CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

      They showed each other in bed that night, each trying to outdo the other in generosity. Joey finally sank into an exhausted sleep, sure that Cole meant what he said. She woke up happy. The good feeling lasted through the next days. It spilled over and made dealing with Betty bearable. When she and Sam moved over to the old house, Joey walked through the big house feeling as though a huge load had been lifted from her shoulders. The big dark rooms didn't seem quite so oppressive, the furnishings quite so ugly. Sally's influence seemed to wane.
     Dividing her time over the next few days with her parents at the hospital and with Cole at the ranch, she began to settle down, to relax. Her time with Cole grew increasingly passionate, bringing them ever closer. They began their days early, shared breakfast and then when Cole went to see to the never ending work of running his ranch, Joey roamed the house, letting it speak to her, letting it tell her how it could be brightened without ruining its history. Gradually, she lost her uneasy feelings and looked forward to making some changes.
     As busy as she was with the house, though, there was always time for Cole.
     They ate lunch at a run if he managed to get away, but in the evening, ah, that's when Joey's childhood fantasies began to come true. More often than not, she'd find Cole leaning on a rail, checking the stock, or propped against the corral counting noses, as she termed it. That's when she joined him, often without speaking, content to let the beauty of the evening wash over them.
     "This is what I always imagined living on a ranch would be like," she murmured one evening as the sun sank behind the Beaverhead mountains.
     He turned to gaze down at her, his face almost lost in shadow. "What?"
     She touched her tongue to her upper lip before she answered. "Oh, a long mellow sunset. The whicker of horses in a corral. Knowing the day's work is done."
     He chuckled and reached down to stroke the muzzle of the big Golden Retriever at his side. "Only one thing wrong with that pretty picture. A rancher's work is never done."
     "Don't you laugh at me, Cole Lassiter," she warned, feeling possessive about her life long dream.
     "Wouldn't dream of it, Joey Lassiter." He bent and nuzzled the back of her neck. "Didn't you forget something?"
     She turned her head so he could reach more of her. "What?" she whispered.
     "How about what happens when the rancher takes his wife to bed?"
     She reached up to put her hands around his neck. "That's the best part," she agreed and lifted her mouth for his kiss.
     He wrapped his arms around her middle and started for the house. They heard the phone before they got to the door. "We don't need to answer that," he said thickly.
     "It'll only take a moment, Cole."
     He released her. "That's all you've got." Picking up the receiver, he barked a hello, then handed her the phone.
     Her face lit up when she heard Ellen's voice. "You got tickets for when?"
     Cole settled back to wait.
     Joey went on. "Day after tomorrow? Oh, Ellen, that's great! And you can stay how long?"
     She turned to Cole, her eyes bright and sparkly. "I'll pick you up in Butte, then. Uh, dear, I'm running out of clothes. Would you bring me some more?"
     Ellen spoke and Joey answered, "Oh, as much as will fit in my big suitcase. Bring my jeans, T-shirts, some tennies, my underwear, sweatshirts, that sort of thing. Yes, Montana's not quite like California. Bring the same sort of thing for you guys. Oh, and Ellen, get my jewelry case out of the safe and bring it, too. Carry it, okay? Don't pack it."
     Growing impatient, Cole listened to Joey's end of the conversation as she heard family news. What did she want her jewelry for? Was it to remind him that he hadn't even bought their wedding rings yet? She flicked a glance at him, seemed to understand his impatience and cut the conversation short.
     "Didn't Ellen want to know why a man answered the phone?" he asked curtly.
      She looked up at him, her smile slipping a little. "I told her I would be staying with friends. Are you mad?"
     "I don't like pretending."
     "We won't have to. As soon as I pick them up, I'll tell them."
     "As soon as we pick them up," he corrected.
     She twined her arms around his neck. "That would be nice. Do you suppose we could go up to Butte a little early? I saw a shopping mall and-—"
     "Do I have to go shopping with you?" He scowled. There was one store he had to have her with him, but if she was going to spend hours trying things on, then she could count him out.
     "Well, I guess not. I thought I'd pick up some stuff for the house, but I can do that another time, if you'd rather."
     "I'd rather make love to you now," he said and swept her up into his arms.
