The Cowgirl's Secret (The Diamondback Ranch Series #) Page 17

  "I'll tell you why." Tori pointed a finger at each of her brothers in turn. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to know about me and Sam. I knew you'd all go macho and protective. None of y'all can get it through your thick skulls that I'm not a baby anymore. I don't need your protection. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

  Austin narrowed his eyes at his sister. "That's all well and good, but I still want to know Garza's background. And what are his intentions toward you?"

  "Excuse me?" Tori felt like stamping her foot. "Oh my God, Austin. What century are you living in? Sam's intentions toward me? Seriously? Let's see . . . I didn't ask Theresa what her intentions were when you started sniffing around her."

  Ruth clucked her tongue. "Tori, dear. Please don't talk so ugly and vulgar."

  "Sorry, Mom." Tori walked up to Tyler and jabbed him in the chest. "And I sure as hell didn't ask Caitlyn about her intentions when you two became an item." She swirled around and pointed at Dallas and Cameron. "I didn't ask Gillian or Jessie, for that matter. It wasn't my business. So what makes you think you have any right to ask Sam about his intentions toward me? Ding, ding, ding. You don't. This conversation is over and the topic is closed. I love Sam Garza and he loves me. That's all that matters, and it's no concern of yours."

  "Don't think this is over, because it isn't," Dallas said in his serious older-brother voice.

  "Oh, yes it is! I don't want any of you to confront Sam with this--" Tori broke off when the back door banged opened and a commotion came from the mudroom.

  "Just carry her inside." Everyone in the kitchen stared at each other when they heard Gillian's voice issuing the order.

  "What the hell?" Austin started forward only to fall back as Theresa brushed past him.

  "It's Kelsey," she said. "She's hurt. I have to get the icepack."

  "Hurt?" Austin rushed to the doorway. "Kelsey?"

  "Move out of the way, Austin. She's not badly hurt." Jessie made a shooing motion. "Right in here, Pete. I'm sure Cameron will want to take a look."

  Pete Lafferty walked into the kitchen carrying Kelsey in his arms. He stopped in the middle of the room holding her close, almost protectively. Kelsey had one arm draped around his neck and the other held close to her chest. Her head rested on Pete's shoulder, her eyes were closed, her forehead scrunched in pain.

  Austin stepped close and smoothed some of the blond tendrils over his daughter's forehead. "Kels, are you okay? What happened? Here, I'll take her," he said to Pete and reached for his daughter.

  "Ouch!" Kelsey bit her lip and turned her head toward Pete's chest.

  The young man stepped back from Austin. "It might be better if she's not moved more than necessary. I'll carry her to the sofa or maybe to one of the beds. Where do you want her, Dr. McCade?"

  Cameron strode across the kitchen and quickly examined his niece. "Looks like the wrist is broken; I'll have to set it. Take her to the back bedroom down the hall. I'll get my medical bag from the truck."

  "I'll get it," Tyler said, already heading toward the door. "You go on with Kels and Pete. I'll bring it to you."

  "Merciful heavens," Ruth said, her eyes wide and worried. "What in the world happened, child?"

  "It was a stupid accident, Grams. I fell down. Oh, God! My wrist hurts!"

  Pete led the way out of the kitchen with Austin dogging his steps. "She tripped on the extension cord to the jukebox as I was rolling it up. She twisted her ankle, then hurt her wrist when she broke her fall."

  Kelsey lifted her head and looked at her dad. "I can't believe I did that. I fall down all the time playing soccer, and I've never hurt myself before. At least, not this bad." She groaned and leaned her head against Pete's shoulder again.

  "It'll be okay, Kels," Austin said. "Uncle Cam will take care of you."

  Tori followed everyone down the hall toward the back bedroom. Pete set Kelsey gently on the bed, his hand lingering over her blond head. "You'll be okay now, kiddo."

  Kelsey smiled, stars shining in her blue eyes. "Thanks, Pete."

  Pete smiled back and touched a finger to her nose and cheek. "No problem. I hope you get better soon." He looked around the bedroom, and Tori thought his cheeks reddened, though she couldn't tell for sure.

