Hitched (Tarnation, Texas Book 1), page 10
“It won’t be too late,” she assured Agnus, then went back to staring at Baxter, but he was no longer there…
Scanning the crowd, she couldn’t find him. Then she felt a gentle touch at her waist. She jerked her chin up and met the blue gaze of the man she had been searching for…maybe all her life.
He bent close and said next to her ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt hands this soft.” He held up one hand.
She smiled. “I bet you’ve never washed dishes before, have you?” Her voice quivered from his proximity.
“Of course, I have. I’m wondering though, does the new guy always get stuck at the dish station? Or is this punishment from the jealous man?”
“Who’s jealous? Harry? Why would he be?” Why did her heart suddenly flutter? How could Baxter make her feel so breathless and anxious all at the same time?
“Come on, Bluebonnet. You can’t tell me you don’t notice the way he looks at you. It’s like a boy standing in front of a candy case. It’s all so overwhelming that he doesn’t know where to start.”
She blinked. “You’re being silly. We’re friends. That’s all.”
“He seems like a nice guy. Don’t you like nice guys?” he teased.
The soft hair on her neck lifted and goosebumps scattered her skin. She knew he pestered her, and she should be offended, but her body spoke a different language. “I like nice guys just fine. I’m not looking for a relationship if that’s what you’re insinuating.” She darted her gaze past his shoulder to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.
“Hmm. I wonder.” He caught her by surprise when he leaned closer, their bodies brushing together. She held her breath while her sensitive parts trembled. Would he kiss her? No, he couldn’t… not here…and yet why did a part of her remain hopeful?
With shaking hands, she pushed past him. “You take clean up in here and I’ll take over in back. We wouldn’t want your hands too soft, now would we?”
Her knees wobbled and her toes tingled when she pushed through the doors into the kitchen. Although she made it seem like she was helping him out by taking dish duty, truly it was for her own benefit. She needed to be alone to gather her senses, and to control her body. Abriella didn’t like that Baxter had so much control over her senses. Did he see what he did to her? How he turned her inside out? Made her want something that wasn’t possible?
Logic bells were going off, but her body didn’t get the memo.
Pulling on yellow dishwashing gloves, she picked up a plate and scrubbed it with fervor until it shone. She went on to the next one, and then the next, until she came to the heavy pot and placed it inside the water to soak.
As she used the scouring pad to scrub the metal, her thoughts lingered on the man just through the door. What would her mom say if she knew? Would she encourage Abriella to have fun? To forget all the hurdles and follow her instinct?
Why was she even considering stepping on the dead-end path? She’d always done the right thing. Always put responsibility before her own needs. Getting involved with Baxter could be a mess, a bigger mess than her life was already.
“Hey, we’re done.”
She nodded at Harry and rinsed the pan, then unplugged the sink, watching as the water swirled down the drain reminding her of the tsunami going on inside her body. “All finished here, Harry.”
“Thank you for coming, Abriella,” he said with a gentle pat on her shoulder and Baxter’s words, “He’s a nice guy” fumbled through her brain. He was right, Harry was a nice guy. He had numerous qualities that would make for a fine boyfriend, even a husband, and yet she didn’t feel anything when she was around him. Wasn’t a woman supposed to feel an eruption of tingles in her body for a man? Somewhat like the feelings she had when Baxter was near.
Those thoughts were still muddling her brain when she and Baxter climbed into her truck. “I hope you don’t mind a detour.”
“Forgive me, but I’m a little leery about your detours,” he replied with a grin.
“Good. I’m keeping you on your toes.” She smiled and turned the key.
“That’s for sure.” He scratched the bridge of his nose with his thumb, still smiling that ridiculously smooth grin that made sweat bead between her breasts.
“I promised a friend I’d take her a basket of vegetables. I can always drop you off first”
“I think it’s time we both realize I’m not in any hurry for you to drop me off.” He pushed the rim of his hat back. “You did promise you’d show me around.”
The feeling in her body was akin to a thousand fireflies let loose on a warm night. Did he just not want to go home, or did he enjoy being near her? He certainly made it out to seem like he wanted to be with her and that brought an organic smile to every part of her.
*
“I don’t remember actually promising that I’d show you around.” The grooves in her forehead deepened as her eyes narrowed. “I just said that I’d give you a peek.”
He eased back into the leather of the seat and folded his arms over his chest. “I think we both know you intentionally misguided me.”
Her laughter was music to his ears. If he could hear that melodic sound every day of his life, he’d be a lucky man.
“Didn’t you say you would be here for another six months? You’ll have plenty of time to see everything. Even more.”
“Right.” He snickered, wondering if she realized the implications of her words.
She reached over and touched his shoulder. A friendly nonchalant touch that wasn’t meant to be anything but a gesture, and yet it rocked his world. Stirring something within him that hadn’t been stimulated in a long time. Actually, never. “By the way, thank you for helping out today. Most men would have turned around and never looked back.”
“You’ll find out, Bluebonnet, I’m not most men. I’m glad I could help. I tell you what, since a tour of Tarnation isn’t going to happen, how about you come out to Grinning Spurs and let me show you around. We could take a ride and see the land at sunset.”
