Take Me Back To Texas Read online

  “How are you?” the young man asked with a pointed nod at JD’s bandaged hand.

  “Not near as bad as it looks,” JD said, gesturing with his bandaged hand. “The worst part was when they cleaned it.”

  She shuddered. “No details please.”

  Travis looked disappointed, but didn’t protest. “Is she still here?”

  Bethie Grace shook her head. “Ethan came by and got her. Took her and her pups to the vet’s office.”

  “Then what’s going to happen to them?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.” It wasn’t like she could stay in Loveless to make sure the dogs had a home. “You know someone who wants a puppy?”

  Travis looked thoughtful. “I might at that.”

  “It’ll be a few weeks before they’re ready to go to new homes. So for now-”

  “It’s time to paint,” Travis finished.

  “You got it.”

  Travis gave JD a jaunty salute, then started up the stairs.

  Bethie Grace turned back to JD. “What are we going to do all day?”

  He blinked once, like he debated on what to tell her, then he jerked his head toward the kitchen. “Let’s go through the house room by room and make sure everything is taken care of.”

  “Great,” she said. What was she expecting him to say? That they should lock themselves in the attic and make love all morning and afternoon?

  Making sure everything was done was just another step closer to leaving Loveless for good. The thought stilled her heart and her feet. She stopped, unable to take a step further without knowing. “Where is this going?” Once the words were free she longed to call them back.

  JD didn’t seem surprised by her question so she could only imagine that he had been thinking the same thing as she. “I don’t know.” He took her hand in his uninjured one and turned it over, examining each line in her palm.

  She blew out a tense breath, her throat suddenly tight. “What would happen if I stayed here?” Where had that come from? Or maybe she was just kidding herself to believe that it hadn’t been on her mind since she’d first seen JD again. “What ifs” had swamped her, sending memories and future scenarios flying around her head.

  “There’s something I need to tell you.” His tone turned funeral serious and Elizabeth knew she wasn’t going to like whatever came next. “After Heather died, I made a vow never to get married again.” He dropped her hand and gazed out the window over the sink as if he couldn’t bear to look into her eyes as he spoke.

  “I see.” She didn’t, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say. As it was, she barely got those words past the lump in her throat. What did she expect? A declaration of his undying love? Would it change anything if he did?

  “I’ll get someone out here to finish the work on the yard soon. Do you want me to send you pictures when it’s complete?”

  Well, there was her answer, now wasn’t it?

  She shook her head, biting her lip to keep from breaking down in front of him. “Let’s go look at the house.” She started to stand, but a warm hand on hers stilled her movement.

  “I wish it could be different, Bethie Grace. More than you will ever know.”

  She managed to keep her sad smile from turning into a tearful one. “It could be, but you won’t allow it.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “But I forgive you.” She leaned into him, intending to plant a small kiss on his cheek, but he turned, and her mouth brushed against his.

  A low grumble started in his throat as he took over the accidental kiss.

  Bethie Grace felt her heart slip a notch. Now she was sure that he owned more of it than she did herself.

  What was she going to do without him? Stupid question. She would do just that—without. She had learned to live without him once before, she could do it again.

  He lifted his head, and she stared into his deep blue eyes.

  He didn’t say anything, just looked at her, seeming to look straight into her soul. She had never been very good at hiding her emotions and was certain that he could see how she felt about him plastered clearly across her expressive features.

  If he noticed, he sure didn’t say anything.

  “I love you, you know.” She whispered her words into the space between them, unable to hold them back any longer. There was no benefit in hiding from the truth. “I always have.”

  “I know.” His voice was strangled, choked and tight. He cleared his throat and reached out a hand to her. “Come on. Let’s go take a look.”

  She nodded, accepting his help. But he used his hold on her to tug her just a bit closer, whispering a quick kiss across her mouth. But this time instead of hope, his kiss tasted like goodbye.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Phone’s for you.” JD approached, his cell held toward her, a confused frown on his handsome face.

  “Me?” She had avoided him for the rest of the afternoon, doing her best to forget the sadness in his kiss.

  He nodded as she took the phone from him. She stared at it in bewilderment, then held it to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Bethie Grace? It’s Mallory.”

  “Mallory?” She looked to JD who shrugged as if he didn’t understand it any better than she did.

  “I was wondering if maybe…you were coming to pick me up…you know, since Dad can’t drive right now.”

  JD stood, hands propped on his hips, as he waited for her to finish the call.

  “I think he’ll be okay to drive.” Bethie Grace had thought that the two of them had gotten on fairly well. But that didn’t explain the call. It wasn’t like she was going to be a part of their lives for long.

  A heavy sigh came from the other end of the line. “Do you think maybe you could come to pick me up? Just you.”

  “You want me?”

  “Yes.” The one word was small and hesitant.

  “Not your father.”

  “Please.”

  How could she say no? “Of course. When should I be there?”

  “About an hour from now.”

  “You got it.”

  “Thanks, Bethie Grace.” Mallory’s voice sounded happy and relieved.

