Chapter 2
Saturday …
As luck would have it, the women were enjoying bagels and Nettie’s hangover recovery special—a concoction of oranges, carrots, celery, beets, lemon, and ginger—created during their college years and perfected since then.
Nettie received a call and put it on speaker.
Simple Harmony had two cancellations and could extend their spa day if they wished.
Nettie looked over at Jorja and raised her brows, questioning silently.
Jorja nodded and mouthed “yes,” hoping that the hangover juice would work its magic quickly.
The sunrise yoga session in the park had helped some, but last night’s third glass of wine had taken her over the threshold despite eating a good amount of pizza and drinking a lot of water.
It was not much of a “morning after,” but it was there, nagging her head and body.
“Ink us in, please.” Nettie confirmed for the two of them.
“Good,” the perky voice said through the phone’s speaker.
“Plan to be here for about seven hours. A full day includes snacks, a light lunch, and beverages. We’ll see you both soon.”
“Thank you.” The women chorused.
“Pinch me,” Jorja said, tapping her glass to Nettie’s.
“An entire day of pampering and self-love.”
“It’ll be perfect. Finish that juice. We’ve gotta leave in five. I’m moving tonight’s reservation back an hour, if possible.” Nettie put her phone up to her ear.
“I want to bask in the afterglow.”
“That sounds good.” Jorja drained her glass.
She needed to bask as well and hopefully catch a catnap.
Rake Carpenter had spent the night in her dreams. In living color.
Hours of imaginative and vigorous sex had wrung her out and when she woke, it was in a disoriented state—trapped in twisted sheets and terribly unsatisfied.
Visions of him vanished during yoga, only to return in the shower.
Frustrated, she turned the water to its coldest setting and sputtered under the icy spray.
Hopefully, a day at the spa would alleviate any other thoughts of him.
There was no response to the message she left for him about a Monday morning meeting, but it was early.
She hoped it would work out, that she would get on her way back to Landry and finalize the details of the contract between Ogden-Keller and the Carpenter Ranch.
Boy, are you full of confidence.
Her mood now elevated by the plan she had put in place, a plan she expected to come to fruition, Jorja reconsidered Nettie’s suggestion of hooking up with one of Levi’s friends.
Possibly … Let’s see what tonight reveals .
The guy would really have to be something special to take the edge off all of her dirty dreaming about a certain rancher.
Last night, she had not been ready to share the details of what occurred at the Carpenter Ranch and happily welcomed her friend’s absorption in her new man, encouraging her to share.
When not watching a movie, conversation was mostly one-sided, centered around Levi.
Nettie talked. Jorja listened and asked questions.
S erene and totally relaxed, the women glided out of Simple Harmony in the late afternoon, their flasks refilled with watermelon and lime-infused water.
They ambled through the small town, exploring the shops lining the cobblestone streets of Eagle Creek.
“I’m so glad we changed dinner to later.” Nettie held the door open to a boutique home decor store.
“I’m not in the mood to rush.”
“Neither am I. This morning’s yoga class was a little rough, and the sauna … The hangover juice helped, but holy hell, it was still a challenge to make it through the sauna. But now? I feel great .”
Jorja stepped inside and returned the greeting and smile of the woman behind the counter.
In the late afternoon, it was quiet; they were only shoppers in the store.
“This is adorable.”
“The Grail is my favorite store in Eagle Creek,” Nettie said, following closely behind, rapidly surveying the items on display.
“I could drop some serious money here. Girl, you’ve got to help me behave. Oh …” She dramatically placed a palm on her chest and rushed past Jorja, toward a collection of pottery.
“Let’s just browse and dream then.” Jorja called, hanging back.
The last thing she needed was to buy stuff and haul it for three hours back to Landry.
She kept an eye on Nettie, who seemed to have forgotten about her, and approached the counter.
“Hi. I’d appreciate your help.”
