“But why? You seem like you love it here.”
“I do. I did. But I also loved my mother and I wanted her to love me. I thought if I acted the way she wanted, became the man she’d wanted my father to be, it would make a difference.” He shook his head. “The only thing it did was break my father’s heart. He lost his faith when we left, sold off pieces of the ranch and let the herd dwindle.” Determination swept his features. “But I’m changing all that.” He felt her hand on his arm and warmth spread through him.
“No wonder you don’t share your father’s love for those old movies.”
“They’re all reminders,
Giant
in particular, of a time in my life I’d rather forget. I remember my parents fighting. My mom would retreat to her bedroom and my dad would hole up in the library, watching his movies, wishing for a happy ending like the one on screen. It always made me sad to see him like that.”
“Where is your mother now?”
“Living in Connecticut, recently remarried to some Wall Street wizard. She’s happy, I suppose. We don’t talk much.”
“Her loss,” Lucky said, and pleasure spiked through him. “I’m sorry I messed things up. Was Helen really mad?”
“I don’t know yet. She’s sleeping. I expect she’ll be fit to be tied.”
She sat there for a long moment, her gaze fixed straight ahead. “She thinks she’s better than me,” Lucky finally said.
“She thinks she’s better than everyone.”
Lucky shook her head. “I grew up in a small place, went to public school. My clothes were clean, but worn.” She continued to stare off into the distance. “But I never felt second best. I had my parents and I knew they loved me. You know,” she went on, “my happiest memory is of one Thanksgiving we spent in my father’s cab. He had to work, otherwise we weren’t going to eat that month, and instead of sulking at home, my mother packed up the turkey and the dressing, bundled me up, and we ate dinner in the parking lot of O’Hare Airport.” She smiled. “It was cold and cramped, but I’ve never felt as warm in my entire life.”
“You’re a lot luckier than you think, Lucky Myers.” He lifted his hand, his fingertips going to her mouth. Her lips were soft. They parted beneath the slight pressure of his touch. Soft, and warm, and so damned tempting.
No!
If he kissed her once, he would want to do it again, and again, and then...
“Are you up for a little sight-seeing?” he asked.
“Are you kidding? I’m going stir-crazy. Give me five minutes.”
When they met back outside near Tyler’s Jeep, Lucky had traded in her worn tennis shoes for a pair of shiny red boots.
“Where in the world did you get those?”
She looked pleased. “From my fix-it stash. I’ve got a box of homemade pecan pralines, a recipe book and a coupon for a free manicure at Earline’s.”
“It seems you’re getting pretty popular around here.” He climbed in next to her and gunned the engine. He caught her sideways glance and saw the grin tugging at her lips.
“What can I say? I give great transmission.”
“THIS IS LIKE a bad episode of ‘Hee-Haw.’” She stared at the smoke-filled interior of Billy Ray’s, Grant County’s only and most notorious honky-tonk.
“I know it’s a bit down to earth...” A crowd of people filled the place, despite the fact that it was only Tuesday night. Longnecks in hand, they whooped and hollered, a fast country two-step blaring from the sound system.
“It’s not that. I don’t feel above it.” She drank in the dozens of women wearing western shirts, jeans and belt buckles big enough to eat dinner off of. “I just feel different,” she added. Her gaze collided with his. “Out of place.”
He reached for the hem of her T-shirt and knotted it at her waist. His knuckles skimmed her midriff and electricity sizzled across her skin. “You look casual and country. Perfect.”
“Tyler!” They both turned to see Hank. “Got some news on your nanny. Even with the ID you made on her, she slipped past them New York cops and made it into Canada where she scammed a wealthy Canadian. Now they’re as hot to catch her as we are.”
“Keep me posted,” Tyler said after turning down Smokey’s offer of a beer.
“Lucky! Hey, Lucky!” Earline’s excited voice carried from a table set up near the entrance.
“What are you doing?” Lucky asked, her gaze taking in the stack of applications and mountain of neon pink fliers.
“Signing up Hickory Honey wannabes for this year’s pageant. It’s Friday, you know. You will be at the festival, won’t you?” Earline poked a finger at Tyler. “She can’t miss the festival. I’m crowning this year’s Honeys.”
“She’ll be there,” Tyler promised. The next song started and he tugged her toward the dance floor. “Let’s dance.”
“Okay, but if I step on your toes, it’s your own fault.”
“I’m liable to be the one stepping on your toes. I haven’t done this in a long time. Too long,” he added in a regretful voice and Lucky squeezed his hand and gave him a dazzling smile.
He swung her into his arms, and then she was laughing and smiling and doing her best to follow his lead. She missed a few steps, but even that was fun. There was the encouragement of all the couples that sailed past, and by the time Lucky collapsed on her seat, she could hardly breathe, her face hurt from smiling, and warmth bubbled inside her.