  She hung up and handed the phone back to JD.

  “What was that all about?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Take a guess,” he clipped.

  “You’re upset.” His anger was apparent, nostrils flared, hands back on hips. A frown pulled at his brows.

  “Of course not.”

  “Liar.”

  He didn’t bother to defend himself. “Are you going to tell me what she said?”

  “She asked me if I would pick her up from school.”

  “And that’s all?”

  Bethie Grace shrugged, trying to make light of the situation. “She wanted me to be alone.”

  “She didn’t want me to come too?”

  Bethie Grace shook her head.

  “I don’t know why she would ask that of you. I’ll pick her up.”

  “Hold on there, cowboy. She asked me to pick her up, and I said I would. Alone.”

  “But—”

  “Listen, I know how you feel about the two of us together, but if you tell her no, it’s just going to raise her suspicions.”

  “Something isn’t right.”

  “You’re making way more out of this than need be.”

  “Still I—” He shook his head. “Fine. Whatever.”

  “Can I drive your truck again?” she asked.

  “Absolutely not.”

  ****

  Just about an hour later, Bethie Grace pulled the rental car to a stop in front of the middle school.

  Mallory jogged out of the building, a gym bag bouncing against her back with every step. A smile on her face, the teen pulled open the door and flung her stuff inside before crawling in after it. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She waited until Mallory got situated before pulling out of the parking lot. “So what’s with all this cloak and dagger?”

&n
bsp; “Cloak and dagger?” A frown puckered her forehead making her look so much like her father that Bethie Grace had to resist the urge to reach up and smooth her brow.

  Instead she waved a flicking hand. “Secretive.”

  “Oh, am I?”

  “Stalling? Yes.”

  Mallory smiled and ducked her head, pushing her hair behind one ear as she trained her attention on her lap. “I just thought it would be fun. You know. Give us a chance to get to know each other better.”

  “Uh-huh.” She wasn’t buying it for a second. Mallory was an even worse liar than her father.

  “Yeah.” The teen started making little pleats in her shorts, folding the material like an accordion, then smoothing it out again.

  Bethie Grace took her gaze from the road and chanced a quick look at the young girl. “When you decide to tell me what this is about, I’ll be here waiting.”

  Mallory shifted in her seat. For a moment, Bethie Grace thought she was about to spill whatever was on her mind. Instead, she turned to stare out the window as they drove through town.

  As they neared the turnoff to her grandmother’s house, Mallory twisted around in her seat as if she had suddenly mustered enough courage to finally share what was on her mind. “Can we talk about—” she stopped, her courage sputtering out.

  Please don’t say sex, please don’t say sex, please—

  “You know…girl stuff.” She studied her hands, not lifting her gaze anywhere near Bethie Grace’s face. “Dad tried, but well…and Rosie…” She shook her head.

  “We can talk about whatever you want,” Bethie Grace said, trying not to show too much relief at the safe topic.

  Safe or not, this conversation was going to demand all of her attention. She pulled the rental car into the empty lot next to the bank and put it in park.

  Mallory raised grateful eyes to hers. “You mean that?”

  “I do.”

  “And we can talk about everything?”

  Something in those dark blue depths had Bethie Grace making promises she wasn’t sure she could keep. “Anytime you want to.” And she meant it. Every word.

  ****

  JD was about ready to storm out of the house and down the stairs by the time Bethie Grace finally pulled into the drive. She had been gone for over an hour. It didn’t take that long to drive to the school and back. This wasn’t LA.

  Somehow he managed to keep himself inside the house as the girls got out of the car laughing at something one of them had said. They linked arms as they started across the yard and up onto the porch. They burst into the house, a cloud of giggles surrounding them.

  Mallory caught sight of him and immediately quieted. “Sorry. We were just…and Bethie Grace...never mind.” She waved a hand around as if the motion could clear away her unfinished thoughts.

  He looked at Bethie Grace. She smiled, but revealed nothing of what had transpired between her and his daughter since they had been gone.

  He mentally pulled himself together. It wasn’t a big deal. It shouldn’t be a big deal. He’d just never had to share his daughter before. Sharing her with Bethie Grace was a double-edged sword.

  Her revelation that afternoon still rang in his ears. Not that he was surprised. He had seen the love shining in her eyes. Not that it would do any good for either of them. He had made his choices.

  “Looks like y’all had a good time.” He was proud of himself. His voice revealed nothing of his inner turmoil.

  “Just girl stuff.” Bethie Grace set her purse on the antique bureau just inside the door and pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head.

  “Girl stuff, huh?” He looked from one of them to the other.

  “Yeah.” Bethie Grace nodded.

  “When are we eating?” Ever hungry, Mallory tracked each meal like it was to be her last.

  JD checked his watch. “It’s not even five o’clock.”

  “I’m starving.”

  That’s when he noticed it. That contented look on his daughter’s face. She hadn’t looked that way in a long, long time. The only difference in their lives was watching him with unfathomable brown eyes, a small smile twitching at the corners of her sweet mouth.