“Of course. A gift?” The woman’s eyes flicked to Nettie, who was mesmerized by a three-foot tall clay and black-mottled urn, and returned to Jorja.
“You’re buying for your friend?”
“That’s my plan,” Jorja said.
“It seems that she’s fallen for a certain rustic piece.”
“Every one of them is one-of-a-kind, vintage. There were three times more when they arrived on Thursday.”
“So, don’t wait?”
“I wouldn’t.”
Nettie’s expression was wistful as she parted with the piece she had been ogling.
The large rustic vessel would look amazing in her new home.
Jorja sidled closer to the counter and the saleswoman.
“How much is that?”
It was within what she intended to spend for a housewarming gift.
Jorja addressed Nettie.
“Looks like you found something.”
Nettie sashayed toward the counter.
“Yes, but it’s a want instead of a need. I should wait since I’ve been bucking up against this month’s budget.”
“We’ll take it,” Jorja said to the saleswoman, handing her cash, admiring again how her friend adhered to a strict budget, living within her means on what she earned instead of sucking off the tit of her trust fund.
“My ‘new digs’ gift to you, sweet friend.”
Nettie threw her arms around Jorja.
“It’s absolutely perfect. I love it. Thank you.”
“Do you have enough room in your vehicle? How far are you traveling?” The sales woman eyed the urn while pulling a generous amount of bubble wrap and packing tape from a bin.
“We’re going to Ulen, and yes. I’ve got a truck. We can put it in the bed with no problem.”
“Park your truck in the loading zone in front.” The saleswoman approached the urn and stuffed it with bubble wrap.
“I’ll begin getting it ready for the trip. I’d appreciate your help getting it onto the dolly and secured in your truck.”
Jorja parked the truck in front of The Grail.
After the vintage piece was firmly in place using ratchet straps, she glanced up.
Rake Carpenter strolled the opposite sidewalk, his attention on a tall, attractive blonde walking at his side as she spoke to him.
To evoke that type of easy intimacy with a man who looked like him …
A fierce consuming desire ignited, mixed with vexation and envy.
The reprimand, borne of common sense, extinguished all of it.
What the hell? Anger, sure.
Jealousy? You’re out of your mind.
As if he sensed her, Rake glanced over at Jorja and nodded, one corner of his mouth hitching up into a lazy smile, then he disappeared inside the restaurant behind his date.
Mortified, Jorja turned away, acting as if she was window shopping, when the truth was that who intrigued her was the magnificent specimen of man across the street.
A sense of emptiness filled her.
Mixing pleasure and business would only end up a disaster.
“Dammit.” She whispered dejectedly.
“What gives? It’s like you suddenly lost your mojo.” Nettie’s brow furrowed as she examined Jorja.
“You okay?”
Jorja squeezed one of Nettie’s hands.
“I think my system is unsettled from the combination of a too much wine, yoga before breakfast, and a day of decadent pampering in less than eighteen hours.”
“When you put it that way, I guess we’ve put our bodies through a lot. So, another quiet movie night it is, after dinner.”
Back at the condo, they struggled with Granddad’s doors once again—getting in was always easier than getting out—and stumbled ungraciously from the truck.
The women carefully extracted the vintage pottery from the truck’s bed and carried it into the converted space, where Nettie gave it a place of honor next to the french doors leading out to the patio and garden, where Jorja had envisioned it.
Then they changed clothes and headed to Beugy’s.
R ake stood in the dark corner of the poolroom nursing a beer and making progress with his roast beef sandwich.
He contemplated Jorja Ogden, surprised to see her wolfing down half of a fried whole chicken, pickles, and sweet onions.
Where in that slim, curvy body did she put it?
She was with Nettie Shay—Levi’s girl.
His best friend was serious about the perky blonde.
Jorja lounged in her chair, easily blending into the Ulen vibe.
Her clothes were a marked contrast to the sexy get-up she had worn to the ranch.