  "I'll go finish stacking the folding chairs and putting away the jukebox." Pete quickly ducked out of the room.

  Tori hung back out of the way as everyone gathered around the bed to offer love and support to the wounded Kelsey. Austin plumped the pillows for his daughter. Theresa came running with the icepack. Tori was glad her brother had finally found a new wife for himself and a mother for Kelsey. And with a baby on the way, Austin's life seemed to be on track once again.

  Tori smiled and shook her head. But not for long. If she weren't mistaken, her brother would soon have his hands full. Kelsey was growing up and no one seemed to be noticing.

  ***

  On Monday evening, two days after the twins' birthday party, Sam sat on the sofa in the living room of his apartment behind Kincaid's Garage. He was immersed in code, oblivious to everything but the units and functions on the backlit screen. Poncho slept on a rug near the coffee table.

  "Garza, open up!"

  The pounding of a fist on the front door filtered through Sam's deep concentration. He frowned at the interruption and glanced at the time. Damn, he'd missed dinner. Again. He could work for hours on end and lose himself in the code, the logic, the algorithms.

  Rotating his shoulders to relieve some of the kinks he'd acquired from sitting in one position for too long, he closed the laptop and rose from the couch. Poncho lifted his head and growled low in his throat. Sam bent to pet the dog's head. "Some watch dog you've turned out to be."

  The knock sounded again. "Garza, I know you're in there!"

  Oh, hell. It was one of Tori's brothers. "I'm coming already. Don't get your shorts in a twist." Sam shook his head as he made his way to the door.

  His time of reckoning had come at last. In hindsight, he should have expected this visit, but Tori had assured him she'd taken care of her brothers and not to worry about them. She'd also promised that as soon as she could get organized, they would continue their relationship where they'd left off four years ago.

  As soon as she got organized. Right, babe.

  Tori's schedule was more hectic now than it had been in the first few weeks after she took over Doc's practice. The woman needed help and soon, so she could have a life. So they could have a life. Together. He'd waited long enough.

  Unlatching the bolt, Sam opened the door and staggered back as not one McCade brother, but all four, pushed their way into the living room.

  Well, hell.

  "Thought it was time to get to know you better, Garza." Dallas McCade tossed his Stetson on a side table and made himself comfortable in one of the overstuffed club chairs flanking the sofa.

  The other three McCades followed suit. On his way past Sam, Cameron shoved a case of cold beer into his arms. "Thought we could share a drink or two. Talk. You know, lay everything on the line."

  Lay down the law.

  Cameron hadn't actually said the words, but Sam heard the message loud and clear.

  He couldn't say he blamed the men. They were only looking out for their sister. And Sam hadn't really been upfront about himself since he'd moved to Salt Fork. He'd deliberately maintained a low profile during the years he and Tori had lived apart, keeping his end of their bargain. Not letting on that they were a couple.

  The time of reckoning had indeed arrived. It was more than past time to come clean. "So, who wants a beer?" Sam tore open the carton and handed beers all around, before setting the rest of the case in the fridge.

  He walked back to the living room, took a seat and waited. He'd be damned if he opened up the conversation. Looking around the room at the men, Sam figured their conversation would be more like an interrogation.

  Bring it on. He didn't have anything to hide. Not anymore. It would be a relief to get it all out
in the open. His intentions had always been honorable.

  "So, Garza. Tell us a little bit about yourself." Dallas pointed his can of beer Sam's way. "Tori told us you're not really a mechanic. What line of business are you in?"

  Sam took a swig of beer. "Computer programming. I worked for five years in New York. I came back to Texas for personal reasons."

  "And that's when you met Tori?" Austin asked, serious intent evident in his hazel eyes.

  "Yes."

  "Want to elaborate on that a little?" Tyler prompted.

  Sam turned his head and narrowed his gaze on Tyler. He took a slow drink from the can, taking his time before answering. "I met Tori at a club in Dallas where she was celebrating her twenty-first birthday with a group of friends. We dated during her last year at UTD."

  Dallas stared at Sam over the rim of his beer can. "The whole year?"

  "That's correct." He didn't elaborate. They didn't need to know all the details.

