Texas winds, p.17
Texas Winds, page 17
“I’m sorry about last night,” Jake said at last, tapping the rim of his cup with one finger. “I shouldn’t have left like that.”
“It’s okay.”
“No. It isn’t.” He leaned back and sighed. “If it’s any comfort to you, I didn’t sleep much.”
“Neither did I.”
Lexie finally broke the uneasy quiet. “I better check the biscuits.”
Silent, he let her pass.
She placed the biscuits in the warmer, then picked up the bacon she’d left on the counter, conscious of his presence when he stopped behind her.
“I can’t do this, Lexie,” he whispered, his strong hands gently caressing her upper arms.
“D-do wh-what?”
His warm breath brushed her ear. “Be this close and not touch you,” he whispered.
Unable to stop herself, she leaned back into his chest.
“Or kiss you.”
She trembled as his lips trailed down her neck, then back up to her ear before he gently turned her to face him.
“Lexie,” he whispered, then crushed her to him, his hungry mouth covering hers, his lips punishing yet thrilling as desire shot through her body.
His hands raked up and down her back, then anchored her hips against his, and a soft growl rumbled deep in his chest.
At last, he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. Slowly, he gathered her into his arms, holding her snugly against him. “We never got to finish our talk last night,” he murmured, then pulled back enough to see her face. “And I think we need to before going forward with—whatever this is.”
She blinked him into focus. “Okay.”
“But not now.” He closed his eyes briefly. “Katie will be up soon, and your folks will be here after that. And I don’t want to rush it.”
Once again, Sean’s words found their way into her brain. The fact he desired her was not in question. But would he ever love her? Would she be satisfied with only a part of him? She shook away the doubt and tried to smile. “I agree.”
She watched his expression alter with his thoughts and prayed she wasn’t making a mistake. “I’ll take Katie to the cabin today after my folks leave. She can help me settle in.”
When he didn’t say anything, she continued. “We’ll come back when it’s time for her nap. That way, I can fix supper, and we can talk after she goes to bed.”
His gaze narrowed. “Or,” he said softly, “I can see if Mother will keep her tonight.”
Jake parked the ATV behind the barn, and he and Henry stepped out.
“You have a beautiful place here, Jake,” said Henry. “Thank you for the tour this morning, though I’m sure you had other things to do. A ranch of this size takes a lot of work.”
“It does. But I enjoy it.”
“And you’re a single father. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person.”
Jake stopped and faced him. “My wife died when Katie was born.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
He shrugged. “I have two ranch hands who help out as needed. Any other questions?”
Henry paused and fixed dark eyes on Jake. “Alex, I mean, Lexie seems to be very content here. With you.”
Jake didn’t believe in beating around the bush and got to the point. “I hope she likes it enough to stay, sir.”
“Do you, now?”
“Yes. I do.”
“Have you discussed that with her?”
“Working on that part.”
Henry looked to where two colts played chase in the field before them. “She’s been hurt. She’s vulnerable.”
“She told me.”
He jerked his gaze back to Jake. “She told you about—him?”
He nodded. “And the event.”
Henry’s mouth opened and closed as he scratched his cheek. “That, too?”
Jake planted his feet in a wide stance, hands on his hips, then sucked in the scented air he thrived on. “I don’t know how to explain this, Henry, but Lexie is—special to me. I know we just met, and the circumstances are—unusual, but—we just click.” He shifted and shook his head. “I don’t know where this will lead, but I aim to find out.”
The cheerful sounds of birds singing and a gentle breeze settled around them as the two men studied each other.
Finally, Henry nodded slowly and walked toward the house. “I see.”
Jake caught his arm as he passed. “That’s all you have to say?”
Henry looked down at Jake’s hand, then glanced up. “I’m the last person in the world to denounce immediate attraction.” His chin lifted, and his gaze narrowed. “But, as a father yourself, you can understand I want what’s best for my daughter. For her to be happy.” His body relaxed, and he sighed softly. “Whether or not that happiness includes you and your little girl remains to be seen.”
