Wanted: One Mommy (13 page)

“Y
OU CAN STOP
blushing now,” Jack teased as he walked Caroline out to her car several hours later.

Patrice and Dutch had finally decided on a wedding photographer. She had been booked for the event.

“You have to admit.” Caroline ducked her head, remembering the excitement of both the other women in Jack’s life. “It was awkward.” Patrice had been pleased beyond measure at the developing romance.

Maddie had mistakenly concluded that their kiss meant Jack and Caroline would marry. And Maddie would then get the mommy she had recently been wishing for. Only Dutch wore a guarded expression, perhaps wondering if Caroline was making a mistake, getting involved with a man like Jack, who seemed to resist romance and the notion of happily ever after at every turn.

And that in turn had brought up all of Caroline’s private misgivings. Could people change? Did she want to bank everything on Jack’s inability to open his heart all the way and fall in love again? Or take the more optimistic route and hope that with time and patience he would find his inner romantic yet again? All she knew for certain was that she would never be really happy unless she was with a man who not only knew how important it was for her to hold a dream in her heart, but was also willing to share it and work for it, right alongside of her.

Jack touched her arm. “Are you speaking of before or after my mother gifted you with the perfume destined to make me fall in love with you?”

Not wanting to discuss the real reason behind her new
pensiveness, Caroline lifted the crystal bottle to her face and opened the cap. “It does smell heavenly.” Like fragrant peaches, expensive champagne and a sun-warmed meadow. It brought to mind lazy, spring-fever days spent with a lover. And, despite her need to be cautious, that lover was Jack. Patrice had outdone herself with this fragrance. But Caroline suspected Jack’s mother knew that.

Caroline juggled the gift basket of bath oil, scented soap, cologne, lotion and perfume—all laced with her new signature scent—and recapped the perfume.

Jack bent and inhaled the sensitive area just behind her ear. “Have to agree with you. That is really nice.”

J
ACK HAD THOUGHT
Caroline’s devotion to making dreams come true without first stopping to make sure the dreams were worth pursuing, and his need to stop bad things from happening, had put them on a collision course. And while that still could be true in a worst-case scenario when it came to Dutch, Jack realized they also had a lot in common.

Like a fierce desire to shield those they cared about, a willingness to put themselves out there, the way she had by making sure his daughter stayed back and then jumped into the street with Bounder, instead of letting go of the leash and letting their dog face the danger alone.

Caroline had acted quickly and heroically in the exact same way he would have done in that situation, and that left him feeling closer to her than ever. “I really appreciate the way you went all out to protect Maddie and Bounder today.”

Caroline rummaged through her purse for her car keys. “It was no problem.”

Nor was their attraction to each other, Jack now knew. Even if they didn’t see eye to eye on everything. They
agreed on enough. “When can I see you again?” he persisted.

Caroline chuckled. “You’re seeing me now.”

He grinned at her teasing dodge. “Alone.”

Caroline found her keys. Grew suddenly serious. “Are you sure it’s wise? Given how much Maddie is beginning to want a mother. She was so over the moon just now when she saw us kissing. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“I don’t want to hurt my daughter, either. And I still say, we’d be fools not to pursue this.”

Jack returned Caroline’s sober regard, waiting for what seemed an eternity. Finally, she gave in, as he hoped she would. She set the gift basket full of perfume in her car. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt anything if we furthered our friendship.”

Jack wanted a lot more than companionship from Caroline, but he would settle for what he could get. The full-on courting could come later….

“But all I’ve got available tomorrow is lunch.”

Seeing her at noon sounded good. Hell, seeing her anytime, anywhere, sounded just fine. Jack made a mental note to adjust his own schedule. “Count me in.” Not content to leave anything to chance, or give another guy a chance to move in on what he now considered his territory, he pressed, “What about Wednesday?”

Caroline bit her lower lip as she consulted the calendar on her BlackBerry, said finally, “I could do dinner.”

Jack felt even happier. “I’ll make reservations.” Somewhere really nice.

She looked up with a sigh. “And nothing at all on Thursday.”

Jack frowned in disappointment.

Caroline held up a hand before he could even attempt to persuade her otherwise. “Sorry, but Friday morning I
head for the party ranch. I need to be there to receive the portable bathrooms and the two luxury motor homes the wedding party will get dressed in. The tents and the wedding arbor are going to have to be set up, extra flats of Texas wildflowers brought in and planted strategically around the wedding site, the chairs and portable stoves and refrigerators delivered. Bottom line, there is a lot to do. I’m going to need to get my beauty rest.”