Her long, shapely legs extended under the table.
Legs any hot-blooded man could appreciate, God knows he sure as hell did.
Tonight, cowboy boots replaced the ridiculous heels, and her exquisite form was dressed in loose, frayed denim cut-offs and a clingy top displaying plenty of sun-kissed skin, stirring his imagination.
A messy updo secured her long chestnut hair.
It looked soft, tantalizing.
What would it be like to wrap the thick tresses around his hand as he kissed her breathless?
He wanted to know in the worst way.
Jorja and Nettie grew more animated as the level in the pitcher dropped, talking and laughing nonstop.
Apparently, the women knew each other well.
Did Jorja have any inkling that Nettie’s boyfriend was his best friend?
Did it even matter? It could prove an interesting night.
He wanted Miss Ogden and, if he had read the signs right yesterday, the feeling was mutual.
The wide, blinking hazel eyes.
The pink tongue licking that full bottom full lip before she bit down on it.
Her gasp when she appraised him from head to toe.
That had gone straight to his groin.
He’d be willing to bet her nipples had tightened into hard points, and that thought made his mouth water and his cock hope.
How was he going to smooth things over after getting off on the wrong foot with her?
Levi, Hank, Brady, and a host of other guys were running both tables, cheered on by a swelling crowd.
“Rake! You’re up.” Levi called over the boisterous talk and the country music pumping out of the jukebox.
Rake finished the rest of the sandwich, drained his beer, and wiped his hands on a napkin.
He stepped to the table, chalked the cue stick, and analyzed the balls scattered on the burgundy felt.
Levi sidled closer. “Solids, in case you forgot. You seemed to be more focused on the other room.” A goofy grin spread over his face.
“Watching my girl?” He stretched around Rake to gaze at Nettie.
“Nope. The brunette she’s with. Know her?”
“Nettie’s college roommate. Haven’t met her yet. Nettie always visits Jorja in Landry, where she lives. Or they meet up at some spa destination. They were at a new one in Eagle Creek all day today. Women and spas. I don’t get it. My mom and sister love 'em, too.”
“Hmm.” Rake pointed the stick and leaned forward to line up and take the shot. “Five ball. Side pocket.” Crack! The orange ball ripped into the pocket. The cue ball stayed in place, spinning like a top. He moved, searching for the spot from which to take his next shot, pointing at the far corner pocket to his right. “One ball. Corner.” The cue ball struck the side of the solid yellow ball, bouncing it off the cushions and cleanly into the pocket. “Do you know when the girls made plans?”
“Seems like Nettie first mentioned it a few weeks back, preparing me to share her while her friend is in town. Why? You interested?”
What motivates me is none of your concern, Jorja had stated at the ranch. The fuck. Was she hellbent on proving herself to her dear old dad? Rake rolled his lips in thought, weighing whether to give her a second chance, just for fun and to see what she was made of. Yeah, he had listened to her message, but he was going to let her stew a bit. He was a man of foreplay—business and personal. Did she possess the Ogden grit and iron will? Did she play dirty like Jamison and Silas? Or was she ethical, like her grandfather Wyatt? Was it fair that he held the enticing brunette accountable for the ugly history between their families dating back to their great-grandfathers? Maybe it was time to let bygones be bygones, let go and moving past the generational squabble neither of them were part of. Truth be told, he was no longer interested in carrying the torch of grievance for his forbears.
He avoided answering Levi’s questions by asking a few of his own. “Does your girlfriend know you’re here? That it’s guys’ night out?”
“Yup. I expect that she’ll venture over here before leaving.” Levi stepped to the table to take his turn.
Rake returned to studying the visitor from Landry, wondering how to smooth over the earlier debacle at the ranch. “Where’re they headed after here?”
“You are interested.”
“Can’t I just be conversational?”
