Lone Star Valentine (McCabe Multiples) (10 page)

He was right about one thing, Lily realized in exasperation. Time was a’wastin’. Pursing her lips, she accepted the long list of locations from Miss Mim, and then turned back to Gannon. “Let’s just go.”

“See?” Gannon held up his hands in triumph, beaming at one and all. He settled his Stetson squarely on his head and proclaimed, “I told you she would love the idea once she got used to it.”

Once again everyone chuckled.

“It being almost Valentine’s Day and all,” Gannon added.

Which of course made everyone laugh all the more.

Blushing furiously, Lily marched toward his truck. Although the day had started out sunny, the clouds had rolled in, and the temperature had dipped into the low fifties. She’d thrown on a cashmere wool pea coat to handle the chill, but even she could see it wasn’t enough.

Gannon eyed her skirt and heels. “Sure you don’t want to change, given where we’re headed?”

Lily had intended to stop by her house and do just that before she set out. But the thought of disrobing—with him anywhere in the vicinity—made her change her mind.

Not because of what he would do.

He was, and always had been, a perfect Texas gentleman.

It was herself she was worried about.

The fact he might steal a kiss.

And the knowledge she would certainly react to said kiss kept her from tempting fate in any way, shape or form.

“I’m fine,” Lily insisted. She shot him a haughty look before stepping on the running board and swinging herself up into the cab, too late realizing her quick aggressive action had given him more than a flash of her hip and leg.

A flash he sure seemed to be appreciating. “Besides, since you’re so big and strong and manly,” she purred, settling into the passenger seat and tugging her skirt down as far as it would go, “I expect you’ll be doing all the heavy lifting.”

He laughed, not the least bit deterred, and climbed in behind the wheel. A few minutes later, they were on their way out of town.

“Seriously, why did you ask to be partnered with me?” Lily asked.

“You seriously have to ask?”

Her mood improving despite herself, she bantered back, “I just did.”

“I wanted to spend time with you.”

Lily folded her arms in front of her and turned her attention to the passing scenery, which at the moment was mostly wide-open space and sagebrush. “We’re not going to end up kissing again,” she said.

He remained maddeningly unperturbed. “I didn’t expect we would. Today.”

Heaven help her. Gannon was indefatigable when he wanted something. And right now that something was clearly her.

Determined to keep their focus on business, she fell silent, speaking only to direct him to the first intersection of country roads on their list, a four-way stop that was widely traveled but rarely held much traffic at any one time, thereby giving a driver and/or passengers ample opportunity to notice the advertisement. He hit his hazard lights and pulled over to the berm.

They got out of the truck. A chill damp wind whipped around them. “Where do you want it?” Gannon lifted the first poster from the bed of the truck.

Lily pointed. “In front of the stop sign.”

He obliged her with a smile. “Here?”

“Maybe a little farther back.” Lily observed it from several angles, then nodded in approval. “That’s good.”

The signs for the First Annual Laramie, Texas, Chili Cook-Off & Festival, which had been designed to look like movie posters, were mounted on metal frames that could be pounded several inches into the ground. All featured a man and woman locked in an embrace, with the ruggedly beautiful west Texas landscape behind them. At the top of the sign was the slogan “Put some heat in your Valentine’s Day weekend!” The word
heat
had shimmering red-and-gold waves running through it. The bottom of the sign, which listed the dates and times of the festival, ended with the catchy phrase, “Come for the food and the parade, stay late for the music and dancing!”

Gannon shut the tailgate. “I heard it was your idea to give the festival a romantic slant.”

Lily nodded, proud of all the hard work that had gone into making this fund-raiser/celebration a success. She walked toward Gannon, not stopping until they stood toe to toe, and said softly, “It made sense to capitalize on the holiday, since couples are always looking for something new and exciting to do on Valentine’s Day. But we have other, kid-friendly posters going up, too, advertising the boardwalk-style games and the parade and the pony rides.”

Gannon took her hand and gazed intimately into her eyes. “Does this mean you’re looking for something fun and romantic to do, too?”

Chapter Nine

Gannon wasn’t surprised to see Lily stiffen at his question. “I’ll be working on Valentine’s Day.”

