Frank Carpenter beamed at Joey perched on the end of his bed. "The doctor says he'll spring me in a few days. I'll need to stay close by while he checks me out, but then I'll be ready to go home."
It was so good to see Poppa smiling again, to see that twinkle in his eye. "That's great news, Poppa." Joey hopped down and moved to kiss his cheek. "No wonder you're in such a good mood."
Marie and Cole came in from a whispered consultation in the hall. Marie looked pleased, Cole smug. Joey turned in time to stare at them both suspiciously.
Frank chuckled. "Takes more than a heart attack to keep a Carpenter down."
"Where will you stay while you're recuperating, Frank?" Cole asked.
Frank lifted bushy gray eyebrows. "The RV, I guess."
"Stay at the ranch," Cole invited. "Joey and I would love to have you."
Joey shot him a look hot enough to singe his drawers.
Before she could find words, Frank spoke. "Joey? What has she got to do with this?"
"It's nothing, Poppa," she said in a soothing voice while glaring at Cole.
He winked at her. "Answer your father, honey."
"What's going on here, Joey?"
After another fulminating glower at Cole, she turned back to her father. "I didn't want to tell you like this—just springing it on you. I said we should wait until you're stronger. But they," she said, jerking her head at her mother and her husband, "aren't going to let up until I tell you. Poppa, Cole and I are married. It's only temporary-—"
"Married?" Frank spluttered. "When? Why?"
"When we were in Las Vegas," Joey said, leaving the last question unanswered.
Frank turned to Marie. "Did you know about this?"
"Not until it was over, dear. No use getting upset about it. What's done is done. Joey and Cole are married. They've got a few problems to work out, but they-—"
"Mom," Joey interrupted with a gasp. "You know we're getting a divorce!"
"No, we're not." Cole's voice cut through Joey's splutterings.
"Lassiter. Did you seduce my daughter?"
"Poppa," Joey all but shouted, feeling like she'd been dropped into a madhouse where no one listened to her. "That's none of your business."
Cole grinned at Joey. "Why don't you take Mom outside while I talk to Dad?"
"You can't call them that," Joey snapped.
"Oh?" He looked politely at Marie. "What would you prefer I call you? Seems disrespectful to call you 'hey, you', but what the hell. Strange to be calling my mother-in-law Mrs. Carpenter-—"
"All right, already!" Joey scowled at Cole. "Don't you dare upset Poppa. This excitement isn't good for him."
For several minutes after Joey and Marie left his room, Frank gazed at Cole. He sighed and leaned back, never moving his eyes from the younger man. "All right. Let's have it."
Cole told him, bluntly, just what had happened. He didn't spare himself, but he did stress Joey's reluctance to stay married. He didn't say a thing about the passion they shared. That was theirs alone.
Frank sighed again. "Leave it to Joey. All her life she's jumped first and asked questions later."
Cole firmed his lips. This may be her father but he wasn't going to let anyone give her a hard time. "You're talking about my wife."
"She says she doesn't want to be your wife."
Cole flushed at the harsh reminder. "I want her to give us a chance."
"I told her she made a mistake when she ran away and married Tom. She tell you about that?"
When Cole nodded, Frank went on, "He was nothing but a beach bum. Surfer. Hell, they were just kids. She wasn't even out of high school. I thought she was throwing her life away, but I was wrong. Took me a lot of years to admit that, but it was hard not to, not when they gave me two great grandkids. Tom adored her. He made her happy."
She hadn't said that. Cole swallowed the envious lump in his throat.
"You plan on treating her right?"
"Damn straight."
"You love her?"
Cole hesitated. Frank speared him with a look that brooked no lies.
"Not yet."
"You think it will come?"
"Maybe. Either way, I'll be a good husband to her. She won't lack for a thing. I'll make her happy."
"You'll have your work cut out all right. She's gotten pretty independent since Tom died. He kept her in line, but now she's hot-headed." Unexpectedly, Frank chuckled. "Maybe it will work."
"Do I have your approval, then?"
"No."
