Texas Pride (5 page)

Dylan felt his body tighten when Sam put an arm around Jessica and kissed her on the lips. It wasn't a long kiss, and it certainly wasn't passionate, but Dylan decided he didn't like the man.

“So, Dylan,” Sam said, his arm still draped around Jessica, “why don't you tell us your secret?”

Dylan hesitated. He had the strangest feeling everyone had quieted and was listening for his answer. Jake and Jared watched him intently. “Secret?”

“I understand you're staying at Makeshift,” Sam said good-naturedly. “I've been trying for years to get around Jake and Jared where Jessica is concerned, with no luck. So what's your secret?”

Jessica blushed and slipped out from Sam's hold. “You're incorrigible, Sam McCants. Room and board is part of Dylan's pay. It's as simple as that.”

“Room
and
board?” Jake raised one eyebrow and looked at Dylan first, then Jessica. “You mean you're going to
cook,
too?”

Jessica ground her teeth. She hadn't intended to mention that fact. Her brothers would never let her live it down. She flashed Dylan a scathing look. He smiled back.

“Dylan's managed to put together a crew already,” Jessica said, hoping to change the subject. “We'll be starting tomorrow.”

Jared eyed Dylan. “You're a fast worker.”

“I don't believe in wasting time,” Dylan returned.

Jessica was going to kill Jared. Slowly and painfully. He'd been rude from the minute they'd walked in. When were her brothers ever going to learn she wasn't a child anymore?

Smiling brightly, Savannah stepped between the two men and pressed a beer into Dylan's hand. “So has Jessica told you about her ghosts yet?” she asked.

Dylan thanked Savannah and turned his gaze to Jessica as he took a long swig of the beer. “She mentioned them.”

“We think it's romantic,” Annie said. “The idea of two souls so in love they refuse to leave the town where they were to be married.”

Dylan still couldn't believe that Jessica actually believed this crazy idea. He wondered if she was putting him on, trying to get back at him for the room-and-board business. He glanced at her, and she smiled sweetly.

“Hello, everyone,” a woman's high-pitched voice interrupted the conversation. The room went silent, and all heads turned in the direction of the front door.

Dylan watched as an attractive woman of about fifty moved into the room. The red in her plaid jacket nearly matched the red of her swept-up hair, and her black velvet skirt matched her shoes. An older man in an expensive blue suit followed the woman into the room. Dylan noticed the man's pallor was as gray as his hair.

“So sorry we're late,” the woman said, though Dylan had the feeling that no one in the room had been particularly lamenting that fact. “It was a battle to drag Daddy away from one of his business calls. I swear, he's been locked up in the study half the day.”

The woman brushed a kiss first on Jake's cheek, then Jared's. It was tolerated more than welcomed, Dylan noticed.

The woman hugged Jessica, then settled her gaze on Dylan. “Oh, Jessica, dear, is this the young man who's staying with you in that town of yours?”

Jessica flinched, then forced a smile. “He's not
staying
with me, Myrna. He's the foreman I've hired to renovate Makeshift. Dylan Grant, this is Myrna Stone, my stepmother, and her father, Carlton Hewitt.”

Carlton's grip was firm, Dylan noted, though his palm was cold. Myrna's grip was as weak as it was brief.

“I've tried everything to dissuade Jessica from this ridiculous undertaking, but she simply won't listen,” Myrna said with exasperation. “She could have built three centers somewhere else with the money I've offered her for that land. I'm sure you agree, Mr. Grant, that on a financial level, the entire project is preposterous.”

Though it was subtle, Dylan noticed that Jake and Jared had moved closer to Jessica in a protective gesture. Strange, he thought, but the minute Myrna had walked into the room, Dylan had instinctively moved closer himself.

“On a financial level, I don't agree at all,” Dylan said dryly. “I wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for Makeshift, would I?” He smiled and raised his bottle to her.

Myrna frowned at him and sniffed piously. “It's a common fact that all these problem children are from lower-class families who expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter.”

