Cowgirls Don't Cry(124)

“Will you be living with them?”


She shook her head. “Close by. I’ve got a cousin who’s agreed to let me stay with her temporarily. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying there. Luckily I won’t need to get a job, not that I’m qualified for more than cookin’ and cleanin’ anyway, because I’ve got the ‘mad’ money I’ve been saving.”


“Mad money?” Was that like…egg money or something?

“Every time Casper got mad about something, I put a dollar in the jar. You can imagine I’ve got a tidy pile after forty years.”


That did cause Jessie to smile. Until she realized she might be the first one Joan had confided in.

“Does Brandt know you’re leaving?”


“Yes. I talked to Dalton and Tell last night and I stopped at Brandt’s house right before I came over here.”


Her heart leapt at the mention of Brandt’s name. “Oh. So he’s home then? Not at the ranch?”


“Why would he be at the ranch?”


“Because…hasn’t Brandt…I mean—” spit it out, Jessie, “—he hasn’t…Fine. I haven’t seen or heard from him so I thought he’d already made his choice.”


Joan placed her hand on Jessie’s forearm in such an uncharacteristically loving gesture Jessie’s heart stalled. This couldn’t be good. “Jessie. Brandt loves you. There never was any question in anyone’s mind who he’d choose. Including his father’s.”


Before relief swept through her fully, she demanded, “Then why haven’t I seen him for four days?”


“Maybe you oughta be asking him that, instead of me.”


Jessie realized Joan was exactly right. No more of this giving him time, waiting around for him to come his senses bullshit. The old Jessie would stand around and wring her hands and wait for him to come to her. The new Jessie, the Jessie who’d found the man of her heart and soul, needed to go to him first. As soon as humanly possible. “Thank you.”


“No. Thank you for listening to me babble. It actually felt good to get that off my chest.” She frowned. “But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell Brandt or his brothers.”


“I won’t. It’ll be just between us girls.”


Joan did the oddest thing: she tugged Jessie against her for a fierce hug. She whispered, “I’m sorry. I hope you’ll give me another chance to be part of your lives. I like you, Jessie. I’d like to get to know you.

I’d like to put all that bullshit from the past aside and start fresh.”


Jessie said, “That sounds like a great plan, Joan,” and really meant it.

As Joan McKay drove off, Jessie finally realized what was different about the woman. She actually looked…happy for a change.


Jessie wanted that same happiness for herself. Dammit. She deserved it.

And the only way to get it was to take it.

After she changed into work clothes, she hitched the empty horse trailer to her truck and headed out.

Butterflies danced in her belly as she drove down the long driveway leading to Brandt’s house. By the time she reached the banks of snow piled by the deck, Brandt stood on the steps, waiting for her.

“Jess? What are you doin’ here with a horse trailer?”


She scaled the stairs in one step and got right in his face. “Did you mean what you said? When you told me you loved me and wanted to marry me?”