She had no idea how gorgeous she was, but he could not forget it. Still, he wanted her to feel good, and a little extra sleep would go a long way toward ensuring that.

Eager to be helpful, he said, “What time are you heading out Friday morning?”

“Six. I’ve got a lot to do.”

There was no one Jack wanted to see more early in the morning. “How about I go with you?”

“I
THINK IT’S A SPLENDID
plan!” Patrice said when Jack told his mother of his decision to accompany Caroline to the wedding site later that same evening.

“My only quandary is whether to come back to Fort Worth Friday evening, or stay over and meet up with you and Dutch and Maddie and the rest of the guests on Saturday.”

Patrice put down her newspaper. “You know what the romance gurus would say.”

“Mom,” Jack said sternly.

Patrice cast a fond glance at Dutch, who was outside on the patio talking on his cell phone, then turned back to Jack, merriment dancing in her gray eyes. “I’m just saying….”

Jack held up a staying palm. “I know what you and Maddie want.”
And maybe I do, too
. “But there’s only
one Gaines family wedding happening this weekend,” he finished firmly.

Patrice’s smile was sly. “A mother can hope.”

Jack saw his opening and took it with a gently voiced question. “Seriously, Mom.” Jack leaned toward her, needing—wanting—to make certain. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

Disappointment reigned. “Jack!”

Unable to shake his feeling that something was amiss, Jack cast another look at Dutch, too. “If you have any doubts at all, we could reschedule for a later date.”

Patrice rose. “I’m not waiting to marry Dutch. We’re doing it this weekend, and we’re doing it right.” She stopped scowling long enough to touch Jack’s shoulder with maternal affection. “Now stop worrying! If you don’t stop you’re going to get permanent frown lines on your forehead.”

Like he cared about that. “That’s what Botox is for.”

“The day you are metrosexual enough to undertake a cosmetic procedure is the day I’ll whistle Dixie through a pair of dentures!”

Jack laughed. “Okay, Mom. You’ve made your point.”

He just hoped his mother was doing the right thing, and that nothing else potentially problematic turned up in his investigation of Dutch, because if it did, he was going to have to tell his mom a truth he was certain she would not want to hear.

The rest of the week passed swiftly. Jack and Caroline had a lunch and a dinner. They managed to talk on the phone late Thursday evening. On Friday, Jack arrived to pick her up at 6:00 a.m.

He had hoped the drive out to the party ranch would give them time to talk. Caroline spent the entire time on her cell phone, making sure that everyone was on schedule.

The only glitch was the scattered groupings of gray-blue
clouds dotting the horizon. Caroline got out of Jack’s car. In deference to the hard physical labor she was going to be doing that day, she had on a waist-skimming white blouse, stack-heeled blue western boots and jeans.

Clipboard and BlackBerry in hand, she paused to look at the sky. “I checked the weather again this morning. The probability of a storm hitting the ranch is slight—less than ten percent.”

Jack studied the storm clouds looming on the horizon.

Another sign?

Caroline lit up at the half-dozen tractor trailers also headed their way. “Looks like we’re right on schedule,” she said, pleased.

By late morning, the white tents and the lights for the event had all been erected, the dance floor and bandstand set up, the outdoor kitchen hooked up and arranged. As those trucks and their workers left, several other tractor trailers, carrying the portable bathrooms, drove in. Those were followed by trucks delivering white folding chairs and the wedding arbor. The flowers weren’t going to be set out until the next morning.

“Looking good,” Jack told Caroline as Cinco de Mayo ribbons and streamers were set out along the drive from the highway onto the ranch, furthering the festive air.

“Except for one thing,” Caroline grumbled as two luxury motor homes rumbled onto the property. She looked at the new bank of dark clouds looming on the horizon. “Yet another threat of rain.”

Jack waved off her concern as his cell phone began to ring. “Bad weather’s been passing us by all day.”

Leaving Caroline to tell the delivery people where to set the motor homes that would serve as dressing and waiting rooms for the wedding party, Jack walked off to take the call.

Laura Tillman’s voice sounded in Jack’s ear. “I’ve got some news for you. And you’re not going to like it….”