Dylan was prepared to respond to the woman's stupid remark, but Jessica didn't give him time. Eyes narrowed, she faced her stepmother.

“Myrna,” she said, her patience barely controlled, “there are no ‘common facts' when it comes to problems in a home, nor are problems particular to any one class. The kids who come to me aren't asking for any favors, just a break. And from my experience, the only people who expect anything handed to them on a silver platter are those who already own one.”

Carlton laid a hand on his daughter's arm. “Jessica's right, Myrna. I'm sure her center will help a great many young men and women.”

Myrna, oblivious to Jessica's sarcasm and her father's attempt to smooth over the conversation, kept right on. “And the community here is none too happy about encouraging these juvenile delinquents, Jessica.”

“The
community,
” Jessica said tightly, “consists of more people than a few close-minded ignorant individuals. The people of Cactus Flat and all the neighboring ranches have more than proved their support.”

Myrna's chin lifted at Jessica's affront. Jessica's eyes glinted with purpose, and Dylan struggled to hold back a smile. Myrna was the one who needed protection here, he realized, not Jessica.

“Myrna—” Carlton stepped beside his daughter and smiled “—why don't you go find me a drink, dear? My throat's a little dry.”

“It's all that medication you take,” Myrna said sternly, shifting easily from one lecture to another. “I really do think you should speak to your doctor. I swear, in the month you've been staying with me, you could have bought Cactus Flat Pharmacy with the prescriptions you've purchased.”

“Why don't we all have a drink?” Savannah interjected smoothly before Myrna could continue. “I believe it's time for a toast to the future bride and groom.”

Glasses were raised, refilled and raised several times as an endless stream of good wishes were made. Some were humorous, some were emotional, but they were all sincere.

If possible, Dylan would have made an exit. He didn't fit in where a celebration of marriage was concerned. He saw the looks exchanged not only between Jared and Annie, but between Jake and Savannah, too, and he felt as if his clothes were suddenly too tight.

When Jessica leaned close and touched his arm, he nearly jumped at the contact.

“Relax, Dylan,” she said with a laugh. “Marriage isn't contagious. I just thought you might like to add a toast of your own.”

He didn't have a clue what to say. He simply shook his head, stunned that she would even think to include him in the festivities. His entire life he'd been on the outside looking in, wondering what a “normal” family was like. At thirty-four, it was still a mystery. A mystery he had no delusions about solving.

* * *

Jessica was grateful when Dylan offered to drive back to Makeshift after the party. With a soft moan, she kicked off her high heels and settled back against the pickup's passenger seat. The headlights stretched out on the dark road ahead of them, and a cool breeze floated through the cab.

“So tell me the truth.” She tucked her legs beneath her. “What do you think?”

He glanced over at her. “Nice legs.”

She frowned at him and pulled her dress over the limb she'd exposed. “You know what I mean. My family. What do you think of them?”

“Emma's going to break a few hearts one of these days.”

Jessica smiled. “She is, isn't she?”

“She looks exactly like you.”

Dylan glanced at her again, and she felt a wave of heat spread through her body. She was glad it was too dark for him to see the blush on her cheeks.

“You mentioned she was your half sister,” Dylan said.

She nodded. “It's complicated, but after my mother died, my father married Myrna out of loneliness. Shortly afterward, he met another woman, Angela, and truly fell in love. He was going to divorce Myrna, but Angela left one day without a word. J.T., my father, was heartbroken, but it was years before he decided to look for her. He hired a private investigator to find Angela, and it was then that Emma's birth records were discovered.”

Dylan had one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the open cab window. Jessica watched the wind ruffle his dark hair.

“And Angela?” Dylan slowed the truck and turned onto the dirt road to Makeshift. “Did he find her?”

Jessica shook her head. “Jake continued the search after J.T.'s death and found Emma, but Angela had died in a small plane crash a few months earlier. Emma was living with her aunt in Georgia. And her aunt just happens to be—”

“Savannah,” he finished.

She smiled. “Right. She and Jake have only been married two months.”

