Little Cowgirl Needs a Mom (6 page)

Evan turned his head and found Jenny standing at the entrance. He didn't need her here. He didn't need his heart racing, or his gut tightening into knots at the sight of her, either. Yet lately that seemed to be a common occurrence whenever she was around.

That meant big trouble for him.

 

Jenny had called herself crazy as she changed out of her comfortable sweats and into a pair of jeans and a cotton T-shirt. Then again when she slipped on a pair of heeled
sandals and hurried down the steps of her apartment and out the back of the shop.

She told herself she was wanting a barbecue sandwich and some fries. That was her story and she was sticking to it. Spotting the Rafferty ranch truck from her window had nothing to do with it.

Telling herself she needed to stay away from Evan hadn't slowed her progress as she crossed the nearly deserted street toward the neon sign of Rory's Bar and Grill. She took a breath, and walked into the dimly lit room.

A wooden L-shaped bar ran nearly the length of the space. Against the side walls were a half dozen high-backed booths, mostly empty tonight. It was a nice place with a warm atmosphere.

“Hi,” she said, too breathless. Evan looked good, freshly shaved and wearing a starched Western shirt and nice jeans.

He nodded. “Jenny.”

She glanced away. “Hello, Sean,” she called as the older man came around the bar to greet her with a hug.

“Hi, lass. You look mighty pretty tonight.”

She couldn't even remember if she'd put on any makeup. “Thank you.”

“So you finally decided to check the place out?”

“My own cooking brought me here. I hear you serve a great barbecue sandwich.”

Sean winked at her. “It's the best. What else can I get you?”

“Some fries and make it to go.”

Sean frowned. “You can't go home and eat alone.” He glanced at his son. “Evan was about to eat. Go and sit in a booth. Share some conversation and I'll bring you your food. What do you want to drink?”

Jenny wasn't sure this was a good idea. “I'll have whatever Evan's drinking.”

Sean hurried off, and she heard Evan say, “We'd better do as he says. You're not getting out of here until you eat.”

“I didn't intend to interrupt your evening.” She was such a lousy liar, but he didn't look too happy to see her. “I mean, you don't have to babysit me.”

“Have you heard me complain?” He led her to a booth and she scooted in.

“I'll be right back,” he said and went behind the bar to draw a beer from the tap. He walked back and set both glasses on the table, then slid next to her.

She took a sip of beer. “Okay, Rafferty. Is this how you spend your night off?” She knew Gracie was sleeping over at the Casalis'.

“Geez, do you think I'm out chasing women?” He turned toward her, giving a hint of a smile. “Sorry to disappoint, but I'd rather have a quiet evening, enjoying a drink and talking with my dad.”

She nodded. “Being single sucks, huh?”

He locked those baby blues on her. “From where I'm sitting it doesn't look so bad.”

She felt a warm shiver go through her. “Oh, I bet you say that to all the ladies.”

“This is Kerry Springs, not San Antonio. A social life is pretty limited.”

“I'm sure you draw the attention of a lot of females in this town.”

He took a long drink from his mug. “You've mistaken me for Matt. I don't go out much.”

She sobered when reality hit. “You still miss your wife.”

He didn't acknowledge her statement. “My concern is Gracie. We hadn't exactly been close. Not like she and her mother were.”

Jenny toyed with her glass, envying any relationship between a mother and daughter. “And you've been working on that. You've helped her get to class.”

“And you've talked me into letting her have a sleepover, which you're helping with. You must have caught me at a weak moment.” He turned to her. “Thanks for volunteering to help.”

“Hold the applause and wait until we see if it's a success,” she smiled.

He nodded, his long tapered fingers rubbing up and down the sides of the beer glass. “There's something else I want to get off my chest.”

She watched him. No other man had ever made her so aware of her femininity with just one look. He was a big man, but there was softness to his strength. She could easily slip into his arms. She shook it off and said, “What is that?”

“I apologize for nosing into your business with Perkins. I had no right.”

