Diving into her work with guns blazing would never be an issue.
When Jackson finished with his call, he motioned for Sammie to meet him in the back room. The space would serve as her office and a lounge for her employees, and behind that area a stockroom would be built to house the inventory.
“What’s up?” she said.
“That was my brother Clay. He’s inviting us to a little show they’re having at Penny’s Song tomorrow night. Since we’re both coming out to the ranch, he suggested that we stay with them for the weekend.”
Penny’s Song was a dude ranch on the Worth property designed for children recovering from illness. Sammie had been there once, when Callie had married Tagg. The charity helped provide children an easy way to acclimate back into society. Young Penny Martin, a local Red Ridge resident, had been the inspiration, and upon her death, all three Worth brothers had helped in starting up the foundation. The charity had touched the heart and soul of the entire town.
But the invitation to stay out at the ranch with Jackson brought a wave of fear to her heart. She’d hoped to keep as much distance from him as possible and it appeared that she was losing that battle.
A wealth of guilt glided through her mind. She hadn’t out and out lied to Callie about her time spent with Jackson in Las Vegas, but when they’d talked, she’d skirted the issue and hid the truth from her. Something she’d never done before. Just being in the same room with Jackson and Callie would fray her nerves. She wasn’t looking forward to it.
“I’m sure you’ve got plans for Saturday night.” Sammie could only hope.
Jackson shook his head and gave a nonchalant shrug. “Actually, I’m open.”
Great.
Why in heaven’s name didn’t he have a date or something?
Her cell phone rang this time. And she didn’t have to look at the screen to know it was Callie. Small-town life was like that, she was finding out, and news traveled fast, especially in a close-knit family. Sammie knew exactly what Callie would say.
“You’ll stay with us,” Callie said a few seconds into the conversation, proving Sammie right. “At our house, and Jackson will stay with Clay.”
“Callie, I love you dearly, but I don’t want to impose on you and Tagg.”
“You’re not. I’d love some female company up here.”
Tagg and Callie’s house was set at the base of the Red Ridge mountains on the site of the original Worth house built in the 1800s. Clay and his family lived on a bigger piece of land that supported the cattle, corrals and outer buildings. All of it was considered Worth property. Tagg raised horses, and Clay raised cattle. And Jackson was the dealmaker and entrepreneur of the family.
“You’ll stay the weekend. Come on … say you will. Please.”
“Okay,” Sammie said without pause. She couldn’t disappoint her best friend. She’d just have to find a way to deal with being around Jackson twenty-four-seven.
Sammie had met steeper challenges before.
Though, for the life of her now she couldn’t recall a single one.
Three
“Squeeee! I’m tickled to death you’re here for the entire weekend.” A very pregnant Callie had opened her front door and stepped out onto the porch before Sammie had gotten a chance to knock. Her friend wrapped her arms around Sammie as far as her baby bump would allow. Her bulging stomach took up a good foot and half of space between them. Callie called it “happy space.”
Callie’s eyes beamed and her face was radiant with a pregnancy glow.
Sammie grinned. The two had met and become friends while going to college in Boston. “Since when do you say things like ‘tickled to death’?”
Callie laughed and her hearty laughter echoed in the vast open space surrounding them. Behind her stood the Red Ridge mountain range where Callie and Tagg had spoken their vows. “You know I grew up in Red Ridge. Back in Boston, we’re jazzed.But here, we get tickled to death.”
“Or tickled pink?”
Callie nodded. “That, too. You’ll catch on. It won’t be long until you’re speaking our language out here in the wild, wild West. This weekend we’ll be roomies again.” Callie was beside herself with happiness. “Oh, I’ve missed you. I can’t wait to have a good sit down and catch up on everything.”
Behind Sammie’s eyes, tears stung. Callie was the closest thing she had to a sister. Her gracious welcome touched something deep inside. She hadn’t felt this kind of love since her father died. She’d lost her mother at an early age, so he and Sammie had been very close up until the day he’d taken his last breath. If she’d had any doubts about making the move to Arizona, they’d all just vanished into thin air. She’d made the right move. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“The timing’s good, too, isn’t it?” Callie asked. “We’re not pulling you and Jackson away from your work, right?”
Hearing her name paired with Jackson’s gave her momentary palpitations, but she recovered quickly. She didn’t want to walk on eggshells, worried that someone might guess they’d slept together. It was a secret she’d have to keep without experiencing a guilt trip every time Jackson’s name was mentioned.
“It’s absolutely good timing.” It was the truth. She would be able to spend the weekend here and still have enough time to put the finishing touches on her apartment when she returned home. She was almost finished hanging pictures and organizing her kitchen. As for Boot Barrage, the crew wouldn’t be done with construction for several days and Sammie didn’t have any stock due to arrive until the end of the week.
She glanced at Tagg, who’d gone out to the car to say hello to Jackson. The two men were deep in conversation as Jackson pulled Sammie’s small suitcase out of his truck. He turned and found her watching him, and that ridiculous jolt smacked her right between the eyes again.
He studied her for a second, his gaze drifting down to her black ankle boots with three-inch heels and Grecian straps crisscrossing her calves. The boots complemented the flower-print black and white dress she wore. The only jewelry she wore was a lacy silver necklace that dipped over her breasts with earrings that matched.
It was as if Jackson hadn’t noticed anything else on her body but her boots. And now his gaze slowly rose up her legs, over her little dress, until he looked her straight in the eye.
The moment froze in time.
Her nerves jumped.
Get a grip, Sammie.
She had a feeling she’d be saying that to herself a hundred times before this weekend was over. She could endure Jackson’s hot looks and the momentary weakness she lapsed into when she gazed at him, if only Tagg and Callie wouldn’t find out the truth. She vowed to get over this crazy thing she had for Jackson. Somehow.
Sammie was the first to break eye contact.
Callie grabbed her hand. “Come inside. I want to show you the nursery.
