Snow Melts in Spring (23 page)

FORTY-THREE

THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MATTIE STOPPED BY CLARA’S CAFÉ AFTER treating a cow’s injured leg at a nearby ranch. She sat on a stool at the counter and waited for her friend to finish an order.

“Hey, you, what’s going on? You haven’t been by all week.” Clara winked and handed Mattie a plastic menu.

“I’ve been called out five times this week for inoculations. You heard about John?”

Clara nodded. “How’s he doing? Your sister told me they sent him to the Heart Hospital. She sure surprised me the other night. What’s Jenna doing here?”

Mattie pointed to her usual menu choice of a hamburger and fries. “Gil’s bringing John home tonight. Jenna returned for our cousin’s wedding.” She clenched her teeth, trying to forget the real reason for her sister’s return.

“She looked good. Her divorce must not have bothered her too much.”

“Maybe because she didn’t want to be married.” Mattie clenched her teeth when the sharp words came out, ashamed of the judgment.

Clara’s eyebrows raised as the door to the café jingled. “Let me know if I can order your sister anything.” She placed an icy cola in front of Mattie and nodded toward the entrance.

Mattie turned and saw Jenna wave, headed straight for her. “What are you doing, sis? Thought you’d be operating on dogs and cats this afternoon.” She sat on a stool next to Mattie and grinned.

“Not today. What about you?” Mattie sipped her soda and fought to maintain a level of composure. “Any success buying land?”

Jenna placed cool fingers on Mattie’s arm, and her gold bangle bracelets tinkled against each other. “Still sore about that?”

“If we’re going to talk, let’s go somewhere more private.” Mattie grabbed her glass and moved to an empty booth in the corner. She sat on one side, Jenna took the other.

“Like old times, huh?” Jenna pulled out a menu and browsed the selections.

“Not at all. A lot has changed since we were girls.”

Jenna studied her from across the table. “You’ve done well for yourself, despite staying in this dinky town. I still say you ought to look for a job in the city. You’d make three times as much as you do now, and you wouldn’t be stuck in the middle of nowhere.”

Mattie let her sister’s comment slide. “You never answered my question. Have you found any land to devour?”

Jenna tore open a sugar packet and poured the white crystals into her palm. “Not yet.” She dipped a finger in the sugar and stuck it in her mouth.

Mattie watched as Jenna repeated her childhood habit. “Why don’t you leave the people in Charris County alone? Tell your boss no one wants to sell.”

“And miss out on a hefty bonus? Besides, I’d be doing these folks a favor. John McCray, for example.” She licked the rest of the sugar from her hand, then wiped her palm with a napkin.

“Stay away from John.” Mattie’s tone filled with hostility. “Leave the McCray land alone.”

“You’re too close to those people, sis. You’ve let them get under your skin.” Jenna tapped the menu on the table and glanced around the café. “Where is that waitress friend of yours, anyway?”

Mattie pressed Jenna’s menu to the table. “If you won’t do it for me, do it for Frank. Don’t steal his family’s ranch.”

“Frank’s dead.” Jenna pulled the menu out from under Mattie’s hand. “Besides, nobody’s stealing anything.” She pierced Mattie with her dark brown eyes. “You’ve got the hots for Gil, don’t you? That’s what this is about.”

Mattie shook her head. “Gil and I are friends. I’ve grown fond of his father the last few years, and I don’t want to see him hurt.”

Jenna stared down at the table, her expression sullen. “You’re not after Gil? I got the impression the other day that the two of you were an item.”

Images of Gil swept through Mattie’s mind. Days spent with Dusty and working on the ranch, their trip to Central Kansas, and the most recent time spent in California. Of course, they’d grown close . . . but she wasn’t after him. That wasn’t her way. She might like them to be a couple, if only he’d come around to her way of thinking. And, although he’d spoken some big words about a future together, never once had he mentioned that he loved her. “He’s going to the wedding with me tomorrow night, but I wouldn’t call us an item.”

Her sister’s lips twisted into a condescending smile. “Gil’s too old for you, anyway, honey. Much too bullish for your sensitive nature.” She reached across the table to squeeze Mattie’s hand, and the icy touch against her skin seemed too cold to be human.

GIL RELAXED HIS WRIST ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS HE DROVE Mattie to the wedding Friday night. His free hand squeezed Mattie’s fingers, warm and dainty beneath his own. Eager to spend a few hours in her company, he’d settled his father in at the ranch and arranged for Mildred to look after him until they returned. The night was theirs.

He peered over at the doc, dressed in the ruffled skirt and denim jacket he’d admired before. “You look good in that color.”

“You look nice too.” She smiled.