  “I’ve got a couple of things to do here, then we’ll head home.”

  “And heat up a casserole?” Mallory asked.

  “Of course.”

  Mallory made a face.

  “You know what sounds good?” Bethie Grace asked. “A plate of Barney’s nachos.”

  Mallory nodded. “Please, Dad.”

  How could he say no? “All right. But we’re back to casseroles tomorrow.”

  “Deal,” she said, smiling up at him sweetly.

  “Come on.” He nudged her toward the door.

  “You’re coming too? Right, Bethie Grace?”

  “Well, I hadn’t—” she started.

  “You have to come. It was your idea.” Mallory bounced on the balls of her feet, pulling on his good hand. “Tell her, Dad.”

  And once again he was torn between making Mallory happy and keeping the vows he’d made so long ago.

  ****

  Sitting at the table across from Bethie Grace was almost his undoing. Even just grabbing a plate of nachos in Barney’s somehow seemed more intimate than even their picnic out back of Georgia McGee’s house. Well, almost.

  “Are you really going back to Los Angeles?” Mallory bit her lip as she waited for the answer.

  Bethie Grace took a sip of her water and nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

  “But you’re staying for Founder’s Day?” his daughter asked.

  “I would like to, yes.” She cut her eyes to his as if expecting him to protest.

  “Awesome.” Mallory clapped her hands. “You’re going to have so much fun.”

  “I guess I could leave on Monday.” She never took her gaze from his face. What did she want him to do? Declare his love? Ask her to stay? “Then I’ve got to get back to California. I’ve been here way too long as it is.”

  “But—” Mallory started.

  JD shook his head. “Bethie Grace has a job she needs to return to.”

  Mallory frowned, shoulders slumped. “I was hoping…”

  Weren’t they all?

  Bethie Grace caught his gaze, her eyes unreadable in the artificial light of the restaurant. Was she as sad about leaving as he was to see her go?

  He shook away those thoughts and turned his attention back to the conversation that had started without him. This was one of the last evenings he’d get to spend with Bethie Grace, and he needed to make the most of it.

  Half an hour later, he walked beside Bethie Grace as they made their way up the walk toward her grandmother’s house.

  He felt as nervous as a teenager knowing that his daughter was waiting in the truck and watching their every move.

  “Nice night,” he said as they ascended the steps.

  “It is,” she agreed, using the porch light she’d left on to fish her keys from her purse.

  He shoved his hands into his pockets taking care for his stitches. But it beat reaching for her.

  “I would invite you in, but…” She inclined her head toward his truck.

  “And I would come in.”

  He wanted to haul her close to him, wrap himself around her, kiss her until she couldn’t stand on her own two feet. Then he’d lay her down and—

  “Thanks for dinner.”

  He nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Arms still aching to hold her, he turned and headed back to his truck.

  Chapter Twelve

  Elizabeth spent all of Friday moping around the house, drinking coffee in her pajamas. She preferred to call her actions contemplative, but they were moping at its best. JD had texted first thing in the morning to say that he had a problem at another job site and wouldn’t be by her grandmother’s house until later, if at all.

  Travis had come by first thing to let her know that his wife had called and wanted to talk things through w
ith him. Of course, Elizabeth had told him to take care of his relationship. He only had one more room to paint and the little touchups throughout the house, then he’d be done. He could do that Monday. After she had gotten on the road.

  She couldn’t put it off any longer, couldn’t pretend that things were going to be different because that’s how she wanted it to be. Couldn’t pretend that JD’s sweet kisses hadn’t been anything but weakness of the spirit.

  It was time to go home.

  Just after two o’clock, she pushed herself back from the table and made her way to the shower. She’d get cleaned up and find something to eat.

  She had a billion things to do: call the shipping company, leave instructions for the attorney, throw away all of the perishables in the fridge, make a list of last minute cleaning chores for the housekeeper.

  Elizabeth stepped from the shower to the chime of her cell phone. Whoever it was, she’d just have to call them back. But the thought had no sooner passed through her mind that the phone dinged again. Still damp, she wrapped the towel around her and padded to the kitchen.

  “Hello?”

  “Bethie Grace?” Ginger sounded breathless and urgent.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I need your help.”

  “Calm down,” Elizabeth said, perching against the kitchen table and willing her friend a bit of peace as she rushed on.

  “I have an urgent appointment, and my afternoon help hasn’t shown up. I don’t have anyone else I can turn to.”

  “Of course I’ll come up. Let me get dressed, and I’ll be right there.”

  ****

  Ginger’s face broke into a relieved smile as Elizabeth walked into Cupcakes half an hour later. Being in the small bakery felt completely natural.

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  Elizabeth glanced around at the high counters filled with treats as she tied the green and white apron around her waist. “Of course.” She ran a four star bistro in one of the wealthiest cities in the world. A tiny bakery in a small Texas town should be a cinch. Her gaze fell on the cash register. “I’m not really sure about that.” She nodded toward the machine as she finished tying an elaborate bow.