     He took the stairs like a man half his age and Joey forgot all about shopping.

     "Oh, there they are!" Joey squealed.
     Cole followed her line of sight and identified her kids immediately. The girl had on a pair of figure-hugging jeans and a neat T-shirt with an environmental logo on it. Okay. She didn't look much different than a lot of girls in Dillon. But dammit, that boy was something else.
     What kind of pants were those, baggy and ten different colors looking like he'd rolled in wet paint? And that shirt? Cole recognized a tank top when he saw one, but that? It looked like puke green neon. The over-sized sunglasses had rims in as many colors as the pants.
     Hopping up and down, Joey met them at the gate and flung her arms around them. Cole stood back a little, watching them. He knew she loved them, but it was good to see how they greeted her. Even the kid hugged her like he meant it. Cole stepped forward.
     Ellen saw him first, eyes widening as she took in his appearance. Joey noticed and turned. "Cole," she said and stretched out her left hand for him.
     He took it and let her move him into her family circle.
     "Guys, I'd like you to meet Cole Lassiter. He's the...friend I told you about."
     Ellen extended her hand. "Hi. It's nice that Mom made a friend here."
     Cole noted that she managed to keep her eyes away from his hand gripping Joey's. He rubbed his thumb over her brand new wedding ring. His wedding ring, the mate to his, the matched set they'd bought just that afternoon. "Well, your mother's kinda special."
     Joey flipped him a warning glance but Cole ignored it as he turned to her son. "You must be Greg."
     Greg ignored Cole's hand. He glowered up at the taller male. "Yeah, dude."
     Dude? Dude? What the hell did that kid mean, dude?
     "C'mon," Joey urged. "Let's see if your luggage is here yet. Did you bring me more clothes?"
     "Two suitcases, your big one and the garment bag, since you didn't say how long you'd be here. And I've got your jewelry right here," she patted her carry on. "How's Gramps?"
     Joey hugged her daughter. "Thanks, dear. Gramps is doing so much better! He'll be released early next week. We'll go see him as soon as we get ho...I mean to Dillon."
     Cole gestured at the parking lot. "I'll get the car."
     Joey nodded, her eyes resting on her kids as if she couldn't see enough of them.
     Greg looked suspiciously at Cole's retreating back. "What's he doing with you?"
     Joey's smile faltered as she slid her left hand into her pocket. "We'll talk as soon as we get out of here."
     "What's going on, Mom?" Greg pressed.
     "I'll tell you everything in just a few minutes, Greg."
     His mouth turned sullen, but he moved away to watch for the luggage.
     Ellen spoke softly, "What's the matter, Mom. You're acting funny."
     "Soon, dear. As soon as we get in the car."
     A few minutes later, Cole finished stuffing the luggage into the back of the already full Cherokee. Greg stood by, not offering to help, despite Joey's pointed glare.
     Ellen looked surprised. "I thought you'd rented a car?"
     "I did. I turned it in a while ago."
     "Why?"
     Cole answered Greg. "She didn't need it anymore. No point in paying for it when she wasn't using it."
     Ellen and Greg exchanged puzzled glances. They climbed into the back when Joey motioned them to it, but that didn't stop the looks. Ellen glanced over her shoulder at the shopping bags. "Looks like you've been busy, Mom."
     Joey scanned the shopping bags from several department stores. Overflowing with linens and things for the bedroom, they didn't leave much room for the luggage. "Just some things I needed."
     Greg laughed. "Yeah. I know you, Mom. Did you leave anything in the store?"
     Cole laughed. "Doesn't look like it, does it?" He placed her garment bag on top of the heap and held it down until he could force the door shut.
     "Don't you guys start ganging up on me now," Joey warned, her voice light and teasing. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
     Cole climbed in behind the wheel and grinned as he caught Greg's eye in the rearview mirror. Immediately, Greg's face shut down. He said nothing as Cole left the airport.
     Greg stared out the window at the Butte streets and made a disgusted noise. "Jeez, what a nothing burg."
     "That's enough, Greg," Joey spoke firmly.
     Silence grew while Cole navigated the highway to the Dillon I-15 exit, retracing the route Joey had followed the night they'd met. At last, cruising toward home, Joey turned in her seat. With one leg tucked under her, she faced her children. "I guess you have a lot of questions, but I've...we've" she corrected at a look from Cole. "We've got something to tell you."