Jack listened to what the P.I. had to say with a sinking feeling in his gut. “Give me a call as soon as you know more,” he instructed. She promised to do so and the conversation ended.

Jack managed to stay away from Caroline until the motor home deliverymen had left. The minute she came toward him, she knew something had changed. And not for the better. “What’s going on?” she asked.

Jack looked at the racks of tarp-covered white folding chairs that wouldn’t be set out until morning. Then at the ever-darkening blue-gray sky. Should he tell Caroline what they knew thus far? Or just wait until Laura had something more detailed?

“I can tell by the look on your face that something is up,” Caroline insisted. She grasped his arm. “Don’t even try and pretend otherwise. So you may as well just go ahead and tell me, because I’m not going to rest until I find out what’s got you looking so concerned.”

For a moment, Caroline thought Jack wasn’t going to tell her anything. Then he scowled and reported reluctantly, “Laura’s company set up surveillance.”

Caroline’s heartbeat kicked up a notch as she noted the air around them was getting uncomfortably warm and humid again. “And?” she prodded, hoping for the best while dreading the worst.

The lines on either side of Jack’s handsome mouth deepened. “A pretty forty-something blonde has been seen coming in and out of Dutch’s apartment when he’s there. Apparently, they were together twice this week, both times for over four hours!”

Okay, Caroline thought. That didn’t sound good. But it wasn’t necessarily the disaster Jack was making it out to be, either. “Who is she?” Caroline asked calmly.

Jack clamped a hand over the tense muscles in his neck, then began to pace the lawn where the wedding would take place late the following afternoon. “Well, that’s the problem,” Jack said, grimacing, taking another look at the looming gray clouds. “We don’t know yet.”

Needing to get away from the increasing ferocity of the gusting wind blowing across the plain, Caroline stepped inside the tent where tables and chairs for the reception had already been set up. She walked over to a set of plastic-
covered bins containing the elegant place cards and printed menus. She double-checked to make sure all was in order, and checked that off her list. “So this mystery woman could be anyone.”

Jack followed her, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. “Like a mistress.”

Caroline had hoped her influence would have Jack taking a more charitable view of his mother’s fiancé. Obviously not. Yet, anyway. She still had hopes she could reform him. Caroline moved to the seating chart that would guide the waitstaff the next day. All was in order there, too.

“Or a professional colleague.” Caroline continued theorizing optimistically. “It is traditional for the bride and groom to give each other gifts. The mystery woman could be working on a surprise for your mother on her wedding day. In fact, for all you know, she could be an artist, consigned to make a special piece of jewelry, or a travel agent finalizing the details of a luxurious Australian honeymoon. Dutch is in charge of that, you know, and he hasn’t told your mother where they are going. Or even exactly when.” But both the bride and groom were eagerly looking forward to it.

Jack perched on the edge of one of the circular tables, arms folded in front of him. Clearly, Caroline noted, he was back to thinking the worst about Dutch.

“I know you’re trying to help, but you’re reaching,” Jack told Caroline grimly.

Caroline put down her clipboard and pen. “And, as always, you’re suspecting the worst, instead of hoping for the best.”

Jack threw up his hands in disgust. “Look, I want this to be innocent as much as you do.”

“But you can’t trust the mystery woman and her in
volvement in the situation any more than you can trust Dutch.”

Jack reached out and pulled Caroline close, situating her between his spread legs. “You know the old saying,” he murmured as her bottom settled comfortably on the inside of his muscular thigh. “If it looks bad, and it smells bad, it probably is bad.”

Relishing the physical closeness of his body, Caroline splayed her hands across the warm, hard muscles of his chest. She looked into his eyes. “There’s also an old saying that warns not to judge a book by its cover, especially if there could be a logical explanation for all of this.”

“I might believe that,” Jack said, “if all Dutch had done was try and liquidate his assets quickly or rent an apartment for himself that he’s never mentioned having, or met with a pretty blonde twenty years my mother’s junior a couple of times. But add all three things together…?”

Dutch had never seemed like a womanizer to Caroline. Diligently, she tried another tact. “For all we know these three things are connected and this young woman is a real estate broker who is working with Dutch on selling all his beachfront properties ASAP.”

Another gust of wind lifted the flap on the tent, and shook the fabric overhead.