He noticed the rapid blinking of her eyes. “You want me to come to the ranch?”
“Why is that such a shock?”
She gave a small shrug of her shoulder and the neckline of her blouse dropped down to reveal a sliver of silken skin. To ease the tension below his belt, he shifted and the material of the seat cracked under his weight. Much like he felt inside. Busting at the seams.
“Well, to be perfectly honest, people around town view the ranch as a fortress of some sort protected by a moat.”
“Was my father disliked that much?”
“No, he was just that distant and protected.”
“I’m guessing he didn’t have very many friends here in Tarnation.” He turned his attention to look out the window. The sun was setting casting a beautiful purple-pink haze over the sky. The land gave off the impression that it was untouched. He admitted the town was beautiful, but he could never call it home.
“Buzz was revered for his intelligence and business finesse, but he kept people at arm’s length.”
“I saw that he’d raised your rent three times in the last three years. Did he tell you why?”
“He wasn’t the type who explained a lot. You know, he could have been called an anomie. I don’t think he felt like he had to abide by everyone else’s standards. This rubbed people the wrong way, and yet they couldn’t help but appreciate the things he did for this town. The soup kitchen that we worked at tonight…he funded that effort.”
“Buzz funded that?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Tarnation doesn’t seem like the place…” How could he put it?
He caught her smirk. “Where people are in rough spots? Doesn’t every town in America have needs of different types, Baxter? For instance, that little boy you were tossing ball with. His name is Elijah and his father is serving overseas and, although they aren’t going hungry for food, they’re hungry for support. They can find that at the church. You playing ball with him probably made his day, his week, maybe even his month. Agnus, the woman I’m dropping off the basket to, she is in her nineties and has no close family. Her husband died years ago, and five years ago her sister passed away so she is alone. If it wasn’t for the church and neighbors, she would be alone in her home, day in and day out. She says that the best day of her week is coming to the soup kitchen. I could keep going, each person with a different need, but all of the same importance.”
“I’m confused. I’m not sure if Buzz was a stain on Tarnation, or a hero. When I hear stories about him, they seem like they could go both ways.”
“What happened between you and him? I know you said he left, but why wasn’t there a relationship?”
He grunted. “Long story.”
“We have time.”
“You don’t want to hear my sad story.”
“Maybe I do.”
He swiped off his hat and laid it on his knee. “You must miss your mom.”
She gave him a glance across the seat. “You don’t like talking about yourself much, do you?”
“It’s not that I don’t like talking about myself, but I feel we should discuss something worthwhile.”
She worked her bottom lip as if she debated whether she would discuss the situation with him. “I sometimes feel guilty saying that I miss Mom. Physically, she’s here. Mentally and emotionally, she’s not. The disease works so gradually, and yet so fast. I can’t remember the last time she and I actually had a conversation, or when she gave me a hug.” She sniffed. “Listen to me, getting so emotional.”
“It’s okay. You have every right to be upset. Does she remember you at all?” He wanted to be careful that he didn’t encourage her to talk about anything that would hurt her. And yet he wanted to hear her story. To understand her.
“Maybe thirty seconds here and there. She’s like a ship lost at sea, with no way of reaching her.” Her voice became eerily soft. “I’m grateful for the time that I’ve had with her. She was a good, caring, nurturing mother. She didn’t have it easy, not with dad—” She caught herself and her lips tightened.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her, drag her against him, and hold her close. He wanted to assure her that everything would be okay.
“Agnus’s house is right there,” she pointed to a small, white sided house with a large welcome sign on the porch. She pulled the truck up and turned off the engine. “You’re welcome to stay here or come inside. She likes visitors and will probably offer you a donut and a shot of moonshine. I’d stick with the tea.”
“Then by all means. I’d like to come. I’ll carry the basket,” he offered.
Agnus was a vivacious woman for someone who’d lived almost a century long. Those were Baxter’s thoughts as they were sitting at the kitchen table. In the center was a set of rare antique salt and pepper shakers he guessed were worth something, much like many of the things in the house. The décor of the house looked like it hadn’t been changed. He bet Agnus had some juicy stories to tell and was interested in hearing all of them.
Abriella was at the stove heating water for tea and taking the vegetables from the basket. Just as promised, Agnus had offered him a donut and a drink, but he’d chosen the tea, not because he didn’t like donuts or moonshine, but he didn’t wish to dull any of the feeling in him. He liked how he felt around Abriella, and didn’t want any second to be numbed.
“My husband died twenty years ago. He hated vegetables. I tried and tried to get him to eat greens, but he refused,” Agnus said with a frown. “But the truth is, we can’t change a person. They are who they are. Just like your father.”
He gritted his teeth. Everybody knew his father. Benefits of a small town. “Yeah, he was a prize.”
“Ah, he was indeed. Bark bigger than his bite is what I say.” She waved a wrinkled, twisted hand through the air. “You look like him. You know, he was a strong man, came down here and helped my husband after he had a heart attack.”
“I didn’t know that,” Abriella said.
“You wouldn’t. You were nothing but a youngin’. Buzz didn’t brag about stuff like that. The most modest egotistical man I ever knew.” She giggled.
