Tex Times Ten (14 page)

“Hey, I’m sorry about your family.” Last watched the kids chucking corn and laughing when it hit the water. “I worry so much about mine I forget that yours has got a real problem.”

“Luckily for me, Tex thought of a way to get some help to look for my siblings. And I know you probably didn’t want to come all the way out here today, but I do appreciate you bringing the children. It was generous of Tex to think of it. Actually, Tex
has done a lot for me,” she said, her tone wistful. “And he’s been so undercover and subtle about it that I never realized how much he’d done until now.”

She glanced up, and Last was staring at her with a questioning expression.

“I think it’s time for us to take the children back to Gran,” he said suddenly. “Cissy, welcome to the family.”

She was fine until he said that. Until then, she hadn’t felt guilty about what she was doing.

However, now that she’d spent time with the Jefferson brothers, she realized just how much they needed to believe that they were going to find their own happy endings.

And of course, her relationship with Tex was just a preplanned breakup.

“N
OW ARE YOU SATISFIED
, little brother?” the Jefferson brothers asked Last after they’d dropped the children off at Gran’s and said goodbye. “Are you convinced that Tex is over his fear of intimacy?”

“They seem to like each other real well,” Navarro said.

“They seem to be willing to compromise. Real important in a marriage,” Crockett added.

“She seems sweet and giving,” Bandera stated, “which I thought was a change of pace for Tex since he’s always liked fast women.”

Last slapped his knee. “That’s what’s bugging me! When I was talking to Cissy about Tex, it was like the light of heaven was shining on her face.
She’s falling in love, or is already in love with our ape of a brother. But I’ll bet you a month’s worth of chores that Tex has already planned his escape route.” He glared at them knowingly. “Trust me, this marriage doesn’t have the glow of forever on it. And one pretty little lady’s going to end up with a very broken heart.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, Last!” Crockett exclaimed. “Why do you always have to be the font of knowledge?”

Navarro sighed. “He’s annoying, but he’s usually freaking
right.
”

The silence that settled over the riverboat that evening was unsettling to Tex. He hadn’t realized how much he enjoyed the noise and drama of his brothers and Cissy’s kids.

“That was quite a surprise,” Cissy told him. “Thank you.”

“My version of a wedding gift, under the circumstances,” he said, forcing himself to sound casual.

“It was very sweet, particularly as I got you nothing.”

He grinned. “I wouldn’t say that. I heard you fending Last off quite well.”

“I’m not certain he believed me.”

“You bought me some credibility, though. And for that, I thank you.”

“What are you going to tell your brothers when we get a divorce?”

He shook his head. “That it didn’t work out.”

“Speaking of not working out, now that Marvella has decided I’m no longer worth her employment, I feel pretty safe skipping the blood test and the legal wedding Hawk suggested.”

That caught him by surprise, and maybe even disappointed him a little. “If that’s what you want.”

“It keeps things from getting sticky. We take off our rope rings, and we go our separate ways.”

She was awfully nonchalant for a woman discussing a wedding. Shouldn’t she be pressing him to commit further? Cissy was working toward uncommitting him. “Okay.”

“Again, thank you, Tex. I really enjoyed seeing my family.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“And for getting Marvella off my case for good. I feel like a weight has been lifted off me. It’s been a long time since I felt like my life might actually start moving forward.”

He nodded, not saying that he felt the same. There for a moment, when he realized it was just him and Cissy against two determined hoodlums and one mean woman, he’d been very worried. He’d never been so glad to see his brothers in his life. The cavalry arriving to band together once again.

He was feeling sentimental for the old days, but he wanted to move forward with his life, too. That’s why he was here on this riverboat with Cissy.

They looked at each other for a few moments.

“I like your hair better this way. Short and dark is real sexy.”

“You like it better?”

Her surprised tone didn’t faze him. “It looks more real to me. More you. I guess the darkness brings out your face more, so I’m looking at you instead of your hair. I never realized that’s what I was doing be
fore.” It bothered him that he was starting to learn more and more things about her.

She blinked. “I think I’ll go to bed now.”

It was their honeymoon, and yet they were both awkward. “Should I kiss you good-night?”

“No,” she said nonchalantly. “You don’t have to.”

And then she went down the stairs.

Have to? He liked kissing Cissy. He’d loved sleeping with her.

So why was he still up here and she was down there?

Because Last’s moral compass had changed direction, pointing to an error in Tex’s plan.

“H
EY
, D
AD
,” M
IMI SAID
, going to stand at his bedside. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” the sheriff replied. “I’m going to make it another day.”

She smiled, holding his hand. “You’re going to make it a lot longer than that. The doctor thinks you can go home tomorrow.”

“I’ll like that.” He gazed at her, his eyes more tired than they’d been in his stronger days. “I’m sorry you had to come back early from your honeymoon, Mimi. I really like Brian.”