Gil lifted his hand from hers and twirled a long curl in his finger, loving the silky texture as it wrapped against his skin. “You said to dress casual.”

“My cousin doesn’t like fancy parties. The wedding’s a small affair with a barbecue at her parents’ house afterwards.”

Gil nodded, wondering what it would be like to see Mattie’s mom and dad. He vaguely remembered meeting them at Frank’s funeral. Then of course, there was Jenna to contend with. He hoped she wouldn’t cause trouble, but just in case, he planned to whisk Mattie away so they could talk. “You still willing to leave early?”

Mattie’s eyes sparkled. “Most definitely. As soon as we can escape.”

THE WEDDING WAS SHORT AND SIMPLE LIKE MATTIE PREDICTED. GIL held her hand as they walked to the outdoor reception, imagining the conversation he would have with her later, and how she’d respond. If it went well, the two of them might be considering a future together.

“Shall we get this over with?” Mattie motioned to where her parents stood by a blossoming redbud tree as the evening dusk settled around them.

“Come on, it won’t be that bad.” He prompted her forward by the elbow. When they reached her parents, Mattie introduced him with a guarded voice.

He stretched out his hand to Mattie’s father, a tall gentleman dressed in a gray western suit. “It’s nice to meet you again.” He turned to Mrs. Evans and nodded. She smiled up at him, the resemblance to Mattie uncanny.

Mr. Evans scratched his chin. “You’re Frank’s younger brother, right? I remember meeting you years ago.”

“He’s the owner of the horse Mattie’s treating.” Mrs. Evans told her husband in a matter-of-fact way and nudged his arm. “We hoped to meet you tonight, since we missed seeing you when we moved Mattie to the ranch. Mattie told us you played for the 49ers —remember, Owen?”

“Weren’t you in Jenna’s class in school? I seem to remember you getting a scholarship to Oklahoma State.” He skimmed the crowd as though in search of someone. “Have you seen Jenna and Bridgett? They were here a minute ago.”

While Mr. Evans went off in search of his missing daughters, Gil pulled Mattie to the side. “Are you thirsty?” His throat felt suddenly dry.

“Yes, but don’t leave me alone too long.” She squeezed his hand, her fingers lingering on his.

Not prepared to deal with Jenna, he escaped to the barn where they were holding the reception. For several minutes, he stood in line at the punch table and nodded to those he recognized. He listened to the twanging chords of the guitars as a western band warmed up on a makeshift stage. When his turn finally came, he filled two plastic cups with pink punch. Then a woman held out a third cup for him to fill.

He peered up and saw Jenna smiling at him.

“I’ve been looking all over for you,” she crooned. “Mattie said she was bringing you. I’m glad you came. This party is severely lacking.”

Gil’s lip curled as he politely poured punch into her cup. “What, you don’t enjoy talking about the weather, or hearing about Farmer Jones’s cows and goats?”

Jenna groaned. “What I want is to hear about you,” she said and latched onto his arm. The flimsy, orange material of her dress brushed against his skin. “It’s been a long time, Gil. Too long.”

He managed to pull away, then picked up his cups, determined to leave the woman behind. “I’m sorry, Jenna. Mattie’s waiting for her drink. Maybe we can talk later.”

Jenna took Mattie’s cup from him and downed the punch in one long swallow. “Let’s talk now.” She licked the pink froth from her lips and set his other cup on the table.

FORTY-FOUR

“WHAT ARE YOU UP TO, JENNA?” GIL FOLLOWED HER, WARY OF HER intentions.

She led him behind the barn to a grove of cedars, away from the noise of the wedding party. “I only want a few minutes of your time. Don’t worry about Mattie. I’m sure Mother’s drilling her with a thousand questions by now.” She pulled a cigarette from her purse and offered him one, but he refused. “You should have known better than to accompany her to a wedding. My folks will tear her apart trying to find out how serious your relationship is.”

Gil searched for Mattie in the dim light, hoping Jenna was wrong. “What about you? Do they give you a hard time now that you’re divorced?” He tried not to enjoy the direct hit too much.

“They know better than to mess with me. If I get mad, I leave.” She lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply.

Her remark hit too close to home. Hadn’t Gil done the same when he and his dad fought in the past — when things became too difficult? Maybe he and Jenna were not so different after all. “You’re a bit old for temper tantrums, don’t you think?”

“You should talk. What I want to know is why you’re with my sister. She says you’re only friends. Is that right?”

Gil checked the darkening yard once more for Mattie, then felt an icy hand on his shirtfront.