Taken aback, Cole stared.
"But I won't stand in your way, Lassiter. It's up to Joey. You make her happy, then we'll see. You hurt her in any way, bum heart or not, I'll come after you. Understood?"
Cole stiffened at the insult. As if he'd ever do anything to hurt Joey. Eyes narrowing, he held the older man's gaze. "Understood. Now you'd better understand something, too. Joey and I might not be clear on things yet, but it's up to us to decide what we want to do with our lives. She's a grown woman. She doesn't need you or Marie butting in."
Frank held out a hand. "We're clear, then."
Shaking his father-in-law's hand, Cole cracked a grin. "Want to bet they're wondering if we've come to blows yet?"
"Call them in then, but first, let me ask you this: what are you going to do if Joey doesn't want to stay?"
Cole's mouth tightened, but he gave Frank the truth. "I won't like it, but I'll let her go."
"You sound pretty sure of yourself."
"Far from it. The only thing I know for sure is that I want Joey to be happy. I'll do what I have to."
Frank gestured at the door. "Let them in."
Marie entered first, her questioning look going from man to man. Joey hung back, standing in the doorway until Cole went to her. "It'll be all right."
"How's Poppa?"
Cole grinned and touched her arm. "See for yourself."
Shaking off Cole's hand, Joey advanced hesitantly to the bed. "Are you okay, Poppa? How do you feel?"
"How should I feel when I hear you've gone and done another damn fool thing?"
Joey heard more than the surface gruffness in his voice. Under his disgruntled look, she knew he'd accepted her marriage. Maybe he wasn't pleased with her, but he wasn't going to stand in her way. Her shoulders relaxed as she reached out to touch her father's hand. "You're not angry?"
"Joey, as Cole didn't need to point out, you're a grown woman. You've got a crazy-assed habit of running off and getting married, but if this one works out as well as your first one did, who am I to tell you no?"
Joey's face crumpled. "You sound as if you think I should stay married."
"That's up to you. He's a good man. You could do worse, but whatever you do, you make sure it's right for you. I know you'll make the right decision."
Tears burned her eyes as she bent to hug her father. "Thanks, Poppa."
She straightened to find Cole's arms waiting for her. Without hesitation, she walked into them, feeling his heart pound under her cheek. She wasn't sure just what had happened out at the ranch between Cole and her mother, or here with her father, but she knew her parents had come to terms with Cole.
If they accepted him, was it so wrong of her to give in to the hard-burning urge to stay with him? Could she really do that? Could she commit herself to a marriage without love? Where the hopes of his loving her were slight at best?
She sniffed and despite her best effort to hold them back, her tears soaked his shirt. His arms tightened around her, giving her all the comfort she needed.
After a few moments, she pulled back. "Looks like you guys made all the decisions between you."
Cole used his thumb to wipe a remaining tear from her cheek. "The final one is up to you, honey."
Joey gazed up at him. He didn't hide his feelings, nor the hope growing in his dark eyes. She looked from one parent to the other. She saw confusion, but assent as well. It made it easier to know that her parents had judged Cole and hadn't found him lacking. Digging deep inside, she tapped into those audacious impulses which had gotten her into so much trouble in the past. They also gave her happiness.
Coming to her decision, she spoke quickly before she could change her mind. "Okay." She extended her hand to Cole, as if firming up a business deal. "You've got yourself a wife."
He smiled and raised her hand to his lips. "You've got yourself a husband."
Their gazes locked together. After a long while, Joey spoke, "I'd better call Ellen and Greg to tell them our news."
Cole nodded, his eyes filled with warmth, belying his casual stance. "I'll come with you."
He leaned on the wall by the pay phone, watching her as she dialed, and grinned encouragement when she began to speak.
"Hi, Greg. How's everything at home?"
He watched her nod and smile as she spoke to her son, fully absorbed in everything he said.
"Gramps is fine. He'll be getting out of the hospital in a few days. No, he'll have to stay here until the doctor says it's okay to travel."