Jake didn’t stop him again as he walked briskly toward the house.
Chapter twenty-four
Lexie’s heart fluttered with happiness as she watched her mother and Katie at the bar, where the previously shy, reticent child happily worked on a big wooden jigsaw puzzle. Children gravitated toward Rose’s affectionate nature, and Katie was no exception. Lexie experienced a momentary pang of sorrow over the lack of grandchildren for her to spoil.
Was that about to change?
“My goodness, Katie,” gushed Rose. “You’re really good at this.”
Katie smiled and picked up another piece, then frowned.
“Hmmm…does it go here?” Rose pointed to the right spot. “See how the blue sky matches one side of the piece?”
Katie stared at the piece in her hand, then the spot Rose indicated, and snapped it into place. “Wook, Wexie, I making a puzzle.”
“I can see that.” She leaned over the bar and inspected the progress. “Only three more pieces, and you’re done.”
Katie’s feet bounced against the bar as she quickly added the final sections. She looked at Rose and smiled. “Tank you. I wike puzzles.”
Rose hugged Katie to her. “You are very welcome. I’ll bring another the next time we visit.”
Her comment surprised Lexie, for it implied Rose fully expected there to be a next time. Before she could respond, the back door opened, and Jake and Henry walked in, Biscuit following behind.
“Wook, Daddy.” Katie pointed to the finished product. “Wexie’s mommy gived me a puzzle. It’s puppies, and I made it!”
Jake’s surprised expression flitted between Rose and his daughter. “That was very nice of her.” He stepped up to the bar to inspect her handiwork. “It’s a great puzzle. Did you thank her?”
“Yes, sir.”
“She’s a precious child, Jake,” said Rose. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with her.”
“Thank you. She’s a great kid.”
Henry walked up beside Jake. “I believe that’s the best puzzle I’ve ever seen.”
Katie beamed as she looked at Henry, sneakered feet bouncing against the bar. “Tank you.” Then she looked at Jake. “Wexie’s mommy bing me a’nuver one when she comes back.”
“Speaking of which,” interjected Henry, “My Rosie and I should get going.” He extended a hand to Jake. “Thanks again for the tour.”
“But I wanted to show Rozy my room,” pouted Katie.
Lexie glanced at Jake, whose face registered total surprise.
“Peeze, can I show her my room?”
“By all means,” said Henry. “We must make time for that.”
Without hesitation, Katie reached for Rose to help her down and took her hand. “Come on. I show you.”
Lexie wasn’t surprised at Katie’s reaction to her mother, but one look at Jake’s face said he was. When their eyes met, she smiled. “Mom has that effect on kids.”
“My Rosie is something special,” bragged Henry.
“Can I get you some coffee, Dad? Or maybe iced tea?”
“Tea would be great, sweetheart.”
She looked at Jake, whose shocked gaze remained on the retreating figures. “How about you?”
He shook his head. “What? Oh, yeah, tea is fine.” He moved to one of the barstools. “Any of that pound cake left?”
She served up the refreshments as the phone rang and glanced at Jake.
“You mind?”
She picked up the receiver. “Hello? Oh, hi…No, she’s fine. Why do you ask… Oh, I see. Yes. I’ll let him know. Okay. How’s the water leak coming… Great. Thanks for calling.” She hung up and looked at Jake. “That was Mrs. Tompkins from the daycare center. There’s a virus going around, and three kids are sick. She wanted us to know in case Katie showed any signs of being ill. And the center should be open on Tuesday.”
“A virus?”
“Yeah. Fever, upset stomach.”
Jake sat up straight, one hand rubbing his thigh. “You said you thought she had a fever last night. Has she shown any signs today?”
“None at all. Which makes me think I imagined it. But I’ll keep an eye on her anyway.”
