Authors: Sandra S. Kerns
After losing the baby, Chaney had sewn her heart back together with a steel mesh encasement. She wouldn’t allow anyone close enough to break it ever again. Needing space to reinforce the barrier, she pulled back from Jed’s familiar hold.
“Seeing those two together makes you believe anything is possible.”
Jed’s words brought her back from her painful memories. Glancing at her little sister, a smile easily spread on her face.
“That’s Belle. She spreads love and happiness wherever she goes.”
“Some of the credit for that goes to you, I’m sure.”
Chaney laughed and missed a step causing them to stumble. A few heads turned their way silencing her as no gag could. Then she looked up and saw Jed’s confused gaze.
“I guess you’ve been gone so long you forgot what a hellion I am. Sweetness and light were never my strong points. I guarantee you, I haven’t changed.” His fathomless blue eyes considered her in silence for a long minute before he pulled her closer. Against her better judgment, Chaney didn’t resist.
“I don’t know, I remember your lips as being pretty sweet, and . . .” His arm tightened around her waist a second before her toes lifted off the dance floor, “… you never did weigh anything.”
“Put me down,” she hissed.
With her feet firmly on the floor again, she decided it was time to put him in his place. Fair is fair. He wants to walk down memory lane; I’ll give him something to remember.
Trying to find someone to fulfill the stipulations of her father’s will without giving up control of the ranch had used up all the patience she could muster. She needed to control some part of her messed up life, even if only a few moments worth. She wound her arms tightly around his neck pulling his head closer to hers. Drawing on the steel in her spine, she gave him a small smile before closing the distance between them.
His kiss was as good as she remembered, yet it was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Jed’s lips fit hers like a well-worn roping glove. The way his arms immediately tightened around her and his heart pounded, or was that her heart? She didn’t care. Warmth flooded her body and she pressed as close as possible. Wanting more. Needing more. She hadn’t felt this alive since....
Reality crashed over her. She broke the kiss. The eyes staring down at her were dark, like storm clouds rolling over the Rockies. With passion? Desire? Love?
Wake up and smell the manure, Chaney. If Jed ever desired you, it was for a quick roll in the loft. Love never entered his mind.
“I lied.”
“Lied?” he asked, his voice definitely whiskey toned, but a bit rough around the edges.
“I do still take dares.”
At his continued confusion, she nodded toward the bridesmaids giving her the thumbs up fr
om the side of the dance floor.
“I know I shouldn’t let the society girls of Crescent get to me, but sometimes I forget how old I am. Be
sides, they called me chicken.”
Jed’s features eased. A grin pulled at the corners of those scrumptious lips and he pulled her close again. She felt her resolve to keep her distance waiver.
“You never could stand being called chicken.”
“Still can’t,” she said as the music ended.
Trying to step out of his embrace she found herself held fast by the iron band he called an arm. “Is there a problem?” she asked, knowing she needed to get away from him soon to rebuild her defenses.
“Where did you learn to kiss like that?” he asked as the next song began.
Chaney couldn’t believe the unhappy frown on his face. If she thought she had truly affected him, it would be a great boon to her ego. Her ego, which had taken a huge beating with the reading of her father’s will. Travis McBride had made it clear he didn’t believe his oldest daughter could attract a man without the ranch as a dowry. The reminder caused her lighthearted reply to sound more forced than she would have liked.
“Practice,” she said
. Obviously, surprised by her answer his hold loosened. Chaney twirled out of his embrace. Then she forced herself to walk, not run away.
***
Jed watched her weave her way across the dance floor. Her long silky hair, normally pulled out of her way into a braid or ponytail, fell softly over her shoulders. Had he really imagined the caramel warmth in her eyes? The thoughts held him immobile until guests bumped into him on the dance floor. He started to follow her and demand to know just whom she’d been practicing with. Thankfully, the stupidity of the thought stopped him. Chaney didn’t owe him any explanations. The ones he owed her would never see the light of day. Even if they did, he doubted she would believe them.
With a grin of resolution pulling at his lips, he shook off the charge her kiss had given him. She’d shot down his proposal. Nothing else mattered. He caught sight of his uncle waving him over and grudgingly
made his way to the older man.
Dale didn’t look as hard as Jed remembered, granted, his memories were jaded by the night he’d left town. He’d been back once before to attend his aunt’s funeral. At that time, his uncle barely spoke to anyone. If Dale ever loved anyone, it had been her. Her loss had no doubt been hard on him. Not that his uncle would admit it. His features may have softened with age, looking at his still straight posture and rock hard stare, Jed doubted his demeanor had changed.
“That was quite a performance out there.”
Jed didn’t say a word. He knew nothing he said would make a difference anyway. He simply stood beside Dale and stared unseeing at the people on the dance floor. He and his uncle had barely spoken since Jed left twelve years ago. Since that time, he only talked to Steve. If his cousin hadn’t asked him to be part of the wedding, he wouldn’t be here now. He also wouldn
’t have made a fool of himself daring Chaney to marry him. Damn Steve.
“Just because her father’s gone, doesn’t mean you can come back and everything between you two will be the same. You know how he felt about you.”
“Hate is hard to forget.”
“That it is. Not to side with the man, but back then you were looking for a way to prove you weren’t worthy of anything or anyone. You took the surest road to that end.”
Jed didn’t say anything. As much as he wanted to deny it, the words held more than a grain of truth. Oh, he had loved Chaney. He would never deny that. He did have to admit his original interest in their relationship had been colored by the fact it would tick her father off.
“Son, if I thought for one moment, it would have been better for you to stay here and face down McBride, I’d a backed you as if you were my own. Truth is you needed to go. You didn’t think you needed anybody. I figured some time on your own, away from everyone that cared for you, would show you how wrong you were.”
