Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
Jesse
Present Day - June
Asmoke alarm went off in the kitchen.
I spat a curse and jerked the cast iron off the burner. “Cade!” I called him to action but he was already standing beneath the dramatic piece of junk, waving a pot holder at it. This was the fourth time. To think I had to cook again for the guests two hours from now infuriated me.
Man, I was not cut out for this.
But everyone at Meadowbrook—cowboys and guests alike—had to eat and I was the only person, save Bea, who could confidently use a frying pan. Tag did okay, but last time he made breakfast solo, we got extra calcium via egg shells and two bad reviews on the bnb website.
Therefore, the one with the most skill was nominated.
Me.
And this skillet was out for my blood today.
Finally, the beeping stopped.
When Bea moved to the ranch a year and a half ago, Meadowbrook started offering meals as part of the cowboys’ board, which in turn, made it a lot easier for us to keep an extra employee on.
And the meals were a blessing to me too.
I’d put on some needed weight, slept better, and felt less irritable ever since Bea started cooking.
The cowboys were already at the picnic table on the back of the wrap around porch, waiting. “Cade, grab those biscuits and take them out.” Thank heaven we’d moved to Pillsbury frozen biscuits for the 5:25 a.m. cowboy breakfast, because there was no way in hell I could follow a recipe that early.
I plated ham and eggs, shoved a cup of applesauce in the pocket of my jeans, balanced a tall glass of orange juice in the crook of my arm, and went to the porch.
Everyone had gathered around—Tag, Bea, Harlan, Cooper, and Cade.
One glance at Bea sent concern barrelling through my chest. Every day she looked worse.
Eleven weeks into her pregnancy and the weight loss was spiraling out of control.
Her clothes hung off her body, she barely ate.
Tag tried to stay positive around her, but he shared how he really felt with me—and fear wasn’t playing nice with him.
Everyone was deep in conversation by the time I dropped the platters on the table.
“Thanks, Mommy.” Cooper said.
“What took you so long?” Harlan grabbed the serving fork and speared a piece of ham.
I sat down next to Cade. “The demon-possessed smoke alarm?”
Harlan wrinkled his nose as he turned the ham mid-air, taking note of the black marks.
I set the applesauce and orange juice in front of Bea, who smiled her thanks without lifting her head off Tag’s shoulder. Tag grabbed the cup and pulled the foil off, gently setting Bea’s spoon inside it.
Everyone filled their plates and dug in. After scraping ham fat out of a smoking pan, I’d lost my appetite. I grabbed a biscuit and called it good.
Tag broke the silence with a question he asked every single morning. “Anything we should know?”
I kicked us off. “Last night, when I was locking up, the door to pasture four was wide open. That’s the third time this week.”
“Jesse loves ‘em wide open.” Cooper mumbled the words then waggled his eyebrows at me. I wasn’t even going to dignify his idiocy with attention. But I glanced around the table, realizing Harlan and Cooper were waiting for me to say something.
A confused frown pulled between my brows.
Tag set his fork down. “That’s not good. Who’s leavin’ gates open?”
Everyone’s gaze slid to Cooper who rolled his eyes. “Why does everyone assume I did it?”
“Because it was you who flooded half the state of Texas by leaving the hose on.” Harlan chimed in. “And you let the colt get pelted with hail in that rain storm—”
“That was a misunderstanding.” Cooper cut him off. “Jesse told me the wrong pasture.”
I chuckled. “It’s no use. He’ll deny all this to his grave.”
“Or how about the time you grabbed the wrong nozzle down at the Tasty Mart and almost fueled the 3500 with gas?” Harlan continued. “I don’t even think I told Tag about that.”
“You didn’t.” Tag shook his head in disbelief. “And I definitely would’ve been better off not knowin’.”
Cooper whined, “So I get blamed for everything now?”
Harlan rolled his slice of ham up like a taquito. “Not blamed, just first on trial.”
Bea’s voice was quiet. “Leave Cooper alone, guys. The gate could’ve been any of us.” She watched the cowboys take more helpings then glanced at my plate with a frown. “They’re going to eat all the ham, Jesse. Get some.”
Cooper coughed a laugh. “Oh, don’t worry, Bea. He’ll get plenty.”
My brow furrowed as I shot him a look. Playful banter was as much a part of our day as horse manure, but I missed the punchline somehow.
Tag shifted his plate back. “From here on out, let’s just be more careful about those gates, alright? We’ve got enough to threaten safety without givin’ danger an invitation.”
