Cowgirls Don't Cry(65)

“I don’t give a damn what you wear, Jess, you know that. Just curious how soon you’ll be ready. I hafta call Tell and Dalton and update them on our plans before we go.”


“Give me five minutes.”


In Brandt’s room, she dug in her duffel bag for the extra pair of jeans. She switched out her ratty long sleeved T-shirt for a newer one, wishing she’d packed something nicer. Her gaze strayed to the closet.

Maybe she’d just wear one of Brandt’s shirts.

Her fingers trailed over the slim selection until she reached a shirt the color of burgundy roses, shoved in the very back of his closet. Not exactly Brandt’s shade. Curious, she pulled it out and realized it was a woman’s shirt.

Huh. Brandt wasn’t the player his brothers were, but she doubted he’d been a monk. She heard about the on-again, off-again girlfriend. He probably wasn’t aware his last squeeze had left it here.

Too bad, so sad. Finder’s keepers.

She buttoned it. Nice fit. Really nice fit. This expensive brand had always been out of her price range.

She stopped in the bathroom and brushed her hair before returning to the living room where Brandt waited.

“Ready? You look…” His smile dried as he noticed the rose-colored shirt.

“I hope you don’t mind. I’m out of clean clothes so I borrowed it from your closet, because truthfully, this one really doesn’t match your color palette.”


His slow aw shucks grin brought out his dimples. “I forgot Lydia left it here or I’da turned it into a grease rag. Keep it if you want. It looks better on you than it ever did on her.”


“Thanks.”


“Let’s go.”


Lexie barked happily at the word go.

“Sorry, not today.” Jessie ruffled her dog’s ears. “Is it okay if she stays inside the house while we’re gone?”


“Yep. I already let her out. Amazing how quick she is about her goggie business when it’s ten below outside.”


Bundling up, she followed Brandt to his truck. She loved how he held the driver’s side door for her.

She scooted across the bench seat, stopping in the middle. As soon as they were on the road, he set his forearm on her thigh and curled his hand around her knee. She laid her head on his shoulder, perfectly content.

Silences between them weren’t unusual. So it surprised her when Brandt said, “Seems quiet without Landon babbling in the background.”


“Almost makes you wish he wasn’t trying so hard to talk, huh?”


He chuckled. “When I talked to Tell, he said Landon wrassled a bear last night. Granted, it was a teddy bear, but I’ll bet my brothers don’t make that small distinction to Landon as he’s growing up.

Already tryin’ to make the kid tough.”


“Why is it such a point of pride that the McKays are known for their toughness?”


“I don’t know if it’s a point of pride as much as it is proof that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. So we’ve all gotta stand our ground because none of us wanna be considered the weakest link.”


“Were your dad and your uncles like that too?”


His posture stiffened. Was Brandt aware how his body changed whenever his dad was mentioned?

“They all had a reputation for brawlin’ with each other and with any unlucky sucker who crossed them. Course, if I hadn’t talked to my cousins, I never would’ve known any of that. If it hadn’t been for Aunt Kimi, none of us—Casper’s sons—would’ve known our grandpop. He lived with Uncle Cal and Aunt Kimi, which pissed my dad off.”