“Who was on the phone?” he asked.
“Billy.”
“Billy…as in…your dad?”
“Yeah.”
Brandt quit kissing her neck and spun her to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. He was just calling to let me know he’s competing at an event in Gillette. Today.”
“Today? He couldn’t’ve told you before now?”
She shook her head. “That’s how he operates, Brandt. In his own little rodeo world. Nothing else matters but chasing eight and winning that elusive gold buckle.”
“So, did he call you to tell you he’s just passin’ through?”
“What’s funny is he probably drove within ten miles of my place and he couldn’t be bothered…”
Jessie extricated herself from Brandt’s arms, hating the girlish, whining tone to her voice. So Billy didn’t care enough to pop in and say howdy. Hell. She should be happy he remembered she lived in Wyoming.
Happy. Right. The man flat out didn’t give a damn about her.
Like his apathy is news, Jessie.
True. But it didn’t stop the hollow feeling from expanding, a feeling she only got when she heard from her vagabond father.
But Brandt wouldn’t let her shut herself off, especially not after she’d pushed him to deal with his mood the other day. “Jess. Baby, talk to me. What did he want?”
“He asked me to come to Gillette to watch him ride and he wants us to catch up. Jesus. I haven’t seen him for three years. The last time was at the Niobrara Rodeo with Luke. And to say Billy and Luke didn’t hit it off is putting it mildly. Luke told him a grown man should face up to his responsibilities, not run off and join the damn rodeo.”
Brandt whistled. “Not that I disagree with anything Luke said, but I imagine that didn’t go over well.”
“Actually, Billy laughed it off. Said he’d take his judgment before God, not men.” She brooded, remembering just how mortifying that conversation had been. It’d gotten worse after Luke had spouted off that being brave on the back of a bronc didn’t mean shit when Billy was too much of a coward to stay with his wife and kids.
“What else did they say? Because I can tell you’re holding something back.”
“Billy reminded Luke that paying lip service to a sacred vow was a sin. Talk about humiliating. Billy knew Luke was cheating on me. Which made me wonder if cheaters recognize cheaters, or if Billy knew I wasn’t enough to hold Luke’s interest for the long haul.”
Evidently Brandt had no response for that.
“So you goin’ to Gillette?”
“Yes. How freakin’ pathetic is that?”
“Not pathetic. Just hopeful things might change between you and your father, and darlin’, that’s a feeling I’ve been familiar with my whole life.” Brandt kissed the top of her head. “I can’t fault you for that hope, but I’m worried how it’ll affect you if this trip ends up bein’ another dose of the same old, same old.
So, if you’re goin’, I’m goin’ with you.”
Jessie cranked her head around to look at him. “Really? You’d give up your one free weekend day to drive to Gillette and sit in an arena that smells like the barn?”
“I’m not givin’ up anything. I’ll be with you. That’s all that matters to me.” Brandt kissed her again, soundly.
Any mention of his feelings for her made her wary, but Brandt did it every chance he had. That’s just the way he was.
Hands roamed, breathing became hot and heavy as the kiss heated. But she didn’t break the connection, Brandt did. He muttered, “We’d better stop playin’ grab ass if we’re hitting the road.”
She nipped his bottom lip. “We’ve got time for a quickie.”
“No way.” He slapped her butt and stepped back. “I want more than a quickie.”
“We could stay here and spend the entire day in bed.”
“Another time. You need to see your dad, even if it’s only for a little while. Call him and tell him we’re on our way.” Brandt pointed at her clothes. “You gonna change?”
She glanced down at the dirt and manure stained coveralls. “You don’t think I oughta meet Billy in my work clothes?”
“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.