The Manning Sisters (9 page)

“Before you talk to Mandy, you and I need to discuss something.”

“Not now,” he said, looking past her. “I've never raised a hand to that girl, but I'll tell you she's tempting fate. Running away? That's a laugh. And just where does she intend to go?”

“Russ, would you stop shouting and listen to me.” Taylor used her best schoolteacher voice and placed her hands threateningly on her hips as if to suggest one more cross word and she'd report him to the principal.

“I have somewhere to go, so you needn't worry,” Mandy yelled from the kitchen.

“Sit down,” Taylor said, pointing at her sofa. “We've got a problem here that isn't going to be settled by you hollering threats at your sister.”

“They're a lot more than threats.” Russ continued pacing the floor, occasionally removing his hat long enough to angrily plow his fingers through his hair.

“Mandy didn't come to me about the length of the drill-team uniform—”

“It's a damn good thing because I'm not changing my mind. No sister of mine is going to parade around a field in that skimpy little outfit.” His frown informed Taylor that he didn't appreciate her interference in what he considered a family affair.

“I'm leaving!” Mandy shouted from the other room.

“Over my dead body,” Russ retaliated. “I'll drag you back to the ranch if I have to.”

“Then I'll run away tomorrow. You can't force me to live with you.”

“She's right, you know,” Taylor whispered.

Russ shot her a look hot enough to boil water.

“Listen to what she's really saying,” Taylor pleaded.

Russ advanced a step toward the other room. Taylor's hand on his arm stopped him. He glanced down at her and blinked as though he'd almost forgotten that she was there. “This is between me and my sister,” he growled.

“Listen to her,” Taylor repeated, more forcefully this time. “Hear the doubt and pain in her voice. She doesn't want to leave any more than you want her to go.”

“Then why…?”

“Because she's convinced you don't love her and you don't want her living with you anymore.”

Russ removed his hat and slapped it against the coffee table. “Of all the foolish…” Suddenly he seemed at a loss for words. “That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.”

“Mandy,” Taylor called, “come out here and sit down.” She gestured toward Russ, motioning for him to do the same. “The only way I can see that'll do any good is for the two of you to clear the air. You need to talk face-to-face instead of hurling insults at each other.”

Mandy hesitantly moved into the living room. She sank slowly into a chair and picked up a women's magazine sitting on the arm, absently flipping through the pages.

Russ sat on the other side of the room, looking nonchalant and relaxed. He propped his ankle on one knee and spread his arms across the back of the davenport as if they were discussing the abrupt change in weather rather than the future of his only sister and their relationship.

“Mandy, why do you want to move in with your aunt?” Taylor asked.

“Because my pigheaded brother is so unreasonable.”

“You've gotten along with him up until now.”

“No, I haven't.” Her voice grew smaller and smaller. “Besides, I'm just in the way.”

“Russ,” Taylor said, twisting around to confront him, “is Mandy in the way?”

“Hell, no, I need her.”

“Sure, to cook your meals and wash your clothes. You can hire someone to do that. I bet Mary Lu Randall would do it for free. She's had a crush on you forever.”

“You're all the family I've got,” Russ countered gruffly.

“I'm nothing but a problem,” Mandy said, rubbing the tears from her eyes. “You think I don't notice, but I do. There isn't a single thing you like about me anymore. You're always complaining. If it isn't my hair, it's my clothes or I'm wearing too much makeup or spending too much time with my friends.”

Russ dropped his leg and leaned forward, hands clasped. He studied Mandy, then started to frown. “I'm just trying to do the best job I can to make sure you turn into a responsible adult.”

Mandy looked away. Unable to stand still, Taylor crossed the room, sat on the arm of the chair and placed her own on Mandy's thin shoulders.

“I love you, Amanda,” Russ said starkly. “Maybe sometimes I don't show it the way I should, but I do. You're as much a part of my life as the Lazy P. I need you, and not to do the cooking and laundry, either.”

Mandy sniffled in an effort not to cry, and Taylor reached inside her pocket for a fresh tissue, handing it to the girl.