She blinked in surprise. “Accepted. And for the record, only in my head did our relationship get serious.” She met his gaze. “Brian is a nice guy. I think I fell more for the idea of love than I actually fell in love.”

He held her gaze. “It can be incredible, I hear.”

She caught a flicker of something in his eyes. Regret. Loneliness. Was he saying his marriage wasn't as perfect as people had believed it to be?

She glanced away. No, this wasn't any of her business. “You have Gracie and your family.”

He sighed. “Yeah. A nosy father and a pushy brother. Whom you need to watch out for. Matt can be pretty charming.”

She doubted Matt was the Rafferty she had to worry about. She fought a smile. “I'll keep that in mind.”

Before he could speak, Sean carried out two large plates of food and placed them down on the table.

“Sorry it took so long.” He placed his hands on his hips and grinned. “Nothing like good food and conversation,” he said as a lone customer walked in the door. “Got to get to work.” He waved as he went behind the bar. “Hello, Michael.”

Suddenly Evan was feeling like a teenager. He was far too aware of the woman beside him. The more time he spent with Jenny the more he felt he wanted her. Question was, did he want to do anything about it?

“This smells delicious,” she said.

“Dad wasn't lying when he said it's the best around.”

He watched as Jenny picked up her oversized sandwich and took a bite, leaving a smear of sauce on the side of her mouth. Desire shot through him as he fought the urge to lean forward and remove it, giving both a taste. Instead he picked up a napkin.

“Here, you have sauce on your mouth.” He reached out and wiped it off. She froze, allowing him to clean her up. Their eyes locked and instantly he was mesmerized. “Damn, woman,” he breathed, then pulled away. “Eat your food before we both get into trouble.”

Twenty minutes later they'd finished the meal.

“I can't finish all this,” Jenny announced, leaving half her food. “I'm stuffed.”

Evan patted his stomach. “I didn't have any trouble.” He hadn't realized how hungry he was. And not only for food. He looked at Jenny. Although he didn't want to leave her, the direction his thoughts were taking wasn't a good idea.

“I hate to cut this short,” he began, “but I need to get up early tomorrow. I'm helping Matt move cattle.”

She groaned. “I think they should outlaw Mondays. But
if truth be told, I'd probably get up early anyway. I love dawn.”

Evan stood. “It's my favorite time, too.” He placed some bills on the table, but when she reached for her wallet he stopped her. “Don't even think about it.”

“But you don't need to pay for my supper.”

“What if I want to?” He helped her out of the booth. “What if I wanted to share dinner and conversation with you?”

Her gaze held his. “I just didn't want you to feel you had to.”

“If I'd felt that way, I'd have let you take your food back to your apartment. Can we agree sharing a meal was nice?”

She nodded. “Yes, nice,” she said in a soft, breathy voice.

“Now, hopefully without argument, I'm going to walk you home.”

Jenny nodded, then they waved to Sean and headed for the door. He followed her out into the darkness, then took her by the elbow as they crossed the street. It was dark as they made their way to the other side and started down the alley. Several sensor lights came on as they walked past the other businesses on the way to the back door of the quilt shop.

“It was a nice evening, Rafferty. Thank you.”

She took out her keys, but he stopped her. “I like it when you call me Evan.” He knew in his head this was a bad idea, but couldn't stop himself as he pulled her toward him. He gave her a chance to back away, but she didn't. “Say my name, Jenny.”

She swallowed. “Evan,” she breathed, and his mouth closed over hers.

Evan shut everything out of his mind, except for the feel of Jenny's body pressed against his. He drew a breath
and inhaled her fresh scent. He reached up and cupped her head, feeling the silkiness of her hair. On a soft moan, she opened her mouth and he got to taste her intoxicating sweetness. He hadn't realized how hungry she made him.

He broke off the kiss but not his hold.

“Maybe this isn't a good idea,” Jenny breathed as her arms slipped around his neck.

His mouth brushed over hers; he wasn't listening at all to common sense. “It feels pretty damn good to me.”