     She saw her children look from her to Cole, then back to her expectantly. She swallowed, then plunged in. "Cole and I are married." She held up her hand so that they could see her new ring. She admired it herself, awed and amazed all over again at the inscription Cole had insisted the jeweler engrave while they waited. She'd protested at the expense, but Cole had ridden rough shod over her objections. Was he trying to outdo the ring Tom had given her?
     Shutting that thought out, she took a deep breath. "We got married ten days ago."
     "What the hell?" from Greg, his voice loud.
     "Mo-om?" from Ellen.
     "I know it's a surprise," Joey began.
     "How could you do that, Mom?" Greg leaned forward, blasting away. "Come up to see Gramps and go do a stupid thing like this?"
     "Greg," Ellen tugged at his tank top, pulling him back. "Shut up and let Mom talk." With a pointed look at Joey's ring, she spoke directly to her mother. "Why didn't you say something before now?"
     Joey sent her a grateful look. "I know it's hard to understand, but if you'll just listen-—"
     She was interrupted by a spate of curses from Greg.
     "Mind your mouth, Greg," Cole snapped, taking the words right out of Joey's mouth.
     "I don't have to listen to you!" Greg shouted. "You're not my father!"
     "No, I'm not." Cole looked up into the rear view mirror at Greg. "But I won't have you talk to your mother like that."
     "Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what I can and can't do? What makes you think you can--"
     "All right." Joey's voice cut through Greg's tirade. "Everybody calm down and let's talk this out."
     Greg started to speak, then stopped. He muttered once, under his breath and then slumped into the seat.
     After a moment, Cole took a deep breath. "Your Mom's right." He took Joey's hand in his and rubbed his thumb over her wedding ring. "I know this is a shock to you. It was a surprise all around," he said with a private smile for Joey, "but it's a fact."
     Ellen spoke up, her voice quiet and puzzled. "I don't understand, Mom. How did this happen? I mean, if you've been married ten days, you must have gotten married as soon as you got here? How did that happen?"
     Joey's smile wasn't her usual sprightly one, but Cole's gave her encouragement. "It was a surprise, just like Cole said. We decided, sort of on the spur of the moment."
     "Mom, you do some far out things, but this is rad," Greg sneered.
     Cole's eyebrow lifted. "What did he say?"
     Ellen ignored him. Her eyes were intent on Joey. "Why didn't you tell us?"
     Joey looked at the hurt look on Ellen's face. "I wanted to, I really did. I just thought I'd do a better job in person, but I guess I messed this up."
     "We'll live." Ellen reached forward to lay a hand on Joey's shoulder. "Are you happy, Mom?"
     Joey swallowed and patted Ellen's hand. She sought Cole's eyes before she could answer. His return gaze told her that he, too, wanted an answer to that question. She looked down at their clasped hands, then back at her children.
     Greg turned stubbornly away, ostentatiously distancing himself by gazing out the window, but she could tell from his tense posture that he waited for her answer.
     Ellen, his gaze locked unwaveringly on hers, looking so much like Tom then that Joey's eyes misted. She flicked a glance back at Greg, then tried to find the words.
     "I am happy," she began, a little surprised that despite not having asked herself that question before, she could now answer so positively. "Getting married isn't something I expected to do, but I'm not sorry."
     Greg shot her a look filled with betrayal. "How could you forget Dad so fast? I thought you loved each other!"
     "Oh, Greggie, it's not like that at all," Joey answered quickly, wishing she could reach her son.
     She felt the Cherokee slowing and glanced forward to see Cole pulling into a rest stop. She smiled her gratitude and scrambled out as soon as he stopped. She motioned for her children to get out and drew them both into a group hug. "Look, guys, let's get something straight here. I loved your father with everything I had in me. He loved us like that, too."
     She spared a glance at Cole, standing a few feet away. She saw his jaw clench but right now, her children needed her more. She hugged them again. "I love you more than anything on earth. You know that. Marrying Cole doesn't take away one little bit from what we have together."
     "Oh yeah?" Greg asked bitterly. "Then why didn't you tell us before? And a cowboy." Sneering at Cole, he continued, "You could at least gone for someone like Dad."