“I…didn't realize this drill team thing was so important to you,” Russ went on. “I suppose Taylor's going to tell me I should've been more sensitive.” Russ paused, shaking his head. “When I saw you all dressed up like that, it made me realize how grown-up you're getting, and I guess I didn't want to face the fact you're going to be a beautiful young woman soon. It kind of scares me. Before long, the boys are going to be swarming around the ranch like ants.”

“I-if you really want me to quit the drill team, I will,” Mandy offered in a thin, raspy voice.

“No, you can stay on the team. If the other parents are willing to let their daughters prance around a playing field in those little outfits, then I'll just have to get used to the idea.” Russ stood up and walked across the room, standing in front of his sister. “Friends?”

Mandy nodded, fresh tears streaking her face. She jumped up and moved into Russ's arms, hugging him tight. “I didn't really want to live with Aunt Joyce in New Jersey.”

“That's good because the last I heard she retired someplace in Mexico.”

“She did? How come you never told me?”

“Maybe because I was afraid you'd think it was an exotic, fun place to be and decide you'd rather live with her. I meant what I said about loving you, Mandy. You're going to have to be more patient with me, I guess, but I promise I'll try harder.”

“I…will, too.”

Russ slowly shut his eyes as he hugged his sister close.

Taylor felt her own eyes fill with tears. She hadn't expected Russ to be so open about his feelings for Mandy. When he'd first arrived, she'd been convinced everything was going to go from bad to worse. Russ was so proud and so furious, but once he'd stopped to listen to his sister and heard her fears, he'd set the anger aside and revealed a deep, vulnerable part of himself that Taylor had never even suspected was there.

“Say, how about if I treat my two best girls to dinner?” Russ suggested.

“Yeah,” Mandy responded. “Pizza?”

“Anything you want,” he said, smiling down on his sister. He raised his eyes to Taylor, and they softened perceptibly.

“I…can't,” she said, declining the invitation. “Anyway, this should be a time for the two of you to talk. I'd just be in the way.”

“No, you wouldn't. We'd never have been able to do this without you,” Mandy insisted. “I really want you to come.”

“Another time,” Taylor promised. “You two go and have fun.”

Russ squeezed Mandy's shoulders. “I don't know about you, but I'm famished. If Taylor wants to turn down an offer for the best pizza in town, there's only one thing we can do—let her suffer.”

“It's your loss,” Mandy told Taylor on their way out the door.

“Yes, I know,” she said, standing behind the screen door. Mandy bounded down the front steps and ran around the side of the house, where she'd apparently hidden her bag of clothes.

While Russ was waiting for his sister to reappear, he turned to Taylor and mouthed the words, “Thank you.” Then he touched his fingers to his lips and held his hand out to her. She pressed her open palm against the screen door.

 

The following evening Taylor sat at the kitchen table with her feet propped on a chair, stirring a bowl of soup. “You're in deep trouble here,” she muttered to herself. “If you don't watch it, you're going to fall in love with a cowboy. You're already halfway there. Admit it.”

She vigorously stirred her chicken noodle soup until it sloshed over the rim of the bowl. Setting the spoon aside, Taylor leaned her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands.

The whole purpose of coming to Montana was to avoid relationships. She hadn't been in town a week when she'd met Russ. And from there everything had quickly gone downhill. From the first time he'd kissed her she'd known she was headed for disaster. But had that stopped her? Oh, no. Not even the cool voice of reason—or the memory of Mark's betrayal—had given her pause. Instead she was walking straight into his arms, knowing full well that nothing could ever come of their relationship. She wouldn't have an affair with him. Marriage was out of the question; Russ would agree with her there. So exactly where was their relationship going?

Nowhere.

“Nowhere,” she repeated out loud. “Save yourself some heartache,” she told herself, then sat back and wondered if she was wise enough to follow her own advice, immediately doubting that she was. The voice in her heart was so much louder than anything her brain was telling her. She'd been a fool once. Hadn't she learned anything? Apparently not!

The phone rang, startling her. She dropped her legs and stood to answer it, afraid it might be Russ and not knowing what she'd say.

It was.

“Hi,” she said, forcing some enthusiasm into her voice. The man had no idea of the turmoil he was causing her.

“I'm calling to thank you for what you did for Mandy and me yesterday.”

