The Cowgirl's Secret (The Diamondback Ranch Series #) (23 page)

She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. "That's very sweet, but I can handle my brothers myself."

"I sure hope so, because now they look like they're ready to murder both of us."

"Don't worry, big guy. I'll protect you."

Sam raised his longneck in a mock toast toward the McCades. The time of reckoning was fast coming, and he was more than ready to meet the challenge.

***

"Goddamnit, Tori! The man is a good ten years older than you. What the hell are you thinking?" Dallas McCade paced back and forth in the kitchen of his mother's house. The birthday party for the twins was over, the guests had departed, and Molly and Maddie were test-driving their new car and truck. Everyone else was on clean-up duty.

"Yeah. We don't know much of anything about Sam Garza," Tyler said. "He showed up in town one day and decided to stay and work at the garage. We don't know where he's from, we don't know anything about his family, and we don't know his background."

"There's always been a mystery surrounding him," Cameron said thoughtfully. "Even Jessie doesn't know that much about him. Of course, she never pried into his business. Garza's always been reserved and guarded his privacy. As long as he did his job at the garage, Jessie was content to let matters stand as they were."

Dallas stopped pacing and stood in front of Tori, scowling down at her. "I have a good mind to go talk to the man and get to the bottom of this."

"Don't you dare!" Tori jumped up from the table and planted her hands on her hips. "I know all about Sam. We dated while I was still going to UTD. I know his background and his family. And he's not a mechanic. I mean he is and he isn't. He majored in computer science and writes programs and code."

"Computer science?" Dallas looked taken aback. "Then what the hell's he doing working with Jessie at the garage?"

"Yeah," said Cameron. "And what do you mean you dated when you were going to UTD? All this time you've never once mentioned that you knew him before."

"Did he follow you to A&M?" Austin asked. "Did he follow you to Salt Fork? Has the bastard been stalking you? I'll kill the sorry son of a bitch."

"Now, Austin. No need to get violent," Ruth said soothingly. "I'm sure Sam is a very nice young man."

"He's not a young man, Mom. And we don't know if he's nice or not." Dallas stood in the middle of the kitchen with arms crossed and a frown marring his face. "We know nothing about him. Nothing."

"Have you actually been seeing Garza behind our backs all these years?" Tyler asked. "Why did you keep it secret?"

"I'll tell you
why.
" Tori pointed a finger at each of her brothers in turn. "
This
is exactly why I didn't want you to know about me and Sam. I knew you'd all go macho and protective. None of y'all can get it through your thick skulls that I'm not a baby anymore. I don't need your protection. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

Austin narrowed his eyes at his sister. "That's all well and good, but I still want to know Garza's background. And what are his intentions toward you?"

"Excuse me?" Tori felt like stamping her foot. "Oh my God, Austin. What century are you living in?
Sam's intentions toward me?
Seriously? Let's see . . .
I
didn't ask Theresa what her intentions were when you started sniffing around her."

Ruth clucked her tongue. "Tori, dear. Please don't talk so ugly and vulgar."

"Sorry, Mom." Tori walked up to Tyler and jabbed him in the chest. "And I sure as hell didn't ask Caitlyn about her intentions when you two became an item." She swirled around and pointed at Dallas and Cameron. "I didn't ask Gillian or Jessie, for that matter. It wasn't my business. So what makes you think you have any right to ask Sam about his
intentions
toward me?
Ding, ding, ding
. You don't. This conversation is over and the topic is closed. I love Sam Garza and he loves me. That's all that matters, and it's no concern of yours."

"Don't think this is over, because it isn't," Dallas said in his serious older-brother voice.

"Oh, yes it is! I don't want any of you to confront Sam with this--" Tori broke off when the back door banged opened and a commotion came from the mudroom.

"
Just carry her inside."
Everyone in the kitchen stared at each other when they heard Gillian's voice issuing the order.

"What the hell?" Austin started forward only to fall back as Theresa brushed past him.

