Sea Of Grass (20 page)

Claire watched Jack as he concentrated on his task. He looked older, much older than his sixteen years.

“Is he taller?” she asked Jed as he set up the horseshoe pit.

“He does look older in just the short time you’ve been here, Claire. He’s really taken to ranching. Did you know Tess has him riding all over and even the boys have taken him under their wing?”

“Amazing,” she said, shaking her head. “This is so good for him.”

“Bet he misses his father. Or was he too young?” Jed asked.

Claire watched Jack and smiled sadly. “He was too young.”

“Claire, I have to ask you something. Jack asked Tess if it was all right with you, if he could bunk with the boys occasionally. He needs a male figure and I’m not trying to tell you how to raise him. He’s a fine young man. But he’s at an age…” He stopped and took a deep breath. “Tess thought it would be good for him and I agree. The decision, of course, is yours.”

Claire looked at Jed and smiled warmly. She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Jed. I think it’ll be fine. You’re right. He needs a father or at least a man around. He is a teenager now. In a few years, he’ll be all grown. God, if he gets any taller,’ she
said and both laughed as they watched the boy coming into his own.

“Well, we’d better go get cleaned up. Folks should start arriving in an hour or so.” Jed put his arm around Claire, giving her a small hug. “I’m so glad you two are here.”

Claire looked up into the watery blue eyes, so much like Tess’s sparkling eyes. Jed smiled. “I know Tess is glad. I haven’t seen her this happy since she got her first filly,” he whispered, then walked away, leaving Claire just staring as he walked into the house.

“Holy cow, Mom, you look great!” Jack exclaimed as he walked around her.

“I do? Are you sure?” Claire asked nervously as she ran her fingers through her hair.

She wore a pale blue shirt with the tradition western-style black trim. Her jeans fit snugly, and Tess offered one of her belts. “I don’t look too...”

“You look perfect. Like a real cowgirl.”

Claire laughed. “Well, if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Jed called out from the kitchen doorway. Claire looked up and her eyes widened.

“My, you are a handsome man, Mr. Rawlins.”

Jed stood tall and grinned. He wore brown slacks and matching cowboy boots. His brown shirt tucked in and the slacks belted with a large silver buckle. He held his brown Stetson in his hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Redmond,” he said and bowed slightly. “Jack, you look handsome, as well, young man.”

Jack grinned. He wore a pair a dark blue denim jeans and boots and a black cowboy shirt open at the collar.

“Where’s Tess?” Jed asked quickly. “That woman is always late. Her mother said she was late for her own birth…”

“Stop your yammering, Dad,” Tess called out from the hall.

Claire blinked several times and Jack whistled. Tess stood in the doorway dusting off her slacks. “I haven’t worn these in years. I had no idea they’d fit. Maybe I have lost a few…” She straightened her collar and looked up to see three pair of eyes staring. “You look like a bunch of hoot owls. Oh, shit, did I forget to zip?” She quickly looked down.

“You are beautiful, Tess,” her father said honestly.

Tess blushed and frowned. “I am not beautiful.”

“Handsome then,” Claire said and they exchanged grins.

Tess wore a pair of black slacks and matching cowboy boots. Her crisp white long-sleeved shirt, trimmed in black tucked in the turquoise belt with a small buckle, gave notice to her slimmer waistline and hips. She wore a matching turquoise stone necklace that accentuated her ocean blue eyes. Her blond hair was unruly and Claire Redmond never saw anything quite so captivating in her life.

Tess held a new black Stetson in her hand and dusted it off. She and Claire met in the middle of the kitchen. Tess smiled fondly. “Got a new hat. You are beautiful,” she whispered emphatically, just enough for Claire to hear.

Jed slapped Jack on the back. “C’mon, son, time to tend to the barbecue.”
 

Claire closed the distance between them. She reached up and straightened the collar and smoothed the shoulders of the white shirt. “And you are quite a handsome woman, Tess Rawlins.”

Tess winked and put on the new black Stetson, pulling it low over her brow. Claire laughed at the cocky grin. “You do clean up real nice,” she drawled, and Tess grinned deeper.

“I’d like to kiss you right now.” Tess looked over Claire’s shoulder and out the back door. “No one can see…”

Claire then pushed the hat on the back of the blond head and pulled her down for a searing kiss.

Tess’s knees buckled at the unexpected kiss and moaned slightly. Claire pulled back and Tess swayed forward. “Whoa, now that was a kiss.”

“Yes, it was,” Claire said nervously and licked her lips. The Stetson was replaced to its original position. “Now let’s get out of here before I forget myself altogether.”

Claire Redmond had never seen so many people eat and drink so much. The music was lively and very good. Jed strummed his guitar, and Tom played a mellow clarinet. Even Stan played a mean piano.

Tess was a perfect hostess, dancing with all the older ranchers. By their looks, Claire could tell all the ranchers and their wives respected Tess. Not just for being a woman who came home to run one of the wealthiest ranches in the county, but for being warm, kind, and generous. Many came up to Claire, expounding on how the Rawlins family spread their wealth over the decades to keep many small farms and ranches going while helplessly watching others fall to Warren Telford.