Greg spoke and Joey laughed. "No, I don't think he'll be up to touring yet. I imagine he'll want to get home and rest a while."
A faint frown creased her forehead as she listened. "I don't know yet, Greg. We'll figure out a way, okay?"
When Cole raised his eyebrows in a question, Joey mouthed, "How will Gramps get the RV home?"
Cole nodded his understanding.
"You going to school every day?" She asked, then frowned. "Greg, I don't care about killer storms and great waves. You promised you wouldn't cut any more classes."
Cole waited while Greg's voice rose and fell with his explanations. Joey at last sighed. "No more of that."
Cole thought Greg needed more than a soft reprimand, but he said nothing. He watched Joey's face light up when her daughter came on the line. They spoke for a few minutes, then Joey got down to business.
"Listen, Ellen, I'd like you and Greg to come here. Can you get some time off?"
She listened. "Is Greg on the extension? Oh, good, I have something to tell you." She took a deep breath. "I got..."
Cole waited for her to say it.
"I got...listen, I'll tell you when you get here, okay? No, it's not about Gramps. He's doing much better than I expected."
She reassured them again, then, "I'll pick you up in Butte whenever you can get here. I'll call you tomorrow, will you know then if you can take some vacation, Ellen?"
A few minutes later, she hung up and looked up into Cole's face.
"How come you didn't tell them?"
Her gaze dropped. "I couldn't. Not over the phone. I need to be with them when I tell them about you."
"About us," he corrected.
"Us," she echoed, as if tasting the word. It wasn't going to be easy thinking of herself and Cole as a couple, as married, but she'd committed herself. It was time to start thinking of herself as Joey Lassiter. "I want to tell them in person."
"I don't like waiting, but I guess I can understand. When are they coming?"
"As soon as Ellen can make it. She'll let me know."
He pushed himself away from the wall. "How do you think they'll take the news?"
She knew Greg would hit the roof. She wasn't too sure about Ellen, but she thought her usually calm, steady daughter wouldn't be pleased. She stalled. "I don't know, Cole. They were very close to Tom. Especially Greg."
"You're worried about it, aren't you?"
"Well, of course I am! I'm not looking forward to telling them about getting drunk and getting married."
He winced. "You don't have to tell them everything, do you?"
"I guess not." She breathed in deeply. "What are you going to tell Sam and Betty?"
"I'll think of something. Ready to leave?"
She closed her eyes. "I'll let Mom and Poppa know we're leaving."
He waited for her in the hall. She came out of Frank's room looking shaken.
"What's the matter? Did they give you a hard time?" He ran his hand down her arm and gripped her fingers in his.
She clung. "Not exactly."
"What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
His shoulders tightened. "If that's the way you want it."
They left the hospital, walking stiffly apart. Joey knew she'd upset Cole by refusing to tell him what Poppa said, but sharing something that private, that hurtful wasn't easy. It was hard enough convincing her parents that a spur of the moment marriage had any chance of success without harping on the possibility that her children wouldn't accept it. Or Cole.
Still brooding, Joey unlocked the RV and shooed Romeo and Juliet out from underfoot. "Get lost!"
The dogs retreated, yapping all the way, to hide under a chair.
Cole's chuckle brought her gaze up to him. "Need some help packing?"
"No," she murmured as she ran a hand through her curls. "Are you hungry? I could fix us something before we go."
"Are you stalling, honey?"
She lifted her shoulders and then let them fall in agreement.
"I called home while you were talking to your folks. Betty's expecting us for supper."
"Oh, Cole, you didn't!"
"I did." Placing both his hands on her shoulders, he brought her to him. "There's nothing to be afraid of, honey. We're in this together."
"Did you tell them about us?"
"No. I'll do that when we get there."
"I'm not looking forward to this," she admitted. "Give me a few minutes to get myself together."
She went into her mother's bedroom, thinking she'd have a few minutes to get herself together in privacy. She'd made up her mind, maybe not as willingly as Cole would have liked, but she'd agreed to be a wife to him in every way.
