Clearly, youve been practicing the Chicago nightlife, she noted.
Picture mood lighting and a crowd, he whispered in her ear.
And maybe a band? she asked, the warmth of his body seeping into her skin, forcing her lungs to work harder to drag in the thickening air.
You like country? he asked. Blues? Jazz? There are some phenomenal jazz clubs in Chicago.
Im a country girl, she responded brightly, desperate to mask her growing arousal.
Youd like jazz, he said with conviction.
The timer pinged for the simmering chicken, and they both halted. Their gazes met, and their breaths mingled.
Youd like jazz, he said with conviction.
The timer pinged for the simmering chicken, and they both halted. Their gazes met, and their breaths mingled.
She could see exactly what he was thinking. No, she whispered huskily, even though she was definitely feeling it, too. They were not going to let this attraction go over the edge to a kiss.
Yes, he responded, his fingertips flexing against the small of her back. But not right now.
Caleb had known it was only a matter of time before Maureen Jacobs, Mandys mother, extended him some Lyndon Valley hospitality. He wasnt really in a mood for socializing, but he couldnt insult her by saying no to her dinner invitation. So, hed shut the ranch office computer down early, sighing his disappointment that the listing hadnt come up on the brokers web site yet. Then he drove the rental car over the gravel roads to the Jacobs ranch.
There, he returned friendly hugs, feeling surprisingly at home as he settled in, watching Mandys efficient movements from the far reaches of the living room in the Jacobs family home. The Jacobses always had the biggest house, the biggest spread and the biggest family in the valley. Caleb couldnt count the number of times he had been here for dinner as a child and a teenager. He, Reed and Travis had all been good friends growing up.
Hed never watched Mandy like this. She had always blended in with her two sisters, little kids in pigtails and scuffed jeans, and was beneath his notice. Now, she was all he could focus on as she flitted from the big, open-concept kitchen to the dining area, chatting with her mother and sister, refilling glasses of iced tea, checking on dishes in the oven and on the stove, while making sure the finishing touches were perfect on the big, rectangular table.
Caleb couldnt imagine the logistics of dinner for seven people every single night. Tonight, one of Mandys two sisters was here, along with her two brothers, Travis and Seth, who was the oldest. And her parents, Hugo and Maureen, who looked quite a bit older than Caleb had expected, particularly Hugo, who seemed pale and slightly unsteady on his feet.
I see the way youre looking at my sister, Travis said in an undertone as he took the armchair opposite Caleb in the corner of the living room.
I was thinking she suits it here, Caleb responded, only half lying. He was thinking a whole lot of other things that were better left unsaid.
She does, Travis agreed, but that wasnt what I meant.
Shes a very beautiful woman, Caleb acknowledged. He wasnt going to lie, but he certainly wasnt going to admit the extent of his attraction to Mandy, either.
Yes, she is. Travis set his glass of iced tea on the small table between them and relaxed back into the overstuffed chair.
Caleb tracked Mandys progress from the stovetop to the counter, where her mother was busy with a salad, watching as the two of them laughed at something Mandy said. He didnt want to reinforce Traviss suspicions, but his curiosity got the better of him Did she and Reed ever?
Travis shook his head. It was pretty hard to get close to your brother. He was one bottled up, angry man after you lit out without him.
Caleb felt himself bristle at the implication. He hadnt deserted Reed. Hed begged his brother to come with him. It wasnt my leaving that did the bottling.
Didnt help, said Travis.
Caleb hit the man with a warning glare.
Im saying he lost his mother, then he lost you, and he was left to cope with your fathers temper and crazy expectations all on his own.
Caleb cleared his dry throat with a sip of his own iced tea. He should have come with me. Left Wilton here to rot.
You understand why he didnt, dont you?
No. Caleb would never understand why Reed had refused to leave.
Because of your mother.
I know what he said. But it had never made sense to Caleb.
Their mother was gone. And the legacy of the ranch land didnt mean squat to Caleb. There was nothing but bad memories here for them both. Their father had worked their mother to death on that land.
The sound of female laughter wafted from the kitchen again. Caleb couldnt help but contrast the loud, chaotic scene in this big, family house to his own penthouse apartment with its ultramodern furniture, crisp, cool angles of glass and metal, its silence and order. Everything was always in its place, or at least everything was sitting exactly where hed last left it.
Maureen passed her husband, Hugo, giving him a quick stroke across the back of the neck. He responded with a secretive smile and a quick squeeze of her hand.