  "Okay, I'll just come right out with it," Dallas said. "What are your intentions toward our sister, Garza?"

  Sam stared at each of the men sitting in his living room. If looks could kill, he would be a dead man, four times over. Tori's brothers were extremely intense. No wonder she'd wanted to keep their relationship secret. She never would have heard the end of it while she was going to A&M. Hell, her brothers might have nipped the relationship in the bud and run Sam out of town.

  "Does Tori know you're here?" Sam countered the question, not caring for the direction the conversation was taking.

  "Hell, no. What Tori doesn't know, won't hurt her. Do you love her or don't you?" Tyler shot him a fierce look.

  Sam let out a caustic laugh. "Hell yeah, I love her. I wouldn't be in Salt Fork if I didn't love her. I asked her to marry me right before she graduated UTD. She refused, or I should say, she accepted with conditions. It all depends on how you look at it."

  "What the hell do you mean 'it depends'?" Austin said. "She either refused or accepted. Which was it?"

  "Neither. Both." Sam took another sip of beer, deliberately taking his time. "Your sister is a very ambitious young woman, and she's willing to work her ass off to get what she wants. While we dated, she flung herself whole-heartedly into our relationship and her grades suffered. I was too much of a distraction, she said. And she was right. I had to risk letting her go to pursue her dream. Or I risked losing her all together."

  Dallas whistled under his breath. "So that's how it was, huh?"

  "Yeah, that's how it was." Sam stared at the beer can he held in his hand. "I lost my mother shortly after Tori graduated UTD. Tori loved me so much, she was willing to give up her dream. I couldn't let her sacrifice herself like that, so we made a deal. She went to A&M and I moved to Salt Fork. That way, I'd be here when she returned to take over Doc's practice. I had nothing left to keep me in Dallas. No family. No job."

  "Goddamn, Garza. You've waited all these years for Tori to finish her degree?" Dallas lifted his beer can in a salute. "You're a better man than I am."

  "Or stupider," Austin said.

  Tyler put his hand to his mouth and faked a loud cough. "Or pussy-whipped," he said beneath his breath.

  Austin frowned. "Cut it out, Ty. That's our sister you're talking about."

  "Yeah, shut up," Cameron said with a frown.

  Sam grinned at the brothers. "Sadly, the man happens to be right."

  Dallas waved both hands in front of him as if warding off an attack. "Don't go there, Garza. Do not even go there. That's too much information. I know in my mind Tori's a grown woman, but my heart still thinks of her as my baby sister."

  "Right." Cameron crossed one booted foot over his knee. "Change of subject. I want to know more about this not having a job? What kind of computer work do you do exactly? Will you be able to support a wife? You are going to marry her, aren't you?"

  The question hung in the air as all four McCades glared at Sam. If only it were that simple. "Of course, I want to marry her. I intend to marry her; the sooner, the better."

  "What about your job? Or lack thereof?" Austin asked.

  Tori's brothers were persistent, Sam had to give them that. "In New York, I worked for a hedge fund and made extremely good money, but I got burnt out after my dad passed away. I moved to Texas to help my mom fight her cancer. Even though I didn't need the money, I couldn't give up the coding for good. I write programs for a friend's game development company in which I invested a good chunk of money several years ago." Sam pointed to his laptop. "I was working on a project when you knocked on the door."

  Tyler motioned with his beer can in Sam's direction. "What I don't understand is if you're not a mechanic, why in the world did you take the job at Jessie's garage?"

  Sam shrugged. "My dad had a couple of vintage cars. He taught me about internal combustion engines, and I enjoy getting my hands dirty. There's just something about working on an engine. Anyway, when I came to Salt Fork, Jessie was looking for a mechanic. I applied for the job, and here I am."

  "And here you are," Cameron said. "How about another round of beers? Don't get up, Garza; I know my way around." He returned with the beers and resumed his seat. "Tori's been back in town for almost two months. Why are you still hiding the fact that you two are involved?"

  Sam flipped open the beer can and took a long drink. "It's not by my choice. I would have been more than happy not keeping it secret all these years. But Tori was determined to keep it under wraps. She said that y'all would--"

  Austin snorted. "We know what she said: So we wouldn't go all macho and protective. It was probably for the best. We would have, you know."

