Читать книгу The Cowboy's Lullaby - Judy Duarte - Страница 8

Chapter Three

The next morning Jake packed his bags, then threw them in the back of his Lincoln Navigator and headed for the ranch.

During the entire one-hour-and-fifteen-minute drive out of the city, he utilized his cell phone, informing his office staff and rescheduling as many meetings as possible. He’d do what he could from a distance, but there would be days when he’d have no choice but to make the trek back to Dallas.

Damn. His life would be out of whack for six long weeks.

Desiree had surely been out of her ever-loving mind when she’d cooked up this scheme. Not that he wouldn’t have put his life on hold indefinitely for Brianna or done whatever it took to make sure she adjusted to her loss. But he couldn’t figure out why Desiree had thrown Chloe into the mix. It hadn’t been necessary—unless this was some lame attempt to punish Jake. Of course, if she’d known how much he now regretted not coming around more often, she wouldn’t have bothered. His conscience would be punishing him for a long time to come.

Up ahead he spotted the entrance to the ranch and turned on his left blinker. Then he swung into the tree-lined, graveled drive and continued to the house.

The wooden fence, which surrounded the front portion of the property from the county road, had been bright white when his father had been alive, but it needed a fresh coat of paint. He’d have to see that it got done, because when the designated time passed and the custody issue had been settled, he was going to put this place on the market, something his father should have done years ago.

The Braddock Enterprises office was in the city, as was Jake’s townhouse, so there was no reason to keep the ranch.

He parked his SUV near the barn, removed his things—a leather briefcase and an overnight bag—then headed toward the front porch of the sprawling custom-built adobe house. His first inclination had been to open the front door without knocking, something he’d done when only his father had lived here. But times had changed.

As he climbed the front porch steps, the morning sun moved from behind a cloud, casting its light over him. A westerly breeze kicked up, and he caught a whiff of alfalfa. In the distance, a horse whinnied.

He almost felt like a kid again. Coming home.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The ranch had ceased being a home to him the day Desiree had moved in. The day his father had become another person.

Jake knocked lightly, and when no one responded, he rang the bell. It was discomfiting to know there was a stranger living here—even temporarily.

Footsteps from within sounded, and Barbara Davies, the housekeeper, answered the door.

He lifted the briefcase he held in one hand and the suitcase he held in the other. “Desiree’s orders.”

“Yes, I know.” She stepped aside, allowing him entrance. “She mentioned it to me a month or two ago.”

Again Jake was reminded that he hadn’t been privy to squat. And since he was probably to blame for refusing his stepmother’s offers of friendship, another rush of regret twisted a knot in his gut. There wasn’t much he could do about it now, though.

“Would you like to stay in the master bedroom?” Barbara asked. “I’ve got it ready for you.”

Since that room had been the one his father had shared with Desiree, and then hers alone, he wouldn’t feel comfortable in there. “No, I think I’ll stay in my own bedroom, the one I used as a kid.”

After his folks had split up, Jake lived with his dad, who insisted upon spending every weekend at the ranch to give his city-boy son a wholesome dose of reality.

There’d been some good times, Jake supposed, remembering the old fishing hole, horseback riding. But there’d been chores, too. Mucking out stalls, shoveling horse manure.

“Consider them character-building tasks,” his father had often said.

At the time Jake had been skeptical. He still was, he supposed.

As Mrs. Davies closed the door behind him, he was pulled from the nostalgic past and forced back to the awkward present.

He scanned the living room, the leather furniture, the oak and glass-topped tables and shelves, the stone fireplace with its rough-hewn mantel, the colorful Southwestern art on white plastered walls. Desiree had redecorated when she’d moved in, but she hadn’t changed much since then.

“From what I understand,” the housekeeper said, “your old room is just the way you left it. I dust it twice a week, and although the sheets are clean, the bedding needs to be freshened. I’ll do that later this morning.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I take pride in my work,” she said. “And it’s no trouble at all.”

The warm aroma of cinnamon and spice drifted in from the kitchen, and his stomach rumbled, reminding him he’d only had an espresso earlier. “Something sure smells good.”

Mrs. Davies beamed. “It’s the zucchini muffins in the oven. Desiree told me you liked them. And they’re almost ready.”

How would Desiree have known that? he wondered. Had he mentioned it to her once? If so, it was odd that she’d remember. And that she’d pass that tidbit of information along.