“I know.” She stroked his hair away from his face. “Dad, we need to tell folks you’re not feeling your best.”

After a moment, he slowly nodded. “I know.”

“I suggest we ask for a leave of absence. The deputy can head the department until you’re back on
your feet. That way you don’t have to resign your office.”

“True. But once people hear I’m under the weather, they’ll start coming to visit. Once they see me, Mimi, they’re going to know that this isn’t simply a cold.”

Patting his hand, she said, “Dad, would it be so bad to retire? Work a little less?”

“To me, yes. Law enforcement’s what I do. Union Junction’s been good to me, and I do my best to keep it a safe place for folks to raise their young families. Grow old.” Sighing, he said, “I planned on going to my grave wearing my star.”

Tears welled in Mimi’s eyes. “Well, you’re
not
going to your grave. So let’s not have any of that talk.” She took a deep breath. “Dad, I’m expecting a baby. You’re going to have a grandchild.”

His eyes widened. “A grandchild?”

She nodded, forcing herself to smile and make the tears go away. “Yes. Someone else in the house besides you and me.”

He grinned. “Well, whaddya know about that? I’m going to be a grandfather! That’s something I never thought I’d say, Mimi. A grandbaby! In nine months?” he asked. “Or maybe less?”

She wished she could speed up the process for him. “Nine months, Daddy. We’ll just have to be patient.”

Delight spread over his face. “I can be patient, if it means getting to hold my first grandchild.” And then he held out his hands for her to come close and
hug him. She did, and he whispered “I love you” in her hair.

She closed her eyes against the tears. “I love you, too, Daddy.”

“H
OW’S THE RUNAWAY MARRIED
couple?” Mason demanded as Last and the brothers strode into the room, tossing hats as they entered.

“Running away,” Last said. “Maybe
floating
away would be the more operative verb.”

“What about Cissy? Is she good enough for him?” Mason demanded. “Or did she rope him in to get out of that damn contract?”

The brothers grunted and threw themselves into various chairs, except Navarro, who went into the kitchen, grabbed a bunch of beer cans, sailing them one by one toward his brothers, who skillfully caught them. “Like seals catching fish tossed by a trainer,” he commented.

“Practice makes perfect,” Bandera said happily, opening his beer.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Mason said to Navarro. “Do you realize someone’s going to be killed by a flying beer can eventually?”

“My aim’s good,” Navarro said, coming to join his family in front of the tube.

“Yeah, well, once we have the pitter-patter of little feet around here, there’ll be no more lager missiles.” Mason looked at Last. “So you got anything else to say on the bride and groom?”

“Yeah. They’re the biggest bunch of fakers I ever saw.”

Bandera snorted. “Last is always working on a conspiracy theory.”

“Hey. I know an imposter marriage when I see it.” He shrugged. “It’s no different than Mimi’s marriage. What I’m seeing is that there’s trade-offs in life. People cut deals. Maybe they don’t say it up front, but it’s implied. And maybe that’s why people divorce, when one or both of them step outside the box of implied agreement.”

“Jeez,” Crockett said with a scowl. “If you’d ever stop sitting on your head for a moment, you might actually start speaking like a human being instead of blah, blah, blah.”

“I am a student of human nature,” Last told him. “Just because you don’t like it and have no talent at studying the same, does not devalue my instincts.”

“Criminey.” Bandera thumped down his beer. “Somebody please puncture his brain so some of the hot air can escape!”

“Back to the part about Mimi,” Mason said slowly. “What did you mean by that?”

“First let me finish what I was saying about Cissy Kisserton Jefferson,” Last said airily.

The brothers groaned, realizing they were going to have to sit through Last’s postulations.

“That gal is a one-man woman.”

Every man in the room focused their attention on Last.

“There’s no such thing,” Bandera said. “Not when she looks like that. Dang, if she hadn’t married Brother Budus, I might have had to ask her out. She made my heart thunder in my chest!”

“Yeah, but any dunce could tell they were in cahoots. Their stories were so crooked a child could figure it out,” Last said.

“That’s true,” Crockett agreed. “There were holes.”

Navarro snapped his fingers. “Maybe she’s pregnant and he had to marry her! Remember when there was some discussion between Laredo and Ranger—I think—about Tex eating from the garden of good and evil in the barn in Lonely Hearts Station? That was two months ago, long enough for Cissy to know if something’s missing, so to speak.”

“Back to Mimi!” Mason exclaimed, pounding the table with his fist.

They all stared at him.

“Well, Mason, it’s so obvious,” Last said. “I like Brian and all, and I know he’s busy, but even legal beagles spend time with their new wives.”

“The sheriff’s been sick.” Mason shook his head. “Mimi spends all her time with her father.”

Last shrugged. “Just saying. You don’t have to listen, you know. And it all happened real quick, right? So…I don’t think she’s ever gotten over you.”