“We were friends once too. Is that the sort of friends you are?” She massaged his chest in a circular motion. He remembered when she’d touched him that way before, only then he’d been a teen, thrilled by her attention. Now the sight of her sickened him. She opened her mouth and blew a halo of smoke into the air.

He glared down at her. “You wouldn’t understand what Mattie and I have.” He wrenched her hand from his shirt.

“Enlighten me,” she murmured in a husky voice and took one more drag from her cigarette before tossing it to the ground. “Help me understand why you haven’t told Mattie about us. Why you’ve never married, and why you’ve stayed away so long?” Her fingers now clutched his pants pockets.

“Do you know I’ve never forgotten that night?” She yanked him closer. So close, he could smell the heavy tang of her perfume mixed with the stench of cigarette smoke on her breath. “I’ve kept it with me, even through marriage.”

Jenna’s words shocked Gil into silence. He stared down at her face and felt genuinely sorry for her. One by one he unwrapped her fingers from his pockets. “We don’t share the same memories, Jenna. The only thing that night reminds me of is Frank’s death and how I betrayed him.”

As soon as he freed himself from her grasp, she clamped down on his fingers, ensnaring them with her own. “You don’t remember the caress of our bodies? How it felt when we made love . . . ?”

Jenna’s voice stalled in the cool night air. She slowly released her fingers from his.

Gil wondered at her sudden change in behavior. Then a twig snapped behind him. He turned and saw Mattie, her face contorted with pain and disbelief.

MATTIE WILLED HERSELF TO BREATHE, PRAYING SHE’D HEARD HER sister wrong.

They’d made love? Gil and Jenna? When?

One thought tumbled on top of the next as she realized the two of them shared a past — an intimate past. But that didn’t make sense . . . Jenna had been Frank’s girlfriend. The triumphant expression on her sister’s face told Mattie their connection ran deep.

A chorus of frogs moaned from a nearby pond as though to console her. Embarrassed to have been so gullible as to think there might have been a future between her and Gil, Mattie tried to veil her pain.

“I’m sorry to intrude . . .” She searched Gil’s face, wondering how she’d mistaken their friendship for so much more. “I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to get someone to give me a ride home. You stay and visit.”

Gil muttered under his breath, and she tore her gaze from his, desperate to get away from the image of Jenna clutching Gil.

Her vision blurred as she made her way to the barn, the loud music drowning out her thoughts. Gil caught up to her as she neared the cake table. He swung her around by the elbow, and all her hurt and anger erupted in a scathing verbal torrent.

“You lied to me,” she lashed out, wanting to pummel him with her fists. “How could you deceive me like that?”

Gil pulled at her jacket, and she struggled free of his grasp, undaunted by the scene she was creating.

“Mattie, please, give me a chance to explain.” As he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Mattie suddenly felt all eyes on them and wondered what everyone must think — her neighbors, clients, friends, and family.

Humiliated, she allowed Gil to lead her to his truck where she could speak her mind away from the curious onlookers. Gil lowered the tailgate and removed his jacket for her to sit on.

“What is going on with you and my
sister
?” She practically spat the word as she swiped the moisture building in her eyes, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of her tears.

Gil picked her up and set her on the tailgate as though she were a child. He stood before her like a guard, blocking her escape. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way. I wish I’d had the courage to tell you before now. I tried, but . . .” The desperation in his voice begged her to listen, his features apologetic in the shadowy night.

“I tried to tell you on the airplane, but something prevented me from spilling my guts. Mostly fear.”

Mattie’s heart wrenched. “It’s true then, you and Jenna . . .” She couldn’t force the words from her throat.

“Yes, no matter how much I want to erase the memory, it’s true. Your sister and I . . . one time . . . many years ago. I’ve been sorry ever since.”

His words cut into her heart, and Mattie fought to keep the damage to a minimum. She had a doctorate in veterinary medicine. She healed animals daily. Why couldn’t she stop her own pain?

“It’s a secret I’ve kept hidden too long,” he went on. “One that made me run as far from here as possible. If I’d had the option to move across the ocean, I’m sure I’d have done it.”

“I don’t understand.” Her lips quivered. “Why?” Why had he kept the secret from her all this time, and more importantly, why had he been with Jenna in the first place?

“Why do any of us do stupid things when we’re young?” He placed his hands on her knees, and his fingers trembled against her skirt. “I’ve gone over it in my mind a thousand times. Jealousy, contempt, greed, envy. Childish motives we carry with us into adulthood. All part of the problems I’ve had with my dad.”

Mattie worked to process his words
. Jenna, envy, his father
? “I still don’t understand.”

“You haven’t heard the worst, Mattie. That’s really why I couldn’t bring myself to tell you. Because when you do, you may never forgive me.”