"It's Kelsey," she said. "She's hurt. I have to get the icepack."

"Hurt?" Austin rushed to the doorway. "Kelsey?"

"Move out of the way, Austin. She's not badly hurt." Jessie made a shooing motion. "Right in here, Pete. I'm sure Cameron will want to take a look."

Pete Lafferty walked into the kitchen carrying Kelsey in his arms. He stopped in the middle of the room holding her close, almost protectively. Kelsey had one arm draped around his neck and the other held close to her chest. Her head rested on Pete's shoulder, her eyes were closed, her forehead scrunched in pain.

Austin stepped close and smoothed some of the blond tendrils over his daughter's forehead. "Kels, are you okay? What happened? Here, I'll take her," he said to Pete and reached for his daughter.

"Ouch!" Kelsey bit her lip and turned her head toward Pete's chest.

The young man stepped back from Austin. "It might be better if she's not moved more than necessary. I'll carry her to the sofa or maybe to one of the beds. Where do you want her, Dr. McCade?"

Cameron strode across the kitchen and quickly examined his niece. "Looks like the wrist is broken; I'll have to set it. Take her to the back bedroom down the hall. I'll get my medical bag from the truck."

"I'll get it," Tyler said, already heading toward the door. "You go on with Kels and Pete. I'll bring it to you."

"Merciful heavens," Ruth said, her eyes wide and worried. "What in the world happened, child?"

"It was a stupid accident, Grams. I fell down. Oh, God! My wrist hurts!"

Pete led the way out of the kitchen with Austin dogging his steps. "She tripped on the extension cord to the jukebox as I was rolling it up. She twisted her ankle, then hurt her wrist when she broke her fall."

Kelsey lifted her head and looked at her dad. "I can't believe I did that. I fall down all the time playing soccer, and I've never hurt myself before. At least, not this bad." She groaned and leaned her head against Pete's shoulder again.

"It'll be okay, Kels," Austin said. "Uncle Cam will take care of you."

Tori followed everyone down the hall toward the back bedroom. Pete set Kelsey gently on the bed, his hand lingering over her blond head. "You'll be okay now, kiddo."

Kelsey smiled, stars shining in her blue eyes. "Thanks, Pete."

Pete smiled back and touched a finger to her nose and cheek. "No problem. I hope you get better soon." He looked around the bedroom, and Tori thought his cheeks reddened, though she couldn't tell for sure.

"I'll go finish stacking the folding chairs and putting away the jukebox." Pete quickly ducked out of the room.

Tori hung back out of the way as everyone gathered around the bed to offer love and support to the wounded Kelsey. Austin plumped the pillows for his daughter. Theresa came running with the icepack. Tori was glad her brother had finally found a new wife for himself and a mother for Kelsey. And with a baby on the way, Austin's life seemed to be on track once again.

Tori smiled and shook her head. But not for long. If she weren't mistaken, her brother would soon have his hands full. Kelsey was growing up and no one seemed to be noticing.

***

On Monday evening, two days after the twins' birthday party, Sam sat on the sofa in the living room of his apartment behind Kincaid's Garage. He was immersed in code, oblivious to everything but the units and functions on the backlit screen. Poncho slept on a rug near the coffee table.

"Garza, open up!"

The pounding of a fist on the front door filtered through Sam's deep concentration. He frowned at the interruption and glanced at the time. Damn, he'd missed dinner. Again. He could work for hours on end and lose himself in the code, the logic, the algorithms.

Rotating his shoulders to relieve some of the kinks he'd acquired from sitting in one position for too long, he closed the laptop and rose from the couch. Poncho lifted his head and growled low in his throat. Sam bent to pet the dog's head. "Some watch dog you've turned out to be."

The knock sounded again. "Garza, I know you're in there!"

Oh, hell. It was one of Tori's brothers.
"I'm coming already. Don't get your shorts in a twist." Sam shook his head as he made his way to the door.