Mason couldn’t help the pleasure that glowed inside him—but then he stamped it out ruthlessly. “I’m going out.”

The brothers looked at one another after their brother slammed the front door. “Whoa,” Crockett said. “What the hell was that all about?”

“Mimi,” Navarro stated. “What’s it always been about?”

“He took his keys,” Bandera said.

“It doesn’t matter.” Last examined his boots as he glanced around for Helga before putting his feet on the coffee table. “Here’s what does matter. I’m going to turn the soil in the bed out back and plant wildflowers.”

Crockett frowned. “In Tex’s rose bed?”

“Yup.”

“You can’t.” Bandera frowned, too. “That’s hallowed ground. It’s practically sacred to Tex. He’d feel…desecrated. Violated. Encroached upon.”

Last pointed his finger at his brothers. “I don’t care how he’d feel. I’m sick of looking at that dead garden. Tex is married now. He can tend his wife, and I will tend his no-rose zone.”

Crockett looked at him. “Last, it’s a bad idea, I’m pretty sure. That’s Tex’s space. It’s like his shrine to Mom. Even if nothing grows right for him, it’s
his
eyesore.”

“I don’t want to avert my eyes anymore when I’m out back. I’d like to, just once, have a garden party and not be embarrassed by the lack of fruition.”

“A garden party?” Navarro laughed. “When was the last time we had any kind of party?”

“When Frisco Joe’s wife Annabelle and the baby and all the Lonely Hearts women were here,” Last said wistfully. “I sure did enjoy all those girls around. Since then, four brothers have left, and we’ve got nothing to show for it. No babies. No wives to invite girlfriends over. You know, start up some coffee-klatching. I’d like to hear the sound of womanly laughter.”

“Helga doesn’t laugh, I’ll grant you that,” Crock
ett said. “She drinks lemon juice when she wakes up in the morning.”

“It’s Mason that lives on the stuff. I’m taking over the garden,” Last said with determination. “Something’s going to bloom around here if it’s the only thing I accomplish this year outside of taking care of the ranch. And then when the garden blooms, I’m inviting the new salon girls out, and we’re going to…we’re going to have a party.”

“Wet T-shirt contest?” Crockett asked hopefully. “Thong archery?”

“No,”
Last said. “We’re going to have every single girl in the county over, and we’re going to have our own cowgirl raffle. The Great Cinderella Quest. It worked for Tex. Maybe it’ll work for Mason.”

“Mason!” the brothers echoed with dismay.

“Yes, Mason,” Last said. “If I have to, I’ll hire a landscape architect to speed things along!”

T
EX WANDERED THE DECKS
of the riverboat, making certain everything was secure. He tried not to think about Cissy, which was impossible, and forced his mind to other topics.

But Cissy was downstairs sleeping, and he couldn’t help wondering what she was sleeping in. It was, after all, their honeymoon. But he really couldn’t call it that, since there was no longer any reason for them to stay together except for loyalty on her part. Her dilemma with Marvella was solved. Being married wasn’t required to wait out her family’s hopeful return. After his brothers had brought Cissy’s kids today, and then willingly jumped into
the fray with Marvella’s thugs, he’d learned an important lesson: the Jefferson brothers were always going to be there for one another. Sure, they weren’t likely to give him a pass any time soon about his so-called intimacy issue, but the teasing wasn’t going to kill him.

That left Cissy’s request for one night of lovemaking under the stars still unsatisfied, but it was quite possible she’d changed her mind. Women did change their minds often.

He checked a lock and moved to look at the water, which was calm around the boat. It was a windless night, and the moon shone bright and full and teasingly romantic.

He’d always avoided love by keeping his relationships minimal. That wasn’t going to work now, because Cissy was way past minimal with him. Maybe he was hoping she’d changed her mind so that he wouldn’t have to make love with her.

Once he allowed that notion to creep into his mind, Tex forced himself to examine why a man wouldn’t want to make love to Cissy Kisserton.

He’d taken her virginity. That knowledge was stirring up feelings of possession and male pride inside him that he didn’t want to recognize. He did not want to fall in love.

He wasn’t going to keep up his end of the bargain. “I just won’t do it. I can renege since I didn’t know that she was a virgin in the first place. I don’t want to be a cad by compounding the error. If a man wants to stay out of trouble, he stays
away
from trouble.”

Of course, that’s what his brothers had said right
before they’d fallen head over heels. Tex groaned. He was already too close for comfort, he knew, because he couldn’t stop thinking about Cissy. He wanted to smell Cissy’s neck and touch her skin and listen to her laugh.

“I’ve got it
bad,
” he complained to himself. “Or I’m getting it, and I don’t want it!”

That left him with a couple of options.

He could settle down, like Frisco Joe, Laredo and Ranger. Make some babies, go to bed every night with the same woman, enjoy the creature comforts of stability.