On the other hand, he didn’t have a clue as to what kind of things Desiree had liked. He’d never noticed, never cared. And although it hadn’t bothered him before, he felt a bit remiss right now.

“I’ve made a lemon meringue pie, too,” the housekeeper added.

Another favorite of Jake’s.

It was as though Desiree was trying hard to make him feel welcomed, yet instead her efforts—or rather her predeath orders—only made him…uneasy. And undeserving.

“It’s pretty quiet in here,” he said, trying his best to shrug off his discomfort.

“Everyone else is still asleep.”

He glanced at his watch—10:07 a.m. Apparently, Chloe was a night owl. A lot of prima donnas were. He hoped that kind of attitude didn’t rub off on his little sister.

“How’s Brianna doing?” he asked.

“Last night was a bit rough. She had a crying spell, then had a difficult time falling asleep. Chloe read to her until at least eleven, which is when I finally turned in.”

Okay, so maybe he’d been wrong about the prima donna thing—at least, last night.

At the sound of footsteps padding along the hallway, Jake spotted Chloe entering the living room wearing a white sleeveless undershirt and low-riding sweatpants.

She yawned, then ran a hand through her tousled hair, an acrylic nail snagging on a rumpled red curl.

Seeing her like that, fresh out of bed, was more arousing that he cared to admit. And even though she was fairly well covered, she looked as sexy as hell, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

He wanted to suggest she go back and put on a robe, but wouldn’t. No need for her to suspect the kind of effect she had on him.

“Good morning,” the housekeeper said, her voice as tight as the rubber band in a cocked and primed slingshot. “Now that you’re up, I’ll put on a pot of coffee and whip up some breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Chloe said. “I’m not much of an eater in the morning, but I’d love a cup of coffee.”

When they were alone, Jake set his bags on the floor and crossed his arms. It was time to lay it on the line, to find out what Chloe’s thoughts were about all of this and what he was up against. “I imagine that you aren’t any happier about things than I am.”

Chloe met his stare, lifting her chin a little. “You’re right.” She wasn’t at all pleased about leaving her dance studio and relying on someone else to look after her rental properties. And she wasn’t especially comfortable living in someone else’s house and having a live-in housekeeper/cook, either.

Mrs. Davies was nice enough, but she had an innate way of lifting her nose and arching a brow whenever Chloe did or said anything she considered unconventional. And since Chloe never paid much attention to social mores, the older woman’s nose and brow seemed to be in constant motion.

Then, to make matters worse, she had to deal with a man who was too conservative for his own good, a man she suspected would try to control her every chance he got.

She strode toward the cream-colored leather sofa and sat on the armrest. “But do you know what? If I had asked Desiree to make a sacrifice for me, she wouldn’t have thought twice about doing so.”

Jake didn’t respond.

“And whether you believe it or not,” Chloe added, “Desiree would have done the same for you.”

“We weren’t that close,” he said.

“I know. And I’m sorry for your loss. It was huge.”

He studied her for a moment with those baby-blue eyes that suggested a softness she doubted he had. “You’re probably right about that.”

His agreement took her aback, and she tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear.

“What did she tell you about me?” he asked, watching her intently. Too intently.

“Not much. Just that you reminded her of your father, a man she adored. And that she’d give anything to make you feel comfortable enough to visit the ranch more often.”

“I was busy.”

“She’d said that, too.”

He shifted his weight to one foot. “I made it for Christmas and holidays. It’s not like I was a complete stranger.”

Token visits, Desiree had told Chloe. And if she’d ever had any regrets about her marriage to Gerald Braddock, it was the fact that she’d unintentionally caused a rift of sorts between father and son.

“What else?” Jake asked.

“Actually, we didn’t discuss you all that much. I’d heard you were driven. And stubborn. But that you were handsome, too. Is that what you meant?”

He squirmed a bit at the physical description, which she couldn’t help spouting, even though it hadn’t really come up. But since Desiree had said he looked like his father, and Gerald Braddock was a gorgeous older man, Chloe had put two and two together.

However, her addition had come up short. She hadn’t realized just how attractive Jake was. How appealing she might find him. Or how she might, under different circumstances, be tempted to…well, maybe not pursue him romantically. But flirting was always fun.

She’d learned early on that men like him weren’t the kind to pin her heart on. Of course, she wasn’t sure just what type of man was the kind she could trust for the long haul.

“For what it’s worth,” Jake said, “I don’t know what negative things Desiree may have said about me, but I’m not a bad guy.”