“I think you’re a hit,” he said. “You must have been busy the past few days. How many cars did you fix?”
“Altogether about ten.” She shot him a worried glance. “I already said I was sorry.”
“Say it tomorrow. I’m not mad tonight.”
She smiled and sipped the soda he’d ordered for her. “Then I’ll take advantage of your good mood.”
“Now that sounds interesting.”
“I wish it would get interesting,” she whispered to herself, her heart beating faster. “Much more interesting.”
AN HOUR LATER, they left Billy Ray’s, hand in hand, and headed for the ranch. A quiet silence engulfed them as he parked the Jeep out back and they simply sat there, staring up at the stars.
“It’s always like this out here,” he told her. “I used to walk out onto the balcony of my apartment in Houston, but even on the clearest night, you couldn’t see this many stars.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yes,” he said, but he wasn’t looking above them. He was looking at her. “You really have a great mouth.”
“Nobody’s ever said that to me before. I’ve heard I have a big mouth, a smart mouth, a loud mouth, but —”
Warm fingertips pressed against her lips. “All of the above, too. But I was talking more about the shape of your mouth. Perfect for kissing.” His lips closed over hers for a long, delicious moment.
“You did it again,” she said when their lips finally parted. “You said you weren’t going to kiss me and here you are —”
“I’m not.” He pulled her closer. “I can’t.”
“I know. It would never work.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Never.”
“Ever,” he added, then he kissed her again, his mouth fierce and desperate now, as if he’d been away from her far too long.
Eager hands slipped under the hem of her T-shirt to caress her bare skin. Electricity danced along her nerve endings, sending sparks to her nipples, her thighs. Then his mouth left hers to kiss a wicked path down her neck, and lower, until his hot breath warmed the fabric covering her nipple.
“You’re not wearing a bra.” His voice was ragged.
“No one usually notices.”
“I noticed.”
She opened her mouth, but the only sound that escaped was a loud gasp as his wet mouth closed over the stiff peak. She clutched at his shoulders, pulling him closer, closer—
“Hell’s bells, Tyler! Do you know what time it is?”
Ulysses’s voice echoed in her ears and they both jerked upright, like two teenagers caught in the back seat of a car. Or the front seat of a wide-open Jeep. The spell was broken. “Saved by the bell,” Tyler muttered.
Bell? Damn but these Grant men had an obsession with bells.
12
“S
HE ENDANGERED Bernadette’s life,” Helen exclaimed the next morning. “That sort of behavior is intolerable.”
“It was an accident,” Tyler said.
“She’s supposed to be teaching Bernadette how to be a lady, Tyler. Not how to change spark plugs or fix transmissions. That’s why the world has mechanics.”
“So Miss Myers has a few eccentric hobbies. You enjoy needlepoint and playing bridge.”
“I hardly see a comparison.”
Neither did he, but he was desperate, and he hadn’t become the Grant in Landry, Preston and Grant Investments by letting someone outwit or outtalk him. He could play hardball with the best, and Helen ranked up there in the top ten.
“Of course there’s a comparison,” he went on. “You’re good at needlepoint and bridge. Extremely good,” he added, watching Helen’s face soften. “Which is one reason you enjoy both activities. Miss Myers happens to be more mechanically inclined, and so her leisurely pursuits are geared more in that direction —”
“Sorry to interrupt you, son, but there’s a phone call for Helen.” Ulysses appeared in the doorway, cordless phone in hand. “You two-timing Merle, woman?”
“I’m sure it’s Julius Morrow, the photographer for the
Houston Star
. They’ve agreed to do a cover promotion for the museum benefit and they want to come out here to get a few preliminary photos. This isn’t exactly the sort of image I had in mind, but Julius assured me that the rustic look is in right now. He’ll be here Friday morning.” She took the phone. “Julius, dear, how are you?”
Tyler didn’t wait for her to finish her call. He had work to do, and while Helen wasn’t completely satisfied, she was busy and that would keep her focused on her own affairs rather than on Lucky for a little while longer.
Long enough for this entire fiasco to be finished. Four days, Tyler told himself. She’d already fixed a number of cars and waterlogged a runaway tractor. What else could happen?
“YOU WANT ME to
what?
”
“Enter the Hickory Honey competition with me,” Bennie said. “Come on, Lucky. I’ll be in the junior division, and you’ll be in the senior. We’ll prove to Grandmother that we’re real ladies. She loves pageants. She’s a huge supporter of Miss Picasso and Miss Merlot, oh, and Miss Delphi, too.”
“Run those by me again.”
“Miss Picasso—the most talented new female artist in Texas. And there’s Miss Merlot, the best female wine connoisseur. Miss Delphi is the title for the most cultured debutante in Houston.”