“Rosie called those things daycare cooties,” offered Henry. “We enrolled Alexa in daycare when she was about Katie’s age. The first two months, she was sick three times.”
“Why?” asked Jake.
“Kids share germs. It’s just part of growing up,” said Henry. “I’m sure it’s nothing to be worried about.”
“Katie was premature.” Jake’s brow wrinkled, and uncertainty filled his voice. “She had a low resistance to infections for some time.”
“Don’t worry, Jake,” said Lexie. “I’ll keep a close eye on her. If she shows any signs of being ill, I’ll call Donna right away.”
He nodded, but Lexie saw his concern didn’t ease.
She took the barstool beside her father and leaned over to speak to Jake. “Do you, by any chance, have a computer I could borrow? I can’t find my laptop charger. I must have left it at home and wanted to look up some stuff online. Or I could use my phone, I guess.”
“Feel free to use the computer in my office. Both it and the printer are older, but they work. There’s no passcode since I’m the only one who uses it.”
“Sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
“Remember what I said.” Henry patted her arm. “Absolutely no work for two weeks. I’ve already contacted Andy about the Marshall project and told your secretary you are not to be disturbed.” He picked up his iced tea. “You’ve earned the time off, Alexa. Enjoy it.”
“I’ll try, Dad, but you know I like to keep busy.”
Jake speared a bite of cake. “There’s a folder on the computer desktop labeled with Mary’s name. She kept a bunch of games and stuff there. Maybe you can find some to occupy your time. Unless you don’t want to go fishing after all.”
She gave a theatrical sigh. “You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Holloway.”
The next few minutes passed in friendly conversation as Henry and Jake discussed the pros and cons of different fishing gear.
“I still prefer a cane pole and a cork,” said Jake.
“Me, too.” Lexie grinned at her father. “Remember, Dad? That’s what I caught that big grinnell on.”
She looked at Jake when he laughed. He had a nice laugh—throaty and smooth and sent warm tingles through her body.
“I would have paid good money to see you toss him on the bank.”
“She told you about that, too?” said Henry. He paused, then continued, a wistful sigh in his voice. “It’s one of my favorite memories—I wish we could have had more of those times.”
Lexie’s heart swelled with love for her father, and she gently rubbed his arm. “We made the most of our family time, Dad. That’s what I remember. That’s what’s important.”
Henry glanced at Jake. “Yes. That’s what is important.”
The conversation ended when Katie bounced back into the room with Rose and Biscuit in tow.
“My Rozy wikes my room, Daddy.”
“She does, huh?”
“Uh-huh. And guess what? She has a bear wike mine, and his name is Bobo.”
“Thanks for showing me your beautiful room, Katie.”
“You wek-kcome.”
Henry moved beside his wife. “We should get going, sweetheart, if you want to do any shopping today.”
Lexie stood between her parents and placed an arm around each. “Thanks for coming you guys. I’m sorry if I worried you unnecessarily.”
“It’s in the parent’s job description,” said Rose with a smile. “To worry about their children.”
“I’m hardly a child, Mom.”
Rose leaned toward Lexie and lightly stroked her cheek. “You will always be my baby, Alexa,” she said, her voice soft and filled with love. “Always.”
A sudden lump in her throat kept Lexie from speaking right away. “I love you, Mom.” She kissed her mother’s cheek, then turned to her father and kissed him as well. “I love you, Dad.”
Their quiet “I love you, too” made her eyes sting.
Rose bent toward Katie, who watched them closely. “I had a good time today, Katie.”
The child looked at Lexie, hesitated, then quickly kissed Rose’s cheek. “Tank ‘you for my puzzle.”
Lexie knew her mother would positively affect Katie, but the kiss shocked her. She jerked her gaze to Jake, who looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“Come along, Rosie.” Henry cupped her elbow. “Time to go.” He smiled at Katie. “I hope we see you again real soon.”
The child stood beside Jake and took his hand. “You bing my Rozy back, too?”