I
T
was a little before nine the following morning when Jenny came downstairs to the shop. Millie was already there, and, to her surprise, so were several other women. They were all seated at the round table at the window.

“What's going on?” Jenny asked as she came up next to her coworker.

Millie took her to the table. “Meet the ladies of the Quilters' Corner. You already know Beth Staley and this is Louisa Merrick and Liz Parker. And soon there will be more.”

Jenny smiled, excited they were here. “Morning, ladies. I'm glad you're taking advantage of the space.”

Millie turned to her. “You know, most times when you get a bunch of women together there's drama.”

“There's just going to be quilting,” Louisa Merrick said. She was an attractive woman in her late fifties. Her raven hair was laced with gray and pulled into a bun, showing off her beautiful bone structure. Her dark eyes sparkled. “My husband, Clay, is a Texas politician. He causes enough drama.”

Everyone laughed.

“Sounds like your life is exciting,” Jenny said, knowing a little of Senator Merrick's reputation.

Louisa smiled. “I'd rather have a houseful of grand
kids to spoil, but my son, Sloan, is a little slow to fill my request.” Louisa smiled. “You say you're single?”

Jenny found herself stuttering.
Please don't let anyone set me up with a date.

Beth spoke up. “Sloan is more interested in raising his free-range cattle than in women right now. Jenny's been busy, too…with her girls' class.”

“He'll be interested,” Louisa assured her, “when he finds the right woman.” She looked encouragingly at Jenny.

“I won't be staying in town past the summer. I'll be returning to San Antonio and my teaching job.”

After a series of groans from the women, Beth started talking about her granddaughter, Kasey. And Jenny was happy to no longer be the main topic of discussion. What would everyone think if they knew Evan Rafferty had kissed the daylights out of her last night?

She smiled to herself, knowing that, as much as she'd enjoyed the kiss, she couldn't make too much out of it. Talk about a mismatch. Evan wasn't the man for her. A warm shiver went through her at the memory of his touch.

Maybe if she wrote it on a piece of paper a hundred times then she'd start to believe it.

 

That same morning, Evan began his day as usual. He walked through the vines, checking the grapes as he had every day for years. He'd always been a man who thrived on routine, on habit.

But he wasn't in the habit of kissing women.

He closed his eyes and Jenny came to mind. In the last twelve hours he hadn't been able to erase her image, or the feel of her against him, or the taste of her.

The truth was, kissing Jenny had been incredible. He hadn't wanted to stop, but he'd had to. It wasn't wrong to
want a woman, he told himself, especially a woman as appealing as the dark-eyed blonde.

What bothered him was how she made him feel. He wanted casual, and she had marriage and kids written all over her. He couldn't go there again. Besides, Jenny had befriended his daughter. That could complicate things all to hell. And he needed to put his energy into his relationship with Gracie.

No, marriage wasn't for him. He couldn't make his first one work, so why would he try again?

At the sound of a horn, he looked over his shoulder and saw a crew-cab truck pull up next to the barn. Alex Casali and Gracie got out along with her new friend, Cherry. His daughter waved and he started down the slope as the group came toward him.

“Hey, Gracie.” He'd missed her more than he could have imagined.

“Hi, Daddy,” she called, surprising him as she rushed into his arms.

“Did you have a good time?”

She stood back and smiled. “It was so much fun. We watched movies and played video games.”

Hadn't she missed him at all? “Sounds like fun to me.”

“Daddy, when can I have my sleepover?”

“I'm not exactly sure.” He glanced at Alex. “We need to discuss that with Jenny.”

Gracie looked at Cherry. “Jenny's going to be the woman in the house. Daddy says mothers won't let their girls come with only men here.”

Alex hid a grin. “Wise idea.”

Gracie turned back to Evan. “Will you ask her?”

He wasn't sure he was ready to face Jenny yet. “Okay.”

“Today?”

That could be an excuse to see her again. “We'll see.”

Gracie looked at her new friend. “Come on, I want to show you my room.”