She wouldn't be able to hide her doubts, but neither should she hide her joy in being with him. Or her pleasure in making love with him. She'd give him her best. If they didn't make it, it wouldn't be because she, Joey Carpenter Fleming Lassiter, hadn't given it her all.
Cole followed her in. Sighing, Joey, gave him a smile and pulled her suitcase out of the closet. She'd hoped for more time to quiet her last minute jitters, but if she wasn't going to get it, she'd make the best of what she'd had.
Cole leaned back on the bed while she tossed her things into her suitcase. He removed a purple lace teddy, smoothing it out and folding it properly. His fingers lingered on the delicate material as he replaced it in her suitcase. "Not very tidy, are you?"
She put her hands on her hip. "You expect tidy, marry Mrs. Clean."
"I don't want Mrs. Clean. I want you." He pulled her down next to him and kissed her thoroughly. Remembering her pep talk to herself, Joey held nothing back. He raised his head enough to speak. "You know what I'm going to do to you tonight?"
Her breath uneven, she whispered, "What?"
"First, I'm going to get you out of these clothes." Running a hand down the front of her shirt, he tugged at the material. He grinned. "Have you got something sexy on underneath?"
"You'll have to wait to find out, cowboy," she teased and swatted his hand away from the pearl snaps over her breasts.
"C'mon, gimme a hint," he coaxed, his breath warm and moist against her neck.
She shivered. "I thought you wanted me to pack."
"In a minute," he said against her lips before he took her mouth in another deep, longing kiss. This time, his mouth was possessive, demanding. He took what he wanted from her, letting her know that she was his. When she responded, her tongue touching his, her breath merging with his, not fighting his triumphant ownership of her, he gentled the kiss until both of them gave and took in the same measure.
Her muscles went slack. Giving in to the pleasure stealing through her, she pressed herself closer to him, brushing his chest with her breasts. She felt her nipples harden and moaned. The kiss deepened, as their bodies responded, ready for completion. "Cole," she protested when he let her up for air.
He rolled to one side, taking in one harsh breath after another. "Lord, woman, what you do to me. Any more of that, and I won't last til later."
"You don't have to," she suggested, running her hand down his chest, echoing his earlier caress.
His heart thumped harder even as he captured her hand and held it still against his taut abdomen. After a moment, he raised it to his mouth. Nipping at her fingers, he gave her a naughty grin. "Want to know what happens after I find out?"
"Find out what?"
He fondled her breast, toying with her erect nipples. "Pay attention, woman. When I find out what you've got on under here."
"Oh, that," she shrugged nonchalantly, as if her pulse didn't race and her back yearn to arch into Cole's caress. "Why don't you wait and surprise me?"
He considered that. "Fair enough." His lip quirked. "I'll be wondering what you've got on and you be thinking of what comes next." He lightly smacked her rump. "C'mon, Mrs. Lassiter, get moving. I'm hungry."
She pushed herself up. "You're always hungry."
"Damn right," he said and stared at her with eyes dark with desire. "If I stay in here, we'll never get going. I'll wait for you in the other room."
The minute he left, Joey pulled off her shirt and rummaged until she found the skimpiest bra she'd brought with her. Smiling to herself, she exchanged it for the one she worn earlier. Then she threw the rest of her clothing into the suitcase and took her time taking off old makeup and redoing her face. Fluffing up her curls, she sprayed perfume in the air and walked through it.
Feeling sassy and sexy, she opened the door. "I'm ready."
Cole stood and snapped off the television set. He stared at her. "So am I, Mrs. Lassiter, so am I."
He carried her suitcase out to the truck and placed it in the passenger seat. She had room only if she sat squashed up close to him. She frowned at him. "How will you drive?"
"I'll manage."
Manage he did. Driving one-handed, with one arm around her shoulder, caressing her breast at leisure, he took the truck over the rough road with easy confidence. He chuckled when the truck jolted, making her slam into his side. It was like running into a tree. She lifted her nose out of his ribs and muttered, "Enjoying this, are you?"
