didn't answer the question."

"Could we have dinner and I'll tell you all about it
?
"
Jim
insisted.

"Of course, why not. Come on in."

Cade
passed by and saw them
;
his jawline set in grim determination.

Julie
tried to ignore it, but she felt saddened that she couldn't explain this any more than he could.

That night, over steaks and a flavorful light wine,
Jim
came out with it.

"I'm leaving the firm, I got a better offer
,
"
Jim
announced.

"Really, I never thought you'd leave Murphy and
Bowen
."
Julie
seemed a little confused.

"They are getting old, not keeping up with the times, even their raises weren't enough to interest me in staying although they made a meek attempt at trying. No, I've gotten a much better offer over with Smith's. They want me to take over the
Cleveland
branch. I can't turn it down
;
it means I'll be set for life, a very comfortable life I might add. I want you to come with me. With my new salary I can support us and you won't even have to work if you don't want to. I still want to get married
,
Julie
. We broke up to
o
hastily. I know you have feelings for me. We were together too long not to. We were…comfortable with each other.
If you wanted to work…that would be okay too."

"
Jim
, I'm obligated to stay here until the year is up
,
"
Julie
explained.

"We don't need this,
Julie
. I can support us both for the rest of our lives. Money isn't an object between us, and you know it. I've always made good money
,
"
Jim
said smoothly.

Julie
considered his words. He was right
;
money hadn't been an issue with
Jim
. He had always been confident that he could support her in the style she was accustomed to.
However, marrying
Jim
hadn't entered her mind since she came home. She realized that their relationship had worked in the city where hustle and bustle was the name of the game.

"
Jim
…when I broke it off with you, I was serious. I thought you knew that. The relationship, or lack of
,
with
Kellie
had a lot to do with it. Still does. And…for some reason the mention of love hasn't once been discussed to my satisfaction. I'm afraid you are hoping for more than I can give. I'm…sorry."

Jim
frowned, swallowed and stared at her. "I thought you knew how I felt."

"A girl likes to hear the words
Jim
, at least at some point in a proposal
,
"
Julie
insisted.

Jim
froze for a moment, and then with a grim face, hung his head. "I've done this all wrong, again, haven't I?"

"It's not your fault. You can't possibly second guess me all the time,
Jim
. But my life is changing now. I've come home, and I…I actually enjoy it here."
Julie
smiled.

"You do look ravishing
.
"
H
is eyes traveled her slowly.

Jim
had bedroom eyes that made most women swoon, but
Julie
knew how cold
Jim
could be too and somehow she just couldn't swoon any longer. She was sadly comparing him to Cade and
Jim
just didn't measure up.

She glanced down at the shimmering lame blouse she wore, showing ample cleavage and the skirt that slit up the side. Why had she gone to such lengths? No wonder he had the wrong idea. She hadn't once given it a thought. Now it seemed cheap and uncalled for, especially since she was sure in this instant she was not in love with
Jim
.

They talked about everything but his bummer proposal all the way home. However, in the moonlight on the porch,
Jim
got down on bended knee, opened up a small box and offered her an engagement
ring
most women would have vied for.

"Marry me,
Julie
. We are so good for each other. We
complement
each other in every way.
And…I adore you, you know that too."

Julie
stared down into
Jim
's handsome face
.
"Something isn't right
,
Jim
;
I feel it in my heart. You want to tell me what brought you to this moment?"

Jim
bowed his head. His silence said it all. There was another reason he was here.

He rose slowly to his feet,
put the ring back in his pocket
and took her face into his hands, just as his kiss smothered all her better thinking.

But there was no fire in the kiss, no love pouring from his arms. She could feel the lack of love in his kiss. Oh
,
he knew how to kiss he was a master. However, it was just too good.
Julie
knew he was exercising his prowess on her.