Jed didn’t bother taking his gaze from the dance floor. He didn’t believe his uncle really cared about him. He decided to keep the conversation going on the outside chance he was wrong. “You could have said something before now.”
I
f Dale had said something back then, Jed might have had the support he needed when his marriage fell apart and he never would have lost custody of Ashley. Instead, he had been alone. His ex used his deployment as a way to get their daughter back. He could still hear Ashley begging him not to let her go as her mother took her away from his apartment. Reliving the experience wasn’t going to help him now. He released a breath and returned his attention to his uncle’s reply.
“Probably, but I’m better at giving orders than explanations,” Dale said with a chuckle, drawing Jed’s gaze to him. “I’m not saying this to upset you. I’m also not apologizing for letting you leave.”
Now that Jed believed. His uncle never apologized for anything. Nevertheless, something in those blue eyes that reminded Jed of his father eased some of the ill will Jed harbored toward the man.
“Anyway, what I mean is, maybe I should have said something all those years ago, but I can’t
change the past.” Dale turned.
Jed followed his uncle’s gaze to the doorway where Chaney stood. He couldn
’t imagine what Dale planned to say. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.
“If you still love her, do your best to win her back,” he said, and then turned his full attention back to Jed. He raised a hand to Jed
’s shoulder. “If you don’t, then as much as it hurts me to say it, you should probably leave. That girl’s had more hurt than she deserves. Don’t give her anymore.” His uncle squeezed Jed’s shoulder before walking away.
Jed stared after him in shock. Dale never cared about Jed’s feelings one way or the other. He sure as hell had never called him son as he’d done a few minutes ago.
Shaking his head Jed decided it must be some kind of emotional thing tied with weddings. People said and did things they didn’t normally do. Like Chaney kissing him.
Not to mention me daring her to marry me. What the hell was I thinking
?
Custody
.
The single word brought him crashing back to the ugly reality he called life. From the moment he’d seen Chaney walking down the aisle, he knew she could solve all his problems. He had known in that moment that a simple dare could change everything. Everything wrong could be set right. Someone bumped into him, and he realized he was in the middle of a crowded room staring at nothing. Taking a deep breath, he walked toward the patio doors. He needed air, even hot, dry, dusty Colorado air.
Standing on the patio, he gazed up at the Rocky Mountains. Late afternoon had turned to evening. The setting sun caused shadows to shoot reds and purples over the dry ground, softening the austere landscape, much as clouds had done on the vast ocean when he’d been in the Navy. He followed the sun’s descent with his eyes. The hope that bloomed when he first saw Chaney today faded with the sun disappearing behind the dark peaks. Dusk enveloped the land. Loneliness wrapped around his heart.
“Hey, Jed,” a s
ultry voice crooned behind him.
His grip momentarily tightened on the wrought iron railing. He remembered that voice from high school. He hadn’t liked Trish then. Now she reminded him of his ex so much, her voice felt like someone pouring saltwater on a fresh wound. He took a deep breath before turning to face her.
“Hello, Trish. Good to see you,” he lied.
“Really?” she asked with a pouting mouth. “Why don’t you come over here and prove to me how good it is?”
Jed didn’t move. He wasn’t going to play this game again. His ex had taught him well. If she hadn’t been using lines on him, she’d been using them on his buddies. It was a lesson he didn’t plan to forget any time soon.
“Why are you wasting time on the past when I’m available to provide you with an enjoyable present?”
Before he could think of a less rude reply than “because you’re a bitch,” he saw one of the ushers waving him inside. “They’re signaling to me. It must be time for the toast. Best man duties, you know.”
When he started to walk past her, she reached out and w
rapped her hand around his arm.
“And all the women in attendance know you are definitely the best man.”
Jed said nothing. He glanced at her hand on his arm, then up to her eyes.
“Ouch,” she said pulling her hand back. “That look could burn a girl, Jed. Of course, you remember I like to play with fire.”
Still silent, Jed walked away. As if he needed another reminder of his ex-wife, shrill laughter chased his steps. Yeah, he knew Trish liked to play with fire. He also knew how much she or any other fling would damage his fight for custody.
He forced a smile to his face as a waiter offered him a champagne flute. He stepped onto the stage, took the mic, and brought everyone to silence.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today, oops, sorry that was the pastor’s line.” Laughter gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. Knowing he would easily find the right words to celebrate his cousin’s happiness, he hadn’t written out or practiced a speech as many people did for this type of situation. He just needed the moment to pull himself out of the depressing thoughts that had plagued him most of the day. Smiling, he lifted his glass to silence the laughter his joke had caused.
“Today we are the recipients of a wonderful gift; the invitation to share in the exchanging of vows between two of the most loved people in this town.” A chorus of ‘damned straights’ and ‘yeahs,’ told him everyone agreed. “I’ve known Steve forever. Yes, he’s family, and I know you’re thinking I have to say something nice. The truth is I would have to say something nice even if he wasn’t family, because Steve is the best man I’ve ever known.” He moved his gaze to Chaney
’s sister.
“Belle, I can tell you from experience, you can trust Steve with your heart. He is faithful, honest, and hard working. The man doesn’t know how to let someone down. In good times and bad, Steve will stand by you. Though I don’t know you very well, if you’ve earned Steve’s heart then you must be one very special lady.
“And Steve, don’t get a swelled head from my words or the fact that you’ve won this lady. I’ve only been back in town a few hours and all I hear are wonderful things said about her, so you’d just better thank the man upstairs for blessing you. Not many of us find the kind of love you two have.” He saw Steve hug Belle a little closer as he nodded his agreement.