“It wasn't anything,” she said lightly. Her hand tightened around the telephone receiver as she supported herself against the kitchen wall. She hated the way her pulse reacted to the sound of his voice. If he had a voice like other men, it wouldn't affect her so strongly. His was deep and so sexy….

“You were right about me not being aware of her doubt and fear,” he went on to say. “I don't know what I did to make her think I don't want her around anymore, but she's totally wrong.”

“You were wonderful with her.” Taylor meant that. She hadn't expected him to be half as understanding or sensitive to his sister's needs. Perhaps it would be easier to walk away from him if she could continue to view him as a difficult male, but he'd shown her another side of his personality, one so appealing that she found her heart softening toward him.

“I felt bad because I'd overreacted to the whole issue of her drill team uniform,” Russ explained. “I'd come into the house, and seeing Mandy dressed in that outfit caught me by surprise. My nerves were on edge, anyway. We'd just found a dead calf, and when I saw Mandy, I took my frustration and anger out on her. She didn't deserve that.”

“But you apologized. And taking her out to dinner was nice.”

“I wish you'd come along. We both owe you.”

“Nonsense. That was your time with Mandy.”

Taylor could sense Russ's smile. “I will admit that we did have fun. I'd forgotten what a kick my sister can be. She's a sweet kid, but she's growing up too fast.” There was a pause. “Listen, I didn't call you just to talk about Mandy. How about dinner Friday night?”

Taylor closed her eyes. The lure of the invitation was as strong as the pull of the tide. Squaring her shoulders, she shook her head.

“Taylor?”

“I don't think it's a good idea for us to see each other again,” she said flatly.

“W
hat the hell do you mean?” Russ demanded. He didn't know what kind of game Taylor was playing, but he wasn't about to become a participant. If there was a problem, he wanted it out in the open.

“Exactly what I said,” she returned, sounding shaky and unsure. “I don't think it's wise for us to continue seeing each other.”

“Why not?” He tried to keep his voice even, but dammit, Taylor was irritating him, not that this was anything new.

Russ had never met a woman like Taylor Manning before. She could make him madder than anyone he'd ever known, but when he kissed her, the earth moved, angels sang, and whatever else people said about moments of passion. Russ didn't understand it. No one had ever affected him the way Taylor did.

He'd tried staying away from her. Tried exercising a little more self-control, but five minutes with her and his good intentions went the way of all flesh. He wanted her in his bed, her hair spread out over his pillow. He thought about that a lot, far more than he should. Not for the first time, the image brought with it the stirrings of arousal. How could this teacher—and worse, one from a big city—inspire such hunger in him? It made no sense.

He'd run into a cocktail waitress friend when he'd been in Miles City the week before. It had been an uncomfortable encounter. April had expected him to come home with her for what she called “a little afternoon pleasure.” Instead, Russ couldn't get away from her fast enough. Not that he didn't crave being with a woman. But deep down he'd known that the only woman he wanted was Taylor.

That afternoon Russ had seen April for what she was, jaded and cold, and he wanted nothing to do with her. He'd escaped and hurried back to the Lazy P, only to discover Taylor there with his sister. He'd wanted her so badly that day. There was no use lying to himself about it. Even now, almost a week later, when he closed his eyes, he could still smell the fragrance of her perfume. Her mouth had parted beneath his, eager for his kisses. Every touch had hurled his senses into chaos.

“I…don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us,” Taylor, said cutting into his thoughts.

Reluctantly Russ pulled himself from his musings. “I don't, either. If you won't have dinner with me, I'd like to know why. That's not such an unreasonable request, is it?”

“I…think the reason should be obvious.”

“Tell me, anyway.”

Russ felt her hesitation, and when she spoke again, her voice was a little raspy, as if she found it difficult to share her thoughts. “Our personality differences should be more than adequate reason for us to use caution.”

She sounded exactly like the schoolteacher she was. “That hasn't stopped us before. Why should it now?” he asked.

“Darn it, Russ Palmer,” she cried. “You aren't going to make this easy, are you?”

“All I want is the truth.”

Her sigh sang over the wire. “I can't give you anything less than the truth, can I?”