“Ten minutes, Cherry,” Alex called after the twosome running toward the house. “Then we need to leave.” He turned back to Evan. “I doubt she even heard me.” He nodded toward the vineyard. “How about showing me around?”

Evan was surprised by the request. “Sure.”

Together they walked toward the rows of vines, heavy with grapes. “It's quiet now, but we'll start harvesting in a few months,” Evan said. “We'll be busy then.”

“How many acres planted?”

“Right now it's about twelve.”

Alex studied him. “You have plans for more?”

Evan turned away. “I've always had plans for more. Just not in the near future.”

“You sell to Solomon Creek Winery?”

Evan nodded. “Yes, my pinot grigio grapes.” He pointed to the highest section of the hill. “They're harvested first. Then zinfandel and muscat. They're all my grapes, but under his label.”

“I'm impressed.”

Evan was surprised. “Why? You've done well in the cattle business, and it's been a lot more profitable.”

“Success is not always measured by financial gain.” Alex smiled. “I discovered that when I met Allison and Cherry.” There was a long pause. “You've had a rough few years, but you've come through it.”

Evan didn't want to go there. “I have a daughter to think about now.” He glanced around the vineyard. “This is for her. It's her heritage.”

“Is she the reason you wanted to build the winery?”

“That was part of the Kerchers' plan, then my wife's. Now, it's the Rafferty Vineyard. I'm more into growing
the grapes. And they're in demand as the hill-country wine business grows. These wineries here are winning awards all over the world.”

“You're quite the spokesperson.”

“It is my livelihood.”

They stopped at the crest of the hill. “What's your dream?”

“It's pretty simple—to grow the best grapes and run my own label.” Evan just wasn't sure he could pull it off by himself. Although his brother helped out, Matt was more interested in the cattle operation.

Alex studied him. “The important thing is to have a dream. That was my problem for years.” Alex raised an eyebrow. “I worried too much about accomplishing things, making money, moving on to the next step, so that I couldn't enjoy what I had. It's important to have someone to share it with.”

Evan had to agree, but he had a feeling Alex Casali wasn't talking about sharing all this with Gracie, but with another female.

 

Jenny rolled over in bed and glanced at the clock on her nightstand—6:55 a.m. Since it was only five minutes until the alarm would go off she might as well get up. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her thoughts flashed to Evan. It had been two days since she'd been foolish enough to let things go so far.

Big mistake. She never should have gone to Rory's. Never should have let Evan kiss her. What had made her think they could be just friends?

She released a breath and walked out of her bedroom and into the main room of the apartment.

The newly remodeled attic space that had once belonged
to Allison was smaller than Jenny's place in San Antonio, but she didn't have to share it with a roommate.

She walked over to the compact kitchen with its new cabinets and appliances, not that she needed more than a microwave. She took a diet soda from the refrigerator, popped the tab and went into the living area. Bamboo floors were covered by a sisal rug, and a grass-green love seat and two tan leather chairs faced the small flat-screen television banked on either side with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. There wasn't any wasted space here.

It was fine, temporarily, but her goal was to go back to San Antonio and her teaching job at the high school. Not to kiss a cowboy/vineyard owner. That had been what had got her into trouble two summers ago with Brian. She brushed her hair away from her face and took a gulp of the caffeine-charged drink. She needed a clear head. She didn't need to fantasize about Evan Rafferty's arms around her, his mouth against hers, sending incredible feelings through her.

No! No! No!

She wasn't ready for this man. More importantly, Rafferty wasn't ready for her. He had a wife that he hadn't put to rest, a daughter he was trying to parent. Her heart tightened at the thought of Gracie. How blessed she would be to have a sweet little girl like her.

She shook her head. “You're dreaming again, Jen.”

