Tucker's Crossing (12 page)

“It’s a proposition.” Shelby groaned at her word choice.

“I can see that. I’m just not sure what kind.” Shelby couldn’t form a single word. “Shelby Lynn? Don’t lose your courage now. Go on and finish, because whatever explanation you come up with couldn’t sound any worse than what I’m thinking.”

She had the distinct impression she was botching this, and if she failed, she and Jake would lose their home.

“After Preston and I split, Silas gave us a second chance, let us make a life here. A real life. Which we did. Jake found a safe place to land, made some friends. I found a job that I love. My freedom. He adores this ranch and his horse. And so do I.”

“And you ran out of Preston’s money and suddenly mine’s looking pretty good?”

Shelby wanted to laugh. She hadn’t married Preston for his money. She’d married him for the same reason she’d fled, fear.

Against her lawyer’s advice, she’d walked away from everything. That was the deal. Preston kept every precious penny. Shelby got Jake and her freedom.

But she didn’t want to get into that now. “
And
you hate it here.” Shelby raised her hand to encompass the ranch, the house and the beauty that was Tucker’s Crossing. “You’re already champing at the bit to get out.”

“Says who?”

“Cody, you’ve had your I’m-leaving smile plastered on since you walked through that door. You work from sunup to sundown and then hide in the office. You either pace the floor all night or take off in your truck and don’t come back ’til morning.”

“And this is relevant, why?” Cody glared at her and jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

She curled her fingers around his arm, panicked that she was already losing him. “Your dad—”

“I don’t know what he said to you to make you stay, but you have no idea what he was like.”

“No, I don’t. You never bothered to share that part of your life with me.”

Cody lifted his hand in defense, his lips parted slightly but no words broke the silence. She could almost feel the struggle, his internal debate on how much he would share, the indecision wrapping around them and arcing with its intensity. He closed his mouth, dropping his hand to his side.

His decision was made and his silence served as a painful reminder that she would always be on the outside. Cody would keep her on the sidelines and the part of his life that had torn them apart would remain a barrier.

“You know what, Cody? Don’t worry about it. We all have our secrets, and Lord knows you don’t owe me any explanation now. And you’re right, I don’t know what you went through here, but from what I have gathered, the Silas I came to love was not the same man who raised you.”

His eyes fell from hers but not before she saw a raw humiliation that triggered every protective instinct she had. She knew that humiliation, had lived it herself. It was strange that after all they had been through she could still connect with him in such an elemental way, where his pain became hers.

“But The Crossing has become my home, Jake’s home. If we move, he’ll have to leave his horse behind, change schools, make new friends. I can’t afford to live in this district on my salary. The other night you said you were sorry about not being the man I needed back then.”

She hated using his words against him, but this meant everything to her and Jake. She’d spent her entire life being shuffled between two parents who didn’t want her, only to be left with her grandpa, who was too old to understand her. She wanted more for her son.

“So, here’s your chance.” Shelby breathed in a big, deep, bold breath intended to give her the courage to say two of the hardest words of her life: “Marry me.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Did she have any idea how many times he had dreamed of just that? Thought about what his life would be like if he could have been the kind of man she’d walk down the aisle with?

There was a time when he believed he’d spend the rest of his life with Shelby. He’d even had a ring, his mama’s. Then all hell broke loose.

Cody had been painfully aware of every second of their separation. She had been the great love of his life. And the biggest disappointment. He wanted to hate her. Even convinced himself that he did. But instead of time diminishing his need for her, that powerful attraction had only grown. Not good.

Just over seventy-two hours back in his world and she was filling his every thought. He woke up tasting her on his lips and went to bed remembering how her mouth felt on his. Only to wake up again hard, like he was now.

“No fucking way.”

“Hear me out,” she began slowly. “It’s simple. We get married, on paper anyway, and you recognize Jake as yours. Legally. I will change my last name to Tucker and fulfill the terms of the will. Jake can grow up on the ranch, graduate with his friends, and you can go back to your life in Austin.”

“And what? A school picture in the mail, monthly e-mails, a weekend visit to Austin every third holiday?”

“We can work that out. It’s just a business deal. And from what I’ve gathered, that’s a language you’re used to.” Her tone shifted to a challenge. “I didn’t think anything was out of the question for you.”

Usually there wasn’t. Cody had spent the better part of the last decade taking on and prevailing over some of the most powerful and ruthless men in one of the most cutthroat businesses in the world. And made a killing.

He stood silent for a minute, staring out at the hills, miles and miles of open space, and watched the cows graze in one of the pastures. Anger welled up inside of him. She had cheated on him, lied to him, kept his own son from him. Did she really expect him to hand over his ranch and his son and walk away? A need to lash out and destroy boiled inside.

“The language isn’t the problem. There is nothing you have to offer that I’m the least bit interested in.”

Pain filled her eyes and he didn’t mind being the cause of it. She had damn near destroyed him, twice now, with her lies and he wanted her to feel even just a fraction of the hurt she had caused him.

Nope, his conviction locked and loaded, he wasn’t marrying her and she sure as hell wasn’t staying. And neither was he. He’d get the ranch up and running in the black, fulfill his time here, then return to Austin and put the past where it belonged. And start the paperwork to get him his son. After their time this morning, walking away from JT was no longer an option.

“I have never asked you for a single thing in my life, Cody. But I’m asking now. For Jake. If you don’t want to marry me, fine. I was just trying to give you a way out without losing your mom’s house. I get that you hate me, but don’t punish Jake. He deserves to have a happy life, and he’s happy here.”

That just made him angrier. Of course she’d never willingly marry a guy like him. Not that he would ever consider it. Even more infuriating was that she’d think he’d ever hurt JT.