“No,” he said softly. “I'll admit we're different. Anyone looking at us could be able to see that. Our opinions on most subjects are completely opposite, but frankly, I'm willing to work around that. I like you, Taylor.”

“I know,” she whispered dismally. That knowledge seemed to cause her distress rather than celebration.

Russ wasn't pleased, but he refused to make an issue of it. “There are plenty of girls in Cougar Point who'd be mighty pleased if I invited them out to dinner,” he added, thinking that might set her back some, help her realize she had competition.

“Ask them out then,” she said tartly.

“I don't want to. The only woman who interests me is you.”

“That's the problem,” she mumbled, and it sounded like she was close to tears.

The thought of Taylor crying did something funny to Russ's stomach. His protective urges ran deep when it came to this woman. “Taylor, maybe I should drive into town and we can talk face-to-face.”

“No,” she returned abruptly. “That would only make this more difficult.” She paused, and Russ had to restrain the yearning to put the phone aside and go to her immediately.

“Is this about what happened the other day?” he asked. “I know our kissing went further than it should have, but that wasn't intentional. If you want an apology…”

“No, that's not it. Oh, Russ, don't you see?”

He didn't. “Tell me.”

“I like you too much. We both know where this is going to lead—one of these days we're going to end up in love and in bed together.”

That didn't sound too tragic to Russ. He'd been dreaming about it for weeks. “So?”

“So?” she shouted, and her voice vibrated with anger. “I'm not interested in a permanent relationship with you. You're a wonderful man—and you'll make some woman a terrific husband. But not me.”

He let a moment of tense silence pass before he commented. “If you'll recall, the invitation was for dinner. All I was asking for was a simple meal together. I'm not looking for a lifetime commitment.”

“You're doing your best to make this difficult, which is all too typical. I will not have an affair with you, and that's exactly where our relationship is headed. People are already talking, especially after the Grange dance. And then we went horseback riding and…Before I know it, you're going to be telling me how to vote and insisting a woman's place is in the home.” She paused only long enough to inhale a quick breath. “I'm sorry…I really am, but I don't think we should have anything to do with each other. Please understand.”

Before Russ could say another word, the line was disconnected. He held the receiver in his hand for several minutes in disbelief. His first response was anger. He didn't know what Taylor was muttering about. Her words about voting and a woman's place were utterly nonsensical.

He had every right to be upset with her; no one had ever hung up on him before. Instead he felt a tingling satisfaction. Slowly, hardly aware that it was happening, Russ felt a smile creep over his face.

Mandy strolled past him just then. “Hey, what's so funny?”

“Taylor,” he said, grinning hard. “She likes me.”

 

Russ was riding the range, looking for strays, when he saw his lifelong friend come barreling toward him in a battered pickup. Removing his hat, Russ wiped his forearm across his brow. He'd been in the saddle since morning, and he was wearier than he could remember being in a long while. He hadn't been sleeping well; Taylor was constantly on his mind, and he still hadn't figured out what to do about her. If anything. He'd delayed confronting her, thinking it was best to give her time. But he was growing anxious. In the past couple of days Russ had faced a few truths about the two of them.

“Cody, good to see you,” Russ greeted him, dismounting from Magic. “Problems?”

“None to speak of,” Cody said, opening the cab door and getting out.

“You didn't come looking for me to discuss the weather.”

Cody wasn't wearing his sheriff deputy's uniform, which was unusual. Instead, he had on jeans and a thick sweater. He was about the same height as Russ, but he kept his dark hair trimmed short.

“It's been nice the past week or so, hasn't it?” Cody said, gesturing toward the cloudless blue sky. He tucked his fingertips into the hip pocket of his Levi's and walked to the front of the truck. Leaning his back against the grille, he raised one foot and rested it on the bumper.

For early October the weather had been unseasonably warm. They'd experienced several Indian summer days, and while Russ appreciated the respite before winter hit, he knew better than to take anything about Montana weather for granted.

“What's up?” he asked. “It isn't like you to beat around the bush.”

Cody nodded, looking slightly chagrined. “I came to talk to you about the new schoolteacher.”

“What about her?” Russ asked, tensing. He moved over to the truck and put his foot on the bumper, meeting Cody's eyes.

The deputy glanced away, but not before Russ saw the troubled look on his face.

