Loving You (Love Wanted in Texas) (18 page)

Pulling in, I parked behind Reed’s truck. “Looks like everyone is here if Ava rode over with her parents.

Taylor wrung her hands in her lap as she looked at the house.

“Hey, look at me, Tay.”

She snapped her head and tried like hell to smile. “There isn’t anything to be nervous about. You met my parents already; they are who really count.”

With a slight nod, her voice wobbled as she talked. “I don’t know why. . . . I’m just so nervous.”

Pulling her hand to my mouth, I kissed the back of it. “I promise I won’t leave your side for a minute. Everyone is going to love you.”

“How do you know that?”

I fought against the lump in my throat. She really had no idea how much she meant to me. How since the moment she walked out of that barn I’ve been in a world of utopia. “You have no idea how happy you make me, do you?”

Sniffling, she blinked her eyes quickly to keep from crying. “You make me happy, Jase. So very happy and I’m so scared I’m going to wake up and this is all going to be a dream and I hate that I keep thinking like that.”

My hand slid behind her neck, pulling her closer to me. “It’s not a dream,” I spoke against her lips. “I love you, Taylor.”

She didn’t have a chance to answer me when I pulled her closer and kissed her. I wanted her to feel how much I loved her in that one single kiss. Her soft whimper traveled through my body and warmed it instantly.

The loud knock on the window caused us both to jump. Glancing over Taylor’s shoulder, I saw Walker standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Asshole!” I shouted as Taylor blushed. Turning my attention back to her, I kissed her quickly on the lips. “Hold on and I’ll help you out.”

Racing out of the truck and over to her, I pushed Walker out of the way. “Don’t you have anything better to do . . . like go be with your wife and son?”

“Nah, harassing you is so much more fun.” Walker turned to Taylor and smiled. “Hey, Taylor! You ready for the nightmare to begin?”

“I . . . I um . . . I think so?”

Walker laughed and confessed, “I’m kidding. It’s going to be fine and everyone is going to love you. All they have to do is look at Jase and see how happy he is.”

I slipped my arm around her waist and led her toward the front door. “Is everyone here?”

“Yep. Ava is chomping at the bit to finally meet Taylor.”

“Me?” Taylor asked in surprise.

“Hell yeah. Jase has been talking about you for a while now.”

Taylor looked at me with a blank expression. “Relax, sweetness. Take a deep breath and let it out.”

Walker headed in first. Everyone must have been in the kitchen, or at least that was where all the talking was coming from. The second we walked in everyone stopped talking and turned to us.

Oh great. If Taylor was nervous before, I’m sure now she was freaking out. Everyone was staring at us.

Ava popped around my mother and took one look at Taylor and screamed.

“I’d run to you, but I have a broken leg! Jase pushed me.”

Scowling at Ava, I pointed to her. “I did not push you!”

“Jase, she is just screwing around with you,” Liza said with a chuckle.

Ava made her way over to Taylor and engulfed her in a hug. She whispered something into Taylor’s ear, causing her to frown.

When she pulled back from her, Ava wore a huge smile. My mind raced in a million and one different directions as to what Ava might have said to Taylor. Probably that I picked my nose or some shit like that. “I’m so happy y’all found your way to each other.”

With a shy smile, Taylor agreed. “So am I. Very happy.”

“I bet.” Ava turned and looked at everyone. “So, this is amazing isn’t it? Our Jase in love!”

Courtney smiled and made her way over to Taylor. “Hi Taylor, I’m Ava and Walker’s mom, Courtney. This is my husband, Reed.”

Shaking everyone’s hands, Taylor stole a peek over to me. I quickly made my way back to her side and pulled her to my side. Leaning over, I put my lips to her. “What did Ava say to you?”

Taylor pressed her lips together and glanced around the room before turning to me and speaking so only I could hear her. “She told me she was so happy for us and the distraction we provided.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

With a shrug, she replied, “I was going to ask you the very same thing.”