“I think this is a little different, honey.” Visions of Earline ran through Lucky’s head. Boobs out to there, big Texas hair up to here, blue eye shadow bright enough to land an airplane in a thick fog. “Don’t you think the Hickory Honey competition is a little more...down-to-earth than your grandmother’s used to?”
“Granddaddy said it’s the fanciest shindig this side of Dallas.” Great. A shindig to impress Helen. Not!
“It’s perfect,” Bennie said enthusiastically. “You have to do this with me, Lucky. I’d be too embarrassed by myself, but with you, I know I could work up the nerve. We’ll get all dressed up and walk around in high heels. Grandmother will love it. She’ll forget all about the tractor thing.” She grabbed Lucky’s hand. “Please, please,
please.”
No. It was there on the tip of her tongue. Just say no.
“Please,” Bennie added, and Lucky nodded.
Wimp
.
“This is great.” Bennie jumped around. “You’re great. Just wait until Grandmother sees us. She’ll be speechless.”
Helen speechless? This might not be so bad after all.
“STELLA, it’s me. How’s my granny?”
“Fine. The boys have taken a real liking to her. Can’t say as I blame them. She’s so sweet.”
A warmth spread through Lucky. “If she asks, tell her I’ll be home soon. So how did we do against the Munson Cab Magpies?”
“We forfeited, and I never was so glad. I thought bowling would be fun, but I can’t seem to get into the game.”
“They had to forfeit because you didn’t want to play?”
“Oh, no. The guys had other plans.”
“What could be more important than bowling and beer?”
“Your granny invited everybody to her bingo game. It was great. I won fifty bucks, and Buster won a hundred. He even met a new girl. The bingo caller. Gladys, I think her name was.”
Granny was fine, the guys weren’t mad and Buster had a new babe. All was right with the world. Now if only Lucky could see things turn out as good right here in Ulysses. Fat chance. She was headed for blue eye shadow and teased hair, and the worst night of her life. Just her luck.
“I NEED A FAVOR,” Lucky told Tyler Thursday morning when she finally managed to work up enough nerve to talk to him about the beauty pageant Sort of.
“Me, too.” Bennie waltzed in on Lucky’s heels. “It’s very, very important, and you absolutely
have
to do it, otherwise, our plan will be ruined and Grandmother will stay mad and —”
“Okay,” Tyler agreed before she could go on. “As long as it’s not painful or illegal.”
“It’s not illegal,” Lucky assured him. “But I’m not so sure about the painful part.” He shot her a questioning gaze, and she added, “We want you to keep Helen busy tomorrow while Bennie and I go into town for the day. We’ll meet you and Helen at the high school tomorrow night for the festival kickoff.”
“All day?”
She grinned. “So it’s painful. You’re a strong guy.”
“Please, Daddy.” Bennie threw her arms around his waist.
Tyler smiled, then the expression faded into a sniff. “Bernadette, are you wearing perfume?”
Bennie smiled up at him. “Grandmother gave it to me. Smells good, huh? It was Mom’s favorite.”
“And what’s on your cheeks?”
Bennie beamed. “Pale Pink Parfait. Grandmother said Mom wore perfume and blush when she was my age, and lip gloss, too, but I keep chewing that off. So what do you think?”
“It’s...nice, honey. Though you might lighten up a little.” He shot a glance at Lucky that said,
Is she old enough for this stuff?
Lucky shrugged.
Look who you’re asking.
“So promise you’ll help us surprise Grandmother?” Bennie said.
“What’s the surprise?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Just have Grandmother there by seven.”
“I’ll try, but I don’t think she’ll go.” He looked into his daughter’s face, so full of hope, and sighed. “Helen’s going to have a fit if you’re not here tomorrow. Some photographer is driving in from Houston to take publicity photos for her fund-raiser.”
“That’s even more perfect,” Bennie declared. “You have to get her to the festival, Daddy. It’ll be a prime photo opportunity. Please, please,
please
.”
Oh no. Bennie was doing the please thing again. Maybe Tyler wouldn’t be as marshmallow soft as she was. Maybe he would put a stop to things before... The big sucker.
“Thank you, Daddy. Thank you, thank you,
thank you
.” Bennie gave him another hug then darted out of the library.
“Hey,” he said when Lucky started to follow. “Aren’t you going to thank me, too?”
“For signing my death certificate?”
He frowned and motioned her into a chair in front of him. “What are you talking about?”
She sank into soft leather and shook her head. “Nothing. Listen, thanks. This means a lot to Bennie.”
“Yeah.” He slumped on the corner of the desk and Lucky had the overwhelming urge to reach up and touch his shadowed jaw. He was so beautiful and brooding and... celibate.