“We've been friends a lot of years, and the last thing I want is for a woman to come between us.”

“I take it you want to ask Taylor out?”

Cody nodded. “But only if you have no objection. Word is the two of you aren't seeing each other anymore.”

“Who told you that?” Russ demanded, fighting to repress the surge of instant jealousy that tightened around his chest. He'd resisted the temptation to rush into town and talk some sense into Taylor, assuming she'd have second thoughts by now. Apparently that wasn't the case. Truth be known, Russ had been doing some thinking about their situation. They were both mature adults and they weren't going to leap into something that would be wrong for them. Okay, so they were strongly attracted—that much was a given—and not seeing each other wasn't going to change the situation, not one bit.

It came as a shock for Russ to admit he was falling in love with Taylor. There wasn't any use in fighting it—hell, he didn't even want to. Nor was he going to pretend he didn't care about her.

“Mary Beth Morgan said something to me this morning,” Cody continued. “Mary Beth said she and Taylor were having coffee in the faculty lounge and she inquired about the two of you. Evidently Taylor told her you'd decided not to see each other again.”

“Taylor came right out and said that?”

“I don't know her exact words. Hey, I'm repeating what someone else repeated to me. How close it is to the truth, I wouldn't know. That's why I'm here.”

The mental image of Cody holding Taylor in his arms brought a sudden flash of rage so strong that for a moment Russ couldn't breathe. Shoving away from the truck, he returned to Magic, reached for the reins and leaped onto the gelding's back.

“Russ?” Cody asked, frowning.

“Go ahead and ask her out.”

 

Taylor couldn't remember Friday nights being so lonely before moving to Cougar Point. It seemed she'd always had something to do, someplace to go. But that wasn't the case anymore. Her entertainment options were limited. The town sported one old-time theater. One screen. One movie. The feature film for the week was a comedy Taylor had seen six months earlier in Seattle. By now it was probably available on video in most parts of the country.

There had been an offer for dinner from Cody Franklin, which had been a surprise, but she'd turned him down. In retrospect she wished she hadn't been so quick to refuse him. He was certainly pleasant. They'd met at the dance, and she'd found him reserved, and perhaps a little remote.

If she was looking for some way to kill time, she could sew, but Taylor simply wasn't in the mood. After a long week in the classroom, she was more interested in doing something relaxing.

Well, she could always read, she supposed. Locating a promising romance, she cuddled up in the armchair and wrapped an afghan around her legs. She hadn't finished the first chapter when her eyes started to drift closed. Struggling to keep them open, she concentrated on the text. After the third yawn, she gave up, set the open book over the arm of the chair and decided to rest for a few minutes.

The next thing she knew someone was pounding at her front door.

Taylor tossed aside the afghan and stumbled across the room, disoriented and confused. “W-who is it?” she asked. The door didn't have a peephole; most folks in town didn't even bother to lock their front doors.

“Russ Palmer,” came the gruff reply.

Taylor quickly twisted the lock and opened the door. “What are you doing here?” she insisted. It took all her willpower not to throw her arms around him.

Now that Russ was standing in the middle of her living room, he didn't look all that pleased about being there.

The wall clock chimed, and Taylor absently counted ten strikes. It was ten! She'd been “resting” for nearly two hours. Good grief, she'd been reduced to falling asleep at eight o'clock on a Friday night.

“Russ?” she prodded. He was frowning, and she had no idea why. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” He gave her a silly, lopsided grin. “Everything's wonderful. You're wonderful. I'm wonderful. The whole world's wonderful.”

“Russ?” She squinted up at him. “You've been drinking.”

He pointed his index finger toward the ceiling. “Only a little.”

She steered him toward the sofa and sat him down. “How much is a little?”

“A couple of beers with a bunch of guys.” His brows drew together as he considered his words. “Or was that a couple of guys and a bunch of beers? I don't remember anymore.”

“That's what I thought,” she murmured. He'd obviously downed more than two beers! “I'll make you some coffee.”

“Don't go,” he said, reaching out and clasping her around the waist. “I'm not drunk, just a little tipsy. I had this sudden urge to visit my lady, and now that I'm here, I want to hold you.”