     Joey bit her lip. "There is nobody like your father. I married Cole for different reasons."
     "Is he going back with us?" Greg demanded.
     "Of course not. Cole's life is here."
     "But our life is in Santa Cruz," Greg wailed.
     Joey inhaled. She hadn't expected it to come so fast, but here it was. "Not any more. You'll be staying with us."
     "Not me!" Greg exploded. "I'll stay with Gran and Gramps."
     "You'll be with me, Gregory Fleming, and not another word about it."
     She caught Cole's gaze and took comfort from the unspoken support she found in his dark brown eyes. Looking back at her children, she sighed and said, "C'mon, guys, this isn't the end of the world. Let's go. Gran and Gramps are waiting for us."
     Ellen held back a moment. "Do they know about this?"
     "Yes," Cole answered for Joey.
     "And how do they feel about it?"
     Cole's lip quirked. "They're still deciding whether to boil me in oil or settle for a lynching."
     Ellen's quick laugh warmed Joey's heart, and feeling better than she had moments ago, she hugged her daughter. "I've missed you, really missed you."
     Ellen returned the hug. "Me, too. If you're happy, and you love each other, that's all that matters."
     Pierced to the quick at Ellen's assumption that she and Cole had married for love, Joey gave her another quick hug. "We'd better be going. I don't want to worry Gramps."
     They climbed back into the Cherokee and Joey felt grateful that for the moment at least, no one had anything more to say. Cole took her hand again and held it against his thigh as he drove the miles to Dillon. * * *
     Frank Carpenter sat up in his hospital bed like a monarch holding court. With Claire and Joey in the two visitors chairs, Ellen perched next to his side and Greg lolling over the end of the bed, he looked up at Cole who leaned against the wall opposite him and said, "Feels good to have my family around. For a while I thought I'd never see this again."
     "Makes a man think."
     Frank nodded. "How's your boy doing?"
     "Good. He's able to get around a bit now, so he's not quite so ornery."
     Frank chuckled.
     Cole grinned. "You two can swap stories when you come out to the ranch."
     Greg's head popped up. "You going there, Gramps?"
     "Yup," Frank nodded, mimicking Cole. "I'll have to stick around for a while til the doctor gives me the all clear."
     "But, I thought you could go home. I thought, like maybe I could go with you, drive the RV."
     Hearing the incipient whine in Greg's voice, Joey broke in. "Gran and Gramps will visit us until they're ready to go home. Gramps is looking forward to that, aren't you Poppa?"
     Looking from his daughter to his grandson, Frank pursed his lips. "Never been on a ranch before. This is a good time to do that. A man should always be open to new experiences."
     Greg looked like he'd been wounded. His face, a younger version of Tom, paled, then turned beet red. He looked down at his shoes.
     Joey knew he must be thinking that even his grandfather had turned against him. She wanted to comfort him for his disappointment, but that would just make things worse, at least for now. She and Greg would have to work this out between them, and giving in to his pout wouldn't help matters any.
     At least Greg hadn't given in to one of his full-blown tantrums in front of Cole of his grandparents. No doubt he was saving that for her.
     She flicked a glance at Cole again, seeing him tall and lean and seeming not to notice that he stood on the fringes of the family grouping. With his slightly bowlegged stance, he looked like he'd be just at home leaning against a corral as holding up the wall, but she was learning to read him. She'd seen the muscle jumping in his jaw and knew that as relaxed as he appeared on the outside, inside he was anything but calm.
     She rose and went to stand by him. He straightened and put an arm around her shoulder. Welcoming the heavy weight, she moved closer into the warmth of his body. He tucked her in, almost cradling her in the crook of his arm. She let her head rest for a moment against his shoulder.
      He smiled down at her then pressed at kiss to her temple. It frightened her to realize how important he was to her. With a tremulous smile, she managed, "We'd better be going. Betty's expecting us for supper."
     "Are you all right?" he questioned softly.
     She snuggled a little closer. "Oh, yeah. Just peachy."
     "Hang in there. We'll get through this together."

Ready for the next chapter? Chapter Eighteen -- posted January 24, 1998

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Last updated: January 24, 1998