As Claire handed out the fried chicken and corn on the cob, she listened to the ranchers’ wives. Mrs. Hank Patterson was most entertaining. She was juggling a mug of beer and a plate of chicken.

“My dear, Mrs. Redmond, this chicken is heavenly,” the older woman said. “And these biscuits are as light as a feather.” She was on the short side but in tremendous shape. Her gray hair was pulled back in a scarf as she licked her fingers. “Where’s Hank?”

They both looked and found him standing by the corral with Tess, Jed, and a few other ranchers. “Ugh, talking cows again.”
She sighed and Claire had to laugh as the woman sipped her beer.

“Tess Rawlins, my God, she’s good-looking, isn’t she?” She didn’t wait for Claire to answer. “Never dated, never married,” she said and shrugged. “Smart woman!” she exclaimed, and Claire laughed out loud. Miriam Patterson joined her.

“However, she is just like her mother, kind and gentle in a gruff sort of way. This life makes you a little rough around the edges. However, Emily Rawlins, now there was a woman. Three miscarriages before she had Tess. Four years later, along came Stephen. What a pair they were. Emily had a way with both of them. Not that Jed didn’t, but he was too busy with the ranch.”
   

Claire listened, getting insight into the family she worked for and the woman she was beginning to love. The idea came into her head, lingered for a moment, then faded. She watched Tess as she listened and talked intently with the other ranchers, every now and then taking a long drink from her beer mug. As Tess leaned against the fence, Claire had to laugh. She was eating a biscuit as she listened.

“Don’t tell me a pretty woman like you has to stand here and not have any fun,” a voice whispered behind her.

Claire whirled around to see a tall dark-haired man standing there smiling. He was tan with dark eyes and wore a black shirt and jeans. He took off his hat and offered his hand.

“Ethan Drummond.”

Claire smiled and took the offered hand. “Claire Redmond.”

“Well, dance with me, Claire Redmond,” he said with a charming grin.

“I-I really can’t. I’m working,” Claire said, and Ethan shook his head and grabbed her hand.

He took her over to where Tess and the ranchers had gathered.

“Tess,” he called.

Tess looked up grinning. When she saw his hand on Claire’s, the grin faded.

“This charming woman says she’s working. As her employer, I’m asking you to give her permission to dance with me,” Ethan said.

Tess avoided Claire’s red face. The other ranchers chuckled and drank their beer.

“Mrs. Redmond can do as she pleases. If she wants to dance with you, Ethan, it’s up to her,” Tess said with a tight grin.

Hank Patterson laughed. “You’d better just dance with him, Mrs. Redmond. He won’t give up.”

“This is true,” Ethan admitted, and Claire laughed nervously and gave up.

Tess frowned even deeper and drank the contents of her beer. She tried to ignore the way Ethan Drummond held on to Claire’s waist or how he whispered in her ear. She really tried to ignore Claire’s laughter.

“Who needs a refill?” Tess marched up to the barrel of beer and angrily turned the spigot. She turned to see Claire dancing—again—with Drummond.

“Hey, Tess,” Chuck said, waiting to get a beer.

“What?” she barked, and Chuck’s eyes bugged out. Tess took a deep angry breath. “Sorry, what?”

“Nothing, I just want a beer,” he said helplessly.

Then he saw the object of his boss’s anger as he looked out on the dance floor. Oh, boy, he thought as he watched her jaw muscle twitch. The last time that happened, Tess nearly killed Warren Telford. The things I do for my job, he thought, and put his beer down. He walked up to Ethan and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, Drummond. No fair monopolizing all the pretty ladies.”

Without waiting, Chuck gently pulled Claire into his arms and danced her away. Claire looked over his shoulder to see Tess sporting a happy grin as she sipped her beer.

Claire gave Chuck a dubious look. “Did she send you over here?”

Chuck laughed and shook his head. “No, but I saw the jaw twitch, which means certain death, Claire. No kidding,” he said, and Claire laughed as he whirled her around.

For the next hour, each time Ethan Drummond walked toward Claire, Kyle, Pedro, Stan, and Luke made a beeline in front of him to dance with her. Each time, Claire shook her head at Tess, who raised her beer. She glanced at Jack, who was watching her. Jack stood by the horseshoe pit with Manny, waiting his turn. He watched Tess, then watched his mother as she danced.

“Hey, Jack.” Manny punched his shoulder. “It’s your turn.”

“Oh, sure,” Jack said, glancing at Tess one more time.

Tess drank her beer.

Just before sunset, Tess cornered Claire in the kitchen. Claire was getting the numerous pies and cakes ready. She turned to see Tess looming over her.

Without a word, she pulled the struggling woman out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Immediately, Claire was pulled into a crushing embrace with two warm lips smothering her. Claire reached up to put her hands around Tess, but Tess took her hands and pinned them over her head. Claire went weak in the knees and whimpered helplessly as she felt Tess’s body moving against her while her lips moved down to her neck.

“God, Tess.” Claire moaned.

“I couldn’t bear it any longer,” Tess growled in her ear. “I can’t stand the way Drummond had his paws all over you. It drove me crazy.”

“I was thinking of you the entire time. When we danced in the moonlight,” Claire whispered.

Tess pulled back and looked into the deep blue eyes. “You were?”