Caroline slid off Jack’s lap. She spoke over her shoulder as she headed toward the exit for a look-see. “Listing a property involves a lot of paperwork and can be very time-consuming.”

Jack ambled after her. “Then why not tell us that he’s going off to meet a business contact? Or have that person come to the house to work with him while Maddie is in school?”

Caroline shrugged as fat drops of rain hit the ground in staccato bursts. “Maybe Dutch wanted privacy to conduct
his financial transactions.” She swiveled around to face Jack as the sky grew ever darker and another burst of wind shook the tent. “Maybe he’s embarrassed he hasn’t been able to quickly divest himself of his business holdings on his own. Maybe your mother knows about this woman and the meetings and just hasn’t said anything to you because she doesn’t think it’s any of your business.” Caroline tilted her chin. “The bottom line is we already know Dutch is in a hurry to get out of the property rental and management business altogether so he can officially retire, just as your mother has, and not have to worry about it. So it figures—even if he’s not talking about it to us—that Dutch would be putting a lot of energy into making it happen, even from afar.”

Jack considered her point, looking as if he wanted to believe as Caroline did that a happily ever after was still possible for his long-widowed mother. “Then why not rent virtual office space—which is available on a month-to-month basis?” Jack countered, stubborn as ever. He searched Caroline’s eyes. “Why an apartment?”

There were many possible reasons, Caroline thought. She shrugged as a crack of lightning flared in the distance and caught their eyes. She turned to see what looked like a heavy rainstorm moving quickly across the plain. Gosh, those clouds were getting dark!

Knowing a tent was not a good place to weather the approaching electrical storm, Caroline grabbed Jack’s hand. As thunder rumbled in the distance and rain dampened their clothes, they dashed toward the safety of the luxury motor homes. “He’s older. He’s used to living alone. It’s possible he wanted a more comfortable place to work as well as a place where he could escape if life at your house got too hectic. And you have to admit, it can be a little lively there, with Maddie and Bounder, and your mom
and you…especially if…” Caroline made a little joke as she opened the door and vaulted up the steps and inside “…Bounder catches sight of a rabbit.”

Pausing to acknowledge the memory of that unexpected calamity and others that were doubtless still to come, Jack followed her into the motor home. “Dutch has never behaved like bedlam bothered him. He’s acted as if he loved the commotion of our household, the same as you do!”

So Jack had noticed how easily she had blended into his family, Caroline thought happily as she went into the bath and came out with two hand towels. She handed one to Jack and used the other to blot the raindrops from her face. She wanted the joy she felt at being with Jack to spread to all aspects of their lives.

As they stood there, staring at each other, Caroline abruptly became aware of two things.

One, it sounded like the rain had completely stopped.

And two, it had gotten incredibly dark all of a sudden.

Almost as black as night.

And then they heard it, a roar like a train.

They swore simultaneously. Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the motor home. A half a mile from them, a funnel cloud was hovering just above the fence line. And it was headed straight for the wedding site!

They swore again and took off for the ditch that ran along either side of the drive. Jack pushed her into it, and dove down on top of her, draping her with his length, holding her tight.

Caroline shut her eyes, praying, and the world slowed.

The noise grew deafening.

The ground trembled.

She and Jack were lifted slightly, set back down.

And then all grew silent once again.

W
AS IT OVER
? Jack wondered. It sure as heck seemed like it was. But then, right now he wasn’t sure of anything, except that beneath him Caroline was okay, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of his chest. Taking his cue from the absence of wind and sound, Jack eased his weight off of Caroline slightly and lifted his head.

It was over, all right. And it was pouring down rain.

Jack pushed himself out of the ditch. Caroline followed suit, and with his help, struggled to her feet, too. She wrapped her arms around him. “Jack,” she said fiercely.

He hugged her back, just as hard, relishing the feel of her body, the knowledge she was safe from harm. Over the top of her head, Jack scanned their surroundings, taking note of what had happened, trying to make sense of everything he saw. It was easy to see where the tornado had touched down. It had kicked up sod and fence in a jagged line along the perimeter of the party ranch, but miraculously had changed course at the last minute and done only minor damage to the party tents. One rack of chairs had been upended and scattered across the lawn where the guests would be seated. The wedding arbor had been yanked out of the ground by the force of the wind and torn to bits as well, Jack noted grimly, thinking of the ceremony that was to take place in that exact spot the following day. But the motor homes, the portable restrooms, even the outdoor kitchen that had been set up for the caterers, all looked mostly untouched.