We discussed a few more small things—a broken trailer hitch, an upcoming rodeo, what poison hemlock looked like, and a visit from our Meadowbrook’s veterinarian, Penny.
These times of communication had become vital to smooth operations, and smooth operations were the singular most important goal at Meadowbrook.
By November, we needed to have approximately sixty-five grand to put toward the application and inspection fees in order to apply for the Western Pro Rodeo Alliance.
And when that inspection time came, we had to prove we were a well-oiled machine and nothing less.
We started the season strong, but then Bea got sick. If we didn’t find a way to keep the bed and breakfast open, we would miss the application deadline and have to save through another amateur season.
Tag’s divided attention was untimely, but if it were Laurel laid up in bed, I’d be distracted too.
I had no problem rising to the challenge, but there was a lot of slack to pick up.
I was running myself ragged in the kitchen, working hospitality, overseeing the cowboys, training horses, prepping for rodeo, talking to contractors, and somehow trying to be everything Tag and Bea needed, too.
Oh, and be a dad.
For over a year now, Tag and I had alternated driving for rodeos, but this season, there were many that would require both of us to drive a semi.
The gigs were bigger with higher stakes and more money to lose or gain.
Tag got back last night after 11 p.m., and this coming weekend, we would both haul—all the way to Rio Grande.
Cooper hit his stomach a few times. “Not bad, Jesse, but I bet Bea’s sister could do better.”
Bea’s sister? What was he talking about?
“Oh, right!” Tag had his arm tucked around Bea, his eyes a little brighter after the food. “We were talkin’ before you got out here.”
“About what?”
“Bea’s sister called last night. She’s drivin’ down today and stayin’ for a good while to help us out. So, you’ll be out of the kitchen soon, Jess. How’s that sound?”
A warning surged in my gut. “Wait, I thought Miss Valeria was a potential hire.”
Tag shrugged. “I hoped she’d be able, but I can’t get a hold of her. I’m assumin’ she found other employment.”
Bea spoke, offering me a smile. “She’s staying through the second week of July. Isn’t that great?”
Bea had three sisters…surely they meant Jackie or Estelle…blood thrummed through my veins.
Which sister?
I darted a gaze at Cooper and his lips curled in a slow, knowing smile. He gave me one nod as if to say “yep, that sister.”
My mouth felt like cotton. “That’s…fantastic. Uh, which sister?” I stuffed half a biscuit in my mouth in an attempt to look unfazed.
“Hollie.”
The biscuit stuck in my throat as I swallowed. I reached for my coffee.
Bea continued as if she hadn’t just tipped me upside down. “You picked her up from the airport, remember?”
Cooper jumped on the chance. “Oh, he remembers picking her up.”
Hollie.
Hollie was the punchline to all Cooper’s jokes.
Holy shit.
Harlan swiped a hand over his smile and Cooper’s chin twitched.
Bea prattled on. “Hollie is kind of shy—”
“Shy?!” Cooper interjected.
Bea frowned at him, her words faltering for a moment. “But—she’s a great cook and we are really thankful she’s willing to stay for so long.”
I tried to telepathically communicate with the overgrown boy scout to shut up when his eyes flitted to mine. The cheeky, devilish grin he offered told me all I needed to know. Honor, my ass.
Harlan cleared his throat to cover a laugh.
Bea kept talking to me. “You might have to help me train her, although I’ll show her as much as I can.”
“He can handle that.” Harlan said, “Jesse is the best at hands-on orientation.”
Anger flared hot on my neck. That entire interaction with Hollie never should’ve happened.
I acted like a desperate fool, and Hollie deserved a lot better than a horny widower taking advantage of her.
And all this was happening right in front of Cade.
I’d been known to blush now and then and couldn’t think of anything worse than turning beet red.
Tag narrowed his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the motley crew. Sharp as a whip, it wouldn’t take him long to figure it out.
“You know,” Harlan shook his fork at me, his tone completely innocent. “You should offer to take her on a ride. She’d love that.”
The two of them totally lost it.
Bea huffed a confused laugh. “What are you guys talking about?”
Cooper answered, “Oh, you know…”
I shot him a warning glare.
“Just making sure Hollie gets the same hospitality as last time.”
My fists clenched under the table. I’m going to hand him his ass.
Bea huffed. “Cooper, I don’t know what you’re up to, but you better leave Hollie alone. I’m not kidding. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with her. She’s not on the market.” Her big brown eyes widened to punctuate her words. “And her husband is very protective.”
A boulder fell into my gut.
In reverse, the heat trickled out of my face, down my neck.
Did she say…husband?
A woozy feeling settled over me.
Wait…wait.