Once again she heard the familiar words. Marsha Collins-Newsome had always been a realist. She hadn't believed in dreams. A single mother beaten down by life, she'd married the first guy who could give her a decent home. Carl Newsome, a widower with three wild sons: Carl Junior, Mike and Todd. The boys were older than Jenny, and they'd spent their adolescence making things difficult for her. The youngest son, Todd, had been the
worst. He'd made her life a living hell, and even as adults he wouldn't leave her alone. She was glad he'd been sent to prison and hoped that she never had to see him again. No, the Newsomes and Collinses had never quite managed to become a nurturing family. The furthest thing from it.

Jenny remembered her visit with the Raffertys. They weren't perfect, but they cared about each other. Her chest tightened with that same old longing. She wanted what she'd never had. A loving family.

She turned her thoughts back to Evan. He wasn't the man for her. Too much baggage, and she didn't want to be the rebound girl.

The only stability in her life had been her teaching. Since college, it had filled a lot of empty places. She needed to get back to it. And nothing was going to stop her.

Not even the good-looking Evan Rafferty.

 

Later that day, Jenny had just finished with a customer when the bell over the door rang and Evan walked in. Her heart began to race. She hated that she reacted to the man.

Evan removed his hat and nodded to Beth Staley. The older woman stopped and talked with him a moment, then he held the door open for her and she walked out.

He made his way across the store. Those deep-blue eyes locked in on Jenny. She felt her breathing speed up. She had to stop this. This wasn't high school.

“Jenny,” he said as he stopped at the other side of the counter.

“Rafferty,” she returned, not seeing a bit of uneasiness in him. “What can I do for you?”

He glanced around, hearing voices from the tables in the classroom area. “Can we talk?”

Dear Lord, no. She didn't want to hear that he was sorry he kissed her. “I'm rather busy right now.”

He held his hat in his hand. “When will you have time?”

Millie suddenly appeared. “I can watch things for a while.” She smiled at Evan. “You could go back to the office.”

Evan nodded to her. “Thank you.” Then without any warning, he came around the counter and took Jenny by the arm and walked her toward the back of the store. Inside the small office she stopped in front of the file cabinet, but when she turned around, she found Evan right there. His gaze was intense, his scent engulfed her.

“What's so important?” she managed.

“I need to know if you still plan to chaperone Gracie's sleepover.”

She was almost relieved that was the reason he'd stopped by. “Yes, I promised her that I would. Why? Have you changed your mind?”

He studied her for a moment, then shook his head. “I was thinking you might have after what happened the other night.”

Now she saw his uneasiness. It was endearing, but she couldn't let him get to her. “Get over yourself, Rafferty. It was only a kiss.” One that had nearly knocked her socks off, she added silently.

He leaned in closer. She could feel his breath warm against her face. Then he grinned. He wasn't playing fair. “Glad you feel that way.” He stepped back. “Because the invitations went out for Friday night.”

She worked to clear the dryness from her throat. “What invitations?”

“The sleepover at my house,” he said.

She knew he was talking about Gracie's party, but suddenly a picture of Evan and her in a big bed flashed
through her head. Whoa. She blinked and turned away. “What time?”

“Gracie told her friends seven o'clock. Maybe you could come by a little early, and don't be surprised if Matt and Dad have some surprises planned.”

Jenny found it easy to smile. That was just like those two. “Sounds like fun.”

He grumbled something. “I just want to survive the night.”

She laughed. “Buck up, fella, this is only the beginning.”

“That's what I'm afraid of.”

 

Friday night arrived, along with a half dozen screaming girls and their thundering footsteps overhead in Gracie's bedroom.

“Saints save us,” his father said, looking up at the ceiling. “What in the world are they doing up there?”

“I don't know. I only hope the house is still standing in the morning,” Evan replied, shrugging. “Of course, Jenny's up there supervising.” Then came another thud. “Maybe they tied her up and put her in a closet.”

Sean laughed. “That's something you and your brother would have done. But if it happens, then you can go up and save the pretty lass.”

And who would save him? he wondered. Once the girls had found out Jenny was going to be there tonight they were even more excited to come. For him, having her in the house seemed strange, but to everyone else, she fitted in. She did fit in. Maybe that was the problem.