“Taylor, Whitley said you’re going to be working for a friends breeding business.”

Clearing her throat, Taylor nodded. “Um, yes. I’m a financial analyst. My job is to see where they can best cut back in their expenses.”

Whitley and Liza both raised a brow. “Really? Do you know much about the breeding world?”

“Nope. Not a darn thing. But I do know horses along with the cost of up keep for them. I’m a quick learner so I don’t think it will take me long to get a game plan down.”

My father wore a thoughtful look as he turned to Taylor. “What about cattle? Do you know anything about them?”

“I’ve practically grown up on the Mathews cattle ranch in Mason.”

I couldn’t believe the smile that appeared on my father’s face. “No kidding. I’ve met with Gunner and Jeff a lot over the years. I admire them both, not only for the cattle knowledge but also with racehorses. Jeff and I actually co-own a racehorse.”

Taylor’s eyes widened in shock. “I thought you looked familiar! I must have seen you before if you’ve been to the Mathews’ place before.”

“I have, a lot. So has Reed.”

Taylor turned to me and I couldn’t help but return the happy look she was giving me. “What a crazy small world.”

With a chuckle, I nodded my head. “It is.” I turned to my father and said, “I wonder if Gunner is related to the architect I have a meeting with in a few weeks. His last name is Mathews.”

Taylor gasped. “Drew! Drew Mathews?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Jase! That’s Gunner! Drew is his real name.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she covered her mouth and laughed.

“Now this
is
crazy. It appears our worlds were meant to collide one way or another doesn’t it?” my mother said as she took an apple pie out of the oven.

Reed slapped me on the back and said, “I’m shocked the two of you didn’t meet before college.”

Everyone laughed as my mom and Courtney started bringing the food into the dining room. “Let me help, please,” Taylor said.

Whitley drew her attention over to Jase. “No! You’re a guest, Walker and Jase can help, you visit with Liza and Ava and get to know them.”

Liza walked up to Taylor and hugged her. “I know we keep saying it, but it is really wonderful that things worked out the way they have. I haven’t seen Jase this happy in a very long time.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Jase this happy,” Ava said with a giggle.

Taylor’s face blushed even more.

Once we got all the food in the dining room, I led Taylor in and pulled a chair out for her. Ava quickly sat down next to Taylor. Peeking up at me she said, “I’m going to need a neutral supporter.”

“Oh no,” Taylor said under her breath.

Narrowing my eye at Ava, I asked, “What are you planning on doing?”

She leaned in closer as I sat down and answered, “Ryder asked me to marry him.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Taylor asked.

Ava screwed her face up. “It will be for my parents. But it most certainly isn’t for me.”

“Your dad is going to freak, Ava!” I whispered.

She sighed. “You don’t think I know that?”

“When are you going to tell them?” Taylor asked.

Ava glanced around at everyone. “Probably when my dad has had a few drinks. I thought about drugging him, but I figured he might not like that.”

Taylor’s face dropped as I took her hand in mine. “She’s kidding. I think.”

“Half-heartedly,” Ava mumbled.

“So, Ava, how was Montana? Are you glad to be home?” my mother asked.

Walker and Liza must have known as well because they froze just like Taylor and I did.

Ava giggled nervously. “Well, I’m not actually home to stay.”

Reed and Courtney both said together, “What?”

“This just got interesting,” my father said as Taylor tried to hide her smile.

Ava turned to Taylor. “So, Taylor, when was the first time you and Jase met?”

“Oh God,” I said as I picked up my beer and took a gulp.

Taylor kicked me under the table as she stumbled over her words. “Um . . . well we ah . . . freshman year I guess? Right, Jase?”

“I’d rather hear about Ava not staying in Texas,” I said with a smirk.

“Oh dear,” Taylor spoke under her breath.

Ava glared at me as I winked. “It’s like you’re pushing me all over again,” she hissed through her teeth.

Leaning forward, I said in a flat voice, “I. Didn’t. Push. You.”