That was two months too long in Dylan's book, but he kept quiet. Besides, he liked the sound of Jessica's voice when she talked about her family. Sort of soft and dreamy. “And now Jared and Annie.”

Her smile broadened. “That's even more incredible. Annie was engaged to my brother Jonathan, Jared's twin. He died four years ago in an oil-rig accident here at Stone Creek. Jared blamed himself and took off for South America. When my father died, Jared came back and reopened the well. Annie showed up as a geologist hired by the company backing Jared.”

“And the rest,” Dylan said, “is history, right?”

“Right.” She grinned at him, then held on as the truck bounced over a bump. “You were in South America, weren't you?”

“For a while.” Dylan focused on the road. “And then there's Myrna,” he said.

“Oh, yes.” Jessica sighed. “We certainly can't forget Myrna, can we?”

Dylan once again glanced at Jessica as she lifted her hair off her neck. The moonlight glowed softly on her creamy skin, and as she raised her arms, her breasts lifted enticingly. He looked quickly away.

“Why does she want your land?” he asked, keeping the conversation on Jessica's stepmother. That was certain to cool his blood.

“Myrna spent all my father's money building a huge house—Stone Manor—in the middle of Stone Creek. He left her the house, but no land. She gave up hounding Jake and Jared to sell her their property and started in on me.”

“What's she want it for?”

“She has this crazy idea she wants to build stables and raise Thoroughbreds. Her father has bought her everything she's ever wanted in her entire life. This is the first time anyone has said no to the woman. It's driving her crazy.”

Dylan grinned. “Do I sense a perverse pleasure here?”

Jessica laughed and the sound enchanted Dylan. “Intensely perverse,” she said with a wicked grin.

“And her father,” Dylan asked, “he's not well, is he?”

Jessica nodded grimly. “Carlton has never talked about it, but everyone can see how ill he's become in the past few weeks since he's been staying with her. Everyone except Myrna of course. She's in complete denial that her father is not the same man he once was.”

Dylan parked the truck in front of the hotel. He came around and opened the door for Jessica. She slid out, heels in her hand, but when one of her stockinged feet landed on a rock, she winced and stumbled. He reached out and put his hands on her waist to steady her.

He stood there, looking down at her, his long fingers still circling her waist. The half-moon was bright enough for Jessica to see Dylan's eyes narrow and his mouth tighten. She was certain her heart stopped for an instant, then leapt into double time. She became infinitely aware that the thin fabric of her dress was all that separated bare skin from bare skin.

The air seemed to thicken and grow still. Shadows closed in around them, and it almost felt as if Makeshift were holding its breath, waiting. Jessica knew
she
was.

He released her slowly.

“Dylan,” she said when she managed to find her voice, “I, uh, want to apologize for Jared's behavior tonight.”

“Jared?”

“He was rude to you. I'm sorry. Both Jake and Jared have been watching over me for so long they just don't know when to quit.”

“They weren't the only ones watching you tonight.”

Pulse pounding, she looked up at him. “Oh?”

He shook his head. “Sam couldn't take his eyes off you.”

It took a moment for his words to sink in. Disappointment cut into her, then amazement. “Sam? Watching me?”

“Like a hawk.”

“You mean you think
Sam
is interested in
me?
”

She started to laugh. Dylan watched her, his expression tight.

“Dylan—” she couldn't stop laughing, even though she realized he was getting angry “—I think I know when a man is attracted to me. There's nothing between Sam and me.”

“I suppose that kiss he gave you was nothing, also.” Why had he started this conversation? he wondered irritably. And why couldn't he let it drop?

Her eyes sparkled with tears of laughter. “You are really beginning to sound like my brothers, Dylan.”

He didn't like being compared to her brothers. “Maybe your brothers aren't so wrong. Maybe you are naive and you do need protection.”

“Protection? Out here?” She threw her arms out in disbelief and started to laugh again. “You're crazy. What in the world would I need protection from?”

The laughter was still on her lips as he grabbed her to him and covered her mouth with his. He heard, as well as felt, her sharp intake of air.