“Conversational—” Levi assessed Rake through narrowed eyes. “Bullshit. Nettie mentioned they might stay for trivia and then end the night at her place in pjs, with popcorn and a movie or two. They did that last night, too, but it was short-lived. My woman had a busy week, and she said Jorja took a hard spill before she got to her place. I’ll never understand women and their love of pajama parties. You’d think it was over and done with years ago.” He shook his head and raised the longneck. “You’re up again. You keep looking at Jorja like that and you’re going to light her on fire. She’s a real looker. I’m sure Nettie will bring her over and make introductions.”
“Already met her.”
Levi’s brows shot up. “When?”
“Yesterday. At the ranch.” Rake sank the last of the solid balls, winning the game. “She’s an Ogden .”
“Seriously? As in Ogden-Keller Oil?”
Rake placed the cue stick in the rack, finished his beer, and set it on the narrow ledge on the wall. “Yup. One and the same.”
Levi placed his stick next to Rake’s. Awe filled his low whistle. “I didn’t know there were female Ogdens, other than wives. An Ogden-Keller secret weapon?”
“Believe me. The thought crossed my mind. She drove an ancient truck but was dressed like she had a hot date.” He wasn’t sharing more with Levi. However, the image of Jorja Ogden flying out of the vehicle had given him the belly laugh of the year, which was subdued by a sudden and fierce arousal induced by her tight skirt, tanned lustrous skin, and legs that went on forever. A fuckin' smoke show. It was not something he would forget for some time. That, and her blasted furnace of a temper—it about matched his.
“Why did she show up at the ranch?
”
“Claimed she had an appointment with me. Kind of true. Skye got the information wrong.”
Levi’s words acquired a protective tone.
“Give your niece some grace. She’s been through a lot. You didn’t get up in her shit, did you?”
“What do you think?”
Levi glared at him.
“Of course, I didn’t. It’s impossible to stay mad at Skye.”
Rake’s niece, his ward, was the only child of his sister Nell and his brother-in-law Luis.
Four years after the tragic accident, the two of them were still working through unimaginable loss and becoming immediate family.
Loving Skye was like breathing, because he had loved her from the moment she was born.
Disciplining her was a challenge.
She was a handful, like her mother had been, but she had adapted to ranch life with ease.
“You’re a real dickhead when you’re pissed.” Levi stopped chalking his stick.
“So what happened with Jorja?”
“Nothin', other than the that spill she took. It was in the gravel section of the original entrance, close to the Creek House. It was somethin' else.” Rake chuckled.
“Plays on a loop in my head. The meeting didn’t happen. I ran her off as soon as I realized what she was up to.”
“Which was what?”
“To discuss a lease, or better yet, sign one.”
“Aha! She’s a landman?” Levi was an oil and gas attorney as well as Rake’s closest friend.
“You do understand that you’re between a rock and a hard place. With the release of the updated seismic surveys indicating potential untapped reserves, interest in the Carpenter Ranch has intensified.”
“I know, and I’m thankful that you and your firm represent my family and our interests.”
“As one of your attorneys and your best friend, I’m reminding you again. You have no recourse. Leasing will happen with or without her. That’s Texas law. You can sign with her as the representative of Ogden-Keller, and maybe if you’re nice, she’ll offer a little more margin or other provisions. Or you can sign with someone else.”
Rake snarled.
“Thanks for stating the obvious, asshole.”
“I’m simply giving you advice,” Levi said, letting the insult pass.
“Seems Miss Ogden was dressed to negotiate.” He guffawed, seeming to enjoy irking Rake, signaling with two fingers to the passing waitress for another round of beers for the two of them.
“She must have heard what a dog you are. Did you bite?”
“Nope, but now that she’s visiting your girlfriend through the weekend, I’m tempted.”
Catching Nettie’s attention in the other room, Levi flashed a broad grin and waved to her.
“Jorja’s a tall drink of water. Ballsy to show up on your property like that. Maybe let whatever is sticking in your craw slide tonight.”