  "Hell, she was right," Cameron said. "We're here, aren't we?"

  "Yeah, yeah. But why haven't you told us before now?" Tyler wanted to know.

  "Tori's been so busy, she doesn't know whether she's coming or going," Sam said. "I think I'm going to be forced to hold an intervention. Believe me, I'm only half joking. She can't keep up this crazy non-stop pace much longer."

  "The girl definitely needs help," Tyler said. "Whatcha going to do about it, Garza?"

  Cameron looked thoughtfully at Sam. "You once told me that Jessie needed a keeper."

  "I remember," Sam said. "Jessie was knee deep in debt with hospital bills, and she had to lease those oil rights to keep the business afloat."

  Dallas groaned. "That's a chapter in my book I would much rather forget."

  "Not your finest hour," Cameron said to his brother. "But that's all beside the point. Jessie did need a keeper . . . don't anyone dare tell her I said that; I'll deny it to my dying breath. Tori needs one, too. Ditto on not telling her either."

  Sam frowned. "I know what you mean, and I'm more than willing to take on the job. I just haven't found the right moment to force the issue again. She's busy morning, noon and night. We barely have time to see each other." No need to elaborate on the little amount of time they did manage to spend and how.

  "You might have to kidnap her, Garza," Dallas said with a grin. "You can't afford to wait around for things to settle down. If you haven't figured it out already, things never settle down with Tori. Never have; never will. Am I right?"

  The other three McCade brothers nodded in agreement.

  "I love my sister, don't get me wrong," Dallas continued. "But she can be one stubborn and mule-headed young lady."

  Sam lifted his beer can to his mouth and took a drink. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

  Dallas grinned again. "Just what are you implying, Garza?"

  "Nothing. Nada." Sam shook his head. "Forget I said anything."

  "You know," Cameron said in a serious tone of voice, "Tyler and I are no strangers to dealing with stubborn women. Jessie kept refusing to marry me until I was forced to do something--hold on to your seat--romantic."

  "God yes. Me, too." Tyler smiled at the memory.

  Austin set his empty beer can on the coffee table. "Dallas and I were the stubborn ones when it came to our prospective wives. We both ne
arly lost the women we loved because we were too thick-headed to realize what we were letting slip through our fingers."

  Dallas shook his head. "Don't remind me. I still get nightmares when I think about what would have happened if Gillian hadn't forgiven me for being such a jerk."

  The room was quiet as each man thought about the woman in his life.

  Cameron broke the silence. "Tell you what, Garza. We'll talk to Tori for you. Tell her how it is. Give her a heads up."

  "Good idea," Tyler said. "Tori's always been a strong-minded little thing. Sometimes, she just needs a little push to get back on track."

  "Yeah, we'll show her the error of her ways." Austin lifted his beer can in salute.

  "Thanks for the offer," Sam said, nightmarish scenarios bombarding his brain at the thought of Tori's brothers interfering like that. "But that might make matters worse."

  The five men stared at each other for a long drawn-out moment until Tyler finally grinned. "I think Garza may be on to something there."

  Sam laughed and shook his head. "Tori sure has y'all pegged. She didn't want you to know about us, because she didn't want you to play your big brother trump cards."

  Dallas shrugged. "We are her big brothers; we will always be her big brothers. It's our responsibility to protect her."

  "I understand, but Tori's my responsibility now. I'll take it from here," Sam said. "I do appreciate the offer though. And I appreciate you stopping by. Except if I were you, I wouldn't mention this little visit to your sister. She'd be spitting mad for sure."

  The McCades agreed as they rose to their feet and shook hands with Sam, punching him good-naturedly on the shoulder and pounding him on the back. Dallas grabbed his Stetson and headed for the door. "It'll be our secret, Garza. Oh, and by the way. Welcome to the family."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Two nights later, Tori stood on the front porch of the apartment at the back of Kincaid's Garage. The yellow bulb in the overhead light cast a golden glow into the warm summer night. She knocked on the door, just as she had many times before.