Here was another thing that wasnt in Calebs frame of reference, relaxed and loving parents. He couldnt remember his mother ever voluntarily touching his father. And his father had certainly never looked at his wife, Sasha, with affection.
Travis shifted his position in the armchair. Reed thought you were afraid to stay and fight.
Caleb straightened. Afraid?
Travis shrugged, indicating he was only the messenger.
I hated my old man, Caleb clarified. But I was never afraid of him.
That was a lie, of course. As a child, Caleb had been terrified of his father. Wilton was exacting and demanding, and quick with a strap or the back of his hand. But by the time Caleb was seventeen, he had a good two inches on his father, and hed have fought back if Wilton had tried anything. Reed was even bigger than Caleb, and Wilton was no physical threat to Reed by then.
Where do you think Reed went? Travis asked.
I couldnt begin to guess, Caleb responded, thinking Reeds decisions were finally his own. He honestly hoped his brother was happy away from here.
Hed thought a lot about it over the past two days. Reed was perfectly entitled to live his life any way he saw fit. As was Caleb, and Caleb had become more and more convinced that selling the ranch was the right thing to do.
Reed could do whatever he wanted with the money. And, in the short term, Caleb was in no position to hang around Lyndon Valley and run things. And he sure couldnt continue to depend on the Jacobses to help him out.
He supposed he could hire a professional ranch manager. But, then what? It wasnt as if he was ever coming back again. And Reed had made his choice by leaving. If Reed had any interest in keeping the ranch, all it would have taken was for him to jot down a contact number in his cryptic note. Caleb would have called, and they could have worked this whole thing out.
Mandy swished across the room, a huge bowl of mashed potatoes in her oven-mitt-covered hands. Shed changed from her usual blue jeans to a pair of gray slacks and a sleeveless, moss-green sweater. It clung to her curves and brought out the color of her eyes. The slacks molded to her rear end, while her rich, chestnut-colored hair flowed like a curtain around her smooth, bare shoulders.
I see the way youre looking at my sister, Travis repeated.
Caleb glanced guiltily away.
You hurt her, Travis added, and were going to have a problem.
I have nothing but respect for Mandy, Caleb lied. While he certainly had respect for Mandy, he was also developing a very powerful lust for her.
This isnt Chicago, Travis warned.
Im aware that Im not in Chicago. Chicago had never been remotely like this.
Were ready, Maureen announced in a singsong voice.
Mandy sent Caleb a broad smile and motioned him over to the big table. Then she seemed to catch Traviss dark expression, and her eyes narrowed in obvious confusion.
Shes a beautiful, intelligent, strong-minded woman, Caleb said to Travis in an undertone. You should worry about her hurting me.
Travis rose to his feet. I dont care so much about you. And Im not likely to take her out behind the barn and knock any sense into her.
Caleb stood to his full height. Does she know you try to intimidate guys like this?
The question sent a brief flash of concern across Traviss expression. Caleb tried to imagine Mandys reaction to Traviss brotherly protectiveness.
It was all Caleb could do not to laugh. Stalemate.
Ill still take you out behind the barn.
Im not going to hurt Mandy, Caleb promised.
Not that he wouldnt let Mandy make up her own mind about him. She was a grown woman, and if she offered a kiss, he was taking a kiss. If she offered more, well, okay, he didnt imagine hed be around long enough for that to happen. So there was no sense in borrowing trouble.
He deliberately took a chair across the table from Mandy instead of sitting next to her. Travis grunted his approval.
As dishes were passed around and plates filled up, the familys conversation became free-flowing and boisterous.
If theres a competing interest lurking out there, Mandys sister Abigail was saying, I cant find it. But its important that as many ranchers as possible show up at the first meeting.
We need a united front, Hugo put in, helping himself to a slice of roast beef before passing the platter to Travis. Its suspicious to me that theyre calling the review five years early.
The legislation allows for a water use review anytime after thirty years and before thirty-five, Abigail responded. Technically, theyre not early.
Seth, the eldest brother, stepped in as he reached for a homemade bun. When was the last time the state government did anything at the earliest possible date? Dads right, theres something theyre not telling us.
Ive put in an access to information request, said Abigail. Maybe thatll solve the mystery.
That wont get you anything, Hugo grumbled. The bureaucrats will just stonewall.
You should catch Caleb up, Mandy suggested.
This is important to you, too, said Travis, and Caleb waited for him to elaborate.