As far as he was concerned, growing up in a town like this was as bad as it got for a kid. In Austin, people minded their business when they needed to and got involved when things got rough. There was opportunity, space to become your own man and make mistakes without people shoving them in your face.

“I’m not staying in this shithole. And you’re sure as hell not. As for JT—”

She placed a silencing finger on his lips. “Don’t. You’re mad and you’re going to say something stupid. Then I’ll get mad. And then we’ll start arguing again and the only one who loses is Jake. So, please, take the next couple of days to think about it, really consider what I’ve offered. We’ll be back on Sunday.” She looked at her watch for the third time in so many minutes. “I have to go.”

“Back up, you drop something like that on me, again I might add, and then up and leave? For four days?” Cody had let her off the hook before because he had been knocked sideways by JT’s existence and she had needed to comfort the boy. This time he was getting answers.

“I can’t be late to work.” Shelby took three steps and stopped. With a look of determination—one that, if Cody were being honest, scared him as much as it turned him on—she marched back over, wrapped one hand around the back of his neck, dragged his mouth to hers, and kissed the living hell out of him.

Before his hands even had time to smooth all the way down and shape her rear, Shelby released him and stumbled back, her fingers touching her moist lips.

“What the hell was that?” Cody demanded, angry that he was hard and ached to be inside of her.

“In case you’re not here when I get back.” She tried for a smile and that infuriated him more.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. That you can count on.”

Rising up on her toes, she whispered, “Just in case,” a breath before her lips captured his in a hard kiss that was way too short and left him wanting more. “I don’t want not being able to say good-bye to haunt me for another decade.”

A flash of silver streaked past the family room window, and Cody dusted off his hands and smiled. Caught.

It was as if a coven of magical fairies had moved into the ranch house. The laundry got washed, folded, and put away. Supper was always on the table at six sharp. And Cody could bounce a heifer off his bed, it was made so perfectly. He was surprised there wasn’t a chocolate placed on his nightstand each evening.

Luella had been busy, cooking and cleaning and choring. And yet Cody hadn’t laid eyes on her since he’d tried, unsuccessfully, he reminded himself, to fire her. She’d managed to continue about her business, ignoring her termination, and making herself so scarce that he couldn’t reissue it.

He’d even gone to her cottage to find the lights on, television blaring, a warm cup of tea on the end table. The only thing missing was the elusive Ms. Luella.

Well, she’d miscalculated by thinking Cody would be out riding the property, too busy checking on the cattle, to come back before nightfall. Too bad for her that Cody had a few interviews set up for some new ranch hands and he wanted to clean some of the grime off before they arrived.

Slipping off his boots, Cody silently made his way down the hall, toward the back of the house, the direction Luella had been headed last when he’d spotted her through the window. He turned the corner to JT’s room and stopped.

Standing in the threshold was like standing on the edge of the universe. Literally.

Dark walls and an even darker ceiling were covered with enough plastic stars that, if Cody’s guess was right and they glowed, would light up the entire space at night. Plastic spheres hung from the ceiling with fishing string, all the correct size, color, and position to re-create the universe.

And Cody had to bite back a chuckle.

Because there, somewhere east of Saturn and orbiting around Uranus, stood Luella. She was bent at the waist, her denim-clad fanny—deserving a universe of its own—swaying back and forth to whatever music was playing through those ear buds jammed in her drums. By the looks of it, George Strait or maybe a little Waylon Jennings.

Buried to the elbows in laundry, and struggling to right a wrong-side-out sock that seemed to be giving her a time of it, Luella let a colorful word fly. Followed by another three.

Cody made the decision, then and there, never to turn his socks right-side out again.

Luella straightened, basket in hand, and shot back a good three feet, letting out a banshee-worthy scream. Her face paled, just as quickly blowing back up to red, before puckering. Cody knew he was in for a good verbal thrashing.

“You’ll burn hotter than the rest, Cody Tucker! Sneaking up on an old woman like that. A sharp stick in the eye would’ve been more polite,” she reprimanded, wedging the laundry basket between one arm and her hip, freeing her pitching arm.

Without another thought, she wound back and smacked him upside of the head with the dirty sock, leaving behind a slightly moist film and something that smelled oddly like BO and saltines.

“Wouldn’t have to sneak, if you’d stop hiding,” Cody said with a grin when Luella realized she was cornered.

The last thing he wanted to do today was fire Luella. But over the years he’d become an expert at doing things that needed to be done, even when they sucked. And the best way to do this was fast and straight to the point.

“We need to talk, Lulu. I meant what I said the other day, and no matter how long you hide, how many pies you bake, the results will be the same.”

Luella dropped her head, her shoulders slumping and a noise similar to a sniffle sounded in the small room. Cody felt his insides twist. He couldn’t change his mind, but he could at least offer her a shoulder.

Stepping closer, Cody reached out to take Luella by the arms, give her some support, when all of a sudden she shoved the laundry basket at him, shanking him in the gut, and scrambling out the door faster than he’d known she was capable of moving.

“Dammit, Lulu!” Cody dropped the basket and chased after her, only to have the bathroom door slam in his face. The tumble of metal confirmed she’d barricaded herself inside. Cody pounded on the door, not amused. “Open the door.”

The only response Cody got was an earful of silence, followed by the sound of water filling the tub and slight whistling. Some moments later the scent of roses seeped up from beneath the door.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it sound like I’m doing? I’m taking me a bubble bath. Plus, a gentleman can’t be firing the help while they’re in the bath. Talk about scandal.”

Cody rested his forehead against the door, knowing this was going nowhere today. He had less than fifteen minutes before his interviews started and Luella had locked herself in
his
bathroom.

“We will have our talk, Lulu,” Cody mumbled, not feeling all that confident.

“Hush up. Can’t you see I’m trying to enjoy my one minute of peace?”