“What if you weren’t?” he asked as they drove to the next place on their list, a half mile down the road, and got back out of the truck again.

Lily stalked around to the back and opened the tailgate before he could get there. She had to go up on tiptoe to be able to reach the sign. He didn’t mind. It gave him a very nice view of the rounded lower slopes of her derriere, visible beneath her hip-length red cashmere coat.

“I wouldn’t celebrate it in any case.” Lily huffed in frustration as she tugged the sign toward her, and then, still on tiptoe, lifted it down onto the ground.

Gannon retrieved the rubber mallet—which she couldn’t reach—and handed it to her. Lazily, he accompanied her to the intersection. He stood, arms crossed in front of him, while she selected a spot and pounded it in with several hard thwacks.

“Why not?”

Finished, she stalked back to the truck, got another sign and took it to the opposite side of the four-way intersection. Her high heels tapped a decisive staccato over the pavement. Again, he trailed behind, enjoying the view. “Because I don’t believe in romance.” She thwacked in another sign.

Gannon fell into step beside her as she made her way back to the truck. “What
do
you believe in?”

She climbed back into the truck, the hard rubber mallet still in her hand, and reclasped her safety belt. “The temporary status of relationships.”

Gannon moved his gaze away from the tempting softness of her breasts. “What about sex? Do you believe in that?”

Brow furrowing, she studied the next location on their list. “That can be good.” She pointed him in the direction she wanted to travel.

“As the two of us recently proved.” He made a left turn.

“But it’s temporary in nature, too,” Lily continued, crossing her legs at the knee.

Gannon stopped at the next intersection on their list. “It’s a shame you feel that way.”

“Why?”

He cut the motor and turned to look at her. “Because I can’t imagine that I would ever stop wanting you.”

Lily flushed self-consciously and vaulted out of the truck. She walked along the graveled berm. “What about you?” She lost her balance as her heel caught in a rut. “Do you usually celebrate Valentine’s Day?”

Gannon reached out to steady her. “Whenever I’m dating someone, I have.” He leaned against the tailgate as the cool winter breeze floated over them. “It’s required in any relationship.”

Shivering, Lily buttoned up the front of her coat. “But have you wanted to celebrate it?”

Enjoying the moment, just being with her, Gannon shrugged. “In the past? Not really.” He let his gaze drift over her, then flashed a persuasive grin. “Now—I’d like to take what’s on that poster and magnify it for you a thousand times over.”

And if the look on her face were any indication, she wanted that, too. Whether she would ever let them act on it, though, was another question entirely.

* * *

“D
ID
YOU
GET
all finished putting up signs, Mommy?” Lucas asked when she picked him up from school several hours later.

Lily slipped her hand in his. “I did.” Together, they walked toward her SUV.

Still a little on edge from events of the previous weekend, he squinted up at her. “Can we have all my favorites for dinner?”

Willing to do whatever it took to reassure him, Lily smiled. She gave him a hug before helping him up into his safety seat. “We sure can.”

“Can I play blocks, too?”

“Absolutely.” Lily knelt to give him an encouraging hug. She made a playful face. “As long as you build me something really special.”

He beamed. “I’ll build a ranch!”

Lucas chattered about school during the short drive back to her house. Lily settled him with his toys, then went upstairs to change into jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. She swept her hair up into a clip, and then went back down to the kitchen to start fixing dinner. A couple minutes later the doorbell rang. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to see Gannon standing on the other side.

His expression was all business, and he had a file folder in his hand. “The plans for moving the statue,” he explained, his fingers lightly brushing hers as he handed them over. “I thought you might like to see them since waivers are going to have to be signed all around.”

Appreciating his efficiency, Lily ushered him in back to the kitchen. She read through the papers quickly. “So they want to move the statue to the fairgrounds, where it will need to be displayed in one of the glass cases in the exhibition buildings, before being moved to Fort Worth?”

Gannon nodded. “As previously discussed, Emmett Briscoe is paying for the moves and the insurance. He’s also offering to purchase the statue from the town for the original commission paid to my mother.”