Baxter was speechless.
Agnus resituated the pepper shaker. “Did you know I was his art teacher.”
Abriella placed a cup in front of each of them. “I think I remember you telling me that one time.” She met Baxter’s gaze and smiled.
“He was talented.” She took two packets of sweetener from the chicken holder and emptied them into her cup. “Everyone always thought he had the perfect life because his father had money, drove fancy cars and such, but I knew better. Buzz would get into mischief just to get their attention.” She blew on her tea to cool it.
“He was a handful?” Baxter asked through the steam of his cup.
“At first, yes. But I knew he just needed a little more attention. He was a bright one, yes indeed. Best writer in class…in the school. And his pictures. He’d draw all sorts of wild animals, but horses were his favorite. Very detailed. When his mother died, he changed. It didn’t seem he could be reached.” Agnus patted Abriella’s hand. “Thanks to you and the others at the church, you get this old woman out of the house. I couldn’t have kids, Baxter, and now that my Mickey has been gone for so long, I get lonely. I can’t wait to see my husband again. It’ll be a glorious day indeed.”
Baxter wondered if Abriella ever did anything for herself because she was always doing something for others. It was admirable that she helped so many people, but she deserved to be taken care of some too.
No denying he wanted to be that person.
Hell, what was he getting himself into? He would be leaving Tarnation in six months. Hadn’t he already established that fact?
CHAPTER 9
Two days later, while Baxter was pounding fence posts into the ground at Grinning Spurs, his mind wandered.
Abriella had lodged herself in his thoughts and she wasn’t going anywhere fast.
“Why do you look like you’ve been sucking on lemons?” Brennan asked from the next post over.
They’d both been working on mending the fence since sunrise and the temperature was almost unbearable. Not from the sun as much as Baxter’s inner turmoil.
He pulled off his dirty gloves and dropped them to the ground before reaching for a bottle of water, downing it in two gulps. He smashed the plastic, but it didn’t help with his tension.
“Come on, bro. Is it the bakery chick that has you turned inside out?” Brennan chuckled.
Not bothering with an answer, Baxter took the few steps to the ancient oak tree and took a seat under its shade to lean against the rough bark. Brennan grabbed a water from the cooler and joined Baxter. He sat down in the grass and stretched his legs, removing his hat.
Tucking his hat low on his forehead, Baxter leaned his head back. “I didn’t come to Tarnation looking for a relationship.”
“Dude, have you forgotten about Buzz’s stipulation? All of us have to be married before six months is up or this will all be for nothing.” Brennan held the bottle of water across his sweaty forehead. “Damn. Does it seem like an inferno out today?”
Pushing his hat up, Baxter looked at his brother. “Are you suggesting that I marry Abriella?”
Brennan shrugged. “Why does that seem so impossible? She’s pretty and apparently you like her. I’m not saying you have to marry her tomorrow, but if there’s even a sliver of a possibility that you could see a future with her, why not take the chance?” He laid back on his elbows.
“It’s not that simple, Bren.”
“Nothing worth it is ever simple, man. The odds that we’re all going to find love in six months is not in our favor. I wonder if there’s still such a thing as mail order brides like they did in the olden days?”
Baxter scowled. “Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine.”
“Hey, I’m only saying, we all agreed that we were in this for the long haul and whether we like it or not, marriage is part of the deal.”
He targeted Brennan with a narrowed gaze. “Abriella wouldn’t be the marrying type.”
“Oh yeah? Why is that?”
“She’s nice. Sweet. But she isn’t looking for a husband.”
“Interesting that what you didn’t say the reason was is that you’re not interested in her. The way I see it, if you two get hitched, she could end up with the building she rents. Win-win.”
“A marriage of convenience?” Baxter plucked a blade of grass and rolled it between his fingers. “That all sounds so crude. She’d think I’ve lost my mind.”
“Have you lost your mind, or was it that Buzz had lost his?”
“Good point.”
“Couples have married for far less.”
“I guess you’re right, but it pisses me off that I’m in this position. By the way, what’s going on with the vet?”
His brother’s demeanor changed. He sat up straight and his jaw tightened. “Not a thing.”
“What do you mean? You like her, bro, I can tell. Ask her out.”
With a jerky shrug, Brennan stood, slapped his hat on his thigh and slammed it on his head. “It’s not the right time.” He went back to the fence.
Baxter blew out a long breath from the corner of his mouth. Why was Brennan so agitated at the mention of CC? Knowing him better than anyone, Baxter could see the signs that he was smitten with the vet, but so was ninety-five percent of the men at Grinning Spurs. Had something happened? Had she rejected him? Baxter wasn’t into bragging, but he and his brother had never had problems with the ladies. However, there were three other Colts in Tarnation that could possibly like CC too.
Tossing the piece of grass, he stood and went back to work.
*
“What do you mean our insurance doesn’t cover the remaining balance?” Abriella looked across the table through a blur of emotion at Mrs. Tartar.
The administrator, a mid-fifties gray-haired woman who always wore a severe bun and a tight smile, shifted in her chair before replying, “The standards for coverage have changed, Ms. Craig. If you read the letter I sent you—”