Taylor looked between the two of us with a confused expression. “Wait. Why did you push, Ava?”

Snapping my eyes, to Taylor I shook my head. “I didn’t push her! She slipped and fell. That’s how she broke her ankle and leg.”

Taylor turned to Ava. “How much longer do you have to wear the cast?”

Ava’s face dropped as she pouted. “The doctors say—”

“Stop! Everyone stop talking for two minutes!”

All eyes fell on Reed. Ava’s little plan of trying to pull me into a fight with her was never going to work.

“Ava Grace Reed. What do you mean you’re not staying here?”

Ava sat up straighter and looked at Taylor. “So . . . tell us about Paris!”

Taylor

I sat there stunned as Ava looked at me with pleading eyes.

“Ah . . . Paris is amazing?”

“The city of love! Did you and Jase first have se—”

“Ava!” Reed and Courtney both shouted.

Turning back to me, she smiled. “If they try to come after me, I’m counting on you to block them so I get a head start.”

My mouth fell open, but nothing came out.

Dropping her shoulders, she put her fork down. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with. Ryder asked me to marry him and I really think I want to make Montana my permanent home.”

Jase took my hand under the table and squeezed it. “I’m so sorry I brought you here. Now you’re going to be a witness to murder and this puts a real damper on my plans for tonight.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Covering my mouth, I dropped my eyes to my plate and bit on the side of my cheek. It was so refreshing to see Jase’s family was normal like mine. Crazy normal.

Courtney held up her hands to hush Jase. “Wait. Did I just hear you say Ryder asked you to marry him? Ava! Didn’t you learn anything from the last time with Johnny?”

“Who’s Johnny?”

Jase replied, “I’ll tell you later.”

“Mom, don’t bring him up. What I feel for Ryder is so much more.”

Whitley cleared her throat and announced, “I think maybe we should save this conversation for another time, don’t y’all agree?”

Ava and Courtney both nodded. Reed stared at Ava. “I agree. Nice try though, Ava.”

“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” Ava said with an innocent grin.

The rest of dinner was spent with conversations around the table. Ava and I talked mostly about Paris. I could see the passion in her eyes as she talked about her love of designing wedding gowns.

Leaning in closer to her so no one would hear, I asked, “Will you design your own?”

Her eyes lit up and I knew that no matter what her parents had to say, none of it would matter. She was in love and you clearly saw it in her eyes.

“Yes! I already have most of it planned out in my head, but, I’ve stumbled upon a design that Ryder’s sister, Kate, was working on before she passed away.”

My stomach dropped. “Oh no!”

Ava frowned, “I know. She was so young and she was pre . . . um . . . well it was really sad.”

I nodded and quickly changed the subject. It was obvious she was about to say Kate was pregnant.

Dinner finished and the kids cleaned off the table as the parents happily let us take care of the clean up.

When the last dish was dried and put away, Jase winked and motioned for me to walk over to him.

“Have you had enough of my crazy family?”

With a titter, I hit him lightly on the chest. “Nonsense. I’ve had a wonderful time. It’s nice to see they’re normal just like mine. I have to admit; I give Ava props for trying to use me being there as a way to soften the blow of her news.”

Jase rolled his eyes. “Typical Ava. Come on, let’s head out back and let my parents know we are heading out.”

“So soon?”

Without so much as looking back at me, Jase took my hand and pulled me along behind him. “I don’t want to miss the sunset.”

Grinning from ear to ear, I said, “Because we know how much you love the sunset.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he gave me a wicked smile. “Yes, I do. And I will love it even more sharing it with you.”

Thud. There went my heart against my chest. I never imagined I’d find someone as romantic as Colt, Will, and Luke. I dare say Jase could give them a run for their money.

Meagan, Lauren, Grace, and Alex had all been texting me throughout the day. I texted them each back and told them to give me twenty-four hours and then I’d fill them in on everything. Lauren pretty much told them everything so far. I knew they would hit me up with questions like how is the sex or is he hung well.