Lily paused. “How does Harriett feel about that?”

“Good. Since the town is divided in their opinion regarding the artistic value, she and Emmett both think it might be appreciated more there.”

“And they want to do this tomorrow?”

“Everyone figures the sooner, the better.”

“Okay.” Hearing the water on the stove had started to boil, Lily dumped pasta into the pot. “I’ll make the calls now if you want to wait.”

Gannon flashed a grin. “I do.”

Lucas strolled in. “Hey, Mr. Montgummy.”

Gannon hunkered down to shake hands with him, man to man. “Hey there, Lucas.”

“Want to play blocks with me?”

Another grin. “I sure do.” The two ambled off, hand in hand.

Lily kept an eye on dinner while she talked on the phone. The waiver had to be reviewed by the town attorney, so she sent that to him. She updated the town council members and let them know that an offer had been made to reimburse the town for the statue. It was agreed the matter would be discussed and voted on at the next public meeting. Once the waiver was approved, she called Emmett and Harriett and congratulated them on their quick work, too. Finished, she put down the phone, just in time to see Lucas race back in. “Guess what, Mommy?”

Lily took in her son’s happy grin. “What?”

“Mr. Montgummy likes macaroni and cheese, and green beans and applesauce, too! So...can he stay for dinner?”

* * *

G
ANNON
HAD
NO
idea that Lucas was going to put his mom on the spot like that. And yet...something about the way Lily looked, as if she was half hoping he would accept, had him going along with her son’s earnest request. “Sounds good to me,” he enthused. “I could even take us all out for ice cream after, if you want.”

Lucas clapped his hands. “Yesss!”

Lily’s eyes gleamed with a combination of exasperation and mischief. “Just so you understand, counselor, Lucas’s ‘favorite’ is the kind of macaroni that comes in a box—with powdered cheese—and canned green beans and store-bought applesauce.”

Gannon shrugged, just happy to be included. “Sounds like all the food groups to me.”

Lucas clapped his hands, even though Lily was pretty sure her son had no idea what comprised a balanced meal for kids, never mind adults. “It is!” Lucas declared cheerfully.

Gannon looked at her, daring her to retract the invitation. Knowing she wouldn’t. Not if it would mean disappointing her young son.

“All right,” she said, mimicking their joy. “Give me another twenty minutes to put on the finishing touches...”

“Want to see my toys?” Lucas asked.

“Sure,” Gannon smiled.

Lucas took him by the hand and led him over to his toy box. He settled cross-legged on the floor, then waited.

Realizing what was expected, Gannon sat down beside the little boy.

Lucas showed Gannon the ranch he had been building with his blocks. A prairie-style house and barn, surrounded by a fence.

He went back to his toy box. “I’ve got two horses...” Lucas handed them over.

“Nice.” Gannon smiled, unable to help but think how nice it was to spend time with Lily and her son instead of doing what he usually did—work late, and then go home to a take-out dinner and an empty loft. Was this what he had been missing? What it would take to make him feel as content in his home life as Lily and Lucas apparently did in theirs?

“And a longhorn cow.” Lucas handed that over, too.

Gannon studied the plastic toy with the reverence it was given, the UT insignia on the mascot’s side reminding him of his law school days with Lily. “Very nice.” Sentimental, too.

Lucas grinned. He went back to get two cowboys, made to sit astride the saddled plastic horses. “Want to play cowboys on the ranch?”

Gannon nodded.

The two of them assembled the riders and horses, then pretend trotted them around the ranch.

Lily puttered in the kitchen.

And Gannon found himself wishing his time with them would never end.

* * *

A
LTHOUGH
L
ILY
KNEW
it would be more than fair to offer Gannon what they were initially planning on eating and nothing more, she also knew a guy his size would not last long on just that. So she threw together a quick salad and took out a couple of chicken breasts. While the guys played with the blocks, she butterflied them, added Southwestern spice and cooked them on her indoor grill.

Gannon’s appreciative grin when he saw what was on the table made the extra effort more than worth it.

“How come you’re not at work today like my mommy?” Lucas asked, while they were eating.

