Red-Hot Texas Nights (14 page)

“Ain't got time to play the Good Samaritan, little girl. I got work to do.” Ivy indicated the half-answered crossword puzzle on the counter next to her. “Find out yourself.”

“Okay, if you're not interested in a reward, then I guess I'll just figure it out on my own—”

“Reward? What reward?”

“The one I'm offering for information.”

“And why would you offer a reward just to return a smelly old horse blanket?”

“Because I don't want to be saddled with someone else's belongings.” When Ivy didn't seem the least bit convinced, Brandy added, “That, and he's awful cute.”

“So now we get to the real reason.” The old woman swept a glance from Brandy's head to the sizable chest pressing against her bakery T-shirt. “I should have known what you were up to the moment I saw you.”

The dig sliced through Brandy, but she wasn't about to flinch. It didn't matter what Ivy thought. What anyone thought for that matter. She knew the truth. She knew she wasn't the slut that everyone believed her to be.

But if playing the part now would help get her that much closer to Kenny Roy's moonshine connection …

“What do you say? You don't want to stand in the way of true lust, do you?”

The woman's gaze narrowed. “What's in it for me?”

“I'd offer brownies, but yours are so much better—”

“I'll take 'em. Not 'cause they're better than mine, mind you. But I'm so tired after being on my feet all day that I don't get much time to whip up any. They're a damn sight better than store-bought, I suppose.”

“Great. Stop by tomorrow and I'll have a dozen waiting for you.”

“Make it two and you've got yourself a deal.” Brandy nodded and Ivy added, “Never seen him before.” She turned toward the register. “But he used a credit card. Let me see…” She licked her finger and started picking through the small stack of receipts. “Here we go. Name's Ryder Jax.”

The name echoed in Brandy's head, pushing and pulling at her memory. He was one of the bootleggers her grandfather had done business with on occasion and part of the infamous trio of moonshine runners who delivered from here to Houston, and every county in between.

While she'd never seen the man firsthand, she'd heard his name mentioned more than once by her gramps. Ryder and his buddies were local legends, and more than a little dangerous. But then, that was the nature of the business. “Thanks, Miss Ivy,” Brandy said as she turned to walk out of the store.

“Don't thank me,” the woman called after her. “Just make sure my brownies are boxed and ready by two.”

*   *   *

She had a name.

While it wasn't much, it was enough to fuel her hope despite the crappy day at the bakery. She made one last stop at Sweet Somethings to box up some muffins before leaving them on Kenny Roy's doorstep and heading home.

Home, she vowed. She'd spent two nights with Tyler already. It was time for a break.

She held tight to her decision as she started down Main Street. Besides, it was way too early. Barely eight o'clock. She couldn't very well show up now.

That's what she told herself. No way did her reluctance have anything to do with the fact that she was starting to like Tyler McCall. Instead, she turned left and hit the road toward home.

 

CHAPTER 17

“You're not going to believe this,” Callie declared when Brandy walked into the small kitchen a short while later to find both of her sisters seated at the old weathered table, an empty bakery box between them. “Tell her what you did.”

“I didn't actually do anything,” Jenna replied, licking what was left of a chocolate cupcake off her fork. “I'm the innocent, here. The victim.”

“You're the wimp,” Callie said, reaching for Jenna's left hand. “Look at this.”

“Is that what I think it is?” Brandy stared at the princess-cut diamond that could have doubled for a marble. “That's huge.”

“I know, right?” Jenna said, a smile touching her lips for a split second. “I've had four engagement rings to date, but this one's the biggest by far. Jase really outdid himself.”

“You say that like it's a good thing,” Callie said, “which it most certainly is not because you don't want to marry him.”

“You didn't tell him, did you?” Brandy eyed her younger sister, who looked uncomfortable.

“Of course I did. I told him it wasn't a good time when he cornered me last night, so he waited until today and met me at the veterinary clinic. I was helping Willa birth her calf when he drops down on his knee and pulls out the ring. Seriously, who does something like that in middle of a birthing?”

“Obviously Jase. Why did you say yes?”

“I didn't actually say yes. I said, ‘Wow, what a great ring.' Which he took to mean yes.”

Callie shook her head. “You're such a wimp.”

“I am not. You didn't see him. He just looked so happy. And he's been so unhappy since he had to put his dog to sleep six months ago and I just couldn't kill his dreams just like that. I couldn't be that mean.”

“So you're just going to marry him?” Callie shrugged. “On account of his dog died and you don't want to see him upset?”

“Of course not. That would be crazy. I'm going to break it off. I just thought I'd let him bask in the moment a little longer.”

“That's only going to make it harder,” Brandy chimed in.

“Not necessarily. See, I figured I'd give him some time to see that we're really not right for each other and then it would make the breakup a little easier. In fact, he might even be the one to break up with me.”

Callie grimaced. “I doubt that.”

“I don't know,” Brandy interjected. “She can be sort of a pain when she wants to be.”

“Exactly. I'm picky. I work too much. And I've got a wandering eye. We've been in the honeymoon phase and so he really hasn't seen what a bitch I can be, but now that the proposal is out there, he'll start to see that he's made a mistake. That I'm not really all that.”

“So that's your plan?” Callie demanded, her own ring catching a reflection of light as she waved a hand. “Just to wait until he changes his mind?”

“It could work.”

“It's stupid. What if he doesn't change his mind?”

“He will. I mean, he has to, right? I'm totally not his soul mate. I like chocolate ice cream and he likes vanilla. I love
Grey's Anatomy
and he gets queasy at the sight of blood. We're totally wrong for each other. It's just that the sex was so good that he's thinking I'm all that—”

“Too much information,” Callie cut in. “You need to be straightforward with this guy. Honest.”

“That, or you could marry him,” Brandy added. “Maybe you couldn't say no because deep down, you actually like him.”