Not entirely, Chloe supposed, but Desiree must have had a good reason not to give him full custody of Brianna.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked.

“Sure I do.” She tried to force sincerity into her smile, yet a veil of skepticism slid over his angular face.

He didn’t object, which she appreciated. She wasn’t up for a confrontation until after she’d had her morning coffee.

Still, her temporary housemate could be considered eye candy, with dark curly hair that brushed his collar, a complexion that suggested some Latin blood and eyes the color of Mission Bay.

Too bad he was so stuffy.

A rebellious spirit she sometimes used as a defensive ploy swept over her, and she decided to flirt and make him squirm—a game she’d played for years. Of course, she’d only mess with him like that when Brianna wasn’t around.

Before she could conjure a teasing remark, Barbara entered the room. “Coffee’s ready.”

“Good.” Chloe slid from her seat on the armrest and followed the housekeeper back to the kitchen.

She’d have to put the flirting on hold for the time being and take care of her morning caffeine addiction.

Yet, in spite of her craving for a hot cup of java, she glanced over her shoulder, only to find Jake rooted to the spot in which she’d left him, eyes locked on her. Or rather on her fanny, since his gaze had to travel upward to meet hers.

Apparently, she would be able to tease him without even trying, and a grin tugged at her lips. “Are you coming?”

“Not yet. I’m going to put away my things first.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I always do.”

She nodded, a full-on smile busting free, as she returned to her quest for coffee.

Jake Braddock would be fun and easy to taunt, but he probably wouldn’t be a good sport about it, which meant he was her favorite type of male challenge.

And he’d just thrown down the gauntlet.

Later that morning, after taking a walk out to the barn and talking to the ranch foreman, Jake returned to the house and headed into his father’s office, only to find Chloe seated at the desk, an open phonebook in front of her.

She’d showered and changed. Her hair, once wild and free, had been swept into a twist. And she’d applied makeup, which some women needed but she didn’t. That’s the conclusion he’d easily come to this morning, when he’d seen her fresh out of bed.

She had a wholesome beauty about her. Too bad she didn’t realize a cosmetic company couldn’t bottle and sell what she’d been blessed with.

Her dark pink lipstick had been applied carefully—and thick. She wore it in a way that would definitely smear when a man kissed her. And for a moment he wondered if she did that on purpose. To keep men at bay.

Come here, big boy. But keep your distance.

He leaned against the doorjamb, studying her until curiosity got the better of him. “What are you doing?”

She glanced up. “Checking on something and getting an address. As soon as Brianna finishes her breakfast, I’m going to take her into town.”

“You mean the city?” he asked. Dallas was more than an hour away.

“No. Into Granger. How far is it from here?”

“About ten miles.”

She didn’t seem to be the small-town type. And even though he didn’t like people prying into his life, his plans, he couldn’t help himself from wondering what she was up to. But, hey, that’s only because she wanted to take Brianna with her. “What are you going to do in Granger?”

Her green eyes glimmered like those of a child who’d just been told the bus was heading to Seven Flags Over Texas for the day, rather than school. “I’m going to do some window shopping.”

Okay, so she wasn’t the open and talkative sort. “For what?”

“I’m not sure yet. Let’s just say it’s a surprise.”

Oh, yeah? Jake didn’t like surprises. And it made him suspicious, something else he didn’t like.

Maybe she planned a shopping spree for herself, rather than Brianna.

Well, if that was the case, he’d put a stop to that pretty damn quick, especially if she planned to use money from the trust. Braddock Enterprises wasn’t going to support Chloe and her spending whims.

She closed the phonebook and put it back in the drawer. Then she stood, a pair of black jeans fitting like a sleek leather glove. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back in an hour.”

Well, he was worried.

But then again, he didn’t need to be. Not if he followed her into town.

“Suit yourself,” he said.

“I always do.” She tossed his own line back at him along with a playful grin, then swept out of the office, her denim-clad hips swaying as she headed for the kitchen.

Six friggin’ weeks. She’d drive him nuts by then—if he let her.

Twenty minutes later Jake had followed Chloe and Brianna into town and now waited in front of the Granger Animal Shelter.

He had no idea what in the world they were doing inside, but he had a suspicion. She’d said she was merely window shopping, and he hoped that was her game plan. She’d better not be getting a pet, not if Jake was the one who’d be taking full custody of Brianna.

Curiosity got the better of him, and just as he reached for the door handle to let himself out of his vehicle, Chloe and Brianna walked out the front door.