Not that it wasn’t his own fault. She was ready and willing and able and...in love.
As if that mattered. She was in love with a man she couldn’t have. One who wouldn’t have her. Forget unlucky. She was cursed. What next? A swarm of locusts?
“She’s growing up so fast, I can’t keep up. Perfume, of all things. And that Peppermint Pink Popsicle stuff.”
“That’s Pale Pink Parfait.”
“Yeah, that, too.” He shook his head. “She’s nearly a teenager and I’m clueless as to what to do with her. For her. About her.”
Lucky gripped the arms of the chair. She wasn’t going to touch him. Not for all the croissants in France. All the mufflers at Muffler Mania. No way. Uh-uh.
Hair-sprinkled muscle met the warmth of her palm. “Just love her, Tyler.” She stroked his forearm. “That’s all she really needs from you. Just love.”
Bad hand.
Down, girl. Down. She managed to pry her hand away from him.
Okay, distance was better. No touching. She glared at her hand. You got that? Do that again and your history, sister.
“I wish things were that simple.” He shook his head. “Bennie needs more, things I can’t give her. She needs a woman to show her all this pink pickle stuff.”
“You’re off by an entire food group,” Lucky muttered. “It’s
parfait,
not pickle. One’s dairy and the other’s vegetable, and whoever heard of a pink pickle anyway?”
“See?” He threw up his hands. “I’m totally clueless. Nan did all the woman things with Bennie. When she died, I thought I could step in. Bennie had always been so much like me—wild and unruly. Since she was knee-high, she loved to wrestle and watch sports. She could spit farther than any toddler I’d ever seen.”
“You must have been proud.”
He beamed. “I’m always proud of her.” His face fell. “But now I don’t know what to do. She’s growing up and she’s turning into a woman.” He stared at Lucky. “She needs a woman.”
“I think you’re the one who needs a woman.”
Who said that?
Okay, so she had, but it wasn’t as if she could help herself. He was standing right there in front of her, his denim clad family jewels at eye level, about to pop a zipper. So she’d looked, and she’d commented. Big deal? At least she hadn’t touched.
Why hadn’t she touched?
“I do,” he growled. “And I’m in a helluva mess because of it.” He stalked behind the desk, his
big deal
disappearing behind several inches of thick mahogany.
“Because why?”
“Because I want you.”
“Me? You really want —”
“Don’t even start. I have enough to worry about right now. Let’s just try to make it through the next couple of days without touching or kissing, or doing anything really stupid. Okay?”
So kissing her was stupid?
Yes. It was because it wouldn’t stop there and it had to because there was no future for them. She knew that, yet it didn’t ease the knot in her chest or dispel the urge to slap his handsome, stupid face.
“And you think your father’s the blind one?” She bolted to her feet and glared at him. “You know something, Tyler? You are clueless. You’re the most clueless man I’ve ever met. You give new meaning to the word.” She turned and left him staring after her.
And the only really stupid thing I ever did was fall in love with you
.
LOVE WAS A BITCH. Lucky spent Thursday night tossing and turning, plotting ways to kill Tyler. Painful ways. Of course, she would always stop just short of actually doing him in, but the moments leading up to her change of heart were pretty good. Lots of crying and begging on his part. Still, her wimping out prevented any real satisfaction and she awoke grouchy and puffy and thoroughly unhappy.
As luck would have it, Lucky didn’t even have the satisfaction of wallowing in her own misery. Bennie hauled her out of bed before the crack of dawn to get an early start into town. Mabel drove them in Jed’s pickup, the bed full of her cooking entries: pecan pie, pecan cake, butter-pecan syrup, pecan pralines, pecan divinity and candied pecans.
“Lucky!” Earline squealed, intercepting her as she climbed out of the truck outside the high-school gymnasium where the festival was being held. Hooking her arm through Lucky’s, Earline steered her two pageant hopefuls toward her pink Cadillac.
“We’ve got a ton of things to do before—oh, no, sugar.” Earline frowned as she studied Lucky’s face. “You’re full of water. Oh, well,” she brightened and started the ignition. “No need to worry. I know a surefire trick. We’ll wrap you in cling wrap and sit you out in the sun for a few hours.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
“Only if you stay out too long. But we’ll bring you in and unwrap you well before you dehydrate. You don’t have a thing to worry about. I swear you won’t end up like Sara Mae Mulberry.”
“She dehydrated?”
Earline nodded. “And suffered sunstroke. She was so out of it, she stood up at the annual church picnic and did a striptease when the choir sang ‘Beulah Land.’” At Lucky’s horrified expression, the woman added, “But that was before I perfected the wrap.” She patted Lucky’s arm. “No need to worry. You’re in good hands, sugar, and the choir’s not even doing ‘Beulah Land’ tonight.”