His time of reckoning had come at last. In hindsight, he should have expected this visit, but Tori had assured him she'd taken care of her brothers and not to worry about them. She'd also promised that as soon as she could get organized, they would continue their relationship where they'd left off four years ago.

As soon as she got organized
.
Right, babe.

Tori's schedule was more hectic now than it had been in the first few weeks after she took over Doc's practice. The woman needed help and soon, so she could have a life. So
they
could have a life. Together. He'd waited long enough.

Unlatching the bolt, Sam opened the door and staggered back as not one McCade brother, but all four, pushed their way into the living room.

Well, hell
.

"Thought it was time to get to know you better, Garza." Dallas McCade tossed his Stetson on a side table and made himself comfortable in one of the overstuffed club chairs flanking the sofa.

The other three McCades followed suit. On his way past Sam, Cameron shoved a case of cold beer into his arms. "Thought we could share a drink or two. Talk. You know, lay everything on the line."

Lay down the law.

Cameron hadn't actually said the words, but Sam heard the message loud and clear.

He couldn't say he blamed the men. They were only looking out for their sister. And Sam hadn't really been upfront about himself since he'd moved to Salt Fork. He'd deliberately maintained a low profile during the years he and Tori had lived apart, keeping his end of their bargain. Not letting on that they were a couple.

The time of reckoning had indeed arrived. It was more than past time to come clean. "So, who wants a beer?" Sam tore open the carton and handed beers all around, before setting the rest of the case in the fridge.

He walked back to the living room, took a seat and waited. He'd be damned if he opened up the conversation. Looking around the room at the men, Sam figured their conversation would be more like an interrogation.

Bring it on.
He didn't have anything to hide.
Not anymore
. It would be a relief to get it all out in the open. His intentions had always been honorable.

"So, Garza. Tell us a little bit about yourself." Dallas pointed his can of beer Sam's way. "Tori told us you're not really a mechanic. What line of business are you in?"

Sam took a swig of beer. "Computer programming. I worked for five years in New York. I came back to Texas for personal reasons."

"And that's when you met Tori?" Austin asked, serious intent evident in his hazel eyes.

"Yes."

"Want to elaborate on that a little?" Tyler prompted.

Sam turned his head and narrowed his gaze on Tyler. He took a slow drink from the can, taking his time before answering. "I met Tori at a club in Dallas where she was celebrating her twenty-first birthday with a group of friends. We dated during her last year at UTD."

Dallas stared at Sam over the rim of his beer can. "The whole year?"

"That's correct." He didn't elaborate. They didn't need to know all the details.

"Okay, I'll just come right out with it," Dallas said. "What are your intentions toward our sister, Garza?"

Sam stared at each of the men sitting in his living room. If looks could kill, he would be a dead man, four times over. Tori's brothers were extremely intense. No wonder she'd wanted to keep their relationship secret. She never would have heard the end of it while she was going to A&M. Hell, her brothers might have nipped the relationship in the bud and run Sam out of town.

"Does Tori know you're here?" Sam countered the question, not caring for the direction the conversation was taking.

"Hell, no. What Tori doesn't know, won't hurt her. Do you love her or don't you?" Tyler shot him a fierce look.

Sam let out a caustic laugh. "Hell yeah, I love her. I wouldn't be in Salt Fork if I didn't love her. I asked her to marry me right before she graduated UTD. She refused, or I should say, she accepted
with
conditions. It all depends on how you look at it."

"What the hell do you mean 'it depends'?" Austin said. "She either refused or accepted. Which was it?"

"Neither. Both." Sam took another sip of beer, deliberately taking his time. "Your sister is a very ambitious young woman, and she's willing to work her ass off to get what she wants. While we dated, she flung herself whole-heartedly into our relationship and her grades suffered. I was too much of a distraction, she said. And she was right. I had to risk letting her go to pursue her dream. Or I risked losing her all together."