“I do like him,” Jenna shook her head, “but that doesn't mean I have to sacrifice the rest of my life. It's just
like
. I mean, really, it's hardly enough to even contemplate such a big step. I like Jez and I'm not marrying her. I like Doritos and I'm not marrying them. I like One Direction and I'm not packing my bags and turning into a groupie. I like lots of things. It's no big deal.”

The words echoed in Brandy's head and made her realize exactly how silly she was being. So what if she did like Tyler McCall?
Like
didn't constitute
love
and as long as she wasn't in love with him, she didn't need to be so worried about following in her mother's footsteps.

“I'm just going to give it a couple of days,” Jenna added. “Let him see what a real bitch I can be. Then he'll end it.”

“And what if he doesn't?” Callie voiced the one question that Brandy was thinking.

“Then I'll break it off myself. I swear,” she added when Callie started to say something.

“We're talking about an engagement,” their older sister reiterated. “As in the rest of your life.
Forever
. This is serious. This isn't something to play with.”

“So sayeth the soon-to-be Mrs. Brett Sawyer. Listen, I know you take this stuff to heart, but it's not that big a deal. Jase doesn't really love me and I don't love him and it's just a matter of time before he realizes it. He's a smart guy.”

“Fine then, but no more sex,” Callie said. “Sex complicates things.”

“Or not.” The words were out before Brandy could think better of them. “I mean, if it's a strictly sexual relationship with zero expectations, then it doesn't complicate anything. It does the opposite, right?”

Callie stared at her a long moment. “Right, I guess. In a different situation. But the ring complicates things, so it's better to steer clear of the sex. That'll force him to see what kind of person Jenna is and he'll drop her just like that.”

“Thanks a lot,” Jenna said.

“Don't get your panties in a wad. I'm just pointing out the obvious. While you're a super-nice person, you're not wife material. You've got a wandering eye and you're a commitment phobe. You refuse to even sign up for a credit card.”

“The interest rates are killer.”

“Maybe, but that's not the point. You don't like to commit to anything. Not an interest rate any more than a man.”

“I might commit one day.”

“When hell freezes over, but we're talking about right here, right now. Let him see the real you.”

“I'm on it.”

“I mean it, Jenna. No agreeing with him just to agree. Voice a real opinion. He'll see how shallow you are and bam, you're out of the engagement.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Brandy agreed.

“You both suck.”

“Hey, we see the real you and love you anyway. That has to count for something.”

Jenna made a face before adding, “I'm going to watch last week's episode of
Scandal
. If Jase calls, tell him I'm too busy to talk. Better yet, I'll call and leave a voice mail telling him not to disturb my TV time.”

“Add that you want to meet him tomorrow to register for towels. That'll definitely leave a bad taste in his mouth. No man likes to register for towels,” Callie told them.

“Brett did it,” Brandy pointed out.

“Only because I agreed to sign up for power tools while we were at the department store. Speaking of which, if you really want to get us something off the registry, try the blower. It's a V8 with wind direction. He'll love you forever. Oh, and speaking of love, you're all set,” she told Brandy. “The date is next Saturday. Lunch at the diner with Mike. Wear red.”

“I've been thinking and I—” Brandy started, but Callie looked so suddenly distraught that she caught herself. “Fine, I'll be there.”

“Have I told you that you're the best sister in the world?”

“I thought I was the best sister in the world,” Jenna chimed in as she pulled her head out of the avocado-green fridge, half a leftover apple pie in her hand.

“You were before you went and added a plus-one to the reception menu. What do you think Jase likes? Fish or chicken?”

“Neither. He won't be around by then.”

“The wedding is only four weeks away and you're not known for your ability to clean the slate.” Callie eyed the humidifier parked on the counter. “You went back and forth for four months with the last guy. And honestly, I still think he thinks there's a chance.”

“He does not think there's a chance.”

“Only because I had Arnie hypnotize him and make the suggestion. Speaking of which, maybe you ought to introduce Arnie and Jase.”

“Or you could just be honest,” Brandy offered.

Jenna seemed to think. “Arnie does come into the vet clinic on Thursdays to bring in his pit bull. Maybe I could ask Jase to pick me up. They'll have a chance meeting and bam, problem solved.”

“She's too much of an optimist,” Callie said as Jenna grabbed a fork and headed for the den, pie in hand, Jez yapping after her. “It's going to bite her in the ass one day.”

But as Brandy stared after her youngest sister, she started to think that maybe optimism wasn't such a bad thing. While Jenna found herself in a pickle every now and then when it came to men, things always seemed to work out in the end.

Because her sister didn't let worry hold her back. She didn't sit around thinking about the future. She lived for the moment. She followed her instincts, and while they might occasionally lead her into the deep end sometimes, she didn't panic even then. She just kept her hopes up, scarfed down pie, and miraculously enough life worked itself out.

Brandy was definitely worrying too much when it came to Tyler McCall. They were buddies of the carnal variety. End of story. Nothing more. Not even if she did like him just a little. The key was not to worry over her slip-up the night before, rather to move forward from this moment with her priorities in order. Top of the list? To keep things strictly physical.

To move fast and furious whenever they were together and leave little time for anything else like talking or teasing or falling even more into
like
.

At least that was the plan.

One she didn't get a chance to initiate just yet because Callie pulled out the bridal magazines and Brandy found herself poring over dresses for the next few hours until her sister called it a night and headed home to Brett. And then Jenna snagged her attention with a rerun of
Cupcake Wars
. Before she knew it, midnight had rolled around and she still needed to spend at least half an hour online to see if she could find an address for a certain Ryder Jax.

Thirty minutes that soon turned into two hours until she hit pay dirt with a monthly membership at FindMyPeeps.com that produced a viable home address.