"Yup." He spared her a quick glance. "Maybe you'd feel better if you had something to hang onto."
"What?" she asked, looking for a strap.
He took his hand from the wheel long enough to put her hand on his thigh. "Me."
"Ah," she said, catching on. Digging her fingers into his hard muscled leg at every opportunity, she alternated that with running her palm ever higher. His breathing quickened. She moved her hand and cupped him.
He stiffened and let out his breath harshly. "Stop that."
"You said I could hang on," she said innocently.
"Not there, woman."
She put her hand back in her lap. "Okay."
"Do it again."
She clicked her tongue at him, but she touched his groin again. "What's the matter, cowboy? Can't make up your mind?"
He swung a heated glance at her, then looked down at her small hand resting so intimately against him. "You're playing with fire, Mrs. Lassiter."
"I feel it. Hard and hot, Mr. Lassiter."
His groan filled the cab. "We may have to skip dinner."
"Okay with me," she murmured, reminded of the confrontation yet to come. "Maybe we could just sneak into your bedroom?" she asked as he braked.
"Not a chance. Betty's waiting for us." He jerked his head at the big ranch house. Light poured from every window. The minute Cole parked the truck, the front door opened and Betty stepped out onto the porch.
Joey bit her lip. The intimate feelings vanished. Where only moments ago, she'd been anticipating making love with Cole, now she felt as though she'd been drenched with icy water.
Muttering a curse, Cole turned the engine and the lights off. "Give me a minute here, honey."
"Take all the time you want," she offered. She was in no hurry to go back inside that house and face a sullen Betty. "Think she'll give up and go inside?"
"Doubt it."
They sat in silence for a few moments until Joey moved restlessly. "Maybe Poppa was right."
"About what?"
She lifted a shoulder. "It's nothing."
"Did he warn you off me?"
It took her a while, but she finally answered, "Not in so many words."
"Well, what did he say?"
"He told me about your conversation."
"And?"
"It bothers me that you don't think we have a chance at love," she admitted with a rush.
"That's not exactly what I said."
"Don't quibble! It's bad enough that you told my father such private things."
"A man has a right to know that his daughter is okay."
Joey rolled her eyes, angry at both her father and Cole for assuming that she still needed to be taken care of. She'd thought she'd proved that, to her father at lest, since Tom's death. "I make my own decisions. In case you hadn't noticed, Cole, I'm not a kid anymore."
"I noticed, all right." He leered as he touched her breast with a fingertip.
Ignoring the instant hardening of her nipple, she swatted his hand away. "Stop that. I'm not kidding here."
He pushed out a long breath. "Okay. So you're serious. Let's get this over with. What exactly did Frank say?"
She watched him carefully as she repeated her father's words. "He said he hoped we knew what we were doing. He said if this proves to be nothing more than a flash in the pan, I should get my butt home where it belongs."
His lips tightened. "You're blaming me because he said that?"
"Who else? You're the one who told him you don't love me."
"Do you want me to tell you that I do?"
Her mouth open, she stopped to consider that. Did she want the words, empty as they'd be right now? It would be nice to feel needed and wanted again, comforting to feel loved, but honesty compelled her to search her deeper feelings.
"No," she answered slowly. "If you don't mean them, then I don't want to hear them."
"Good enough. I feel the same way."
"Do you think we'll ever be able to say them, and mean it?"
As if he heard more than wistfulness in her voice, he put his hand over hers, stilling her nervous fingers. "How about we take it one day at a time?"
Inwardly, she wanted to shout that she couldn't live without love, that she needed to at least dream that he loved her, that what urged them to make their marriage work was more than sex. Extraordinarily good sex, she admitted, but she wanted love, too. After having experienced it once, she didn't want to go through the rest of her life without it. She looked away, afraid he'd see her need in her expression.
"Honey?" he prompted her.
When she raised her eyes to his, she nodded. "Okay. One day at a time."
"Good. There's one more thing."
One more thing? Oh oh....
Chapter Fifteen -- posted January 23, 1998
Last updated: January 23, 1998