Chloe carried a cardboard box with holes.

Oh, for Pete’s sake. He climbed out of the Navigator and made his way toward them.

“Jake!” Brianna said. “Guess what we have!”

Instead of guessing, he focused on Chloe, on the sunglasses that hid her eyes, on the dimples her grin created.

“What a surprise,” she said. “We didn’t expect you to follow us.”

“No, I’m sure you didn’t.” He nodded toward the box. “I suppose that’s the surprise.”

Brianna grinned from ear to ear. “Want to see him?”

The fact that the critter, whatever it was, had placed the bright-eyed smile on his sister’s face was reason enough to make him back down. And even though something like a pet adoption should have been discussed with him first, it was a relief to know their purchase was small enough to fit in that box.

“His name is Sweetie Pie,” Brianna said. “And he’s the bestest dog in the whole, wide world.”

Jake didn’t have the heart to tell her no.

Chloe unhooked the edge of the box, allowing it to open, and a mangy, wire-haired, tri-color dog poked its head out, whimpering and squirming, its tail beating against the cardboard container.

“Oops,” Chloe said, juggling the box. “Settle down, Sweetie Pie. You’ll make me drop you.”

“We have to keep him in the box until we get back to the ranch,” Brianna said. “That’s the rules. But once he’s at home, he gets to run around all he wants.”

As Chloe struggled to tuck the scraggly dog back into the cardboard carrier, Jake opened the back door of the car for his sister. She climbed into her seat, and he secured her. Then Chloe put the box on the rear floorboard.

Once the door was shut, his redheaded nemesis crossed her arms and arched an auburn brow. “So, you couldn’t help but follow us, huh?”

“I don’t like secrets.”

“Too bad. You’ve probably had some boring birthdays, then.”

“They were just fine.” Truth be told, he’d never had a surprise party, if that’s what she was getting at. And she made it sound as though he’d missed something. “So what’s the deal with the dog?”

“All kids need a pet.”

“Oh, yeah? Don’t you think they should be old enough and responsible enough to take care of them? Of course, if you’re planning to transport that dog back to California with you in six weeks, I’ll keep quiet.”

“Sweetie Pie will go wherever Brianna goes.”

“Then I’ll have to kiss up to Mrs. Davies, since she’ll be the one looking after the dog for me.”

“That’s left to be seen.”

They were heading for a face-off, which wasn’t appropriate here and now. A glance into the backseat told him Brianna was happy with her pet, so he decided not to make an issue out of it…yet.

“By the way,” Jake said, as Chloe turned to open the driver’s door of her car. “That’s the ugliest mutt I’ve ever seen. If you’re going to turn the ranch into a zoo, why not choose a better-looking critter?”

Her motions slowed, and she turned to face him again, her stance softening this time. Their gazes locked, and her eyes glistened. If he didn’t know better, he’d suspect she was tearing up. Hell, maybe she was.

The breeze sent a strand of her hair across her cheek and she brushed it aside. She cleared her throat, and her voice came out softer than he expected. “Because that little dog needed a home more than the rest of them. His number was up today.”

Jake had never been an animal person. Well, not as a grown-up, anyway. He’d found a stray shepherd-mix once, but his mom had refused to let him keep it. And he couldn’t blame her. She lived in a town house in the city.

And so did he.

“That dog—” he began.

“Sweetie Pie,” Chloe corrected. “He has a name.”

Jake crossed his arms. “Either way, my place isn’t geared for pets.”

She leaned her hip against the car door and crossed her own arms. “Whatever.”

Damn that woman. She was going to be the death of him.

“Listen,” she said, softening again, it seemed. “A pet will be good for Brianna. Especially now.”

“She already has fish.”

“She can’t cuddle with them.”

“Yeah, well, she won’t get flea bites from them, either.”

Chloe stood there for a moment, eyes glaring and rigidity returning to her stance. Then she chuckled softly. “Six weeks won’t be long enough, will it?”

It seemed too long to him. But he wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. “What are you talking about?”

“You and I are going to have a heck of a time learning how to compromise and put Brianna’s best interests ahead of our own.” Then she tossed him another smile and climbed into the car.

Jake stood silently by, as he watched her drive away.

Something told him she was right.

Even so, he realized, in spite of his objections and reservations, Brianna was sitting in Chloe’s backseat. And that ugly dog was heading back to the ranch.

So how come it felt more like a loss than a compromise?

And what was he going to do about it?