Caroline, however, still looked pretty badly shaken up, and her face and clothing were smudged with rain and dirt.

Jack wrapped his arm around her. He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “Let’s get you inside.”

Once in the safety of the motor home, Caroline excused
herself and slipped into the bathroom. He grinned as he heard her exclamation of dismay. Obviously, she’d caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Then frowned as he tried to turn on the lights, and got no response.

The tap turned on, then ten seconds later abruptly stopped.

Caroline came back out of the bathroom.

“There’s no water and the lights aren’t working.”

“The connections to the ranch power and water supply could have been knocked loose in the storm,” Jack theorized.
Or it could be a larger problem
…. “Let’s try the guest restrooms.”

They left the motor home and went to the luxury bathrooms trucked in for the occasion. Same result. They stepped back outside. The rain was still coming down, drenching everything in sight. Coming toward them was a familiar pickup truck. It stopped just short of them and the owner of Ted’s Party Ranch stepped out. Unlike them, he was clad in a yellow rain slicker, and looked none the worse for the calamity.

“Y’all okay?” the cowboy asked.

They nodded. “Except for the loss of power,” Jack said.

“Yeah, well.” Ted stroked his handlebar mustache and scraggly goatee. “That’s what I came to talk to you about. The power’s out. The storm took out a couple of towers between here and the station.”

“That sounds bad,” Caroline said.

Ted nodded. “It is. I just talked to the electric company. They’re saying it will be early next week before they can get the towers replaced and the lines back up.”

“Which is why the water’s out, too,” Jack surmised.

Caroline looked at him, perplexed.

“We’re on well water,” Ted explained. “Without electricity, the pumps won’t work. So, there’s no water. Without water, there’s no way to provide for the facilities, not for three hundred people.”

Caroline scowled at Jack, her dreams for the perfectly planned and executed wedding fading fast. “If you say this is another sign…” Caroline warned Jack stonily.

She looked like she didn’t know whether to kick something in frustration or burst into tears, Jack noted sympathetically. And might just do both. There was only one way, Jack knew, to save the day. “Let me call the guys,” he said, ready, willing and able to be her hero once again. “And we’ll see what we can do.”

H
ALF AN HOUR LATER
, help was on its way, and Dutch and Patrice were on the phone with Jack. “Thank heaven we found you!” Patrice said the moment Jack said hello via the speakerphone on his cell. “Dutch and I just saw the news report of the tornado that touched down in your area! Are you and Caroline all right?”

How long, Caroline wondered, since she’d had “family” worrying about her, checking up on her, making sure she was okay? How long since she’d felt part of something larger than just herself?

Jack wrapped his arm around Caroline’s shoulders and brought her in close so she could participate in the conversation, too. “We’re fine, Mom.”

“We’re very glad to hear that,” Dutch said in obvious relief.

“Massive power outages in the area were also reported,” Patrice continued.

Jack hadn’t wanted his mother to know this, for fear she’d worry. “That’s true, Mom, but we’re working to fix
it as we speak,” Jack reassured over the sound of the rain still hammering the motor home roof above.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Patrice choked out, distraught. “We’re supposed to get married tomorrow, Dutch!”

“Now, honey,” Dutch soothed in a tender tone that had Caroline envisioning the older gentleman wrapping his arms around Patrice, comforting his bride-to-be in the same way Jack was now comforting her. “I told you, there’s no use fighting Mother Nature. If need be, we’ll just reschedule. Or move the wedding indoors. Or even go to a justice of the peace, whatever you want.” To his credit, Dutch seemed amenable with whatever happened.

“Fortunately,” Caroline interrupted firmly, resuming her role of wedding planner in command, “neither option is going to be necessary.” That was, if Jack and his friends managed to accomplish all the things they had promised in the short amount of time they had left. “Although it’s pouring right now, the rain here is supposed to end by early evening.”

“You see, honey?” Dutch told Patrice gently. “Everything is going to be all right.”

A tremulous sigh. Then a pause. “I know, dear. We just need to have faith.”

Caroline’s certainty that this couple was meant to be together increased. Jack looked touched by the affection of their exchange, too. There was no doubt about it, Dutch was good for his mother.