Cowgirls Don't Cry(97)

Great. So now he and Jessie were permanently linked in his family’s eyes? He was good with that, but he doubted Jessie would be. “What about her?”


“Have you talked to her since she left for Riverton?”


If “talked” is a euphemism for having scorching hot phone sex with her two nights running, then yes.

“Hello? Earth to Brandt.”


He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’ve talked to her. She’s havin’ a good time.”


“I’m glad. She deserved a break.”


Was it his imagination, or did the room turn a little hostile? Were they blaming him for Jessie needing a break?

Of course they are, dumbass.

“Jessie is great with all the kids at Sky Blue.” Skylar tucked the pink blanket around Ginger and Kane’s baby girl Maddie, nestled in her arms. “We’d be lost without her.”


“No argument from me.” Dammit. That wasn’t what he’d meant.

Or was it?

Again, those two million eyes pinned him in place.

Quick. Change the subject and get out before they pounce. “Look, have you seen—”


“Your mom and Landon?” Macie supplied. “Yes, she’s changing him. Said she’ll be right back so you might as well stick around and chat with us.”


Chat. Right. They planned to hold his boots to the fire.

The baby pressed to Macie’s shoulder let out a huge burp. Macie rubbed her back. “Good girl, Poppy.”


“So what’s Jessie been doing while she’s staying at her mom’s?”


“I dunno. We haven’t talked about it.”


Skylar and India exchanged a look.

A look Brandt didn’t like at all. “Why? What’s goin’ on?”


“Nothing, probably,” Skylar said.

“Sky,” India said gently, “it won’t hurt to ask him.”


“Ask me what?”


“If Jessie mentioned anything to you about looking for a job while she was in Riverton?”


Surprised, Brandt said, “No.”


“See? I told you, sis. You’re worried for nothing.”


“Why would she look for a job there?” Brandt asked.

“She misses her mom, among other things.”


Sky gave India a sharp look, which indicated there was something else going on, but India clammed up.

Brandt half listened as the women chatted about daycare, but his brain had gotten stuck on one thing: the possibility of Jessie leaving.

The logical portion of his brain pointed out that she loved her job. The nasty part of his brain pointed out that if Landon became a fixture in the McKay family, she’d put distance between them in a helluva hurry. And to be honest, how could he blame her?

His gut twisted. He considered the women in this room, all happily married to his cousins, wondering if they had any advice on how to keep Jessie here, in his life, forever.

But they weren’t paying attention to him.

When Amelia fussed, Libby lifted her shirt.

When Paulson fussed, Ginger lifted her shirt.

When Ellison fussed, India lifted her shirt.

Skylar laughed when Maddie started bumping her head into her chest. “Huh-uh, girlie, I’ve got nothing in there for you. Let’s get you back to mama.”


Ginger sighed and lifted up the other side of her shirt.

Dear God. Were all these women just whipping out their breasts like it was no big deal?