Gannon dipped a chunk of chicken into barbecue sauce. “You mean back at my office in Fort Worth?”

The tyke nodded, obviously recalling the spacious elegance of the law firm where Gannon worked. “My mommy has to work at her office all the time,” Lucas said.

Gannon shot her a curious glance.

Trying not to think how intimate this all suddenly was, Lily speared a bite of salad, then admitted reluctantly, “Since I became mayor, more often than not.” She gazed lovingly at her son. “Although on weekends, you go with me a lot of the time, don’t you, sweetheart?”

Lucas nodded. “I color pictures and build stuff with my blocks there. Sometimes we eat stuff from the vending machines at Mommy’s desk.”

Gannon cast Lucas a fond glance. “Sounds fun.”

“So how come you’re here and not there?” Lucas asked, still struggling to understand.

Gannon sobered. “Because I have some grown-up things I have to take care of at my family’s ranch, and I have to be here in Laramie to do it.”

And when he was done, he would be gone again, Lily thought.

Struggling to be positive, she informed Lucas, “Gannon was a cattle rancher and a rodeo cowboy when he was growing up.”

The little boy lit up. “Do you have horses?”

Gannon smiled. “We do.”

“Do you have cows?”

Gannon frowned. “Not anymore.”

Lucas picked up a green bean. “Can I see the horses?”

Lily winced. Given how interested her son was in ranch life versus small town living, she did not know why she had gone down this road. Especially when Lucas was in need of a father figure in his life—and Gannon would be so darn good in the role. If he weren’t so career obsessed, that was.

Oblivious to the chaotic thoughts running rampant through her mind, Gannon reached over to give Lucas a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Sure you can.”

“When the chili cook-off is over,” Lily said, wishing Lucas weren’t as enamored with their guest as she secretly was. “If you’re still in Laramie,” she added cautiously.

If Gannon caught her warning not to lead her son on, he did not show it. “I’ll be here another day after the festivities wrap up.” He gave her a long, intimate glance. “And maybe, depending on how things go, a number of weekends after that.” Smiling broadly, he turned back to Lucas. “In the meantime, if your mother agrees you’re old enough, you can ride a pony at the festival.”

Lily appreciated the opportunity to veto the notion. “You are,” she told her son with a smile.

Lucas turned back to Gannon. “Will you help me?”

Gannon nodded. “I sure will.”

“And I’ll take the photos,” she promised. Conversation fell away as they dug into their food.

“So did you like it?” Lucas said later when they had finished the meal.

“I sure did,” Gannon grinned.

He’d certainly eaten like a champ, Lily thought. To the point there were no leftovers—of anything. And her son was clearly enjoying all the undivided attention from his new friend. Of course, in his next breath, Lucas started clamoring for ice cream, and she promised they’d go as soon as the dishes were done. Temporarily appeased, the little boy obediently dashed off to play while Gannon and Lily stayed behind in the kitchen.

“So,” Lily teased, after she had put a pot of coffee on for the two of them, “was it really all you hoped?”

“Reminded me of my youth in so many ways. Maybe my future, too.”

She nodded at the bowl that had held the mac ’n’ cheese. With fresh milk and butter added to the powdered cheese, the pasta wasn’t half-bad. But it was still a far cry from the sophisticated adult versions of mac ’n’ cheese available these days. She tilted her head, studying him closely. “You really plan to eat that again?” If so, he was full of surprises.

He wrapped his arms around her and brought her close. “I’m sure I will when I have kids. All the time.”

Yet another shocker. “So you
do
want a family?” she asked, recalling the earlier conversation they’d had at his loft. He’d been coy with her when she’d broached the subject of settling down, so she’d just assumed he wasn’t interested. And, truth be told, she’d always seen him as such a bachelor.

He smoothed the hair from her cheek and admitted softly, “I do.”

Lily cast a glance toward the adjacent living area. Lucas was so busy he hadn’t seen them yet. But he might. And if he did, he would broadcast the fact they had been—well, not hugging, but not completely innocent of attraction to each other, either.

As if reading her mind, Gannon brushed his thumb across her lip and reluctantly let her go. “What about you?” he asked casually. “Do you want more children?”