His laughter was light and bubbly. “I most certainly will.”
Jake and her father shook hands. She hugged her parents again and walked them to the car while Jake and Katie followed.
Outside, the child happily sang “Bye-bye” when they left, then addressed Jake. “I wike my Rozy.” She regarded them in turn, then clasped Lexie’s hand as the car disappeared around the bend.
Jake stared at the surprisingly cheerful child and swallowed hard, his throat sliding up and down. Katie’s bright smile never wavered as his gaze flicked from her to Lexie.
Tears stung her eyes as she glanced at the child between them, marveling at the sense of connection, of togetherness. Of family.
This is where I belong.
When she looked back to Jake, his ebony eyes glistened as he mouthed a silent “Thank you.”
Chapter twenty-five
“Will you have to work late today, Jake?”
He heard Lexie’s voice, but the actual words eluded him. He stood at the sink, unseeing eyes focused outward, his mind wrestling with the drastic change in Katie’s demeanor.
The sight of her smiling and talking with Rose as she worked on the puzzle had stopped him in his tracks. Later, surprise turned to shock when she kissed Rose on the cheek as they prepared to leave. She’d never done anything like that before. Whatever possessed her to do so now?
Almost as soon as the thought surfaced, a possible reason followed. She tried to emulate Lexie by copying her hairstyle. It was reasonable to assume she’d copy behaviors, too, like Lexie hugging and kissing her folks when they got ready to leave.
He struggled to remember the last time he’d seen his father show affection toward his mother or anyone else for that matter. Nor could he remember the last time he’d kissed his mother’s cheek or hugged his sister. He didn’t doubt his family loved each other, but they’d never been demonstrative about it.
Lexie, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. Her family was openly affectionate with each other, and she freely lavished that affection on Katie. He thought nothing of it until Katie not only responded to it, she blossomed before his eyes.
“Jake?” A soft touch on his arm accompanied the question.
He looked to the side and saw Lexie’s worried eyes on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
He turned and leaned on the counter, waiting for his troubled mind to settle.
Katie once again sat at the bar, studying them.
On impulse, he pulled Lexie in front of him and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Katie’s watching,” she whispered.
“I know.” He kissed her forehead. “I know.”
She tilted her head to the side and met his troubled gaze.
“A child learns by what they hear, what they see—experience.” Regret left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Until today, she never saw family members kiss or show affection for each other.” He exhaled softly. “And that hurts my heart.”
“Oh, Jake.” She slid her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.
The weight around him lifted, and he knew she was the missing piece that made him whole and made them a family again. He didn’t need time apart to know that. But if she did, he would give her all the time she needed.
When Katie smiled at him, his heart swelled in his chest. He would not let her grow up as he did. He had no idea how to fix the broken part of him, but he knew Lexie was the key.
He pushed back until he saw her face, tilted her chin, and lightly kissed her. “I won’t be as late as yesterday.” He moved away from her toward the bar. “I have a feed delivery coming sometime today, but Cody should be around to handle it.”
He took a step away and snapped his fingers. “Almost forgot. Some lady, a nanny mother hired, should be by this afternoon to look the place over.”
“Donna mentioned a new nanny. What’s her name?”
He racked his brain and got nothing. “To be honest, I can’t remember. I was upset they did it without my knowledge, and well, I guess I wasn’t listening.” He squinted at the floor. “Let’s see…Beth, maybe. I know she’s divorced; just moved here a couple of months ago.” He looked up and caught Lexie’s perturbed expression. “What?”
“Some lady? Someone who will care for your child, and that’s all you have?”
Chagrined, heat washed over his face. “I’m sorry. But yeah, that’s all I got.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I had a nanny for Katie before, but she moved away.”
“I see.”
He suddenly thought Lexie might feel slighted by the news and quickly explained. “Mother hired her without telling me and arranged for her to come by, probably this afternoon, so we could meet, and I could show her around. Just call me if she shows up.”
